Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Arctic Biosphere-Atmosphere Coupling across multiple Scales  (ABACUS)

Outline
We propose a major, linked programme of plant and soil process studies, micro-meteorological, aircraft and satellite observations, and modelling, to tackle the uncertainties in the response of the arctic terrestrial biosphere to global change. The overall science question is “what controls the interannual and spatial variability of net carbon and energy exchange between arctic ecosystems and the atmosphere across a range of scales, from point to landscape?” Our objective is to advance process understanding of arctic biosphere-atmosphere interactions. We will incorporate this knowledge into models to improve predictions of dynamics of arctic carbon (C), energy and hydrological cycles. The study area will be focused in northern Fennoscandia, covering the mountains and plains of northern Sweden and Finland. At two contrasting sites along a continentality gradient (Abisko, Sweden and Kevo, Finland) we will build upon and extend long term research undertaken by team members and international partners. We will also link closely to work undertaken by consortium members and international collaborators in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Svalbard. We propose eight work packages (WPs) in this project WP1 - Plants. Allocation and phenology, respiration:production ratios for major community types (harvests, rhizotrons and 13C tracer experiments) WP2 - Soils. Turnover of soil organic matter, landscape distribution of soils. (soil surveys, 13C labelled litter, 14C dating). WP3 - Fluxes. Soil effluxes, branch fluxes, NEP chambers. WP4 - Tower. Eddy flux towers recording continuous CO2 and energy exchanges. WP5 - Aircraft. Research aircraft, flux measurements, planetary boundary layer dynamics. WP6 - Earth Observation. Multi-resolution image analysis, linking reflectance to ecological variables, landscape LAI measurement. WP7 - Scaling up. Models to link chambers to towers and towers to aircraft. WP8 - Management, training and dissemination. Run international workshop, post-grad summer-school, arrange journal special issue, undergraduate summer field experience.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
(1) It will quantify the current state of the arctic environment, particularly soils, the land surface and the atmosphere. (2) Through a focus on soil organic matter and vegetation dynamics and C reservoirs/partitioning it will contribute towards improved understanding of past and present arctic change. (3) It will improve understanding of coupled processes involving the arctic system (land-atmosphere exchanges of energy and radiatively-forcing trace gases). (4) It will predict the future state of the Arctic, using process models to determine how current and future biogeochemical cycles of arctic regions feed back on the broader Earth system.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
ABACUS will fund UK researchers, but the research will be based in Fennoscandia and will involved collaboration with researchers from Sweden, Finland, Canada and the US.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Most of the field work will carried out in the Abisko area in Northern Sweden and Kevo in northern Finland.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/06 – 08/06      05/07 – 09/07      05/08 – 09/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The Abisko and Kevo Stations will serve as the base for the activities. The major logistics support for the project will be helicopter transports for moving equipment and aircraft activity for experimental measurements.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No physical infrastructure, but it will stimulate monitoring activities, generate databases of earth observation data, create new modelling infrastructures, and generate and test new methodologies

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
National agency
Commercial operator
Own support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has passed the first phase of review by the UK Natural Environmental Research Council.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


This is a new proposal, but it builds on existing work in the Abisko area (the STEPPS project) and historical work in Abisko and Kevo undertaken by the consortium members.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The overall management will be via a Scientific Steering Committee in the UK made up of ABACUS work package leaders. A project manager based in the UK will be responsible for day-to-day management. In the field organisation will be undertaken in collaboration with the Abisko and Kevo Station personnel.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
ABACUS will fund involvement of undergraduates in field campaigns, will run a summer-school for post-graduate students, will develop and maintain a web site, and run an international workshop at Abisko.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management will be undertaken using guidelines from IPY and from UK NERC. Data will be archived with the NERC Data Centres, and will be easily available via the internet.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Via a competitive funding round with UK NERC (submissions due 21 July 2005, with decision by January 2006).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Mathew Williams
University of Edinburgh
School of GeoSciences
Crew Bldg, Edinburgh
Eh9 3JN
UK

Tel: +44 131 650 7776
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation