Terrestrial biogeochemical feedbacks in the climate system: from past to future

The terrestrial biosphere plays a major role in the regulation of atmospheric composition, and hence climate, through multiple interlinked biogeochemical cycles (BGC). Ice-core and other palaeoenvironmental records show a fast response of vegetation cover and exchanges with the atmosphere to past cl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature Geoscience
Main Authors: Arneth, A., Harrison, S. P., Zaehle, S., Tsigaridis, K, Menon, S, Bartlein, P.J., Feichter, J, Korhola, A, Kulmala, M, O'Donnell, D, Schurgers, G, Sorvari, S, Vesala, T
Language:unknown
Published: 2016
Subjects:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
BIOSPHERE
CARBON
CARBON CYCLE
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CLIMATES
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
MITIGATION
PLANTS
ice core
Online Access:http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1023369
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1023369
https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo905
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Summary:The terrestrial biosphere plays a major role in the regulation of atmospheric composition, and hence climate, through multiple interlinked biogeochemical cycles (BGC). Ice-core and other palaeoenvironmental records show a fast response of vegetation cover and exchanges with the atmosphere to past climate change, although the phasing of these responses reflects spatial patterning and complex interactions between individual biospheric feedbacks. Modern observations show a similar responsiveness of terrestrial biogeochemical cycles to anthropogenically-forced climate changes and air pollution, with equally complex feedbacks. For future conditions, although carbon cycle-climate interactions have been a major focus, other BGC feedbacks could be as important in modulating climate changes. The additional radiative forcing from terrestrial BGC feedbacks other than those conventionally attributed to the carbon cycle is in the range of 0.6 to 1.6 Wm{sup -2}; all taken together we estimate a possible maximum of around 3 Wm{sup -2} towards the end of the 21st century. There are large uncertainties associated with these estimates but, given that the majority of BGC feedbacks result in a positive forcing because of the fundamental link between metabolic stimulation and increasing temperature, improved quantification of these feedbacks and their incorporation in earth system models is necessary in order to develop coherent plans to manage ecosystems for climate mitigation.

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