Kursk Grassland Biomass and Climate Time Series, 1954-1983

1954 to 1983 biomass and climate data from a virgin meadow steppe in the Kursk Region, Russia. The dataset includes a 30-year series of above-ground live biomass measurements taken at biweekly to monthly intervals, plus discontinuous records of standing dead matter, litter, and below-ground biomass. It is complemented by monthly and annual climate data for the site from 1947 to 1983.

Use Cases

• Modeling net primary productivity (NPP) using columns for above-ground net primary production (ANPP), below-ground net primary production (BNPP), and total net primary production (TNPP).
• Analyzing seasonal and interannual biomass dynamics with time-series measurements of above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass.
• Correlating plant productivity with climate variables using accompanying monthly and annual temperature and precipitation data.
• Studying below-ground biomass allocation and turnover with data on below-ground phytomass and mortmass from specific sub-periods.
• Benchmarking ecosystem models for chernozem soil grasslands using averaged biomass estimates and site-specific climate summaries.

Strengths

• Provides a rare 30-year continuous time series (1954-1983) of above-ground live biomass measurements from a pristine steppe ecosystem.
• Includes detailed, site-specific climate data (temperature, precipitation) covering a 37-year period (1947-1983) for environmental correlation.
• Data accuracy was verified, with files remaining identical to the original 1996 publication, ensuring consistency.

Limitations

• Below-ground biomass and some above-ground component measurements are discontinuous, with records only for 1972-1973 and 1981 -1983.
• Exact row counts, column names, and file sizes are not provided by any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (1983 vs. 2026), suggesting metadata inconsistency.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD (Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center).

Collection Method

Field measurements collected at biweekly to monthly intervals at the Central-Chernozem V.V. Alyekhin Natural Reserve.

Time Range

1947 to 1983 (climate data covers 1947-1983; biomass core series covers 1954-1983).

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:09:12.819963

Geography

Virgin meadow steppe in the Central-Chernozem V.V. Alyekhin Natural Reserve, Kursk Region, Russia.