Maui Rainforest Productivity Across a Rainfall Gradient

Maui, Hawaii hosts a dataset quantifying net primary productivity (NPP) across a moisture gradient in montane rainforests. Measurements from six mature forest stands, where precipitation ranges from 2,200 to 5,050 mm annually, provide estimates for above-ground, below-ground, and total NPP. This data, collected in 1996 and 1997 by NASA, supports research on carbon dynamics in relatively undisturbed, species-poor island ecosystems.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the relationship between annual precipitation and total net primary productivity across forest sites.
• Comparing above-ground versus below-ground biomass productivity estimates within a controlled environmental gradient.
• Modeling carbon storage dynamics in mature, undisturbed tropical montane rainforests.
• Studying the dominance of a single canopy species (Metrosideros polymorpha) across a range of rainfall conditions.

Strengths

• Data isolates rainfall as a key variable across six sites while other state factors like temperature and substrate age remain relatively constant.
• Provides specific productivity estimates (above-ground, below-ground, total NPP) based on direct field measurements.
• Focuses on a mature, never-cleared watershed, offering a baseline for undisturbed ecosystem function.
• Canopy composition is well-documented, with Metrosideros polymorpha comprising 80% to 100% of basal area.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, column names, and file size are unavailable across all platforms.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between sources (1997-12-31 on NASA Earthdata vs. 2026 03-12 on Data.gov).
• Temporal coverage is limited to two years (1996-1997), reducing analysis of interannual variability.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Field measurements collected at six mature forest stands comprising the Maui Moisture Gradient.

Time Range

1996 to 1997

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:10:30.661911

Geography

Montane rainforests on the island of Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A.