Net Primary Production and Carbon Allocation Patterns of Boreal Forest Ecosystems

The three objectives of this paper were: to summarize net primary production (NPP) and carbon allocation patterns for boreal forests, to examine relationships between climatic and biological variables and NPP, and to examine carbon allocation coefficients for all boreal forests or types of boreal forests that can be used to estimate NPP from easily measured components of NPP. Twenty-four Class I stands (complete NPP budgets) and 45 Class II boreal forest stands (aboveground NPP NPPA and budget only) were identified. The geographic distribution of the Class I stands was not uniform; 46% of the stands were from two studies in North America, and only one stand was from the important larch forests of Eurasia. Total (above- and belowground) net primary production (NPPT) ranged from 52 to 868 g C·m−2·yr−1 and averaged 424 g C·m−2·yr−1. NPPA was consistently larger for deciduous than for evergreen boreal forests in each of the major boreal regions, especially for boreal forests in Alaska. Belowground net primary production:total net primary production (NPPB : NPPT) ratios were consistently larger for evergreen (0.36) than deciduous (0.19) boreal forests. NPP of different-aged stands in age sequence varied from 44% to 77%, a magnitude equal to or greater than that of climatic factors or vegetation type. NPP and NPPA were positively correlated (r2 = 0.66–0.68) to mean annual aboveground increment for Class I stands, and this empirical relationship explained 81% of the observed variation of NPPA for Class II stands. These robust relationships provide an approach for increasing the number and spatial coverage of boreal forest NPP data needed to evaluate NPP estimates from ecosystem models. Notable deficiencies of boreal forest NPP data were ground layer vegetation and belowground NPP data, NPP data for boreal forest age sequences, and NPP data for boreal larch ecosystems in Eurasia.