Global Terrestrial Observing System

linking the world’s terrestrial monitoring systems to provide a global vision of the

Earth we share

To provide policy makers, resource managers and researchers with access to the data they need to detect, quantify, locate, understand and warn of changes (especially reductions) in the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to

support sustainable development.

GTOS Mission StatementGTOS Mission Statement

Focuses on five issues of global concern:

1. Changes in land quality

2. Availability of freshwater resources

3. Loss of biodiversity

4. Impacts of climate change

5. Effect of pollution and toxicity

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

International Council of Science Unions (ICSU)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization (UNESCO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

GTOS SponsorsGTOS Sponsors

Key PartnersKey PartnersCountries (Europe, Southern Africa, South Asia)

Research institutes and universities

Global change programmes (GCOS, GOOS, IGBP ... )

Committee of earth observation satellites

Framework convention on climate change

Convention on biodiversity

1. Large-area experiments2. Long-term research centres3. Field stations4. Periodic, unstaffed sample sites5. Frequent low resolution remote sensing

The global observation hierarchyThe global observation hierarchy

GTOS

Secretariat Steering Committee (GTSC)

GT-Net Panel

Ecology-Net Coastal-Net Glacier-Net Hydrology-Net SouthernAsia

SouthernAfrica

Thematic Networks Regional / National Networks

Central Europe

GT-Net StructureGT-Net Structure

GT-Net demonstration projectGT-Net demonstration projectDemonstrate the value of linking existing networks by generating products that are useful in studying global change.

Serve as a test bed for collaboration among networks and sites, including data sharing and exchange, and obtain the experience needed for further GT-Net development.

GT-Net demonstration projectGT-Net demonstration project

The first project concentrates on improving current estimates of global terrestrial primary productivity. It adopts a hierarchical approach and uses models which combine satellite data with in situ observations.

A set of products, which have Net Primary Production (NPP) as their common foundation, will be produced. The NPP project will:

1) distribute a standard global NPP product to regional networks for evaluation; and

2) derive regionally specific crop, range and forest yield maps for land management applications.

Critical vegetation variables such as LC, LAI and NPP are measured at local and regional scales, and used to validate global satellite based estimates. NEP measurements provide a separate validation and translation of the carbon budget based NPP to estimate commodity yields (with local weather data).

Net Primary ProductivityNet Primary Productivity

•A register of long-term terrestrial observationsites around the world

•Information on more than 700 sites •Searchable on the Web: http://www.fao.org/gtos/

•Supporting GT-Net, the NPP project and TCI

Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites Sites TEMS Meta-databaseTEMS Meta-database

Value-Added of GTOSValue-Added of GTOS

•Operational links between terrestrial databases, sites, networks

•Improved access to terrestrial data & information and better collaboration between networks

•Filling gaps in key observations and harmonization of measurements & terminology

•Stronger links between satellite and ground research (IGOS)

•Stronger links between science and policy