IGBP High Latitude Transects
The Challenge of Global Change
The world's enviornmental conditions are changing at unprecedented rates and spatial scales.
Management of these rapid changes requires fundamental knowledge of the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to the forces of global change.
The Global Change Transects
To answer this major research challenge, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme has established a series of Terrestrial Transects.
These transects are designed to integrate global change studies along existing gradients in temperature, precipitaiton, and land use.
These transects also address particular global change questions where: a long period of prior equilibration is required; spatial context is essential; and where thresholds along a continuum and gradient-driven processes are important. The transect approach also promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary research.
The IGBP High Latitude Transects
The high latitude transects of the IGBP span significant variation and co-variation of several environmental variables. Together, these transects provide a network for improving our understanding of controls over vegetation dynamics, carbon dynamics, and water and energy exchange in high latitudes.
DESCRIPTION OF IGBP HIGH LATITUDE TRANSECTS
IGBP HIGH LATITUDE TRANSECT WORKING GROUP