Savanna Biomass and Productivity in Nairobi National Park

Three text files contain monthly biomass measurements from July 1984 to November 1994 for an ungrazed tropical dry savanna grassland in Nairobi National Park, Kenya. The dataset includes net primary productivity estimates for 1984-1986, with above-ground NPP averaging 1,004 g/m2/yr, and complementary climate data from 1969-1989. It was published by ORNL_CLOUD and is available on multiple platforms including NASA Earthdata and Data.gov.

Use Cases

• Modeling net primary productivity (NPP) using above-ground and below-ground biomass measurements.
• Analyzing long-term biomass dynamics (live phytomass, standing dead, litter) in an ungrazed savanna.
• Correlating monthly and annual climate data with grassland productivity trends.
• Comparing biomass recovery on a clipped savanna plot against an undisturbed control site.
• Studying seasonal and interannual variability in savanna ecosystem carbon stocks.

Strengths

• Provides a long-term monthly time series for above-ground biomass from 1984 to 1994.
• Includes measured average NPP values: 1,004 g/m2/yr for ANPP and 875 g/m2/yr for BNPP.
• Contains complementary climate data spanning 20 years (1969-1989).
• Data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to the original publication.

Limitations

• Below-ground biomass and NPP time series have large gaps, particularly from 1987 to 1989.
• Platforms disagree on the last updated date, reporting both 1994-11-15 and 2026-03 12.
• Column names and exact row counts are not provided in the available metadata.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Monthly field measurements of above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass taken on the 15th of each month.

Time Range

1969 to 1994

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:12:17.705722

Geography

Nairobi National Park, Kenya