Grassland Primary Production: North American Grasslands in Perspective

Abstract

Interest in primary production on a global scale has flourished in the past two decades (Westlake 1963, Bazilevich et al 1971, Lieth 1973, Cooper 1975, Lieth and Whittaker 1975, Rodin et al 1975). Although reviews are available for forests (Kira 1975), grazing lands (Caldwell 1975), tundra (Wielgolaski 1975), and aquatic ecosystems (Bunt 1975, Likens 1975), no similar review is available in English for grasslands. The work presented here is an initial step towards a synthesis of grassland primary production. Before proceeding to the detailed examination of North American grasslands in the succeeding chapters, it is well to place their production in perspective with other grasslands and with other ecosystems.