NPP Grassland: Towoomba, South Africa, 1949-1990, R1

Overview

Description

This data set provides seven data files in text format (.txt). The files provide biomass estimates, soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) measurements made at an artificially-established grassland savanna study site in Towoomba, South Africa. The study site was part of a long-term experiment to test the effect of fertilizer application. Biomass data are available for the years 1950-1981 (data are not available for 1976 or 1977); soil C, N, and P data are available for the years 1949, 1962, 1980, and 1990. The 1949 estimates were inferred in 1990 from undisturbed savanna adjacent to the experiment. The savanna-fertilizer experiment was several hectares in extent, with five levels of nitrogen and three levels of phosphorus laid out in a randomized block design on an area from which all trees were removed. The ammonium sulphate and superphosphate fertilizers were added during November (50% of total), January (25%) and February (25%). The response to N fertilizer saturated at higher levels, so data from only six (3 x 2) of the 15 possible treatment combinations are provided. Above-ground biomass was sampled by mowing to 5-cm height. It was assumed that 50 g/m2 was left in the field, plus an additional 5% of the mowed dry weight. Revision Notes: Only the documentation for this data set has been modified. The data files have been checked for accuracy and are identical to those originally published.

Science Keywords

Data Use and Citation

Data Files

Sign in to download files.