GROUND INSPECTION

Contents

Ground Inspection Form
Introduction
Site Ground Inspection Data Requirements
Polygon Ground Inspection Data Requirements
Recommended Data for Site and Polygon Visual Inspections
Site Ground Inspection Field Procedure
Polygon Ground Inspection Field Procedure
Visual Inspection Field Procedure
Completing the form
1. Ground or Visual Inspection
2. Air Photo Number
3. Date
4. Project ID
5. Surveyor(s)
6. Mapsheet
7. Plot Number
8. Polygon Number
9. UTM Zone
10. Latitude or Northing
11. Longitude or Easting
12. Aspect
13. Elevation
14. Slope
15. Soil Moisture Regime
16. Soil Nutrient Regime
17. Meso Slope Positon
18. Drainage - Mineral Soils
19. Moisture Subclasses - Organic Soils
20. Mineral Soil Texture
21. Organic Soil Texture
22. Surface Organic Horizon Thickness
23. Humus Form
24. Root Restricting Layer
25. Coarse Fragment Content
26. Terrain Component
27. Terrain Classification: Terrain Texture
28. Terrain Classification: Surficial Material
29. Terrain Classification: Surface Expression
30. Terrain Classification: Geomorphological Processes
31. Ecosystem Component
32. Biogeoclimatic Unit
33. Ecosection
34. Site Series
35. Site Modifiers
36. Structural Stage
37. Crown Closure
38. Ecosystem Polygon Summary
39. Terrain Polygon Summary
40. Layer
41. Dominant/Indicator Plant Species
42. Percent Cover
43. Plant List Complete or Partial
44. Total %
45. Tree Mensuration
46. Notes
47. References


Appendices

1.1 Site Modifiers for Atypical Conditions


Table

1.1 Quick Guide to Site Modifiers

Ground Inspection Form

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Introduction

This field guide insert to the Field Manual for Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems describes the coding standards for the data attributes on the Ground Inspection Form (GIF). Where attributes are the same, the coding standards follow those in the Field Manual for Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems (Prov. of B.C. 1998). The Ground Inspection Form is a revision of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping Visual Inspection Form from 1996. Changes and additions were made in reponse to the needs and concerns of users.

This Form is designed for use wherever "quick" ecological inspections are required. It can be used to record information "on-the-ground" or from the air or viewscapes. The former are generally termed ground inspections; the latter visual inspections. Visual inspections provide very brief polygon or site summary information and although they are usually conducted from the air or viewscapes, they can include very quick, on-the-ground inspections. Ground inspections provide more detailed information, as they are completed at a site, and are used to characterize certain features of the site, or to confirm the presence of ecosystem and/or terrain units within a polygon.

In Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping, ground and visual inspections provide important site information to assist the mapping process.

While over 50 data fields are presented on the GIF and described in this document, not all are required for every project. The objectives of a study will determine the data to be collected. Project objectives may also require attributes not presented on this form. In these cases, the `Notes' section can be used and additional fields appended to the database.

For more information on data coding descriptions and standards refer to the following publications:

  1. Ministry of Forests (MoF) Regional field guides for site identification and interpretation
  2. Describing Ecosystems in the Field (Luttmerding et al. 1990)
  3. Standard for Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping (TEM) in British Columbia (Resources Inventory Committee 1998)
  4. Terrain Classification System for British Columbia, Version 2 (Howes and Kenk 1997)

A GIF data entry software system, GRAVITI (GRound And Visual Inspection TEM Interface), has been developed and is available as part of the main data capture application VENUS. VENUS can be downloaded through the Ecosystem Field Inventory Web site at: http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/rib/wis/deif/venus.htm.

Site Ground Inspection Data Requirements

In general, when completing a ground inspection for a single site, record data for each of the following fields, as appropriate:

Numbered items refer to numbered fields on the Ground Inspection Form

1. The G (ground) box
2. Photo no. (with x and y coordinates)
3. Date
4. Project ID.
5. Surveyor(s)
6. Mapsheet
7. Plot number
8. Polygon number
9-11. UTMs or Latitude / Longitude
12. Aspect
13. Elevation (m)
14. Slope (%)
15. Soil moisture regime (SMR)
16. Soil nutrient regime (SNR)
17. Meso slope position
18. Drainage—mineral soil
19. Moisture subclass—organic soil
20. Mineral soil texture or
21. Organic soil texture
22. Surface organic horizon thickness
23. Humus form
24. Depth to (cm), and Type of root restricting layer
25. Coarse fragments (%) (of rooting zone)
27. Terrain texture
28. Surficial material
29. Surface expression
30. Geomorphological processes
32. BGC unit
33. Ecosection
34. Site series (SS)
35. Site modifiers (SM)
36. Structural stage (ST)
37. Crown closure
44. Total % cover (by stratum)
41. Dominant/Indicator plant species list
42. Percent cover
43. Plant list complete or partial
46. Notes

Polygon Ground Inspection Data Requirements

In most cases, when completing a polygon ground inspection the following fields would be used:

Numbered items refer to numbered fields on the Ground Inspection Form

1. The G (ground) box
2. Photo no. (with x and y coordinates)
3. Date
4. Project ID.
5. Surveyor(s)
6. Mapsheet
7. Plot number
8. Polygon number
32. BGC unit
33. Ecosection
38. Ecosystem polygon summary
39. Terrain polygon summary
46. Notes

If a site ground inspection is being done in conjunction with the polygon ground inspection, the appropriate Terrain Component and/or Ecosystem Component should be checkmarked and the site ground inspection data requirements be completed as listed above.

Recommended Data for Site and Polygon Visual Inspections

Visual inspections can be completed for either polygon or site inspections. As these are quick inspections and are often completed from the air or viewscapes, much less information is collected. An accurate description of the location is essential; all other fields are optional. Generally, a visual inspection has a purpose: e.g., confirm ecosystem unit, check polygon components, evaluate soil texture, and the fields that are completed will reflect that purpose.

The following fields are often completed:

Numbered items refer to numbered fields on the Ground Inspection Form

1. Checkmark V (visual) box
2. Photo no. (with x and y coordinates)
3. Date
4. Project ID
5. Surveyor(s)
6. Mapsheet
7. Plot number
8. Polygon number
9-11. UTM or Latitude / Longitude (if completing a SITE inspection)
32. BGC unit
33. Ecosection
One or more of the following:
34. Site series (SS)
35. Site modifiers (SM)
36. Structural stage (ST)
38. Ecosystem polygon summary
39. Terrain polygon summary

Site Ground Inspection Field Procedure

Getting Started

1. Select the sample plot. Project objectives will determine how plot locations are selected.
2. Checkmark the "G" (ground) box. Record the date, project id., surveyor(s) name(s), mapsheet number, plot number, polygon number (if available), BGC unit and ecosection.
3. Locate the plot on the air photo, pinprick the site and record the plot number on the back of the photo. Record the airphoto number and X and Y coordinates.
4. Record latitude and longitude, using field GPS or UTM, using TRIM maps.
5. Locate and excavate a soil pit to a depth of about 50 cm.

Measure and Assess

1. Determine the aspect, elevation, and slope.
2. Traverse the entire plot systematically, observing the position of the plot relative to the surrounding landscape, microtopographic features, and the composition of surface substrates. Record meso-slope position.
3. Assess the soils and determine humus form, soil drainage or soil moisture subclass, soil texture and percent coarse fragments. Record the depth and type of root restricting layer, if any, and the depth of the surface organic horizon.
4. Record the terrain texture, surficial material, surface expression and geomorphological processes.
5. Record the dominant and indicator plant species, noting layer. Evaluate the percent cover by species and total for each layer. Checkmark whether the species list recorded is complete or partial.
6. Confirm BGC unit. Integrate site, soil and vegetation factors to determine soil moisture and soil nutrient regimes, and site series. Evaluate conditions for ecosystem unit site modifiers.
7. Determine the structural stage and crown closure.
8. Describe the key site features under Notes. Draw a site diagram, if important features can be effectively depicted.
9. Check to be sure that all required fields have been completed.

Later in the office

1. If not done in the field, locate the plot on an appropriate scale map and record the mapsheet number and the UTM zone and coordinates.
2. Compare elevation recorded in the field with that indicated on a topographic map, and adjust if appropriate.
3. Using an air photo grid, determine the x and y coordinates of the plot.
4. Check again to be sure that all required fields have been completed.

Polygon Ground Inspection Field Procedure

Getting Started

1. Determine polygon to be inspected. Locate the polygon on the ground and confirm location.
2. Checkmark the "G" (ground) box. Record the date, project id., surveyor(s) name(s), mapsheet number, polygon number (if available), BGC unit and ecosection.
3. Locate and pinprick the polygon on the air photo and record the flight line and airphoto number. If desired, record an inspection number in the "Plot" field and on the back of the photo.

Measure and Assess

1. Review the ecosystem and terrain pretyping of the polygon.
2. Traverse the polygon to survey each ecosystem and terrain component.
3. Based on observed site, soil and ecosystem characteristics, identify the ecosystem and terrain units and determine the percentage of the polygon represented by each (to a maximum of three components).
4. Record the site series, site modifiers and structural stage for each ecosystem component and/or;
5. Record the terrain texture, surficial material, surface expression and geomorphological processes for each terrain component.

Later in the office

1. Locate the polygon on an appropriate scale map, and record the mapsheet number (if not already done).
2. Record the polygon number (if not already done).
3. Check again to be sure that all required fields have been completed.

Visual Inspection Field Procedure

Getting Started

1. Select site or polygon to be checked. This will be determined by project objectives, sampling plan, and sampling-to-date.
2. Checkmark the "V" (visual) box. Record the date, project id., surveyor(s) name(s), mapsheet number, plot number, polygon number (if available), BGC unit and ecosection (it may be more efficient to have entered most of this information in the office).
3. Locate the plot or polygon on the air photo. Pinprick the specific location of a site inspection or the polygon for a polygon inspection and record the inspection number on the back of the air photo. Record the flight line and airphoto number.
4. Record latitude and longitude (using field GPS) or UTM (using TRIM maps) for site inspections.

Measure and Assess

Record the information required by the project objectives. This will generally be data to aid in the labelling of polygons or the delineation of polygon boundaries. For example:

Later in the office

1. Locate the plot or polygon on an appropriate scale map and confirm the location information.
2. If latitude and longitude were not entered in the field (for a site inspection), determine the UTM zone and coordinates from the map.

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