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Summary:
This data set consists of a 1:2.5 million scale forest cover map for the land area of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) that was completed in 1990 (Garsia 1990). There are forty-five classes distinguished in this data set, thirty-eight of which are forest cover classes. The purpose of this map was to create a generalized and up-to-date map of forest cover for the USSR. This map should be viewed not as a detailed forest cover map but as an economic forestry map. The most important tree species of a region are highlighted rather than the dominant trees species or tree cover. Very few tree species are defined. In many cases, of course, the dominant and the most important trees species are the same.
In addition, the map bears a very strong resemblance to the 1973 Forest Atlas (Anon. 1973), so there is concern that this map is based on a 1973 Atlas, which was likely based on forestry data from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. This 1990 map appears more simplified than the Forest Atlas of 1973.
The data are provided in several formats, including binary raster data in Idrisi format, ASCIIGRID raster data in ASCII format (easily imported into ArcInfo), vector data in ArcView shapefile format, and a graphic map in JPEG format (see Figure 1.). Please read all documentation before using these files.
Figure 1. Forest Cover Map for the Land Area of the Former Soviet Union.
Data Citation:
Cite this data set as follows:
Stone, T. A., and P. Schlesinger. 2003. RLC Forest Cover Map of the Former Soviet Union, 1990. Data set. Available on-line [http://www.daac.ornl.gov] from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. doi:10.3334/ORNLDAAC/691.
Table of Contents:
- 1 Data Set Overview
- 2 Data Characteristics
- 3 Applications and Derivation
- 4 Quality Assessment
- 5 Acquisition Materials and Methods
- 6 Data Description and Access
- 7 References
- 8 Glossary and Acronyms
- 9 Document Information
1. Data Set Overview:
Data Set Contents:
This data set consists of a 1:2.5 million scale forest cover map for the land area of the FSU. Forty-five land cover classes are distinguished.
Related Data Sets:
See other Russian Land Cover data sets.
Title of Investigation:
Measuring Changes to Russian Forest Over the Last 25 Years
Investigator(s) Name and E-mail:
Name Stone, T.A. tstone@whrc.org Schlesinger, P. pschles@whrc.org
Technical Contact(s) Name, Telephone, and E-mail:
Name Phone Schlesinger, P. pschles@whrc.org (508)540-9900
Future Modifications and Plans:
Not available
2. Data Characteristics:
Study Area:
Spatial Coverage:
Min. X: -4737113
Max. X: 3474887
Min. Y: -1595781
Max. Y: 2952219
In meters from 104.5 degrees E, 56.5 degrees N
Spatial Resolution:
1:2.5 million
Projection:
Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
Grid Description:
Cols: 8212
Rows: 4548
Resolution: 1000 meters
Temporal Coverage:
The map bears a very strong resemblance to the 1973 Forest Atlas (Anon. 1973), so there is real concern that this map is based on a 1973 Atlas, which was likely based on forestry data from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. The 1990 map appears more simplified than the Forest Atlas of 1973.
Parameter or Variable:
Table for: fmap90.img
Variable Description Units Instrument Range LAND COVER Economically important tree species of a region are highlighted rather than the dominant trees species or tree cover. Unitless Map of forests of the USSR completed in 1990 (Garsia 1990) Not applicable
LAND COVER footnote: Land Cover Classes
The 45 land cover classes distinguished in this dataset are listed below. They include:
1) Pine (Scotch)
2) Sparse (Scotch) Pine
3) Spruce
4) Sparse Spruce
5) Fir
6) Sparse Fir
7) Spruce/Fir
8) Sparse Spruce/Fir
9) Larch
10) Sparse Larch
11) Siberian and/or Korean Pine
12) Sparse Siberian and/or Korean Pine
13) Juniper
14) Oak
15) Sparse Oak
16) Beech1
17) Beech (Fagus)
18) Hornbeam
19) Betula Ermanii
20) Sparse B. Ermanii
21) Not Used
22) Birch
23) Sparse Birch
24) Not Used
25) Aspen
26) Sparse Aspen
27) Tilia
28) Other w/o dominant species
29) Other w/Maple dominant
30) Other w/Walnut dominant
31) Other w/Pistachio dominant
32) Dwarf Arctic Birch
33) Cedar Elfin Wood
34) Dispersed Larch Wood
35) Burned Forest
36) Glades
37) Tundra
38) Stones, stony places
39) Not Used
40) Stony Tundra
41) Land Outside Country
42) Open Land/Nonforest
43) Not Used
44) Sea
45) Water (inland)
Table for: fmap90.dat.gz
Variable Description Units Instrument Range LAND COVER Economically important tree species of a region are highlighted rather than the dominant trees species or tree cover. Unitless Map of forests of the USSR completed in 1990 (Garsia 1990) Not applicable
LAND COVER footnote: See Land Cover Classes above.
Table for: fmap90av32.zip
Variable Description Units Instrument Range LAND COVER Economically important tree species of a region are highlighted rather than the dominant trees species or tree cover. Unitless Map of forests of the USSR completed in 1990 (Garsia 1990) Not applicable
LAND COVER footnote: See Land Cover Classes above.
Data Organization
Please read all documentation before using these files: http://daac.ornl.gov/daacdata/russian_land_cover/forest_map_1990/comp/fmap90_readme.txt and http://daac.ornl.gov/daacdata/russian_land_cover/forest_map_1990/comp/fmap90_projection.txt.
Granule Name or Description:
fmap90.img
Data Format:
A binary raster image depicting forest cover (Garsia 1990) in Idrisi format made up of 8212 columns by 4548 rows comprising 8-bit bytes. Note: must be converted to an *rst file when using version 3.2 of Idrisi. Use the Idrisi File Conversion (16/32) utility available in the file pulldown menu to convert to the new format. Also note that the Idrisi v. 2 image documentation file, fmap90.doc, MUST be present for the binary data to be read by Idrisi.
Sample Data Record:
Not applicable
Granule Name or Description:
fmap90.dat.gz
Data Format:
Compressed ASCIIGRID version of the binary raster data (fmap90.img). This data file was created by converting the Idrisi binary file (fmap90.img) using Idrisi export utilities.
Sample Data Record:
Not applicable.
Granule Name or Description:
fmap90av32.zip
Data Format:
Vector map version of data (same info as raster data fmap90.img and fmap90.asc.gz) in ArcView shapefile format (compressed).
Sample Data Record:
Not applicable
3. Application and Derivation:
Typical Application of Data
Regional-, national-, and sub-national-level forest and land use change assessments.
Theory of Measurements:
Not available
Derivation Techniques and Algorithms:
Formulae:
Not available
Processing Steps:
The source vector data for the raster version of the 1990 Forests of the USSR (being distributed here) were obtained from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) as an ArcInfo Export format file (World Wide Fund for Nature and WCMC 1996). These data were reprojected from geographic projection to Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area using ArcInfo for UNIX using the PROJECT command. The subsequent coverage was also gridded using this software, and these data were exported to a generic binary format suitable to Idrisi v. 2.0 for Windows. Stone and Schlesinger (1993), "Translation of the Legend of the 1990 Map "Forests of the USSR," is included as a companion file [http://daac.ornl.gov/daacdata/russian_land_cover/forest_map_1990/comp/fmap90_legend-4.pdf].
Processing Changes:
Projection: Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
Datum : Undefined delta
WGS84 : 0 0 0
Ellipsoid : Sphere
Radius of sphere: 6370997.0000
Longitude of Central Meridian : 104.5
Latitude of True Scale: 56.5
False Easting: 0.0
False Northing: 0.0
Pixel Dimension: 1000 meters
Special Corrections/Adjustments:
Not applicable
Calculated Variables:
Not applicable
Graphs and Plots Used in Analysis:
Not applicable
4. Quality Assessment:
Data Usage Guidance:
Errors and Limitations:
Error Sources:
Not available
Limitations of the Data:
This map should be viewed not as a forest cover map but as an economic forestry map. The most important tree species of a region are highlighted rather than the dominant trees species or tree cover. Very few tree species are defined. Generally, each polygon and color has one tree species assigned to it. In many cases, of course, the dominant and the most important trees species are the same. In addition, the map bears a very strong resemblance to the 1973 Forest Atlas (Anon. 1973), so there is concern that this map is based on a 1973 Atlas, which was likely based on forestry data from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. The 1990 map appears more simplified than the Forest Atlas of 1973. There are no indications of land covers other than forests and there are no indications of forestry or logging activity. Some larger burn areas are noted. Hence, like all maps of this scale, the map is generalized. It is not recommended that the map be used at a scale more detailed than 1:2,000,000.
As in other maps, the polygons are discreet entities, tree species categories do not blend into one another. In nature, vegetation types and forms tend to go through gradual transitions from one group of plant species to another. This gradual transition is lost in cartographic products when a line is drawn that separates two units of land cover. Maps that are produced from satellite data are generally raster products that do not define well-bounded polygons and, in a sense, may be more representative of nature.
Coastline and great inland lakes in the data set correspond to those found in the Digital Chart of the World (ESRI 1993).
Known Problems with the Data:
Not available
Quality Assessment Activities
Validation by Submitter of Data:
Not available
Confidence Level or Accuracy Judgment:
Not available
Measurement Error for Parameters:
Not available
Additional Quality Assessments:
Not available
Verification by Data Center:
Not available
Other Relevant Information about the Study:
Not available
5. Acquisition Materials and Methods:
Source or Platform Collection Environment:
Not available
Source or Platform Program Management:
Not available
Source or Platform Mission Objectives:
Coverage Information:
Not available
Attitude Characteristics:
Not available
Data Collection System:
Not available
Communication Links:
Not available
List of Sensors or Instruments:
ANALYSIS
Ground Segment Information:
Data Acquisition and Processing:
Not available
Latitude Crossing Times:
Not available
Sensor or Instrument Descriptions:
Key Variables:
Not available
Principles of Operation:
Not available
Sensor or Instrument Measurement Geometry:
Not available
Manufacturer of Sensor or Instrument:
Not available
Calibration:
Specifications:
Not applicable
Tolerance:
Not applicable
Frequency of Calibration:
Not applicable
Other Calibration Information:
Not applicable
Data Acquisition Methods:
The source data were acquired from World Conservation Monitoring Centre (previously http://www.wcmc.org.uk; now http://www.unep-wcmc.org).
Observations:
Data Notes:
Users of these data agree to notify WWF Russian Programme Office (chestin@wwfus.glasnet.ru) and agree to acknowledge the source of data as follows: Source: WWF Russian Programme Office, Moscow, with support from WWF US and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, coordinator Dr. I. Lysenko.
6. Data Description and Access:
Data Access:
This data set is available from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).
Data Archive Center:
Contact for Data Center Access Information:
E-mail: uso@daac.ornl.gov
Telephone: +1 (865) 241-3952
FAX: +1 (865) 574-4665
Product Availability:
Data are available electronically on the ORNL DAAC's anonymous HTTP site or from the DAAC's search and order system. Data files are also available by request from uso@daac.ornl.gov.
Reading the Media:
Not available
Software and Analyses Tools:
Not available
7. References:
Anon. 1973. Atlas of Forests for the Soviet Union, Main Geodetic and Cartographic Organization for the Ministries of the USSR, Moscow, 222 pp.
Garsia, M. G (ed.). 1990. Forests of the USSR, Scale 1: 2,500,000, Forest Cartography Department of All-Union State Planning - Research Institute Sojuzgiprolezhoz. GUGK, Moscow, USSR.
Stone, T. A., and P. Schlesinger. 1993. Translation of the Legend of the 1990 Map "Forests of the USSR." A report to the Northeast Forest Experiment Station, USDA Forest Service, Global Change Research Program, Radnor, Pennsylvania [http://daac.ornl.gov/daacdata/russian_land_cover/forest_map_1990/comp/fmap90_legend-4.pdf].
The source title for the original ArcInfo Export format file is:
World Wide Fund for Nature and WCMC, 1996. The Digital Forest Map of the USSR, version 2.0, completed 12-20-95. World Wide Fund for Nature, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge.
Source of coastline and lakes used in the production of the original Arc Info Export format file:
ESRI. 1993. Digital Chart of the World (DCW).
8. Glossary and Acronyms:
Glossary:
Not available
Acronyms:
| DCW | Digital Chart of the Word |
| ESRI | Environmental Systems Research Institute |
| WCMC | World Conservation Monitoring Center |
| WWF | World Wide Fund for Nature |
9. Document Information:
2003/11/27
Document Review Date:
2003/11/27
Document Curator:
webmaster@www.daac.ornl.gov