Systematic Systematic Terrestrial Terrestrial

Observations:Observations: a Case for Carbon a Case for Carbon

René Gommeswith C. He, J. Hielkema, P. Reichert and J. Tschirley

FAO/SDRN

OverviewOverview

• The context: IGOS and GTOS, and the objective of TCI

• The terrestrial Carbon cycle• Methodological issues: relevance

of satellites, data requirements, scaling

• Looking ahead...

The IGOS PartnershipThe IGOS Partnership

• Established in 1998 • Rationale: no single country or

Organization has sufficient expertise or resources to make the observations needed to understand the complex processes of global change

• Partners : Global observing systems (GTOS, GCOS, GOOS), International scientific organisations, National space agencies, UN agencies.

Global Terrestrial Observing Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS)System (GTOS)

The GTOS mission is to provide policy makers, The GTOS mission is to provide policy makers, resource managers and researchers with access to resource managers and researchers with access to data they need to detect, quantify, locate, data they need to detect, quantify, locate, understand and warn of changes (especially understand and warn of changes (especially reductions) in the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems reductions) in the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to support sustainable developmentto support sustainable developmentGTOS is a member of IGOS and is strengthening the GTOS is a member of IGOS and is strengthening the linkages between scientists who work at the site or linkages between scientists who work at the site or ecosystem level and those who work with satellite ecosystem level and those who work with satellite imagery by developing collaborative demonstration imagery by developing collaborative demonstration projects such as on Net Primary Productivity and projects such as on Net Primary Productivity and the Terrestrial Carbon Initiativethe Terrestrial Carbon Initiative

1. Large-area experiments2. Long-term research centres3. Field stations4. Periodic, unstaffed sample sites5. Frequent low resolution remote sensing

The GTOS hierarchical observing strategyThe GTOS hierarchical observing strategy

Terrestrial Carbon Initiative, Terrestrial Carbon Initiative, TCITCI

An IGOS initiative led by GTOS and GCOS, space agencies and UN organisations, with the contribution of IGBP members, to contribute to the implementation ofKyoto Protocol and improve understanding of terrestrial Carbon cycle by…

• assessing the key information requirements• co-ordinating efforts aimed at systematically

collecting relevant data and information• identifying data gaps• promoting collaboration among the IGOS partners

Objective of TCIObjective of TCI

• Demonstrate feasibility of continuous monitoring of spatial and temporal variations of terrestrial carbon cycle by 2004 with near-km resolution and good accuracy

• Improve on required models and observations (site location, sensors, variables...)

OverviewOverview

• The context: IGOS and GTOS, and the objective of TCI

• The terrestrial Carbon cycle• Methodological issues: relevance

of satellites, data requirements, scaling

• Looking ahead...

Terrestrial carbon Terrestrial carbon balancebalance

NBP

GtC/year

Net primary production Net primary production potentialpotential

0.5 degree resolution0.5 degree resolution

Source: FAO/SDRN, based on IIASA Climate Database and the “Miami model” (1972)

Soil Carbon ContentSoil Carbon Content

Source: FAO/AGLS, W.Sombroek, F.Nachtergaele and A.Hebel, 1993

Soil carbon fluxesSoil carbon fluxes

gC year-1 m-2

Source: J.Raich and C.Potter, 1995

Continental South Asia Continental South Asia above-ground above-ground

biomass densitybiomass density

Biomass density (T/Ha)0 - 1010 - 2020 - 4040 - 6060 - 8080 - 100100 - 150150 - 200200 - 250250 - 300300 - 400

Ponetd

Source: FAO/ Forest Resources Assessment

Net Primary Production Net Primary Production potentialpotential

(East Lake Victoria, 1km res.)(East Lake Victoria, 1km res.)

Source: FAO/SDRN; “Miami model” and FAOCLIM spatialized with SPOT/VEGETATION

OverviewOverview

• The context: IGOS and GTOS, and the objective of TCI

• The terrestrial Carbon cycle• Methodological issues: relevance

of satellites, data requirements, scaling

• Looking ahead...

Relevance of continuous Relevance of continuous satellite and ground satellite and ground

observationsobservations• Vegetation, land use and soils

undergo seasonal and long-term changes, some of which are man-made

• Model calibration more accurate with continuous data

• Stratification of ground samples and area averaging

1982-93 Inter-annual 1982-93 Inter-annual variability of Vegetation variability of Vegetation

IndexIndex

Source: FAO/SDRN based on NOAA/NDVI imagery

Need for improvementsNeed for improvements

• Database of land cover and changes, losses (fire)

• Estimates of carbon pools and fluxes• Coupled carbon circulation and biomass

models (ground and satellite inputs: LAI, solar radiation, water balance…)

• Improved capacity for ground observations

Problems to be solvedProblems to be solved

• Geo-referenciation of ground databases

• Integration of biomass, ecosystem and global atmospheric carbon models

• Scale conversions (pixel to country): up-scaling and downscaling

Scaling down: Scaling down: increasing spatial increasing spatial

resolutionresolution

Scaling up: naturalScaling up: naturalforest biomassforest biomassLow ( < 15 tons/ha)Low ( < 15 tons/ha)

Med. (15 - 35 tons/ha)Med. (15 - 35 tons/ha)High ( > 35 tons/ha)High ( > 35 tons/ha)

Source:

FAO Forest Resources Assessment

OverviewOverview

• The context: IGOS and GTOS, and the objective of TCI

• The terrestrial Carbon cycle• Methodological issues: relevance

of satellites, data requirements, scaling

• Looking ahead...

Looking ahead...Looking ahead...

• By 2008, operational implementation of the concepts, data collection and methods will be finalized…

• TCI can improve the quantitative assessment (mapping and monitoring) of terrestrial carbon sources and sinks and contribute towards carbon accounting

Carbon pools and fluxes