Digital Maps and Geospatial Data | Princeton University

This polygon shapefile is commonly called Bailey's ecoregions and shows ecosystems of regional extent in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Four levels of detail are included to show a hierarchy of ecosystems. The largest ecosystems are domains, which are groups of related climates and which are differentiated based on precipitation and temperature. Divisions represent the climates within domains and are differentiated based on precipitation levels and patterns as well as temperature. Divisions are subdivided into provinces, which are differentiated based on vegetation or other natural land covers. The finest level of detail is described by subregions, called sections, which are subdivisions of provinces based on terrain features. Also identified are mountainous areas that exhibit different ecological zones based on elevation. This layer is part of the 1997-2014 edition of the National Atlas of the United States. These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the national level, and for large regional areas. The data should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:7,500,000-scale data. No responsibility is assumed by the National Atlas of the United States in the use of these data. U. S. Forest Service. (2004). Bailey's Ecoregions and Subregions of the United States, 2004. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/tj200ct4975. None. Acknowledgment of the USDA Forest Service and (or) the National Atlas of the United States of America would be appreciated in products derived from these data. This layer is presented in the WGS84 coordinate system for web display purposes. Downloadable data are provided in native coordinate system or projection.