Information GMBA_2016_Mountain_Rasters_V1.2 (release 3)
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May 2021 (release 3)

This document describes the files contained in the zip folder "GMBA_2016_Mountain_Rasters_V1.2.zip"

The folder contains the following files:
1. GMBA_2016_Ruggedness_WorldClim_2.5m_V.1.2.tif
2. GMBA_2016_Bioclimatic_Belts_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif
3. GMBA_2016_MntnMask_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif (NEW)

File description:

FILE 1. GMBA_2016_Ruggedness_WorldClim_2.5m_V.1.2.tif
- The raster layer "GMBA_2016_Ruggedness_WorldClim_2.5m_V.1.2.tif" is exactly the same as "GMBA_2016_Ruggedness_WorldClim_2.5m_V.1.1.tif" in the release 2 of these data (GMBA_Mountain_Rasters_V1.1 (release 2))

FILE 2. GMBA_2016_Bioclimatic_Belts_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif
- the raster layer "GMBA_2016_Bioclimatic_Belts_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif" is exactly the same as "GMBA_2016_Bioclimatic_Belts_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.1.tif" in the release 2 of these data (GMBA_Mountain_Rasters_V1.1 (release 2))

FILE 3. GMBA_2016_MntnMask_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif
- the layer "GMBA_2016_MntnMask_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif" is new. 
- This layer is a binary layer, where the value 1 represents mountainous terrain sensu Koerner, and NoData represents non-mountainous terrain
- For this layer, the cell values of the "GMBA_2016_Ruggedness_WorldClim_2.5m_V.1.2.tif" layer were reclassified using the Raster Calculator (Spatial Analyst) tool:
elevation range >= 200m = 1 other values = NoData (pixels identified as mountainous = 1, pixels identified as non-mountainous = 0)
 

Vector point layers (in shape or .txt format) containing information on both ruggedness and bioclimatic belts for each grid cell are available upon request (gmba@ips.unibe.ch).  


Technical notes: 
1. Version V1.2  
2. Grid cell size: 0.04166666 decimal degrees (i.e. 2.5 Arc minute or 2 minutes 30 seconds), resampled from the original 30 arc second grid    
3. Changes compared to V1.1: none.


The values in "GMBA_2016_Bioclimatic_Belts_WorldClim_2.5m_V1.2.tif" represent the following Thermic Vegetation Zones (TVZ):
-9: not available
1: nival (growing season < 10 days; season mean temperature < 3.5 degrees C)
2: upper alpine zone (growing season between 10 and 54 days; season mean temperature < 3.5 degrees C)
3: lower alpine zone (growing season < 94 days or season mean temperature < 6.4 degrees C)
4: upper montane zone (growing season >= 94 days and season mean temperature between 6.4 and 10.0 degrees C)
5: lower montane zone (growing season >= 94 days and season mean temperature between 10.0 and 15.0 degrees C)
6: warm zone with possible freezing (growing season >= 94 days and season mean temperature > 15.0 degrees C)
7: zone with perpetual warm conditions, no freezing (growing season >= 94 days and season mean temperature > 15.0 degrees C)


How to cite:
When using the GMBA ruggedness data, please cite:  
1. Publication: Körner C, Paulsen J, Spehn E (2011) A definition of mountains and their bioclimatic belts for global comparisons of biodiversity data. Alpine Botany 121(2): 73-78 DOI:10.1007/s00035-011-0094-4. 
2. Data: DOI:10.7892/boris.83486