Transcript Real progress will required problem focused, multidisciplinary field

WUN Adapting to Climate Change 3
Advances and Opportunities in
Global Critical Zone Observatory Research
Steve Banwart
The University of Sheffield
Earth’s Critical Zone
Critical Zone Observatory Program
“Real progress will required problem focused, multidisciplinary field work in natural observatories
where detailed, long-term observations can be made using a variety of disciplinary tools.” (US
National Academy of Science Report, BROES, 2001)
The approach to observation is motivated by:
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hypothesis testing,
process understanding across temporal and spatial scales
mathematical model development,
Utilising multiple sensor and sampling methods,
Often high-density instrument arrays,
Time series/real time measurements of coupled process dynamics,
Combining large data sets with numerical simulation
Process Dynamics Across
Spatial and Temporal Scales
Basin
Watershed
Soil profile
Grain
Molecular
CZOs are magnets for
multidisciplinary research
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Soil Science
Geomorphology
Hydrology
Ecology
Molecular Biology
Microbiology
Geochemistry
Economics
Management Science
Engineering
Human Geography
… and many others
Critical Zone Architecture
Critical Zone Services
The Chain of Impact
GHGs and Climate Regulation
Food and fibre production
Carbon Storage
Nutrient Transformation
Biological Habitat
Gene Pool
Filtering Water
Parent Material – forming soil
Baseflow to rivers
Storing and transmitting heat
Repository for hazardous wastes
Physical scaffold for landscapes
Attenuating contaminants
Storing and transmitting water
Millenium Development Goals
Soil Ecosystem Services are central to meeting United
Nations Millenium Development Goals
• To end poverty and hunger
• To ensure environmental sustainability
– Integrate sustainability into country policy and
programmes
(EC Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection)
– Significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss
– Increase access to basic drinking water and sanitation
– Significant improvement in lives of slum dwellers
• Global soils are under threat
The Perfect Storm
In March 2010, the UK Chief Scientist stated that humanity faced a perfect storm
of converging challenges within the next 40 years.
• Increase in population to over 9.3 billion by 2050
• Doubling in demand for food and for fuel
• More than 50% increase in demand for clean water
• … all while mitigating and adapting to the impacts of global climate change.
During recent months several of these projections have been updated.
• Quadrupling in global economy by 2050
• Human population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050
• Greenhouse gas levels for N2O and CH4 have just exceeded previous records
• CO2 levels are increasing faster at the moment than in previous years
• Agricultural yields are projected to decrease overall due to insufficient water
• Demand for productive land will outstrip global capacity by 10-45% by 2050
… The Storm is growing in intensity
Nature, 474, 151-152, 9 June, 2011
Nature
International CZO Networks
Developing International CZO programme
• EC SoilTrEC project
• French Network of River Basins
• German TERENO CZO network and new AQUADIVA CZO project
• 30+ sites of the China Terestrial Ecology Research Network
• 89 scientists from 25 countries representing ~60 field sites for Critical Zone Research
Collaboration:
• Shared sites and data
• Numerical simulation approaches
• PhD and post-doc training
Shared experimental design to tackle the science questions
• Networks of CZOs along global environmental gradients
• Study sensitivity of CZ architecture and function to drivers of change
• Expand interdisciplinarity, recruit new expertise, broaden geographical footprint
along gradients
International CZO Research Agenda
Available as download from
www.czen.org
Global Experimental Design
CZO Networks along gradients of climate
Map from World Climate. http://www.climate-charts.com/index.html
Anderson et al. (2012). Sustaining Earth’s Critical Zone. Report of the International CZO Workshop, 9-11
November, 2011, U. Delaware. Available from www.soiltrec.eu
Global Experimental Design
CZO Networks along gradients of land use
Map from: UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands
Anderson et al. (2012). Sustaining Earth’s Critical Zone. Report of the International CZO Workshop,
9-11 November, 2011, U. Delaware. Available from www.soiltrec.eu
International Environmental Policy
United Nations Environment Programme
The 2012 Year Book presents the most important
events and developments from the year, gives a picture
of the status of key environmental indicators, and also
highlights two emerging issues in detail: the benefits of
soil carbon and the decommissioning of nuclear power
plants.
UNEP Yearbook 2012
Convene 40 leading international experts
Synthesis of evidence for international sciencepolicy interface
5-day workshop held in March 2013
Cross-cutting synthesis and policy briefs
Climate change
Food security
Water resources
Biomass production
Human wellbeing
31 Chapter volume, 77 authors worldwide
www.soilcarbon.org.uk
Faculty of Science
Soil Science
The ‘Critical Zone Concept’ in the southern
Hemisphere – an international workshop
Asst/Prof Matthias Leopold, Assoc/Prof Deirdre Gleeson, Asst/Prof Gavan McGrath
[email protected]
Thurs 10 - Sat 12th of April 2014
Winthrop Hall at UWA
View from UWA campus towards Perth
2014年“国际关键带科学前沿”工作会议
Frontiers in International Critical Zone
Science 2014
May 21-24, 2014，Beijing，China
Actions to complete by end of 2014
• International Strategy Group established by funders
• Initial working group meeting on data standards and sharing
• Framework for a jointly-funded international CZO programme
• Road map for first joint calls in 2015
• Strategic platform for a long-term intergovernmental programme