Global Wetlands Dataset for Methane Emission Analysis

Global wetlands data provides distribution and environmental characteristics of natural wetlands at a 1-degree latitude by longitude resolution. Compiled by Matthews and Fung in 1987, it integrates vegetation classification from UNESCO, soil properties from FAO maps, and fractional inundation from Operational Navigation Charts. The dataset was developed specifically to evaluate the role of wetlands in annual methane emissions from terrestrial sources.

Use Cases

• Estimating methane emissions from wetlands using the integrated wetland type, vegetation type, and soil type arrays.
• Analyzing spatial distribution of wetland environmental characteristics, such as fractional inundation, across the globe.
• Conducting uncertainty analysis for emission estimates by examining the coherence of the three independent source integrations (vegetation, soil, inundation).
• Mapping global wetland types and their associated soil properties for ecological and land surface modeling.

Strengths

• Integrates three authoritative, independent digital sources: UNESCO vegetation classification, FAO soil maps, and ONC-derived fractional inundation.
• Provides five consistent, co-registered global data arrays (wetland data source, type, fractional inundation, vegetation type, soil type) at 1-degree resolution.
• Dataset is hosted and maintained by multiple major scientific data centers (NASA/GISS, NCAR, ORNL DAAC), indicating validation and long-term access.

Limitations

• Core data is from 1987, making it a historical baseline but potentially not representative of current wetland distribution and conditions.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between platforms (datagov: 2026-03-12, nasa_earthdata: 1982-01-01), creating uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided on any platform, limiting precise technical assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), compiled by Matthews and Fung.

Collection Method

Integration of three digital sources: UNESCO vegetation classification, FAO soil maps, and Operational Navigation Chart (ONC) survey data for fractional inundation.

Time Range

1987

Freshness

2026-03-12

Geography

Global