Land Surface Model Development for the GISS GCM: Effects of Improved Canopy Physiology on Simulated Climate

Abstract

A new physiology-based model of canopy stomatal conductance and photosynthesis is described and included in the latest version of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) GCM, ModelE1. The submodel includes responses to atmospheric humidity and CO2 concentration, responses missing from previous GISS GCM land surface schemes. Measurements of moisture, energy, and CO2 fluxes over four vegetation types are used to test and calibrate the submodel. Photosynthetic leaf N is calibrated for each vegetation type from the flux measurements. The new submodel results in surface cooling over many regions previously too warm. Some warm biases of over 2°C are cooled by more than 0.5°C, including over central Eurasia, South America, the western United States, and Australia. In addition, some regions that were previously too cool are warmed, such as northern Eurasia and the Tibetan Plateau. A number of precipitation biases are also reduced, particularly over South America (by up to 1 mm day?1) and the oceanic ITCZs (by over ±1 mm day?1); coastal west Africa becomes significantly wetter. Cloud cover increases over many land areas previously too clear. Higher absolute canopy conductances, and positive feedbacks with atmospheric humidity, are largely responsible for the simulated vegetation influence on the atmosphere. High-latitude climate changes through remote effects of increased tropical latent heating, resulting directly from improved characterization of tropical forest canopy conductance. Realistic representation of the stomatal control on land evaporation is critical for accurate simulation of atmospheric dynamics in the GISS GCM.