Variability in terrestrial carbon sinks over two decades: Part 2 - Eurasia

C. Potter, S. Klooster, P. Tan, M. Steinbach, V. Kumar, V. Genovese

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have analyzed 17 yr (1982-1998) of net carbon flux predictions from a simulation model based on satellite observations of monthly vegetation cover. The NASA-CASA model was driven by vegetation cover properties derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and radiative transfer algorithms that were developed for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We report that although the terrestrial ecosystem sink for atmospheric CO 2 for the Eurasian region has been fairly consistent at between 0.3 and 0.6 Pg C per year since 1988, high interannual variability in net ecosystem production (NEP) fluxes can be readily identified at locations across the continent. Ten major areas of highest variability in NEP were detected: eastern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkan states, Scandinavia, northern and western Russia, eastern Siberia, Mongolia and western China, and central India. Analysis of climate anomalies over this 17-yr time period suggests that variability in precipitation and surface solar irradiance could be associated with trends in carbon sink fluxes within such regions of high NEP variability.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)177-186
Number of pages10
JournalGlobal and Planetary Change
Volume49
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2005

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by grants from NASA programs in Intelligent Systems and Intelligent Data Understanding, and the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Interdisciplinary Science Program.

Keywords

  • Carbon
  • Ecosystems
  • Remote sensing
  • Soil

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Variability in terrestrial carbon sinks over two decades: Part 2 - Eurasia'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this