CanopyFALL 2014

The Story of Carbon Connecting land and climate

Meet Philip Duffy Introducing the President-designate of Hole Research Center

Also in this Issue Beyond Zero Conversation Between Scientists How Dynamic are Tropical ? Forgotten Feedbacks Restoring the Biosphere Science for the Future of the Earth Where We Work Scientists to Watch Canopy Annual Magazine Letter from the of the Acting President Woods Hole Research Center Contents First of all, I hope you’ll join me in welcoming our President-designate, Dr. Philip Duffy. This External Affairs of Woods Hole Research Center coming year, the Woods Hole Research Center Canopy magazine is published by the Office of (WHRC) in Falmouth, Massachusetts. WHRC will celebrate its 30th anniversary of making is an independent research institution where a difference in the world and Phil Duffy is the scientists investigate the causes and effects of to identify opportunities right person to lead this institution into the for conservation, restoration and economic next 30 years. development around the globe. 1 From the Acting President 3 Staff / Board & Donor Spotlights WHRC is all about the Land-Climate Connection, and that connection is Acting President and Senior Scientist, largely about carbon. Carbon is the thread that runs through all of the 2 Board of Directors 24 Happenings Dr. Richard A. Houghton research at WHRC and the impacts that follow from our work. Carbon dioxide (CO ) is the major heat-trapping gas under human control. CO Director of External Affairs, Eunice Youmans 2 2 drives climate change. CO2 is released to the atmosphere as a result Graphic Designer, Julianne Waite of deforestation and cultivation. CO2 is removed from the atmosphere when forests grow. Thus, management of land and forests provides a key 4 Research at WHRC: The Story of Carbon Copy Editor, Allison White Connecting land and climate. mechanism for managing the carbon cycle and, thereby, climate. Contributors Associate Scientist, Alessandro Baccini, Ph.D. Director of Annual Giving, Elizabeth Bagley, B.A. climate interaction: tropical forests (and their conversion to agricultural Development Associate, Paula Beckerle, B.A. Threelands), major arctic initiatives and boreal at forestsWHRC define (and their its core association mission regarding with ), the land- 8 Meet Philip Duffy, Research Associate, Jesse Bishop, M.S. and measurement of the annual changes in the carbon stocks of land. Senior Scientist, Michael T. Coe, Ph.D. President-Designate Research Associate, Tina Cormier, M.S. The three initiatives focus on carbon, but in different ways. For example, of WHRC Research Assistant, Mary Farina, M.A. the emphasis on REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Deputy Director and Senior Scientist, Degradation) in the tropics is to of carbon. The Introducing the President- reduce emissions Scott Goetz, Ph.D emphasis on boreal and arctic systems is to keep the permafrost frozen so designate of WHRC. Research Assistant, Kevin Guay, B.S. that the carbon stored there stays locked up and doesn’t get released to the Senior Scientist, Robert Max Holmes, Ph.D. atmosphere, as it would if the permafrost were to thaw. And the emphasis Research Associate, Patrick Jantz Postdoctoral Fellow, Min Lee, Ph.D. on the world’s carbon stocks is to determine how to enlarge them; that is, to use lands everywhere to . In the 12 Where We Work 22 Scientists to Watch Research Associate, Paul Lefebvre, M.A. remove carbon from the atmosphere Assistant Scientist, Marcia Macedo, Ph.D. simplest terms, these three initiatives are reducing emissions of carbon A map of WHRC research. Ten up-and-coming WHRC scientists. from land, keeping carbon on land, and removing it from the atmosphere, Robert Mollenhauer, M.Ed. respectively. AssistantChief Development Scientist, SusanOfficer, M. Natali, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow, Prajjwal Panday, Ph.D. Measuring changes in the amount of carbon stored in forests over the Postdoctoral Fellow, Johanne Pelletier, Ph.D. Earth provides information for scientists studying the global carbon cycle, Research Policy Postdoctoral Fellow, Brendan M. Rogers, Ph.D. for managers seeking to use land consistent with carbon management, and for decision makers who must adapt to climatic change through Images 10 Beyond Zero Deforestation 17 Forgotten Feedbacks Greg Johnson, Ph.D. mitigation. Where is carbon being lost? Where is it accumulating? How Creating a global model for sustainable Better models that include the role of Chris Linder fast? What are the potentials for loss and gain? Where are there degraded lands suitable for or restoration? agriculture. permafrost in the future climate system are Christy Lynch Design needed in order for the global policy community Woods Hole Research Center The Center is seeking answers to these questions and depends on individuals and foundations for support of these initiatives. The initiatives Conversation Between Scientists to respond. 149 Woods Hole Road 14 Falmouth, MA 02540 are based on long-term strengths at the Center and represent vital Drs. Scott Goetz and Susan Natali talk about Email: [email protected] interests for sustaining life as we know it on Earth. Those who work at arctic research. 18 Restoring the Biosphere Website: www.whrc.org the Center, whether scientists or not, are here because the Center makes a positive difference through its research and through the outreach to Newsletter policy makers. The work described in the following pages—through the 16 How Dynamic are Tropical Forests? emissions but has the capacity to reduce Subscribe online at www.whrc.org Land makes up only one fifth of global carbon eyes of different colleagues—represents the primary focus of WHRC. I A new way to measure carbon. emissions by half each year. Copyright hope you enjoy this issue of Canopy. All material appearing in Canopy is copyrighted unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the Best wishes, 20 Science for the Future of the Earth provider of the supplied material. Canopy takes front cover: Science offers the discovery of things before care to ensure information is correct at time of President-Designate Dr. Philip B. Duffy, photo by Christy Lynch Designs. they become disruptive and provides options printing. The publisher accepts no responsibility back cover: or liability for the accuracy of any information Richard Houghton Dr. Paul Mann on a tributary of the Congo River, photo by Chris Linder. for overcoming them. contained herein. Acting President

Canopy Fall 2014 1 Board of Directors Staff

Chair Stuart Goode Constance R. Roosevelt Acting President Min Li, Ph.D. Stanley Hammond Wilhelm Merck Private Investor Conservationist Richard Houghton, Ph.D. Marcia N. Macedo, Ph.D. Duane H. Martin Managing Member David Hawkins Dana Mock, B.A. Joyce McAuliffe, B.S. Essex Timber Company Director, Climate Center Tedd Saunders Deputy Director Zander Nassikas, B.A. Robert J. Mollenhauer, M.Ed. Trustee and Treasurer Natural Resources Defense Council President Scott J. Goetz, Ph.D. Susan M. Natali, Ph.D. Lisa Strock O’Connell, B.S. Merck Family Fund Eco-Logical Solutions Neeti Neeti, Ph.D. Fred Palmer Richard Houghton Science Staff Prajjwal Panday, Ph.D. Camille M. Romano, M.S., C.P.A. Vice Chair Acting President, Senior Scientist The Saunders Hotel Group Alessandro Baccini, Ph.D. Johanne Pelletier, Ph.D. Julianne Waite, B.A. Thomas E. Lovejoy Woods Hole Research Center Chief Sustainability Officer Senior Fellow Honorary Directors Jesse B. Bishop, M.S. Amanda E.W. Poston, B.A. Allison B. White United Nations Foundation Lily Rice Hsia Anita W. Brewer-Siljehølm I. Foster Brown, Ph.D. Brendan M. Rogers, Ph.D. Eunice Youmans, M.A. Professor Consultant Neal A. Brown Ekaterina Bulygina, M.S. Kathleen Savage, M.Sc. George Mason University Mather & Hsia John Cantlon Glenn K. Bush, Ph.D. John D. Schade, Ph.D. Joel Horn Oliver Cartus, Ph.D. Seth Spawn, B.A. Lawrence S. Huntington James MacNeill Michael T. Coe, Ph.D. Thomas A. Stone, M.A. Treasurer | Donor Spotlight Joseph R. Robinson Chairman Emeritus Mary Louise Montgomery Tina A. Cormier, M.S. Wayne S. Walker, Ph.D. Managing Director Fiduciary Trust International Gilman Ordway Mary Farina, M.A. Research is my main love. I MidMark Capital Gordon Russell Gregory J. Fiske, M.S. Administrative Staff believe it is important to Karen C. Lambert Ross Sandler Kevin Guay, B.S. Elizabeth H. Bagley, B.A. Environmentalist, Helen B. Spaulding Clerk Robert Max Holmes, Ph.D. Tracy Barquinero, M.S. R.J. Lyman Political Activist J.G. Speth new ways to do things. For me, Holly Hughes, B.S. Paula C. Beckerle, B.A. President Robert G. Stanton studyingquantify andand organize… understanding to find Patrick Jantz, Ph.D. Kelly Benway, B.B.A General Compression, Inc. Victoria Lowell M.S. Swaminathan saves anxiety. It is the key to Josef M. Kellndorfer, Ph.D. Florence Carlowicz, B.A. Community Leader, Ola Ullsten alleviating fear. That is why Melaine Kermarc, B.Sc. Shauna Conley, B.S. Members Conservationist I believe in the Woods Hole Wendy Kingerlee, B.S. Annalisa Eisen John H. Adams Founder Research Center and why I Paul A. Lefebvre, M.A. Michael Ernst, M.F.A. Founding Director Merloyd Ludington George M. Woodwell support it. Natural Resources Defense Council Publisher and Editor Merloyd Lawrence Books Ben Hammett Stephen T. Curwood | Board Spotlight Donor Host, Living On Earth William Moomaw Professor World Media Foundation “…the care of the earth is our most ancient and most worthy and, after International Environmental Policy all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it, Iris Fanger The Fletcher School and to foster its renewal, is our only legitimate hope.” Dance and Theater Tufts University The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays Historian and Critic Jeremy Oppenheim I― love Wendell this quote… Berry, it is so true. For 20 years I have proudly supported Scott J. Goetz Director Deputy Director, Senior Scientist Sustainability and Woods Hole Research Center, because it is in the business of taking Woods Hole Research Center Resource Productivity McKinsey & Company cures of climate change – the greatest challenge of our time. As the care of our planet. WHRC’s stellar science defines the causes and Joshua R. Goldberg solutions emerge we need to listen, support and act to guarantee a General Counsel and Amy Regan thriving environment for future generations. Managing Director Vice President Financo, Inc. Harbourton Foundation Amy Regan Board Member

This list reflects Directors on the Board between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. Board member Amy Regan at the finish line for the Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride in Colorado. Photo courtesy of Bob Hammell.

2 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 3 Research at WHRC: The Story of CARBON

The land-climate nexus, for which the Woods Hole Carbon is a remarkable element. All of the carbon now on are transformed annually from inorganic carbon sided. Oxygen comprises about 22% of the atmosphere; Research Center is known, is all about carbon. Carbon is Earth was present at the Earth’s formation, thus setting dioxide to organic matter by terrestrial plants, through carbon dioxide, about 0.04%. Life and climate are much the common denominator for nearly all of the research the stage for the emergence of LIFE. The evolution of life photosynthesis. A similar amount is transformed by the more sensitive to small shifts in carbon dioxide than and education at WHRC, and most policies for dealing is literally based on carbon. Carbon is called the building phytoplankton in the oceans. Photosynthesis uses the they are to small shifts in oxygen. with climatic disruption focus on carbon. Carbon dioxide block of life because chains of carbon atoms form the sun’s energy to split water molecules, combining part in the atmosphere is, by far, the most important driver backbone of every molecule, cell, and tissue in every of that molecule with carbon dioxide to make organic A very small fraction (less than a tenth of a percent) of climate change. WHRC scientists seek to understand: living thing on Earth. matter (e.g., sugar, cellulose, etc.). Green plants, therefore, of the organic matter produced by plants each year How do practices of land management change whether on land or in the ocean, are the primary source escapes consumption and decomposition and becomes terrestrial carbon stocks? What are the effects of these That’s one reason carbon is important. A second reason of organic matter – the primary source of food for the buried sediments. Over very long time scales, this buried land management changes on the Earth’s climate? How rest of the planet’s inhabitants. The plants themselves organic matter may become fossil organic matter, that is, does global warming, in turn, impact terrestrial carbon largely carbon, it’s not surprising that the food we eat consume about half of the organic matter they make, or coal, oil, and natural gas. These fossil forms of organic stocks? And how can we use land to slow or reverse (carbohydrates,derives from the proteins, first. Because fat) for the energy chemistry and growth of life is 60 billion metric tons per year. The rest fuels herbivores matter still contain the energy initially derived from climate change? WHRC also largely carbon. Food and carnivores, as well sunlight, and that energy scientists work all over webs, including ours as as the microbes that has been used by society the globe, combining well as those of terrestrial decompose dead organic for nearly 300 years to and oceanic ecosystems, matter. These consumers fuel more and more of sensing technologies are assembled from and decomposers the human enterprise. tofield identify work the and lands remote at carbon. Those food complete the loop, During the last century, greatest risk of losing webs are a primary turning the remaining we reduced our burning carbon either from focus of ecological 60 billion metric tons of of and reduced our land management or research, carried out by organic matter back into reliance on grass- and climate change. WHRC measuring the exchanges carbon dioxide in the grain-fed animals for scientists study the rate of carbon between the process. transportation. Instead, of permafrost thaw in environment, living we switched to using the the Arctic, deforestation organisms, and dead fossil deposits laid down is oxygen. In making in the great tropical organic matter (organic over millions of years. forests of the Congo matter is living material organicThe flip sidematter, of carbonplants and the Amazon, or material derived release oxygen. In The difference between agricultural expansion from living processes). consuming organic the rate at which organic in the Brazilian Cerrado, What we know about the matter, animals and matter is converted to Indonesia, and other countries. Our scientists work decomposers (and plants) consume oxygen. Remember, fossil fuels and the rate at which we are burning these with the governments of Mexico, Columbia, Peru and carbon (energy), as well as water and nutrients. plants consume about half of what they produce. But fossil deposits makes all the difference in the world. Indonesia to quantify and monitor their carbon stocks. functioning of ecosystems is determined by the flows of despite the symmetry of carbon dioxide and oxygen in We are releasing back to the atmosphere over a few We identify the locations and the management options But the primary source of energy is the sun. At the the processes of photosynthesis and respiration, the centuries the carbon dioxide that took millions of years for removing carbon from the atmosphere. global scale, about 120 billion metric tons of carbon abundances of the gases in the atmosphere are lop-

4 Canopy Fall 2014 to bury in the first place. AlthoughCanopy such burial Fall 2014 is going 5 The sum of these emissions of carbon upward or downward over the last carbon are CO2 fertilization, nitrogen secondary forests to grow (without (fossil and land use) must equal the 50 years. It has remained close deposition, and changes in climate. further harvests) and expanding sum of the sinks (accumulations of to 0.5; half of the emissions have new forests onto millions of acres carbon), because all of the carbon remained in the atmosphere. That Keeping a watchful eye on the that supported forests in the past released to the atmosphere must observation is remarkable. It means airborne fraction is critical. It will be but no longer do so could take about accumulate somewhere, either that the uptake of carbon by land and 4 billion metric tons of carbon out in the atmosphere, the ocean, or ocean has increased in proportion cycle is beginning to change … or of the atmosphere each year. The land. Scientists can measure the to emissions. The land and oceans not.the firstDetermining indication the that mechanisms the carbon annual uptake of carbon through annual increase of carbon in the have been removing approximately responsible is also critical. If we these management practices would atmosphere, and can infer the half of the emissions, diminish after a few annual increase in the oceans with even though emissions decades as the forests models. And because the global have doubled over the age, so the solution carbon budget must be balanced, we last few decades. is not a permanent can also calculate the accumulation one. Nevertheless, of carbon on land. It is calculated The stability of the such management, if so as to make the budget balance, airborne fraction is timed strategically to based on estimates for each of the remarkable because coincide with reduced other terms. The land sink is the many of the responses fossil fuel dependency, only term for which there is no we would expect from could keep carbon independent estimate. We have a warming world dioxide concentrations never measured a global terrestrial would tend to increase from increasing during sink. We don’t know where it is or that fraction (reduce those crucial decades of the mechanisms responsible for it, the uptake by land transition. although the leading hypotheses and ocean). Both the

explaining it are CO2 fertilization, warming of the ocean Needless to say, there are nitrogen deposition, and changes and an increase in many reasons besides in climate. It is important to note its acidity would be carbon management for on today, it is at a rate a thousand Because most of the carbon is that this carbon sink on land does expected to reduce the ocean’s knew those mechanisms, we could restoring the biosphere to a healthy times slower than we are releasing emitted as carbon dioxide, however, not include the sinks of carbon in uptake of more carbon. Apparently and productive state. Carbon is not we can simplify the discussion it. And the largest reservoir of forests that are regrowing as a result those reductions have been offset and how the fraction might change the only thing that matters. But it by considering carbon in general, carbon, the ocean, can’t keep up of management (e.g., logged forests, by increased uptake through inpredict response more to confidently climate change whether or has some compelling attributes with the rate of release. That’s why abandoned agricultural lands). other processes. The same is true other global change. that make it convenient, not the contain it. the concentration of carbon dioxide These sinks are captured in the net for land. A warmer land surface least of which is that it can be in the atmosphere is increasing, and rather than the specific gases that From the perspective of organic emissions of the Land-Use term. should thaw permafrost, exposing measured as well as managed… why it will take thousands of years chemists, ecologists, and climate to decay rich organic matter that’s Although the contribution of land and tied quantitatively to climate. for the oceans and atmosphere More interesting than the Global A final point about land and carbon. scientists, carbon is interesting for been frozen for centuries. If such management to global warming Carbon is the largest player in the to come to a new equilibrium, in Carbon Budget is what it says about emissions are increasing, they are is only about 10% of the problem land-climate story and this is the different reasons. Those interests the behavior of the global carbon which most of the released carbon being offset by increased sinks from (10% of total carbon emissions), its story of WHRC. coincide, however, when it comes cycle over time. And the simplest will be in the ocean rather than the other mechanisms... but we don’t contribution to the solution could be to the global carbon budget, which index of the global carbon cycle is the atmosphere. know why. As mentioned above, 50%. Stopping deforestation could refers to the alterations in the global “airborne fraction,” which is simply the leading hypotheses explaining reduce global emissions of carbon That’s the third reason why carbon cycle attributable to human an index of the fraction of emissions increased terrestrial uptake of by 10%. But allowing the world’s carbon is interesting: carbon in the activity. The largest term in the that remains in the atmosphere. If atmosphere traps the sun’s heat and global carbon budget is the amount the atmosphere accumulated all warms the Earth. Most of the heat of carbon released annually to the of the carbon emitted from human trapping is from carbon dioxide, atmosphere from the combustion activity, the airborne fraction would WHRC Land-Climate Mission released to the atmosphere when of fossil fuels. Carbon is also be 1. If the atmosphere accumulated released as a result of deforestation fossil fuels are burned and when none of the annual emissions (that • Document and monitor carbon sinks and stores on land forests are cleared and the land and other forms of direct human is, if the land and oceans took up • Identify strategies for preventing additional emissions cultivated. management of land (for example, all of the emissions), the airborne loss of carbon from soil as a result fraction would be 0. • Identify and quantify restorative options in forests and soils to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere But carbon is also contained in of cultivation). There are regions methane – molecule for molecule where carbon is accumulating in Although the airborne fraction • Work with stakeholders to implement these climate-smart land management strategies. 20 times more potent than carbon forests as a result of management, varies considerably from year to dioxide at trapping heat – and in but the net effect of management, year and from decade to decade, it Haiku poems and artwork by Gregory C. Johnson, used with permission from ‘Climate Change Science 2013: Haiku’. For the complete set of haikus, other heat-trapping gases, as well. globally, is a release of carbon. seems not to have trended either please visit daily.sightline.org/ClimateHaiku.

6 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 7 Meet Philip Duffy President-Designate of WHRC

You have an interesting background You are a physicist. Does that give goes on inside the White House? and your role as the President of long run, that’s best for all parties. with experience in academia, the you a bit of a different perspective In some ways it’s amazing and WHRC? An advisor who has a reputation policy world and climate change on climate change than that of an unique, and I have often asked Research is a hobby for me now. as a straight shooter is trusted and communications. How will these ecologist or a hydrologist? myself how a public-school kid from I have two papers in the works, sought after. experiences inform your work at Climate change is very multi- Providence ended up there. I can which I spend probably four hours WHRC? disciplinary, so climate-change also remember being at a going- on a month. But those four hours You biked in the California Climate away party thinking, “Wow, this Ride. How many miles did you ride? What unites all of those experiences researchers have diverse academic are relaxing. Why did you do it? is the fact that they were all backgrounds. An education in going-away party where no one motivated by the desire to use physics provides a strong set of What do you see as the public role of Well, I love cycling; it used to be a quantitative tools that can be applied knowsis just likewhat any to say.”other office. A lame the Woods Hole Research Center? big part of my life. I also care a lot to problems in many areas. On the about climate change, so when I credibility to move society forward You have led small It is important for inmy addressing scientific climate knowledge change. and I other hand, I have had to overcome scientists involved was invited to do the Climate Ride, never having any academic training and large teams. How “If humanity is to I did not hesitate to accept. I think hope that these varied experiences would you describe in climate change to whatsoever in climate, not even speak publicly about we rode 300 or 400 miles; I don’t will allow me to help WHRC to your management meet the grand what we do. I notice remember exactly. We had fantastic continue to do great science and style? my physics training was very old- challenge of that WHRC has had weather and the route through to be effective in communicating Northern California (where I have Photo by Christy Lynch Designs. the results and importance of that fashionedgeophysical in that fluid it was dynamics! very focused Also, I like to involve all events concerning interested parties in climate change, lived most of my life) was just science to policymakers and to the on, well, theoretical physics. There issues of local and was essentially nothing on real- making decisions. organizations like beautiful. Unfortunately, our dog On October 7, the Board of the public. died while I was on the ride, and Woods Hole Research Center world applications. Nor were we One of the good like ocean things about working WHRC will play a my poor wife had to handle that sad named Dr. Philip B. Duffy as the Based on your publications, it seems taught how to solve equations using regional significance, with smart people is event by herself. next president of WHRC. Dr. you have interests in climate change computers, which is what I ended critical role, by solving we can continue to do that they often have that.acidification. That being I hopesaid, Duffy currently serves as the adaptation, extreme weather risk good ideas; in many key science problems I feel pretty strongly What haven’t I asked that people White House National Science and climate modeling. How do your cases, though, you that scientists should know about you? and Technology Council’s Senior research interests dovetail with the upAs you spending are well much aware, of communicating my life doing! and bringing those the science of climate change is won’t hear them I was introduced to climate science Advisor to the US Global Change current work of WHRC? solutions into the Research Program. In this role he challenging. We always struggle unless you ask. organizations back in the 1980s by my mom, who is involved in international climate My overarching interest is in to communicate scientific facts And people always policy realm.” needand to be scientific wary was a researcher on paleoclimates negotiations, domestic climate furthering science that has clear without over qualifying to the point appreciate having of advocacy. The (ice ages and so on) at Brown policy and the coordination of societal relevance, and that’s of unintelligibility. Based on your input into a decision, most valuable asset domestic global change research. also the Center’s mission. More experience with Climate Central, even if it does not turn out the way of both individual scientists by the interestingness of the Prior to his work with the White how do you balance scientific they hope. That’s especially true and organizations like WHRC is science,University. but pretty At first quickly I was I attracted realized House, Dr. Duffy was Chief Scientist to help address the grand societal veracity and clear communication of scientists, who by nature like to that climate change is much more for Climate Central, an organization challengespecifically, of I climate want to change, use science and for a general audience? is compromised if we are seen as than interesting science. Now one dedicated to increasing public that’s what the Center is all about. and balk at being told what to do. advocates.scientific credibility; When I thatadvise credibility senior I believe that it should be possible Ifigure also believe things outin being for themselves,open with policymakers, I try very hard to professionally as well, and I am understanding and awareness of So my interests match perfectly to explain our work to pretty much climate change. Dr. Duffy has held with the mission of WHRC. folks about things that affect them, convey what science has to say with enjoyingof my kids being is goinga mentor into to the her. field So anyone. If it’s not, then maybe we good and bad. In the long run, that as little “spin” as possible. In the senior research positions with shouldn’t be doing it. The most the Lawrence Livermore National Are there particular projects that builds trust. important thing I want people to for me it’s much more than a job! Laboratory and visiting positions at are closer to your heart? understand about what WHRC does the Carnegie Institution for Science You are first The tropics and the Arctic are is why it’s important. and foremost a and the Woods Institute for the critical regions in the sense that Environment at Stanford University. scientist, and I how we manage them will have a You spent three years as a science imagine there are He has a Ph.D. in Applied Physics advisor in the White House. Prior from Stanford University. several research of future climate. Good choices will to that, the great bulk of your questions you Soft-spoken, with an irreverent wit, actstrong to limit influence climate on change, the trajectory and poor experience had been in academia. would like to Dr. Duffy radiates the kind of energy choices would make the problem Was there anything that really answer. How will that compels one to lean in. Eunice much worse. I am particularly surprised you? you successfully Youmans sat down with him to excited by the work that WHRC is combine your discuss the future of WHRC. doing in these regions. on the outside has any idea what research projects I had no idea what to expect! Who 8 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 9 Research Beyond Zero Deforestation: Creating a Global Model for Sustainable Agriculture Michael Coe and Marcia Macedo

2020 could be a magic year At the same time the nation set aside of soybeans, sugar cane, coffee, and atmosphere by 25%, and increased for Brazil. Although it is home to hundreds of millions of acres of oranges. Over nearly a decade, Brazil the water exported to the oceans by one of the world’s largest carbon Amazon forests as strict protected has shown that forest conservation 25%. If not aggressively addressed, storehouses, the Amazon rainforest, areas, where no deforestation could does not necessarily have to come at these changes may affect regional occur. the expense of economic activity. climate and have severe impacts on emitter of greenhouse gases, much As it strengthened forest and However, Brazil’s successes have ofBrazil it historically is also the fromworld’s deforestation. fifth largest and economic development. agricultural governance, Brazil not eliminated the environmental 2020 is the deadline Brazil has fire frequency, crop productivity, also improved enforcement of consequences of agriculture. set for itself to reach a targeted Using satellite observations and environmental laws. National Achieving ever-greater production 40% reduction in greenhouse gas computer models, the WHRC and state programs began to take without new deforestation has emissions and an 80% reduction in science team has been able to scale advantage of existing satellite deforestation. 2020 is also the year technologies to monitor forests, Farmers are now planting two or when Brazil’s agricultural outputs at Tanguro to all of Brazil. During threerequired crops large-scale per year intensification. and grazing up the field measurements made are projected to increase by 40% their nearly ten years working in respond to illegal deforestation. more heads of cattle per acre than or more. Brazil is poised to become the region, they have documented Privateenabling officialsinitiatives to “see” and and rapidlypublic- ever before, attempting to squeeze a global model for sustainable the importance of good governance private partnerships sprang up to more and more out of the same agriculture – and the world is to the environment, but none of support environmental compliance parcel of land. Doing so requires this research would really matter watching to see if it can pull off this more fertilizer and pesticide inputs if not put to good use. To make massive increase in agricultural standards, commodity roundtables, and building more infrastructure this research relevant for Brazil production, while preventing andthrough boycotts international of products certification produced to store and transport goods, all and the globe, the team works deforestation and the CO2 emissions on newly-deforested land. These of which can have unintended closely with colleagues at several that come with it. improvements in transparency and environmental consequences. Brazilian institutions, including the governance led to a rapid decline in Brazil has come a long way since Amazon Environmental Research illegal deforestation. Today, Brazil WHRC scientists have found the signing the Kyoto Protocol in 1998 Institute, Federal University of is widely touted as a conservation perfect laboratory for studying and has become a leader in carbon Minas Gerais, and the Land Alliance. success story, having protected 80% these consequences – a working management, mainly by controlling soybean farm embedded in the These partnerships provide an deforestation in the Amazon. In of the original Amazon and reduced annual deforestation from more Amazon forest. The 200,000- outlet for communicating their 2005 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio acre Fazenda Tanguro, one of “Lula” da Silva made an international than 4.9 million acres in 1995-2005 to less than 1.6 million acres after Brazil’s largest soybean farms, impacts to farmers, ranchers, and commitment to reduce deforestation scientific findings of human 2008. This reduction prevented the policymakers. Together this group in the Amazon by 80%, compared to release of 3.2 billion tons of CO into activity aimed at understanding the 2 has become a hub of scientific the atmosphere. environmental costs of intensive dialogues on the importance of this commitment in 2008, when he agriculture. WHRC scientists study conservationhas been able and to federal influence policy. public signedthe 1995-2005 the National average. Plan He on codifiedClimate These impressive conservation the interplay between agricultural Change into law. Soon after, the achievements occurred as Brazil The world is watching while government introduced its Low- was becoming an agricultural its consequences for climate, water Brazil struggles to create viable Carbon Agriculture program, which powerhouse, the only tropical andexpansion food security, and intensification, and ecological and policies, emphasizing ecologically provides roughly $1.5 billion in country to compete in the realm of function. Together with Brazilian and economically sustainable annual subsidized loans aimed at global commodity markets. Beef colleagues, they have shown that management of land, and to create a increasing agricultural productivity, deforestation warmed the land new development paradigm for the while reducing carbon emissions fold from 2000-2010, and Brazil is surface by as much as 5 C, reduced world to follow. And through sound ○ Photo by Paulo Brando. and supporting . nowexports the increasedworld’s leading more thanproducer five- the amount of water recycled to the science WHRC is there to help.

10 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 11 Where We Work

Svalbard, Norway: mapping. Russia: Arctic vegetation and landscape effects on permafrost vulnerability.

Chersky, : Impacts of boreal forest , USA: Arctic vegetation and landscape effects on permafrost next generation of arctic researchers. vulnerability; biomass mapping. Europe: Mapping deforestation fires on permafrost carbon loss; training Healy, Alaska, USA: Climate and forest degradation. impacts on carbon balance of subarctic . Alaska, USA, Canada & Russia: Collect and analyze a time-series of biogeochemical samples from Arctic rivers for assessing environmental change.

Howland Forest, Maine & Harvard Forest, Massachusetts, USA: Study impacts of changing climate on carbon cycling in forest; measure greenhouse gases in soils. Florida, USA: Study of mangroves to predict impacts of climate Appalachian Region: Assess eco- change on coastal ecosystems. systems vulnerabilities to climate change for US Park Service. Pan-Tropic: REDD+ Monitoring.

Mexico: Biomass mapping, land cover change, technical capacity building Amazon River Floodplain: India, USA, Africa, Colombia, Peru: and training to monitor carbon stocks. Developing studies for the next USA/ drought on ecosystems; analyze India Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Mexico, Colombia, Peru: Mapping deforestation theMeasure impacts impacts of land of useflood change. and mission. and forest degradation; REDD+ monitoring. Xingu River Basin: Eastern Central Africa: Carbon and Amazon River: Biomass mapping. deforestation maps.

Brazil, Measure Bolivia carbon and fluxes. Peru: Building Cerrado: Examine land Equateur Province, Democratic Republic an early warning system for extreme use change to understand of Congo: Work with local communities to events in the tri-national region. the impacts and opportu- improve land-use management and gover- nities for carbon storage. nance to limit deforestation. Madre de Dios, Peru: Advise re- gional government on adaptations to Tanguro Ranch: Deforestation, Mbandaka, Democratic Republic of climate change; work with university Congo: Evaluate land management professors to build conservation strategies to identify best practices to capacity in Peru and Brazil. Amazon;temperature agriculture, and solar climate reflection reduce deforestation and degradation. changechanges; and fire freshwater and land use supply; in the San Martin and Ucayali, Peru: REDD+ monitoring; capacity building with indig- nitrous oxide emissions. enous leaders to address the impacts of agricultural intensification and climate change in Ucayali. Mato Grasso and Acre, Brazil: REDD+ monitoring; agriculture, Amazon: climate change and freshwater savannization; examine the environmental supply in Mato Grasso. impacts of Examine soybean fire, agriculture. land use and the

Planet-wide: Global map of aboveground biomass; global map of forest extent and change.

REDD+ is the United Nations program for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. Woods Hole Research Center

12 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 13 Research

Scott – The other challenge is that Susan – What about the browning not all permafrost is the same. you have seen in the Arctic. Can it Conversation Between Scientists Nobody knows how fast permafrost be linked to permafrost thaw and will thaw across the Arctic, because soil moisture? Is it precipitation or Drs. Scott Goetz and Susan Natali talk about arctic research permafrost is variable with some of is it water availability as a result of it having very high, easily converted permafrost thaw? carbon and other with much less. Scott – I don’t think anything Susan – That’s right. One thing related to browning is necessarily Dr. Scott Goetz uses satellite imagery during the growing season that has really surprised me is that related to precipitation directly, to study ecosystem responses to was offset by carbon respired even the starting point, the amount but it is a drought effect. We are environmental change in the Arctic, annually, resulting in a of carbon contained in permafrost, pretty sure it is related to the particularly documenting vegetation system that is a net source of really varies across different models. drying effects of air, that is, long hot changes (such as greening and browning atmospheric carbon. and dry days with low humidity. of boreal and tundra ecosystems) due – Right. That is the challenge be in 2100 or 2300 when there is not These warmer growing seasons in to warmer temperatures. Dr. Susan Scott How do we figure out where we will with the satellite record in the a consensus on how much carbon is consecutive years are leading to Arctic. It is only light half of the stored in permafrost now? greater mortality rates. That’s year so we are missing a big piece the browning we are looking at now toNatali understand designs the field role experiments of permafrost and Scott – Ice content of permafrost of the picture. That is, the piece in the Boreal forests. In contrast, thawcollects in fieldfuture data climate across trajectories. the Arctic is another big research question you capture with winter respiration across the expanse of the tundra, Where Dr. Goetz’s research shows that because that can determine how measurements, and they change the we have seen ubiquitous greening warming temperatures in the Arctic vulnerable permafrost is to thaw. can lead to greater vegetation growth, whole story. everywhere we look. Susan – Can you detect ice in Susan – It would be great if we could – Well, even within the Boreal carbon is emitted from soils than is permafrost with remote sensing? Susan takenDr. Natali’s up by vegetation research finds due to that warming more link winter respiration numbers system across the Arctic, there temperatures. They sat down one Friday with some sort of measurement we Scott – We know that we could with are big differences in vegetation afternoon to discuss their research. could detect during the growing electrical resistivity measurements types, with Larch forests in Siberia season. Maybe snow depth and from a helicopter or on the ground. and Evergreen conifers in North snow cover or freeze and thaw Susan – What is driving the You can put probes in the ground to America. Are there differences in cycles could be linked to growing greening you see in the Arctic? Is detect ice content, but there is no the response of these Boreal forests season net primary production it permafrost thaw, changes in soil way to do it over very large areas. to warming? moisture, temperature or nutrients, (NPP). or is it something else? – That’s right. There are Scott – Length of snow-on season and link what we know about ice Scott We could work at your field sites some areas in Siberia showing a Scott – I don’t think we know for might be a good indicator of relative wedges and content, permafrost warmth. Then there is this whole composition and your respiration browning effect, but it is not nearly sure. It seems that temperature as evident as it is in North America. is a big factor with a longer hydrologic component that could measurements. We could get at very Your earlier question about the growing season leading to higher be measured in terms of how wet large areas with radar, especially long relationship between browning and photosynthetic rates, but there may different sites are. What do you wavelength P-band radar. Those be a whole cycle of other processes think is driving winter respiration? are some direct ways. We could permafrost thaw is a really good related to nutrient cycling. Is it the insulating effect of snow? also use some more indirect ways, one. We don’t have a good handle like looking through time using on that because we don’t really Susan – Sure, it is temperature. So, Susan LIDAR to map surface topography. know how variable permafrost consistent with your results, yes, it is the insulating effects of We could then come back to those is across these landscapes. We but we – Ourhave field found studies that are snow combined with other factors need better maps of extent such as how much carbon is in the same sites, maybe at the beginning of the thaw season and the peak and distribution of permafrost, the longer growing season, soil, what the composition of the especially throughout the areas andmicrobes that alsomicrobes benefited respired from organic matter is in soil, and how of the thaw season, to measure how much the ground surface has where it is less continuous. greater amounts of CO2 when much unfrozen water is available. subsided with thaw. We could infer warmed. We have also found We know these things affect winter Susan – We have a lot more work that when we factor in winter respiration. That’s where we need something about ice content from microbial respiration, the those observations. We need to do carbon taken up by plants winter respiration and scale it up. a lot more of this. to do!Scott – We sure do. to go, figure out what is driving Photos by Paul Lefebvre. 14 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 15 Research Policy How Dynamic Are Tropical Forests? Forgotten Feedbacks Alessandro Baccini and Richard A. Houghton Susan Natali

We know from the global carbon forests are disturbed, for example The Arctic is warming at twice the In 2012, a UNEP report found that budget that carbon is accumulating consistent with the results obtained rate of the rest of the globe, and that permafrost thaw could substantially on land despite the losses of most tropical forests growing? Or bytropical comparing America. the These loss findings of carbon are warming threatens a vast release of intensify global warming if warming carbon from deforestation and areby storms, the equal fires, areas droughts, accumulating etc. Are from land-use change with the gains carbon locked within permafrost occurs as projected in the Arctic. degradation, and in addition to and losing carbon? reported from the sampled plots. (frozen soil) – an amount that The report also suggests that the accumulations resulting from represents more carbon than has thawing permafrost could radically management. We don’t know where In the absence of systematic forest method measures the net change in been emitted through all of fossil change ecosystems and break down or why the additional carbon is inventories, there’s never been a We are confident that the WHRC aboveground carbon. fuel combustion to date. Projections infrastructure. These impacts are being accumulated, but it is. One way to measure the area of forests place to look for the accumulation losing carbon (and how much) and However, our measurements of of the impacts of permafrost thaw already visible in the Arctic with is in forests, and forest carbon density are for areas on the global climate system vary “drunken” , sinking buildings inventories in mid-latitude 500 meters by 500 meters, widely because scientists do not yet and the Russian pipeline break, countries suggest that indeed and that area is large enough understand how fast or how much which resulted in the largest oil spill the carbon stocks of forests to include both forests that carbon will be released. The timing on the land. are growing, although not are gaining carbon and forests and magnitude are uncertain, but enough to balance the global that are losing it. Thus, we the climate effects of a warming These impacts are dangerous and carbon budget. In the tropics, don’t have a precise estimate Arctic are clear: permafrost thaw obvious, but the greatest danger where forest inventories are of how much carbon is being will release more carbon into the from permafrost thaw is invisible rare, it is not so clear that lost (from disturbances and atmosphere and further amplify at its source and it is irreversible. forests are taking up carbon, degradation, for example) climate change. Yet, permafrost Permafrost contains 1.5 trillion in part because deforestation and how much is being gained thaw and the associated climate tons of carbon – twice the amount affects so much of the tropics. (as a result of forest growth). feedbacks are not included in the of carbon that is in the atmosphere But an on-going sampling of We have determined the net today. As it thaws, carbon can be plots in South America and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change but lack the gross rates converted by microbes into carbon Africa suggest that unmanaged Change (IPCC) climate models. Cartography by Greg Fiske. of carbon loss and gain. dioxide (CO ) and methane (CH ), forests are taking up carbon. 2 4 The IPCC was formed in 1988 by a heat-trapping gas that is 28 to the area of forests gaining carbon The way to get at gross rates is to The suggestion is controversial – until WHRC developed a satellite- try the WHRC method at a higher the United Nations Environment 34 times more powerful than CO2 because one would not expect based method for measuring the spatial resolution than 500m x Programme (UNEP) and the World on a 100 year timescale. Further, grown forests to continue to aboveground carbon density in 500m. The smaller pixels should Meteorological Organization arctic warming has occurred many accumulate carbon. At some point forests and woodlands. We have help identify more areas as either times faster than earlier climate they have to reach an equilibrium now measured the aboveground gaining or losing carbon, and the net research on the role of human models predicted, rendering where the carbon accumulated in carbon density for tropical forests change should remain the same. activities(WMO) to examineon a changing current scientificclimate. current warming projections too growth is balanced by the carbon at an annual interval between the The IPCC issues assessment reports conservative. Permafrost thaw has lost as a result of mortality. Is the years 2002 and 2012. We can now We would also like to separate the which draw on the expertise of more the potential to up-end all future observed accumulation balanced answer the questions: Are there losses into those from deforestation than 2,000 scientists from nearly 160 climate projections, but human by losses in forests not sampled? Or and those from degradation. And visible changes in carbon density? countries to examine the physical actions can minimize its effects. is there an accumulation of carbon to separate the changes in carbon How many forests are losing carbon; science of the changing climate, the Current climate models without driven by some change in the global density into those from human how many are gaining it; and do the impacts of these changes, and policy permafrost feedbacks underestimate environment, for example as a two cancel each other out? management and those from natural options for mitigating these effects. future warming trends. Better result of higher levels of CO2 in the processes. This last attribution is Unfortunately, the most recent Fifth models that include the role of atmosphere or changes in climate? We found a mixed answer. Overall, extremely challenging, but it would Thawing permafrost on We don’t know much about the the carbon lost during the decade reveal the potential for humans to exposed riverbank oozes into IPCC Assessment report does not permafrost in the future climate dynamics of tropical forests. We was greater than the carbon manage the global carbon cycle. the Kolyma River in Siberia. include the effects of permafrost system are needed in order for the don’t know how often tropical gained. The greatest loss was in WHRC is up to the challenge. Photo by Chris Linder. carbon feedbacks on climate. global policy community to respond.

16 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 17 Policy Restoring the Biosphere Richard A. Houghton

The following sentence appeared 120 billion metric tons of carbon Somewhere along in the industrial yields, and led to abandonment and Fortunately, we know that degraded Restoration of the biosphere enables in the July 31, 2014, issue of New are released back to the atmosphere revolution, the substitution of coal, moving on to the next plot of fertile forests and degraded lands that us to simultaneously meet the three Scientist: “Scientists are betting that through the complementary process oil, and gas for wood (or whale oil) land. Depleted soils are slow to once supported forests can support needs of the new climate economy: if there are intelligent beings outside of decomposition (or respiration). began to add carbon dioxide to the return to forests, and today there are forests again. Many of the lands greater production of food for the of Earth’s galaxy, they’ve probably atmosphere faster than the oceans formerly forested lands that support degraded over the last centuries next billion people, many of whom been polluting their environment Enter humans. Not much changed or growing forests could take it out, neither agriculture nor forests. We can be recovered and can be made will be joining the middle class and just like we have, a fact that could and the concentration of carbon call these lands degraded, or, where to produce food or wood consuming more; one day unlock clues leading to their dioxide began to increase. There forests have made less than a full at the same time they re- reduced emissions discovery (my italics).” Is that what thatat first. converted We hunted the carbon and in gathered, organic were perhaps a billion of us then. come-back, degraded forests. accumulate the carbon “Restoration of of greenhouse matterlike other to animals,carbon dioxide, and we usedskipping fire stocks that existed prior gases; and economic our intelligence has brought us… to Our use of fossil fuels has increased So here we are today. We need to the biosphere the process of decomposition – to human intervention. development for be recognized by our pollution? since then, partly because there reduce emissions of carbon dioxide hardly noticeable to the global We might be able to has the potential countries through are more of us and partly because and other greenhouse gases at the Before there were people on Earth, environment. A few hundred recover to the carbon supply of resources each of us uses more energy than same time we need to increase to turn the land the planet functioned in a way not thousand years ago there were only stocks that existed before that are demanded by our grandparents did. In 2013 we food production for another billion very different from a few million of us. humans – even though from 10% of the growing appetite emitted about 10 billion tons of people joining the Earth by 2030. the way it functions we still need large areas Then some groups carbon to the atmosphere from Many of those added will be looking the problem to today. Plants take “Every year about for agriculture and can’t fuel, and ecosystem discovered that burning fossil fuels, and we released for a better life, which translates carbon dioxide out of 120 billion metric return all cleared areas 50% or more of services.for food, feed, fiber, they could make another billion tons from our into higher rates of consumption. back to forests. But even the atmosphere to feed tons of carbon are life easier if they continued conversion of forests and Huge challenges. The good news the solution to themselves through on agricultural lands, not Such thinking may stayed in one spot tropical peatlands to agricultural is that the increased demand for to mention grasslands, sound optimistic, but photosynthesis creating fixed into organic climatic change and grew their lands, for the production of food and resources such as food and wood has tundra, marshes, and optimism is the only food (organic matter) matter by green own (domestic) fuel. the potential to fuel the economic other non-forest lands, mitigation.” viable alternative. And from inorganic carbon. A crops and meat development of poor countries we can increase the there are indications by-product is oxygen. A plants, and about instead of hunting During the centuries that preceded where such development is needed. carbon stocks of soils. that the process has begun in few organisms can form and gathering. It the industrial revolution the 120 billion metric some neighborhoods. Tropical organic matter through didn’t happen all concentration of carbon dioxide in But can we meet these challenges? And some of the good news is even deforestation rates have declined chemosynthesis, tons of carbon are at once, but settled the atmosphere was 278 ppm (parts Can we increase crop production at better. Soils with more carbon over the last decade, while crop but most of the food agriculture, starting per million) (that’s 0.0278%). In the same time we reduce emissions? in them usually produce higher released back to the production has increased in some of that we and the rest about 10,000 years 2014 the concentration reached Can we increase yields without yields of crops. So, as we add ago, began to replace the same countries. Forest area has of the animals on atmosphere through 400 ppm, and its growth is faster cutting down more forests? Can we carbon to agricultural soils through forests and other than ever. Stopping at 450 ppm deliver more resources and do it conservation tillage or no-till, we been increasing for nearly a century Earth share comes the complementary natural ecosystems looks unlikely. 278 ppm is what sustainably? increase yields on the same areas. In in some developed countries and from photosynthesis. with croplands and the concentration would be in the short, we restore the What we don’t eat process of for decades in China and India. pastures. As forests absence of intelligent life on Earth. Earth, restore the Restoration of the biosphere has the accumulates as organic decomposition (or were cleared, the “In 2013 we emitted about 10 billion tons capacity of natural potential to turn the land from 10% matter in soils. There carbon stored in But the expansion of agricultural respiration).” of carbon to the atmosphere from burning ecosystems to carry of the problem (net emissions of 1 it forms the food for trees was emitted to areas over the last ten thousand out ecosystem billion tons carbon/year) to 50% microbes that convert the atmosphere as years did more than reduce the fossil fuels, and we released another services, such as or more of the solution to climatic the organic matter back into carbon carbon dioxide. Again, the emissions amount of carbon held in vegetation water conservation dioxide, releasing nutrients and were minor, less than a half of and add it to the atmosphere. billion tons from our continued conversion or erosion control change mitigation (3-5 billion consuming oxygen in the process. billion tons of carbon per year. The Cultivation also reduced the amount of forests and tropical peatlands to in addition to tons of carbon uptake/year). And That’s the global carbon cycle. carbon dioxide concentration of the of carbon of soils. In rich soils, crop withdrawing that’s only the carbon side of the Every year about 120 billion metric atmosphere didn’t increase because agricultural lands, for the production of carbon from the accounting. Doesn’t that sound like the oceans could keep up with in poor soils, over-cropping reduced food and fuel.” atmosphere. It is a a more intelligent way of managing matter by green plants, and about absorption of those emissions. theproduction fertility flourished of soil, anyway.diminished But win, win, win. our resources? tons of carbon are fixed into organic 18 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 19 Policy Science for the Future of the Earth Richard A. Houghton Imagine The two preceding stories go sinks, and to include only those Taking a step back, imagine where somewhat farther than reporting sources and sinks that can be we’d be if the science behind the results of environmental attributed to management – not these two pieces had never been a world not dependent on fossil fuels research. They make statements those attributable to nature or carried out – if we didn’t have the about what should be done, and why random events. The rationale is knowledge to be concerned about that allows natural systems to it should be done. They advocate. that we should be rewarded and permafrost thaw or if we didn’t regulate the Earth’s temperature The “Forgotten Feedbacks” piece penalized for our actions, not for know that one option for stabilizing advocates for including processes beyond our carbon dioxide in the atmosphere permafrost thaw in direct control. But was land management. We would future climate models “Science offers the the warming itself is have a limited understanding of Invest in the future of the Earth so that those models discovery of things largely attributable both the dangers and the solutions will do a better job of to be concerned to human activity, to climatic disruption. Invest in research predicting the future so the emissions rate and extent of global about before they of carbon from That’s what science offers: the warming and climate become disruptive, thawing permafrost discovery of things to be concerned Please make your gift to about before they become change. “Restoring the and options for are also attributable Biosphere” advocates (indirectly) to human disruptive, and options for dealing using land management dealing with and with and overcoming such concerns. support the strategically for the time overcoming such is that the sources And this role of science is why activity. The difficulty governments have long recognized required to transition concerns.” and sinks attributable Woods Hole Research Center today. away from fossil fuels. to warming are the need to invest in research. Both pieces are based on communal; they can’t Lately, our government has been be easily attributed to particular forfeiting that responsibility and we need your help. Our research is changes for dealing with climatic activities, industries, sectors, and research, and both suggest specific for the common good. Think of it disruption. They are opinions based nations. Nevertheless, there is a as conservation writ large – not for on science. They advocate change. need for the policy makers to begin individual species or habitats, but The “Forgotten Feedbacks” piece to determine how to include these at a global level for all species and could go farther. It could point indirect effects in their system of all habitats. Science for the future out that the current mind-set for credits and debits. That is one managing carbon is to reduce policy implication for the “Forgotten what’s needed to achieve a greener, of the Earth. It helps us define emissions and increase carbon Feedbacks” research. healthier, more productive planet.

“Our research is for the common good. Think of it as conservation writ large – not for individual species or habitats, but at a global level for all species and all habitats.”

Photo by Chris Linder.

20 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 21 about how people live around the globe and care about nature. When I was 18, I went My grandmother grew up in a tiny town near Ito am Nicaragua the first forPh.D. an ininternational my family, andsolidarity as far project.back as IIt can was remember, an eye-opening I have experience been curious on the mouth of the Amazon River. As a kid I was Tina Cormier poverty, inequality and the role of a healthy environment for human well-being. Climate fascinated by her plant-based home remedies Research Associate change is the biggest challenge we face. I do my research and spent long afternoons listening to her weave stories of the Amazon’s forests, rivers, poverty and protect the resources of our planet, and I want to and wildlife. I especially loved hearing about my Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to becausebe a part Iof have the solutions. hope that we can find solutions to reduce dad’s pet capivaras and agoutis. As I grew older, play outside; it’s where I felt most alive. I learned that the environment they grew up in was changing rapidly. I did school projects about collecting grasshoppers and worms, saving turtles that the massive Serra Pelada gold mines and rampant I’dwere run trying through to cross the the woods road, and listening fields to beautiful bird Johanne Pelletier Marcia Macedo songs. Over time, I have witnessed disturbing changes in our slash-and-burn deforestation. When I was 12, Chico Postdoctoral Fellow Assistant Scientist environment—rapidly changing land use, pollution of our air Mendes, leader of the rubber tapper’s movement, and water, climate change—that have lead to extinctions, food was murdered for defending the rights of forest insecurity, and human health issues all over the world. In my own backyard, places that I love have been turned into parking Prajjwal Panday time and was awed by its vast forests and rivers, rich people.plant and That animal year diversity, I visited andthe vibrantAmazon people. for the I firstwas Postdoctoral Fellow carcinogenic toxins that run through the pipes in my town. hooked – and I knew then that I wanted to understand lotsThough and thesemalls. issues I now seemhave totoo filter overwhelming my water tofor avoid one personknown Brendan M. Rogers this complex environment so I could help conserve to change, I decided to pursue an advanced degree in Natural Postdoctoral Fellow it. At WHRC, I spend my days studying tropical Resources and do something about them in the best way I My love for science started early forests from space and on the ground. We are trying knew how: with science. I hope that the work I do can advance in the foothills of Nepal, where I was fascinated by nature our understanding of how we affect the environment and what – streams, brooks, lakes, and rivers in particular. I started forest conservation and human development. consequences those actions can have on our well-being. Inspired by an environmental reading Edward Abbey, Rachel Carson, John Muir, and Henry science class in college, I Thoreau and developed a passion for and commitment to find creative solutions that reconcile the need for to environmental issues and challenges. At present, my research focuses on understanding the impacts of climatic In college I studied courses in the Nevada desert computer science, enrolledand Australian in semester-long rainforest. field and anthropogenic changes on terrestrial hydrology. I believe that a better understanding of ecosystem processes environmental studies I became consumed by the will help prepare us for how an ecosystem may respond Kevin Guay and geology. I analyzed Mary Farina to global climatic and environmental changes. This will Research Assistant algorithms, wrote Research Assistant then that I would devote my life to understanding hopefully allow us to communicate openly and honestly to operating systems and infinitethe processes diversity governing of life them. and ecosystems. After college II spent knew stakeholders and policymakers to plan for action that will debugged lots of code, a year traveling the world and began to grasp the mitigate potential impacts. but I also analyzed Growing up, I knew effects of human activities on the environment. water samples, that I wanted to work Pollution, over-population, landscape fragmentation, explored renewable toward addressing , and climate warming were changing energy sources and studied rock global environmental the biosphere. Climate change is particularly scary, as computer which was really challenging, because before that Min Li formations. It was truly an eclectic issues, but I didn’t it affects every aspect of the Earth’s systems. I believe My first college course taught me how to draw a map on the experience. When asked what I was know whether science, policy, or Postdoctoral Fellow going to do afterwards, my response that, if we understand the relationship between the end, I made a beautiful map and another avenue was the right path for Ichose had never GIS as even my majorseen a and computer! continued In was always that I was passionate me. I was very lucky to take a course human activities and a changing climate better, we on to my Ph.D. in Earth Systems about both and hoped that one day can mitigate the effects of climate change. My work on environmental remote sensing in and Geoinformation Sciences. I am college. This course introduced me interested in the interactions between Working at Woods Hole Research to the world of geospatial analyses understanding and managing climate impacts. climate change and land surface. Scientists ICenter could findhas abeen way theto combine answer. them.I am and helped shape my future goals. I examining Boreal forest fires is one of the keys to to able to use my programming skills took more classes, which showed in conjunction with my knowledge me how remote sensing, GIS, and I grew up in the suburbs of a medium sized town in the southeastern U.S. of the environment and physical other mapping tools allow us to sciences to study land-climate monitor environmental conditions at provided some wildlife habitat, real wilderness was something I could only interactions related to climate varying scales. I learned how these Althoughread about. the And abandoned read I did. fieldsBook after and fragmentedbook from Thornton forests nearW. Burgess, my house Jim atch change using satellite data. My W tools can integrate different kinds of Kjelgaard, Jack London and others. Later, in college, these childhood excursions work at WHRC has inspired a deep of imagination grew into a love of biology and ecology and led to hikes in the Jesse Bishop data and help us to understand the interest in ecology and changed the interactions between environmental great mountain ranges, forests and deserts of the US. After Research Associate way that I look at the world. college, a Woods Hole Research Center internship revealed and human processes. Aside from to me the sheer scale of human actions in the Earth’s wild these motivations, working with maps Patrick places and strengthened my resolve to devote my career to After spending a year-and-a-half in engineering school, learning how to Jantz understanding and mitigating some of the negative impacts am working on projects that combine of our time here on Earth. As the geographic focus of my cansatellite be a lotdata of fun!and Here ground-based at WHRC, I Research was split between roaming the woods and working in my father’s and measurements of trees in order to map work has expanded to include developing countries, I’m flattengrandfather’s terrain wood and straighten shops, so rivers,I turned I realizedmy attention it wasn’t and forstudies me. My to something childhood Associate internalizing the lesson that ecosystem functions and human biomass across the globe. I’m excited well-being are inseparable, and I use GIS and RS approaches to contribute to this global endeavor, to identify forest conservation and restoration opportunities both for their natural beauty and as a renewable source for so many products. and I hope to help produce biomass moreI study fitting forests – . to help understand Forest ecosystems and share have their always value, been both appealing to markets to andme, data that can be used in future carbon to the ecosystem. accounting work. that provide multiple benefits for human and natural systems. 22 Canopy Fall 2014 Canopy Fall 2014 23 Happenings

October 2013 Associate Scientist Robert Spencer and professional September 2014 science and conservation photographer, Chris Linder. Conference will jumpstart the search for solutions for Board Dinner: A Wild Solution for The presentation examined their research trip to Community Lecture: Extreme Home ourThe regionOcean byAcidification bringing together and Southern coastal New resource England users, Climate Change the Siberian Arctic where warming temperatures Energy Efficiency threaten to release large quantities of ancient carbon and other concerned citizens. The goal of the Woods Hole Research Center Board member Dr. contained in permafrost and its subsequent effects on Inspired by the green architecture of the Woods Hole planners, ocean acidification experts, stakeholders Thomas E. Lovejoy presented “A Wild Solution to climate change. Research Center (WHRC)’s Woodwell building and the groups concerning the risks to our region from ocean Climate Change” to a packed room at the Hotel carbon emissions research that motivated its design, conference is to find common ground among these Monaco in Washington, DC. Dr. Lovejoy coined the Research Associates Greg Fiske and Jesse Bishop have term biodiversity in the 1980s and has devoted acidification. July 2014 much of his career to studying and describing the duo led a community lecture describing simple and November 2014 importance of diversity of plants and animals for the Photography Exhibit: Sustaining the Earth advanceddeveloped techniques a passion for that home can beenergy employed efficiency. to reduce The home energy consumption. WHRC’s Lawrence S. Huntington He is most well known for introducing the idea of Scattered around the globe and part of our collective Environmental Prize debt-for-naturebenefit of functioning swaps. ecosystems and for humanity. legacy are some of the most visually striking places on Earth, many of which are among the locales October 2014 The Lawrence S. Huntington Environmental most at risk in a changing climate. A photography Prize recognizes leaders in the public and private Conference: Ocean Acidification and April 2014 exhibit, “Sustaining the Earth,” mounted in WHRC’s sector who advance and promote research and Harbourton Auditorium, told the story of three Southern New England communication on climate, Earth sciences and Earth Day Celebration: Ecology and the ecosystems, revealing ways in which deforestation, conservation. This year Dr. Johan Rockström of Fossil fuel emissions pump more carbon dioxide Common Good land disturbance and climate change are affecting Stockholm University and the Stockholm Resilience into the atmosphere every day. One quarter of these these lands and all of humanity. Centre accepted the 2014 prize and delivered an The Woods Hole Research Center held an Earth Day emissions are absorbed by the ocean causing it to address entitled, “Human Prosperity within Planetary celebration to mark the publication of Ecology and acidify, which could have profound and irreversible Boundaries,” at the New York Yacht Club. the Common Good: Great Issues of the Environment, August 2014 have already been impacted through declining oyster a book of essays from the Community Lecture: Changing effects. Shellfish growers in the Pacific Northwest greatest environmental Climate, Rising Seas: Cape Cod Fisherman and aquaculturists around the globe are science and policy thinkers asking,harvests “Who’s linked next?” directly with ocean acidification. of our time. Dr. Sandra There is no debate that sea levels are Steingraber, renowned rising. Here on Cape Cod, even a small biologist, author and cancer rise will have profound effects, including Dr. Houghton Accepts ICCG Award in Venice survivor spoke to the crowd increased coastal erosion, greater about the moral imperative vulnerability to storms and stresses On October 2, 2014, Dr. Houghton attended the for scientists to speak to infrastructure. The questions are, International Center for Climate Governance (ICCG) out about environmental how much, how soon, and what can we award ceremony in Venice, Italy, and received the threats to human health. Biologist and author Sandra Steingraber (center) with George Woodwell (left) and Richard Houghton (right) do about sea level rise? The answers award for WHRC as the top-rated think tank active in to these questions depend on our responses to a changing climate. A community lecture Houghton accepted the graceful Murano glass sculpture May 2014 featuring Geologist Rob Thieler from the United States andthe field delivered of climate a speech change entitled, economics “Beyond and REDD+: policy. WhatDr. Community Lecture: Detecting the Geological Survey (USGS) and WHRC’s Senior Scientist management of land can and cannot do to help control Lit Fuse of the Arctic Carbon Bomb Max Holmes examined local sea level rise assessments, atmospheric CO2.” implications and possible adaptations within the A community lecture entitled, “Detecting the Lit context of the causes and effects of climate change Photo by Christy Lynch Design. Fuse of the Arctic Carbon Bomb,” featured WHRC around the globe.

24 Canopy Fall 2014 Woods Hole Research Center 149 Woods Hole Road Falmouth, MA 02540 www.whrc.org