HR: 14:40h
AN: U23A-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Climate Effects due to Vegetation Changes in Northwest Mexico Under a 2xCO₂ Scenario.
AU: * Montero-Martinez, M J
EM: mmontero@tlaloc.imta.mx
AF: Mexican Institute of Water Technology, Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532 Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Mor 62550, Mexico
AU: Colorado-Ruiz, G
EM: nimga_19@yahoo.com.mx
AU: Lobato-Sanchez, R
EM: rlobato@tlaloc.imta.mx
AF: Mexican Institute of Water Technology, Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532 Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Mor 62550, Mexico
AB: Recently IPCC confirmed with a very high confidence level that the global average net effect of anthropogenic activities since preindustrial times has been one of warming. Nonetheless, the anthropogenic activity has not only increased greenhouse gases levels but also that increment is very likely to produce changes in vegetation due to the close relationship between biota and CO₂. Thus, this study tries to estimate the climate impact of vegetation changes caused by a 2xCO₂ scenario, by looking at 10-yr simulations carried on with the NCAR- CAM3 model. The vegetation changes are calculated based on a USGS report under 2xCO₂ conditions, and those changes are introduced into the scheme of CLM3, which is the land model already coupled to CAM3. By performing climate simulations with and without vegetation changes included, this study deduced the climate effects due to the change of vegetation caused by the increasing of CO₂. Statistical analyses (with a 95% confidence level) show an increase in winter precipitation of northwest Mexico due to the vegetation changes under 2xCO₂ conditions. On the other hand, model simulations show an increase in summer temperatures for the southwestern US due to the same changes in vegetation.
DE: 1622 Earth system modeling (1225)
DE: 1626 Global climate models (3337, 4928)
DE: 1630 Impacts of global change (1225)
DE: 1632 Land cover change
DE: 1637 Regional climate change
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly