How Does Land Influence Climate?

Transcription

1 How Does Land Influence Climate? Dr. Michael J Passow with Dr. Alexis Berg, IRI Originally Presented 10 Jan 2015

2 What do the plants around you look like? Why do you have those plants? How are they influenced by the climate? How do they impact the microclimate? Are the plants in your area changing over time?

3 Vegetation in Different Locations We are tuned in to the plants around us as indicators of the local climate Ever notice differences when you travel? Even short distances in a developed area

4 Layers in a Forest Floor Shrub Understory Canopy Overstory

5 Classifying Plants & Soils Classification was the first global scientific endeavor Linneaus von Humboldt Koppen

6

7 But! classifying is not the same as explaining Modern research seeks to reveal why vegetation exists in an area, how the flora (and fauna) are changing, and interactions with human endeavors

8 Energy and Matter Exchanges Flux (Flow) & Cycles Energy flows through the Earth System Solar Radiation (insolation) Transmission Absorption Reflection Refraction Conduction Convection

9 Albedo Percent of incoming solar radiation reflected back to space Varies widely depending on surface features Can be altered by land uses -e_hg.svg/549px-albedo-e_hg.svg.png

10 Matter Moves in Biogeochemical Cycles Carbon-Oxygen Standard example of plant/animal/atmosphere chemistry 1970 environmental movement approach: Save a Tree

11

12

13

14 Plant-climate impacts? Major question during the Age of Discovery Can planting new trees or crops change the climate? In this area destruction of the primordial forest as European colonization spread Australia rabbits and croplands Israel/Gaza/Sinai border

15 Additional Thoughts Observations Measurements Models More complete understanding requires shifting from qualitative observations to quantitative measurements to models Mathematical models simulate reality and can explore effects of defined variations Require ground-truthing

16

17 Natural vs. Human Impacts Understanding how climate is affected by changes in vegetation and land use must also identify natural vs. human-induced impacts 1930s Dust Bowl Irrigation Urban sprawl

18 2014 National Climate Assessment Climate disruptions to agriculture have been increasing and are projected to become more severe over this century. Ecosystems and the benefits they provide to society are being affected by climate change. The capacity of ecosystems to buffer the impacts of extreme events like fires, floods, and severe storms is being overwhelmed.

19 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 5 th Assessment Report (AR5) Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans. Impacts are due to observed climate change, irrespective of its cause, indicating the sensitivity of natural and human systems to changing climate.

20 Sustainability Columbia Earth Institute LDEO largest component of the EI IRI International research Institute for Climate and Society EI Research Centers and Programs