Global Terrestrial Observing System
Opening Slide
linking the world’s terrestrial monitoring systems to
provide a global vision of the Earth we share
GTOS Mission Statement
Mission statement
To provide policy makers, resource managers
and researchers with access to the data they
need to detect, quantify, locate, understand
and warn of changes (especially reductions)
in the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to
support sustainable development.
Key
Focuses on five
issues of global
areasconcern:
1. changes in land quality (cover, use)
2. availability of freshwater resources
3. loss of biodiversity
4. climate change
5. pollution and toxicity
GTOS promotes:
GTOS promotes
integrated analysis bio-physical and
socio-economic data
interaction between monitoring networks,
research programmes, and policy makers
data exchange and application
quality assurance and protocols to harmonize
measurements
... and provides guidance in data analysis
GTOS is NOT:
GTOS is not...
NOT a source of funding
(but does assist others in seeking funds
for scientifically sound work consistent
with its objectives)
NOT a source of primary data
NOT a research programme
GTOS Structure
Structure
Secretariat
Steering
Committee
Sponsors
Roster of
Experts
GCOS & GOOS
GT-Net
Panel
Data users
and providers
Country
Activities
GTOS Sponsors
Sponsors
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Council for Science (ICSU)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
GTOS Steering Committee
Steering Committee
Advises the Sponsors and the Secretariat on the
scientific and technical content and direction of the
programme. It can create subsidiary bodies, such as
Working Groups and Panels, for specific purposes as
required.
It is composed of about 10 experts, invited by the
Sponsors to participate in their personal capacities and
on a voluntary basis, augmented by one representative
of each of the sponsoring organizations.
GTOS Secretariat
Secretariat
ProgrammeDirector
GTOS Secretariat
c/o FAO, SDRN
viale delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome 00100 Italy
Tel: (+39-06) 5705 3450
Fax: (+39-06) 5705 3369
E-mail: gtos@fao.org
Internet: http://www.fao.org/gtos
Global observing systems - convergence of interest
FAO
UNESCO
WMO
ICSU
Land
surface/
hydrology
Pollution,
toxicity
Terrestrial
ecosystem
structure &
function
GTOS
IOC of
UNESCO
Ocean
services
Atmosphere
Biodiversity
UNEP
Ocean &
climate
Pollution/
coastal zone
Cryosphere
Marine living
sources
GCOS
GOOS
Joint Panels
Joint Panels
GTOS
TOPC
GCOS
JDIMP
GOSSP
Coastal
OOPC
GOOS
GTOS users and providers of data
Users/providers of data
Governments
Scientific
programmes
UN
Organizations
International
agreements
GCOS
&
GOOS
NGOs
&
Private sector
GTOS and the Conventions
 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands - 1971
 World Cultural and Natural Heritage Convention - 1972
 Convention on Trade in Endangered Species - 1973 (CITES)
 Conservation of Migratory Species Convention - 1979 (CMS)
 Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes - 1989
 Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) - 1992
 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - 1993
 Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) - 1994
 Convention on Prior Informed Consent - 1998
(Hazardous chemicals and pesticides)
Origins of GTOS
Origins of GTOS
Rio Declaration & Agenda 21 (1992)
Fontainebleau Workshop (1993)
Scientific and Technical Planning Group (1993-95)
GTOS Secretariat, FAO HQ - Rome (March 1996)
GTOS Steering Committee (December 1996)
Implementation Plan (1997)
Value-added
Value-added of GTOS
Common framework for databases, sites, networks
Harmonization of measurements & terminology
Improved access to environmental data & information
Deeper understanding of terrestrial ecosystems & global change
processes
Better collaboration between ecological networks
Stronger links between science and policy
Operational activities
GT-Net Panel
•Global system of terrestrial observation networks (GT-Net)
•Terrestrial carbon observation initiative (TCO)
•Global observations of forest cover project (GOFC)
•Net primary productivity project (NPP)
•Central and eastern European programme
•EU NoLimits project
•Southern and eastern Africa programme
•Terrestrial ecosystem monitoring sites meta database (TEMS)
GT-Net: A global system of networks
GT-Net (scope)
Objective:
to better understand global and regional change by linking
existing terrestrial monitoring networks.
Key activities:
• to share and exchange environmental data;
• to define clear policies on data and information access;
• to develop standards for metadata & local, regional and global
in situ data sets;
• to undertake demonstration projects
(e.g. Net primary productivity, Terrestrial carbon).
GT-Net Structure
GT-Net Structure
GTOS
Steering Committee
(GTSC)
Secretariat
GT-Net
GT-Net Panel
Thematic Networks
Biodiversity
Permafrost
Glaciers
Regional / National Networks
Hydrology
Southern
Africa
Central
Europe
Southern
Asia
Networks participating in NPP project
GT-Net Members
 Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD)
 Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
 Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN)
 Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
 Fluxnet
 International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring
of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystem (ICP IM)
 Organismo Autonomo Parques Nationales
 Réseau d’Observatoires de Surveillance Ecologique
à Long Terme (ROSELT)
 UK Environmental Change Network (ECN)
 US Long-term Ecological Research Networks (LTER)
 Worldwide Network of Biosphere Reserves (MAB-BR)
GT-Net Panel
GT-Net Panel
The GT-Net Panel will provide the GTOS Steering Committee with scientific
and technical guidance on matters relating to the implementation and
operation of GTOS observation programmes, including practical advice on
means to facilitate their on-going operation.
It will be composed mainly of scientists designated by the regional
networks participating in GTOS and some members of the GTOS Steering
Committee. A few independent scientists of distinction, who may have no
direct role in GTOS and its network, will also be invited as members.
In this way, active terrestrial and aquatic scientists of the forefront of their
fields can keep GTOS abreast of current scientific findings and
applications.
GT-Net demonstration project
GT-Net
(demonstration
project)
GT-Net will undertake projects which demonstrate the effectiveness of linking
existing terrestrial networks to generate data sets which are useful in studying
global change. This will serve as a test bed for collaboration among networks
and sites, including data sharing and exchange, and obtaining the experience
needed for further network development.
The first project concentrates on improving estimates of global terrestrial
primary productivity. It adopts a hierarchical approach and uses models which
combine satellite data with in situ observations. A set of output products,
which have Net Primary Production (NPP) as their common foundation, will be
produced. The NPP project has two primary goals: (1) to distribute a standard
global NPP product to regional networks for evaluation; and (2) to derive
regionally specific crop, range and forest yield maps for land management
applications.
Net Primary Productivity
GT-Net (demonstration project)
The calculation of NPP requires input data which are valuable
long-term observations in their own right:
Leaf Area Index (LAI)
Land cover
Soil water holding capacity and nitrogen content
Temperature
Rainfall
Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites (TEMS)
TEMS meta-database
TEMS
•A directory of meta-data on monitoring stations
Meta-
•Its objective is to register information about
long-term terrestrial monitoring sites around the
world
database
•It contains information on more than 700 sites
•It can be searched on the Web
http://www.fao.org/gtos/
Constraints & Opportunities
Constraints
GT-Net (demonstration
project)
Terrestrial data and information is:
- highly fragmented;
- has a variety of owners;
- and numerous gaps in coverage.
Financial support for making in situ terrestial observations is limited at all levels.
Most monitoring and assessment is targeted at specific issues (e.g. food security,
deforestation) and is of a limited duration.
Opportunities
Technology advances are allowing more investment in and use of decision-support tools.
Some policy bodies are recognizing the value of science and investing in environmental data
and information.
Scientists are interested to collaborate among themselves and, to some extent, with
policymakers (e.g. IGOS).