• Research on the functioning of ecosystems and ecosystem services
• Studies on water and nutrient transport processes and greenhouse gas fluxes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum
• Approaches to integrating observations across different scales, from small experimental setups to larger landscape or regional studies
• Comparative studies on different measurement and modelling approaches for assessing ecosystem processes
• Investigations of the interactions between climate change, human activities, and ecosystem dynamics
Orals: Thu, 7 May, 08:30–15:45 | Room 2.95
In a rapidly changing world, ecosystems are increasingly affected by a simultaneous rise in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, temperature and drought events. While the individual effects of these global change factors on ecosystems are comparatively well understood, there is a major lack of experimental studies examining their interactive effects. In a multifactor experiment (ClimGrass) established in 2013 on a managed montane grassland in Central Austria we tested how elevated CO2, warming and drought individually and interactively affect ecosystem processes underlying carbon, nutrient and water cycling.
This talk will present an overview of key findings from the ClimGrass experiment. Future climate conditions (3 °C warming and + 300 ppm atmospheric CO2) synergistically amplified drought effects on ecosystem CO2 and water fluxes, on plant growth and phenology as well as belowground carbon allocation. Non-additive effects of interacting global change factors were also observed for microbial communities and processes related to soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Furthermore, future conditions altered the recovery of ecosystem fluxes from drought, and changed the dynamics of soil water retention and grassland water use. Overall, the findings from ClimGrass suggest that multiple interacting global change factors lead to complex non-additive effects with major consequences for ecosystem functioning in a future world.
How to cite: Bahn, M. and the ClimGrass-Team: Individual versus combined effects of elevated CO2, warming and drought on grassland functioning – synthesis from a multiyear experiment, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-12151, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12151, 2026.
Ecotron facilities are key tools to emulate and monitor environmental conditions for improving the understanding of terrestrial ecosystems. Although their conditions can be precisely modified by cutting-edge controlling systems, the external factors influencing the boundary conditions of such ecotron units remain uncertain under reconstructed scenarios (e.g., climate change). We assessed how an agroecosystem model can be used to simulate the bottom boundary conditions of the newly developed ecotron facility AgraSim. The facility comprises six identical ecotron units composed of a climate-controlled plant chamber on top of a cylindrical lysimeter (1 m2 by 150 cm depth). An automatic suction cup–pumping system installed below each lysimeter is used to control the bottom boundary condition of the system depending on the measured pressure head near its bottom. The first experimental trial of AgraSim is aimed to quantify the key climate responses of a typical agricultural field located in North-Rhine Westphalia (Germany) to transient climate change. A set of four climate scenarios were derived from storyline simulations with the regional atmospheric circulation model ICON, imposing a transient temperature gradient of +1oC to +4oC within the climate chambers. While the atmospheric forcings and the soil texture and hydraulic properties are well-characterized, the bottom boundary condition at 150 cm depth is unknown for the different climate change scenarios. We thus used an agroecosystem model (AgroC) to numerically solve water movement within the soil column (0-150 cm) and investigated the impact of choosing one of the following bottom boundary conditions: fixed pressure heads (FP); free-drainage (FD); and a modified seepage face at h=-100hPa (SP). A simulation that assumes a 500 cm deep soil column and free drainage was taken as a reference for assessing the performance of each of the different bottom boundary conditions. This setup was replicated for two rainfed cropping systems (winter wheat and maize), each parameterized with three types of rooting profile representing shallow, deeper and homogeneous root profiles, respectively. A 1-year spin-up run was performed to minimize the effect of the initial conditions. Our model simulations showed that the different boundary conditions only affected soil moisture below 30 cm, while topsoil moisture was mainly controlled by atmospheric forcings. The FP and FD scenarios tended to underestimate soil water availability in the 150 cm column, especially during critical summer drought periods. The modified SP showed the best agreement with the reference simulations, keeping the soil unsaturated during winter and maintaining moisture and fluxes closer to the reference levels in summer. This result was consistent across both crops and rooting profiles. At the crop level, the different boundary conditions had no significant effect on key crop variables (e.g., biomass and leaf area) and their respective response to the climate scenarios. Although our results are limited by observation availability and model parameterization uncertainty, they demonstrate the potential application of process-based models for decision-making in controlled-system facilities.
How to cite: Hendricks Franssen, H.-J., Viana, M., Naz, B., Pagel, H., Herbst, M., Schnepf, A., Leitner, D., Groh, J., Vereecken, H., Vanderborght, J., and Brüggemann, N.: Process-Based Modeling of Lysimeter Boundary Conditions for Climate Change Experiments in Ecotron Facilities, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17503, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17503, 2026.
Forests are under high pressure due to anthropogenic activity and climate change. Understanding how these phenomena influence soil-plant-atmosphere continuum is important for ensuring sustainable management now and in the future. Process-based modelling combined with data assimilation enables developing a comprehensive understanding on how individual processes influence ecosystems and services they provide. Such approaches are essential for capturing the complexity of interactions that govern water, carbon and energy fluxes across spatial and temporal scales.
pyAPES is a multi-layer, multi-species process-based model designed to simulate the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. It enables analysis of how changes in environmental conditions, plant traits, or stand structure influence microclimate, leaf gas exchange and ecosystem level fluxes. Over the past decade pyAPES has been widely applied in studies investigating how anthropogenic activity and climate variability affect forest processes at multiple scales. Recent developments have greatly improved model usability, making it a versatile and accessible tool for addressing emerging research questions on ecosystem functions.
In this work, we present recent advances in pyAPES that enhance usability and extend capabilities for simulating forest ecosystem processes. We demonstrate pyAPES applications at experimental sites, exploring how forest management and climate change influence stand microclimate, water transport and carbon fluxes. We also show how the modular architecture lets researchers tailor the model for their research needs without the need to learn or execute the full model and how accessible code, documentation and tutorials support practical implementation.
How to cite: Tikkasalo, O.-P., Leppä, K., Nousu, J.-P., Kieloaho, A.-J., and Launiainen, S.: Improving understanding on forest functions under climate change and management with modular process-based model pyAPES v1.0, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17288, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17288, 2026.
Understanding how terrestrial ecosystems respond to climate change and human pressures requires an integrated analysis of soil–plant–atmosphere interactions and their consequences for ecosystem functioning and services. In agricultural systems, projected changes in precipitation regimes and hydrological pathways are expected to strongly affect soil water dynamics, plant functioning, and the capacity of soils to deliver key ecosystem services. Within the framework of the National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies–National Recovery and Resilience Plan (AGRITECH-PNRR), this study investigates climate-driven responses of soil ecosystem services in a Mediterranean vineyard by combining field observations with process-based modelling.
The study was conducted at the Tenuta Donna Elvira vineyard (Montemiletto, southern Italy), a hilly agroecosystem characterized by two adjacent Cambisol profiles with similar pedogenesis but contrasting hydraulic properties. While both soils exhibit comparable hydraulic behaviour in deeper horizons, marked differences in water retention and hydraulic conductivity were observed in the upper soil layers, providing a natural setting to explore soil-specific controls on ecosystem processes. Continuous field observations, including soil water content and Leaf Area Index measurements, together with meteorological data, were used to calibrate and validate the process-based agro-hydrological model FLOWS.
The validated model was then applied to simulate soil–water–plant dynamics under bias-corrected climate projections from three General Circulation Models (MPI-ESM1-2-LR, MRI-ESM2-0, and GFDL-ESM4). Simulations covered four temporal horizons (current, near-, mid-, and far-future) under three CMIP6 emission scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP7.0, and RCP8.5), allowing an assessment of climate change impacts on multiple water-related soil ecosystem services, including runoff regulation, groundwater recharge, vine water stress, and phenological development.
Results reveal that ecosystem responses are strongly modulated by both emission scenarios and soil hydraulic characteristics. Under low-emission conditions (RCP2.6), grapevine phenology remains close to present-day conditions, whereas under higher-emission scenarios (RCP7.0 and RCP8.5) ripening advances by up to six weeks, indicating increasing pressure on crop–water management. Groundwater recharge exhibits only modest changes across scenarios, while runoff generation intensifies under higher emissions, increasing vulnerability to extreme rainfall events. Notably, one soil shows approximately 50% greater runoff mitigation capacity than the other, highlighting the critical role of soil-specific properties in regulating hydrological ecosystem services.
This study demonstrates how the integration of field observations and process-based modelling can improve our understanding of ecosystem responses to climate change and anthropogenic pressures. The results underline the importance of accounting for soil heterogeneity when assessing ecosystem services and designing site-specific adaptation strategies, while also highlighting key uncertainties related to climate model divergence and future rainfall intensity patterns. Overall, the work contributes to advancing predictive frameworks for sustainable ecosystem management under changing climatic conditions.
How to cite: Bancheri, M., Basile, A., Yosef, B. A., Albrizio, R., Bonfante, A., Buonanno, M., Coppola, A., De Mascellis, R., and Hassan, S. B. M.: Process-Based Modelling of Climate Change Impacts on Soil–Water Services in Mediterranean Vineyard Soils, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-10557, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-10557, 2026.
Ecosystem productivity across Europe is often assumed to be constrained primarily by water limitation in recent decades. Yet the influence of atmospheric deposition remains poorly quantified, even as Europe experiences the world’s fastest decline in nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) inputs. Here we combine satellite-derived gross primary productivity (GPP) from a SIF-based product with gridded N and S deposition from EMEP and hydroclimate constraints represented by atmospheric dryness (vapor pressure deficit, VPD) and soil dryness (soil water potential, ψsoil) for 2000–2023. We assess how these drivers shape two functional components of productivity: maximum carbon uptake capacity (GPPmax) and the carbon uptake period (CUP). To disentangle the relative influence of deposition versus dryness, we use XGBoost to model spatiotemporal variability in GPPmax and CUP and identify the dominant controlling factor at both ecosystem and pixel scales. Across large parts of Europe, deposition emerges as a more spatially extensive and stronger influence on GPPmax and CUP than recent changes in VPD or ψsoil. Declining N deposition is consistently associated with reductions in GPPmax and a shorter CUP, indicating a shift towards stronger nutrient limitation. In contrast, declining S deposition is generally linked to increases in both metrics, consistent with ecosystem recovery from historical acidification. Dryness effects are more geographically confined, although VPD remains a strong functional constraint for most ecosystem types. Overall, our results suggest that changes in atmospheric nutrient supply can outweigh the influence of hydroclimate in shaping recent patterns of European ecosystem carbon uptake, with implications for projecting productivity as deposition regimes continue to evolve. Our study provides an early insight into how declining nutrient inputs may impact future productivity, as similar transitions emerge elsewhere.
How to cite: Zhou, Y., Gharun, M., Xiao, J., Guerrieri, R., Li, X., and Buchmann, N.: Atmospheric Deposition Outweighs Dryness in Regulating European Ecosystem Productivity, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-4793, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-4793, 2026.
The canopy leaf area (CLA) of desert shrubs is a key trait influencing canopy transpiration, while also regulating both oxygen release and carbon capture. However, precise quantification of diurnal whole canopy carbon-water fluxes remains difficult due to limitations in non-destructive CLA measurement. Herein, we first employed diverse methods to estimate the CLA) of Caragana korshinskii across different ages. Subsequently, based on precise assessments of canopy leaf area, we quantified the daily-scale photosynthetic carbon assimilation and transpiration of the whole-canopy under lysimeter with or without groundwater. We found that the leaf area index (LAI) method underestimates CLA in younger C. korshinskii shrubs, whereas the basal diameter derivation (BDD) method overestimates CLA in older individuals, highlighting the limitations of both methods in accurately estimating the CLA of shrub across different ages. Further analysis identified key morphological traits of CLA, including total branch cross-sectional area, shrub canopy area, leaf area, and plant height. The multi-trait allometric relationships developed by the above morphological traits can accurately estimate the CLA of C. korshinskii shrubs, which were more accurate and reliable than other methods. Quantitative analysis revealed that a 2.41-fold difference in photosynthetic capacity (PnDL) of C. korshinskii between with and without groundwater corresponded to a 5.2-fold difference in transpiration (TrDL) at the leaf scale. However, at the canopy scale, groundwater increased the whole crown daily amount of transpiration (TrD) 13.6-fold in C. korshinskii, but the whole crown daily amount of photosynthetic carbon assimilation (PnD) only 6.2-fold. Our results indicated scale-dependent divergence in carbon–water flux responses, and revealed an adaptive strategy that enhances water use efficiency in arid habitats by maintaining minimal transpiration while maximizing photosynthetic carbon assimilation under drought. Our results highlighted that the multi-trait allometric relationships could more accurately estimate canopy leaf area of C. korshinskii, providing new methodological perspectives for quantifying shrub canopy dynamics and carbon-water fluxes in arid desert ecosystems.
How to cite: Huo, J. and Zhang, Z.: Assessment of canopy leaf area and scale-dependent carbon-water flux responses in a desert shrub, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6161, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6161, 2026.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the chemical alteration of throughfall and stemflow by vegetation in forested ecosystems. However, less is known about the temporal variations and spatial patterning of solute chemistry in stemflow and throughfall within arid ecosystems where water and nutrient availability are generally limited. This study systematically examined the variations of various cations (K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and NH₄⁺), anions (NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, and Cl⁻), pH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total organic carbon (TOC) in stemflow and throughfall by a xerophytic shrub species (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) within a desert ecosystem of northern China. We found that after accounting for the effects of sampling date and shrub variations, stemflow was significantly chemically enriched compared to throughfall (p < 0.001). TN, TP, TOC, cations and anions in stemflow exhibited significant decreasing trends during the course of individual rainfall events (p < 0.001), while pH of stemflow showed a significant increasing trend (p < 0.001). Throughfall ion concentrations demonstrated radial spatial differentiation below the canopy, with TOC, TN, K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, NO₃⁻, and Cl⁻ showing a significant decreasing trend from the shrub base to the canopy outer edge (p < 0.001), whereas TP, Mg²⁺, and SO₄²⁻ displayed no clear trend along this radial gradient. In general, ionic concentrations in stemflow and throughfall initially increased and then tended to stabilize with a prolonged antecedent dry period length, whereas pH showed the opposite trend. For all solutes examined, flux-based enrichment ratios of stemflow to gross rainfall (EP) and to throughfall (ET) averaged 24.1 and 10.2, respectively. This study provides insights into the dynamic processes of nutrient enrichment driven by canopy rainfall partitioning and the shrub “fertile island” effect in arid ecosystems.
How to cite: Zhang, Y., Yao, W., Yuan, C., Pan, Y., Zhang, Z., and Levia, D.: Spatiotemporal variations in solute chemistry of stemflow and throughfall within a xerophytic shrub ecosystem in Northern China, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8847, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8847, 2026.
Microbial N2 fixation (BNF) helps to sustain C accumulation in pristine peatlands and to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. However, a combination of high anthropogenic inputs of reactive nitrogen (Nr) and sustained N2 fixation may accelerate the invasion of vascular plants into the peat bogs, leading to a reduction of C–N stocks. Recent work in peatlands of polluted regions has indeed documented measurable BNF rates. Such data indicate partial adaptation of diazotrophs to increasing Nr deposition, instead of rapid downregulation of this energy-intensive microbial process. In addition to overall Nr availability and the NH4+/NO3- ratio in atmospheric deposition, BNF controls include diazotrophic community structure, moss identity, temperature, moisture, phosphorus availability, bog water pH, and molybdenum availability. We present the results of a BNF study in Central European peat bogs that historically received as much as 20 kg Nr ha-1 yr-1 from the atmosphere. At five sites, we compared total N accumulation in peat and cumulative Nr deposition since 1950 and 1900. We took advantage of existing extrapolations of historical NH4+ and NO3- emissions, and quantified the role of horizontal Nr deposition via fog interception and dry deposition. Eleven peat cores were 210Pb-dated. At all sites, the amount of N accumulated in peat exceeded the cumulative atmospheric Nr input. At one site in the industrially polluted north of the Czech Republic, atmospheric Nr input appeared to explain only 41% of N accumulation in peat. One possible explanation would be that the found “excess” N in peat was, at least partly, a result of N2-fixation. However, at least two sets of empirical data suggest that such high BNF rates in the studied central European peat bogs are not ecologically plausible: (i) in direct measurements of N2-fixation rates using 15N2 labelling, d15N values of Sphagnum significantly increased, but could explain only a small part of the “excess” N in peat that had been estimated by 210Pb-dating; (ii) literature data on phosphorus deposition rates at various Central European sites suggest P limitation. Consequently, the 210Pb-derived N accretion rates violate reasonable ranges of peatland C:N:P stoichiometry. Our new measurements of N:P ratios in atmospheric deposition at three peat bogs situated near the borders between the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Austria confirm the P limitation: The total N:P molar ratios were ~200 at Kunštátská kaple Bog (Eagle Mts.), ~100 at Černý potok (Slakovský les Mts.), and ~80 at Žďárecká slatˇ (Šumava Mts.). The hypothetical breaking point between N and P limitation in plant biomass is close to the N:P molar ratio of 35 (P limitation at higher N:P). In the paper, we will discuss uncertainties in 210Pb dating and cumulative BNF rates in Central European peat bogs based on new 15N2 laboratory incubations of peat substrate collected from several peat depths in different seasons.
How to cite: Novak, M., Kopacek, J., Buzek, F., Cejkova, B., Jackova, I., Stepanova, M., Veselovsky, F., and Curik, J.: Biological nitrogen fixation in polluted Central European peat bogs: 15N2 incubation experiments, 210Pb-derived nitrogen accumulation rates, and the role of phosphorus availability, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6894, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6894, 2026.
Human-wildlife conflicts, particularly the damage to agricultural crops caused by ungulates, pose significant ecological and economic challenges. Understanding the role of natural food availability in driving these conflicts is important for developing effective management strategies. We investigated how the pulsed availability of forest tree seeds, i.e., mast seeding, influences the extent of agricultural crop damage in Poland. Using a 19-year national dataset (2001-2020), we analyzed the relationship between oak Quercus spp. and European beech Fagus sylvatica seed production, the abundance of wild boar Sus scrofa and red deer Cervus elaphus, and the area of damaged agricultural crops. We found a negative relationship between oak seed production and the level of crop damage, with estimated damage decreasing by 30% from years of seed failure to years of abundant seed production, supporting the hypothesis that a diet shift occurs in ungulates during years of seed abundance that averts ungulates from damaging the crop. In contrast, beech seed production showed no significant effect on crop damage. Our findings demonstrate that pulsed resource dynamics in forests are an important driver of human-wildlife conflict in adjacent agricultural landscapes.
How to cite: Bogdańska, M., Journé, V., and Bogdziewicz, M.: Acorn availability reduces agricultural damage by ungulates, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-10662, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-10662, 2026.
We recognize that contemporary environmental challenges transcend geopolitical boundaries. The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) was formed to address the nature and magnitude of these challenges through cross-border global perspectives and collaborations. GERI brings together six large-scale (continental) ecosystem research infrastructures (RIs) from around the world. The GERI member RIs are: SAEON in South Africa, TERN in Australia, CERN in China, NEON in the USA, and ICOS and eLTER in Europe) to federate the programmatic work needed for concerted operations, collaborations, and the provisioning of interoperable data and services. Here, we present the historical activities that brought these RIs together, how we established a structured governance, engagement with other networks, and current overview of GERIs data harmonization and common services activities. We will also present current programmatic challenges as GERI continues to develop internationally and seek community input and involvement.
How to cite: Loescher, H. W., Morris, B., Mirtl, M., Zacharias, S., Back, J., Bornman, T., Feig, G., Yu, X., SanClements, M., and Mabee, P.: The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI): Organizational Overview and ongoing development., EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2337, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2337, 2026.
Addressing global environmental challenges such as drought and climate change requires environmental analyses at a global scale, yet data from different sources remain fragmented and decentralized. While individual Research Infrastructures (RIs) effectively monitor ecosystems at national and continental scales, global environmental research requires more collaboration to bring these data together. The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) addresses this gap by bringing together six major RIs: National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)/USA, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN)/Australia, Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS)/Europe, European Long-Term Ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological systems Research Network (eLTER)/Europe, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON)/South Africa, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN)/China, that span five continents, and distributed among >1600 observational sites globally.
Harmonizing data at a large scale presents multiple challenges, including data availability, differing measurement protocols, formats, scales, and data delivery mechanisms. In addition, an effort of this scale requires a strong foundation of collaboration, communication, and governance, particularly across international geo-political boundaries and networks-of-networks. Using ecological drought as a use case example, GERI has developed a harmonization framework and cyberinfrastructure workflow that advances the data harmonization at a global scale, supports FAIR and open science, and is adaptable to other similar efforts. Environmental variables central to ecological drought, such as precipitation, soil moisture, and soil temperature, are widely measured across regions but may vary substantially in semantics and processing. GERI’s framework uses cross-walk tables and templates to align these variables in a standardized manner. Current harmonized datasets integrate observations from more than 130 sites, providing a basis for global-scale synthesis and comparative drought analyses.
Here, we present the data harmonization methods, challenges, and lessons learned from this effort. Moving forward, we aim to adapt this framework for other key ecological variables. We also plan to use AI tools to resolve current bottlenecks in workflows, data quality and metadata management. These efforts are intended to further support collaborative, global-scale environmental research through GERI.
How to cite: Deshpande, K., L. Ruddell, B., Laney, C., W. Loescher, H., SanClements, M., and J. Hagen, C. and the GERI Team: Towards Globally Harmonized Environmental Data: a Proof of Concept Using Ecological Drought Data and the Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) Framework, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-13963, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13963, 2026.
Understanding and responding to global environmental change requires coordinated, long-term ecosystem observations and shared analytical capabilities that transcend national boundaries. This presentation explores how national research infrastructure initiatives can use systematic community engagement to identify emerging research priorities and align them with both national and global infrastructure planning, using Australia’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) Research Directions 2025–2035 Survey as a case study.
The survey engaged 181 researchers, practitioners and leaders across ecology, agriculture, climate science, data science and conservation, yielding over 300 distinct research questions spanning fundamental ecosystem processes, restoration strategies and landscape-scale management challenges.
Analysis revealed strong convergence around several critical themes: climate adaptation and resilience, biodiversity monitoring and conservation, ecosystem restoration trajectories, carbon cycling and climate mitigation, soil health and degradation, and the integration of traditional ecological knowledge and Western knowledge systems.
Importantly, respondents highlighted growing needs for cross-disciplinary collaboration, multi-scale observation systems linking plot-based monitoring with continental remote sensing, advanced analytical capabilities including machine learning and predictive modelling, and improved data integration across spatial and temporal scales. These findings reflect broader global trends in ecosystem science where research questions increasingly demand coordinated infrastructure investment beyond what individual nations can provide.
The TERN experience demonstrates how research infrastructure networks like the Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) can facilitate systematic horizon scanning to identify shared priorities, develop interoperable data systems and methodologies, coordinate observational capabilities across biogeographic gradients, and build collaborative analytical platforms that serve international research communities.
By aligning national infrastructure investments with community-identified priorities and fostering international collaboration, research infrastructure networks can more effectively address complex, multi-scale environmental challenges while maximising returns on public investment in ecosystem observation and analysis capabilities.
How to cite: Ceron, I. and Morris, B.: Community-Identified Priorities as Drivers of National and Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure Planning, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15155, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15155, 2026.
The South African Environmental Observation Network is a South African national research facility dedicated to developing long-term environmental research infrastructure platforms to support environmental science for a sustainable society. Operating across terrestrial, coastal and marine domains, SAEON integrates in situ observations, models, long-term experiments and data systems to monitor biophysical and ecological processes at a diverse array of sites, representing the range of ecosystem and social contexts in South Africa at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This coordinated, multidimensional observation and data management capability supports critical insights into climate variability, biodiversity dynamics, land-use impacts, and land-atmosphere-ocean interactions. SAEON provides open-access, high-quality datasets that are interoperable with international partners, and that underpin scientific analysis and assessments that are relevant for policy. SAEON plays a strategic role within both national and international research communities. Its infrastructure contributes to continental and global observation systems by providing platforms in data-scarce regions, strengthening predictive modelling capacity through datasets for model parameterisation and verification, and supporting environmental risk assessment and sustainability planning. As a research infrastructure platform, SAEON supports collaboration among universities, government agencies, research councils, and international partners, enabling comparative studies and harmonised data. Its data stewardship and open-access platforms enhance transparency, reproducibility, and equitable knowledge sharing. In addition to the direct support for research, SAEON actively develops research capacity in South Africa by supporting students, training emerging scientists, supporting science education and data literacy. SAEON actively participates in numerous environmental research infrastructure networks through active collaboration and continuous alignment. This presentation will highlight how SAEON’s long-term observations, accessible data, collaborative networks, and capacity-building activities in a data and capacity-limited region are a critical contributor to global environmental research efforts supporting informed decision-making for a sustainable society.
How to cite: Bornman, T., Feig, G., Blanchard, R., Chiloane, L., Hermes, J., Janse van Rensburg, S., Ntshidi, Z., Swemmer, T., and Govender, K.: The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): A long-term research facility supporting environmental science in the terrestrial, coastal, marine and polar domains for a sustainable society. , EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-18354, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-18354, 2026.
Global environmental challenges do not abide geopolitical borders but require international cooperation to address. The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) was founded to address this need, building relationships and establishing data sharing practices among six of the largest environmental research infrastructures (ERIs) in the world, located on five continents. Early career researchers (ECRs) are essential to these global efforts, yet often face barriers to participation, including gaps in training and support. To understand how these ECRs could be better prepared and supported in this work, GERI distributed a survey to assess training needs, skills, and obstacles to international collaboration. The survey received responses from 577 researchers across 61 countries. Our findings reveal key differences between the Global North and Global South, as well as notable mismatches between the training ECRs receive and the skills they deem critical for research success, particularly when it comes to team science skills. ERIs serve a pivotal role in bridging these gaps. ERIs provide ECRs with unique opportunities for networking, skills development, and career advancement that are otherwise difficult to access. Participation in ERIs fosters transferable skills—such as data management, project management, and interdisciplinary collaboration—crucial for international projects and long-term career retention and advancement. By developing partnerships with ERIs and supporting targeted training programs, higher education institutions could better prepare ECRs for leadership in international science collaborations. Strengthening ECR engagement with ERIs is vital for building a resilient, globally connected scientific workforce capable of addressing the grand challenges of the future.
How to cite: SanClements, M., Hagen, C., Bäck, J., Bornman, T., Feig, G., Cerón-González, A., Cotiyane-Pondo, P., Cruz-O'Byrne, R., Deshpande, K., Jay, K., Laney, C., Loescher, H., Mabee, P., Mirtl, M., and Morris, B. and the GERI Team: Research infrastructures as catalysts for international collaboration and skill development, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8312, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8312, 2026.
Addressing global environmental change requires coordinated, large-scale experimentation and analysis across diverse ecosystems. AnaEE ERIC (Analysis and Experimentation on Ecosystems European Research Infrastructure Consortium) provides a pan-European network of experimental and analytical facilities, including enclosed ecotrons and open-air platforms, covering agricultural, forest, freshwater, and peatland ecosystems across a wide range of climates. These facilities enable controlled manipulation of key ecosystem drivers, such as drought, flooding, elevated CO₂, temperature, nitrogen fluxes, and species migration, and support testing of nature-based solutions, including innovative farming and agroforestry practices.
Successful examples from AnaEE ERIC include multi-site experiments on ecosystem responses to drought and warming, as well as mechanistic studies of carbon and nutrient cycling in controlled ecotron facilities. Challenges encountered involve harmonising experimental protocols across facilities, integrating heterogeneous datasets, and scaling site-specific results to regional or European levels. To address these issues, AnaEE ERIC is progressively strengthening shared digital services, including standardised data catalogues and API-based access to data and models, enabling interoperable workflows and cross-platform use of experimental outputs.
Recommendations derived from the AnaEE ERIC experience emphasise the standardisation of protocols, the development of interoperable data platforms, and training programs to enhance cross-facility collaboration. This approach demonstrates how networked experimental infrastructures, supported by AnaEE ERIC, generate actionable knowledge, foster collaboration across disciplines, and inform both science and policy in the context of global environmental change.
How to cite: Gharbi, D., Palma, A., Đorđević, B., and Boër, M.: AnaEE ERIC: Advancing Experimental Ecosystem Research through Aligned Research Infrastructures, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-18488, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-18488, 2026.
European environmental research infrastructures (RIs) are strategically positioned to address pressing environmental challenges. However, no single RI can generate the comprehensive knowledge required to support Europe’s transition toward a sustainable future when operating in silos (eLTER RI, 2023). To meet this challenge, co-location of RIs has emerged as a key strategy for fostering integration, collaboration, and joint scientific innovation. Collectively, RIs such as eLTER, AnaEE-ERIC, ICOS, LifeWatch, and ACTRIS provide complementary long-term, high-quality data on ecosystem processes, which are essential for understanding climate change impacts and biodiversity loss. This study examines the concept of co-location across four dimensions: data sharing, funding, physical location and instrumentation, and coordination and governance. Using two European case studies, including Hyytiälä SMEAR II (Finland) and the Castelporziano Presidential Estate (Italy), the study explores how co-location is interpreted and implemented in practice. Data were collected through RI documentation and semi-structured interviews involving principal investigators, scientific advisors, and technical personnel from the five RIs represented at the study sites. Findings show that co-location initially emerged from shared scientific interests, particularly the need to observe interactions between the atmosphere and ecosystems. However, conceptual ambiguities persist, especially regarding spatial proximity, scientific criteria, and terminology. The study identifies key benefits, challenges, and institutional dynamics shaping RI integration, including shared physical infrastructure, staff mobility, governance structures, data management, communication strategies, cost-sharing, collaborative funding, knowledge exchange, team integration, and collective responses to cross-disciplinary scientific questions. Overall, the results offer actionable insights into how collaborative infrastructure models can enhance efficiency, scientific impact, and policy relevance across European environmental monitoring systems. These findings contribute to the broader effort to strengthen coordination and alignment among RIs in addressing global environmental challenges.
How to cite: Eko, O., Carbone, F., and Papale, D.: Co-location and Scientific Collaboration Among Environmental Research Infrastructures: Insight from Hyytiälä SMEAR II and Castelporziano , EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-205, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-205, 2026.
The FLUXNET network is a bottom-up initiative built on collaboration among research infrastructures (RIs), regional networks of varying levels of organization, and individual stations and scientists. Its goal is to provide access to unique, direct measurements of carbon, water, and energy exchanges between ecosystems and the atmosphere.
Thanks to the efforts of globally distributed RIs and established regional networks, we are entering a new era of FLUXNET, marked by strengthened collaboration, improved data accessibility, high levels of standardization, and a common data license. Developing this shared data processing and distribution system—based on decentralized yet coordinated data management—has been complex, but it has resulted in a robust framework that meets user expectations and ensures the stability and continued development of the new FLUXNET system.
This presentation will introduce the largest-ever collection of continuous (24/7) flux measurements from around the world, all publicly accessible. It will focus on the key aspects developed through collaboration across different regional networks, as well as on the lessons learned that can be directly applied to inter-RI collaboration, including within the GERI framework. Remaining critical challenges will also be discussed to stimulate further dialogue.
The networks and RIs involved include AmeriFlux, ChinaFlux, the European Flux Database, ICOS, eLTER, JapanFlux, KoFlux, OzFlux, SAEON, and TERN, in addition to many smaller networks and individual contributors.
How to cite: Papale, D. and the The FLUXNET Community: A Revolutionary Step Forward in Ecosystem Research Infrastructure Collaboration: The FLUXNET System , EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-14718, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-14718, 2026.
Harmonized observations of aerosols, clouds and trace gases with global coverage are essential for advancing weather prediction, climate science and air quality research. They support model development and simulation and enable the calibration and validation of current and future satellite missions. While major ground-based research infrastructures (RIs) and observational networks have been developed in Europe and the United States (US) with long-term perspectives [1], their global integration remains fragmented. This is primarily due to differences in governance and access mechanisms, and to a lesser extent to operational practices and data policies. The Horizon Europe project CARGO-ACT [2] addresses these challenges by developing a roadmap for sustainable global cooperation among key atmospheric RIs, with the long-term vision of building a sustainable and coherent international framework.
As proof of concept, CARGO-ACT evaluated the consistency and compatibility of data, operations, governance and access mechanisms for aerosol in-situ and remote sensing networks in the US (DOE/ARM, NASA/MPLNET, NOAA/GML, ASCENT) [3] and Europe (ACTRIS [4]). By bringing together network leaders and leading experts, the project promotes convergence towards interoperability and FAIR principles between ACTRIS and its US counterparts through a common data management framework and aligned data policies. Scientific robustness and comparability are addressed through the development of harmonised operating procedures, calibration strategies, and data quality methodologies, providing a solid basis for mutual trust, reproducibility and long-term sustainability of global observations.
As a concrete demonstration of data interoperability, the US Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program enabled bi-directional metadata exchange by harvesting and indexing metadata from CARGO-ACT participants (such as ACTRIS) within the ARM data portal, and by providing ARM metadata APIs to support discovery and reuse of relevant ARM datasets by the ACTRIS data portal. Another outcome of the project is the ongoing revision of the WMO/GAW report on in-situ measurements [5], led by CARGO-ACT participants. In tandem with the technical aspects, CARGO-ACT proposes strategies for coordinating governance and aligning global objectives through structured stakeholder engagement and mechanisms to support cooperation across diverse scientific priorities. The project delivers strategic recommendations for sustainable international access to global atmospheric RIs, advocating policy alignment, legal and organisational flexibility, sustainable financial and operational models, and effective coordination platforms. The CARGO-ACT approach is applicable across multiple measurement variables and observational networks.
Overall, CARGO-ACT demonstrates that sustainable global cooperation in atmospheric research is not only technically feasible but strategically essential. In the context of global environmental challenges that extend beyond national and continental boundaries, strengthened international cooperation is a prerequisite for ensuring resilient, interoperable and globally coherent observing systems capable of supporting science, policy, and society in the long run.
[1] https://doi.org/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-15-0045.1
[2] CARGO-ACT: https://www.cargo-act.eu/
[3] DOE/ARM: https://www.arm.gov/), NASA/MPLNET: https://mplnet.gsfc.nasa.gov/), NOAA/GML: ), ASCENT: https://ascent.research.gatech.edu/)
[4] ACTRIS: https://www.actris.eu/
[5] WMO/GAW (2016), Report 227, https://www.wmo-gaw-sag-aerosol.org/files/FINAL_GAW_227.pdf
How to cite: Philippin, S., Andrews, E., Prakash, G., Petäjä, T., Mather, J., Fiebig, M., Alas, H., Wiedensohler, A., Nicolae, D., Nemuc, A., Haeffelin, M., Mona, L., Petracca Altieri, R. M., De Mazière, M., Mayol-Bracero, O., Lewis, J., Ng, N. L. (., Paramonov, M., and O'Connor, E.: Strengthening EU-US Cooperation towards a Sustainable Global Atmospheric Research Infrastructure: Key achievements from CARGO-ACT, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-18608, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-18608, 2026.
South Korea is geographically vulnerable to coastal disasters due to its extensive coastline and frequent exposure to natural hazards such as typhoons and storm surges. Recently, these risks have intensified as the local rate of sea-level rise exceeds the global average, leading to recurring coastal flooding and erosion.
To mitigate these threats, the South Korean government has implemented various policies rooted in the Coastal Management Act. Key initiatives include "Coastal Improvement Projects" for restoring damaged shorelines and the designation of "Coastal Erosion Management Zones" to prevent future risks. Additionally, long-term coastal monitoring and R&D programs have been established to support scientific decision-making.
Despite these efforts, coastal damage persists, revealing limitations in the current approach. The primary challenges include the inability to effectively restrict development in high-risk areas and an over-reliance on "grey infrastructure" (artificial structures). Furthermore, spatial management strategies, such as managed retreat, are difficult to implement due to a lack of social consensus and resistance from local communities.
This study argues that effective disaster response requires a paradigm shift beyond traditional engineering. We propose: (1) the active adoption of Green Infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions (NbS); (2) stronger integration of coastal management with urban planning to strictly limit development in vulnerable zones; and (3) enhanced governance mechanisms to encourage community participation and consensus building.
How to cite: jung, J.: Assessment of Coastal Disaster Policies in South Korea: Achievements, Limitations, and Future Challenges, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8921, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8921, 2026.
Climate change–induced sea-level rise and the increasing frequency of extreme storm surges are placing increasing demands on coastal protection systems worldwide. Although conventional hard-engineering approaches have served as the primary means of coastal defence, their ecological constraints and long-term sustainability issues have become more apparent. In response, Coastal Green Infrastructure (CGI) has been explored as a nature-based approach that makes use of existing coastal features to reduce hazard exposure. In this study, we conduct a national-scale assessment of CGI potential along the coast of South Korea, where coastal form and environmental conditions differ markedly between regions.
The analytical framework applied here is organised around two dimensions: Protective Benefit and Environmental Vulnerability. Together, these dimensions reflect both the capacity of coastal ecosystems to attenuate physical processes and their exposure to long-term environmental change. Six indicators were selected to represent these characteristics, including coastal landforms (tidal flats, dunes, and beaches), the distribution of blue carbon vegetation such as seagrass and salt marshes, topographic relief, wave energy conditions, and projected sea-level rise. A GIS-based analysis using a 250 m grid resolution was employed to classify the national coastline into four management types, with the aim of supporting region-specific rather than uniform coastal policies.
The results indicate a clear regional contrast in CGI suitability. The West Coast (Yellow Sea), characterised by extensive tidal flats, exhibits relatively high protective capacity and low vulnerability, leading to the highest suitability classification (Type 1). By comparison, the East Coast and Jeju Island are dominated by steeper coastal profiles and higher wave energy, which limit the effectiveness of CGI when applied in isolation. In such high-energy environments, CGI is more appropriately implemented as part of a hybrid approach in combination with existing structural measures. Areas classified as Type 1 account for approximately 47.6% of South Korea’s total coastline, suggesting that a substantial proportion of the national coast may be suitable for CGI-focused management under current conditions.
How to cite: Kim, C. W. and Jung, J.: Strategic Spatial Prioritization of Coastal Nature-Based Solutions: A Multi-Criteria Assessment of Protective Capacity and Vulnerability along the South Korean Shoreline, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15053, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15053, 2026.
Coastal forests are increasingly recognized as critical Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for climate mitigation and adaptation, providing essential services such as carbon sequestration and protection from extreme weather. To effectively manage these ecosystems and assess their climate benefits, continuous and accurate monitoring using high-resolution satellites (e.g., Sentinel-2) is essential. However, the unique atmospheric conditions of coastal zones often hinder the reliability of satellite observations. This study investigates the accuracy of satellite-based forest monitoring in the complex coastal environments of the Korean Peninsula. Utilizing a dedicated ground-truth network, we analyzed surface reflectance data from key coastal sites, including Wando (Southern Coast), Samcheok (Eastern Coast), Anmyeon-do (Western Coast), and Jeju Island. Our analysis reveals a significant "Coastal Blindness" in standard satellite products. Specifically, current atmospheric correction algorithms tend to misinterpret bright maritime aerosols (e.g., sea salt and haze) as heavy pollution. This leads to an "over-correction" problem, where the satellite imagery artificially darkens the forest signal, resulting in severe negative biases (e.g., Wando: -0.048, Samcheok: -0.066 in the Blue band). Such errors can lead to the underestimation of forest health and vegetation density, potentially misguiding regional adaptation policies. We demonstrate that applying region-specific ground validation data can identify and correct these biases. By ensuring the radiometric integrity of satellite data over coastal areas, this study provides a foundational step for implementing reliable, data-driven coastal forest management strategies. Our findings emphasize that accurate "eyes in the sky" are a prerequisite for successful regional climate action.
Acknowledgement: This study was developed in National Institute of Forest Science (Project No. ‘ FE0100-2026-04-2026’).
How to cite: Lim, J., Seo, M., Jin, C., and Yoo, B.-O.: Optimizing Satellite Monitoring for Coastal Nature-Based Solutions: Overcoming Atmospheric Errors in East Asian Coastal Forests (Case Studies: Wando, Samcheok, Anmyeon, and Jeju), EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8404, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8404, 2026.
Global warming and sea-level rise are intensifying soil salinization in coastal regions, threatening food security and ecosystem stability. In coastal areas of Iran, where most of the rainfed farming and cultivation occur, seawater intrusion (EC > 4 dS/m) has severely degraded soils, reducing vegetation cover and carbon sequestration. This creates a dangerous feedback loop, which further amplify climate-change impacts. Developing sustainable, nature-based strategies to maintain crop productivity under these extreme conditions is therefore essential.
In this study, we explored halophyte-associated microbial communities from the Oman Sea coast as a nature-based solution to enhance wheat tolerance to seawater irrigation. A total of 510 bacterial isolates were obtained from halophyte rhizospheres and endospheres, and assembled into salt-tolerant, non-antagonistic consortia. These consortia were inoculated into six wheat cultivars (Pishgam, Narin, Arg, Ofoq, Bam, Barzgar) and irrigated with seawater (EC = 50 dS/m).
Results revealed strong genotype–microbiome interactions. Some consortia significantly increased biomass (up to 228% in Pishgam and 127% in Ofoq with Consortium 3), while others reduced growth (−33% in Arg with Consortium 7). Rhizospheric sequencing identified 122 shared OTUs across treatments, yet β-diversity analyses (UniFrac) showed distinct plant-driven microbial filtering. Ofoq maintained a microbiome closer to its control (0.285 distance), mitigating negative effects, while Bam exhibited a greater divergence (0.401), correlating with poor growth.
These findings highlight that the success of microbial inoculation depends on host genotype compatibility and root-exudate-mediated selection. Leveraging native halophyte-associated microbes offers a promising, ecosystem-based pathway to enhance crop resilience, restore coastal soils, and mitigate carbon loss under salinity stress. Under extreme conditions, a shift from grain to forage-oriented systems may further improve sustainability and align with climate adaptation goals.
How to cite: Shahabirokni, M., Etesami, H., Razavi, B. S., and Raheb, A.: Nature-Based Microbial Strategies for Enhancing Wheat Salt Tolerance in Coastal Agroecosystems, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-484, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-484, 2026.
Coastal forest ecosystems, particularly mangroves are directly exposed to the impacts of climate change, including sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and altered precipitation patterns, while simultaneously being recognized as key nature-based solutions capable of delivering both climate adaptation and mitigation benefits. Mangroves play avital role in climate resilience, offering both carbon sequestration and coastal protection under increasing climate pressures.
In this study, we investigates species-specific physiological responses among dominant of mangrove and semi-mangrove species in Bali, Indonesia. Net photosynthetic rate (A) was measured using portable gas exchange systems (LI-6400 and LI-6800), and instantaneous WUE and intrinsic WUE (iWUE) were calculated. In addition, A–Ci response curves were analyzed and fitted using the Farquhar–von Caemmerer–Berry model to estimate the maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) and maximum electron transport rate (Jmax).
Significant interspecific differences were observed in both photosynthetic performance and water-use characteristics (p < 0.001). Sonneratia alba exhibited the highest net photosynthetic rate (15.29 ± 2.39 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹), whereas Pongamia pinnata and Hibiscus tiliaceus showed high iWUE values (96.51 ± 44.37 and 87.62 ± 20.73 μmol CO₂ mol⁻¹ H₂O, respectively), indicating more water-conservative strategies.
Furthermore, A–Ci curve fitting revealed significant species-specific differences in Vcmax and Jmax (p = 0.003 and 0.016, respectively), highlighting functional differentiation along coastal environmental gradients. By integrating in situ gas exchange measurements and A–Ci curve analysis, this study demonstrates interspecific variation in carbon acquisition and water-use strategies among mangrove and semi-mangrove species in Bali. Provides foundational data for our findings provide and physiological evidence to support effective mangrove selection in Nature-based solution(Nbs).
How to cite: Kwak, S., Park, E., and Gilang, C.: Mangrove Species Exhibit Contrasting Photosynthetic and Water-Use Strategies in Bali, Indonesia, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6060, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6060, 2026.
Climate sensitivity and stability analysis so far rely on two separate concepts: climate and carbon feedbacks. The climate feedback framework allows the separation of two components of Earth’s radiative budget: forcing and temperature feedbacks. The carbon feedback concept helps to diagnose the strength with which oceanic and terrestrial systems buffer anthropogenic carbon emissions to the atmosphere and respond to changes in temperature. Both, albeit limited in their interpretation by temperature pathway and time dependence, play major roles in our current understanding of the Earth’s capacity to withstand anthropogenic pressures, but have been used and treated separately in large parts of the literature.
However, two approaches that serve a more holistic grasp of Earth system stability have been pursued. One is simple climate modelling as a prognostic tool that—often by tuning idealized response functions—captures a net response to emissions that inherently includes both carbon and climate feedbacks. The other, a diagnostic framework by Gregory et al. (2009), combines climate and carbon feedbacks for a specific set of climate model simulations under the assumption of constant parameters. A combined climate–carbon feedback framework that represents Earth system stability and the role of warming-induced carbon emissions in a more comprehensive and flexible manner, however, is still lacking.
We present an attempt at Earth system stability analysis that mitigates pathway and time dependence by combining methods from traditional feedback analysis and simple climate modelling: time-explicit feedback functions constructed from linear response theory like initiated by Torres Mendonça et al., (2021) in a diagnostic framework, now for climate and carbon feedbacks. We apply our analysis to flat10MIP-style Earth system model simulations, which provide the necessary statistical foundation and allow us to test sensitivity and robustness with respect to applications to observational evidence. This approach could ultimately support assessments of present and past Earth system stability particularly under temperature overshoot scenarios as well as high-level model evaluation on the effects of warming-induced carbon emissions.
Gregory, J. M., C. D. Jones, P. Cadule, and P. Friedlingstein, 2009: Quantifying Carbon Cycle Feedbacks. J. Climate, 22, 5232–5250, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI2949.1.
Torres Mendonça, G. L., Pongratz, J., and Reick, C. H., 2021: Identification of linear response functions from arbitrary perturbation experiments in the presence of noise – Part 1: Method development and toy model demonstration, Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 28, 501–532, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-501-2021.
How to cite: Jäger, F., Donges, J., and Rockström, J.: Towards a time-explicit climate–carbon feedback framework for Earth system stability analysis, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-4966, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-4966, 2026.
Terrestrial ecosystems in the northern high latitudes have historically acted as a net carbon sink, mitigating anthropogenic CO2 emissions. However, the long-term stability of this net sink is uncertain due to complex carbon cycle feedbacks in response to future climate change. In this presentation, we will show how the PRIME framework can be used to probabilistically quantify if and when this region will transition from a net carbon sink to a carbon source in a range of plausible future climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5), including overshoot (SSP5-3.4-OS). PRIME incorporates the JULES land surface model, which can explicitly represent permafrost physics, dynamic vegetation, and fire, enabling the simulation of key high-latitude processes that remain uncoupled in most Earth system models. In a low emission scenario, permafrost carbon emissions are shown to increase the risk of a net carbon source by more 50% at 2°C of warming, and at greater levels of warming in high emission scenarios. Conversely, in all emission scenarios dynamic vegetation is found to limit the sink-to-source transition at all warming levels by enhancing the carbon sink. Fire emissions can further weaken the sink by reducing its resilience to warming. In the high temperature overshoot scenario, post-peak cooling leads to less favourable conditions for vegetation growth, limiting recovery of the carbon sink. These results highlight the dominant role of vegetation dynamics in regulating the strength and resilience of the Arctic terrestrial carbon sink under warming. They also emphasise the importance of representing coupled permafrost, vegetation, and fire processes in Earth system models to improve projections of land carbon–climate feedbacks across future climate trajectories.
How to cite: Varney, R. M., Hooke, D., Steinert, N. J., Smallman, T. L., Mathison, C., and Burke, E. J.: Northern high latitudes could become a net carbon source below 2°C global warming, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-12015, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12015, 2026.
The Arctic is experiencing rapid warming and changing precipitation regimes. However, the overall impact of climate change on greenhouse gas fluxes remains uncertain in subarctic dry tundra ecosystems, which frequently experience drought. Since 2012, field experiments manipulating summer warming and snow accumulation have been conducted in a dry tundra in western Greenland. Here, we combined long-term experimental observations with process-based models (CoupModel and an analytical reaction-based model) to assess the impacts of summer warming and snow accumulation on CO2 and CH4 fluxes.
Model simulations successfully reproduced the observed seasonal and interannual variability of CO2 and CH4 fluxes. The ecosystem functioned as a net CO2 source and a net CH4 sink from 2014 to 2020. Over the studied period, summer warming enhanced CH4 uptake and reduced net CO2 emissions, leading to a decrease in the overall carbon balance. These responses were mainly driven by increased soil temperature and reduced soil moisture during the growing season. In contrast, increased snow accumulation has an adverse impact on the carbon balance, primarily due to the cooler and wetter soil during the early growing season. Importantly, drought suppressed the cooling effect induced by warming and amplified carbon losses associated with enhanced snow accumulation. This study suggests that future drought could undermine carbon sequestration and methane uptake under a warmer and wetter climate, thereby strengthening positive climate-carbon feedback.
How to cite: Zhao, B., Zhang, W., Peng, S., Wang, P., and Elberling, B.: Quantifying responses of CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a subarctic dry tundra ecosystem to summer warming and snow accumulation, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-16041, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-16041, 2026.
Warming-induced greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost constitute a major uncertainty in assessments of Earth system stability, remaining carbon budgets, and the feasibility of long-term climate targets. While gradual permafrost thaw is represented in several complex Earth system models, abrupt thaw processes such as thermokarst development and active-layer detachment remain absent, despite their potential to generate rapid and substantial emissions. Here, we quantify the contribution of both gradual and abrupt permafrost thaw to CO2 and CH4 emissions and associated climate risks using the compact Earth system model OSCAR, extended with a newly implemented inventory-based module for abrupt permafrost thaw dynamics. Probabilistic projections of global temperature, sea-level rise, and direct economic damage costs are enabled across seven state-of-the-art scenarios from the Network for Greening the Financial System.
Our results show that permafrost carbon feedback introduces pronounced nonlinearities into climate outcomes. Risks associated with gradual thaw scale closely with global warming, whereas abrupt thaw exhibits complex, scenario-dependent effects that disproportionately influence upper-tail risks. These findings suggest that neglecting permafrost thaw may lead to systematic underestimation of tail risks. By explicitly linking permafrost thaw processes to climate risk metrics, this study contributes to reducing a key blind spot in climate‑impact assessments.
How to cite: Liu, X., Gasser, T., Schädel, C., Natali, S., Rogers, B., and Schwalm, C.: Increase in physical and economic risks induced by permafrost thaw, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-19036, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-19036, 2026.
Limiting future global warming and achieving net zero emissions will require significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions alongside deployment of nature-based carbon dioxide (CO2) removal strategies. However, warming-induced emissions from natural ecosystems can introduce positive climate feedbacks that diminish mitigation potential and reduce the remaining carbon budget. Wetlands are a key example of this challenge. While wetland restoration is widely proposed as a nature-based climate solution as it can enhance CO2 sequestration, wetlands are also the largest natural source of methane (CH4), a potent GHG and key driver of atmospheric chemistry. Rising temperatures may amplify wetland CH4 emissions, offsetting CO2 uptake from restoration efforts and resulting in positive climate feedbacks, with potential implications for air quality and Earth system stability. Quantifying these feedbacks is critical for evaluating the net climate effectiveness of wetland-based mitigation.
In this work, we investigate how large-scale global wetland restoration affects future CH4 emissions, atmospheric composition and climate under two warming pathways. Using historically reconstructed wetland areas, we develop two global wetland scenarios: protection of current wetlands, and restoration to 1900 coverage by 2050 with protection thereafter. Wetland CH4 emissions are estimated using an offline emission scheme driven by soil respiration and temperature outputs from eight CMIP6 Earth System Models under SSP1-2.6 (2°C warming and lower air pollution) and SSP3-7.0 (4°C warming and higher air pollution). These emissions are implemented in a CH4 emission-driven version of the UK Earth System Model (UKESM) to simulate responses in atmospheric CH4 mixing ratio, oxidising capacity and air quality. Associated climate impacts are evaluated by quantifying changes in the net GHG balance and radiative forcing, accounting for carbon sequestration and avoided drained emissions.
We find that wetland restoration amplifies warming-driven CH4 emissions, by 57% (91 Tg yr-1) under SSP3-7.0 and by 30% (48 Tg yr-1) under SSP1-2.6 by 2100. In comparison, protecting wetlands at current levels leads to smaller increases (33% and 11%, respectively). As a result of enhanced CH4 emissions, wetland restoration increases atmospheric CH4 mixing ratios by approximately 100 ppb under SSP1-2.6 and 145 ppb under SSP3-7.0. While global impacts on air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter are small, more substantial regional impacts may have implications for human health. Our results provide a comprehensive assessment of wetland restoration as a climate strategy under future warming, highlighting its potential to deliver net-zero goals while also identifying important trade-offs and implications for mitigation and policy.
How to cite: Wagner, R., Weber, J., Fluet-Chouinard, E., Hopcroft, P., Beerling, D., and Val Martin, M.: Wetland Restoration as a Nature-Based Climate Solution: Quantifying Methane Emissions and Climate Feedbacks, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-13660, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13660, 2026.
Supranational Research Infrastructures (RIs) play a crucial role in addressing the interconnected global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, clean energy, and disaster risk reduction, which cannot be effectively tackled through fragmented national or regional approaches alone. Earth Observation (EO) data and technologies, from satellite imagery to long-term in-situ observations and experimental facilities, are essential for monitoring environmental change, informing adaptation strategies, and supporting National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the 2016 Paris Agreement. However, the scientific and societal value of these data remains sub-optimal without coordinated governance, interoperable standards, and synchronised investment cycles across infrastructures and continents. Their true potential can only be realized when access is free, open, and ubiquitous, and when data are interoperable across disciplines, domains, sectors and borders.As a community dedicated to advancing Open Science and providing democratic, interoperable access to geoscientific data, European Plate Observing System (EPOS), contributes to and benefits from the broader ENVironmental Research Infrastructure (ENVRI) ecosystem Together with its global partners AuScope (Australia), EarthScope (USA), and Earth Sciences NZ, EPOS is working towards broadening its regional scope to realise the collective grand vision of a federated Global Research Infrastructure (GRI) for solid Earth sciences. This collaboration, grounded in the FAIR and CARE principles, , Open Science, and global equity, illustrates how international RIs can link regional platforms into a cohesive, interoperable system that accelerates discovery and delivers actionable knowledge for societal resilience.
Building on experiences within ENVRI collaborations, we identified key priorities for advancing global cooperation:
- strengthening interoperability across heterogeneous scientific domains, through shared standards, protocols, and vocabularies, while respecting disciplinary specificities;
- supporting international coordination mechanisms, such as the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), as enablers of voluntary yet impactful collaboration;
- leveraging integrated EO and geoscientific data to support adaptation, sustainable resource management, and disaster prevention;
- ensuring long-term sustainability, encompassing not only funding, but also digital infrastructure, data preservation, high-performance computing, connectivity, and skills development;
- promoting inclusivity and equity, including support for lower-resourced regions and the application of CARE principles in Indigenous data governance.
- Advocating with one voice the support from institutions, not only in terms of funding and sustainability, but also in facilitating these processes by simplifying and harmonising the regulatory conditions for data sharing.
Early Career Researchers (ECRs) are central to the sustainability and future impact of global research infrastructures. As the primary drivers of tomorrow’s science, ECRs must be empowered to work across disciplines, infrastructures, and regions and encouraged to play an active role in modeling the future of the discipline. Dedicated training initiatives, such as the EPOS Summer School, play a vital role in equipping them with skills in inter- and cross-disciplinary research and foster a new generation of globally connected researchers.
Investing in these priorities means moving from a culture of reaction to one of prevention, enabling decision makers at all levels, from global leaders to local communities, to act on reliable, science-based evidence and to foster global resilience in the face of climate change.
How to cite: Tanlongo, F., Freda, C., Bendick, R., Rawling, T., D'Anastasio, E., Glaves, H., Wyborn, L., Festa, G., Mercurio, D., Cocco, M., Paciello, R., Bailo, D., Michalek, J., Lange, O., Farringhton, R., Abbot, E., and Hanson, J.: From Solid Earth Observations to Global Action: The Role of Federated Research Infrastructure , EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-11812, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-11812, 2026.
The NBFC Digital Platform represents the core digital infrastructure of the National Biodiversity Future Center, designed to enable data-driven governance of biodiversity and ecosystem services in Italy. It integrates heterogeneous biodiversity monitoring data, ranging from in situ ecological networks and Earth observation products to genomic, functional, and experimental datasets.
Through advanced modelling frameworks, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities, the Platform provides a modular environment for simulating ecosystem dynamics, forecasting the impacts of climate and land-use change, and supporting restoration and conservation strategies.
Its architecture connects national observatories, research infrastructures, and Living Labs, offering interactive tools for data visualisation, model coupling, and decision support. By bridging science, technology and policy, the NBFC Platform aims to establish a new paradigm of digital governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, fostering transparent access to knowledge, reproducible research and informed decision-making across multiple spatial and temporal scales.
How to cite: Spano, D., Scipione, G., Brundu, G., Costantini, A., Puccini, M., Melfi, G., Xhulio, D., and Mereu, S.: The NBFC Digital Platform: A National Infrastructure for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Governance in Italy, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21502, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21502, 2026.
Global environmental challenges require coordinated access to research infrastructures (RIs) to enable integrated observations, collaborative science, and interdisciplinary research. However, access practices remain fragmented, limiting the potential for transnational research and innovation. This work presents efforts to harmonize access procedures within the environmental RI landscape, promoted by the ACTRIS Services and Access Management Unit in the IRISCC project, building on previous experiences from ATMO-ACCESS, ITINERIS, and other complementary initiatives.
IRISCC calls for Transnational Access (TA) are crucial for promoting cross-border collaboration and supporting researchers in accessing in situ facilities and long-term experimental platforms. Results from these calls demonstrate strong user interest in multi-RI access for integrated projects and highlight the potential for interdisciplinary research. Lessons learned from the calls highlight both technical and organizational challenges, such as aligning eligibility rules and integrating digital tools for access management.
Drawing on these projects, this contribution identifies good practices for harmonization, such as common guidelines, streamlined application workflows, and shared evaluation criteria, which together improve transparency and user experience. At the same time, it outlines lines of action for future developments to achieve more harmonized access models, virtual access solutions, coordinated user support, and the integration of strategies at the national and European levels. Continued collaboration among RIs is therefore essential to move from ad hoc solutions to a comprehensive access framework that supports the FAIR principles and maximizes societal impact.
By sharing insights from IRISCC and related initiatives, this presentation aims to inform future strategies for integrated access, promoting a more connected and efficient research infrastructure ecosystem.
How to cite: Petracca Altieri, R. M., Cornacchia, C., Gagliardi, S., Gargano, G., Loperte, S., Palazzo, Q., Ricciardi, F., and Saganeiti, L.: Fostering harmonised access across environmental research infrastructures: Insights from IRISCC and other collaborative projects, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21557, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21557, 2026.
Global changes and biological invasions are probably the main causes of forest ecosystem degradation, negatively affecting all the ecosystem services they provide us. At the Castelporziano Presidential Estate, a 6000 km2 sout west of Rome (Italy), the combined attack of two invasive pests, Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell) and Tomicus destruens (Wollaston), has led in less than six years to the complete destruction of more than 600 ha of mostly monospecific stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) stands. The death and subsequent felling of the pine trees opened up vast areas that made it possible to test and compare different approaches to ecosystem recovery in an integrated manner, including active reforestation and passive natural evolution.
This opportunity has been fully exploited for the first time thanks to the coordinated and synergistic action of three European research infrastructures: ICOS, LifeWatch and LTER. Thanks to a joint effort made possible by the ITINERIS project, three new integrated monitoring plots have been implemented, two of which represent a post-pine forest restoration option, while the other two (one ICOS site already existed) represent two mature deciduous and evergreen oak forest ecosystems. Together, these plots create a true inter-infrastructural super-site for the study of terrestrial ecosystems. Each plot is equipped with an eddy covariance system for continuous measurements of CO₂, water and energy exchanges, ensuring high-resolution quantification of ecosystem–atmosphere fluxes. At the same time, the integration with LifeWatch and LTER frameworks enables long-term, multi-trophic ecological monitoring, including vegetation dynamics, soil properties, nutrient cycles and biodiversity which play a key role in ecosystem functioning and recovery processes. The Castelporziano supersite clearly demonstrates the added value of integrating research infrastructures operating on the biosphere, as no single infrastructure would have had the strength and expertise to offer this level of observational depth, temporal continuity and ecological breadth on its own. The resulting dataset provides and will continue to provide a solid basis for evaluating restoration strategies from multiple perspectives, including carbon sequestration, water balance, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
How to cite: Guidolotti, G., Mattioni, M., Sconocchia, P., Sabbatini, S., Nicolini, G., Mariotti, A., Cimini, D., Bonella, G., Salvati, R., Matteucci, G., Mazzenga, F., Mori, E., Ancillotto, L., Dondina, O., Thapa, A., Scarascia Mugnozza, G., Basset, A., Calfapietra, C., and Papale, D. and the Technical Team: The Castelporziano Super Site: a cross-research infrastructure integration of ICOS, LifeWatch and eLTER observatory for terrestrial ecosystems restauration, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17513, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17513, 2026.
Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key component of the water balance, and its reliable estimation is critical for water resources planning and agricultural water management, for instance. Lysimeters have long been used to quantify ET from vegetated surfaces and to develop and calibrate ET models. Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) computed with the FAO-56 Penman–Monteith model (FAO-PM) has become a standard, supported by the broader availability of meteorological inputs. In Austria, users can access two main data categories via the GeoSphere Austria data hub: (i) point observations from stations – provided as daily and hourly time series – for meteorological variables; and (ii) spatially interpolated, gridded datasets. Beyond measured variables, derived products are also available, including modeled ET0 based on the Hargreaves–Samani method (HSM) and climate indices. To make an informed choice, it is necessary to understand the differences among these options. Therefore, we examine how alternative input datasets and adjusted algorithms affect ET0 estimates. For a site in northeastern Austria with lysimeter observations, we compute ET0 with FAO-PM using two station datasets (daily values vs. daily averages from hourly data) and compare these with HSM computations, including a gridded ET0 dataset with an adjusted algorithm. Meteorological and ET data are sourced from the GeoSphere Austria data hub (including the WINFORE dataset). ET data from a weighing lysimeter (3 m², grass, managed under reference conditions) serve as a benchmark. We compare the datasets covering a period of seven years using goodness-of-fit and error metrics as well as cumulated ET. The two FAO-PM results are most consistent with each other. However, they deviate slightly from the 1:1 line, which is likely due to the historically derived calculation method for daily wind data. The FAO-PM calculation based on hourly data (aggregated to daily) aligns best with lysimeter observations. During the growing season, FAO-PM cumulative ET0 exceeds lysimeter evaporation by about 3 % on average. ET0 based on HSM is larger by about 10 % relative to the lysimeter and by about 7 % relative to FAO-PM. This systematic overestimation should be considered in practical applications such as irrigation management. The FAO-PM vs. HSM comparison shows the largest bias and scatter, which requires further investigation.
How to cite: Nolz, R., Deißenberger, F., and Weninger, T.: Input selection and algorithm adjustment influence reference evapotranspiration: comparing FAO-56 Penman–Monteith and Hargreaves–Samani against lysimeter benchmarks, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-18963, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-18963, 2026.
Plants in natural ecosystems are simultaneously exposed to multiple, interacting climate drivers, including rising temperature, vapor pressure deficit, atmospheric CO₂ and tropospheric ozone. However, most experimental studies rely on the static manipulation of a limited set of climate drivers (typically one or two), which restricts our ability to detect emergent or non-linear responses under future conditions.
Here, we synthesize results from an ecotron study conducted at the Model EcoSystem Analyser (TUMmesa). Young Fagus sylvatica trees were exposed for three growing seasons to three dynamically simulated, regionalized climate scenarios, including a control scenario (representing an average 1987-2016 climate), a mitigation scenario (RCP2.6), and a worst-case scenario (RCP8.5). The scenarios comprised realistic seasonal and diurnal co-variation of temperature, radiation, humidity, CO₂ and O₃ at hourly resolution.
Across physiological, carbon-dynamic and transcriptomic datasets, we consistently observed strong non-linear responses to increasing climate severity. While moderate future conditions (RCP2.6) induced measurable acclimation responses, plants exhibited qualitatively different responses in RCP8.5, suggesting a shift in regulatory strategies under more extreme future climates. These included threshold-like shifts in gene expression, enhanced assimilation with accelerated carbon turnover, increased belowground allocation, and altered stomatal regulation affecting transpiration and ozone uptake.
Our results demonstrate that experiments manipulating only a limited set of climate drivers, or relying on extrapolation from moderate scenarios, are insufficient to predict plant responses to future climates. Instead, realistic multivariate climate simulations in ecotrons are indispensable for capturing emergent stress responses, advancing eco-physiological understanding, and improving the reliability of process-based vegetation models under future climate change.
How to cite: Jákli, B., Gu, Q.-L., Wolf, P., Meier, R., Johannes, F., Grams, T., and Baumgarten, M.: Ecotron experiments reveal non-linear responses of Fagus sylvatica to realistic future climate scenarios, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6717, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6717, 2026.
MICROBES-4-CLIMATE (M4C) is a Horizon Europe INFRASERV project. It aims to deepen the comprehension of the complex relationships among microorganisms, plants, and soil within the framework of Climate Change. By offering access to advanced Research Infrastructures, training, and assistance, the project seeks to encourage research tackling the multifaceted challenges presented by Climate Change to terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems.
By exploring these interactions, M4C strives to advance the understanding and facilitate the applied research directed at enhancing the resilience of plants and crops to the effects of Climate Change, thereby fostering sustainable and resilient agricultural methods.
In this presentation, we will outline the structure of the project and demonstrate how it enables researchers from a wide range of countries to carry out research projects at cutting-edge facilities in the microbiological domain with a focus on climate change-related questions. M4C offers transnational access (TNA) to four distinct research infrastructures and 144 services spanning 20 countries. We will also highlight some of the available services and share selected research outcomes as the project progresses.
How to cite: Timkovsky, J., Boer, M., Fernandes, D., Haidala, Y., and Portugal Melo, A.: MICROBES-4-CLIMATE: Advancing climate change research using microbial resources, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-12051, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12051, 2026.
Earth-system feedback loops involving natural greenhouse gas emissions pose substantial but poorly constrained risks to future climate trajectories. While direct anthropogenic emissions dominate current climate policy, warming-induced emissions (WIE) from natural sources—including wetlands, permafrost, freshwaters, and wildfires—represent positive feedbacks that have a net effect of amplifying warming yet remain largely excluded from emissions accounting and climate projections. Here we synthesize literature-derived temperature-emission relationships for multiple natural sources and quantify their contributions to future emissions and temperature trajectories across three SSP scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP4-6.0) through 2100.
We extracted relationships between global temperature and rising emissions of wetland CH₄, freshwater CH₄, and wildfire CO₂, while for permafrost CH₄ and CO₂ we used existing data from the literature for each SSP. We then used MAGICC7 to obtain baseline temperature trajectories, calculated the corresponding WIE using the derived relationships, and reran MAGICC with these additional emissions to quantify feedback-driven temperature increases.
By 2100, preliminary estimates of total warming-induced methane emissions could range from 70 ± 40 Mt CH₄/yr under SSP1-2.6 to 200 ± 70 Mt CH₄/yr under SSP4-6.0, representing substantial fractions of current anthropogenic methane emissions. WIE of CH4 and CO2 contribute an additional 0.2 ± 0.1 °C of warming under a low-emission scenario (SSP1-2.6) and 0.5 ± 0.1 °C under a high-emission scenario (SSP4-6.0) by 2100. High uncertainty in each WIE highlights the need for improved process understanding and observational constraints.
Our results demonstrate that WIE represent a significant and growing component of the global carbon budget that cannot be ignored in climate accounting or policy frameworks. The magnitude of these feedbacks underscores the critical value of rapid emissions reductions in limiting not only direct warming but also the amplification of natural emissions. These findings provide policy-relevant quantification of WIE impacts and establish a baseline for future coupled earth-system modeling efforts such as WIE-MIP.
How to cite: Monteverde, D., Abernethy, S., Schädel, C., Buma, B., and Poulter, B.: Future warming-induced emissions are substantial and poorly constrained, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8340, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8340, 2026.
Climate warming can trigger additional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from terrestrial ecosystems, thereby amplifying climate change through positive biogeochemical feedbacks. Quantifying the magnitude, mechanisms, and spatial heterogeneity of these warming-induced emissions remains a major source of uncertainty in projections of the remaining carbon budget. In this study, we use the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM), a participating model in the Warming-Induced Emissions Model Intercomparison Project (WIE-MIP), to quantify warming-induced emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), and to assess the role of climate-driven changes in wildfire activity following the standardized WIE-MIP protocol.
We analyze ensemble simulations driven by two general circulation models under five climate scenarios, including one idealized pathway, three temperature-overshoot scenarios, and one unmitigated high-warming pathway. These simulations allow us to disentangle the responses of terrestrial carbon storage, ecosystem productivity, microbial processes, and wildfire dynamics to varying levels and trajectories of warming.
Our results indicate that climate warming leads to a substantial net loss of terrestrial carbon, dominated by enhanced soil organic matter decomposition and ecosystem respiration, which outweigh gains from increased plant productivity. Warming also strongly intensifies wildfire activity, increasing fire frequency, burned area, and fire intensity across multiple regions. These changes generate large additional pulses of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O from biomass combustion and post-fire ecosystem recovery. In parallel, higher temperatures stimulate microbial processes that enhance CH₄ emissions from wetlands and N₂O emissions from agricultural and natural soils.
Together, emissions from terrestrial ecosystems, wetlands, soils, and wildfires form a strong positive climate feedback that amplifies with increasing warming. Spatial hotspots emerge in high-latitude regions, fire-prone landscapes, tropical wetlands, and intensively managed agricultural areas. These warming-induced feedbacks substantially tighten the remaining carbon budget and underscore the importance of explicitly representing coupled biogeochemical and disturbance processes in Earth system projections.
How to cite: Pan, S., Pan, N., Yang, X., Yu, X., Hao, W., Zhang, Y., Jones, C., Poulter, B., Canadell, P., and Tian, H.: Warming-induced CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O emissions from land ecosystems and wildfire feedbacks simulated by the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM), EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15842, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15842, 2026.
While lakes play an important role in the global methane (CH4) budget, the present meta-analysis based global estimates produce large uncertainties (16.5 to 185 Tg CH4 yr-1), which were often due to lacking sufficient geographical and spatiotemporal representations. To address these uncertainties, we applied a one-dimensional process-based CH4 emission model (LAKE2.6) to simulate global lake CH4 emissions. We first calibrated the model in 10 temperate lakes and 5 tropical (24 °S–24 °N) lakes with continuous flux observations covering from 2 months to 8 years, and then proposed a new parameterization scheme for global lake CH4 simulation based on site-level calibrations. For global model validation, flux observations in 155 lakes from temperate and boreal regions and 21 lakes from tropical regions were collected, ranging in depth from 0.1 to 572 m and in size from 6 m2 to 67,075 km2. We found that 85% of temperate and boreal lakes and 38% of tropical lakes exhibited simulated similar CH4 fluxes to observations, with biases of < ±50%. Based on these model calibration and validation results, we developed a global parameterization framework and applied it to simulate global lake CH4 emissions. Our estimates indicate that lakes emitted 17.7–20.1 Tg CH4 yr-1 during the period 1979–2023, showing an increasing trend of 0.02 Tg CH4 yr-2. This approach enhances the reliability of model performance when extrapolating from site-level measurements to global-scale estimates, thereby improving our ability to assess historical and future changes in global lake CH4 emissions.
How to cite: Li, X., Peng, S., Stepanenko, V. M., Liu, L., and Zhu, D.: Global lake CH4 emissions (1980-2023) simulated using the process-based model-LAKE2.6, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-16113, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-16113, 2026.
The Interreg AMMIRARE Project aims to improve beach system resilience and enhance adaptive capacity to climate change through the adoption of nature-based solutions (NBS), recognizing living and death Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 as key natural assets for coastal protection. By combining ecological restoration, innovative monitoring strategies, and improved governance tools, the project promotes the use of banquettes as natural defenses against erosion and as functional components providing key ecosystem services. The integration of ecological and socio-economic data supports the development of a decision-making support system (DSS) for administrations and policy makers, fostering sustainable coastal management strategies that prioritize NBS over conventional hard-engineering approaches. From an NBS perspective, P. oceanica plays a crucial role both within underwater ecosystems and along sandy shorelines, where the accumulation of detached leaves and rhizomes forms distinctive structures known as “banquettes”. This stranded necromass, from a geomorphological perspective, significantly contribute to shoreline stabilization and mitigating erosion processes, by trapping and retaining sandy sediments. Ecologically, P. oceanica banquettes sustain a wide number of organisms, providing habitat, shelter, and feeding grounds for several invertebrates and microorganisms, enhancing the biodiversity at the land–sea interface. Despite their ecological and protective values, Italy currently lacks clear legislation for the protection and management of banquettes. They are frequently removed to preserve the aesthetic appeal of recreational beaches, often without considering the associated environmental and economic costs. Here, we present the evolution of a banquette located north of Civitavecchia (Italy) which is being monitored monthly by collecting manual penetrometer measurements at selected sites along transects longitudinal and perpendicular to the shoreline. These results, coupled by granulometric and surface/volumetric analyses, will provide the possibility to assess the degree of compactness of the P. oceanica banquette. When the results will be standardized and integrated with measurements from other banquettes with different compactness and formation characteristics, we aim to provide a simple and replicable method for classifying these deposits. These results will also be necessary to the DSS which, through the integration of scientific knowledge into coastal policies, will be able to foster the adoption of adaptive strategies capable of reconciling environmental protection with tourism and local economies.
How to cite: Dastoli, S., Casoli, E., Conforti, A., Conti, M., Giampaoletti, J., Simeone, S., Sinapi, L., Arani, A., and Nicoletti, L.: Characterization and Management of Posidonia oceanica Banquettes as Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21188, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21188, 2026.
Island regions serve as critical ecological functions, maintaining unique biodiversity and endemic species. Due to their geographical isolation, island ecosystems are exceptionally vulnerable to external anthropogenic and natural disturbances, including overgrazing by wildlife and feral livestock, land-use changes, and the impacts of climate change. By this susceptibility, establishing precise quantification and configuration of deforestation and restoration are essential for the sustainable management of island regions. This study aims to identify and validate core remote sensing indicators capable of detecting long-term deforestation and restoration efforts across diverse island landscapes in South Korea.
A comprehensive island library of deforestation and recovery was constructed by synthesizing historical literature and field reports. This library contains a list of deforestation and restoration islands, disturbance types, and disturbed periods. To evaluate spatio-temporal dynamics in island landscape, we utilized multi-temporal satellite imagery and estimated three indicators to represent the vital and biophysical conditions of island ecosystems: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Inverted Tasseled Cap Wetness-Greenness Difference (TCWGDinv).
The analytical framework employed Sen’s slope to determine the magnitude of monotonic trends in each indicators, to provide a robust rate of degradation or recovery over time. To ensure the statistical significance, the Mann-Kendall trend test was conducted, allowing for a rigorous spatial assessment of areas undergoing significant ecological dynamics. The study focused on four representative island sites: Two island sites, Guleop-do island and Anma-do island, damaged from the intense browsing by the ungulate, one island site, Geoje-do island, damaged by pests, and one active restoration site, Wonsan-do island.
All three indicators consistently detected significant decreasing trends in deforestation areas, effectively quantifying the reduction of vital of tree species. In the restoration site, NDVI and SAVI showed increased trends over time, efficiently detecting successful restoration. However, TCWGDinv demonstrated inverse trend, likely due to the high ambient soil moisture characteristics inherent to island regions.
This study demonstrates that while the integration of these three indicators provides a useful tool for monitoring forest degradation and quantifying damage, the application of moisture-based indices like TCWGDinv for assessing restoration requires careful calibration according to site-specific environmental variables. These results provide a scientific foundation for developing optimized, data-driven strategies for the long-term conservation and ecological restoration of vulnerable island forest ecosystems.
How to cite: Cho, W., Chang, B., Park, S., Kang, S., Ko, C., and Ko, D. W.: Identifying Core Indicators to Monitor Deforestation and Restoration Trends in South Korea Island Ecosystems, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17054, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17054, 2026.
Jeju has declared a carbon-zero vision for 2035, and achieving this carbon-neutrality goal requires the expansion of effective carbon sinks. Given the limited potential for further increases in terrestrial carbon sequestration, enhancing coastal blue carbon ecosystems has emerged as a critical strategy. In particular, the restoration and management of coastal halophytes and seagrass ecosystems offer a promising pathway to increase carbon absorption and support climate mitigation policies at the regional scale. This study investigated the distribution and current status of key coastal halophyte species on Jeju Island in order to provide baseline information for blue carbon restoration planning. Target species included Hibiscus hamabo, Vitex rotundifolia, and glasswort. Their spatial distribution was assessed using drone surveys, field surveys, and diving surveys. Hibiscus hamabo was found mainly in areas isolated from the open sea, with an estimated distribution area of 3,300 m². Vitex rotundifolia was evenly distributed around Jeju, with an estimated distribution area exceeding 200,000 m². Glasswort was not observed along the Jeju coast and is presumed to have completely disappeared.
How to cite: Kim, H. J. and Lee, T.: Distribution of Halophytes around Jeju Island, Korea, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8481, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8481, 2026.
Posters virtual: Tue, 5 May, 14:00–18:00 | vPoster spot 2
EGU26-6317 | ECS | Posters virtual | VPS5
Baseline ecological insights of vegetation assessment and carbon stock estimation in natural mangrove forests of Probolinggo Regency, IndonesiaTue, 05 May, 14:27–14:30 (CEST) vPoster spot 2
Java Island is experiencing severe degradation of natural mangrove forests due to anthropogenic pressure, particularly in Probolinggo Regency. Although restoration programs have been widely implemented, the success rate remains very limited due to unsuitable planting technique and suboptimal species selection. This study provides the first baseline ecological assessment of vegetation status and estimation of carbon stock to support more effective restoration planning. Using a quantitative random sampling method, data on species identification, vegetation height, and diameter at breast height (DBH) were collected from 33 plots across eight sub-districts. Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, and Avicennia alba, are the dominant species with relative abundance varied by location. Saplings represented the most abundant growth stage, while trees exhibited the lowest abundance, indicating high past historical degradation. The westernmost sub-district exhibited the lowest Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H' = 0.9), suggesting higher anthropogenic pressures than others. Species richness, evenness, and dominance remain substantially varies across sub-districts. The total estimated carbon stock was 292 Mg C ha⁻¹, comparatively low for Indonesian mangroves ecosystems. The natural mangrove forests in Probolinggo Regency are in early-mid successional stage, reflecting strong past degradation. These findings highlight the urgency of restoration program to improve the total carbon stock across all sub-districts, particularly western areas, with careful consideration of site-species suitability.
This research was conducted at the Warm-Temperate and Subtropical Forest Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science (Project No. FE-2022-04-2025).
How to cite: Qurani, C. G., Rizal, M., and Sugiana, I. P.: Baseline ecological insights of vegetation assessment and carbon stock estimation in natural mangrove forests of Probolinggo Regency, Indonesia, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6317, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6317, 2026.
EGU26-18238 | ECS | Posters virtual | VPS5
Ecosystem service interactions and their driving factors based on a geospatially explainable framework: A case study in the Yangtze River Basin, ChinaTue, 05 May, 14:30–14:33 (CEST) vPoster spot 2
Understanding the interactions (synergies and trade-offs) among ecosystem services (ESs) and their driving factors is crucial for sustainable ecosystem management under intensifying climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. In recent years, machine learning approaches have demonstrated strong potential in capturing nonlinear relationships and exploring the driving mechanisms of ES interactions. However, most existing studies provide unified explanations at the global scale and often overlook the spatial heterogeneity and spatial dependence inherent in geographic locations, thereby limiting the ability to reveal the differentiated effects of the same driving factors on ES synergies and trade-offs across regions. This gap becomes particularly critical in large river basins, where pronounced environmental gradients, spatial connectivity, and heterogeneous human activities jointly drive strong spatial differentiation in ecosystem processes and services.
In this study, we develop a geospatially explainable machine learning framework to more explicitly characterize the spatial variability of ES interactions and their formation mechanisms in the Yangtze River Basin, China. Specifically, six key ESs, including food supply (FS), water yield (WY), water purification (WP), soil conservation (SC), carbon sequestration (CS), and habitat quality (HQ), were quantitatively assessed for the period from 2000 to 2023. Spearman correlation analysis and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were then employed to identify the ES relationships and their spatial distribution patterns. Furthermore, the GeoShapley method was introduced to incorporate geographic location into the model interpretation process, thereby enhancing the transparency and interpretability of machine learning decisions. From a spatial interaction perspective, this approach enables the analysis and visualization of the differentiated driving effects of climate conditions, topography, land use, and human activities on ES synergies and trade-offs across different spatial locations.
This study shows that the geospatially explainable framework enhances insights into the formation mechanisms of ES interactions and provides scientific support for implementing zoned ecosystem management and targeted regulation strategies under ongoing global environmental change.
How to cite: Jiang, C., Yao, Y., and Ma, L.: Ecosystem service interactions and their driving factors based on a geospatially explainable framework: A case study in the Yangtze River Basin, China, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-18238, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-18238, 2026.
