The natural ecosystems of the Earth in reality are just the parts of the planet that aren’t actively managed by humans, as no system (climate, nutrient transport, water) has avoided modification by the presence of man. This knowledge is known to the public as climate change, previously known by the less-accurate title of global warming.
View Dataset Information
Annual Total Precipitation
Description: The total amount of precipitation to fall in one gridcell during one year.
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Categories: ecosystems, water resources
Average Annual Relative Humidity
Description: The average relative humidity of each grid cell over one year.
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Category: ecosystems
Average Annual Temperature
Description: The average temperature of a gridcell over one year.
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Category: ecosystems
Average Temperature (DJF)
Description: The average gridcell temperature during December, January, and February.
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Category: ecosystems
Average Temperature (JJA)
Description: The average gridcell temperature during June, July, and August.
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Category: ecosystems
Average Temperature (MAM)
Description: The average gridcell temperature during March, April and May
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al.(1998)
Category: ecosystems
Average Temperature (SON)
Description: The average gridcell temperature during September, October, and November
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Category: ecosystems
Evapotranspiration
Description: The amount of water removed from a gridcell through the processes of evaporation and transpiration.
Source: Willmott and Matsuura (2001)
Categories: ecosystems, water resources
Growing Degree Days
Description: The total number of growing degree days (based on a 5C base temperature) in each gridcell over one year.
Source: CRU 0.5 Degree Dataset, New et al. (1998)
Category: ecosystems
Lakes and Wetlands
Description: The extent of lakes and wetlands of various categories across the globe.
Source: Lehner and Döll (2001)
Categories: ecosystems, water resources
Net Primary Productivity
Description: The total net primary productivity (NPP) in each gridcell over one year.
Source: Foley et al. (1996), Kucharik et al. (2000)
Category: ecosystems
Potential Evapotranspiration
Description: Assuming no limiting factors, the amount of water that could be removed from the gridcell through evaporation and transpiration.
Source: Willmott and Matsuura (2001)
Categories: ecosystems, water resources
Potential Vegetation
Description: The land cover type that would exist in a gridcell had humans not interfered.
Source: Ramankutty and Foley (1999)
Category: ecosystems
Snow Depth
Description: The average annual snow depth in each grid cell.
Source: Willmott and Matsuura (2001)
Categories: ecosystems, water resources
Soil Moisture
Description: The average amount of water in the soil of a grid cell.
Source: Willmott and Matsuura (2001)
Categories: ecosystems, water resources
Soil Organic Carbon
Description: The total mass of soil carbon (to one meter) contained in a gridcell.
Source: IGBP-DIS (1998)
Categories: land use, ecosystems
Soil pH
Description: The pH of the soil in a gridcell.
Source: IGBP-DIS (1998)
Categories: land use, ecosystems
Topography
Description: The elevation above sea level of each gridcell.
Source: NOAA TerrainBase
Category: ecosystems