Lamto Savanna Biomass, Climate, and NPP Measurements, 1965-1990

2,150 grams per square meter per year was the estimated total net primary production for a Loudetia simplex grass savanna in Ivory Coast, with 61% occurring below ground. Monthly biomass and carbon/nitrogen ratio measurements from 1969-1987 are paired with climate data from 1969-1990, documenting a system where 50-90% of above-ground biomass burns annually. The data files, originally published in 1996, remain unchanged with only documentation updates noted in 2024.

Use Cases

• Modeling savanna carbon budgets based on measured above- and below-ground biomass and NPP estimates.
• Analyzing climate-vegetation interactions using paired monthly biomass and climate data from 1969-1990.
• Studying fire ecology impacts by referencing the annual 50-90% biomass burn rate described for the site.
• Investigating nutrient cycling via the included carbon/nitrogen ratio calculations for live, dead, and below-ground biomass.

Strengths

• Provides a 26-year climate record (1969-1990) paired with 19 years of detailed biomass measurements (1969-1987).
• Includes a distinctive, site-specific NPP estimate (2,150 g/m2/yr) with partitioned above- and below-ground production.
• Data files have been checked for accuracy and remain identical to the original 1996 publication.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are unspecified across all platform entries.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata: one source lists 2026-04 09 (likely a placeholder), while another lists 1990-12-31.
• Documentation and file formats (e.g., ZIP, PDF, PNG) are mentioned but their specific content and utility are unclear.

Provenance

Source

Lamto Research Station, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Africa. Organization listed as National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Collection Method

Monthly field measurements of above- and below-ground biomass and climate parameters.

Time Range

1965-1990 (biomass measurements from 1965 and 1969-1987; climate data from 1969-1990).

Freshness

The data originates from 1996; a documentation update was noted in April 2024, but the core measurements end in 1990.

Geography

Humid grass savanna at the Lamto Research Station, Ivory Coast, Africa.