NPP Tropical Forest: Marafunga, Papua New Guinea, 1970-1971


[PHOTOGRAPH]
Photograph: Profile of tropical forest at Marafunga (click on the photo to view a series of images from this site)

Data Citation

Cite this data set as follows:

Edwards, P. J., and P. J. Grubb. 1999. NPP Tropical Forest: Marafunga, Papua New Guinea, 1970-1971. 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

Biomass and nutrient content of different vegetation components and soil for a lower montane secondary rain forest were determined in 1970-71 at Marafunga in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. The only component of net primary production (NPP) determined at Marafunga was litterfall, although NPP values are quoted in the Osnabrück data set compiled by Lieth, Esser and co-workers (these are possibly estimates based upon correlation with litterfall).

The Marafunga study site (6.00 S 145.18 E) was situated to the east of Mount Kerigomna, about 25 km west of the town of Goroka. It lay just above the altitudinal limit for traditional agriculture, apparently in a "no-man's land" between three tribal areas, and until 1962 had no history of cultivation or management apart from felling of scattered trees by hunters. However, by 1977 much of the forest in the Marafunga basin had been felled for logging.

Annual rainfall is about 4000 mm, with the heaviest rains falling between October and April and several dry spells of 14-21 days occurring during the period May-August. During this time, the forest floor on ridge-tops and slopes becomes dry. Ground fog is notably absent, unlike many montane rain forests. The Marafunga forest was also unusually tall for its elevation, at least partly as a result of the high soil fertility in the area (high phosphorus, moderate pH, deep profile).

The only likely sources of long-term climate data are the stations at Goroka and Mount Wilhelm, but climate varies markedly across this mountainous region and such data may be unrepresentative of the study site (Edwards, personal communication).

Contact Information

Contact: Dr. Peter J. Edwards
Geobotanisches Institut ETH
Zurichbergstrasse 38
CH-8044 Zurich
SWITZERLAND

Tel. +41 (1) 632-4330
Fax +41 (1) 632-1215
E-mail: peter.edwards@geobot.umnw.ethz.ch

Alternative Contact: Dr. Peter J. Grubb
Department of Plant Sciences
University of Cambridge
Downing Street
Cambridge CB2 3EA
U.K.

Tel. +44 (1223) 333911/ 332100
Fax +44 (1223) 333953
E-mail: pjg12@cus.cam.ac.uk

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