Effects of Warming the Deep Soil and Permafrost on Ecosystem Carbon Balance in Alaskan Tundra: A Coupled Measurement and Modeling Approach. DOE, 2011-2014. (Co-PI, PI: Ted Schuur, University of Florida)

Tundra is one of the most sensitive ecosystems to global change. The loss of carbon from the tundra ecosystems will potentially become one of the most significant feedbacks from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere. This project is designed to advance our understanding on permafrost responses to climate warming. The Ecolab of Dr. Luo will conduct modeling analysis and data assimilation toward prediction of tundra responses to global change. Specifically, the modeling study in this proposed project will achieve three objectives, which are (1) Integration of measurements toward systems analysis of ecosystem responses to global change; (2) model-assisted analysis of 14C data to understand dynamics of old vs. new carbon; and (3) incorporation of measurements at the site into the regional and global earth system models.