Open AccessEstimating carbon budgets for U.S. ecosystems
Author(s) -
Potter Christopher,
Klooster Steven,
Nemani Ramakrishna,
Genovese Vanessa,
Hiatt Seth,
Fladeland Matthew,
Gross Peggy
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2006eo080001
Subject(s) - carbon sink , environmental science , carbon dioxide in earth's atmosphere , ecosystem , carbon dioxide , sink (geography) , vegetation (pathology) , carbon cycle , atmospheric sciences , soil water , atmosphere (unit) , carbon fibers , carbon sequestration , global warming , climate change , primary production , ecology , soil science , meteorology , geography , biology , geology , mathematics , medicine , cartography , pathology , composite number , algorithm
On a global basis, plants and soils may hold more than twice the amount of carbon present in the atmosphere [ Geider et al. , 2001]. Under increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations and subsequently warming temperatures, these large biogenic pools may change in size [ Cox et al. , 2000]. Due to a lack of long‐term field studies, there is uncertainty as to whether vegetation and soils will act as a net sink or a source of atmospheric CO 2 in coming years. It is certain, however, that no retrospective analysis of the U.S. carbon balance will be possible without a comprehensive historical baseline of the sizes of various ecosystem carbon pools and the variability in their net annual increments.