This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains a long time series of biomass measurements made between 1954 and 1983 on a virgin meadow steppe in the Central-Chernozem V.V. Alyekhin Natural Reserve, Kursk Region, Russia. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for the period 1947-1983.Above-ground live biomass measurements were made at biweekly to monthly intervals over the entire 30-year time series. Discontinuous measurements of above-ground standing dead matter and litter biomass (1956-1983) and below-ground live and dead biomass (1972-1973 and 1981-1983) were also made. Cumulative ANPP was estimated at the end of the growing season (1956-1963 and 1972-1973) and monthly (1982-1983). Averaged over the time series, above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass were estimated to be 362, 344, and 424 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively, while below-ground phytomass and mortmass were 910 and 1,370 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively. ANPP was estimated to be 774 g/m2/yr and BNPP was estimated to be 1,700 g/m2/yr for a TNPP estimate of 2,474 g/m2/yr. The study site is one of eight major grassland types of Eurasia which encompass an extremely wide climatic gradient in the direction of increasing maximum summer temperatures and continentality and decreasing precipitation in a north-west to the south-east band of steppes in the European and Asian parts of the former USSR (Commonwealth of Independent States). Kurst, on rich loamy chernozem soil, is one of the most productive upland grassland ecosystems of Russia with annual mean maximum/minimum temperatures of 24.8/-14.4 C and annual mean precipitation of 582.7 mm for the period 1947-1983. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains biomass measurements made in 1948 and between 1967 and 1970 for a humid temperate steppe in the Khomutovskaya Steppe Nature Reserve in the Donezk Region of Ukraine. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for the period 1955-1972.Biomass measurements were made once in July of 1948 and biweekly to monthly during the growing season (April-August/September) from 1967 to 1970 at the permanent Khomutovskaya research station. ANPP was calculated for each sampling date and cumulatively over the four years, 1967-1970. Averaged over the time series, above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass were estimated to be 340, 90, and 240 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively, while below-ground phytomass and mortmass were estimated to be 1,675 and 792 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively. ANPP was estimated to be 460 g/m2/yr. BNPP was estimated to be 1,340 g/m2/yr.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains biomass measurements and cumulative ANPP estimates made between 1978 and 1985 at an ultracontinental steppe at the Tuva Research Station in Russia. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for 1976-1985.Monthly measurements of above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass were made during each growing season (May-August) of the eight-year study period. Harvests of below-ground biomass were made at the end of the growing season in some years. A year-end measurement of above-ground biomass (particularly standing dead and litter) was also made in 1980. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains a long time series of biomass measurements made between 1955 and 1989 on a semi-desert steppe at the Dzhanybek Research Station in Kazakhstan (49.33 N 46.78 E Elevation 20 m). The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for the period 1953-1989.Peak live biomass measurements were made from 1955 to 1989 (excluding 1976) and additional measurements of above-ground live biomass and dead matter were made seasonally from 1985 to 1989. Averaged over the time series, above-ground live phytomass and standing dead were estimated to be 137 g/m2 and 32 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively, while below-ground phytomass dry weight was 1,750 g/m2. ANPP was estimated to be 201 g/m2/yr. BNPP and TNPP were not estimated.Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1997.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains biomass measurements made in 1948 and between 1967 and 1970 for a humid temperate steppe in the Khomutovskaya Steppe Nature Reserve in the Donezk Region of Ukraine. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for the period 1955-1972.Biomass measurements were made once in July of 1948 and biweekly to monthly during the growing season (April-August/September) from 1967 to 1970 at the permanent Khomutovskaya research station. ANPP was calculated for each sampling date and cumulatively over the four years, 1967-1970. Averaged over the time series, above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass were estimated to be 340, 90, and 240 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively, while below-ground phytomass and mortmass were estimated to be 1,675 and 792 g/m2 (dry matter weight), respectively. ANPP was estimated to be 460 g/m2/yr. BNPP was estimated to be 1,340 g/m2/yr.

This data set provides three data files in text format (.txt). Two files contain biomass and above-ground net primary production (ANPP) estimates for two upland meadows with contrasting soil types at the Otradnoe research station of the V.L. Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences located on the Karelian peninsula 100-km to the north of St. Petersburg, Russia. The third file contains monthly and annual climate data recorded at the study site for the period 1968-1973. Measurements of above- and below-ground live and dead biomass were made at a sandy meadow (OTRS) from 1969 to 1972 and at a loamy meadow (OTRL) from 1969 to 1973. Additional biomass measurements were made at OTRS in June 1972 and at OTRL in May 1973. Monthly N, P, and S content of above-ground live biomass were measured 1969-1971 at OTRS.Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains tri-monthly measurements of above-ground biomass made during the growing season between July 1982 and August 1990 on a dry, cold Eurasian steppe dominated by Stipa grandis at the Tumentsogt Research Station in Mongolia. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data recorded at the study site from 1963 through 1983. Mongolian steppes occupy a major part of eastern Mongolia and northern China and are characterized climatically by low mean annual rainfall and temperature, with a highly seasonal pattern in both. The beginning of spring rainfall and warming are strongly correlated, and the onset of the growing season rainfall triggers the green-up in the region. Land use is dominated by grazing, historically by nomadic pastoralists and more recently for cooperative livestock production. Privatization of grazing land and cropland conversions have been increasing since 1990. Ecosystem degradation such as deterioration of vegetation (e.g., vegetation removal and replacement) and soil (e.g., erosion) is becoming widespread. Peak above-ground biomass at Tumentsogt occurs during a short rainy season (June-August). The amount of biomass fluctuates from year-to-year coherently with rainfall variation. Above-ground net primaryp roductivity (ANPP) estimates are relatively low in comparison to other temperate grasslands, ranging from 72 to 160 g/m2/yr. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains biomass measurements and cumulative ANPP estimates made between 1978 and 1985 at an ultracontinental steppe at the Tuva Research Station in Russia. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for 1976-1985.Monthly measurements of above-ground live phytomass, standing dead, and litter biomass were made during each growing season (May-August) of the eight-year study period. Harvests of below-ground biomass were made at the end of the growing season in some years. A year-end measurement of above-ground biomass (particularly standing dead and litter) was also made in 1980. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains biomass measurements and cumulative ANPP calculations made between 1977 and 1980 on a dry continental steppe at Shortandy Biological Station in Kazakhstan. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data for the study site for the period 1976-1980.Measurements of above- and below-ground live and dead matter were made at biweekly to monthly intervals during the growing season at Shortandy from 1977 to 1980. Cumulative ANPP estimates are calculated from these measurements. The study site is one of eight major grassland types of Eurasia which encompass an extremely wide climatic gradient in the direction of increasing maximum summer temperatures and continentality and decreasing precipitation in a north-west to the south-east band of steppes in the European and Asian parts of the former USSR (Commonwealth of Independent States). Shortandy represents the semiarid continental grass-forb steppe found on the southern chernozem soils of northern Kazakhstan. The site had annual mean maximum/minimum temperatures of 27.7/-24.6 degrees C and annual mean precipitation of 349.8 mm for the period 1976-1980. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.

This data set provides two data files in text format (.txt). One file contains tri-monthly measurements of above-ground biomass made during the growing season between July 1982 and August 1990 on a dry, cold Eurasian steppe dominated by Stipa grandis at the Tumentsogt Research Station in Mongolia. The second file contains monthly and annual climate data recorded at the study site from 1963 through 1983. Mongolian steppes occupy a major part of eastern Mongolia and northern China and are characterized climatically by low mean annual rainfall and temperature, with a highly seasonal pattern in both. The beginning of spring rainfall and warming are strongly correlated, and the onset of the growing season rainfall triggers the green-up in the region. Land use is dominated by grazing, historically by nomadic pastoralists and more recently for cooperative livestock production. Privatization of grazing land and cropland conversions have been increasing since 1990. Ecosystem degradation such as deterioration of vegetation (e.g., vegetation removal and replacement) and soil (e.g., erosion) is becoming widespread. Peak above-ground biomass at Tumentsogt occurs during a short rainy season (June-August). The amount of biomass fluctuates from year-to-year coherently with rainfall variation. Above-ground net primaryp roductivity (ANPP) estimates are relatively low in comparison to other temperate grasslands, ranging from 72 to 160 g/m2/yr. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published in 1996.