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Abstracts and Contacts for Distribution Databases Surveyed
Database title: Army Lands Inventory
Agency/Organization: Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Purpose: Conduct inventory and develop a database on noxious and nuisance plants on Army lands.
Abstract: Because there is no central database on nonindigenous plant species on Army installations, the Waterways Experiment Station (WES) was tasked by the Army Environmental Center (AEC) to develop a database covering noxious and nuisance plants. There are a few databases that exist that identify the composition of vegetation at some military installations; however, these systems were developed to account for threatened and endangered species or for management of lands that have been disturbed during training operations. A questionnaire was developed to solicit information on the problem vegetation and the control methods utilized. Personnel at army installations nationwide are being asked to complete the questionnaire. In addition, another project funded by AEC will develop an information system that presents each state's noxious weed and seed laws and the vegetation identified in these laws.
Database manager:
Al Cofrancesco
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Waterways Experiment Station
CEWES-ER-A
3909 Halls Ferry Road
Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199
Telephone: (601) 634-3182
Email: cofrana@ex1.wes.army.mil
Data availability: hard copy
Contact: Al Cofrancesco
Database title: Natural Resources Management and Assessment Program (NRMAP) and National Park Service (NPS) Exotic Plants
Agency/Organization: National Park Service (NPS)
Purpose: Relate data on natural resources to personnel needs for resource management at NPS units.
Abstract: The Natural Resource Management and Assessment Program (NRMAP) database contains the most comprehensive data available about nonindigenous (exotic) species for NPS units. Initial data collection for the database occurred in 1993, and an update is in progress for data collected since 1996. The data were collected from 269 NPS units in 1993 and more than 300 in 1996. NPS Exotic Plants is a subset of exotic plants data from the NRMAP database. Formatted in dBase IV, it was completed by Tim Goddard, NPS, in 1996. The subset includes data for the top five exotic plant species for each park (717 records) as well as other NPS unit data (269 records). The top five exotic species data include common name, scientific name, impacted acres, and treated acres for each species. The NPS unit data include total legal, impacted, and treated acreage for each unit.
NRMAP database manager:
Bill Commins
National Park Service
1849 C St., NW
Rm 3021
Washington, DC 20240
Telephone: (202) 208-4631
Email: Bill_Commins@nps.gov
Data availability: digital media
Contact: Bill Commins
NPS Exotic Plants database manager:
Tim Goddard
National Park Service
Inventory and Monitoring
1201 Oak Ridge Dr., Suite 350
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Telephone: (970) 225-3543
Email: Tim_Goddard@nps.gov
Database title: NPS Species List Database (NPSpecies), a subset of NRMAP
Agency/Organization: National Park Service (NPS)
Abstract: The National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program is charged with collecting species list inventories of vascular plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish for all NPS units with significant natural resources (about 265 units). NPS resource personnel have also expressed a need to collect and maintain other species data (e.g., macroinvertebrates, insects, and fossils) that are not included in the I&M inventory. To meet this broad need, the NPSpecies database model uses a series of integrated records to document the plants, animals, fossils, other species, and related observations that occur in park areas. The basic design of NPSpecies incorporates three levels of species data and extensive help with standard nomenclature authorities, software assistance, and additional species references. The three levels of documentation include:
- species reference documents with systematic taxonomy,
- park species list records with voucher data, and
- park observation records to document individual species observations.
The final data model for the database will be determined by available species data, needs identified by NPS resource staff and scientists, and access security for sensitive resources. The pilot NPSpecies database is being developed via an intranet system with distributed access to the database over the Internet while maintaining individualized access, input, and edit control for users. While not intended to track exotic species, exotic species will be tagged for easy selection.
Database manager:
Joe Gregson
National Park Service
I&M Program
1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 350
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Telephone: (970) 225-3559
Email: Joe_Gregson@nps.gov
Data availability: Web site under development but will have limited public access over the World Wide Web when operational; digital media (structured ASCII export files will be available from the NPS I&M Program).
Contact: Joe Gregson
Database title: Forest Service Noxious/Invasive Database
Agency/Organization: USDA Forest Service
Purpose: Relate and graphically display data on administrative reporting, inventory, and biological control for use in field offices.
Abstract: The Forest Service Noxious/Invasive Database consists of three elements: administrative and reporting, inventory, and biological control information. The administrative reporting section is part of a national corporate administrative database called INFRA, named for infrastructure. INFRA holds information on infested acres, treated acres, treatment type, planned treatment, and related information. This database holds pesticide information including chemical name rates and surfactants. INFRA is also used to complete pesticide-use reports. It is a newer version of a longstanding (15+ years) database called FSRAMIS, Forest Service Range Management Information System. Conversion to the newer version will be completed nationwide by the end of 1998.
The second portion contains inventory, site, and monitoring information and is also part of a new U.S. Forest Service database for all vegetation. Information in this portion of the database is tied to the previous portion by site identification. This portion contains detailed site information such as soils, landform, habitat type, elevation, aspect, existing vegetation, species, cover, etc. Potential fields available to the user are extensive. All data elements in the noxious weed portion of the database are part of the larger vegetation database, with the exception of the option of using the Greater Yellowstone area noxious weed cover classes. Noxious weed monitoring information is also contained in this portion of the database.
The third portion, still under development, contains information on biological control. It contains information on species released and relevant release information such as temperature, wind speed, and insects present. It also contains monitoring information on insect density and spread. Linked to the other portions of the database through site identification, information is not duplicated within the database structure. Hence, site information on a biological control release site is contained in the inventory portion of the database. All information in the database can be graphically displayed in ARC INFO or ARC View through the site identification or other data elements. The database allows the flexibility to either have acres computed by the geographic information system or be entered from field data. All portions of the database hold successive year information so changes in infestation levels and treatments can be displayed. All portions of the database are designed for field office use. It is currently envisioned that little of the data contained in the database will be used at the national level. At the national level, summary data of infested acres (by species) and treated acres will be the primary information collected.
Database managers:
Rita Beard
U.S. Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Forest and Experiment Station
240 W. Prospect Road
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Telephone: (970) 498-1715
James E. Zimmerman, computer specialist
Telephone: (202) 205-1412
Data availability: digital media and hard copy; computer system currently in transition; anticipate only summary information at the national or regional level for the next year.
Digital media contact: Rita Beard
Hard copy contact: James Zimmerman
Database title: Forest Health Monitoring Program
Agency/Organization: USDA Forest Service
Purpose: Annually monitor and report on conditions, changes, and trends in U.S. forests for sustainability.
Abstract: The Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program is a multi-agency, cooperative effort to determine the status, changes, and trends in all forest ecosystems in the United States on an annual basis. The partners in the FHM program include the USDA Forest Service (State and Private Forestry, Research, and the National Forest System), State Foresters, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The USDA Forest Service directs the FHM program, in partnership with States and the Bureau of Land Management. The FHM program is designed to evaluate the condition, changes, and trends in all U.S. forests on an annual basis; evaluate the causes of poor forest condition; and evaluate key ecosystem components and processes to better understand how forest ecosystems function. The FHM program will help the United States and participating countries address forest sustainability because the indicators used in FHM regional monitoring are based on productivity, diversity, vitality, soil conservation, and carbon sequestration. The FHM program has four major components: detection monitoring (national or regional monitoring); evaluation monitoring (intensified monitoring or analysis in problem areas); intensive site ecosystem monitoring (monitoring to understand processes and improve predictive capabilities); and research on monitoring techniques (research to improve monitoring techniques). Detection monitoring data is collected on personal data recorders with on-site edit checks, and after post-season edits, resides in an Oracle database that can be accessed from personal computers at remote locations.
Database managers:
Chuck Liff
Telephone: (702) 798-2222
Ken Stolte
Forest Service Lab
USDA Forest Service
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Telephone: (919) 549-4020
Email: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Data availability: hard copy
Contact: Chuck Liff
Database title: National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS)
Agency/Organization: USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Purpose: Provide survey data for plant pests in the United States.
Abstract: National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS) provides plant pest survey data on a national scale in conjunction with the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). Access to NAPIS has been provided to each state's land grant university system, department of agriculture, and APHIS headquarters for APHIS PPQ in each state and in Puerto Rico. Other USDA agencies also have access to NAPIS. CAPS members and other users may access NAPIS via direct dial telephone service or Internet. Certain USDA staff members can reach NAPIS via the PPQ X.25 network.
NAPIS has replaced hardcopy publications which formerly reported survey results. The Cooperative Plant Pest Report, the Cooperative Economic Insect Report, and the Plant Disease Report are no longer published by USDA. Rather, data which had previously been reported to these publications can be entered into NAPIS. NAPIS can provide data in coded or plain-language downloads and can generate a variety of reports. Specialized reports can be created for projects or other needs.
All NAPIS data are referenced to a state and county, and each record may have point-location referencing. NAPIS data downloads can be used with standard geographic information system software to create maps and analytical reports.
NAPIS contains data which describe the results of a wide range of plant pest surveys conducted throughout the United States. Emphasis is given to surveys for exotic pests, pests which may impact export of U.S. agricultural products, PPQ cooperative program pests, and biological control agents. CAPS projects facilitate the collection and management of data on these subjects.
Database managers:
Dave McNeal
USDA APHIS PPQ
4700 River Road Unit 134
Riverdale, MD 20737
Telephone: (301) 734-8247
Email: dmcneal@aphis.usda.gov
Jim Pheasant
NAPIS Hotline, User Services
CERIS, Purdue University
Telephone: (765) 494-9853
Email: pheasant@ceris.purdue.edu
Data availability: Web site at http://www.ceris.purdue.edu/napis; digital media and hard copy
Contact: state survey coordinators - (View List of State Survey Coordinators)
Database title: The Plants Database
Agency/Organization: USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), National Plant Data Center (NPDC)
Purpose: Provide information for natural resource conservation for NRCS, its clients, cooperators, and the public.
Abstract: The PLANTS database grew out of the National List of Scientific Plant Names. PLANTS is a dynamic database accessible via the World Wide Web. PLANTS designates species as either native or introduced and encompasses the plant information (taxonomy, distribution, growth factors, crops, images, and other plant attributes) required by NRCS natural resource applications for providing natural resource conservation assistance to clients. The information available on the PLANTS web site continues to grow and be revised. The National Plant Data Center cooperates with many contributors in the development of PLANTS and other applications including the Biota of North America Program, Flora of North America, International Organization for Plant Information, Alcorn State University, North Carolina A&T University, Missouri Botanical Garden, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Royal Botanic Garden at Edinburgh, Utah State University, University of Wyoming, University of Texas at Austin, Louisiana State University, Northeastern Louisiana University, University of Nebraska, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and Botanisher Garten-Berlin. The NRCS is also cooperating with the USGS Biological Resources Division and others to incorporate and link to information on noxious weeds to assist our 3,000 field offices with additional information.
Director:
J. Scott Peterson
P.O. Box 74490
Baton Rouge, LA 70874
Telephone: (504) 775-6280
Email: speterson@npdc.nrcs.usda.gov
Database manager:
Mark Skinner
P.O. Box 74490
Baton Rouge, LA 70874
Telephone: (504) 775-6280
Email: mskinner@npdc.nrcs.usda.gov
Data availability: Web site at http://plants.usda.gov
Contact: Mark Skinner
Database title: Alien Species Databases of the HEAR Project
Agency/Organization: USGS, Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) Project
Purpose: Provide resources to natural resource managers in Hawaii to aid fight against alien species statewide.
Abstract: The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project, a USGS Biological Resources Division Ecosystem Initiative project, is an effort to provide resources (technology, methods, and information) to resource managers in Hawaii to aid in the fight against invasive alien species statewide. The role of the project is initiating coordinated, multiagency control and eradication actions by:
- compiling the best-available existing spatial distribution information on alien species in Hawaii;
- identifying those alien species with the most harmful effects on other valued species, natural communities, or agricultural crops;
- identifying a subset of the most harmful alien species for which cost-effective control methods already exist, and for which the population size and/or spatial distribution is small or localized enough for control to be feasible;
- making findings available to cooperating agencies so as to assist them in setting priorities, allocating resources, and making decisions for control actions;
- facilitating full utilization of the existing data, as well as gathering of new data to fill the gaps;
- developing standardized, user-friendly data management tools.
Database manager:
Philip A. Thomas
Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk Project
3190 Maile Way, Rm. 409
St. John, Honolulu, HI 96822
Telephone: (808) 572-9306 x 53233
Email: thomasp@maui.com
Data availability: Web site at http://www.hear.org; digital media and hard copy
Contact: Philip Thomas
Database title: Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Agency/Organization: USGS Biological Resources Division
Purpose: Document status and distribution of nonindigenous species introduced to U.S. waters.
Abstract: Primarily in response to the introduction of zebra mussels into the Great Lakes, Congress enacted the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Prevention and Control Act of 1990. The major focus of the Act was to set up a framework to monitor and control nonindigenous aquatic species and to reduce the risk of their unintentional introductions. A core element of this framework was to create an Information Service to provide timely, reliable data about the presence and distribution of introduced aquatic species. In 1993, the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program was established at the USGS Biological Resources Division research facility in Gainesville, Florida. This public access information system includes maps, fact sheets, data sets, custom reports, and other related information regarding aquatic introductions reported since 1850. Of concern are not only exotic, foreign species but also native organisms that have been transported outside of their natural ranges. The current on-line database contains 39,000 geographically referenced accounts of over 1094 species of fish, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, tunicates, bryzoans, sponges, coelenterates, annelids, mollusks, crustaceans, diseases, parasites, and plants. The addition of plants is a new initiative that accounts for introductions of aquatic monocot, dicot, fern, and alga species. Records of freshwater as well as marine organisms are collected. Information on each introduction is obtained from the literature, state and Federal agency programs, universities, museums, and on-line databases. A web site reporting form is especially useful for receiving new reports. Database records include fields for information on taxonomy, locality, method of collection, origin, physical parameters, habitat, and status of the introduction. Each record is georeferenced to the finest USGS hydrologic unit possible. On-line access to the data set is available through the Internet. Users can perform state or hydrologic basin queries, obtain fact sheets, and get distribution maps showing native and introduced ranges. Factsheets include information relating to the taxonomy, identification, native and introduced ranges, method of introduction, status, and known impacts of each species.
Director:
James Williams
USGS Biological Resources Division
Center for Aquatic Resource Studies
7920 N.W. 71st St.
Gainesville, FL 32653
Database manager (Plants):
Colette Jacono
Center for Aquatic Resource Studies
7920 NW 71st St.
Gainesville, FL 32653-3071
Telephone: (352) 378-8181
Email: colette_jacono@usgs.gov
Data availability: Web site at http://nas.er.usgs.gov; digital media and hard copy
Digital media and hard copy contact: Colette Jacono
Database title: The Exotics Map Database
Agency/Organization: USGS Biological Resources Division, Colorado Plateau Field Station
Purpose: Use Internet mapserver technology to help land managers integrate exotic plant management in the arid Southwest.
Abstract: The Colorado Plateau Field Station (CPFS) is developing a prototype procedure for the collection, compilation, and distribution of information on exotic plant species. Colorado Plateau collaborators are collecting field data on exotic plant species on the land they administer. Initially these data were centered on a standardized data form and then entered into an Exotics Data Entry Program. The CPFS compiles the data into the Exotics Map Database, a digital database that includes species name, georeferencing information, and estimates of infestation size. The data is used to generate a GIS coverage which is displayed and accessed through the World Wide Web using map server technology. We anticipate that the map server technology may provide the most interactive means to distribute the Exotics Map Database.
Database manager:
Kathryn Thomas
Colorado Plateau Field Station
P.O. Box 5614
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Telephone: (520) 556-7466, x235
Email: kat@nbs.nau.edu
Data availability: Web site at http://www.usgs.nau.edu/swemp/;
digital media
Digital media contact:
Elena Deshler, project coordinator
Colorado Plateau Field Station
P.O. Box 5614
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Telephone: (520) 556-7468
Email: edeshler@usgs.nau.edu
Database title: Noxious Weed Information System (NWIS)
Agency/Organization: California Department of Food and Agriculture, Integrated Pest Control Branch
Purpose: Use FTP exchange and MapInfo GIS to help California field biologists inventory noxious weed infestations and track eradications.
Abstract: The California Department of Food and Agriculture is developing a Noxious Weed Information System (NWIS) to coordinate information on noxious weed control in California. The NWIS is an integrated central data clearinghouse, anchored by two database systems. One database is a public forum where governmental land managers can describe their weed control projects and look for other persons with similar concerns. It is also intended as a source of information on weed biology and control. This system will be available through a World Wide Web site being developed at the Information Center for the Environment at University of California, Davis. The second database system is intended for weed biologists within the state and counties and will help them inventory and map infestations of noxious weeds and track eradication efforts. Each state biologist and county will have a stand-alone copy of the database at their field sites. The field copies of the database coordinate with a central database through FTP exchanges over the Internet. A MapInfo GIS system accepts GPS positional information on weed populations and controls activities and provides maps of infestations.
Database managers:
Patrick Akers
Steve Schoenig
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Integrated Pest Control Branch
1220 N St., Room A-357
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 654-0768
Email: pakers@cdfa.ca.gov or sschoeni@cdfa.ca.gov
Data availability: Web site at http://endeavor.des.ucdavis.edu/weeds
Database title: INVADERS Database Project
Agency/Organization: University of Montana, Division of Biological Sciences
Purpose: Source of distribution records for exotic and weedy native plants in the northwest states.
Abstract: The INVADERS Database Release 6.4 contains 8,780 scientific names (including synonyms) for 5,918 exotic and native plant species reported in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Nomenclature generally follows Hitchcock and Cronquist (1973). Legal status, common names, family, life form, and duration of exotics are available. There are 80,024 verifiable distribution records for 3,022 species, including 890 exotic species of North America for the years between 1875 to 1996. Seventy-five percent of the distribution data are for exotics. Fields include collector, county, place name, and date. Geo-coordinates are available for some records. Another field contains miscellaneous data on severity or size of weed infestation, associated vegetation, environmental and management factors, etc. Primary sources are the herbaria at Washington State University, Oregon State University, Montana State University, University of Montana, and University of Idaho; Extension Service identification records for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana; U.S. Forest Service Region 1 ECODATA; and the Oregon, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming Departments of Agriculture. These data are supplemented with records from several other agency, university and literature sources, including U.S. Forest Service Region 6 Ecology Plot data, Rocky Mountain Herbarium (not completed), Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana Weed Seed Free Forage Program, and records received and verified by Peter M. Rice. Custom INVADERS software can be used to generate distribution maps, time lapse maps, expansion rate curves, and species lists for counties or groups of counties. It takes less than 20 minutes to learn the custom software. The software can be adapted easily for other groups of states.
Database manager:
Peter M. Rice
J. Christopher Toney
University of Montana, Biology Division
Missoula, MT 59812
Telephone: (406) 243-2671
Email: biopmr@selway.umt.edu
ctoney@selway.umt.edu
Data availability: Web site at http://invader.dbs.umt.edu; digital media.
Contact: Peter Rice
Database title: ROADVEG
Agency/Organization: Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), Maintenance Division, Roadside Vegetation
Purpose: Database encoding land and vegetation attributes for roadsides, adjacent lands, and context landscapes.
Abstract: The Utah Department of Transportation, in collaboration with Utah State University, developed a relational database and GIS, dubbed ROADVEG, that encodes land and vegetation attributes for roadsides, adjacent lands, and context landscapes. Road segment data constitute the basic nomenclatural and spatial references to the UDOT region number, route number, travel direction, from and to mile-markers, and survey date for the road segments surveyed. Five fields of coded relational data assign county, ecoregion, watershed, landform, and wetlands attributes to each variable-length road segment. Seven fields of coded relational data form an abstract of (1) the vegetation types along the right-of-way and in the nearby and greater landscape context; (2) the ranked similarity between the right-of-way vegetation and the context vegetation; and (3) the structure and general composition of the three primary vegetational layers - trees, shrubs, and herbs. Relational tables also provide vegetational composition for encoded vegetation types. Scientific names, common names, families, origins, and management status as a noxious weed, invasive species, or special status species, are also related to vegetation types for all plants encountered. Via the ArcView GIS display, users are able to query and display various vegetational attributes as needed. To date, about 1,360 linear miles of Utah roadways have been field-assessed and scored. As funding becomes available, the remainder of the state's major roadways will be inventoried.
Database manager:
Ira Bickford
Utah Department of Transportation
4501 South 2700 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
Telephone: (801) 965-4119
Email: srdomain.src0f01.ibickfor@state.ut.us
Data availability: digital media
Contact: Ira Bickford
Database title: Biota of North America Program
Agency/Organization: North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Purpose: Develop unified system for assessing North American biota; use digital floristic synthesis for assessing exotic and weed plant distributions.
Abstract: The Biota of North America Program (BONAP) of the North Carolina Botanical Garden was founded in 1969 by Dr. John Kartesz, with the goal of developing a unified system for assessing the North American biota. BONAP works closely with federal government agencies, private organizations, and universities, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, the University of California at Berkeley, and many others, to develop and provide nomenclatural, taxonomic, and phytogeographic data. BONAP's nomenclatural data, published in 1994 in the second edition of a two-volume work, "A Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland," and updated annually, represents the most comprehensive assessment of the nomenclature and taxonomy of the North American vascular flora (north of Mexico) thus far produced. In addition to nomenclature and taxonomy, BONAP maintains an exhaustive assessment of phytogeographic distributions for some 36,000 North American plant taxa occurring north of Mexico. For some of the 500,000 state- or equivalent-level distributional records, a bibliographic reference and/or voucher documentation is maintained. County-level data are also maintained for all vascular plants found in approximately 36 U.S. states, with the goal of completing the county-level data for all 50 states within the next few years. Several thousand biological attribute fields, such as rarity, weediness, nativity, insectivory, plant habit, habitat, duration, biogeography, hardiness, medical value, and horticultural values, are also maintained by BONAP for each of the taxa treated, making the database one of the largest in existence.
Early this fall, BONAP will complete its 1997 Floristic Synthesis, a series of digital products intended to integrate the most fundamental components of its database, including the fully synonymized nomenclatural data, state- or equivalent-level distribution data, common names, and 45 biological attribute fields, for all 36,000 taxa, into a single package. The user-friendly system will permit complicated Boolean operations to be performed, via a mouse, while displaying the results graphically.
Database director:
John Kartesz
Biota of North America Program
University of North Carolina, Department of Biology
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
Telephone: (919) 962-0578
Email: jkartesz@jkartesz.bio.unc.edu
Database manager:
Amy Farstad
Biota of North America Program
University of North Carolina, Department of Biology
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
Telephone: (919) 962-0578
Email: afarstad.coker@mhs.unc.edu
Data availability: Web site at http://trident.ftc.nrcs.usda.gov/plants/;
digital media or hard copy.
Contact: John Kartesz
Database title: Man and the Biosphere Flora (MABFlora)
Agency/Organization: University of California, Davis
Purpose: Computer program provides interface for biologists to input occurrence records and create reports on MAB reserves.
Abstract: Man and the Biosphere Flora (MABFlora) is a computer program which provides a graphical user interface for biologists to input records of inventory and monitoring activities of vascular plants in MAB Biosphere Reserves and other protected areas. MABFlora contains data dictionaries (peer-reviewed, published nomenclatures) of species names and enables users to make selections from menus of choices provided by the program. Several nomenclature sources are used: the version of MABFlora for North America uses a modified version of the USDA PLANTS database, a version for Biosphere Reserves in California uses the Jepson Manual, a version for western Europe uses the Flora European database, and a version for Russia uses the Vascular Plants of Russia. It also enables users to create preformatted reports and to output records in the database in either ASCII text or dBase III compatible flat files.
Database director:
James F. Quinn
Biodiversity Group
Information Center for the Environment
Division of Environmental Studies
University of California
Davis, CA 95616
Telephone: (916) 752-1768
Email: jfquinn@ucdavis.edu
Database manager:
Robert J. Meese
Biodiversity Group
Information Center for the Environment
Division of Environmental Studies
University of California, Davis, CA 95616
Telephone: (916) 752-1768
Email: rjmeese@ucdavis.edu
Data availability: Web site at http://ice.ucdavis.edu/MAB; digital media and hard copy.
Contact: Robert Meese
Database title: Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) Invasive Plant Database
Agency/Organization: Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council
Purpose: Capture location of invasive exotic plants in Florida to document impacts, identify habitat and research needs, and justify policy and control strategies.
Abstract: In 1994, the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council identified the need for the development of a statewide database to capture the location of recognized invasive exotic plants in the state. The database, which has received data from federal, state, and local government resource managers throughout the state, has grown to over 333 site locations and continues to expand at a rate of approximately 20 new sitings per month.
The database has been used for a number of purposes, including documenting site locations where invasive plants are impacting endangered and threatened plant and animal species, developing local government prohibitions of specific plants identified as threats to local natural areas, assisting in identification of research needs, providing input about types of habitats invaded by specific weeds and potential state distribution, and justifying allocation of control dollars for specific targeted weeds.
Database manager:
Greg Jubinsky
Rt. 1 Box 3465
Havanna, FL 32333
Telephone: (850) 539-9681
Email: jubinsky_g@epic6.dep.state.fl.us
Data availability: hard copy
Contact: Greg Jubinsky
Database title: Exotic Species Database
Agency/Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Purpose: Assess weed problems on preserves stewarded by The Nature Conservancy and formulate control strategies.
Abstract: In 1992 and again in 1995, the stewardship offices in The Nature Conservancy responded to weed surveys. In 1995, 124 offices responded, representing information from 45 states (3.3 million acres of preserves). Approximately 195 weed species were reported, and 86% of the land managers cited exotic species as being one of the top ten problems facing them.
The database consists of information on the weed species present, their distribution, and comments from the managers on their impacts and the control efforts used against the plants.
Database manager:
Barry Meyers-Rice
The Nature Conservancy
Wildland Weeds Management and Research
University of California
Davis, CA 95616
Telephone: (530) 754-8891
Email: bazza@ucdavis.edu
Data availability: Web site at http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu
Database title: Florida Natural Areas Inventory Biological Conservation Database
Agency/Organization: Florida Natural Areas Inventory
Purpose: Track information on species, managed areas, and conservation areas in Florida.
Abstract: The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) was established in 1981 as a cooperative effort of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Conservation Science Division of The Nature Conservancy headquarters, a national, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of natural diversity.
The FNAI Biological Conservation Database (BCD) currently houses nearly 25,000 data records for rare plant and animal species and exemplary natural communities for the state of Florida, incorporating the most recent data available from a variety of sources. Retrieval capabilities allow access to data on species and natural communities by a number of criteria, including location, natural community type, species name, and listing status and rank. Detailed information about the status, condition, and management requirements of rare species and natural community types is also available. The database is a flexible system capable of producing information in a variety of formats, including text, data, and GIS files, that can be accessed by a broad spectrum of users including Federal and state agencies, local governments, consulting firms, research organizations, private conservation groups, corporations, and private citizens. The BCD also tracks information about managed areas and other conservation areas in the State of Florida. Files on managed and conservation areas include information on location, size, resources, and management status of the area. FNAI's standardized methodology allows for the comparison of natural resources at the local, regional, and statewide level. Future plans include the addition of nonindigenous species to the BCD (L. Chafin, personal communication, Sept. 1997).
GIS data files for rare species and natural community locations, managed/conservation areas, and Areas of Conservation Interest are available with associated attributes. Files are available in ARC/INFO 6.1.1, ver 7.0.3 (Unix), Export format. All coverages are in UTM ZONE 17, NAD27. Non-attribute files include hydrography, watersheds, highways and roads, township range and section, counties, and LANDSAT land cover.
Senior Botanist:
Linda Chafin
Florida Natural Areas Inventory
1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200C
Tallahassee, FL 432303
Telephone: (850) 224-8207
Email: lchafin@fnai.org
Database manager:
Lance Peterson
Florida Natural Areas Inventory
1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200C
Tallahassee, FL 432303
Telephone: (850) 224-8207
Email: lpeterson@fnai.org
Data availability: Web site at http://www.fnai.org/index.htm; digital media and hard copy
Contact: Lance Peterson
(No fee for nonprofit and/or conservation organizations. $100/hr fee to profit making organizations)
The following items are not listed in the tables of distribution databases. The Bureau of Land Management does not have a national database of weed locational information. The Aquatic and Wetland Plant Information Retrieval System at the University of Florida Center for Aquatic Plants is a bibliographic database. Both agencies attended the workshop.
Database title: Bureau of Land Management Weed Information
Agency/Organization: Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Abstract: Currently, there is no national database for BLM offices to put their data on weed locational information. However, a national database for special status species tracking, which may be modified to hold weed locational and weed treatment information exists. BLM is cooperating with the states of Montana and California on statewide databases and in New Mexico with the USGS Biological Resources Division out of Flagstaff, Arizona. Most states do not have a statewide database, but there is considerable cooperation at the county level for mapping of invasive species.
Contact:
Carol Spurrier
Bureau of Land Management
Colorado State Office (CO 932),
2850 Youngfield St.
Lakewood, CO 80215-7076
Telephone: (303) 239-3725
Email: cspurrier@co.blm.gov
Database title: Aquatic and Wetland Plant Information Retrieval System
Agency/Organization: University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
Purpose: A bibliographic database about freshwater and wetland plants.
Abstract: The Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS) maintains a computerized bibliographic database devoted to freshwater aquatic and wetland plants. The database includes citations for more than 44,000 research articles, books, and reports about aquatic plant ecology, physiology, utilization, and control. Items in many languages dating back to the 18th century are in this inclusive database. During the past 16 years, it has been used by thousands of researchers, regulators, managers, teachers, and students in more than 80 countries. The entire database is online and can be accessed directly from the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants web site.
Database managers:
Victor Ramey
Karen Brown
Center for Aquatic Plants, Information Center
University of Florida
7922 N.W. 71st St.
Gainesville, FL 32653
Telephone: (352) 392-1799
Email: varamey@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu
kpb@GNV.IFAS.EDU
Data availability: Web site at http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu; hard copy
Hard copy contact: Karen Brown
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