Global multi-resolution forest aboveground biomass reference dataset

This record provides a global multi-resolution forest aboveground biomass (AGB) reference dataset compiled from field observations and airborne lidar-derived biomass datasets.

The release contains 12 files: three field reference data files, three source-specific lidar reference data files, three source-integrated lidar reference data files, two source metadata files, and one README file. Reference data are provided at 0.01°, 0.05°, and 0.1° spatial resolutions for the years 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Each reference year represents a symmetric five-year temporal window.

Field and lidar-derived data are released separately. Each field record represents qualified field observations assigned to the same grid cell and reference year. The source-specific lidar files contain AGB estimates aggregated independently for each lidar-derived biomass dataset, grid cell, and reference year. The source-integrated lidar files provide the mean of the available source-specific aggregated AGB estimates for the same grid cell and reference year.

The release files are:

field_agb_reference_0p01deg.csv: field reference data at 0.01° resolution.
field_agb_reference_0p05deg.csv: field reference data at 0.05° resolution.
field_agb_reference_0p1deg.csv: field reference data at 0.1° resolution.
lidar_agb_reference_by_source_0p01deg.csv: source-specific lidar reference data at 0.01° resolution.
lidar_agb_reference_by_source_0p05deg.csv: source-specific lidar reference data at 0.05° resolution.
lidar_agb_reference_by_source_0p1deg.csv: source-specific lidar reference data at 0.1° resolution.
lidar_agb_reference_0p01deg.csv: source-integrated lidar reference data at 0.01° resolution.
lidar_agb_reference_0p05deg.csv: source-integrated lidar reference data at 0.05° resolution.
lidar_agb_reference_0p1deg.csv: source-integrated lidar reference data at 0.1° resolution.
field_source_metadata.csv: metadata for the 31 field datasets identified as F01–F31.
lidar_source_metadata.csv: metadata for the 14 lidar-derived biomass datasets identified as L01–L14.
README.txt: file descriptions, variable definitions, reference-year information, and data organization.

The released records include source identifiers and the fraction of each grid cell classified as persistent forest during the corresponding five-year HILDA+ temporal window. Field records also include the number of contributing observations and their AGB standard deviation. Source-integrated lidar records include the number of contributing lidar datasets and the standard deviation among their source-specific aggregated AGB estimates.

The dataset is intended for evaluating gridded forest AGB products and AGB model outputs. It provides reference values at locations with qualified field observations or lidar-derived AGB estimates and is not a wall-to-wall biomass map.