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Biome Modelling and the Carbon Cycle

  • Conference paper
The Global Carbon Cycle

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASII,volume 15))

Abstract

Structurally and functionally distinct ecosystem complexes, known as biomes, occur in different climates. There are several global biome classifications but most recognize 15–20 biomes, and all agree on the nature and approximate extent of a number of such easily identifiable entities as the tundra, hot deserts, temperate deciduous forests and tropical rain forests. Differences between biomes are important for the carbon cycle because they account for much of the spatial variation in the size of the biomass and soil carbon stores. Biomass carbon storage is typically < 1 kg m-2 in tundra and deserts, ca 10 kg m-2 in many temperate forests and ca 20 kg m-2 in tropical rain forest (Olson et al. 1983). Soil carbon storage is typically < 3 kg m-2 in hot deserts, ca 10 kg m-2 in tropical rain forest, ca 15 kg m-2 in many temperate forests and > 15 kg m-2 in the tundra (Post et al. 1982).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Ecology, Lund University, Östra Vallgatan 14, S-223 61, Lund, Sweden

    I. Colin Prentice

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  1. I. Colin Prentice
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck Institut für Meteorologie, Bundesstrasse 55, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Martin Heimann

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© 1993 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Prentice, I.C. (1993). Biome Modelling and the Carbon Cycle. In: Heimann, M. (eds) The Global Carbon Cycle. NATO ASI Series, vol 15. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84608-3_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84608-3_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-84610-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-84608-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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