Landscapes on the Edge New Horizons for Research on Earth's Surface (2010) / Chapter Skim
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3 Four High-Priority Research Initiatives in Earth Surface Processes
3 Four High-Priority Research Initiatives in Earth Surface Processes
Pages 109-118
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From page 109... ...
yet much remains unknown about the links and interactions between Earth surface processes and climate. The principal goal of a major research initiative in the area of climate-landscape interactions is to develop a quantitative understanding of climatic controls on Earth surface processes and landscape influence on climate over time scales that range from individual storm events 0
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From page 110... ...
. Rising from the fusion of the nine grand challenges, the four high-priority research initiatives are particularly apt to advance understanding and promote interdisciplinary collaboration in Earth surface processes.
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From page 111... ...
Because many new research questions in this area clearly cross boundaries between atmospheric science and Earth surface science, improved communication between these communities is essential for significant progress. Increasing the visibility and understanding of Earth surface science within the atmospheric sciences community, and vice versa, through analysis of common scientific objectives is important to help establish these links.
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From page 112... ...
to provide baseline information on pre-human landscapes as a guideline for restoration and management. The primary science objectives for this initiative include the following: • Improving methods for quantitative reconstruction of past Earth surface states (terrestrial paleoclimate, hydrology, soil characteristics, sediment transport and erosion rates, subsidence or uplift rate)
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From page 113... ...
Developing this predictive capability is of importance for a number of societally relevant issues, such as the future states of rivers and their ecosystems in response to anthropogenic activity, the evolution of tidal marshlands under sea-level rise, or the erosional stability of landscapes and terrestrial carbon reservoirs in response to increased seasonal thawing. As in global climate modeling, the records stored in paleoecologic, geomorphic, and paleosol archives can serve as tests for modeling.
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From page 114... ...
. Integrating ecology, geology, hydrology, and atmospheric science to examine biological-physical feedbacks that shape landscapes could be linked to ongoing efforts at the 26 Long Term Ecological Research (LTER)
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From page 115... ...
Developing this initiative requires new, sustained collaborations among Earth surface scientists and a range of social and behavioral scientists including economists, political scientists, psychologists, sociologists, and human geographers. This range of expertise is necessary to develop the capacity to predict coupled human-landscape dynamics, to incorporate decision-making and human perception and valuation in quantitative models, and to build integrated assessment tools needed by society.
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From page 116... ...
. 3.5 SUMMARy Interest in Earth surface processes has grown substantially in recent years in response to a confluence of exciting scientific discoveries, greater awareness of the impacts of humans and climate on Earth's surface, new tools and instruments for acquiring data, and increased societal demand for scientific guidance to understand, manage, and restore landscapes.
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From page 117... ...
Specific needs in technology, data collection, and the establishment of monitoring networks and community facilities are outlined in Chapter 4, as are specific organizational mechanisms to support development of the four high-priority research initiatives.
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