Land Use Mapping Project

Human use of the land has a large effect on the structure of terrestrial ecosystems and the dynamics of biogeochemical cycles. For this reason, terrestrial ecosystem and biogeochemistry models require moderate resolution information on land use in order to make realistic predictions. Few such datasets currently exist.

This collection consists of output from models that estimate the spatial pattern of land use in four land-use categories by relating a high-resolution land-cover dataset to state-level census data on land use. The models have been parameterized using a goodness-of-fit measure.

The land cover product used was from the IGBP DISCover global product, derived from 1 km AVHRR imagery, with 16 land cover classes (Belward et al., 1999). Land-use data at state-level resolution came from the USDA's Major Land Uses database (USDA, 1996), aggregated into the four general land-use categories described below.

The model was used to generate maps of land use in 1992 for the conterminous U.S. at 0.5 degree spatial resolution. Two different parameterization schemes were used to spatially interpolate land use from land cover, based on the state-level land use census data: 1) a National Parameterization, and 2) a Regional Parameterization.

For the National Parameterization, a single parameterization relating aggregate land cover and state-level land use. For the Regional Parameterization, a separate parameterization was used for each of seven different regions. The seven regions include: Northeast, Southeast, East North-central, West North-central, Southern Plains, Mountain, and Pacific. These regions are substantially different in terms of land use and land cover. In both cases, the results are a nationally gridded map at 0.5 degrees of land use categories for cropland, pasture/range, forest, and other land use; the other land use category is also further spilt into three additional subcategories (forested, non-forested, non-vegetated).

This project is currently being extended to other regions of the globe, and for other time periods, where both land use census data and image-derived land cover data are available.

Available Datasets:

1) US Land Use - 1992 National Parameterization
2) US Land Use - 1992 Regional Parameterization

Each dataset has 4 major land use categories and 3 subcategories of the Other major land use category.