Data from: Prediction of forest aboveground net primary production from high-resolution vertical leaf-area profiles

Temperature and precipitation explain about half the variation in aboveground net primary production (ANPP) among tropical forest sites, but determinants of remaining variation are poorly understood. Here we test the hypothesis that the amount of leaf area, and its vertical arrangement, predicts ANPP when other variables are held constant. Using measurements from airborne lidar in a lowland Neotropical rain forest, we quantify vertical leaf-area profiles and develop models of ANPP driven by leaf area and other measurements of forest structure. Vertical leaf-area profiles predict 38% of the variation among plots. This number is 4.5 times greater than models using total leaf area (disregarding vertical arrangement) and 2.1 times greater than models using canopy height alone. Further, ANPP predictions from vertical leaf-area profiles were less biased than alternate metrics. Variation in ANPP not attributable to temperature or precipitation can be predicted by the vertical distribution of leaf area in this system.lidar data for each CARBONO field plotLidar data collected at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, in September and October 2009 using the Optech 3100EA sensor. A separate file is included for lidar data over each 0.5 ha field plot. Each data file is labeled with the plot ID but is not georeferenced to protect the exact location of field plots.lidar_files.zip.zipLitter production data for CARBONO plotsBiweekly litterfall data for the CARBONO plot network in La Selva, Costa Rica. Original data and detailed methods are available at www.ots.ac.cr/carbonoproject. Data are day-adjusted values per plot from the 'TOTLITDATA' tab of original data files.Litter.csvTree ID information for trees in CARBONO plotsIndividual tree information for each tree ID in CARBONO plots at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Original data and detailed methods are available from www.ots.ac.cr/carbonoproject.TreeIDs.csvTree species information for CARBONO plotsTree species code, name, and wood density for the CARBONO plot network in La Selva, Costa Rica. Original data and detailed methods are available at www.ots.ac.cr/carbonoproject.Species.csvWood production data for CARBONO plotsWood production data for the CARBONO plot network in La Selva, Costa Rica. Original data and detailed methods are available at www.ots.ac.cr/carbonoproject.Wood.csvAnnual canopy height measurements for CARBONO plotsAnnual canopy height measurements on a 5 m x 5 m grid in CARBONO plots at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Original data and detailed methods are available from www.ots.ac.cr/carbonoproject.AnnualCanopyHeight.cs