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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Rangeland Resources & Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #426141
Research Project: The USDA ARS Climate Hubs – Increasing Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability by Impactful Development and Communication of Climate Smart Agricultural Research and Practices - Fort Collins, CO

Location: Rangeland Resources & Systems Research

Title: Considerations for the use of remotely sensed production (ANPP) and standing biomass products to support management of ecosystems with dynamic vegetation cover

Author
item Peirce, Erika
item KEARNEY, SEAN - Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecological Association
item ALLRED, BRADY - University Of Montana
item Anderson, Martha
item Augustine, David
item Birru, Girma
item Browning, Dawn
item CHANG, JISUNG - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Cirone, Richard
item Clark, Patrick
item Derner, Justin
item Gao, Feng
item McCord, Sarah
item Olsoy, Peter
item Spiegal, Sheri
item Wagle, Pradeep
item Woodruff, Craig
item ZHAO, HAOTENG - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Porensky, Lauren

Submitted to: Landscape Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/2/2025
Publication Date: 11/27/2025
Citation: Peirce, E.S., Kearney, S.P., Allred, B.W., Anderson, M.C., Augustine, D.J., Birru, G.A., Browning, D.M., Chang, J., Cirone, R.J., Clark, P., Derner, J.D., Gao, F.N., McCord, S.E., Olsoy, P.J., Spiegal, S.A., Wagle, P., Woodruff, C.D., Zhao, H., Porensky, L.M. 2025. Considerations for the use of remotely sensed production (ANPP) and standing biomass products to support management of ecosystems with dynamic vegetation cover. Landscape Ecology. 41. Article e13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-025-02239-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-025-02239-1

Interpretive Summary: New satellite tools can help land managers track land conditions in real time, but it is important to know what each tool measures. Two key ideas – standing biomass (how much plant material is available) and Aboveground Net Primary Production (how fast plants grow) are different and their differences matter when making decisions, especially in rangelands. In our paper, we explain these differences in several ways so managers can choose the right tool for managing their land.

Technical Abstract: New satellite-based Remote Sensing (RS) data products provide near-real time vegetation monitoring capacities and potentially offer valuable insights to land managers. Since RS data products are rapidly evolving, it is important to understand what each product measures or estimates. Misinterpretations of the data products can lead to ineffective management decisions. In ecosystems with dynamic vegetation cover such as rangelands, grasslands, and savannas, it is particularly important to understand the key differences between estimates of standing biomass and Aboveground Net Primary Production (ANPP). The most important difference is that ANPP is a rate (biomass produced per unit of time) while standing biomass is a stock (the mass of vegetation present at a specific time). While RS data products provide accessible information about both metrics, it is critical to understand their distinct implications for land management. In this paper we clearly define important terminology used in ANPP and standing biomass RS data products and provide illustrative examples, equations, and simulated data to clarify the relationship between ANPP and standing biomass. Equipped with a clear understanding of these key ecological concepts, users will be better equipped to choose appropriate RS data products for specific management applications.