SOCCR2: North America within the context of the global carbon cycle
Abstract
This presentation will frame North America within the context of the global carbon cycle, including both the natural and anthropogenic components of carbon fluxes. We will examine this role along several complementary axes, including (i) the major components or the carbon cycle, (ii) the drivers and temporal scales of flux variability, and (iii) the available lines of evidence for constraining our understanding. Along each of these axes, we will examine the historical, contemporary, and future states of the carbon cycle. Most importantly, we aim to present a clear overview of the degree of (un)certainty associated with different aspects of carbon cycling, with an emphasis on the role of North America within the global context. Indeed, in assessing the state of the carbon cycle, it is critical to recognize that some aspects are well understood, while others remain highly uncertain. Critical knowledge gaps can then be defined as areas of the science that combine two features, namely high uncertainty coupled with high potential for major impacts on future net carbon balance and therefore decision support.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMGC23K..03M
- Keywords:
-
- 0428 Carbon cycling;
- BIOGEOSCIENCESDE: 1615 Biogeochemical cycles;
- processes;
- and modeling;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 4806 Carbon cycling;
- OCEANOGRAPHY: BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL