Approaches To Scaling Of Trace Gas Fluxes In Ecosystems

This excellent book covers techniques used for extrapolating measurements of trace gas fluxes and factors regulating the production, consumption and exchange of trace gases in terrestrial and aquatic environments. It provides a comprehensive summary of all aspects of scaling, from flux measurement techniques, geographic data, modelling, use of tracers and isotopes, inverse modelling and satellite-borne atmospheric observations. An interesting feature of the book is the fact that both fluxes from terrestrial and aquatic (marine) sources are discussed, along with the uncertainties in estimates of trace gas fluxes at different scales, including point, field, landscape, regional and global scale. As well as reviewing the state of the art in the field of scaling of fluxes of greenhouse gases, ozone and aerosol and their precursors, and acidifying compounds, the emphasis of this volume is on identification of gaps in knowledge, finding solutions, and determination of future research directions.

Microbiological basic of NO and N2O production and consumption in soil; Factors controlling NOx emissions from soils; Control of methane production in terrestrial ecosystems; Biological sinks of methane; What regulates production and consumption of trace gases in ecosystems: biology or physicochemistry?; Regional extrapolation of trace gas flux based on soil and ecosystems; Regional extrapolation: Vegetation-atmosphere approach; Global-scale extrapolation: a critical assessment; Aircraft-based measurements of trace gas fluxes; Extrapolation of flux measurements to regional and global scales; Chamber and isotop techniques; Micrometeorological techniques for the measurement of trace gas exchange; Methane flux measurements: methods and results; Fluxes of NOx abovesoil and vegetation; What are the relative roles of biological production, micrometeorology, and photochemistry in controlling the flux of trace gases between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere?; Atmospheric deposition and nutrient cycling; Global climate and trace gas composition: from atmospheric history to the century; Experimental design for studying atmosphere interactions; Trace gas exchange and phsical climate: Critical interactions; Research priorities for studies on trace gas exchange.

This book assesses the current greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring capabilities of Europe, identifies and quantifies the uncertainties involved, and outlines the direction to a continental scale GHG monitoring network. The book uniquely addresses both the methodology of carbon cycle science and the science itself, providing a synthesis of carbon cycle science. The methods included provide the first comprehensive coverage of a full GHG accounting and monitoring system.

Trace gases are those that are present in the atmosphere at relatively low concentrations. Small changes in their concentrations can have profound implications for major atmospheric fluxes, and thereore, can be used as indicators in studies of global change, global biogeochemical cycling and global warming. This new how-to guide will detail the concepts and techniques involved in the detection and measurement of trace gases, and the impact they have on ecological studies. Introductory chapters look at the role of trace gases in global cycles, while later chapters go on to consider techniques for the measurement of gases in various environments and at a range of scales. A how-to guide for measuring atmospheric trace gases. Techniques described are of value in addressing current concerns over global climate change.

This report is a review of studies in six countriers commissioned under UNEP's "Capacity Building for Integrating Environmental Considerations into Development Planning and Decision-making" programme. These projects are the first of their kind as they were entirely conceived, designed, and conducted by teams of national experts in their own country."--Forward (page vii).

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, no environmental issue is of such truly global magnitude as the issue of climate change. The poorer, developing countries are the least equipped to adapt to the potential effects of climate change, although most of them have played an insignificant role in causing it. African countries are amongst the poorest of the developing countries. This book presents the issues of most relevance to Africa, such as past and present climate, desertification, biomass burning and its implications for atmospheric chemistry and climate, energy generation, sea-level rise, ENSO-induced drought and flood, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol (especially the Clean Development Mechanism), capacity-building, and sustainable development. It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of these and many other issues, with chapters by the leading experts from a range of disciplines. Climate Change and Africa will prove to be an invaluable reference for all researchers and policy makers with an interest in climate change and Africa.

Nitrous oxide gas is a long-lived relatively active greenhouse gas (GHG) with an atmospheric lifetime of approximately 120 years, and heat trapping effects about 310 times more powerful than carbon dioxide per molecule basis. It contributes about 6% of observed global warming. Nitrous oxide is not only a potent GHG, but it also plays a significant role in the depletion of stratospheric ozone. This book describes the anthropogenic sources of N2O with major emphasis on agricultural activities. It summarizes an overview of global cycling of N and the role of nitrous oxide on global warming and ozone depletion, and then focus on major source, soil borne nitrous oxide emissions. The spatial-temporal variation of soil nitrous oxide fluxes and underlying biogeochemical processes are described, as well as approaches to quantify fluxes of N2O from soils. Mitigation strategies to reduce the emissions, especially from agricultural soils, and fertilizer nitrogen sources are described in detail in the latter part of the book.

This book focuses on how climate affects or affected the biosphere and vice versa both in the present and in the past. The chapters describe how ecosystems from the Antarctic and Arctic, and from other latitudes, respond to global climate change. The papers highlight plant responses to atmospheric CO2 increase, to global warming and to increased ultraviolet-B radiation as a result of stratospheric ozone depletion.