Estimation of aboveground terrestrial net primary productivity and analysis of its spatial and temporal trends in the conterminous United States from 1997 to 2007 using NASA-CASA model

Author

Sami Khanal

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Ambinakudige, Shrindhi

Committee Member

Choi, Jinmu

Committee Member

Rodgers, John

Date of Degree

5-1-2010

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Geosciences

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

This study estimated monthly and annual Net Primary Productivity (NPP), an important indicator of carbon sequestration, in the Conterminous US from 1997 to 2007 using Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach. Vegetation condition, temperature, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation and soil water holding capacity were used as model’s inputs. NPP values were lower than mean annual values during the year 2000 to 2003 which was probably due to extreme drought conditions during these years. Higher NPP per square meter was generally found in Savannah and Subtropical eco-divisions whereas Tropical/Subtropical deserts had the lowest NPP. Southeastern states had the highest NPP per square meter thus, made the highest contribution to the terrestrial carbon sequestration in US. Since the vegetation is one of the main factors in NPP and thus carbon sequestration, the results of this study could help in various environmental policy decisions on forest and cropland management at the state, EPA and federal levels.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/15528

Recommended Citation

Khanal, Sami, "Estimation of aboveground terrestrial net primary productivity and analysis of its spatial and temporal trends in the conterminous United States from 1997 to 2007 using NASA-CASA model" (2010). Theses and Dissertations. 1934.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/1934