The following are general limitations of GAP Analysis; specific limitations for particular
datasets are described in the appropriate sections:
GAP Analysis data are derived from remote sensing and modeling to make general
assessments about conservation status. Any decisions based on the data must be
supported by ground-truthing and more detailed analyses.
GAP Analysis is not a substitute for the listing of threatened and endangered species
and associated recovery efforts. A primary argument in favor of GAP Analysis is that it is
proactive in recognizing areas of high biodiversity value for the long-term maintenance of
populations of native species and natural ecosystems before individual species and plant
communities become threatened with extinction. A goal of GAP Analysis is to reduce the
rate at which species require listing as threatened or endangered.
The static nature of the GAP Analysis data limit their utility in conservation risk
assessment. Our database provides a snapshot of a region in which land cover and land
ownership are dynamic and where trend data would be especially useful.
GAP Analysis is not a substitute for a thorough national biological inventory. As a
response to rapid habitat loss, GAP Analysis is intended to provide a quick assessment of
the distribution of vegetation and associated species before they are lost and to provide
focus and direction for local, regional, and national efforts to maintain biodiversity. The
process of improving knowledge in systematics, ecology, and distribution of species is
lengthy and expensive. That process must be continued and expedited in order to provide
the detailed information needed for a comprehensive assessment of the nation's
GAP Analysis is a coarse-filter approach. The network of Conservation Data Centers
(CDC) and Natural Heritage Programs established cooperatively by The Nature
Conservancy and various state agencies maintain detailed databases on the locations of
rare elements of biodiversity. Conservation of such elements is best accomplished
through the fine-filter approach of the above organizations. It is not the role of Gap to
duplicate or disseminate Natural Heritage Program or CDC Element Occurrence Records.
Users interested in more specific information about the location, status, and ecology of
populations of such species are directed to their state Natural Heritage Program or CDC.