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Anders Ahlström

Anders Ahlström

Senior lecturer

Anders Ahlström

Increasing global ecosystem respiration between 1982 and 2015 from Earth observation-based modelling

Author

  • Torbern Tagesson
  • Julia Kelly
  • Guy Schurgers
  • Feng Tian
  • Jonas Ardö
  • Stephanie Horion
  • Anders Ahlström
  • Stefan Olin
  • Rasmus Fensholt

Summary, in English

Aim: Earth observation-based estimates of land–atmosphere exchange of carbon are essential for understanding the response of the terrestrial biosphere to climatic change and other anthropogenic forcing. Temperature, soil water content and gross primary production are the main drivers of ecosystem respiration (Reco), and the main aims of this study are to develop an Reco model driven by long-term global-scale Earth observations and to study Reco spatiotemporal dynamics 1982–2015. Location: Global scale. Time Period: 1982–2015. Major Taxa Studied: Terrestrial ecosystems. Methods: We parameterized and applied a global Reco model for 1982–2015 using novel Earth observation-based data. We studied the relationships between Reco measured at field sites globally and land surface temperature, gross primary production and soil water content. Trends 1982–2015 were quantified, and the contributions from terrestrial regions to the spatiotemporal variability were evaluated. Results: The Reco model (LGS-Reco) captured the between-site and intra- and interannual variability in field-observed Reco and soil respiration well in comparison with other Earth observation-based products. The global annual Reco was on average 105.6 ± 2.3 Pg C for 1982–2015, which is close to 105 Pg C according to residuals of the carbon exchange processes within the global carbon budgets. The trend in global terrestrial Reco 1982–2015 was 0.19 ± 0.02 Pg C y−1, with the strongest positive trends found in cropland areas, whereas negative trends were primarily observed for savannah/shrublands of Southern Africa and South America. Trends were especially strong during the eighties and nineties, but substantially smaller 1998–2015. Main Conclusions: The LGS-Reco model revealed a substantial increase in global Reco during recent decades. However, the growth rates of global Reco were slower during 1998–2015, partially explaining the reduced growth rates of atmospheric CO2 during this period. The LGR-Reco product may be an essential source for studying carbon sources and sinks and functioning of the Earth system.

Department/s

  • Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
  • Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system
  • eSSENCE: The e-Science Collaboration

Publishing year

2024

Language

English

Pages

116-130

Publication/Series

Global Ecology and Biogeography

Volume

33

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Topic

  • Physical Geography

Keywords

  • climate change
  • Earth observation
  • land surface temperature
  • land–atmosphere interactions
  • terrestrial carbon balance

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1466-822X