The Full Picture

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Mapping global ecosystems

– the GEOSS approach

Roger Sayre, US Geological Survey; Alberto Yanosky, Guyra Paraguay;

Douglas Muchoney, Group on Earth Observations/US Geological Survey

he intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

is leading a worldwide effort to build a Global Earth

Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to provide compre-

hensive, coordinated Earth observations from thousands of space-,

water-, and ground-based instruments worldwide, transforming

the data they collect into vital information for society. GEOSS is

programmatically organized into nine societal benefit areas: disas-

ters, health, energy, climate, water, weather, ecosystems, agriculture,

and biodiversity. A number of priority tasks have been developed

for each of the societal benefit areas, and these tasks collectively

represent the GEOSS work plan. One of these tasks, EC-07-02, in

the ecosystems societal benefit area, calls for the development of a

robust, practical, standardized classification and map of global

terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. A scope of work has

been developed and initiated for this ambitious effort, and stan-

dardized ecosystems mapping is completed or underway in South

America, the continental United States, China, Africa and Australia.

When complete, the global ecosystems map will represent the first

attempt to map the planet’s ecosystems in a standardized, scien-

tifically rigorous fashion, at management-appropriate scales. Both

the initial mapping and subsequent monitoring of global ecosys-

tems require comprehensive earth observation.

The need for a global map of ecosystems

Ecosystem management is a strategy for the integrated

management of land, water and living resources that

promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equi-

table way, and has been adopted as a best practice by the

global conservation community (Convention on

Biological Diversity, 2000, Decision V/6). Ecosystems

are recognized as fundamental components of biodi-

versity that need to be conserved and, in some cases,

restored. In addition to their biodiversity value, many

ecosystems should be conserved for the economic value

and societal benefits they confer to humans through the

provision of ecosystem goods and services (such as food,

fuel and fibre). Classification and valuation of ecosys-

tem goods and services is an emerging science. The

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) produced a

framework for understanding ecosystem services, which

demonstrates the importance of ecosystems for support-

ing human societies.

Unfortunately, ecosystems are increasingly threat-

ened by fragmentation, alteration, loss, invasive

species, fire, climate change, incompatible resource

extraction and other threats. Two recent major ecosys-

tem health analyses conclude that many ecosystems

are either imperilled or significantly compromised in

their ability to provide the goods and services that soci-

eties require.

These and other reports serve to

underscore the importance of ecosystems for healthy

societies, and their utility as resource management

units. Previously a focus mainly of earth scientists and

ecologists, ecosystems are now emerging as a main-

stream societal concern.

As the essential life-support systems of the planet, it is

clear that ecosystems should be well-managed. A prereq-

uisite to ecosystem management is an understanding of

the types, distribution and condition of ecosystems as they

occur in landscapes and seascapes. The classification and

delineation of ecosystems at relatively fine scales is funda-

mental to managing ecosystems. However, the world lacks

a standardized ecosystem map at a scale appropriate for

on-the-ground resource management. While some

broader-scale ecosystem classifications exist (sometimes

called ‘ecoregions’), they are generally too coarse for

resource planning and management at the local level. In

Provisioning Services

Products obtained from

ecosystems

• Food

• Fresh water

• Fuelwood

• Fibre

• Biochemicals

• Genetic resources

Ecosystem services

Regulating Services

Benefits obtained from

regulation of ecosystem

processes

• Climate regulation

• Disease regulation

• Water regulation

• Water purification

• Pollination

Cultural Services

Nonmaterial benefits

obtained from ecosystems

• Spiritual and religious

• Recreation and ecotourism

• Aesthetic

• Inspirational

• Educational

• Sense of place

• Cultural heritage

Supporting Services

Services necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services

• Soil formation • Nutrient cycling • Primary production

Millennium Assessment, 2005

OCIETAL

ENEFIT

REAS

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COSYSTEMS