Terrestrial ecosystem responses and contributions to changing CO2
Terrestrial ecosystems play an integral role in regulating Earth’s climate through their cycling of carbon, water, and energy. Humans are altering these fluxes by perturbing terrestrial ecosystems through land use change, land management, and climate change. In this talk, I explore how terrestrial carbon cycling responds to human perturbations and, in turn, how changes to terrestrial ecosystems, specifically agricultural management practices, impact atmospheric CO2. Insight into the interactions between terrestrial ecosystems and climate is fundamental to understanding the future of our planet and the natural resources and ecosystem services it provides. This is vital to creating policies effective in regulating perturbations and improving the quality of life for human society.