Skip to main content
Welcome to GCOS
GCOS Slogan

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About
  • ECV
    • Essential Climate Variables
    • ECV Review
    • About Essential Climate Variables
  • Expert Panels
    • Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate
    • Ocean Observations Physics and Climate Panel
    • Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate
    • Joint Panels Meeting 2019
    • Joint Panels Meeting 2021
  • Cooperation
    • Cooperation Mechanism
    • Regional Workshops
    • National Cooperations
    • CBS Lead Centres for GCOS
  • Indicators
  • News
  • Networks
  • GCOS Goes Green
  • Publications
    • GCOS Implementation Plan 2022
    • GCOS Implementation Plan 2016
    • GCOS Status Report 2021
    • Publications and Outreach
  1. Home
  2. Essential Climate Variables
  3. Above-ground Biomass

Download shortened print version of ECV factsheet (pdf) here.


Data Sources

ECV Products and Requirements


Above-ground Biomass

Vegetation biomass is a crucial ecological variable for understanding the evolution and potential future changes of the climate system. Photosynthesis withdraws CO2 from the atmosphere and stores carbon in vegetation in an amount comparable to that of atmospheric carbon. Vegetation systems have the potential either to sequester more carbon in the future or to contribute as an even larger source. Depending on the quantity of biomass, vegetation cover can have a direct influence on local, regional and even global climate, particularly on air temperature and water vapour.
  Domain: Terrestrial
  Subdomain: Biology
  Scientific Area: Biosphere
  ECV Steward: Martin Herold, Sassan Saatchi
  Products:  Maps of above-ground biomass

 


Global Forest Above-ground Biomass

Figure: GEOCARBON global forest above-ground biomass map for 2010 at 0.01° (lucid.wur.nl). Forest areas according to the GLC2000 map (lucid.wur.nl).

EU Copernicus

 

Sponsors

Twitter icon



Copyright | Privacy | Contact