GREENCYCLESII

T4.3 Altug Ekici

The research is dedicated to a better understanding of the role of vegetation-soil feedbacks for biogeochemical cycles within the Earth system. In particular we are focusing on the interaction between the carbon and water cycles at different spatial and temporal scales. The PhD candidate will contribute to these issues from a modeling perspective. We are using dynamic global vegetation models which combine representations of biogeochemical fluxes and terrestrial vegetation dynamics to address the response of ecosystem functions to climate change. However, such models are poor in representing processes in the high latitudes, in particular carbon processes in permafrost soils. Therefore, this project is dedicated to further develop a global process model with respect to soll carbon processes and their interaction with vegetation processes in the Arctic. In particular, the project aims at developing algorithms which provide the opportunity to represent Arctic vertical soil carbon profiles within the land-surface scheme JSBACH. For this, new modules describing soil thermal dynamics and carbon transport are required. Calibration and validation of the respective modules will be performed by using site-level and remotely sensed observations. With such new modeling techniques, studies about the ecosystem response to climate change will be performed, and potential carbon cycle-climate feedbacks will be investigated by carrying out necessary simulations. Conducting such research will help better evaluating high latitude terrestrial ecosystem processes and their potential interactions with the climate system.

https://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/bgc-mdi/index.php/Main/AltugEkici