Badkhyz Grassland Biomass and Climate Records, 1948-1982

Badkhyz Nature Reserve in Turkmenistan provides a long-term record of above-ground plant biomass and climate data from 1941 to 1982. The dataset includes monthly biomass harvest measurements from 1948-1963 and annual peak biomass measurements from 1964-1982, alongside corresponding monthly and annual climate observations. Data files are in text format and were originally published in 1998, with documentation revised more recently.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term trends in above-ground live phytomass for an ephemeral desert steppe.
• Correlating monthly and annual climate variables with plant biomass production during the growing season.
• Comparing the site's above-ground net primary production (100 g/m2/yr) with other Eurasian grassland sites.
• Studying the impact of climate on below-ground NPP, using the conservative estimate of 1,745 g/m2/yr derived from a similar Kazakh steppe.
• Investigating biomass dynamics with data spanning harvest measurements (1948-1963) and annual peak measurements (1964-1982).

Strengths

• Provides a 41-year climate record (1941-1982) and a 35-year biomass record (1948-1982) for a specific location.
• Includes detailed monthly measurements during growing seasons for 16 years (1948-1963).
• Data files have been checked for accuracy and remain identical to the original 1998 publication.
• Offers specific NPP metrics (100 g/m2/yr ANPP) for cross-site comparison among eight Eurasian grasslands.

Limitations

• Below-ground NPP is not directly measured but estimated from a similar site in Kazakhstan.
• There are data gaps in the annual biomass record for the years 1973-1976.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, reporting both 1982-12-31 and 2026-03-12.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Monthly biomass measurements made by harvest during the growing season; climate data recorded at the study site.

Time Range

1941 to 1982

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:13:18.151237

Geography

Badkhyz Nature Reserve, southern Turkmenistan