Increasing the spatial and temporal impact of ecological research: A roadmap for integrating a novel terrestrial process into an Earth system model. (14th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kyker‐Snowman, Emily; Lombardozzi, Danica L.; Bonan, Gordon B.; Cheng, Susan J.; Dukes, Jeffrey S.; Frey, Serita D.; Jacobs, Elin M.; McNellis, Risa; Rady, Joshua M.; Smith, Nicholas G.; Thomas, R. Quinn; Wieder, William R.; Grandy, A. Stuart
• Is Part Of: Global change biology. Volume 28:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 665
• Page End: 684
• Publication Date: 2021-10-14
• Subjects: collaborative bridging -- data‐model integration -- Earth system models -- global ecology -- history of models -- interdisciplinary workflow -- modeling across scales; Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Troposphere -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; Eutrophication -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15894
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-1013

Abstract

Abstract: Terrestrial ecosystems regulate Earth's climate through water, energy, and biogeochemical transformations. Despite a key role in regulating the Earth system, terrestrial ecology has historically been underrepresented in the Earth system models (ESMs) that are used to understand and project global environmental change. Ecology and Earth system modeling must be integrated for scientists to fully comprehend the role of ecological systems in driving and responding to global change. Ecological insights can improve ESM realism and reduce process uncertainty, while ESMs offer ecologists an opportunity to broadly test ecological theory and increase the impact of their work by scaling concepts through time and space. Despite this mutualism, meaningfully integrating the two remains a persistent challenge, in part because of logistical obstacles in translating processes into mathematical formulas and identifying ways to integrate new theories and code into large, complex model structures. To help overcome this interdisciplinary challenge, we present a framework consisting of a series of interconnected stages for integrating a new ecological process or insight into an ESM. First, we highlight the multiple ways that ecological observations and modeling iteratively strengthen one another, dispelling the illusion that the ecologist's role ends with initial provision of data. Second, we show that many valuable insights, products, and theoretical developments are produced through sustained interdisciplinary collaborations between empiricists and modelers, regardless of eventual inclusion of a process in an ESM. Finally, we provide concrete actions and resources to facilitate learning and collaboration at every stage of data‐model integration. This framework will create synergies that will transform our understanding of ecology within the Earth system, ultimately improving our understanding of global environmental change, and broadening the impact of ecological research. Abstract : Terrestrial ecology has historically been underrepresented in the Earth system models (ESMs) that are used to understand and project global environmental change. The prevalent existing paradigm in ecology–ESM integration separates tasks along disciplinary lines. We recommend a new set of steps for ecology–ESM integration that shifts away from this historical paradigm toward a more collaborative one in which empiricists and modelers are involved in coproducing knowledge at every stage of data collection, theory development, and model integration.