Ecoregion download files by state

The relative importance of each biotic and abiotic characteristic varied from one ecological region to another regardless of the ecoregion hierarchical level. Expert judgment was employed throughout the selection, analysis, and classification of data to define the ecoregions. Information from the literature and input from state and regional experts were very important to this project, as well as the earlier ones in neighboring states. Ecoregion lines were compiled at ,scale onto ,scale topographic base maps.

More detailed explanations about the methods, materials, rationale, and philosophy for the ecoregionalization process can be found in Gallant and others , Omernik a , and Omernik and Gallant Evaluation of the ecoregion framework presented in this paper is a necessary future step. A better tool would be a more encompassing index of ecological integrity IEI Omernik, a, b ; although an IEI is not available yet, there is considerable interest in at least two states to begin its development.

Verification of ecoregions cannot be done by considering individual ecosystem components; this is because the ecoregion framework was not intended to show regional patterns specific to either the flora or fauna of terrestrial ecosystems, nor was it intended to reflect distributions of fish or aquatic macroinvertebrates. Bailey, R. Department of Agriculture—Forest Service, scale ,, Bazata, K. Biggs, B.

Bryce, S. Gallant, A. Geological Survey Professional Paper Heiskary, S. Hughes, R. Environmental Protection Agency Conference, New England contains low coastal plains, rocky coasts, river floodplains, alluvial valleys, glacial lakes, forested mountains, and alpine peaks. Ecological diversity is great. There are 5 level III ecoregions and 40 level IV ecoregions in the New England states and many continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states or provinces.

The project is associated with an interagency effort to develop a common framework of ecological regions McMahon and others, As each of these frameworks is further refined, their differences are becoming less discernible. Collaborative ecoregion projects, such as this one in New England, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation. Bailey, R. Level I is the coarsest level, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions.

Idaho is made up of semiarid shrub- and grass-covered plains, irrigated agricultural valleys, volcanic plateaus, forested mountains, woodland- and shrubland-covered hills, glaciated peaks, lava fields, and wetlands. Ecological diversity is enormous. There are 10 level III ecoregions and 71 level IV ecoregions in Idaho and many continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states.

The project is associated with an interagency effort to develop a common framework of ecological regions. Reaching that objective requires recognition of the differences in the conceptual approaches and mapping methodologies applied to develop the most common ecoregion-type frameworks, including those developed by the USFS Bailey and others, , the USEPA Omernik, , , and the NRCS U.

Department of Agriculture—Soil Conservation Service, As each of these frameworks is further refined, their differences are becoming less discernible. Regional collaborative projects such as this one in Idaho, where agreement has been reached among multiple resource management agencies, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation.

Bailey, R. Bryce, S. Griffith, G. Woods Dynamac Corporation , James M. Comstock Indus Corporation , and Milton D. Plocher Dynamac Corporation. Geological Survey map scale ,, Ecoregions are directly applicable to the immediate needs of state agencies, including the development of biological criteria and water quality standards and the establishment of management goals for nonpoint-source pollution Omernik and Griffith, ; Hughes and others, ; Whittier and others, They are also relevant to integrated ecosystem management, an ultimate goal of many federal and state resource management agencies.

These phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife distributions, and hydrology. The relative importance of each phenomenon varies from one ecological region to another regardless of ecoregion hierarchical level. Valleys are shrub-covered or shrub- and grass-covered. Mountains may be brush-, woodland-, or forest-covered.

Land use is primarily rangeland but many mines and large military reservations occur. Some valleys are irrigated and farmed, and rapid urban and suburban growth is occurring in the Las Vegas, Reno, and Carson City areas. Most of the state is internally drained and lies within the Great Basin; rivers in the southeast are part of the Colorado River system and those in the northeast drain to the Snake River.

There are 5 level III ecoregions and 43 level IV ecoregions in Nevada and many continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states McGrath and others, ; Woods and others, The Nevada ecoregion project is associated with an interagency effort to develop a common framework of ecological regions. Reaching that objective requires recognition of the differences in the conceptual approaches and mapping methodologies applied to develop the most common ecoregion-type frameworks, including those developed by the USFS Bailey and others, , the USEPA Omernik, , , and the NRCS U.

Department of Agriculture—Soil Conservation Service, Regional collaborative projects, such as this one in Nevada, where agreement has been reached among multiple resource management agencies, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation. McMahon, G. Bryce Dynamac Corporation , Alan J. Additionally, each state section contains links to downloadable maps in PDF format, and files containing GIS datasets shapefiles, metadata, and symbology data.

If you do not find a link to a state that has been completed, maps and GIS data are available on the Ecoregion FTP site and web content will be available shortly. To make sure you are using the most current ecoregion data, download shapefiles of ecoregions. Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources; they are designed to serve as a spatial framework for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components.

Ecoregions are directly applicable to the immediate needs of state agencies, including the development of biological criteria and water quality standards and the establishment of management goals for nonpoint-source pollution.

They are also relevant to integrated ecosystem management, an ultimate goal of most federal and state resource management agencies. The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions can be identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity Wiken ; Omernik , These phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology.