North America Human Influence on Terrestrial Ecosystems

Global Human Footprint Index is the relative human influence in each terrestrial biome expressed as a percentage. The purpose is to provide an updated map of anthropogenic impacts on the environment in geographic projection which can be used in wildlife conservation planning, natural resource management, and research on human-environment interactions. Dataset Summary The Global Human Footprint Index Dataset of the Last of the Wild Project, Version 2, 2005 (LWP-2) is the Human Influence Index (HII) normalized by biome and realm. The HII is a global dataset of 1-kilometer grid cells, created from nine global data layers covering human population pressure (population density), human land use and infrastructure (built-up areas, nighttime lights, land use/land cover), and human access (coastlines, roads, railroads, navigable rivers). A value of zero represents the least influenced- the “most wild” part of the biome with value of 100 representing the most influenced (least wild) part of the biome. The dataset is produced by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN). Recommended Citation Wildlife Conservation Society - WCS, and Center for International Earth Science Information Network - CIESIN - Columbia University. 2005. Last of the Wild Project, Version 2, 2005 (LWP-2): Global Human Footprint Dataset (Geographic). Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://dx.doi.org/10.7927/H4M61H5F. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR.

Global Human Footprint Index is the relative human influence in each terrestrial biome expressed as a percentage. The purpose is to provide an updated map of anthropogenic impacts on the environment in geographic projection which can be used in wildlife conservation planning, natural resource management, and research on human-environment interactions. Dataset Summary The Global Human Footprint Index Dataset of the Last of the Wild Project, Version 2, 2005 (LWP-2) is the Human Influence Index (HII) normalized by biome and realm. The HII is a global dataset of 1-kilometer grid cells, created from nine global data layers covering human population pressure (population density), human land use and infrastructure (built-up areas, nighttime lights, land use/land cover), and human access (coastlines, roads, railroads, navigable rivers). A value of zero represents the least influenced- the “most wild” part of the biome with value of 100 representing the most influenced (least wild) part of the biome. The dataset is produced by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN). Recommended Citation Wildlife Conservation Society - WCS, and Center for International Earth Science Information Network - CIESIN - Columbia University. 2005. Last of the Wild Project, Version 2, 2005 (LWP-2): Global Human Footprint Dataset (Geographic). Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://dx.doi.org/10.7927/H4M61H5F. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR.

Overview This map layer prepared by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) presents the cumulative impact of human activities on marine ecosystems across North America based on Halpern et al. 2008. A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science 319 (5865): 948–952. To generate this map, a research team collected or created global maps of 17 different human activities, such as fishing and pollution, that have an impact on marine ecosystems, as well as maps of different marine ecosystems. The team quantified the vulnerability of each marine ecosystem to the different human activities, and this map of human impacts was made by combining the threat maps and the vulnerability scores. Geographic Coverage The coverage spans North American marine areas, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Data Sources and Licensing Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Halpern et al. (2008). The data is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing redistribution and adaptation with appropriate attribution. Update frequency: Not planned Limitations of use: Acknowledgment of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and/or the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis is appreciated in products derived from these data. Vintage: 2007–2008 Applications (Intended Use) Marine spatial planning and ecosystem-based management. Allocation of conservation resources and identification of priority areas for protection. Assessing cumulative human pressures on ocean ecosystems for research and education. Supporting cross-border environmental cooperation and policy-making among North American nations. Files Download

Overview This layer shows North America classified into "anthropogenic biomes," also known as "anthromes" or "human biomes." Biomes are major global ecosystem types, characterized by particular climate and soil conditions and distinctive forms of life adapted to these conditions. Incorporating the significant role of humans in altering ecosystems, this layer offers a new way of classifying the parts of the earth in which life exists.  Geographic Coverage The coverage spans the entire North American continent, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Data Sources and Licensing Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), based on the anthropogenic biomes classification developed by Erle C. Ellis and Navin Ramankutty in 2008, Putting people in the map: Anthropogenic biomes of the world. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 6, doi:10.1890/070062. The data is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing redistribution and adaptation, including for commercial purposes, with appropriate attribution. Update frequency: Not planned Limitations of use: None. Acknowledgment of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and/or Ellis & Ramankutty (2008) would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Vintage: 2008 Applications (Intended Use) Research on human influence on terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity. Land use and land cover analysis integrating human population patterns. Conservation planning that accounts for the degree of human alteration of natural systems. Integration with other thematic layers in the North American Environmental Atlas for comprehensive continental analysis. Files Download

Overview This layer is an image of nighttime lights of North America, including the Caribbean and Mexico, produced through a collaborative effort between the national atlas programs of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, in partnership with the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The data were collected in 1996 and 1997 as part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) of the United States. DMSP satellites collect visible and infrared cloud imagery, as well as monitoring atmospheric, oceanographic, hydrologic, cryospheric, and near-Earth space environments. The program maintains a constellation of two sun-synchronous, near-polar orbiting satellites, with an orbital period of 101 minutes and an inclination of 99 degrees. This image was created during the periods 16–21 March 1996, 5–14 January 1997, and 3–12 February 1997, when the gain on the OLS sensor was turned down to 24 from the normal 64 decibels so that urban centers did not saturate the signal.  This is a revised version made in May 2002 map layer, with a corrected shoreline for Greenland. Geographic Coverage The coverage spans the North American continent, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as well as the Caribbean. Data Sources and Licensing Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC). The data is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing redistribution and adaptation, including for commercial purposes, with appropriate attribution. Update frequency: As needed Limitations of use: None. Acknowledgment of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and/or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Vintage: 1996–1997 Applications (Intended Use) Visualizing urbanization and human settlement patterns across North America. Research on population distribution and land use as inferred from artificial lighting. Basemap and reference layer for continental-scale environmental analysis. Integration with other thematic layers in the North American Environmental Atlas for comprehensive continental analysis. Files Download

Overview This layer shows different wetland types, as well as lakes and rivers, across North America. The map was made using the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD) Level 3, which was created using a variety of the best available sources for lakes and wetlands on a global scale. Level 3 of the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD) comprises lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and different wetland types in the form of a global raster map. GLWD-3 may serve as an estimate of wetland extents for global hydrology and climatology models, or to identify large-scale wetland distributions and important wetland complexes. Source: Lehner, B., and P. Döll. 2004. Development and validation of a global database of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands. Journal of Hydrology 296/1-4: 1–22. Geographic Coverage This layer covers all of North America, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Data Sources and Licensing This dataset integrates the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database, Level 3 (World Wildlife Fund US). This material is licensed under CC BY 4.0, allowing non-exclusive rights to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, including for commercial purposes, so long as attribution is given to the creator. Update frequency: Irregular Limitations of use: None. Acknowledgement of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and the World Wildlife Fund US would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Vintage: 2004 Applications (Intended Use) Global hydrology and climatology modeling. Identification of large-scale wetland distributions and important wetland complexes. Water resource assessment and monitoring. Integration with other thematic layers in the North American Environmental Atlas for comprehensive continental analysis. Supporting cross-border environmental cooperation and policy-making among North American nations. Files Download