Biospheric feedbacks are a significant uncertainty in our current understanding of the Earth system which can benefit from co-ordinated research efforts. Both their magnitude and behaviour under changing climate conditions and increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations are uncertain. Feedbacks influence many components of the Earth system, such as the biosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, and include controls on the fluxes of CO2, CH4, N2O, and VOCs, amongst others.

This session will examine the biogeochemical processes that are likely to affect the evolution of the Earth system over the coming decades, with a focus on the dynamics of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the development of improved understanding through (a) fieldwork and laboratory experiments, (b) development of new observational datasets, both modern and palaeo, and (c) simulations using numerical models. Novel approaches combining observational datasets with models to improve constraints are particularly welcome.

This session arises from the Marie Curie Initial Training Network GREENCYCLESII, which aims to substantially improve current understanding of the impacts of climate-biogeochemistry feedbacks on the evolution of the Earth system. Contributions from non-network members are particularly welcome and abstract submissions for the above session are now being accepted.

Solicited presentation: Yiqi Luo - Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Oklahoma