The importance of feedback processes and vegetation transition in the terrestrial carbon cycle

The Integrated Model to Assess the Greenhouse Effect (IMAGE 2) simulated the global society-biosphere-climate system. The terrestrial C cycle model, an important component of this model, is implemented on a grid, runs on an annual time step and simulates the major C fluxes between the atmosphere and the biosphere and controls the storage capacity of C in different compartments. The C fluxes are influenced by the direct and indirect response of ecosystems to changing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and climates. Each ecosystem is characterized by its net primary production, which depends on environmental conditions. Incorporation of grid cell specific feedback processes is an innovation. Implemented feedback processes are CO₂ fertilization effects of climate change on photosynthesis, plant respiration and decomposition and shifts in vegetation plant respiration and decomposition and shifts in vegetation patterns due to climate change and changes in water use efficiency. -from Authors