The total NPP for the U.S is estimated to be 2.6 Gt/yr which is similar to earlier estimates for the U.S. Then, for each ecoregion, we estimated the fraction of landscape that is under “development”. This was done by aggregating land cover classes (from MRLC): residential, commerical and mines etc. This area came to be about 1.75% of the continental U.S. For each eco-region, we adjusted the NPP based on the fraction of area that is under development. The total NPP lost due to development is estimated to be 0.058 Gt/yr or 2.2%.
Loss of NPP (g/m2) due to development across the continental U.S.
