Global Rooting Zone Soil Water Storage Capacity Estimates

Two global estimates of total plant-available soil water storage capacity in the rooting zone are provided on a 1.0-degree grid. The dataset was developed using two distinct inverse modeling methods—optimization and assimilation—to support the ISLSCP Initiative II for land surface and climate modeling. It is produced by ORNL_CLOUD and consists of three files.

Use Cases

• Comparing optimization versus assimilation model outputs for soil water storage.
• Parameterizing rooting zone water capacity in global climate models.
• Analyzing geographic distribution of plant-available water for ecological studies.
• Supporting ISLSCP Initiative II land surface model data collection.

Strengths

• Provides two distinct methodological estimates (optimization and assimilation) for cross-validation.
• Offers global spatial coverage on a standardized 1.0-degree grid.
• Developed in support of a major international initiative (ISLSCP II).

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not documented across platforms.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between sources (2026-03-13 vs 1988-12-31).

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Inverse modeling (optimization and assimilation methods based on vegetation adaptation and green vegetation indicators).

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-03 13 01:23:59.667653

Geography

Global