Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
If a rare plant species or ecological community has been documented from anywhere within a cell, the entire grid cell will be coded as containing an occurrence of a rare plant species/ecological community. These codes are contained in the NHPGRID file's attribute table within a field labeled "PRECISION". The NHPGRID.SHP file also contains a key identifying field called GRID_ID. This field may be used to link or relate the associated data table (NHPDATA.DBF) to the NHPGRID table in order to display information about the rare plant species/ecological community occurrences within any grid cell.
Link or relate the NHPDATA.DBF table to the NHPGRID table file using the GRID_ID field. After the tables are linked, cells in the NHPGRID.SHP file can be selected in order to view the associated records in the NHPDATA.DBF file. In addition to the GRID_ID field, the data table contains a number of other fields. Some species and ecological communities have been designated as data sensitive and do not contain identifying information in all of the fields within the data table. This is noted below in the field definitions. The data table contains the following fields:
CLASS (Element Class) - This field contains one of five possible designations for each occurrence:
Data sensitive
Ecological community
Nonvascular plant
Other
Vascular plant
NAME - Name of rare species or ecological community. For data sensitive species/communities this field is filled in as "Data Sensitive Species or Ecological Community".
COMNAME (Common Name) - Common name of rare species or ecological community. For data sensitive species/communities this field is filled in as "Data Sensitive Species or Ecological Community".
FEDSTATUS (Federal Status) - The following U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service categories and their definitions of endangered and threatened plants have been modified from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (F.R. Vol. 50 No. 188; Vol. 61, No. 40; F.R. 50 CFR Part 17). Federal Status codes reported for plant species follow the most recent listing.
LE - Taxa formally listed as endangered.
LT - Taxa formally listed as threatened.
C - Taxa for which the Service currently has on file sufficient information on biological vulnerability and threat(s) to support proposals to list them as endangered or threatened species.
STATEPROT (State Status) - Plant taxa listed as endangered are coded 'E'. These taxa are from New Jersey's official Endangered Plant Species List N.J.S.A. 131B-15.151 et seq. which designates native New Jersey plant species whose survival in the State or nation is in jeopardy.
REGSTAT ( Regional Status) - Regional status code for plant species
LP - Indicates taxa listed by the Pinelands Commission as endangered or threatened within their legal jurisdiction. Not all species currently tracked by the Pinelands Commission are tracked by the Natural Heritage Program.
GRANK (Global Element Rank) - Rank for species/ecological community based on its global rarity.
For data sensitive species/communities, this field is filled in as "Data Sensitive". Definitions of the ranks for all other records are given below.
(Note: Any given edition of the Natural Heritage Grid Map may not use all of these GRANKS).
The Nature Conservancy developed a ranking system for use in identifying elements (rare species and ecological communities) of natural diversity most endangered with extinction. Each element is ranked according to its global, national, and state (or subnational in other countries) rarity. These ranks are used to prioritize conservation work so that the most endangered elements receive attention first. Definitions for element ranks are after The Nature Conservancy's ranking system.
G1 - Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences or very few remaining individuals or acres) or because of some factor(s) making it especially vulnerable to extinction.
G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences or few remaining individuals or acres) or because of some factor(s) making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range.
G3 - Either very rare and local throughout its range or found locally (even abundantly at some of its locations) in a restricted range (e.g., a single western state, a physiographic region in the East) or because of other factors making it vulnerable to extinction throughout it's range; with the number of occurrences in the range of 21 to 100.
G4 - Apparently secure globally; although it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
G5 - Demonstrably secure globally; although it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
GH - Of historical occurrence throughout its range i.e., formerly part of the established biota, with the expectation that it may be rediscovered.
GU - Possibly in peril range-wide but status uncertain; more information needed.
G? - Species has not yet been ranked.
T - Element ranks containing a "T" indicate that the infraspecific taxon is being ranked differently from the full species. For example, Stachys palustris var. homotricha is ranked "G5T? SH", meaning that the full species is globally secure but the global rarity of the var. homotricha has not been determined; in New Jersey the variety is ranked as historic.
Q - Elements containing a "Q" indicates that the taxon is of questionable, or uncertain taxonomic standing, e.g. some authors regard it as a full species, while others treat it at the subspecific level.
Note: To express uncertainty, the most likely rank is assigned and a question mark added (e.g., G2?). A range is indicated by combining two ranks (e.g., G1G2, G1G3).
SRANK (State Element Rank) - Rank for species/ecological community based on its state rarity.
Definitions of these ranks are given below.
(Note: Any given edition of the Natural Heritage Grid Map may not use all of these SRANKS).
The Nature Conservancy developed a ranking system for use in identifying elements (rare species and ecological communities) of natural diversity most endangered with extinction. Each element is ranked according to its global, national, and state (or subnational in other countries) rarity. These ranks are used to prioritize conservation work so that the most endangered elements receive attention first. Definitions for element ranks are after The Nature Conservancy's ranking system.
S1 - Critically imperiled in New Jersey because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences or very few remaining individuals or acres). Elements so ranked are often restricted to very specialized conditions or habitats and/or restricted to an extremely small geographical area of the state. Also included are elements which were formerly more abundant, but because of habitat destruction or some other critical factor of its biology, they have been demonstrably reduced in abundance. In essence, these are elements for which, even with intensive searching, sizable additional occurrences are unlikely to be discovered.
S2 - Imperiled in New Jersey because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences). Historically many of these elements may have been more frequent but are now known from very few extant occurrences, primarily because of habitat destruction. Diligent searching may yield additional occurrences.
S3 - Rare in state with 21 to 100 occurrences (plant species in this category have only 21 to 50 occurrences). Includes elements which are widely distributed in the state but with small populations/acreage or elements with restricted distribution, but locally abundant. Not yet imperiled in state but may soon be if current trends continue. Searching often yields additional occurrences.
S4 - Apparently secure in state, with many occurrences.
S5 - Demonstrably secure in state and essentially ineradicable under present conditions.
SE - Elements that are clearly exotic in New Jersey including those taxa not native to North America (introduced taxa) or taxa deliberately or accidentally introduced into the State from other parts of North America (adventive taxa). Taxa ranked SE are not a conservation priority (viable introduced occurrences of G1 or G2 elements may be exceptions).
SH - Elements of historical occurrence in New Jersey. Despite some searching of historical occurrences and/or potential habitat, no extant occurrences are known. Since not all of the historical occurrences have been field surveyed, and unsearched potential habitat remains, historically ranked taxa are considered possibly extant, and remain a conservation priority for continued field work.
SU - Elements believed to be in peril but the degree of rarity is uncertain. Also included are rare taxa of uncertain taxonomical standing. More information is needed to resolve rank.
SX - Elements that have been determined or are presumed to be extirpated from New Jersey. All historical occurrences have been searched and a reasonable search of potential habitat has been completed. Extirpated taxa are not a current conservation priority.
SXC - Elements presumed extirpated from New Jersey, but native populations collected from the wild exist in cultivation.
.1 - Elements documented from a single location.
Note: To express uncertainty, the most likely rank is assigned and a question mark added (e.g., S2?). A range is indicated by combining two ranks (e.g., S1S2, S1S3).
HABITAT - Broad habitat type occupied by plant species or ecological community. Data is not available for all species/ecological communities. For other records, one or more of the following types will be listed:
Estuarine - Estuarine habitats are deepwater tidal habitats and adjacent tidal wetlands that are usually semi-enclosed by land but have open, partly obstructed, or sporadic access to the open ocean, and in which ocean water is at least occasionally diluted by freshwater runoff from the land. Includes other intertidal habitats such as tidal flats and rocky intertidal shore that may be open to the ocean.
Riverine - Riverine habitats are wetlands and deep water habitats contained within a stream channel, except for wetlands dominated by persistent vegetation or habitats with brackish water.
Lacustrine - Lacustrine habitats are open standing waters without substantial emergent vegetation.
Palustrine - Palustrine habitats include nontidal freshwater vegetated wetlands; also nonvegetated areas with a saturated substrate (water table at or very near the surface).
Terrestrial - Terrestrial habitats are upland, well-drained habitats, as opposed to aquatic (wetland or deep water) habitats; vegetation not adapted to saturated soil; surface not flooded or saturated for any period of time.
PRECISION - Precision of rare plant species or ecological community occurrence. Possible values are M or S. See above for definitions of these values.