The Terrestrial Biosphere and Global Change Implications for Natural and Managed Ecosystems

Summarises current understanding of global change interactions with terrestrial ecosystems.

This 1999 synthesis summarises the international research effort in the Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems (GCTE) Core Project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme. Five major thematic areas are covered: ecosystem physiology; ecosystem structure and composition; terrestrial production systems; global biogeochemistry; ecological complexity (biodiversity). A summary of the integrated and interactive effects of global change on the terrestrial biosphere for four key regions of the world is presented, as well as a projection of future trends in the terrestrial component of the global carbon cycle. The book also includes a section on tools developed or modified for global change research.

Preface; 1. The nature of global change B. Walker and W. Steffen; 2. The study of ecosystems in the context of global change E.-D. Schulze, R. J. Scholes. J. R. Ehleringer, L. A. Hunt, J. Canadell, F. S. Chapin III and W. L. Steffen; 3. Networks and consortia J. Ingram, P. Canadell, T. Elliott, T. Hunt, S. Linder, D. Murdiyarso, M. S. Smith and C. Valentin; 4. The IGBP terrestrial transects W. L. Steffen, R. J. Scholes, C. Valentin, X. Zhang and J.-C. Menaut; 5. Data needs and limitations for broad-scale ecosystem modelling W. Cramer, R. Leemans, E.-D. Schulze, A. Bondeau, R. Scholes; 6. Use of models in global change studies J. Goudriaan, H. H. Shugart, H. Bugmann, W. Cramer, A. Bondeau and R. H. Gardner, T. Hunt, W. Lauenroth, J. Landsberg, S. Linder, I. Noble, W. Parton, L. Pitelka, M. S. Smith, B. Sutherst, C. Valentin and F. I. Woodward; 7. Ecosystem physiology responses to global change H. A. Mooney, J. Canadell, F. S. Chapin, J. Ehleringer, Ch. Körner, R. McMurtrie, W. J. Parton, L. Pitelka and E.-D. Schulz; 8. Ecosystem composition and structure W. Cramer, H. H. Shugart, I. R. Noble, F. I. Woodward, H. Bugmann, A. Bondeau, J. A. Foley, R. H. Gardner, B. Lauenroth, L. F. Pitelka, O. Sala and R. W. Sutherst; 9. Managed production systems P. Gregory, J. Ingram, B. Campbell, J. Goudriaan, T. Hunt, J. Landsberg, S. Linder, M. S. Smith, R. W. Sutherst and C. Valentin; 10. Biogeochemistry of terrestrial ecosystems R. J. Scholes, E.-D. Schulze, L. F. Pitelka and D. O. Hall; 11. Global change, biodiversity and ecological complexity O. E. Sala, F. S. Chapin, R. H. Gardner, W. K. Lauenroth, H. A. Mooney and P. S. Ramakrishnan; 12. Interactive and integrated effects of global change on terrestrial ecosystems B. Walker, W. Steffen and J. Langridge; Index.

Presents understanding of how the world's vegetation, both natural and managed, is interacting with global environmental change and describes both the impacts of global change on key aspects of vegetation and the consequent feedbacks of these effects to further environmental change.