Synopses & Reviews
Plants have colonized and modified the world's surface for the past 400 million years. In this book the authors demonstrate that an understanding of the role of vegetation in the terrestrial carbon cycle during this time can be gained by linking the key mechanistic elements of present day vegetation processes to models of the global climate during different geological eras. The resulting interactive simulations of climate and vegetation processes tie in with observable geological data supporting the validity of the authors' approach.
Synopsis
Using knowledge of present day vegetation processes and models of global climate, the authors simulate and analyse changes in the earth's vegetation and in the capacity of the Earth's carbon cycle over the past 400 million years. Possible conditions in future centuries are also investigated, providing valuable predictions.
Synopsis
Plants have colonised the World's surface for the last 400 million years. In this book the authors demonstrate that the role of vegetation in the terrestrial carbon cycle during this time can be analysed by considering the key elements of present day vegetation processes linked to models of the global climate during different geological eras. Simulation of possible conditions in future centuries are also presented, providing valuable predictions of the status of the Earth's vegetation and carbon cycle at a time of global warming.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements; Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Investigating the past from the present; 3. Climate and terrestrial vegetation of the present; 4. The global climate system and terrestrial carbon cycle; 5. The late Carboniferous; 6. The Jurassic; 6. The Cretaceous; 8. The Eocene; 9. The late Quaternary; 10. Climate and terrestrial vegetation in the future; 11. Endview; References; Index.