Global Ecological Zones

The Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) presents global and regional forest data by global ecological zone (GEZ). The GEZ spatial dataset used by FAO has developed over the years from covering only the tropical areas (1990) to the globe (2000). Due to the developments in remote sensing and the compiling of many spatial products relating to climate and land cover between 2000 and 2010, an update to the map was commissioned and resulted in the available GEZ 2010 product **Data creation:** 2025-12-31 **Contact points:** Metadata Contact: [Remi D'Annunzio](mailto:fra@fao.org) **Data lineage:** Data quality information not available **Resource constraints:** copyright **Online resources:** Download Global Ecological Zones for FAO Forest Reporting: 2010 update Download Ecozones 2010 (ESRI Shapefile)

Simplified AEZ classification (33 classes) at about 1 km resolution at the equator, using different climate data source and based on different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) according to the time period as follows: - climate data source CRUTS32 based on historical data for the time period 1981-2010; - climate data source ENSEMBLE based on the Representative Concentration Pathway RCP8.5 for time periods 2041-2070 and 2071-2100. The Simplified AEZ classification dataset is part of the GAEZ v4 Theme 1 Land and Water Resources, Agro-Ecological Zones sub-theme. The agro-ecological zones classification provides a characterization of bio-physical resources relevant to agricultural production systems. AEZ definitions and map classes follow a rigorous methodology and an explicit set of principles. The inventory combines spatial layers of thermal and moisture regimes with broad categories of soil/terrain qualities. It also indicates locations of areas with irrigated soils and shows land with severely limiting bio-physical constraints including very cold and very dry (desert) areas as well as areas with very steep terrain or very poor soil/terrain conditions. For further details, please refer to the GAEZ v4 Model Documentation. **Data publication:** 2021-05-01 **Supplemental Information:** No data value: 0 Unit : class Scale Factor : 1.0 Map code : LR-AEZ-V9V2RED **Contact points:** Metadata Contact: [GAEZ@fao.org](mailto:gaez@fao.org) Resource Contact: [Fischer Gunther](mailto:fisher@iiasa.ac.at) Resource Contact: [UNFAO - NSL Geospatial Unit](mailto:gaez@fao.org) **Data lineage:** Class - Caption 0.0 - 0 1.0 - Tropics, lowland; semi-arid 2.0 - Tropics, lowland; sub-humid 3.0 - Tropics, lowland; humid 4.0 - Tropics, highland; semi-arid 5.0 - Tropics, highland; sub-humid 6.0 - Tropics, highland; humid 7.0 - Sub-tropics, warm; semi-arid 8.0 - Sub-tropics, warm; sub-humid 9.0 - Sub-tropics, warm; humid 10.0 - Sub-tropics, moderately cool; semi-arid 11.0 - Sub-tropics, moderately cool; sub-humid 12.0 - Sub-tropics, moderately cool; humid 13.0 - Sub-tropics, cool; semi-arid 14.0 - Sub-tropics, cool; sub-humid 15.0 - Sub-tropics, cool; humid 16.0 - Temperate, moderate; dry 17.0 - Temperate, moderate; moist 18.0 - Temperate, moderate; wet 19.0 - Temperate, cool; dry 20.0 - Temperate, cool; moist 21.0 - Temperate, cool; wet 22.0 - Cold, no permafrost; dry 23.0 - Cold, no permafrost; moist 24.0 - Cold, no permafrost; wet 25.0 - Dominantly very steep terrain 26.0 - Land with severe soil/terrain limitations 27.0 - Land with ample irrigated soils 28.0 - Dominantly hydromorphic soils 29.0 - Desert/Arid climate 30.0 - Boreal/Cold climate 31.0 - Arctic/Very cold climate 32.0 - Dominantly built-up land 33.0 - Dominantly water **Resource constraints:** GAEZ v4 Disclaimer at https://gaez.fao.org/pages/disclaimer **Online resources:** Translation of dimensions filters with label Download the data from Google Cloud Storage GAEZ v4 Model Documentation GAEZ v4 Data Portal SLD Data for download: Simplified AEZ classification (33 classes) for the time period 1981-2010 using climate data source CRUTS32 based on historical data Data for download: Simplified AEZ classification (33 classes) for the time period 2041-2070 using climate data source ENSEMBLE based on RCP8.5 Data for download: Simplified AEZ classification (33 classes) for the time period 2071-2100 using climate data source ENSEMBLE based on RCP8.5

The Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) archives and distributes Global Forest Cover Change (GFCC) data products through the NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Program. The GFCC Forest Cover Change Multi-Year Global dataset provides estimates of changes in forest cover from 1990 to 2000 and from 2000 to 2005 at 30 meter spatial resolution. The GFCC30FCC product represents a global record of fine-scale changes in forest dynamics between observation periods. The forest cover change product was generated from the GFCC Tree Cover (GFCC30TC) product which is based on Global Land Survey (GLS) data acquired by the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensors. Each forest cover product has two GeoTIFF files associated with it; a change map file and a change probability file. Data follow the Worldwide Reference System-2 tiling scheme. Additional details regarding the methodology used to create the data are available in the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD).

Global Soil Organic Carbon Map v1.5 is the first global soil organic carbon map ever produced through a consultative and participatory process involving member countries, which makes this map totally new and unique. In fact, the map was prepared by member countries, under the guidance of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils and the Global Soil Partnership Secretariat. Countries agreed on the methodology to produce the map and were trained on modern tools and methodologies to develop national maps. The Global Soil Partnership then gathered all national maps to produce the final product, ensuring a thorough harmonization process. The dataset comes along with a technical report presenting methodologies and process of compiling the Global Soil organic Carbon Map. The link to download the report is available in the on-line resources. **Data revision:** 2019-06-01 **Supplemental Information:** No data value : -3 Unit : t/ha Scale Factor : 1.0 Map code : GSOCMAP1-5-0 **Contact points:** Resource Contact: [Yusuf Yigini](mailto:GSP-Secretariat@fao.org) Metadata Contact: [CBL Global Soil Partnership](mailto:GSP-Secretariat@fao.org) **Data lineage:** Information on data quality at https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/c3ccec0d-fe75-49b7-9a4c-ee0a8777fed9/content **Resource constraints:** This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC-BY-4.0) **Online resources:** Download the data from Google Cloud Storage Download - GSOC-Map Technical Report Global Soil Partnership GSOCmap Contributors

Overview This dataset shows North American land cover for 2010 at a spatial resolution of 250 meters, based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery. It provides a harmonized view of the physical cover of Earth's surface across the continent, classified into nineteen Level II land cover classes defined using the Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) standard developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The dataset was produced as part of the North American Land Change Monitoring System (NALCMS), a trilateral effort between Natural Resources Canada, the United States Geological Survey, and three Mexican organizations: the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía), the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad), and the National Forestry Commission of Mexico (Comisión Nacional Forestal). The collaboration is facilitated by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), an international organization created by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation to promote environmental collaboration between the three countries. Land Cover Classes The raster attribute table provides 19 thematic land cover classes: 1: Temperate or sub-polar needleleaf forest 2: Sub-polar taiga needleleaf forest 3: Tropical or sub-tropical broadleaf evergreen forest 4: Tropical or sub-tropical broadleaf deciduous forest 5: Temperate or sub-polar broadleaf deciduous forest 6: Mixed forest 7: Tropical or sub-tropical shrubland 8: Temperate or sub-polar shrubland 9: Tropical or sub-tropical grassland 10: Temperate or sub-polar grassland 11: Sub-polar or polar shrubland-lichen-moss 12: Sub-polar or polar grassland-lichen-moss 13: Sub-polar or polar barren-lichen-moss 14: Wetland 15: Cropland 16: Barren land 17: Urban and built-up 18: Water 19: Snow and ice Geographic Coverage This dataset covers Canada, Alaska, the conterminous United States, and Mexico. Data Sources and Licensing This dataset builds on the initial 2005 North American Land Cover product, updated to reflect land cover changes detected through 2010. No changes were mapped in Hawaii due to a lack of newer data. This version (2.0) supersedes Edition 1.0, correcting labeling and classification errors identified after the initial release, and removes the water buffer along the coastline of North America to ensure consistent statistics for the water class. The entire dataset is produced by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), derived from national land cover maps provided by Natural Resources Canada, the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, the National Forestry Commission; and the United States Geological Survey. The compiled dataset is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing redistribution and adaptation with appropriate attribution. Update frequency: As needed Limitations of use: Intended for continental-scale reference. Vintage: 2010 Applications (Intended Use) Land cover review and continental- to national-scale mapping. Environmental monitoring and change detection over time. Spatial analysis and integration with other thematic layers in the North American Environmental Atlas. Supporting cross-border environmental cooperation and policy-making among North American nations. Files Download

The Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) archives and distributes Global Forest Cover Change (GFCC) data products through the NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Program. The GFCC Tree Cover Multi-Year Global dataset is available for four epochs centered on the years 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. The dataset is derived from the GFCC Surface Reflectance product (GFCC30SR), which is based on enhanced Global Land Survey (GLS) datasets. The GLS datasets are composed of high-resolution Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images at 30 meter resolution. GFCC30TC provides tree canopy information and can be used to understand forest changes. Each tree cover product features four files associated with it; a tree cover layer with an embedded color map, a tree cover error (uncertainty) file, and an index (provenance) file, plus a list of path/rows that relate to the Surface Reflectance input files. Note that the index file and file list were not generated for the 2015 epoch. Data follow the Worldwide Reference System-2 tiling scheme. Additional details regarding the methodology used to create the data are available in the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD).