Welcome to the Earth Science and Geospatial Datasets Repository! This repository offers a curated collection of links to reliable and widely-used datasets across multiple Earth science disciplines. Organized by category and application, it includes datasets for hydrology, climate studies, natural hazards, land use, oceanography, and more. Each entry provides essential details about the dataset, its features, and access requirements. Whether you're a researcher, practitioner, or enthusiast, this repository is designed to help you discover and utilize datasets for environmental analysis, decision-making, and scientific exploration.
- Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)
- Administrative Boundaries
- Hydrology and Water Resources
- Climate and Meteorological Data
- Land Use and Land Cover
- Satellite Imagery
- Infrastructure, Population and Urban Data
- Natural Hazard Data
- Oceanographic Data
- Ecology and Biodiversity
- Contribution Guidelines
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) provide critical topographical data, representing the Earth's surface in three dimensions. These datasets are widely used for flood modeling, terrain analysis, infrastructure planning, and geological studies.
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USGS EarthExplorer
🔗 https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/
✅ Features:- Offers a variety of DEMs, including SRTM and ASTER datasets.
- Requires registration to download.
- Resolution: Up to 1 arc-second (~30 meters) globally and 1/3 arc-second (~10 meters) in the U.S.
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NASA Earthdata
🔗 https://earthdata.nasa.gov/
✅ Features:- Provides global data, including ASTER GDEM and SRTM.
- Requires registration.
- High-resolution data for research purposes.
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Copernicus Open Access Hub
🔗 https://scihub.copernicus.eu/
✅ Features:- Offers data from Sentinel missions.
- DEMs derived from Sentinel-1 are available.
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OpenTopography
🔗 https://opentopography.org/
✅ Features:- Provides LiDAR-derived DEMs and other high-resolution data.
- Free access to datasets in many regions.
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ESA’s Earth Observation Portal
🔗 https://earth.esa.int/eogateway
✅ Features:- Offers the Copernicus DEM with resolutions up to 30 meters and even 10 meters for some regions.
- Open to users after registration.
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Mapzen Terrain Tiles
🔗 https://www.mapzen.com/
✅ Features:- Open-source terrain data.
- Global coverage with decent resolution.
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Google Earth Engine
🔗 https://earthengine.google.com/
✅ Features:- Allows analysis of DEMs and other geospatial data.
- Requires programming knowledge (JavaScript or Python API).
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Google Earth Engine Dataset Catalog - DEMs
🔗 https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog
✅ Features:- Includes DEM datasets such as:
- SRTM Digital Elevation Database.
- ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM).
- Global coverage with varying resolutions.
- Free access for research and analysis with a Google Earth Engine account.
- Requires programming knowledge (JavaScript or Python API) to interact with the datasets.
- Includes DEM datasets such as:
Administrative boundary datasets define geopolitical boundaries, including countries, states, provinces, and municipalities. They are essential for urban planning, policy-making, socio-economic analysis, and disaster management.
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GADM (Global Administrative Areas)
🔗 https://gadm.org/
✅ Features:- Free access to global administrative boundary data.
- Provides shapefiles for use in GIS software.
- Covers countries, states, and municipalities.
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Natural Earth
🔗 https://www.naturalearthdata.com/
✅ Features:- High-quality cartographic boundary data.
- Seamless integration with mapping projects.
- Includes cultural, physical, and raster layers.
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Countries, States, and Cities Database
🔗 https://github.com/dr5hn/countries-states-cities-database
✅ Features:- Open-source and easy-to-use database of countries, states, and cities.
- JSON, SQL, and CSV formats available for seamless integration.
- Provides administrative boundary data useful for applications in GIS, urban planning, and socio-economic analysis.
Hydrology and water resource datasets offer insights into river basins, water bodies, precipitation, and water flow dynamics. These datasets support sustainable water management, flood risk assessment, and hydrological modeling.
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HydroSHEDS
🔗 https://hydrosheds.org/
✅ Features:- High-resolution hydrographic data for river basins worldwide.
- Derived from SRTM DEMs.
- Supports watershed analysis and water management projects.
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GRDC (Global Runoff Data Centre)
🔗 https://www.bafg.de/GRDC/EN/
✅ Features:- Repository of global river discharge data.
- Facilitates hydrological studies and water resource management.
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NOAA National Water Model Data
🔗 https://water.noaa.gov/about/nwm
✅ Features:- Provides hydrologic modeling data and streamflow forecasts.
- Real-time and historical data available for watersheds in the United States.
- Supports research and decision-making in flood management.
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USGS National Water Information System (NWIS)
🔗 https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
✅ Features:- Offers real-time, daily, and historical water data for surface water, groundwater, and water quality.
- Extensive network of monitoring sites across the U.S.
- Includes tools for data visualization and analysis.
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Global Surface Water Explorer (JRC)
🔗 https://global-surface-water.appspot.com/
✅ Features:- Tracks surface water extent and changes using Landsat imagery.
- Provides data on surface water occurrence, recurrence, and seasonality.
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NOAA Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)
🔗 https://water.weather.gov/ahps/
✅ Features:- Real-time river forecasts, flood stage monitoring, and probability information.
- Interactive maps for water levels and streamflow conditions.
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USGS StreamStats
🔗 https://streamstats.usgs.gov/
✅ Features:- Interactive tool for streamflow statistics, drainage area delineation, and watershed characteristics.
- Includes data for hydrological and flood frequency analysis.
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Global Streamflow Indices and Metadata Archive (GSIM)
🔗 https://gsim.stanford.edu/
✅ Features:- Global archive of streamflow records.
- Includes metadata and indices for river discharge.
- Supports hydrological trend and variability studies.
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Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS)
🔗 https://www.globalfloods.eu/
✅ Features:- Operated by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service.
- Provides global flood forecasts and risk maps.
- Combines hydrological models with meteorological forecasts.
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NASA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission
🔗 https://gpm.nasa.gov/data-access/downloads/gpm
✅ Features:
- Offers high-resolution precipitation datasets.
- Useful for hydrologic modeling, water resource management, and flood forecasting.
- Data updated in near-real-time.
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European Flood Awareness System (EFAS)
🔗 https://www.efas.eu/
✅ Features:- Provides flood forecasts and risk analysis for Europe.
- Integrates hydrological models and meteorological predictions.
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USGS WaterWatch
🔗 https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/
✅ Features:- Visualizes real-time streamflow conditions compared to historical data.
- Includes maps and graphs for drought and flood monitoring.
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International River Boundaries Database (IRBD)
🔗 https://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/
✅ Features:- Provides geospatial data on river boundaries for transboundary river systems worldwide.
- Useful for international water resource management and hydrologic modeling.
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World Bank River Basin Data
🔗 https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/
✅ Features:- Geospatial data for global river basins.
- Includes hydrology, water resources, and socioeconomic indicators.
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Copernicus Global Land Service - Water Bodies
🔗 https://land.copernicus.eu/global/products/wb
✅ Features:- Provides datasets on inland water bodies, rivers, and reservoirs.
- Useful for hydrology and water resource studies.
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Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD)
🔗 https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/global-lakes-and-wetlands-database
✅ Features:
- Comprehensive data on global lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands.
- Supports hydrology, ecology, and biodiversity research.
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Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP)
🔗 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/iso?id=gov.noaa.ncdc:C00832
✅ Features:- Provides monthly precipitation data globally from satellite and ground-based measurements.
- Long-term dataset (1979–present).
- Ideal for climate and hydrological applications.
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Global Rainfall Data (TRMM and GPM)
🔗 https://gpm.nasa.gov/data-access/downloads/trmm
✅ Features:- High-resolution rainfall data from NASA missions.
- Real-time precipitation data for flood forecasting and hydrological modeling.
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Global Water Resources Database (AQUASTAT)
🔗 https://www.fao.org/aquastat/en/
✅ Features:- FAO’s global database on water resources and agricultural water use.
- Covers river basins, irrigation, and water withdrawal statistics.
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World Bank River Basin Data
🔗 https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/
✅ Features:- Provides geospatial data for global river basins.
- Includes hydrology, water resources, and socioeconomic indicators.
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Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)
🔗 https://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/
✅ Features:- Satellite mission data to measure surface water storage and dynamics.
- High-resolution data for rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
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Water Resources Global Information System (AQUARIUS)
🔗 https://waterdata.com/
✅ Features:- Manages and analyzes water data for hydrology and water quality applications.
- Supports real-time monitoring and reporting.
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SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool)
🔗 https://www.swat.tamu.edu/
✅ Features:- Hydrological model for river basin simulations.
- Integrates climate, land use, and hydrological data for water resource assessments.
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World Water Quality Assessment (UNEP)
🔗 https://www.unep.org/interactives/wwqa/
✅ Features:- Provides a comprehensive overview of global freshwater quality.
- Includes analyses of pollutants, ecosystem health, and human health impacts.
- Offers interactive tools to explore specific water quality issues.
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LakeNet Global Lakes Database
🔗 https://www.worldlakes.org/
✅ Features:- Provides information on global lakes and their ecological status.
- Focuses on conservation and sustainable water management.
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Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database (TFDD)
🔗 https://transboundarywaters.science.oregonstate.edu/
✅ Features:- Data on shared river basins and international water treaties.
- Supports research on water conflict and cooperation.
Climate and meteorological datasets provide crucial information for understanding and analyzing atmospheric conditions, historical trends, and future projections. These datasets support a variety of applications, including climate change research, agricultural planning, disaster risk assessment, and weather forecasting.
Below is a list of widely used datasets, offering global and regional climate information such as temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, and more.
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ERA5 Reanalysis Data
🔗 https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/
✅ Features:- Global climate reanalysis data from 1950 onward.
- Includes temperature, precipitation, wind, and other essential climate variables.
- Requires registration on the Copernicus Climate Data Store.
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CMIP6 Climate Models
🔗 https://esgf-node.llnl.gov/projects/cmip6/
✅ Features:- Multi-model climate projections for historical and future scenarios.
- Widely used in IPCC reports and climate research.
- Free access for registered users.
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NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN)
🔗 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/global-historical-climatology-network
✅ Features:- Provides long-term climate records, including temperature, precipitation, and snowfall.
- Data collected from land-based weather stations globally.
- Supports trend analysis and climate variability studies.
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NOAA Integrated Surface Database (ISD)
🔗 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/integrated-surface-database
✅ Features:- Comprehensive global dataset of hourly weather observations.
- Includes variables like temperature, wind, humidity, and pressure.
- Useful for weather modeling and climatological studies.
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NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)
🔗 https://earthdata.nasa.gov/
✅ Features:- Provides access to satellite-based observations of Earth’s climate and weather.
- Includes MODIS, Landsat, and other missions covering cloud cover, temperature, and radiation.
- Supports atmospheric, land, and ocean studies.
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ECMWF Seasonal Forecasts
🔗 https://www.ecmwf.int/en/forecasts/datasets
✅ Features:- Long-range forecasts of temperature, precipitation, and wind.
- Monthly, seasonal, and yearly projections.
- Ideal for agricultural planning, disaster preparedness, and energy management.
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WorldClim
🔗 https://www.worldclim.org/
✅ Features:- High-resolution climate data for temperature, precipitation, and other variables.
- Historical (1970–2000) and future (2050, 2070) scenarios available.
- Widely used for ecological and biodiversity research.
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CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station Data)
🔗 https://www.chc.ucsb.edu/data/chirps
✅ Features:- Provides rainfall data globally with a resolution of 0.05° (~5 km).
- Combines satellite imagery with in-situ observations.
- Supports drought monitoring and agricultural research.
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GridMet
🔗 http://www.climatologylab.org/gridmet.html
✅ Features:- Provides daily high-resolution (~4 km) meteorological data for the contiguous United States.
- Includes temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, and solar radiation variables.
- Widely used in agricultural, hydrological, and ecological modeling.
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NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
🔗 https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
✅ Features:- Offers real-time and historical climate data.
- Includes ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) monitoring and seasonal outlooks.
- Essential for long-range weather forecasting.
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Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)
🔗 https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/
✅ Features:- Provides global data on atmospheric composition, including greenhouse gases and air quality.
- Includes real-time and reanalysis datasets.
- Supports climate and environmental research.
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HadCRUT Global Temperature Dataset
🔗 https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/data/hadcrut5
✅ Features:- Offers a historical record of global surface temperature anomalies.
- Combines land and ocean temperature measurements.
- Useful for trend analysis and long-term climate change studies.
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CRU TS (Climatic Research Unit Time Series)
🔗 https://crudata.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/hrg/
✅ Features:- High-resolution gridded dataset of historical climate data.
- Includes temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover.
- Widely used for ecological and hydrological studies.
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JRA-55 Reanalysis
🔗 https://jra.kishou.go.jp/JRA-55/index_en.html
✅ Features:- Japanese 55-year reanalysis dataset for global climate.
- Includes upper-air, surface, and oceanic parameters.
- Ideal for atmospheric research and climate diagnostics.
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TropICSAT (Tropical Rainfall Monitoring)
🔗 http://www.tropicsat.org/
✅ Features:- Provides high-resolution satellite rainfall data for tropical regions.
- Combines multiple sensors to improve accuracy.
- Useful for flood risk and agricultural planning in tropical zones.
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Google Earth Engine Dataset Catalog - Climate
🔗 https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog
✅ Features:
- Offers climate datasets such as:
- ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1979 to present.
- CHIRPS rainfall estimates.
- Covers global historical and real-time datasets.
- Requires programming knowledge to access via Google Earth Engine.
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NOAA Environmental Data Access
🔗 https://data.noaa.gov/
✅ Features:- Centralized access to NOAA’s climate, oceanographic, and atmospheric datasets.
- Includes real-time and historical data for weather, fisheries, and ecosystems.
- Supports interdisciplinary Earth system science research.
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DataONE Earth and Environmental Data
🔗 https://www.dataone.org/
✅ Features:- Federated repository of Earth and environmental data.
- Includes datasets on ecology, hydrology, and climate.
- Provides tools for data discovery, integration, and sharing.
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Caravan Dataset
🔗 https://zenodo.org/records/10968468
✅ Features:
- Open community dataset of meteorological forcing data, catchment attributes, and discharge data for catchments around the world.
- Includes code to derive meteorological forcing data and catchment attributes from cloud-based data sources, enabling easy extension to new catchments.
- Supports hydrology, meteorology, and climate research projects.
- NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL)
🔗 https://psl.noaa.gov/data/index.html
✅ Features:
- Comprehensive repository of global atmospheric and oceanic datasets.
- Includes variables such as temperature, precipitation, sea level pressure, and wind.
- Offers historical and real-time data for climate analysis and forecasting.
- Widely used for climate research, atmospheric modeling, and hydrological studies.
Land use and land cover datasets depict the distribution of natural vegetation, agricultural areas, urban zones, and water bodies. These datasets are crucial for land management, urban planning, and environmental conservation.
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CORINE Land Cover (Europe)
🔗 https://land.copernicus.eu/pan-european/corine-land-cover
✅ Features:- High-resolution LULC data for Europe.
- Provides detailed classifications for urban, agricultural, and forested areas.
- Updated regularly to track land cover changes.
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MODIS Land Cover
🔗 https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/mod12.php
✅ Features:- Global land cover classifications with annual updates.
- Includes multiple classification schemes such as IGBP and UMD.
- Suitable for global-scale studies.
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ESA WorldCover
🔗 https://esa-worldcover.org/
✅ Features:- High-resolution global land cover maps (10 meters).
- Covers natural and human-modified landscapes.
- Designed for environmental monitoring and policy-making.
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Global Land Cover by National Mapping Organizations (GLCNMO)
🔗 https://www.iscgm.org/
✅ Features:- Provides standardized global land cover datasets.
- Developed collaboratively by national mapping organizations.
- Useful for global land cover comparisons and studies.
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Global Urban Footprint (GUF)
🔗 https://www.dlr.de/eoc/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-9628/16557_read-40454/
✅ Features:- High-resolution data on urban areas worldwide.
- Developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
- Useful for urbanization studies and planning.
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Copernicus Global Land Cover
🔗 https://land.copernicus.eu/global/products/lc
✅ Features:- Detailed global land cover data at 100-meter resolution.
- Includes 23 classes, such as forests, croplands, and wetlands.
- Supports ecosystem monitoring and climate modeling.
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Google Earth Engine Dataset Catalog - Land Cover
🔗 https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog
✅ Features:- Extensive collection of LULC datasets.
- Includes MODIS Land Cover Type, ESA WorldCover, and custom regional datasets.
- Accessible with Google Earth Engine tools.
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GLAD Global Land Cover
🔗 https://glad.umd.edu/dataset/global-land-cover
✅ Features:- Annual global land cover data at 30-meter resolution.
- Focuses on agriculture, urban, and natural landscapes.
- Developed by the University of Maryland's Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) Lab.
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Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF)
🔗 https://glcf.umd.edu/
✅ Features:- Offers a variety of LULC datasets, including Landsat-based products.
- Useful for historical and time-series land cover studies.
- Focused on sustainable land use and biodiversity.
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USGS National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
🔗 https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/science/national-land-cover-database
✅ Features:- U.S.-focused land cover datasets.
- Provides detailed classifications for urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes.
- Supports hydrological and ecological modeling.
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Human Footprint Dataset (WCS)
🔗 https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.7k1nc
✅ Features:- Measures human impact on natural landscapes globally.
- Combines infrastructure, population, and land use data.
- Ideal for conservation and sustainable development planning.
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OpenLandMap
🔗 https://openlandmap.org/
✅ Features:- Provides spatial data on land cover, soil, vegetation, and climate.
- High-resolution global coverage.
- Supports machine learning and geospatial analysis.
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FAO Global Land Cover-SHARE Database
🔗 https://www.fao.org/geonetwork/srv/en/metadata.show?id=49439
✅ Features:- Combines global land cover datasets for agriculture and forestry applications.
- Provides harmonized land cover information.
- Widely used for food security and resource management.
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WRI Global Forest Watch (GFW)
🔗 https://www.globalforestwatch.org/
✅ Features:- Provides near-real-time forest monitoring data.
- Tracks deforestation, land degradation, and conservation efforts.
- User-friendly tools for policymakers and researchers.
Satellite imagery datasets provide high-resolution, multi-spectral data captured from space. They are widely used for monitoring land use, vegetation, urban growth, and disaster impacts, as well as for geospatial analysis and remote sensing applications.
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Sentinel Open Access Hub
🔗 https://scihub.copernicus.eu/
✅ Features:- Free access to Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 imagery.
- Covers optical and radar datasets.
- Ideal for vegetation, urban, and hydrological studies.
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USGS Landsat Data
🔗 https://landsat.usgs.gov/
✅ Features:- Long-term archive of optical satellite imagery.
- Free to download.
- Useful for time-series analysis and land cover change detection.
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Google Earth Engine Dataset Catalog - Satellite Imagery
🔗 https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog
✅ Features:- Includes various satellite imagery datasets:
- Landsat Collections.
- Sentinel-2 Surface Reflectance.
- MODIS imagery products.
- Provides imagery at different temporal resolutions for change detection.
- Accessible via Google Earth Engine.
- Includes various satellite imagery datasets:
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GEE Community Catalog
🔗 https://gee-community-catalog.org/
✅ Features:- A versatile repository offering datasets across multiple disciplines, including satellite imagery, land use, climate, hydrology, and natural hazards.
- Fully compatible with Google Earth Engine (GEE), enabling seamless integration for analysis.
- Community-driven platform with regular updates and contributions from researchers worldwide.
- Ideal for diverse applications such as environmental monitoring, disaster management, and urban planning.
Infrastructure and urban datasets provide detailed information on roads, buildings, utilities, and urban development patterns. These datasets are critical for urban planning, infrastructure development, and smart city initiatives.
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OpenStreetMap (OSM)
🔗 https://www.openstreetmap.org/
✅ Features:- Free and editable map data.
- Includes roads, buildings, and utilities.
- Widely used in urban analysis and planning.
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Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL)
🔗 https://ghsl.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
✅ Features:- Provides data on urban density, settlement patterns, and infrastructure.
- Global coverage for research and urban development projects.
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Gridded Population of the World (GPW)
🔗 https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/collection/gpw-v4
✅ Features:- Provides spatially explicit population distribution data.
- Useful for urban planning, disaster risk assessment, and resource allocation.
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High-Resolution Settlement Layer (HRSL)
🔗 https://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/hrsl/
✅ Features:- High-resolution maps of human settlements, created using satellite imagery.
- Supports humanitarian and development projects.
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Global Urban Footprint (GUF)
🔗 https://www.dlr.de/eoc/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-9628/16557_read-40454/
✅ Features:- High-resolution data on urban areas worldwide.
- Developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
- Useful for urbanization studies and planning.
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Atlas of Urban Expansion
🔗 https://www.atlasofurbanexpansion.org/
✅ Features:- Provides data on the spatial expansion of cities worldwide.
- Includes detailed maps and statistics on urban growth.
- A resource for understanding urbanization trends over time.
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Global Road Inventory Project (GRIP)
🔗 https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/GRIP
✅ Features:- Provides a global dataset of road networks.
- Useful for transportation planning, infrastructure analysis, and logistics.
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Urban Social Vulnerability Index (USVI)
🔗 https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataset.xhtml?persistentId=doi:10.7910/DVN/2TL2GS
✅ Features:- Measures social vulnerability in urban settings.
- Combines data on demographics, housing, and economic conditions.
- Useful for urban resilience and disaster risk reduction planning.
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World Settlement Footprint (WSF)
🔗 https://www.dlr.de/eoc/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-12760/
✅ Features:- High-resolution global dataset of settlement patterns.
- Combines satellite imagery and geospatial analysis to map urban areas.
- Ideal for urban studies and monitoring human settlement growth.
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Global Infrastructure Mapping and Analysis Project (GIMAP)
🔗 https://gimap.earth/
✅ Features:- Open data on global infrastructure, including transportation, energy, and telecommunications networks.
- Useful for understanding critical infrastructure and resilience planning.
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Google Earth Engine Dataset Catalog - Urban Data
🔗 https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog
✅ Features:- Includes datasets such as nighttime lights, urban extent, and infrastructure maps.
- Provides tools for spatial analysis and urban research.
- Accessible with Google Earth Engine tools.
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WorldPop
🔗 https://www.worldpop.org/
✅ Features:- High-resolution population density datasets.
- Combines geospatial and demographic data.
- Useful for urban planning, health studies, and disaster response.
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Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT)
🔗 https://www.hotosm.org/
✅ Features:- Provides geospatial data for humanitarian and development purposes.
- Focused on mapping underserved or high-risk urban areas.
- Widely used in disaster response and risk reduction.
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Open Infrastructure Map
🔗 https://openinframap.org/
✅ Features:- Global data on infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and energy networks.
- Derived from OpenStreetMap and other public datasets.
- Useful for infrastructure analysis and planning.
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UN Habitat Global Urban Indicators Database
🔗 https://unhabitat.org/
✅ Features:- Comprehensive indicators for urban infrastructure, development, and sustainability.
- Covers key metrics such as housing, transportation, and urban governance.
- Essential for monitoring global urbanization trends.
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SEDAC (Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center)
🔗 https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/
✅ Features:
- Integrates geospatial data with socioeconomic information, such as population density, urbanization, and environmental sustainability.
- Focused on the intersection of human and environmental systems.
- Provides downloadable datasets and visualization tools.
- European Building Characteristics Database (EUBUCCO)
🔗 https://eubucco.com/
✅ Features:
- Open database providing detailed characteristics for over 200 million individual buildings across Europe.
- Includes information on building stock, footprints, and other attributes.
- Ideal for urban planning, infrastructure studies, and sustainability research.
Natural hazard datasets include information on earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. These datasets are vital for risk assessment, disaster preparedness, and emergency response planning.
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FEMA Floodplain Data
🔗 https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
✅ Features:- U.S.-focused floodplain and flood risk maps.
- Essential for disaster risk management and urban planning.
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Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS)
🔗 https://www.gdacs.org/
✅ Features:- Real-time alerts for disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, and cyclones.
- Provides geospatial hazard maps for global events.
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European Flood Awareness System (EFAS)
🔗 https://www.efas.eu/
✅ Features:- Provides flood forecasts and risk analysis for Europe.
- Integrates hydrological and meteorological predictions.
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NASA Earth Science Disasters Program
🔗 https://disasters.nasa.gov/
✅ Features:- Provides geospatial data for natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and landslides.
- Offers satellite imagery and hazard-specific datasets.
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Global Earthquake Model (GEM)
🔗 https://www.globalquakemodel.org/
✅ Features:- Provides data on seismic hazard, exposure, and risk.
- Includes models and tools for earthquake risk assessment.
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USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
🔗 https://earthquake.usgs.gov/
✅ Features:- Real-time earthquake monitoring and historical data.
- Includes information on seismic hazard maps and fault lines.
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NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC)
🔗 https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
✅ Features:- Provides hurricane forecasts, advisories, and real-time tracking.
- Includes historical data for Atlantic and Eastern Pacific hurricanes.
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Global Active Fire Database (GFED)
🔗 https://www.globalfiredata.org/
✅ Features:- Tracks global fire emissions and burned areas.
- Useful for wildfire risk assessment and climate studies.
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Global Landslide Hazard Map (NASA)
🔗 https://maps.nccs.nasa.gov/landslides/
✅ Features:- Provides a global map of landslide susceptibility.
- Integrates precipitation and terrain data to assess landslide risk.
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Pacific Disaster Center (PDC Global)
🔗 https://www.pdc.org/
✅ Features:- Real-time disaster alerts for cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
- Provides hazard risk maps and decision support tools.
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OpenQuake
🔗 https://platform.openquake.org/
✅ Features:- Open-source platform for seismic hazard and risk assessment.
- Offers tools for modeling earthquake impacts globally.
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Tsunami Event Database (NOAA)
🔗 https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/tsu_db.shtml
✅ Features:- Tracks historical tsunami events globally.
- Provides data on event characteristics and impacts.
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Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS)
🔗 https://emergency.copernicus.eu/
✅ Features:- Provides maps and reports for rapid response to disasters.
- Includes data on floods, wildfires, and other natural hazards.
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Global Volcanism Program (Smithsonian)
🔗 https://volcano.si.edu/
✅ Features:- Database of volcanic eruptions and activity worldwide.
- Provides geospatial data and hazard assessments for active volcanoes.
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Hazard Mapping System (HMS) Fire and Smoke Data
🔗 https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/land/hms.html
✅ Features:- Tracks fire and smoke events in real-time.
- Provides satellite-based data on wildfire locations and emissions.
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World Risk Index
🔗 https://weltrisikobericht.de/
✅ Features:- Assesses disaster risk at the country level.
- Combines exposure, vulnerability, and coping capacity metrics.
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Global Multi-Hazard Exposure Database (GMED)
🔗 https://www.preventionweb.net/
✅ Features:- Combines multiple hazards such as earthquakes, cyclones, and floods.
- Includes population and infrastructure exposure data.
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Drought Severity Index (Global Drought Information System)
🔗 https://www.drought.gov/
✅ Features:- Tracks drought conditions globally using satellite and ground-based data.
- Provides historical and real-time drought severity assessments.
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CATDAT Natural Disaster Database
🔗 https://www.emdat.be/
✅ Features:- Comprehensive database of natural disaster impacts globally.
- Includes data on fatalities, economic losses, and affected areas.
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International Disaster Database (EM-DAT)
🔗 https://www.emdat.be/
✅ Features:- Tracks global disaster events and impacts since 1900.
- Includes geospatial data for risk assessment and mitigation.
- Provides geospatial hazard maps.
Oceanographic datasets offer insights into the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the ocean, including wave height, sea surface temperature, salinity, and ocean currents. These datasets are essential for marine science, coastal management, and climate research.
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USACE Wave Information Studies (WIS) Data
🔗 https://wisportal.erdc.dren.mil/
✅ Features:- Provides long-term wave climatology data for U.S. coastal waters.
- Includes parameters such as wave height, direction, and period.
- Useful for coastal engineering, hydrodynamics, and wave energy studies.
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NOAA National Data Buoy Center (NDBC)
🔗 https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/
✅ Features:- Offers real-time and historical oceanographic data from buoys worldwide.
- Includes wave height, wave period, wind speed, and sea surface temperature.
- Ideal for monitoring marine weather and ocean conditions.
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Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS)
🔗 https://marine.copernicus.eu/
✅ Features:- Provides global oceanographic datasets, including sea level, sea surface temperature, and currents.
- Offers forecasts, reanalysis, and observational data.
- Supports ocean monitoring and climate change studies.
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NASA Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC)
🔗 https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/
✅ Features:- Hosts a wide range of oceanographic datasets, including sea surface height, salinity, and temperature.
- Datasets from missions like Jason, Aquarius, and MODIS.
- Ideal for studying ocean circulation, climate variability, and sea-level rise.
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Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
🔗 https://www.goosocean.org/
✅ Features:- Provides observational data on physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the ocean.
- Supports sustainable development, climate studies, and ocean health monitoring.
- Integrates global observation systems, including Argo floats and moored buoys.
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Argo Float Program
🔗 https://argo.ucsd.edu/
✅ Features:- Offers temperature, salinity, and ocean current profiles from a global network of floats.
- Real-time data for monitoring the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean.
- Essential for understanding global ocean circulation and climate change.
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NOAA Tides & Currents
🔗 https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/
✅ Features:- Provides tidal predictions, harmonic constituents, and real-time water level observations.
- Includes current speed and direction at specific locations.
- Useful for navigation, coastal engineering, and flood risk studies.
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Global Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Data
🔗 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/sea-surface-temperature
✅ Features:- Offers high-resolution SST datasets from satellite and in-situ observations.
- Supports marine ecosystem studies, climate monitoring, and fisheries research.
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GEBCO (General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans)
🔗 https://www.gebco.net/
✅ Features:- Provides global bathymetric data for ocean floor mapping.
- Useful for marine geology, navigation, and habitat studies.
- Available in gridded formats and visualizations.
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HYCOM (Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model)
🔗 https://www.hycom.org/
✅ Features:- Offers global ocean circulation model outputs, including temperature, salinity, and currents.
- Combines satellite observations and in-situ data.
- Useful for operational oceanography and climate research.
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OceanSITES
🔗 https://www.oceansites.org/
✅ Features:- Long-term time-series observations at fixed ocean locations.
- Includes physical, biogeochemical, and ecological parameters.
- Supports studies of ocean-atmosphere interactions, carbon cycles, and climate variability.
This section provides access to datasets that cover ecosystems, species distribution, biodiversity metrics, and conservation priorities. These datasets support research and decision-making in ecology, conservation biology, land management, and environmental policy.
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Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
🔗 https://www.gbif.org/
✅ Features:- The largest collection of biodiversity data, providing occurrence records of species worldwide.
- Covers plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
- Free access for ecological and conservation research.
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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
🔗 https://www.iucnredlist.org/
✅ Features:- Comprehensive assessments of species extinction risk.
- Includes geographic range, population trends, and threats for thousands of species.
- Essential for conservation planning and policy-making.
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Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP)
🔗 https://www.bipindicators.net/
✅ Features:- Tracks global biodiversity targets and indicators, including habitat loss and species status.
- Useful for evaluating progress on international conservation goals like the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
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PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems)
🔗 https://www.predicts.org.uk/
✅ Features:- Global database of biodiversity responses to human activities.
- Focused on land use, habitat change, and conservation strategies.
- Supports ecological modeling and global biodiversity assessments.
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Global Forest Watch (GFW)
🔗 https://www.globalforestwatch.org/
✅ Features:- Real-time monitoring of deforestation and forest degradation.
- Includes biodiversity-relevant data like habitat loss and protected areas.
- User-friendly tools for policymakers and researchers.
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NatureServe Explorer
🔗 https://explorer.natureserve.org/
✅ Features:- Database of species and ecosystem conservation statuses in North America.
- Focuses on rare and endangered species and habitats.
- Useful for regional biodiversity studies.
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Map of Life (MOL)
🔗 https://mol.org/
✅ Features:- Global species distribution maps and biodiversity indicators.
- Integrates data from GBIF, IUCN, and other sources.
- Ideal for biodiversity assessments and habitat management.
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eBird
🔗 https://ebird.org/
✅ Features:- Crowdsourced database of bird observations worldwide.
- Provides species distribution maps and migration trends.
- Widely used in avian ecology and citizen science.
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Try Plant Trait Database
🔗 https://www.try-db.org/
✅ Features:- Comprehensive plant trait data for ecological and evolutionary research.
- Includes information on morphology, physiology, and ecology.
- Supports studies on ecosystem functioning and species interactions.
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Living Planet Index (LPI)
🔗 https://livingplanetindex.org/
✅ Features:- Tracks population trends of vertebrate species globally.
- Provides insights into biodiversity health and conservation priorities.
- Useful for understanding long-term biodiversity trends.
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Protected Planet (WDPA)
🔗 https://www.protectedplanet.net/
✅ Features:- World Database on Protected Areas, including terrestrial and marine reserves.
- Tracks the coverage and effectiveness of protected areas.
- Essential for conservation planning and international biodiversity reporting.
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Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)
🔗 https://eol.org/
✅ Features:- Comprehensive database of species information.
- Covers taxonomy, distribution, ecology, and multimedia resources.
- Useful for biodiversity education and outreach.
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Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI)
🔗 https://gedi.umd.edu/
✅ Features:- High-resolution data on forest structure and biomass.
- Useful for studying habitat complexity and carbon storage.
- Supports ecological modeling and biodiversity conservation.
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RAMSAR Wetlands Database
🔗 https://rsis.ramsar.org/
✅ Features:- Information on globally significant wetlands and their biodiversity.
- Tracks wetland health and conservation status.
- Supports studies on ecosystem services and waterbirds.
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Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN)
🔗 https://www.tern.org.au/
✅ Features:- Long-term ecosystem monitoring data from Australia.
- Covers vegetation, soil, and carbon flux data.
- Useful for ecological research and land management.
Contributions to this repository are highly encouraged and greatly appreciated! Whether you’re a researcher, developer, or earth science data enthusiast, your contributions can help make this resource more valuable for the community.
- Add New Datasets: Submit links to relevant datasets with a detailed description, including features, access details, and potential applications.
- Fix Issues: Report or correct broken links, typos, or formatting inconsistencies.
- Suggest Improvements: Propose new sections, dataset categories, or structural changes to better serve the community.
- Fork the Repository: Create your own copy of the repository by clicking the "Fork" button.
- Create a Branch: Work on your changes in a new branch with a descriptive name (e.g.,
add-new-dataset,fix-links). - Make Your Changes: Add or modify content while maintaining consistent formatting with the repository.
- Test Your Updates: Ensure that links are valid, formatting is consistent, and descriptions are clear.
- Submit a Pull Request:
- Provide a clear title and description of your changes.
- Reference related issues, if applicable.
- Follow the repository’s contribution format and guidelines.
- Ensure datasets are from credible and reliable sources.
- Follow the existing format for dataset entries to maintain consistency.
- Include as much relevant detail as possible about each dataset, such as its scope, features, and applications.
By contributing, you help build a more comprehensive and accessible resource for Earth sciences, fostering collaboration and innovation in the community. Thank you for your support!