Alternative Text Description for Cooley's Meadowrue (Endangered)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic range boundaries for Cooley's Meadowrue, an endangered plant species, in Florida. The map shows polygonal areas representing the species' habitat or occurrence zones as designated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The dataset focuses specifically on Cooley's Meadowrue distribution within the state, providing a spatial representation of where this endangered species is documented or expected to occur.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The mapped area covers a region in northern Florida along a major river corridor. Visible place names include Red Head to the east, Douglas Bay in the southeastern portion, Ebro near the southern extent, Miller Bend in the south-central area, Sterling and Selman along the central river corridor, Dismal Swamp in the southwestern portion, Buzzard Roost Swamp in the northwest, Bunker Donation in the north-central area, Long Lake to the northeast, and Pine Log in the far south. The map shows portions of what appears to be a river system with multiple meandering channels and oxbow lakes. The area encompasses lowland terrain with numerous waterways and wetland features.

KEY INSIGHTS

The distribution of Cooley's Meadowrue shows a strong association with the river corridor and adjacent lowlands. The species' range forms a nearly continuous band along the waterway, extending from the northwestern portion of the map southward and then eastward. The habitat zone is widest in the southern and eastern portions of the mapped area, particularly around Red Head and extending down toward Ebro. The range excludes the river channels themselves but encompasses the floodplain and adjacent lands. Notable gaps in the distribution occur in the southwestern area near Dismal Swamp and in portions of the northwest, suggesting that suitable habitat is not uniformly distributed across the landscape. The spatial pattern indicates that Cooley's Meadowrue occupies specific ecological zones associated with the riparian corridor rather than being widespread across the entire region.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Cooley's Meadowrue (Endangered) Distribution

This layer represents the geographic boundaries where Cooley's Meadowrue, an endangered species, occurs in this portion of Florida.

Cooley's Meadowrue Habitat Zones (pink crosshatched polygons)

Appearance:

The areas are depicted as pink polygons with a diagonal crosshatch pattern, creating a semi-transparent overlay that allows underlying base map features to remain visible.

Distribution:

The habitat zones occur in two main concentrations: a northwestern section extending from near Buzzard Roost Swamp, and a much larger southern and eastern section that extends from the river corridor near Miller Bend eastward to Red Head and southward toward Ebro.

Notable locations:

The most extensive continuous habitat area occurs in the eastern portion around Red Head and extends southward. A secondary concentration appears in the northwestern section of the map. Smaller isolated polygons appear near Miller Bend and other locations along the river corridor.

Spatial patterns:

The distribution follows the river valley and adjacent lowlands, forming an irregular band that closely parallels the waterway's course. The habitat zones avoid the river channels themselves but encompass the surrounding floodplain areas. The pattern suggests the species requires specific conditions associated with riparian ecosystems, such as particular soil moisture levels, elevation ranges, or vegetation communities found in these transitional zones between aquatic and upland environments.

Overlapping Patterns

The Cooley's Meadowrue habitat zones interact with the river system, with the species' range wrapping around meanders, oxbow lakes, and wetland complexes. The river channels and water bodies appear as gaps within or adjacent to the pink habitat polygons, indicating that while the species is strongly associated with the river corridor ecosystem, it occupies terrestrial or semi-aquatic zones rather than open water areas.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents the official spatial boundaries for Cooley's Meadowrue as understood and documented by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for Florida. The polygonal representation indicates designated species range rather than individual plant locations. The map focuses exclusively on this single endangered species and does not show other species ranges, critical habitat designations, or land ownership boundaries. The underlying base map provides geographic context through labeled place names, waterways, and terrain features, but the thematic focus is entirely on the Cooley's Meadowrue distribution. Users should understand that these boundaries represent the broader geographic area where the species is known or expected to occur, not necessarily continuous occupied habitat throughout every portion of the mapped polygons.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service species boundary data for the State of Florida. The data represents polygonal boundaries for species ranges as understood by the federal agency responsible for endangered species management and protection.

Definition Query:

The map displays only Cooley's Meadowrue from the broader dataset. The filter criteria applied is COMNAME equals "COOLEY'S MEADOWRUE" from the CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26 dataset, extracting this single endangered species from what is likely a multi-species database.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional view appropriate for understanding the species' overall distribution pattern within this portion of Florida. The scale is suitable for identifying general habitat zones and relationships to major geographic features such as the river corridor and named locations.

Coordinate System:

NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087), a projected coordinate system designed for accurate area measurements and mapping across Florida.

Limitations:

The boundaries represent generalized range limits rather than precise habitat mapping or population surveys. The actual occupied habitat within these boundaries may be discontinuous or limited to specific microhabitats that cannot be distinguished at this map scale. The data reflects the understanding of species distribution at the time the boundaries were established by USFWS and may not capture all suitable habitat or recent range changes. Areas within the polygons may include unsuitable habitat, while suitable habitat outside the boundaries may exist but not be documented in this dataset.

Map Coverage:

The map covers a portion of northern Florida centered on a major river corridor and its associated floodplain. The exact geographic extent spans from Buzzard Roost Swamp and Bunker Donation in the north to Pine Log in the south, and from Dismal Swamp in the west to Long Lake and Douglas Bay in the east. The mapped area includes the river's meanders, wetland complexes, and adjacent uplands necessary to show the full extent of Cooley's Meadowrue distribution in this region.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.