Journal Article

Where does the carbon go? A model–data intercomparison of vegetation carbon allocation and turnover processes at two temperate forest free‐air CO₂ enrichment sites

Hanson, Paul J, Asao, Shinichi, De Kauwe, Martin G, Smith, Benjamin, Dietze, Michael C, Wårlind, David, Parton, William J, Wang, Ying‐Ping, McCarthy, Heather R, Warren, Jeffrey M, Norby, Richard J, Jain, Atul K, Hickler, Thomas, Thornton, Peter E, Luo, Yiqi, Oren, Ram, Medlyn, Belinda E, Walker, Anthony P, El‐Masri, Bassil, Zaehle, Sönke, Weng, Ensheng, Iversen, Colleen M, Prentice, I. Colin, Wang, Shusen

2014

Overview

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration (eCO₂) has the potential to increase vegetation carbon storage if increased net primary production causes increased long‐lived biomass. Model predictions of eCO₂ effects on vegetation carbon storage depend on how allocation and turnover processes are represented. We used data from two temperate forest free‐air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) experiments to evaluate representations of allocation and turnover in 11 ecosystem models. Observed eCO₂ effects on allocation were dynamic. Allocation schemes based on functional relationships among biomass fractions that vary with resource availability were best able to capture the general features of the observations. Allocation schemes based on constant fractions or resource limitations performed less well, with some models having unintended outcomes. Few models represent turnover processes mechanistically and there was wide variation in predictions of tissue lifespan. Consequently, models did not perform well at predicting eCO₂ effects on vegetation carbon storage. Our recommendations to reduce uncertainty include: use of allocation schemes constrained by biomass fractions; careful testing of allocation schemes; and synthesis of allocation and turnover data in terms of model parameters. Data from intensively studied ecosystem manipulation experiments are invaluable for constraining models and we recommend that such experiments should attempt to fully quantify carbon, water and nutrient budgets.

• Publisher: William Wesley and Son,New Phytologist Trust,Wiley Subscription Services, Inc,BlackWell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: Air - analysis / allocation / Atmospheric models / Biomass / carbon / carbon (C) / Carbon - analysis / Carbon capture and storage / Carbon dioxide / Carbon Dioxide - analysis / Carbon sequestration / climate change / Climate models / CO2 fertilisation / Coefficients / Computer Simulation / Data / Earth and Related Environmental Sciences / Ecosystem / Ecosystem assessment / Ecosystem models / ecosystems / elevated CO2 / Environment models / Experiments / Forest canopy / Forest Science / Forests / free air carbon dioxide enrichment / free‐air CO2 enrichment (FACE) / Geovetenskap och relaterad miljövetenskap / Intercomparison / Leaves / Life span / longevity / Modeling / Models, Theoretical / Natural Sciences / Naturgeografi / Naturvetenskap / Net Primary Productivity / Performance prediction / phenology / Physical Geography / Plant roots / Plants / prediction / Primary production / primary productivity / Resource availability / Skogsvetenskap / Temperate forests / Trees - chemistry / Vegetation / Vegetation effects / Wood - physiology