Increasing net primary production in China from 1982 to 1999

We used a simple process model and satellite data to explore trends in China's terrestrial net primary production (NPP). We found that the country's terrestrial NPP increased by 18.7% from 1982 to 1999. Evidence for this major increase also came from crop yields and forest inventory surveys, and much of it appeared to be the result of a lengthening of the growing season. Plant growth also increased during the middle of the growing season, but to a lesser extent. Historical NPP trends indicate a great deal of spatial heterogeneity, increasing significantly over an area covering 30.8% of China during the past 18 years, but decreasing in areas undergoing rapid urbanization.