VEMAP: Model Inputs and Results for U.S. Ecosystem Response to Climate Change

The Vegetation/Ecosystem Modeling and Analysis Project (VEMAP) is a multi-institutional, international effort to compare biogeochemistry and vegetation distribution models. The dataset includes compiled and model-generated long-term data for the conterminous United States, with dates ranging from 1895 to 1996, gridded at 0.5-degree resolution. It contains input data on climate, soils, vegetation, and climate change scenarios, as well as selected model output results.

Use Cases

• Intercomparing biogeochemistry model outputs based on standardized climate and soil inputs.
• Analyzing vegetation type distribution sensitivity based on climate change scenario data.
• Studying ecosystem response to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations based on model forcing data.
• Validating continental-scale terrestrial ecosystem models based on gridded climate and vegetation data.

Strengths

• Data is gridded at a consistent 0.5-degree latitude by 0.5-degree longitude resolution.
• Covers a long-term temporal range from 1895 to 1996 for the conterminous United States.
• Includes both model input data (climate, soils, vegetation) and selected model output results.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC).

Collection Method

Compiled and model-generated data sets used for model intercomparison.

Time Range

1895 to 1996

Freshness

Data dates range between 1895 and 1996; dataset last updated date is unknown.

Geography

Conterminous United States