Atmospheric and biospheric interactions of gases and energy in the Pacific region of the United States, Mexico, and Brazil

Bytnerowicz, Andrzej, technical coordinator. 1997. Atmospheric and biospheric interactions of gases and energy in the Pacific region of the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-161 Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 42 p. Anthropogenic activities of the past century have caused a dramatic increase in global air pollution. This process has accelerated in the past few decades, and emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or chlorofluorocarbons caused serious changes in the earth's climate, e.g., increased temperatures or elevated ultraviolet-B radiation. These changes, together with more severe droughts, forest fires, and air pollution (ozone, nitrogen or sulfur compounds), may have pronounced effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Changes in global and regional carbon and nitrogen cycles as well as changes in water resources and cycling have also taken place. The current and predicted atmospheric and biospheric interactions of gases and energy in the Pacific Region of the United States, Mexico, and Brazil are described in this document. The role and status of simulation modeling for weather predictions, production and transport of smoke from biomass burning, and air pollution uptake by forest canopies are discussed. To meet growing needs for environmentally sound forest management, priorities for research on air pollution, forest fire effects, nutrient cycling, water resources, and development of models are listed. Retrieval Terms: air pollution, climate change, forests, nutrient cycles, plant responses, simulation modeling Technical Coordinator Andrzej Bytnerowicz is Ecologist and Project Leader-Atmospheric Deposition Effects in Western Forest Ecosystems research unit at the Station's Forest Fire Laboratory, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507.