Development of the Elements of GTOS

The requirements of GCOS, GOOS and GTOS for data are specified by scientific or technical panels or advisory groups with the appropriate expertise. Each such group writes specifications for the data needed for an area of concern. GTOS focuses on five issues or themes of global concern: changes in land quality,   freshwater resources availability, pollution and toxicity, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. GCOS and GTOS established the Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC) to define the requirements for terrestrial data for climate purposes for both programs.

GTOS Technical Panels:

• Coastal: C-GTOS
• Land Cover: Global Observations of Land-Cover Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD) program
• Carbon: Terrestrial Carbon Observation initiative (TCO)
• Climate: (TOPC)

GTOS Programme Activities:

• Networks: Global Terrestrial Observing Network (GT-Net)
• Site Data: Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring System (TEMS)
• Biodiversity: B-GTOS

Page reviewed or revised June 27, 2007