This page provides links to external sites where you can find a wide range of data sources which are suitable for inclusion in GIS projects. While most of them are freely-available, some may require registration and access to others may be limited to certain users. These links are divided into four sections: Terrestrial data sources; Climatic data sources; Elevation, altitude, bathymetric and topographic data sources; and Marine data sources.
These links are provided for information purposes only and GIS In Ecology does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of individual data sets. In addition, we take no responsibility if access to a specific data source is restricted or removed. Finally, specific instructions may be required to download and use these data sources within a GIS project. We are unable to provide this information, but it can usually be found on the site which hosts the data set itself.
Terrestrial Data Sources:
Atlas of the Biosphere – http://www.sage.wisc.edu/atlas/maps.php: This site provides access to maps of global environmental variables from the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, including human impacts, land use, ecosystems and water resources.
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center – http://eros.usgs.gov/#/Find_Data: This site hosts a large collection of varied remotely-sensed global data including the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. This includes land cover and elevation data.
Earth Explorer – http://edcsns17.cr.usgs.gov/NewEarthExplorer/: This site hosts a large collection of terrestrial geographic datasets from the USGS, primarily for the United States. This includes land cover, elevation data, satellite data and aerial photography.
ESRI World Basemap Data – http://www.esri.com/data/free-data/index.html: This site provides a range of free base maps of country and state boundaries, demographic maps, reference maps and specialty maps.
David Rumsey Map Collection – http://www.davidrumsey.com/view/2d-gis: This represents a collection of over 28,000 historical maps with a focus on North and South America, but also the rest of the world. A dedicated GIS browser aids in the integration of these maps into GIS projects.
National Atlas – http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html: This site hosts extensive North American-specific datasets on diverse range of subjects. This includes information on agriculture, the distribution of species, political and state boundaries, climate, the environment and geology.
DIVA-GIS Data Sources – http://www.diva-gis.org/Data: DIVA GIS provides access to as wide range of environmental and ecological data sources for terrestrial ecologists.
MODIS-Derived Satellite Data – http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/: This website provides access to remotely-sensed data from MODIS Terra and MODIS Aqua satellites. These satellites have sensors that collect a wide variety of information about terrestrial and marine environments.
OS OpenSouce Data – http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/products/os-opendata.html. This site provides freely-available data from the Ordinance Survey that covers the UK. This includes much of the information available on traditional paper OS maps.
SNH Environmental Data And GIS data Layers Of Protected Areas (SACs) – https://gateway.snh.gov.uk/pls/apex_ddtdb2/f?p=101:1:3098247778939411: This site provides access to information on a range of environmental data and SAC boundaries for Scotland.
JNCC UK-wide Digital GIS Datasets For Internationally Designated Sites – http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/SACselection/gis_data/terms_conditions.asp: This site provides access to information on the boundaries of many types of protected areas throughout the UK.
South And Central America Environmental Data – http://gisweb.ciat.cgiar.org/sig/resources-gis.htm: This website provides access to a wide variety of environmental data primarily focused on South and Central America.
Climatic Data Sources:
IPCC Data Distribution Centre – http://www.ipcc-data.org/index.html: This site provides access to climatic data including climate observations and models, environmental data and scenarios.
Climatic Research Unit, University Of East Anglia – http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/: This site provides access to a range of datasets primarily related to climatology.
Current And Past Sea Ice And Sea Temperature Data – http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadisst/: This site provides access to data on current and past global temperatures and sea ice. You may need to register to be able to access this information, and access may be restricted for some users.
The Meteorological Office (UK) – http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/: This site provides access to a wide range of meteorological information. You may need to register to be able to access this information, and access may be restricted for some users.
WCRP CMIP3 Multi-Model Data – http://esg.llnl.gov:8080/index.jsp: This site provides information on future climate change predictions for many different environmental variables.
WorldClim Global Climate Data – http://www.worldclim.org/: This site provides access to very high resolution climatic data for the terrestrial environment with a global coverage.
Elevation, Altitude, Bathymetric And Topography Data Sources:
SRTM30 Plus – http://topex.ucsd.edu/WWW_html/srtm30_plus.html: This site provides data on both terrestrial and ocean topography at as little as 30 second grid resolution for the whole world.
SRTM 90m Digital Elevation Data – http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/: This site provides access to a 90m resolution elevation data set for the terrestrial environment with a global coverage.
General Bathymetric Chart Of The Oceans (GEBCO) Bathymetry Data – http://www.gebco.net/data_and_products/: This sites provides access to information on seabed bathymetry covering the whole world. It is primarily derived from at sea surveys.
ETOPO2 And 01 Data Sets – http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/gdas/gd_designagrid.html: This site provides access to data on seabed bathymetry and terrestrial elevation data covering the whole world. It is primarily derived from remotely-sensed satellite sources.
OS OpenSouce Data – http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/products/os-opendata.html: This provides freely-available data from the Ordinance Survey that covers the UK. This includes much elevation data.
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center – http://eros.usgs.gov/#/Find_Data: This site provides access to a large collection of varied remotely-sensed global data including the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. This includes elevation data.
Earth Explorer – http://edcsns17.cr.usgs.gov/NewEarthExplorer/: This site provides access to a large collection of terrestrial geographic datasets from the USGS, primarily for the United States. This includes elevation data.
Marine GIS Data Sources:
Permanent Service For Mean Sea Level – http://www.psmsl.org/: This site provides access to tide gauge data from globally-distributed monitoring stations.
Global Self-consistent, Hierarchical, High-Resolution Shoreline Database – http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/shorelines/gshhs.html: This site provides access to a worldwide shoreline polygon dataset.
Ocean Colour Data – http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/PRODUCTS/product_level_desc.html: This site provides access to satellite-derived ocean colour data for the marine environment.
MODIS-Derived Satellite Data – http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/: This website provides access to remotely-sensed data from MODIS Terra and MODIS Aqua satellites. These satellites have sensors that collect a wide variety of information about terrestrial and marine environments.
Coastal Zone Colour Scanner – http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/CZCS/: This website provides access to remotely-sensed data on ocean colour and primary productivity from the Coastal Zone Colour Scanner satellites.
SeaWiFS – http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaWiFS/: This website provides access to remotely-sensed data on ocean colour and primary productivity from the SeaWiFS satellites.
General Bathymetric Chart Of The Oceans (GEBCO) Bathymetry Data – http://www.gebco.net/data_and_products/: This sites provides access to information on seabed bathymetry covering the whole world. It is primarily derived from at sea surveys.
ETOPO2 And 01 Data Sets – http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/gdas/gd_designagrid.html: This site provides access to data on seabed bathymetry and terrestrial elevation data covering the whole world. It is primarily derived from remotely-sensed satellite sources.
Exclusive Economic Zones – http://www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/marbound/download.php: This site provides access to a GIS data layer of the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) for all countries around the world.
Aquamaps Environmental Data – http://www.aquamaps.org/download/main.php: This site provides access to a wide range of marine environmental variables at a degree resolution with a global coverage.
World Oceans Atlas – http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/OC5/WOA09/pr_woa09.html: This site provides access to information on a wide range of environmental variables, such as temperature throughout the water column and nutrients, based on long-term historic averages for the marine environment at a global scale.