Contents
How is the national land cover database created?
The Alaska National Land Cover Database 2016 was created using change detection between the nominal dates of 2011 and 2016 utilizing Google Earth engine composites of Landsat imagery. Traditionally, previous classifications of Alaska used path row data and spectral comparisons between path rows along with ancillary data to derive areas of change.
Where can I find the USGS land cover data?
The GAP/LANDFIRE National Terrestrial Ecosystems data set is mainly focused on habitat identification. The USGS National Land Cover Database (NLCD) is also available and it provides information about general land cover types with 16 land cover classes (for example, Low Intensity Developed, Deciduous Forest). Learn more about NLCD 2011 >>
Why is it important to have land cover data?
Biodiversity: National Terrestrial Ecosystems data is key to helping land conservation decision makers better match biodiversity goals to land protection programs and activities. Habitat Loss: Human population in the U.S. is predicted to grow by 25% in the next 50 years.
Is there a NLCD Land Cover Change Index?
NLCD 2016 land cover and impervious surface product versions of previous dates must be downloaded for proper comparison. A new product for NLCD 2016 land cover is the NLCD Land Cover Change Index. This index provides a simple and comprehensive way to visualize change from all 7 dates of land cover in a single layer.
How can I extract percentages for each class in a land cover?
If you want to rasterise the class shapefile to use zonal statistics, you can do this by going to the raster menu in QGIS and choosing the ‘conversion > Rasterize’ tool.
How many land cover products are there in the US?
It contains 28 different land cover products characterizing land cover and land cover change across 7 epochs from 2001-2016, urban imperviousness and urban imperviousness change across 4 epochs from 2001-2016, tree canopy and tree canopy change across 2 epochs from 2011-2016 and western U.S. shrub and grassland areas for 2016.