This dataset represents a version of the ecological systems map (ESM+), originally derived by TNC and modified for the Designing Sustainable Landscapes (DSL) project. Major modifications include improvements to the classification and mapping of roads, development, streams, and coastal wetlands. In this map, ecological systems are hierarchically organized such that at the finest level cells are classified into ecological systems (or ecosystems), which are aggregated into formations. Thus, the map can be symbolized to depict the distribution of ecological units at either the ecosystem or formation level.
This dataset is a continuous vector representation of streams classified into ecosystems, which can be useful for investigating the ecosystem composition of the lotic cores and also as a backdrop or transparent overlay on other raster products.
