Net primary production and standing biomass in northern continental wetlands.

Abstract

This report synthesizes published data on aboveground and below ground net primary production (NPP) and biomass for wetlands in continental western Canada and adjacent regions in continental eastern Canada and the United States with similar wetland types and climates. The aim of this report is to identify the range of NPP and biomass among and within wetland types. The synthesis indicates four main points: 1) for aboveground NPp, the degree of variation within a given wetland type can be as large as the variation among most wetland types; 2) mean aboveground NPP ± standard deviation (SD) was 337 ± 142 g m-2 yr-1 for fens and bogs and 924 ± 463 g m-2 yr-1 for marshes and swamps; 3) mean total NPP ± SD was estimated at 506 g m-2 yr-1 for fens and bogs and 1201 g m-2 yr-1 for marshes and swamps; and 4) mean biomass ± SD was 1198 ± 1556 g m-2 for fens and bogs and 2291 ± 2330 g m-2 for marshes and swamps.