Welcome to Indiana University GEOG-G481/581: Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling

These course notes are for the in-class exercises and assessments in GEOG-G481/581.

Department of Geography
Indiana University
Spring 2021

Lecture: Monday and Wednesday 9:25-10:40am
Lecture Location: SB 138

Instructor: Dr. Natasha MacBean
Office: Student Building 204
Email: nmacbean@indiana.edu
Office hours: Monday and Wednesday 10:45-11:45am

Short course description

This course introduces students to the major components of terrestrial ecosystem models – the land component of earth system models that are used in climate change projections. These components include biogeochemical, hydrology and energy cycles, as well as processes that impact ecosystems, such as disturbance, land use change and land management.

Course Objectives

This course introduces students to Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling. Terrestrial Ecosystem Models (TEMs) – otherwise known as terrestrial biosphere models, land surface models, or dynamic vegetation models – typically form the land component of global scale earth system models that are used in IPCC climate change projections to model earth system responses to global environmental change. These models include biogeochemical, hydrology and energy cycles, as well as processes that impact ecosystems, such as disturbance, land use change and land management.

In this course, students will learn about each of these major components of TEMs. Students will also focus in depth on one specific component of TEMs that is pertinent to their research, interests or career goals via independent research and readings on the topic and an in-class project and presentation. We will also learn about the history of terrestrial ecosystem model development, particularly within the context of climate change modeling, the challenges of developing models, the remaining gaps or structural inadequacies of these models, and about quantifying and reducing model uncertainty via data assimilation.

In practical classes throughout the second part of the course, students will have a chance to develop a simple carbon cycle model, starting from the initial concept, through the equations, then the computational algorithm needed to implement the model, and finally to the writing the code (in Python). We will develop this model together in class and via practical assignments. Students will then use this model to run experiments to better understand how models work, and to learn how we use models to better understand physical and biogeochemical processes. Some experience in computer programming would be helpful for the practical component, but is not necessary.

This course should be useful for anyone interested in, or carrying out research, in any aspect of how ecosystems are responding to global environmental change, regardless of the specific biome or timescale being studied. Having an understanding of how terrestrial ecosystem models work should add great value to their study area given the importance of these models in making future climate change projections that contribute to IPCC Assessment Reports. There are no pre-requisites for this course, but students must have completed a course in ecosystem science, hydrology, biogeochemistry, ecological climatology or another related field. Permission with consent of instructor.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

Course goals:

Students will complete this course with a foundational knowledge of what terrestrial ecosystem models are, how they are developed, and how they are used to make predictions about the response of the terrestrial biosphere to global change drivers. Students will be given a grounding in the basic principles of terrestrial ecosystem modeling from the overall concept to developing the equations, to writing the computational programming code needed to execute these models.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this course, students should:

Understand the basic components of terrestrial ecosystem models: biogeochemical cycles, hydrology, energy budget, disturbance, dynamic vegetation, and anthropogenic land use and management.
Have in-depth knowledge of one of these components depending on student’s own interests and research (see Class Project).
Have an appreciation of the advantages, limitations and uncertainties of the models and of modeling in general.
Learn how to develop a simple ecosystem model from identifying the initial concept and purpose of the model, through understanding the equations, through implementing these equations in scientific code that can be used to execute the model.
Use the model we have built together in class to understand how computational models of ecosystem processes work and how they can be used to make predictions.
Understand where TEMs fit in with Earth System Modeling and other types of modeling frameworks (e.g. regional climate models, catchment hydrology models, weather prediction etc)
Understand how these models are used in climate and global change projections (such as in IPCC reports).
Be able to read and understand high impact scientific literature that describes predictions made with these models within the context of understanding the impact of global change drivers (e.g. climate change, CO2 emissions and land use change) on terrestrial ecosystems and the feedbacks to climate.

Textbook: Bonan, G. (2019) Climate Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling, 1st Edition, Cambridge University Press, UK. Note: Supplemental readings will be provided on Canvas.