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Objective: Identify locations where vegetation composition and successional stage are departed from the natural range of variation.

Data: Vegetation departure within a TCA landscape ecosystem describes the degree to which the observed proportion (percent, 0-100%) of successional classes (i.e., A through E) derived from Landfire Succession Classes (SClass) dataset, is departed from the proportions one would expect based on the reference condition contained in the Landfire Biophysical Settings (BpS) dataset at each cell location. Departure is calculated as:

Departure = 100 – Similarity

where Similarity = ∑ (min(Ai,Bi)) over all classes i,…n

Departure is determined for each BPS within an LTA, and then weighted average for departure is calculated for the LTA based on the areal extent of the BPS. After being added to the assessment in 2022, the update timeline of the input source data from LANDFIRE did not align with the timing of TCA assessment in 2023, so data from 2022 was reused. The 2024 and 2025 TCA Assessments used updated source data to create new vegetation departure indicator data.

Units: Percent

Format: Raster data are continuous

Resolution: 30m

Source: Landfire Succession Class and Biophysical Setting, methods from Swaty et al. 2022

Additional Resources:

Details on Method Changes and Source Data Versions

Overview of the Terrestrial Condition Assessment: TCA Hubsite or Landfire Office Hour Presentation

Explore the results of the most recent assessment: TCA Interactive Data Viewer

Learn more about the TCA KPI: TCA Dashboard

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