Global distribution of primary and secondary vegetation at 1km spatial resolution

This dataset provides the global spatial distribution of primary and secondary vegetation at approx. 1km spatial resolution (0.01°). It combines Hilda+ landuse/cover data by Winkler et al. (2020) and the global dataset on human influence by Riggio et al. (2020).

The data consists of three NetCDF files: 

Primary vegetation

Primary vegetation minimal use

Secondary vegetation

Primary vegetation is assigned where forests, unmanaged grass-/ shrubland or land with sparse vegetation  according to the HILDA+ dataset (classes 44, 55, 66) are under full agreement of low human influence according to the global dataset on human influence.

The same HILDA+ classes (44, 55, 66) with full agreement to be under very low human influence  according to Riggion et al. (2020) are defined as primary vegetation minimal use.

Secondary vegetation consists of forests, unmanaged grass-/ shrubland or land with sparse vegetation according to the Hilda+ dataset (classes 44, 55, 66) that are not classified as primary vegetation.

Sources:

Winkler, K., Fuchs, R., Rounsevell, M. D. A., Herold, M. (2020): HILDA+ Global Land Use Change between 1960 and 2019. PANGAEA. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.921846 

Riggio, J. et al. (2020): Global human influence maps reveal clear opportunities in conserving Earth’s remaining intact terrestrial ecosystems. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.25338/B80G7Z

This seperation of primary and secondary vegetation has been used e.g. in the following studies:

Schneider et al. (2024): Effects of profit-driven cropland expansion and conservation policies. Nature Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01410-x

Piipponen et al. (2024): Protein and energy from grazing or crops - does livestock have a chance? Preprint: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3392089/v1