Climate-soil-vegetation interaction in arid environments: from continental summer droughts to Planet Dune.
Event details
| Date | 22.10.2013 |
| Hour | 16:15 › 17:15 |
| Speaker | Dr Antonello Provenzale, ISAC: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, CNR, Torino (IT) |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
In this talk I discuss some of the interactions between terrestrial vegetation, soil and atmosphere in water-limited environments, focusing on the role of evapotranspiration fluxes and the existence of multiple equilibria in the climate-vegetation system. The role of vegetation in modulating the intensity of summer droughts in mid-latitude continental regions is addressed, together with the effects of precipitation intermittency and the influence of vegetation patterns on evapotranspiration fluxes. I also discuss a simple ecohydrological model of an ideal sandy planet where vegetation favors the insurgence of a global water cycle, and discuss some general issues on the scales of interaction between climate, surface dynamics and terrestrial vegetation.
Dr Antonello Provenzale, received his PhD in Physics in 1987. He is a Senior Researcher, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, Torino, Italy. His research activities are devoted to the development and implementation of conceptual models of Earth System processes, with particular emphasis on climate dynamics, ecosystem dynamics and climate-biosphere interactions. These research include also climate-biosphere interactions and simplified models of climate variability; impact of climate variability on the mountain environment; interaction between fluid turbulence and aquatic organisms; geophysical fluid dynamics, coherent structures and pattern formation, in particular.
In this talk I discuss some of the interactions between terrestrial vegetation, soil and atmosphere in water-limited environments, focusing on the role of evapotranspiration fluxes and the existence of multiple equilibria in the climate-vegetation system. The role of vegetation in modulating the intensity of summer droughts in mid-latitude continental regions is addressed, together with the effects of precipitation intermittency and the influence of vegetation patterns on evapotranspiration fluxes. I also discuss a simple ecohydrological model of an ideal sandy planet where vegetation favors the insurgence of a global water cycle, and discuss some general issues on the scales of interaction between climate, surface dynamics and terrestrial vegetation.
Dr Antonello Provenzale, received his PhD in Physics in 1987. He is a Senior Researcher, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, Torino, Italy. His research activities are devoted to the development and implementation of conceptual models of Earth System processes, with particular emphasis on climate dynamics, ecosystem dynamics and climate-biosphere interactions. These research include also climate-biosphere interactions and simplified models of climate variability; impact of climate variability on the mountain environment; interaction between fluid turbulence and aquatic organisms; geophysical fluid dynamics, coherent structures and pattern formation, in particular.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Prof. Andrea Rinaldo, ECHO