NPP GRASSLAND: XILINGOL, CHINA, 1980-1989

Productivity of a steppe grassland was determined from 1980 to 1989 at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Research Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, within the Xilingol Biosphere Reserve. Measurements of above-ground live biomass, standing dead matter and litter were made bi-weekly from the beginning of May to early October for each year. Above-ground net primary production was estimated by summing peak live biomass of each of 5 species categories. Steppe grasslands of Leymus chinense and Stipa grandis are the dominant vegetation types, respectively, in the Eastern Eurasian steppe zone (semi-arid and sub-humid) and the middle Eurasian steppe zone (semi-arid). Both species provide good livestock forage and are used mainly as natural grazing lands, and both occur within the Xilingol reserve. More information on the entire Net Primary Production Project can be found at the NPP homepage.