Vegetation And The Terrestrial Carbon Cycle

An analysis of the Earth's vegetations and carbon cycle in the past and predictions for the future.

Using knowledge of present day vegetation processes and models of global climate, the authors simulate and analyse changes in the earth's vegetation and in the capacity of the Earth's carbon cycle over the past 400 million years. Possible conditions in future centuries are also investigated, providing valuable predictions.

The carbon dioxide problem. Classification and mapping of plant communities: a review with emphasis on tropical vegetation. Organic carbon in soils of the world. Soil organic matter: a source of atmospheric CO2. Remote sensing to measure the distribution and structure of vegetation. Remote sensing for monitoring vegetation: an emphasis on satellites. Coupling remotely sensed data to ground observations. The LACIE experiment in satellite aided monitoring of global crop production. Measurement of changes in the vegetation of the earth by satellite imagery.

The term 'terrestrial carbon' refers to carbon contained in vegetation or soil stocks. The global carbon cycle plays an important role in sustaining agricultural productivity, biodiversity and forest ecosystems processes. This report presents the results of a workshop, held in Canada in February 2000 and organised by the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) in collaboration with the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). The workshop was designed to review existing data and observation requirements regarding terrestrial carbon, identify major gaps and propose solutions.

Summarises understanding of global change interactions with terrestrial ecosystems.

During the summer of 1987, a series of discussions I was held at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (nASA) in Laxenburg, Austria, to plan a study of global vegetation change. The work was aimed at promoting the Interna tional Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), sponsored by the International Council of Scientific Unions (lCSU), of which nASA is a member. Our study was designed to provide initial guidance in the choice of approaches, data sets and objectives for constructing global models of the terrestrial biosphere. We hoped to provide substantive and concrete assistance in formulating the working plans of IGBP by involving program planners in the development and application of models which were assembled from available data sets and modeling ap proaches. Recent acceptance of the "nASA model" as the starting point for endeavors of the Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems Core Project of the IGBP suggests we were successful in that aim. The objective was implemented by our initiation of a mathematical model of global vegetation, including agriculture, as defined by the forces which control and change vegetation. The model was to illustrate the geographical consequences to vegetation structure and functioning of changing climate and land use, based on plant responses to environmental variables. The completed model was also expected to be useful for examining international environmental policy responses to global change, as well as for studying the validity of IIASA's experimental approaches to environmental policy development.

This report summarises the discussions and recommendations of a workshop held in 2001, within the framework of the Terrestrial Carbon Observation (TCO) initiative. This workshop focused on the development of a systematic and collaborative approach to improving "in situ" or ground-based carbon data availability. The benefits of improved "in situ" terrestrial carbon observation will mean that countries can make more informed decisions related to the sustainable use and management of land resources.

This book examines the impacts of global change on terrestrial ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on impacts of atmospheric, climate and land use change, and the book discusses the future challenges and the scientific frameworks to address them. Finally, the book explores fundamental new research developments and the need for stronger integration of natural and human dimensions in addressing the challenge of global change.