NPP Tropical Forest: Kade, Ghana, 1957-1972, R1

This data set contains one NPP data file and two climate data files (ASCII .txt format). The NPP file contains above- and below- ground biomass, litterfall, standing litter crop, and nutrient content data for a moist semi-deciduous secondary tropical forest at the Kade Agricultural Research Station (6.15 N 0.92 W), Ghana, spanning several collections periods between 1957 and 1972. Climate data come from weather stations at Kade near the study site (1958-1997) and at Kumasi near Kade (1945-1990).

The Kade study site is typical of an old secondary forest which has probably not been cultivated or harvested since around 1915-1925. Tree basal area measured in 1957 was quite high at 33.7 m2/ha; measurements in 1968 of a plot a few hundred meters away gave 30.6 m2/ha.

Detailed above- and below-ground biomass data are provided from a single clear-felling made in 1957. Nutrient content for lianas, leaves and twigs, branches, large wood, standing dead wood, stumps, litter, and roots is also provided. Total live + dead biomass was 36,102 g/m2, of which 5,414 g/m2 (15%) was below-ground live biomass and 23,568 g/m2 was above-ground live biomass. Monthly litterfall is available for 26 months (1970-72).

Total annual NPP was estimated in the late 1950s at about 2,400 g/m2/year based on litterfall of 1,054 g/m2/year plus rough estimates of timber fall (1,070-1,121 g/m2/year) and root production (258 g/m2/year). In the 1970s, NPP was recalculated at 2,200-2,500 g/m2/year based on additional measurements of litter, wood fall, and decomposition.