Conceptual Model of Ecoregions as an Additive Spectrum of Components

Seasonality and Number of Input Layers

List of Input Map Layers Included

Additional information on development of input map layers at http://geobabble.ornl.gov/flux-ecoregions

IA - Abiotic Conditions/Potential Vegetation - Growing and Non-Growing Season
10 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map	15 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map
20 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map	25 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map

IIIA - Abiotic + Extant Veg. Info + Ecosystem Performance - Growing and Non-Growing Season
10 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map	15 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map
20 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map	25 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map

Comments/Observations

• All of these represent new analyses

• Both IA and IIIA look quite unrealistic at only 10 zones

• I greatly prefer the IIIA series (lower set), which contain additional information about extant vegetation and ecosystem performance

• 20 zones start to look good for IIIA, and 25 zones for IIIA looks great, but both are likely beyond our means

• Map generalization using a 13km x 13km mode filter eliminates small speckles and detail, and simplifies the borders, making the map cleaner and easier to see. Thus:

15 Zones Small Map Medium Map Large Map Huge Map

• At these low levels of division, it may be better to overdivide, and then "cluster the clusters" to obtain an already-generalized map. Such a map will have undergone two levels of "averaging," and may consist of more representative zones.

For additional information contact:

William W. Hargrove

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Environmental Sciences Division

Building 1507, Room 211

Mail Stop 6407

Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6407

(865) 241-2748

(865) 574-4665 fax

hnw@fire.esd.ornl.gov