APPLICATIONS OF THE US-GEOLOGICAL-SURVEYS GLOBAL LAND COVER PRODUCT

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with several interna tional agencies and universities, has produced a global land cover cha racteristics database. The land cover data were created using multitem poral analysis of advanced very high resolution radiometer satellite i mages in conjunction with other existing geographic data A translation table permits the conversion of the land cover classes into several c onventional land cover schemes that are used by ecosystem modelers, cl imate modelers, land management agencies, and other user groups. The a lternative classification schemes include Global Ecosystems, the Biosp here Atmosphere Transfer Scheme, the Simple Biosphere, the USGS Anders on Level 2, and the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme. The d istribution system for these data is through the World Wide Web(the we b site address is: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/landdaac/glcc/glcc.html) or by magnetic media upon special request. The availability of the dat a over the World Wide Web, in conjunction with the flexible database s tructure, allows easy data access to a wide range of users. The web si te contains a user registration form that allows analysis of the diver se applications of large-area land cover data. Currently, applications are divided among mapping (20 percent), conservation (30 percent), an d modeling (35 percent).