Ten Data Sets Released from Four LBA-ECO Science Themes

The ORNL DAAC and the LBA DIS announce the release of ten data sets from four science themes: Carbon Dynamics, Nutrient Dynamics, Land Use and Land Cover, and Trace Gas and Aerosol Fluxes. The science teams are components of the LBA-ECO Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA).

• LBA-ECO CD06 Carbon Sources and Respiration Rates in Rivers in Amazonas and Acre: 2005-2006. Data set prepared by Ellis, E.E, J.E. Richey, A.K. Aufdenkampe, A.V. Krusche, P.D. Quay, C. Salimon and H. Brandao da Cunha. This data set provides measured and calculated variables describing the carbon pools in river waters, CO2 respired from the water and total amount of CO2 evaded, dissolved oxygen isotopes (delta 18O-O2), and concentration of bacterial cells in river water.

• LBA-ECO CD-06 Isotopic Composition of Carbon Fractions, Amazon Basin River Water. Data set prepared by Mayorga, E., A.K. Aufdenkampe, C.A. Masiello, A.V. Krusche, A.I. Hedges, P.D. Quay, J.E. Richey, and T.A. Brown. This data set includes measurements of standard geochemical variables, dissolved CO2, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), fine particulate organic carbon (FPOC), and coarse particulate organic carbon (CPOC) in samples taken from 60 Amazonian river locations across the Amazon Basin from 1991 to 2003.

• LBA-ECO CD-06 Water Balance of the Ji-Parana River Basin, Brazil: 1995-1996. Data set prepared by Victoria, D.C., M.V.R. Ballester, A.R. Pereira, L.A. Martinelli, J.E. Richey, and R.L. Victoria. This data set provides simulated minimum, average, and maximum monthly rainfall, potential evapotranspiration, water deficit, and water surplus values for the Ji-Parana River basin, Rondonia, Brazil from February 1995 through December 1996. The Thornthwaite–Mather climatological model integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to simulate water fluxes by utilizing Advanced Very High Resolution Radar (AVHRR) images for temperatures, rainfall amounts from gauges within and around the basin, soil profiles, and land cover maps as model inputs.

• LBA-ECO LC-07 Aquatic Marcophyte Biomass, Monte Alegre Lake, Para, Brazil: 2003-2004. Data set prepared by Silva, T.S.F., D. Silva, M.P.F. Costa and J.M. Melack. This data set reports measurements of aquatic macrophyte biomass, phenology, leaf characteristics, and length and diameter of stems of both submerged and unsubmerged macrophytes. Data were collected from sites in the Monte Alegre Lake region on the eastern Amazon River floodplain in Para, Brazil.

• LBA-ECO ND-06 Land Use Effects on Soil Nutrients: A Review of Studies 1950-2001. Data set prepared by McGrath, D., C.K. Smith, H.L. Gholz, and F.A. Oliveira. This data set provides measurements of soil properties compiled from 39 studies on nutrient dynamics in natural forests and forest-derived land uses (pasture, shifting cultivation and tree plantations) conducted in Amazonia over the period of 1950-2001. The initial literature survey for the data consisted of more than 100 studies conducted during this period.

• LBA-ECO ND-07 Carbon and Nitrogen in Cerrado Plants and Soils, Brasilia: 1999-2000. Data set prepared by Bustamante, M.C.C., and L.A. Martinelli. This data set provides (1) delta 15N ratios and nitrogen concentrations for foliar samples and (2) delta 13C and delta 15N ratios as well as carbon and nitrogen concentrations for soil samples collected from cerrado sites within the Ecological Reserve of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistic (IBGE), Brasilia, Brazil. Foliar samples, collected from 320 individuals representing 45 woody tree and shrub species, and soil samples were collected from 5 cerrado locations (2 in campo sujo, 2 in cerrado denso and 1 in cerrado).

• LBA-ECO ND-07 Nitric Oxide Flux from Cerrado Soils, Brasilia, Brazil: 2004. Data set prepared by Kozovits, A.R., L.T. Viana, D.M. Sousa, A.S. Pinto, M.M.C. Bustamante, and R.G. Zepp. This data set reports the results of soil nitric oxide (NO) flux, soil moisture, and soil nitrate (NO3) and ammonium (NH4) concentration measurements on Cerrado soils receiving nitrogen fertilization. Measurements and samples were collected from control and experimental plots on Cerrado soils within the Ecological Reserve of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistic (IBGE), Brasilia, Brazil.

• LBA-ECO ND-30 Nutrient Analysis and Gas Fluxes, Forest Chronosequences, Para, Brazil: 2000-2005. Data set prepared by Davidson, E.A., C.J.R. de Carvalho, A.M. Figueira, F.Y. Ishida, J.P.H.B. Ometto, G.B. Nardoto, R.T. Saba, S.N. Hayashi, E.C. Leal, I.C.G. Vieira and L.A. Martinelli. This data set provides fine litterfall mass and nutrient concentrations from samples collected at chronosequences established at Sao Francisco do Para and Capitao Poco, Para, Brazil. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations were determined for litterfall samples from the Sao Francisco do Para, and N, P, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) concentrations are reported for samples from the Capitao Poco.

• LBA-ECO TG-03 AERONET Aerosol Optical Thickness Measurements, Brazil: 1993-2005. Data set prepared by Schafer J.S., T.F. Eck, B.N. Holben, P. Artaxo, M.A. Yamasoe, and S. Procopio. This data set includes aerosol optical thickness measurements from the CIMEL sunphotometer for 22 sites in Brazil during the period from 1993-2005. The network imposes standardization of instruments, calibration, and processing. Data from this collaboration provides globally distributed observations of spectral aerosol optical depths, inversion products, and precipitable water in geographically diverse aerosol regimes.

• LBA-ECO TG-07 Long-Term Soil Gas Flux and Root Mortality, Tapajos National Forest. Data set prepared by Silver, W.L., A.W. Thompson, M.E. McGroddy, R.K. Varner, J.R. Robertson, J.D. Dias, H. Silva, P. Crill, and M. Keller. This data set reports measurements of trace gas fluxes of methane (CH4), nitric oxide (N2O), nitrous oxide (NO), carbon dioxide (CO2) from soils at a study site in the Tapajos National Forest (TNF), near km 83 on the Santarem-Cuiaba Highway south of Santarem, Para, Brazil. Data for root mass and carbon content, soil nitrogen (N), nitrification, and moisture content are also provided. 

LBA is an international research initiative under the leadership of Brazil. The project focuses on the climatological, ecological, biogeochemical, and hydrological functions of Amazonia; the impact of land use change on these functions; and the interactions between Amazonia and the Earth system. The LBA-ECO component, which is funded by NASA, focuses on the question: "How do tropical forest conversion, regrowth, and selective logging influence carbon storage, nutrient dynamics, trace gas fluxes, and the prospect for sustainable "

See the LBA Project page for further information about the study and to access associated data and documentation maintained by the ORNL DAAC.

The ORNL DAAC is a NASA-funded data center archiving and distributing terrestrial ecology and biogeochemical dynamics data. The LBA Data and Information System (LBA-DIS) has been developed by INPE with NASA's participation.