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Program Domain

Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions

Setting up a portable eddy-covariance system to measure carbon and water flux in the San Francisco Delta. Portable solar panels provide power.
Setting up a portable eddy-covariance system to measure carbon and water flux in the San Francisco Delta

To advance understanding of dynamic biosphere-atmosphere interactions involving greenhouse gases, water and energy, such as respiration, photosynthesis, and ecosystem carbon storage.

Programs

Program

Terrestrial Ecosystem Science

This program’s focus is to understand and explain mechanisms and processes controlling primary production, carbon cycling, and soil biogeochemistry; the impacts of disturbance on terrestrial ecosystems; and ecosystem feedbacks to climate in vulnerable environments. In addition, it seeks to establish and maintain environmental field observatories.

Margaret Torn

Margaret S. Torn mstorn@lbl.gov 510-495-2223

Program

Climate Modeling

This program aims to develop global process-resolving models to help quantify the roles of climate feedbacks in anthropogenic climate change. Abrupt and extreme climate changes from anthropogenic warming pose some of the greatest risks to society and the environment. Understanding of the complex interactions involved with feedbacks is critical.

Christina Marie Patricola cmpatricola@lbl.gov

lightening strike in Great Plains Oklahoma
Program

Atmospheric System Research

The Earth and Environmental Sciences Area’s, Atmospheric System Research Program advances fundamental understanding of atmospheric radiation, clouds, and precipitation, and their interactions with Earth’s surface and climate.

Margaret Torn

Margaret S. Torn mstorn@lbl.gov 510-495-2223

Background

The Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions (BAI) Program Domain was initiated early 2016, within the new Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division (Fall 2015). Programs and projects within this program domain use measurements, theory and models to deepen understanding of complex terrestrial ecosystem processes that have profound impacts on atmospheric composition and climate.

Research endeavors involve both large and small teams of researchers, assessing factors for ecosystem response to climate change, such as disturbance impacts on terrestrial ecosystems in vulnerable environments, or carbon storage changes in response to warming soils. Scientists work from molecular to regional to global spatial scales, and from diurnal to centennial timescales. Collaborations involve big data sets and international networks.

BAI is one of four Program Domains within the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division.

Current research activities

  • Use atmospheric measurements and process understanding to evaluate and improve Earth system models.
  • Advance basic understanding of the role of the land surface in cloud and precipitation processes, including drought and heat extremes.
  • Measure heterogeneous soil moisture and surface fluxes for process understanding, model implementation, and uncertainty analysis.

Program Domain Leads

Margaret Torn

Margaret S. Torn
Senior Scientist

News & Events

New Look at Climate Data Shows Substantially Wetter Rain and Snow Days Ahead

April 24, 2023

Research shows that by the end of the century the biggest rain and snow days will be 20 to 30% wetter than they are today

EESA Scientists Investigate How Tropical Soil Microbes Might Respond to Future Droughts

March 14, 2023

As the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, tropical rainforests are just as critical to sustaining environmental and human systems as they are beautiful. Their unique climate with high temperatures, humidity, and precipitation promotes high primary productivity, which offsets high respiration, resulting in these ecosystems being one of the largest carbon sinks on Earth,…

Doubling Protected Lands for Biodiversity Could Require Tradeoffs With Other Land Uses, Study Finds

March 3, 2023

This article first appeared on lbl.gov. Scientists show how 30% protected land targets may not safeguard biodiversity hotspots and may negatively affect other sectors – and how data and analysis can support effective conservation and land use planning Although more than half the world’s countries have committed to protecting at least 30% of land and oceans…

A Q&A With Rachel Ward

February 13, 2023

After witnessing tropical deforestation in Honduras and collaborating with farmers impacted by the degradation in these forests, Ph.D. candidate Rachel Ward knew what she wanted to study next–tropical forest regeneration. Ward’s passion to study the impact of tropical forests on both communities and the global carbon cycle led her to pursuing a Ph.D. with the…

A Q&A With Jessica Needham

After being immersed in the Bornean rainforest and surrounded by Dipterocarp trees–large tropical trees with winged seeds–during a field trip in Borneo, Research Scientist Jessica Needham’s life was changed. Since then, her passion to study forests has only grown stronger–and has even led her to modeling tree growth patterns all over the world.  Question: What…

A Q&A With Barbara Bomfim

Growing up in Brasilia, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Barbara Bomfim experienced the transformation of the savannas and rainforests that surrounded her. Now studying wind disturbance and nutrient cycling on the NGEE-Tropics project, Bomfim is passionate about tropical forest response to disturbances in the hopes of advancing science necessary for well-informed and effective forest management.  Question: What…

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