Large-scale vegetation feedbacks on a doubled CO{sub 2} climate
Changes in vegetation cover are known to influence the climate system by modifying the radiative, momentum, and hydrologic balance of the land surface. To explore the interactions between terrestrial vegetation and the atmosphere for doubled atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations, the newly developed fully coupled GENESIS-IBIS climate-vegetation model is used. The simulated climatic response to the radiative and physiological effects of elevated CO{sub 2} concentrations, as well as to ensuing simulated shifts in global vegetation patterns is investigated. The radiative effects of elevated CO{sub 2} concentrations raise temperatures and intensify the hydrologic cyclic on the global scale. In response, soil moisture increases in the mid- and high latitudes by 4% and 5%, respectively. Tropical soil moisture, however, decreases by 5% due to a decrease in precipitation minus evapotranspiration. The direct, physiological response of plants to elevated CO{sub 2} generally acts to weaken the earth's hydrologic cycle by lowering transpiration rates across the globe. Lowering transpiration alone would tend to enhance soil moisture. However, reduced circulation of water in the atmosphere, which lowers precipitation, leads to more arid conditions overall (simulated global soil moisture decreases by 1%), particularly in the Tropics and midlatitudes.
- Research Organization:
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20075727
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Climate, Vol. 13, Issue 7; Other Information: PBD: 1 Apr 2000; ISSN 0894-8755
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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