Project description
Growing a new generation of terrestrial biosphere models
Terrestrial biosphere model (TBM) simulations are key to researching ecosystem dynamics and biosphere-atmosphere interactions. Current TBMs represent worldwide vegetation by a dozen rigid plant functional types, with empirical mechanisms calibrated on discrete observations. In the case of highly diverse ecosystems like tropical forests, this means only one clone of the same plant is represented. The EU-funded LEAF-2-TBM project will address this limitation to simulate the effects of plant diversity on tropical forest ecosystem functioning and associated global biogeochemical cycles based on an integrated assessment of processes across different scales. Specifically, it will quantify the effect of the functional diversity on ecosystem fluxes for two forests located in the Congo Basin and Amazon. The findings will guide next-generation TBMs, which are central for policy decision-making.
Objective
The representation of terrestrial ecosystems is a key source of uncertainty in future projections of the coupled carbon cycle/climatic system. Current Terrestrial Biosphere Models (TBMs) represent the worldwide vegetation by a dozen of rigid Plant Functional Types (PFT), with empirical mechanisms calibrated on discrete observations. As a result, TBMs represent highly diverse ecosystems such as tropical forests with only one clone of the same plant. This over-simplified representation arises from the lack of observations in some regions such as over Africa, which leads to widely diverging results for C cycling and nutrient/water limitations under future scenarios.
Simulating plant diversity is crucial for assessing global change impact on ecosystems and their feedback on climate.
LEAF2TBM targets the unresolved challenge for TBMs to simulate the effects of plant diversity on tropical forest ecosystem functioning and associated global biogeochemical cycles based on an integrated assessment of processes across different scales.
I will achieve this by using unique concomitant field observations of carbon dioxide and water vapor exchanges measured at multiple scales (from individuals to ecosystem) and state-of-the-art modelling approaches to ( 1 ) accurately quantify the effect of the functional diversity on ecosystems fluxes for two forests located in the Congo Basin and Amazon; ( 2 ) disentangle the roles of species composition and environment on ecosystems fluxes; and ( 3 ) provide a robust estimate of the global C budget uncertainty for tropical forests in TBMs.
LEAF2TBM will enhance EU scientific excellence and will be a crucial step for guiding the development of the next generation TBMs that are central for policy decision making. The science excellence and training through LEAF2TBM will enable me to apply for senior research positions or an ERC starting grant in the future, which would allow me to establish my own research group on terrestrial ecology.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences meteorology biosphera
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
9000 Gent
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.