New publication presents a global database advancing the understanding of ecosystem productivity

A new publication in Scientific Data titled “A global database of net primary production of terrestrial ecosystems” presents a major step forward in harmonising data on one of the most fundamental measures of ecosystem functioning: net primary production (NPP). The study, authored by Marie Rodal, Sebastiaan Luyssaert, Manuela Balzarolo, and Matteo Campioli, provides the most comprehensive and standardised compilation of NPP data to date, spanning multiple terrestrial biomes and integrating both above- and belowground production.

Manuela Balzarolo, coordinator of CONCERTO and researcher at the CMCC Foundation (Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change), contributed to this research together with the project's partners from the University of Antwerp, highlighting the project’s strong scientific collaboration and contribution to advancing ecosystem knowledge at the global level.

Net primary production represents the rate at which plants convert atmospheric carbon into biomass, underpinning food, fibre, and fuel provision, while playing a crucial role in regulating the global carbon cycle. Despite its importance, NPP has long been challenging to measure consistently across ecosystems due to variations in methodology and the lack of harmonised global datasets. This new database fills that gap by compiling records from 456 sites worldwide, covering forests, grasslands, arid shrublands, northern peatlands, and tundra ecosystems.

Each record includes annual production values alongside detailed metadata on site characteristics, climate, soil fertility, management status, and methodological uncertainty. This extensive level of detail allows for robust cross-site comparisons and provides an invaluable resource for model calibration and benchmarking, particularly for Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs).

The creation of this dataset represents a significant contribution to global efforts in understanding and predicting the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to environmental change. Its comprehensive scope and methodological transparency make it a cornerstone for future ecological and climate research. The study closely aligns with CONCERTO’s objectives of improving data integration and supporting the development of evidence-based tools to assess and enhance ecosystem services under changing climatic conditions.