G - I
GED
The Global Ecosystems Database (GED) project began in 1990 as an Interagency project between the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon (ERL-C). The primary objective of the project was to produce a spatially integrated database (including observational time sequences and model simulation outputs) with high quality metadata for characterization and modeling support within the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). Datasets were selected for publication to meet research priorities established by the EPA/ERL-C and to expand the use of datasets of potential value to the modeling and applied research community. Project Goals: 1. Prepare and document important global change research datasets for intercomparison, verification, further research, and applied use related to global climate change and landscape ecology. 2. Integrate and publish these datasets to improve their transfer between disciplines and to the broadest possible user base. 3. Collaborate in developing useful ecosystem indices and meeting data integration requirements of specific user groups Datasets: All datasets are provided in integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) form. In cases where NGDC has authority for distribution of the original dataset, the complete source version is provided on the data product in the form it was contributed. This project thus meets two product requirements: It provides an integrated version of commonly used global and regional research datasets related to landscape ecological characterization and modeling for a variety of uses in various disciplines; and it distributes original versions of such datasets contributed to NGDC for public distribution. GED Datasets are defined by authorship, however they are grouped by database according to their geographic compatibility. Each database is defined by geographic coverage, reference system, and projection. Resolution will vary between global, regional, and local databases, but may also vary within a database. Link to these datasets at "http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/eco/cdroms/gedii_a/html/database.htm#top" For additional information, link to "http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/eco/cdroms/gedii_a/go.htm" [Summary provided by NOAA]