Tropical Forest Biomass and Productivity Estimates from 39 Global Sites
Updated 2mo ago
6filesBIN
Available on 2 platforms
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Description
Field measurements document net primary productivity (NPP) components for 39 old-growth tropical forests worldwide. The dataset, compiled from published literature and other sources by ORNL DAAC, includes biomass, litterfall, and site characteristics for sites between 23.58° N and 23.58° S. Data files are identical to those originally published in 2001, with documentation revised as of 2026.
Use Cases
Modeling carbon sequestration by analyzing above-ground biomass increment and total NPP ranges across sites.
Comparing forest productivity between ecosystems using columns for forest type, elevation, and climate summaries.
Estimating below-ground carbon allocation using derived BNPP calculations based on professional judgment multipliers.
Studying biomass component dynamics with data on fine root biomass, litterfall, branchfall, and herbivory estimates.
Strengths
Data covers 39 distinct old-growth tropical forest sites, providing a broad geographic sample.
Includes both measured components (e.g., biomass, litterfall) and derived estimates (ANPP, BNPP, TNPP) for each site.
Productivity estimates span a wide range (TNPP from 3.4 to 63.0 Mg/ha/yr), reflecting ecosystem diversity.
Limitations
Below-ground NPP (BNPP) is estimated via professional judgment (0.2x to 1.2x ANPP) rather than direct measurement.
Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist across platforms (1999-12-31 and 2026-03-12), indicating documentation changes but no recent data updates.
Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided in the available metadata.
Provenance
Source
ORNL DAAC (Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center).
Collection Method
Compiled from published literature and other extant sources for each intensive study site.
Time Range
1967 to 1999.
Freshness
2026-03 12 23:08:00.207502 (documentation revised; underlying data unchanged from 2001).
Geography
Worldwide tropical forests between latitudes 23.58° N and 23.58° S.
License is specified as 'other-license-specified'; users must check ORNL DAAC terms. Data files are unchanged since original 2001 publication.