Modelling natural wetlands from LGM to Anthropocene

Abstract:

While natural wetlands are the largest natural source of methane, they also accumulate substantial amounts of carbon, with estimates of peat accumulated during the Holocene reaching 600 PgC. The consideration of natural wetlands in land surface models therefore is an important challenge for closing the GHG budgets on both short and long time scales.

In order to mechanistically model glacial-interglacial carbon cycle dynamics, we have developed a dynamical model of wetland extent and wetland biogeochemistry, which we have integrated in the coupled climate carbon cycle model of intermediate complexity CLIMBER2-LPJ. This model consists of the climate model of intermediate complexity CLIMBER2, containing dynamic models of atmosphere and ocean, as well as sea ice and land surface modules. Its coarse spatial resolution leads to a high computational speed, which allows long-term transient integrations of the coupled model.

Land carbon dynamics are computed using the dynamic global vegetation model LPJ, running at a high spatial resolution of 0.5° and coupled to CLIMBER2 using the climate anomalies approach. Changes in land carbon storage as a response to changes in climate or atmospheric CO₂ are therefore taken into account interactively at high spatial resolution.

Within this model, we have implemented a module that dynamically determines the extent of a grid cell that is inundated, based on the TOPMODEL approach, incorporating sub-grid scale information on hydrological properties of the land surface. Within the wetlands determined, decomposition of carbon is slowed under anaerobic conditions and methane is generated, which is emitted via the three pathways of diffusion, ebullition and plant mediated transport. In addition, the excess of biomass production over organic matter decomposition in permanent wetlands leads to accumulation of peat.

We have performed model experiments covering the climatic range from the last glacial maximum to future climate states and will present selected results from these experiments, discussing wetland extent changes and changes in methane emissions, as well as Holocene carbon uptake by peatlands.