NPP Grassland: Media Luna, Argentina, 1981-1983


[PHOTOGRAPH]
Photograph: General view of the Media Luna site (click on the photo to view a larger image from this site).

Data Citation

Cite this data set as follows:

Defosse, G. E., and M. Bertiller. 1998. NPP Grassland: Media Luna, Argentina, 1981-1983. Data set. Available on-line [http://www.daac.ornl.gov] from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Description

Productivity of a temperate grassland steppe was studied at the Media Luna Ranch in Patagonia, Argentina, during 1981-1983. Dynamics of above-ground biomass, dead matter and litter were monitored at monthly or bi-monthly intervals, but NPP was not estimated.

The study site was a 2.5 hectare exclosure at the Media Luna Ranch (45.60 S 71.42 W), situated on the Rio Mayo terraces and representative of one of the most important grassland areas of Patagonia, a narrow belt in the foothills of the Andes. The area is characterised by a cold wet winter and a warm dry summer, with a growing season extending from September to April, interrupted by a mid-summer drought. The region has been over-grazed by introduced livestock since the early 1900s, and is currently used for sheep production.

Bi-monthly data on above ground live biomass (95% of which is accounted for by the dominant grass species), together with recent standing dead matter (yellow), old standing dead (grey) and litter, are available for two growing seasons from 1981 to 1983 (N.B.: Southern Hemisphere growing seasons).

Contact Information

Contacts: Dr. G. E. Defosse or Dr. Monica Bertiller
Centro Nacional Patagonico/ CONICET
Boulevard Brown
Puerto Madryn 9120
Chubut
ARGENTINA

Tel. +54 (965) 51024
Fax +54 (965) 51543
E-mail: defosse@cenpat.edu.ar or bertil@cenpat.edu.ar

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