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Using ecosystem experiments to improve vegetation models

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Title: Using ecosystem experiments to improve vegetation models
Authors: Medlyn, BE
Zaehle, S
De Kauwe, MG
Walker, AP
Dietze, MC
Hanson, PJ
Hickler, T
Jain, AK
Luo, Y
Parton, W
Prentice, IC
Thornton, PE
Wang, S
Wang, Y-P
Weng, E
Iversen, CM
McCarthy, HR
Warren, JM
Oren, R
Norby, RJ
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: Ecosystem responses to rising CO2 concentrations are a major source of uncertainty in climate change projections. Data from ecosystem-scale Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiments provide a unique opportunity to reduce this uncertainty. The recent FACE Model–Data Synthesis project aimed to use the information gathered in two forest FACE experiments to assess and improve land ecosystem models. A new 'assumption-centred' model intercomparison approach was used, in which participating models were evaluated against experimental data based on the ways in which they represent key ecological processes. By identifying and evaluating the main assumptions causing differences among models, the assumption-centred approach produced a clear roadmap for reducing model uncertainty. Here, we explain this approach and summarize the resulting research agenda. We encourage the application of this approach in other model intercomparison projects to fundamentally improve predictive understanding of the Earth system.
Issue Date: 1-Jun-2015
Date of Acceptance: 24-Mar-2015
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/56801
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2621
ISSN: 1758-678X
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Start Page: 528
End Page: 534
Journal / Book Title: Nature Climate Change
Volume: 5
Issue: 6
Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2015, Springer Nature
Sponsor/Funder: AXA Research Fund
Funder's Grant Number: AXA Chair Programme in Biosphere and Climate Impacts
Keywords: Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Physical Sciences
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Studies
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
AIR CO2 ENRICHMENT
CARBON-NITROGEN INTERACTIONS
ELEVATED ATMOSPHERIC CO2
TEMPERATE FOREST
STOMATAL CONDUCTANCE
DECIDUOUS FOREST
FACE EXPERIMENTS
CYCLE MODELS
WATER-STRESS
CLIMATE
Publication Status: Published
Appears in Collections:Department of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences