Sci Fi Forest propelling an English oak woodland to 2050

Transcription

1 Sci Fi Forest propelling an English oak woodland to 2050 Michael Tausz and Rob MacKenzie on behalf of the BIFoR team Photo credit: A. Priest Photography

2 FACE Free Air CO 2 Enrichment Scientific background rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (CO 2 ) Mature forest FACE experiment The unique opportunity

3 Carbon CO 2 sink Aboveground biomass Photosynthesis Belowground biomass Soil carbon Root loss and litter Wilkinson M;

4 CO 2 source CO 2 sink Plant respiration Root and soil respiration Belowground biomass Aboveground biomass Soil carbon Photosynthesis Productivity Root loss and litter

5 CO 2 source CO 2 sink Plant respiration Root and soil respiration Belowground biomass Aboveground biomass Soil carbon Photosynthesis Root loss and litter

6 CO 2 source CO 2 sink Plant respiration Root and soil respiration Belowground biomass Aboveground biomass Soil carbon Photosynthesis Root loss and litter

7 CO 2 source CO 2 sink Plant respiration Root and soil respiration Belowground biomass Aboveground biomass Soil carbon Photosynthesis Root loss and litter

8 CO 2 source CO 2 sink Plant respiration Root and soil respiration Belowground biomass Aboveground biomass Soil carbon Photosynthesis Root loss and litter

9 Evapotranspiration (water flow) Aboveground biomass Herbivory and food chains Belowground biomass Soil nutrient cycling Soil carbon

10 Big questions about land carbon How does elevated CO 2 change carbon flows and storage, nutrient cycles and water use? How does elevated CO 2 change biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function? How does elevated CO 2 affect susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stress?

11 Science Background The rise of atmospheric CO 2

12 Atmospheric CO 2 /ccgg/trends/history.html

13 Atmospheric CO 2 /ccgg/trends/history.html

14 Atmospheric CO 2 /ccgg/trends/history.html

15 Quéré et al Earth Syst Sci Data 8,

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18 Uncertainty! Northern Hemisphere Temperate Forests Extra carbon per unit land area per unit increase in CO 2 Ciais et al In: Climate Change The Physical Science Basis. Cambridge Univ Press. (Fig 6.22)

19 Science Background CO 2 and plants and ecosystems

20 CO 2 fertilisation yes, but! Current CO 2 Future CO 2 Current CO 2 Future CO 2 From the Australian Grains Free Air CO 2 (AGFACE) Programme. Photos: Joe Panozzo (AGFACE fact sheet), Sabine Tausz-Posch

21 Forest FACE experiments First generation forest FACE experiments in young, uniform, vigorously growing plantations Nature News Nature 456, 289. Aspen FACE in Rhinelander, USA (

22 Forest FACE experiments Carbon in vegetation kg m -2 Norby et al New Phytologist

23 Forest FACE experiments Carbon in vegetation kg m -2 Norby et al New Phytologist

24 Norby et al New Phytologist

25 BIFoR FACE in Mill Haft

26 BIFoR FACE in Mill Haft

27 BIFoR FACE in Mill Haft

28 Mill Haft woodland old forest soil Big questions on soil nitrogen and phosphorus cycling

29 Mill Haft woodland high and complex canopy Big questions on biodiversity, food chains, understory species

30 BIFoR FACE at Mill Haft 3 no-infrastructure controls (ambient air); 3 ambient-air FACE rings & 3 treatments of +150 ppmv CO 2 1 km

31 Mill Haft woodland

32 Big moment! 3 rd April 2017 BBC News

33 Mill Haft woodland

34 FACE Plot Performance: April 4 th August 31 st 2017 Operational Statistics Hours Leaf-On Operations 3600 Total Fumigation 2412 Fumigation Off 1188 Total Downtime 67.7 Total Operational Uptime 97.2% CO 2 Consumed to date (tons) ppm ± Enrichment Target Set Target Average Enrichment Achieved Above Ambient Achieved Average Control Plot (Ambient) Fumigation Time on Target 91.5 % 3,815.4 CO 2 Cost to Project 311,197 EucFACE: 88% of 5-min means within ppm ( ppm) (Drake et al 2016, GCB 22, ) 95% of 1-min means within 75 ppm of target ( ppm) (Ellsworth et al 2017; Nature Climate Change 7) EucFACE: 95% (Ellsworth et al 2017; Nature Climate Change 7)

35 Mill Haft woodland

36 CO 2 source CO 2 sink Plant respiration Root and soil respiration Belowground biomass Aboveground biomass Soil carbon Photosynthesis Root loss and litter

37 Currently only two comparable facilities in operation worldwide National and International scientific facility Collaborations!

38 More Information Web: