Broad-scale assessment of biophysical features in Colorado: Ecological communities

The "Broad-scale assessment of biophysical features in Colorado: Ecological Communities" raster dataset provides a hierarchical vegetation classification (vegetation type, ecological community, and land cover class) for all lands in Colorado. This dataset is derived primarily from LANDFIRE Existing Vegetation Types (LF-EVT) with modifications of specific LF-EVT using ancillary datasets to improve land cover assignments. We used National Gap Analysis Program/LANDFIRE National Terrestrial Ecosystems (GAP/LF), elevation, and playa data to reclassify specific LF-EVT as described in SupplementalMethods.pdf, which is included with this data release. The attribute table for the 30-m raster includes a three-level vegetation classification. The finest level, vegetation type (attribute VegType), corresponds to LF-EVT. The LF-EVT values were retained (values less than 4000) except for modified vegetation types (as indicated by values of greater than 13,000). VegTypes were classified into 27 ecological communities (EcolComm) and 8 altered vegetation types. Ecological communities were classified into six land cover (LandCover) classes.