PNNL

Abstract

Half of the Earth’s land surface has been altered by human activities, creating various consequences on the climate and weather systems at local to global scales, which in turn affects a myriad of land surface processes and our adaptation behaviors. After reviewing the status and major knowledge gaps on studying the interactions of land and atmospheric changes, we present eleven grand challenge areas for scientific research and adaptation communities in the coming decade: (1) collective and separate impacts of major land changes and the interactions with non-land-change factors such as atmospheric CO2 increase, (2) carbon and other biogeochemical cycles, (3) climatically relevant biospheric emissions such as aerosols, (4) water cycle, (5) agriculture, (6) urbanization, (7) gradual acclimation of plants, communities, and ecosystems to climate and environmental changes, (8) plant migration, (9) land use projections, (10) reduction of uncertainties in models and data, and finally (11) adaptation strategies. To deal with complex multi-facet interrelated perturbations and feedbacks between land and climate changes, we must create and maintain a close cross-disciplinary coordination between measurements and process representation in models. Along with major scientific research thrusts, adaptation assessments should be strengthened to identify, evaluate, and prioritize adaptation opportunities, identify barriers that need to be overcome, and examine how adaptation decision making processes work in specific contexts.