Forest Biomass and Net Primary Productivity in Southwestern China: A Meta-Analysis Focusing on Environmental Driving Factors

Biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) are important factors for studying terrestrial carbon storage and the carbon cycle. Using data from existing literature, this study synthesized and analyzed a comprehensive database of direct field observations of forest biomass and NPP for Southwestern China. The biomass of mature natural forests and mature planted forests range from 81.2 Mg·ha−1 to 692.6 Mg·ha−1 (mean = 288.1 Mg·ha−1) and from 76.8 Mg·ha−1 to 670.1 Mg·ha−1 (mean = 181.5 Mg·ha−1), respectively. Mature natural forests have higher biomass than mature planted ones. The NPP values of natural and planted forests range from 1.4 Mg·ha−1·year−1 to 29.6 Mg·ha−1·year−1 (mean = 13.6 Mg·ha−1·year−1) and from 0.6 Mg·ha−1·year−1 to 26.5 Mg·ha−1·year−1 (mean = 9.9 Mg·ha−1·year−1), respectively. Correlations among biomass, NPP, and environmental factors show that NPP significantly decreases with latitude and increases with mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, growing degree-days on a 0 °C base, and mean annual drought index, whereas biomass positively correlates with stand age and leaf area index strongly. Karst forests exhibit almost the same NPP as non-karst forests, but the former have significantly lower biomass compared to the latter. Comprehensive regional data synthesis and analysis based on direct field observations of forest biomass and NPP are important for benchmarking global and regional vegetation and carbon models, estimating regional carbon content, restoring vegetation, and mitigating climate change