Articles | Volume 14, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4711-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4711-2017
Reviews and syntheses
 | 
24 Oct 2017
Reviews and syntheses |  | 24 Oct 2017

Challenges and opportunities in land surface modelling of savanna ecosystems

Rhys Whitley, Jason Beringer, Lindsay B. Hutley, Gabriel Abramowitz, Martin G. De Kauwe, Bradley Evans, Vanessa Haverd, Longhui Li, Caitlin Moore, Youngryel Ryu, Simon Scheiter, Stanislaus J. Schymanski, Benjamin Smith, Ying-Ping Wang, Mathew Williams, and Qiang Yu

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Cited articles

Abramowitz, G.: Towards a public, standardized, diagnostic benchmarking system for land surface models, Geosci. Model Dev., 5, 819–827, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-5-819-2012, 2012.
Abramowitz, G., Leuning, R., Clark, M., and Pitman, A.: Evaluating the Performance of Land Surface Models, J. Climate, 21, 5468–5481, https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2378.1, 2008.
Asner, G. P., Vaughn, N., Smit, I. P. J., and Levick, S.: Ecosystem-scale effects of megafauna in African savannas, Ecography, 39, 240–252, https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01640, 2016.
Aubinet, M., Vesala, T., and Papale, D.: Eddy Covariance – A Practical Guide to Measurement and Data Analysis, edited by: Aubinet, M., Vesala, T., and Papale, D., Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, 2012.
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This paper attempts to review some of the current challenges faced by the modelling community in simulating the behaviour of savanna ecosystems. We provide a particular focus on three dynamic processes (phenology, root-water access, and fire) that are characteristic of savannas, which we believe are not adequately represented in current-generation terrestrial biosphere models. We highlight reasons for these misrepresentations, possible solutions and a future direction for research in this area.
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