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Greencycles II

WP3 – Improved constraints on terrestrial processes

Leader : University of ExeterProf Peter Cox and Prof Pierre Friedlingstein

Input to Science and Environmental Policy : WP3 – Briefing Paper

Objectives

The overall objective of WP3 is to improve constraints on terrestrial ecosystem processes through targeted model evaluation and development. Extensive use will be made of the new observational datasets derived in WP1.

Specific objectives are to:

  • Assess the role of current and future drought for ecosystems and their cabon stocks in both Mediterranean and temperate regions.
  • Investigate the consequences of greater physiological diversity and adaptability in vegetation models for projections of ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental change.
  • Assess the role of forests as future carbon stores and their contribution to climate-carbon feedbacks and mitigation policies.
  • Assess the significance of species specific emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) for atmospheric chemistry and aerosols.
  • Bring these tasks together in a model intercomparison project.
WP3 Word Cloud

Deliverables

Publications:

Scientific products:

  • A rigorous evaluation of terrestrial ecosystem models and a framework for using this knowledge to constrain model projections.
  • Improved knowledge of ecosystem functioning gained in each WP3 task.
  • Fully tested and documented improvements to existing terrestrial ecosystem models.

Science Tasks

T3.1 Terrestrial ecosystem model evaluation (“TERREMIP”)
Fellow: Dr Alessandro Anav (University of Exeter)
Supervisor: Prof Pierre Friedlingstein (University of Exeter)
Secondary Supervisor: Dr Laurent Bopp (Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique)

T3.2 Drought impacts on tree physiology
Fellow: Dominik Sperlich (Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplications Forestals)
Supervisor: Dr Santi Sabaté (Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplications Forestals)
Secondary Supervisor: Dr Andrew Friend (University of Cambridge)

T3.3 Ecosystem respiration and forest carbon balance
Fellow: Chao-Ting Chang (Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplications Forestals)
Supervisor:Dr Santi Sabaté (Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplications Forestals))
Secondary Supervisor: Dr Sönke Zaehle (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

T3.4 Mid-latitude carbon-water coupling
Fellow: Callum Berridge (Vrije Universiteit)
Supervisor: Prof Han Dolman (Vrije Universiteit)
Secondary Supervisor: Prof Peter Cox (University of Exeter)

T3.5 BVOC emissions, climate change, and plant physiology
Fellow: Catherine Morfopoulos (Imperial College London)
Supervisor: Prof Colin Prentice (Imperial College London)
Secondary Supervisor: Dr Santi Sabaté (Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplications Forestals)

T3.6 Diversity, adaptability, and terrestrial ecosystem reslience
Fellow: Rozenn Keribin (University of Cambridge)
Supervisor: Dr Andrew Friend (University of Cambridge)
Secondary Supervisor: Dr Drew Purves (Microsoft Research Limited)

T3.7 Impact of changes in atmospheric composition and land management on terrestrial ecosystems
Fellow: Alejandro Marti-Donati (University of Exeter)
Supervisor: Prof Peter Cox (University of Exeter)
Secondary Supervisor: Dr Andrew Friend (University of Cambridge)