Global terrestrial Human Footprint maps for 1993 and 2009

TLDR

The Human Footprint maps are intended to serve as proxies for human disturbance of natural systems and support diverse ecological applications. The authors compiled remotely sensed and survey data on eight human pressure variables and overlaid them to produce standardized Human Footprint maps for all non‑Antarctic land areas. The resulting temporally consistent Human Footprint maps were validated against random plots, showing strong agreement, and provide a comprehensive tool for understanding human pressures, monitoring change, and guiding conservation.

Abstract

Remotely-sensed and bottom-up survey information were compiled on eight variables measuring the direct and indirect human pressures on the environment globally in 1993 and 2009. This represents not only the most current information of its type, but also the first temporally-consistent set of Human Footprint maps. Data on human pressures were acquired or developed for: 1) built environments, 2) population density, 3) electric infrastructure, 4) crop lands, 5) pasture lands, 6) roads, 7) railways, and 8) navigable waterways. Pressures were then overlaid to create the standardized Human Footprint maps for all non-Antarctic land areas. A validation analysis using scored pressures from 3114×1 km(2) random sample plots revealed strong agreement with the Human Footprint maps. We anticipate that the Human Footprint maps will find a range of uses as proxies for human disturbance of natural systems. The updated maps should provide an increased understanding of the human pressures that drive macro-ecological patterns, as well as for tracking environmental change and informing conservation science and application.