Scales and Global Change: Spatial and Temporal Variability in Biospheric and Geospheric ProcessesThomas Rosswall, Robert G. Woodmansee, Paul G. Risser The global environment is being significantly affected by human activity. Changes in vegetation cover will affect the global hydrological cycle, production of "greenhouse gases" will lead to climate changes, changes in atmospheric chemistry can have drastic effects on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, and man-made chemicals decrease the Antarctic ozone layer. In order to address these global issues in a scientifically meaningful way, a new earth system science is needed, which takes a truly multi-disciplinary approach. However, when linking observations from different spatial and temporal scales, fundamental problems are encountered. If the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme: a Study of Global Change is to be successful, scale problems have to be faced and new approaches developed. This book is the first to address scaling problems both within individual disciplines and between disciplines, and represents an important first step in developing strategies for "Global Change" studies. |
Contents
Ecosystem Processes and Global Change | 11 |
Hierarchy Theory and Global Change | 26 |
Statistical and Mathematical Approaches to Issues | 47 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
analysis anthropogenic April aquifer areas atmospheric CO2 average basin behaviour Biogeochemical Cycles biological biomass biosphere carbon carbon cycle channel chemical chlorophyll climate change climate models CO2 concentration Crutzen curvature cycle CZCS denitrification discharge distribution drainage drainage basin dynamics ecological ecosystems effects Elbe emissions environment environmental estimates estuaries evapotranspiration example Figure flow fluvial system flux foraminifera forest geomorphology Geophys global change gradient groundwater systems horizon ice cores important increase influence interactions isobaths landform landscape measurements mixing moisture nitrification nitrogen nutrients occur ocean organic oxidation ozone parameters patch pattern phenomena photochemistry phytoplankton pollution precipitation prediction problem processes production rates ratio recharge regions result sampling Schimel Schumm Science SCOPE SCOPE/UNEP seasonal sediment Shugart significant simulation slope soil properties spatial and temporal spatial scales species subsurface successional temperature terrestrial trace gases transect transport tree tropical troposphere tropospheric ozone variability variations vegetation vertical Walsh Woodmansee zone