Ecosystem-atmosphere interactions include exchanges of CO2, energy, and water. Local-scale processes are studied in the field, and extrapolated to larger scales using numerical models, satellite imagery and other spatial data. Rigorous application of this strategy requires that the models are then used to predict larger-scale observable quantities such as variations in the concentration of atmospheric CO2 and other trace gases.
We apply this strategy at several field sites across a range of different ecosystems around the world.
Ecosystem fluxes are simulated using a model that is calibrated locally from field data. The model is then run in a series of coupled atmospheric simulations including eddy-resolving, mesoscale, and global general circulation models. Vegetation parameters are derived from satellite imagery and other spatial data.
Simulations are compared to observations on many spatial scales.
