Ecosystems and climate interactions in the boreal zone of northern Eurasia

Abstract

The climate system and terrestrial ecosystems interact as they change. In northern Eurasia these interactions are especially strong, span all spatial and timescales, and thus have become the subject of an international program: the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). Without trying to cover all areas of these interactions, this paper introduces three examples of the principal micrometeorological, mesometeorological and subcontinental feedbacks that control climate-terrestrial ecosystem interactions in the boreal zone of northern Eurasia. Positive and negative feedbacks of forest paludification, of windthrow, and of climate-forced displacement of vegetation zones are presented. Moreover the interplay of different scale feedbacks, the multi-faceted nature of ecosystems-climate interactions and their potential to affect the global Earth system are shown. It is concluded that, without a synergetic modeling approach that integrates all major feedbacks and relationships between terrestrial ecosystems and climate, reliable projections of environmental change in northern Eurasia are impossible, which will also bring into question the accuracy of global change projections.

Resilience and Stability Associated with Conversion of Boreal Forest

“…The results presented here are consistent with field measurements documenting the shift of treelines northward or upslope of previous climate limits, and a reduction in cone and seed yield for L. sibirica (Kharuk et al, 2009;Soja et al, 2007). They are also consistent with bioclimatic model results predicting a replacement of taiga with forest-steppe or steppe environments across southern Siberia (Tchebakova et al, 2005;Vygodskaya et al, 2007;Tchebakova et al, 2009). These results also suggest that warming temperatures will lead to a shift in the ability of larch to establish and may signal a collapse of the species in this genus.…”

Circumboreal Gradients in Plant Species and Functional Types

“…Freeze and thaw dynamics influence permafrost de ve lopment and paludification that in turn affects root per for mance, photosynthesis and other metabolic processes (cf. Vygodskaya et al 2007) all of which are ultimately mani fes ted in distinctive suites of functional traits. I would add that while such processes apply throughout the study area, cer tain historical conditions (e.g.…”

“…Vygodskaya et al (2007) argue that, without an integrative approach to all major feedbacks between ter restrial ecosystems and climate, reliable projections of environmental change are impossible. The logic of this approach is indisputable.…”

Peatlands and the carbon cycle: from local processes to global implications – a synthesis

“…Finally, large-scale changes in shrub and tree cover, going from tundra to taiga (Chapin et al, 2005) or from taiga to bog (Vygodskaya et al, 2007), involves marked changes in albedo, in turn affecting the amount of solar energy absorbed by the soil, with important potential feedbacks to permafrost depth and local water table. …”