Abstract
Abstract. Exchange of non-CO2 trace gases between the land surface and the atmosphere plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry and climate. Recent studies have highlighted its importance for interpretation of glacial-interglacial ice-core records, the simulation of the pre-industrial and present atmosphere, and the potential for large climate-chemistry and climate-aerosol feedbacks in the coming century. However, spatial and temporal variations in trace gas emissions and the magnitude of future feedbacks are a major source of uncertainty in atmospheric chemistry, air quality and climate science. To reduce such uncertainties Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) are currently being expanded to mechanistically represent processes relevant to non-CO2 trace gas exchange between land biota and the atmosphere. In this paper we present a review of important non-CO2 trace gas emissions, the state-of-the-art in DGVM modelling of processes regulating these emissions, identify key uncertainties for global scale model applications, and discuss a methodology for model integration and evaluation.
Highlights
Numerous exchange processes take place between the terrestrial biota and the atmosphere that contribute to the regulation of the climate system on timescales from hours to millennia
Exchange of non-CO2 trace gases between the land surface and the atmosphere plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry and climate
We present an overview of Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) principles, followed by recent developments within the terrestrial biosphere community in expanding DGVMs to incorporate mechanistic, process-based schemes of non-CO2 trace gas exchange, that are of relevance to the atmospheric chemistry-climate modelling community
Summary
Numerous exchange processes take place between the terrestrial biota and the atmosphere that contribute to the regulation of the climate system on timescales from hours to millennia. The different processes represented by DGVMs are being expanded substantially to account for the crucial role of terrestrial biota in the regulation of atmospheric composition and climate that goes well beyond that of CO2 and the surface energy balance Important gases in this context are methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), both of which are well mixed and potent greenhouse gases (GHGs; Donner and Ramanathan, 1980). A number of atmospheric feedbacks have been proposed regarding the magnitude and regional patterns of biosphereatmosphere exchange of non-CO2 trace gases (Adams et al, 2001; Gedney et al, 2004; Kulmala et al, 2004; Lerdau, 2007; Sitch et al, 2007) These feedbacks include interactions of these gases and their reaction products with climate, vegetation cover, and the terrestrial cycles of carbon and nitrogen. We highlight key uncertainties in our ability to model these processes at the global scale, and make recommendations on future DGVM research in this field
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