Primary Production and Carbon Mass of Australian Grasslands and Pastures 

This dataset is modelled national pasture productivity. It describes the dynamics in grassland/pasture Gross Primary Production (GPP), Net Primary Production (NPP) and Carbon mass. GPP indicates total rate of carbon fixed through photosynthesis, in units gC/m2/day. It is the GPP of grasses only and so describes the production of grasslands and pastures. GPP is estimated separately for C3 and for C3 grasses using the Diffuse model (Donohue et al. 2014, see publication links). NPP is the net rate of carbon fixed through photosynthesis (GPP minus plant respiration) for grasses, in units of gC/m2/day. Grass carbon mass is the above-ground mass of grasslands and pastures, estimated using the CSP model. These are estimated using the unpublished CSP model (v2) for both live and senesced mass in units t/ha. Biomass is typically approximated as double the carbon mass. Inputs include MODIS MOD13Q1, minimum and maximum air temperature, elevation data and rainfall as described in the lineage section. 

We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. CSIRO Food and Agriculture TERN landscapes 

The aim of the research was to develop a nationally consistent estimate of the productivity and mass of grasslands and pastures, with a particular focus on capturing the temporal dynamics. Integration of satellite imagery was a core component. 

GPP inputs are MODIS MOD13Q1 data along with minimum and maximum air temperature and elevation data. GPP is estimated separately for C3 and for C3 grasses using the Diffuse model (Donohue et al. 2014, see publication links). NPP and Grass Carbon Mass have the same inputs as GPP with the addition of rainfall data. NPP and Carbon Mass are estimated using the unpublished CSP model (v2).