Global Land Cover Characteristics Database

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) have generated a 1-km resolution global land cover characteristics database for use in a wide range of environmental research and modeling applications. The global land cover characteristics database was developed on a continent-by-continent basis for Africa, Australia Pacific, Eurasia, North America, and South America. All continental databases share the same map projections (Interrupted Goode Homolosine and Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area), have 1-km nominal spatial resolution, and are based on 1-km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data spanning April 1992 through March 1993. Each database contains unique elements based on the geographic aspects of the specific continent. In addition, a core set of derived thematic maps produced through the aggregation of seasonal land cover regions are included in each continental database. The continental databases are combined to make six global data sets, each representing a different landscape based on a particular classification legend.

There are now two versions of the Global Land Cover Chacteristics Database available. The first version (Version 1.2) of the Global Land Cover Characteristics database was released to the public in November, 1997. Version 1.2 was produced as an International Geosphere Biosphere Programme-Data and Information System (IGBP-DIS) initiative lead by the Land Cover Working Group and has been subjected to a formal accuracy assessment (the IGBP DISCover classification). Since this version was released, over 200 gigabytes of land cover data have been distributed from the EROS Data Center's anonymous ftp site. Many of the users of the land cover data set have provided feedback (that is, suggestions for additions and improvements). EROS Data Center now offers a revised version of the database (Version 2.0). A formal accuracy assessment has not been conducted for the revised land cover data. The global documentation at [http://edcdaac.usgs.gov/glcc/globdoc2_0.html] provides further information about the validation exercise and the differences between these versions of the Global Land Cover Characteristics Database. The What's New page at [http://edcdaac.usgs.gov/glcc/whatsnew.html] provides information on a new classification schemes, new categories, and a new projection.

The following derived data sets are now available in a global geographic projection with 30 arc second grid cell size:

* Global Ecosystems (Olson, 1994a, 1994b)

* International Geosphere Biosphere Programme Land Cover Classification (DISCover) (Belward, 1996)

* U.S. Geological Survey Land Use/Land Cover System (Anderson and others, 1976)

* Simple Biosphere Model (Sellers and others, 1986)

* Simple Biosphere 2 Model (Sellers and others, 1996)

* Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (Dickinson and others, 1986)

* Vegetation Lifeforms (Running and others, 1995)

The legends for each of these derived data sets can be found in Appendices 1-7 in the global documentation at [http://edcdaac.usgs.gov/glcc/globdoc2_0.html].