NPP GRASSLAND: KURSK, RUSSIA, 1954-1983

Productivity of a meadow steppe was determined at the Kursk long-term ecological study site from 1954 to 1983. Measurement of monthly dynamics of above-ground plant biomass were made for each growing season (April-October), although the data on live and dead matter are more sparse and root data collection covers only some years in the 1970s and 80s. Above-ground net primary production was estimated for many years, but the record is discontinuous. These data are part of a series of grassland data sets recently assembled and checked by Dr. Tagir Gilmanov, which cover a wide range of climate and "continentality" (increasing maximum summer temperatures, decreasing precipitation) from the North-West to the South-East of the Commonwealth of Independent States (former USSR). Climate data for this site are also available: see Any Other Relevant Information in section 11 of this document. More information on the entire Net Primary Production Project can be found at the NPP homepage.