Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: World Wildlife Fund - US

Publication_Date: 2004

Title: Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World

Edition: Version 2.0

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

Series_Information:

Other_Citation_Details:

This is an update to version 1.0 which was completed in 2001.

Citation: Olson, D.M., E. Dinerstein, E.D. Wikramanayake, N.D. Burgess, G.V.N. Powell, E.C. Underwood, J.A. D'Amico, I. Itoua, H.E. Strand, J.C. Morrison, C.J. Loucks, T.F. Allnutt, T.H. Ricketts, Y. Kura, J.F. Lamoreux, W.W. Wettengel, P. Hedao, and K.R. Kassem. Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth (PDF, 1.1M) BioScience 51:933-938.

Online_Linkage:

\\SASQUATCH\DATA\ecoregions\version_2\new_version\wwf_terr_ecos.shp

Description:

Abstract:

This map depicts the 825 terrestrial ecoregions of the globe. Ecoregions are relatively large units of land containing distinct assemblages of natural communities and species, with boundaries that approximate the original extent of natural communities prior to major land-use change. This comprehensive, global map provides a useful framework for conducting biogeographical or macroecological research, for identifying areas of outstanding biodiversity and conservation priority, for assessing the representation and gaps in conservation efforts worldwide, and for communicating the global distribution of natural communities on earth. We have based ecoregion delineations on hundreds of previous biogeographical studies, and refined and synthesized existing information in regional workshops over 10 years to assemble the global dataset. Ecoregions are nested within two higher-order classifications: biomes (14) and biogeographic realms (8). Together, these nested classification levels provide a framework for comparison among units and the identification of representative habitats and species assemblages. Ecoregions have increasingly been adopted by research scientists, conservation organizations, and donors as a framework for analyzing biodiversity patterns, assessing conservation priorities, and directing effort and support (Ricketts et al. 1999a; Wikramanayake et al. 2001; Ricketts et al. 1999b; Olson & Dinerstein 1998; Groves et al. 2000; Rosenzweig et al. 2003; and Luck et al. 2003). More on the approach to ecoregion mapping, the logic and design of the framework, and previous and potential uses are discusses in Olson et al. (2001) and Ricketts et al. (1999a).

Groves, C., L. Valutis, D. Vosick, B. Neely, K. Wheaton, J. Touval, and B. Runnels. 2000. Designing a Geography of Hope: A practitioner's handbook to ecoregional conservation planning. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.

Luck, G.W., T.H. Ricketts, G.C. Daily, M. Imhoff (2003). Spatial conflict between people and biodiversity. Procedings of the National Academy of Sciences - US. 101(1):182-186.

Olson, D.M., and E. Dinerstein. 1998. The Global 200: a representation approach to conserving the Earth's most biologically valuable ecoregions. Conservation Biology 12:502-515.

Olson, D.M., E. Dinerstein, E.D. Wikramanayake, N.D. Burgess, G.V.N. Powell, E.C. Underwood, J.A. D'Amico, I. Itoua, H.E. Strand, J.C. Morrison, C.J. Loucks, T.F. Allnutt, T.H. Ricketts, Y. Kura, J.F. Lamoreux, W.W. Wettengel, P. Hedao, and K.R. Kassem. 2001. Terrestrial ecoregions of the world: New map of life on earth. Bioscience 51(11):933-938.

Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C. Loucks. 1999. Who's where in North America? Patterns of species richness and the utility of indicator taxa for conservation. Bioscience 49(5):369-381.

Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, W. Eichbaum, K. Kavanagh, P. Hedao, P. Hurley, K.M. Carney, R. Abell, and S. Walters. 1999. Ecoregions of North America: A conservation assessment. Island Press. Washington DC. 485 pp.

Rosenzweig, M.L., W. Turner, J.G. Cox, and T.H. Ricketts. 2003. Estimating diversity in unsampled habitats of a biogeographical province. Conservation Biology 17(3):864-874.

Wikramanayake, E., E. Dinerstein, C. Loucks, D. Olson, J. Morrison, J. Lamoreux, M. McKnight, and P. Hedao. 2001. Terrestrial ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation assessment. Island Press, Washington, DC.

Purpose: biogeography, biodiversity conservation and priority setting.

Supplemental_Information:

Delineation of ecoregions: We began by accepting the biogeographic realms of Pielou (1979) and Udvardy (1975) and modifying the biome systems of Dinerstein et al. (1995) and Ricketts et al. (1999). We then consulted existing global maps of floristic or zoogeographic provinces, global and regional maps of units based on the distribution of selected groups of plants and animals, the world's biotic province maps, and global maps of broad vegetation types. These were useful for evaluating the extent of realms and biomes, the first two tiers in our hierarchical classification. We then identified published regional classification systems to be used as a baseline for ecoregion boundaries. Data and consultations from regional experts were also important for final ecoregion delineations.

Caveats: Three caveats are appropriate for all biogeographic mapping approaches. First, no single biogeographic framework is optimal for all taxa. Ecoregions reflect the best compromise for as many taxa as possible. Second, ecoregion boundaries rarely form abrupt edges; rather, ecotones and mosaic habitats bound them. Third, most ecoregions contain habitats that differ from their assigned biome (e.g., for example, rainforest ecoregions in Amazonia often contain small edaphic savannas). With these caveats in mind, ecoregions can form useful units for biological analysis and for conservation planning and action.

More information: Please consult citations listed here and with abstract, and references therein, for additional information on these ecoregions and the analyses and assessments for which they are suited. <http://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions>

Dinerstein E, Olson DM, Graham DJ, Webster A L , Primm SA, Bookbinder M P, Ledec G. 1995 .A Conservation Assessment of the Terrestrial Ecoregions of Latin America and the Caribbean .Washington (DC) :World Bank.

Pielou EC. 1979 . Biogeography. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C. Loucks. 1999. Who's where in North America? Patterns of species richness and the utility of indicator taxa for conservation. Bioscience 49(5):369-381.

Udvardy MDF. 1975 .A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world Morges (Switzerland): International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. IUCN Occasional Paper no. 18.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: Ecoregions based on historical distribution data

Currentness_Reference: publication date

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -179.999989

East_Bounding_Coordinate: 179.999989

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 83.623125

South_Bounding_Coordinate: -89.891973

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ecoregions

Theme_Keyword: ecoregions

Theme_Keyword: World Wildlife Fund

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: WWF

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: World Wildlife Fund

Place:

Place_Keyword: world

Access_Constraints:

This data is available for use for valid scientific, conservation, and educational purposes.

Use_Constraints:

Any modification of the original map by users to ecoregion boundaries, units, names, or realm and biome classes must be noted.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Conservation Science Program - World Wildlife Fund

Contact_Person: Nasser Olwero

Contact_Position: GIS Manager

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 1250 24th St NW

City: Washington

State_or_Province: DC

Postal_Code: 20037

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 202-822-3452

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nasser.olwero@wwfus.org

Data_Set_Credit:

Olson, D.M., E. Dinerstein, E.D. Wikramanayake, N.D. Burgess, G.V.N. Powell, E.C. Underwood, J.A. D’Amico, H.E. Strand, J.C. Morrison, C.J. Loucks, T.F. Allnutt, J.F. Lamoreux, T.H. Ricketts, I. Itoua, W.W. Wettengel, Y. Kura, P. Hedao, and K. Kassem. 2001. Terrestrial ecoregions of the world: A new map of life on Earth. BioScience 51(11):933-938.

Native_Data_Set_Environment:

Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.1.0.722

Data_Quality_Information:

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description: Dataset copied.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: \\sasquatch\data\ecoregions\version_2\WWF_terr_eco.mdb

Process_Step:

Process_Description: Dataset copied.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: H:\ecoregions\version_2\wwf_terr_ecos

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:

SDTS_Terms_Description:

SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: G-polygon

Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 14458

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: 0.000001

Longitude_Resolution: 0.000001

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: D_WGS_1984

Ellipsoid_Name: WGS_1984

Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257224

Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Altitude_System_Definition:

Altitude_Resolution: 0.000010

Altitude_Encoding_Method:

Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: wwf_terr_ecos

Entity_Type_Definition: WWF's Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: <http://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/attributes.htm>

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: OBJECTID

Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number.

Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Shape

Attribute_Definition: Feature geometry.

Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain: Coordinates defining the features.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: AREA

Attribute_Definition:

Area of each individual polygon in square kilometers. The attribute area_km2 is a sum of this field for each ecoregion as a whole.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: PERIMETER

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ECO_NAME

Attribute_Definition: Ecoregion Name

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: REALM

Attribute_Definition: Biogeographical Realm

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: AA

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Australasia

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: AN

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Antarctic

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: AT

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Afrotropics

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: IM

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: IndoMalay

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: NA

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Nearctic

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: NT

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Neotropics

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: OC

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Oceania

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: PA

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Palearctic

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: BIOME

Attribute_Definition: Biome

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Tropical & Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 2

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 3

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Tropical & Subtropical Coniferous Forests

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 4

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 5

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Temperate Conifer Forests

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 6

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Boreal Forests/Taiga

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 7

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Tropical & Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 8

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Temperate Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 9

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Flooded Grasslands & Savannas

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 10

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Montane Grasslands & Shrublands

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 11

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Tundra

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 12

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands & Scrub

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 13

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Deserts & Xeric Shrublands

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 14

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Mangroves

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ECO_NUM

Attribute_Definition:

A unique number for each ecoregion within each biome nested within each realm.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ECO_ID

Attribute_Definition:

This number is created by combining REALM, BIOME, and ECO_NUM, thus creating a unique numeric ID for each ecoregion.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ECO_SYM

Attribute_Definition: Ecoregion Symbol - Used to display the map in ArcInfo

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: eco_code

Attribute_Definition:

This is an alphanumeric code that is similar to eco_ID but a little easier to interpret. The first 2 characters (letters) are the realm the ecoregion is in. The 2nd 2 characters are the biome and the last 2 characters are the ecoregion number.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: GBL_STAT

Attribute_Definition: Global Status

Attribute_Definition_Source:

A 30-year prediction of future conservation status given current conservation status and trajectories.

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: CRITICAL OR ENDANGERED

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 2

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: VULNERABLE

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 3

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: RELATIVELY STABLE OR INTACT

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: G200_NUM

Attribute_Definition: Global 200 Number

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: G200_BIOME

Attribute_Definition:

Global 200 Biome - The biome of the Global 200 region that the ecoregion is a component of. Occasionally a Global 200 region is made up of ecoregions of different biomes. In this case, for a particular ecoregion, the G200_BIOME may be different from the original biome. For a description of each Global 200 biome (1-14), see BIOME.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: FID

Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number.

Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: G200_STAT

Attribute_Definition: Global 200 Conservation status

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: CRITICAL OR ENDANGERED

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 2

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: VULNERABLE

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 3

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: RELATIVELY STABLE OR INTACT

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Shape_Area

Attribute_Definition: Area of feature in internal units squared.

Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain: Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: area_km2

Attribute_Definition: Area of the Ecoregion (km2)

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: G200_REGIO

Attribute_Definition: Global 200 Name

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Shape_Leng

Distribution_Information:

Resource_Description: Downloadable Data

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Transfer_Size: 62.253

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20060301

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

REQUIRED: The organization responsible for the metadata information.

Contact_Person: REQUIRED: The person responsible for the metadata information.

Contact_Address:

Address_Type:

REQUIRED: The mailing and/or physical address for the organization or individual.

City: REQUIRED: The city of the address.

State_or_Province: REQUIRED: The state or province of the address.

Postal_Code: REQUIRED: The ZIP or other postal code of the address.

Contact_Voice_Telephone:

REQUIRED: The telephone number by which individuals can speak to the organization or individual.

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time

Metadata_Extensions:

Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>

Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile