The function of this class is to determine the suitability of regions as habitats for various species. Other impacts, such as water quality, could be incorporated into this class. Table 7 shows which species' habitats are modeled for each watershed in LUCAS. A grid cell is deemed suitable habitat for a particular species if it meets certain criteria. For example, the habitat for the Catawba Rhododendron in the Little Tennessee River Basin is defined as balds (grassy) with an elevation of more than 900m or on the edge of forests with the same elevation. Each species has its own statically (as opposed to dynamically) defined routine because of performance considerations.
Figure 9: GRASS monitor used to select output format
Figure 10: GRASS monitor showing the two possible types of display formats