Identification Information

Title Level IV Eco Regions for New Mexico

Date 2014-01-28

Date Type Publication

Cited Responsible Party

Organization Name US Environmental Protection Agency

Role identify

Presentation Form vector digital data

Abstract Ecoregions by state were extracted from the seamless national shapefile. 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. These general purpose regions are critical for structuring and implementing ecosystem management strategies across federal agencies, state agencies, and nongovernment organizations that are responsible for different types of resources within the same geographical areas. The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions can be identified through the analysis of patterns of biotic and abiotic phenomena, including geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. The relative importance of each characteristic varies from one ecological region to another. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme has been adopted for different levels for ecological regions. Level I is the coarsest level, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions. Level II divides the continent into 50 regions (Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, 1997). At Level III, the continental United States contains 105 regions whereas the conterminous United States has 85 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). Level IV ecoregions are further subdivisions of Level III ecoregions. Methods used to define the ecoregions are explained in Omernik (1995, 2004), Omernik and others (2000), and Gallant and others (1989). Literature cited: Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, 1997, Ecological regions of North America- toward a common perspective: Montreal, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 71 p. Gallant, A. L., Whittier, T.R., Larsen, D.P., Omernik, J.M., and Hughes, R.M., 1989, Regionalization as a tool for managing environmental resources: Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/600/3-89/060, 152p. Omernik, J.M., 1995, Ecoregions - a framework for environmental management, in Davis, W.S. and Simon, T.P., eds., Biological assessment and criteria-tools for water resource planning and decision making: Boca Raton, Florida, Lewis Publishers, p.49-62. Omernik, J.M., Chapman, S.S., Lillie, R.A., and Dumke, R.T., 2000, Ecoregions of Wisconsin: Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters, v. 88, p. 77-103. Omernik, J.M., 2004, Perspectives on the nature and definitions of ecological regions: Environmental Management, v. 34, Supplement 1, p. s27-s38. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2011. Level III and IV ecoregions of the continental United States. U.S. EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon, Map scale 1:3,000,000. Available online at: http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/level_iii_iv.htm. Comments and questions regarding Ecoregions should be addressed to Glenn Griffith, USGS, c/o US EPA., 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, (541)-754-4465, email:griffith.glenn@epa.gov Alternate: James Omernik, USGS, c/o US EPA, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, (541)-754-4458, email:omernik.james@epa.gov

Purpose Ecoregion maps assist managers of aquatic and terrestrial resources to understand the regional patterns of the realistically attainable quality of these resources

Supplemental Information Electronic versions of ecoregion maps and posters as well as other ecoregion resources are available at: http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions.htm. Except for the Great Lakes, waterbodies were merged with surrounding ecoregion polygons, especially along coastlines. Ecoregions were digitized at 1:250,000 scale and are intended for large geographic extents (i.e. states, multiple counties, or river basins). Use for smaller areas, such as individual counties or a 1:24,000 scale map boundary, is not recommended.

Status Complete

Point of Contact

Individual Name

Organization Name U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL)

Position Name

Role Point of contact

Voice (541) 754-4469

Facsimile

Address

Delivery Point 200 S.W. 35th Street
City Corvallis
Administrative Area OR
Postal Code 97333
Country

Electronic Mail Address weber.marc@epa.gov

Maintenance and Update Frequency As needed

Descriptive Keywords biota, boundaries, environment, Ecosystem, Environment, Natural Resources

Access Constraints None

Use Constraints None

Language English

Topic Category

Extent

Geographic Bounding Box

West Bound -110.0224491
East Bound -102.547958
North Bound 37.498166
South Bound 31.239256

Temporal Extent

DateTime 2012-05-08

Data Quality Information

Attribute Accuracy Report

Report Not available

Quantitative Attribute Accuracy Assessment

Attribute Accuracy Value
Attribute Accuracy Explanation

Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report

Report Data were collected using methods that have unknown accuracy (EPA National Geospatial Data Policy [NGDP] Accuracy Tier 10). For more information, please see EPA's NGDP at http://epa.gov/geospatial/policies.html

Quantitative Horizontal Positional Accuracy Assessment

Horizontal Positional Accuracy Value
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Explanation

Logical Consistency Report Although ecoregion polygons and attributes have been checked for accuracy, some errors may remain. Polygons along state borders were reviewed and updated, May 2010. ARC/INFO software is used to create and maintain topological relationships.

Completeness Report Unknown

Lineage

Source Information

Source Citation

Source Scale Denominator

Type of Source Media online

Source Time Period of Content

DateTime 2012
Source Currentness Reference Unknown

Source Citation Abbreviation US EPA

Source Contribution Level IV Eco Regions of New Mexico

Process Step

Process Description The Level IV ecoregions for New Mexico data are downloaded and reprojected to WGS_1984 coordinate system.

Process Date 2014-01-20

Process Time

Process Contact

Individual Name

Organization Name Earth Data Analysis Center

Position Name Clearinghouse Manager

Role Point of contact

Voice 505-277-3622 ext. 230

Facsimile 505-277-3614

Address

Delivery Point MSC01 1110
Delivery Point 1 University of New Mexico
City Albuquerque
Administrative Area NM
Postal Code 87131-0001
Country USA

Electronic Mail Address clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu

Process Step

Process Description 1) U.S.G.S. 1:250,000 topographic maps are used to delineate the ecoregions. The lines drawn are manually digitized or scanned to produce georeferenced electronic files. 2) All base maps are joined together and errors along the edges are resolved. 3) Topology is established and the maps are reviewed for accuracy, completeness, and conformity with the original lines. Corrections are made as needed and topology regenerated. 4) Attributes are added. 5) Maps are plotted for visual inspection by two individuals and necessary changes made. 6) Ecoregions from all available states are merged and dissolved to identify and correct inconsistencies. 7) Polygons of the corrected seamless ecoregion features are extended beyond the coastal borders. 8) State and Ecoregion datasets are intersected. 9) Topology errors removed. 10) Final QA. 11) Select State from national geodatabase. 12) metadata creation.

Process Date 2011

Process Time

Process Contact

Individual Name

Organization Name U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL)

Position Name GIS Analyst

Role Point of contact

Voice (541) 754-4469

Facsimile

Address

Delivery Point 200 S.W. 35th Street
City Corvallis
Administrative Area OR
Postal Code 97333
Country

Electronic Mail Address weber.marc@epa.gov

Level IV Eco Regions for New Mexico

Metadata from the RGIS Metadata Repository

Identification Information

Distribution Information

Spatial Reference Information

Data Quality Information

Metadata Reference Information