This data set contains five data files (.txt format). Three data files provide net primary productivity (NPP) estimates for a tropical dry deciduous forest within the 3,300-ha Chamela Biological Station, Mexico. There is one file for each of the three permanent watershed plots located along an elevational gradient from 60 to 160-m above sea level. NPP was estimated from field measurements obtained during wet and dry seasons between 1982 and 1995. A fourth NPP data file provides average nutrient fluxes into and out of five watersheds. The fifth file provides precipitation and minimum/maximum temperature data from measurements obtained onsite. Detailed data are available for above-ground NPP (ANPP) (fine litterfall, wood increment, and leaf herbivory plus an estimation of understory production), and below-ground NPP (BNPP) (fine root production and root increment). Biomass data and nutrient inputs/outputs (P, K, Ca, Mg) averaged from five watersheds are also included in the data set. Estimated ANPP ranged from 611 to 808 g/m2/year between the three sub-sites (average 682 g/m2/year), and total NPP ranged from 1,119 to 1,353 g/m2/year (average 1,206 g/m2/year). These estimates are thought to represent the lower bounds of NPP because root and stem herbivory have not been taken into account, although leaf herbivory is included. 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 2001.

This data set contains three ASCII files (.txt format). One file provides net primary productivity (NPP) data for the moist lowland tropical forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. NPP estimates are based on field measurements of litterfall accumulation, tree growth and mortality, and herbivory. Above-ground biomass and LAI are also reported. The other two files provide climate data recorded onsite.Annual litterfall accumulation (leaf + twig + other litterfall) averaged 1,064 g/m2/year, excluding losses to herbivory, on the central plateau of the island and in the Lutz catchment (1969-1979) and 1,246 g/m2/year at Poacher's Peninsula (1986-1990). Herbivory due to insects (about 50 g/m2/year) was estimated from leaf litterfall (1974-1977) by measuring holes and gaps in fallen leaves. An additional 30 g/m2/year may be lost to vertebrate herbivores which leave no identifiable traces in litter traps. Coarse wood litterfall due to tree damage may represent an additional 46 g/m2/year. Above-ground biomass averaged 27,425 g/m2 based on inventory data collected every 5 years from 1985 to 2000 and allometric regression equations. Tree growth of 554 g/m2/year was based on above-ground biomass changes during the three census intervals. Tree mortality of 2-3% was estimated by recording dead or missing trees (1982-1990). LAI of 7.3 was based on the average area of leaves that fell per area of ground per year. Overall, above-ground NPP for Barro Colorado Island was estimated at 1,800 g/m2/year.

This data set includes five ASCII files (.txt format). Three files contain above- and below-ground biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) data, one file for each tropical forest study site near San Carlos de Rio Negro, Venezuela. The study sites are located along an ecosystem gradient from riverine to lateritic hill: Tall Amazon Caatinga forest on coarse sandy spodosols close to river level; Bana vegetation on sandy soils less prone to flooding; and Tierra Firme mixed forest on clay oxisols of higher ground. Bioelement concentrations are also provided. The other two files contain climate data from a weather station in San Carlos village.ANPP for the Tierra Firme forest is estimated at 1,590 g/m2/year, including woody biomass increment of 600 g/m2/year, and BNPP values in the range of 201-1,117 g/m2/year, suggesting a minimum estimate of TNPP of 1,800-2,700 g/m2/year. ANPP of a nearby cut-and-burned oxisol plot attained 1,940 g/m2 in the fifth year following clearing. ANPP of Tall Amazon Caatinga is estimated at 1,150 g/m2/year, with root turnover of 120 g/m2/year, giving a minimum estimate of TNPP of 1,270 g/m2/year. TNPP estimate for Bana vegetation, based on annual litterfall accumulation plus root production, is 478 g/m2/year.

This data set contains three ASCII files (.txt format). One file provides net primary productivity (NPP) data for the moist lowland tropical forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. NPP estimates are based on field measurements of litterfall accumulation, tree growth and mortality, and herbivory. Above-ground biomass and LAI are also reported. The other two files provide climate data recorded onsite.Annual litterfall accumulation (leaf + twig + other litterfall) averaged 1,064 g/m2/year, excluding losses to herbivory, on the central plateau of the island and in the Lutz catchment (1969-1979) and 1,246 g/m2/year at Poacher's Peninsula (1986-1990). Herbivory due to insects (about 50 g/m2/year) was estimated from leaf litterfall (1974-1977) by measuring holes and gaps in fallen leaves. An additional 30 g/m2/year may be lost to vertebrate herbivores which leave no identifiable traces in litter traps. Coarse wood litterfall due to tree damage may represent an additional 46 g/m2/year. Above-ground biomass averaged 27,425 g/m2 based on inventory data collected every 5 years from 1985 to 2000 and allometric regression equations. Tree growth of 554 g/m2/year was based on above-ground biomass changes during the three census intervals. Tree mortality of 2-3% was estimated by recording dead or missing trees (1982-1990). LAI of 7.3 was based on the average area of leaves that fell per area of ground per year. Overall, above-ground NPP for Barro Colorado Island was estimated at 1,800 g/m2/year.

This NPP data set contains one ASCII file (.txt format). The data file contains above- and below-ground biomass, litterfall, LAI, vegetation/soil micro-nutrient content (P, K, Ca, Mg, etc.), and above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) estimates for transitional moist/dry tropical forests at Rio Lara (wet season site) and Rio Sabana (dry season site) in Darien Province, Panama. Field measurements were made in 1967 and 1968. No climate data are provided.Apart from litter quantity, most of the differences between these data reflect variations between the two plots sampled, rather than seasonal changes. Both plots were considered representative of the surrounding forest. The area was thought to have been forested for the previous 400 years, following abandonment of open savanna lands maintained by the Precolumbian Indians.Total annual leaf and branch fall averaged for the two sites was 1,137 g/m2/yr, representing a minimum ANPP estimate. Litter decomposition over the 9-month wet season was around 90%. LAI at both sites was high; however, the index for the dry site (10.6 m2/m2) was only half that of the wet season site (22.4 m2/m2).

This data set contains three ASCII data files (.txt format), one for net primary production (NPP) component data and two for climate data. The NPP studies were conducted in a tropical montane forest in the Sierra de Merida at San Eusebio (8.62 N 71.35 W) in northwestern Venezuela. The forest is mostly primary in character, with some selective logging having taken place in the past. Biomass, litterfall, and nutrient content of above- and below-ground vegetation and soil were determined in 1973-1974.

This data set contains documented field measurements of NPP components for 39 old-growth tropical forests distributed worldwide between latitudes 23.58 N and 23.58 S. The data were compiled from published literature and other extant sources. The data are georeferenced to each intensive study site and include above- and below-ground biomass, fine root biomass, litterfall, branchfall, above-ground biomass increment, and herbivory estimates, where available. Other site characteristics are included, such as elevation, forest type and age, soil type, and climate summaries. Key references are provided. Estimates of above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) for the 39 sites were made based on the sum of (1) measured or estimated above-ground biomass increment, (2) measured or estimated fine litterfall accumulation, (3) estimated losses to consumers, and (4) estimated biogenic volatile organic compound emissions. Estimates of below-ground NPP were made based on professional judgment that below-ground production is 0.2 x ANPP (lower bounds) or 1.2 x ANPP (upper bounds). TNPP was calculated as the range between the low and high values of ANPP + BNPP. Average BNPP and TNPP estimates were also calculated. Across the broad spectrum of the tropical forests studied (dry to wet, lowland to montane, nutrient-rich to nutrient-poor soils), the estimates of total NPP range from 3.4 to 34.4 Mg/ha/yr (lower bounds) and from 6.2 to 63.0 Mg/ha/yr (upper bounds). There is one comma-separated data file (.csv) with this data set. The ORNL DAAC [http://daac.ornl.gov] NPP Collection for tropical forests contains additional biomass and NPP component estimates and climate data for 28 of the intensive study sites in this data set. 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 2001.

This data set contains documented field measurements of NPP components for 39 old-growth tropical forests distributed worldwide between latitudes 23.58 N and 23.58 S. The data were compiled from published literature and other extant sources. The data are georeferenced to each intensive study site and include above- and below-ground biomass, fine root biomass, litterfall, branchfall, above-ground biomass increment, and herbivory estimates, where available. Other site characteristics are included, such as elevation, forest type and age, soil type, and climate summaries. Key references are provided. Estimates of above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) for the 39 sites were made based on the sum of (1) measured or estimated above-ground biomass increment, (2) measured or estimated fine litterfall accumulation, (3) estimated losses to consumers, and (4) estimated biogenic volatile organic compound emissions. Estimates of below-ground NPP were made based on professional judgment that below-ground production is 0.2 x ANPP (lower bounds) or 1.2 x ANPP (upper bounds). TNPP was calculated as the range between the low and high values of ANPP + BNPP. Average BNPP and TNPP estimates were also calculated. Across the broad spectrum of the tropical forests studied (dry to wet, lowland to montane, nutrient-rich to nutrient-poor soils), the estimates of total NPP range from 3.4 to 34.4 Mg/ha/yr (lower bounds) and from 6.2 to 63.0 Mg/ha/yr (upper bounds). There is one comma-separated data file (.csv) with this data set. The ORNL DAAC [http://daac.ornl.gov] NPP Collection for tropical forests contains additional biomass and NPP component estimates and climate data for 28 of the intensive study sites in this data set. 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 2001.

There are two data files with this data set in (.txt) format. The files contain net primary productivity (NPP) data and climate data for a mature tropical lowland rainforest at the La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. The La Selva forest reserve (10.43 N, 83.98 W) covers over 1,500 ha, of which 53% is primary forest and the rest is in various types of secondary forest and abandoned land.Above- and below-ground biomass, litterfall, root production, and nutrient content of different vegetation components and soils were determined in different areas of the biological station on different occasions between 1975 and 1994. Work has continued to the present day. Precipitation (1984-1997) and maximum/minimum temperature (1992-1997) were measured at the forest study site.NPP has not been completely estimated although detailed data on forest dynamics are available from a variety of published and unpublished sources. A crude minimum estimate of NPP for La Selva was obtained by summing the estimates of litterfall [850 g/m2/year predicted for average annual temperature and precipitation conditions at La Selva by the equation of Brown and Lugo (1982)] and unpublished data on root production (550-1,250 g/m2/year), giving a NPP range of about 1,400-2,100 g/m2/year.Revision Notes: The NPP data file has been revised to add additional root biomass estimates, correct temporal coverage of data series, correct parameter label for potassium concentration in leaf litterfall, and add additional References/Comments. Please see the Data Set Revisions section of this document for detailed information.

This data set contains two NPP data files and one climate data file (ASCI .txt format). The NPP files contain data for above-ground biomass, litterfall, and nutrient content of above-ground vegetation, organic surface layer, and soils measured during an 18-month period in 1970 and 1971 at two contrasting tropical seasonal evergreen forests in Magdalena Valley, Colombia. The climate record provides mean monthly and annual precipitation (1951-1992) and mean monthly and annual average temperature (1970-1997) from Barranca Bermeja (7.00 N 73.80 W) near the Magdalena Valley sites.One forest stand sits atop a perched water table on a typical valley terrace. It is low in height, basal area (22 m2/ha), and above-ground biomass (18,109 g/m2), but rich in palms with a simple two-layered structure, frequent windthrows and mortality, and few older trees. The contrasting forest stand developed on a lower slope site under more advantageous soil and water conditions. Although number of stems/ha in this forest are smaller and palms less conspicuous, the slope forest shares dominant species of both forests but with taller trees and greater basal area (32 m2/ha) and above-ground biomass (32,581 g/m2). The above-ground biomass and the vegetative bioelement stores were estimated by harvesting sample trees and palms and allometric regressions.Above-ground net primary production (ANPP) is based on total litterfall accumulation, measured over a 12-15 month period (1,202 g/m2/yr for the terrace forest and 873 g/m2/yr for the slope forest), giving minimum estimates of NPP.