Ecological Climatology: Concepts and Applications

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Cambridge University Press, Sep 18, 2008 - Science
This book introduces an interdisciplinary framework to understand the interaction between terrestrial ecosystems and climate change. It reviews basic meteorological, hydrological and ecological concepts to examine the physical, chemical and biological processes by which terrestrial ecosystems affect and are affected by climate. The textbook is written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying ecology, environmental science, atmospheric science and geography. The central argument is that terrestrial ecosystems become important determinants of climate through their cycling of energy, water, chemical elements and trace gases. This coupling between climate and vegetation is explored at spatial scales from plant cells to global vegetation geography and at timescales of near instantaneous to millennia. The text also considers how human alterations to land become important for climate change. This restructured edition, with updated science and references, chapter summaries and review questions, and over 400 illustrations, including many in colour, serves as an essential student guide.
 

Contents

Preface
1956
Components of the Earth system
1986
l
Atmospheric radiation
Soil physics
Water balance
Watershed hydrology
Surface energy fluxes
Vegetation dynamics
Disturbances and landscapes
Land surface processes in climate models
Plant canopies
Soil biogeochemistry
Seasonaltointerannual variability
Land use and landcover change
Turbulent fluxes

Soil moisture and the atmospheric boundary layer
Leaf energy fluxes
Leaf photosynthesis
Plant strategies
Populations and communities
Ecosystems
Coupled climatevegetation dynamics
Carbon cycleclimate feedbacks
Urbanization
Index
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About the author (2008)

Gordan Bonan is a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Colorado. His research interests include the ecological and hydrological processes by which land affects climate and how natural and human changes in vegetation alter climate.

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