The "Biome Classification" product consists of a global map representing the global distribution of the IGBP-biomes (biome classes discerned by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme ) based on VGT images. The map was realised by application of a supervised decision tree classifier on the 1km˛-resolution imagery of SPOT-VEGETATION of the year 1998/9. As a reference data set for the calibration of the procedure we used the well-known DISCover-classification which was derived by Loveland et al. (2000) from NOAA-AVHRR imagery of 1992/3. In this way, the actual map should not be regarded as a new, stand-alone product but rather as an update of this DISCover map.

There has been an ever-growing demand for actual information on the spatial distribution of the main terrestrial ecosystems (biomes) because land cover is indeed a driving variable in many models for the simulation and/or forecasting of weather, possible climate changes, carbon sequestration, erosion risk, etc. - and actual biome maps form a valuable instrument for the verification of international environmental treaties like the Kyoto-Bonn protocol.

Available products:

• original data in standard format (HDF) (World)
• original data in custom format (HDF, ENVI) and user-defined ROI