Biological Control of Land Surface Atmosphere Exchange: An  Ecosystem Approach
{'Code': '08010208', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'DEB', 'LongName': 'Division Of Environmental Biology'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Crystal Blackshear'}
Biological control of water, carbon dioxide and energy                     exchange at the land surface is an important factor modifying                   climate, and climate change; its study requires consideration of                biophysical processes over time and space scales of ecosystem                   change.  Simple biophysical models have been employed to address                land surface/climate interactions, but controls over mass and                   energy fluxes by ecosystem processes such as nutrient                           availability or herbivory have not been considered.  It is                      hypothesized that biotic controls such as nutrients and herbivory               significantly affect vegetation-mediated mass and energy fluxes,                and that these biological effects are largest when fluxes are                   largest.  Preliminary landscape-scale process studies suggest                   that leaf nitrogen and nitrogen use efficiency are key parameters               regulating exchange, and have high spatial amplitude at both                    proposed sites (short- and tall- grasslands).  It is proposed to                analyze ecosystem controls over mass and energy fluxes and                      develop a model designed for use at landscape to regional scales.                                                                                               The model explicitly considers variation in characteristic time                 rates of change of biophysical and ecosystem processes and may be               driven using remotely-sensed inputs.  Process studies will                      develop relationships among plant and ecosystem variables and                   spectral features.  This project will evaluate GIS and remote                   sensing-based techniques for spatial extrapolation using the                    model, including applications of new high spectral resolution                   sensors.  Several approaches for choosing spatial resolution for                spatial simulation will be compared and evaluated relative to                   measured regional carbon dioxide and water fluxes at the Konza                  and Central Plains LTER sites.                                                       The immediate phase of this project will address (1) the                   ability of coupled models to simulate seasonal fluxes at selected               sites and (2) the ability of field spectrometers to detect plant                canopy characteristics necessary to the simulations.                                 The project team is excellent.  Institutional accommodations               and facilities are quite good.  The research should produce                     results important to resolution of questions on grazing land                    production and the effects of possible climate change.                               The Ecosystem Studies Program recommends that an award be                  made.
[{'FirstName': 'David', 'LastName': 'Schimel', 'EmailAddress': 'dschimel@neoninc.org', 'StartDate': '03/15/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}, {'FirstName': 'James', 'LastName': 'Detling', 'EmailAddress': 'jimd@nrel.colostate.edu', 'StartDate': '03/15/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Co-Principal Investigator'}, {'FirstName': 'N. Thompson', 'LastName': 'Hobbs', 'EmailAddress': 'tom.hobbs@colostate.edu', 'StartDate': '03/15/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Co-Principal Investigator'}]
{'Name': 'Colorado State University', 'CityName': 'Fort Collins', 'ZipCode': '805232002', 'PhoneNumber': '9704916355', 'StreetAddress': '601 S Howes St', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Colorado', 'StateCode': 'CO'}
{'Code': '1128', 'Text': 'Population & Community Ecology'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8820508.xml'}