Great Smoky Mountains Forest Biomass and Climate Data

NPP Temperate Forest data contains site characteristics, stand descriptors, and above-ground biomass and ANPP data for seven old-growth temperate forest stands and one young cove forest stand in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. A second file contains monthly mean climate data averaged over four years from four stations along an elevational gradient in the national park. The dataset reports live biomass, volume, and annual input of coarse woody detritus, with biomass values converted to g/m2 for consistency.

Use Cases

• Comparing biomass and productivity between old-growth and younger secondary forests based on stand descriptors and ANPP values.
• Analyzing climate gradients using monthly mean data from stations at different elevations.
• Modeling carbon stocks in eastern North American temperate forests using reported biomass and coarse woody debris inputs.
• Studying forest recovery after agricultural abandonment using data from the young cove forest stand.

Strengths

• Includes detailed biomass measurements for seven old-growth stands, with live biomass reported between 32,600-47,100 g/m2.
• Contains four-year averaged climate data from stations across a significant elevational gradient (445-1,920 m).
• Data has been revised for unit consistency (g/m2) and corrected collection dates, indicating curation.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are not provided in the available metadata.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (1992 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about versioning.
• Climate data is averaged from a specific historical period (1947-1950), which may not represent current conditions.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Field measurements of DBH and biomass increment, with ANPP estimated using regional species-specific allometric relationships.

Time Range

1968-1992 (study period); climate data averaged from 1947-1950.

Freshness

2026-04-09 (most recent platform update); data collection period 1968-1992.

Geography

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, USA; stands on north slope at 720-1,140 m elevation.