Although climate is not a component that we individually classify for ecosystem planning or management, it has a significant influence on the other independent components. Vegetation distribution patterns, soil composition, landform, and hydrology are all dependent upon climatic factors. Data such as that found in the Local Climatological Data from the http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ can be very useful in developing, understanding, and applying classifications. Bailey's Ecoregions uses climate as a modifier for the vegetation classes.