A Better Understanding of CO₂ Fluxes within Canadian Boreal Forests through Satellite Based XCO₂ Data

This research seeks a better understanding of carbon fluxes in the Canadian boreal forest in recent years due to the profound impacts of climate change and recent increases in wildfire occurrences. These forests play a significant role in the global carbon cycle, acting as major carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere However, the balance between carbon absorption and release is delicate and can be easily disrupted by climate change, leading to increased temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and more frequent and severe wildfires. These environmental changes have direct consequences on the carbon balance of the boreal forests. Wildfires, not only release large amounts of stored carbon back into the atmosphere but also alter the forest landscape, affecting its future ability to store carbon. Canadian boreal forests are significant carbon reservoirs, with approximately 28 pg of carbon across biomass, dead organic matter, and soil. This includes both aboveground biomass and belowground components like roots and soil organic matter. The dynamics of these pools are subject to growth rates, mortality, and disturbances such as fires and insect infestations. This research focuses on quantifying the levels and fluxes of carbon dioxide within Canada's boreal forests. With integrating top down satellite observations with bottom up field measurements, the research seeks to provide a comprehensive quantification and modeling of CO₂ fluxes, enhancing our understanding of carbon sequestration mechanisms. Key objectives include identifying the primary drivers of CO₂ exchange variability, assessing the impact of wildfires on forest carbon balances, and assess post fire forest recovery and its implications for carbon sequestration. Methodologically, the research leverages an array of satellite data, including bias corrected XCO₂ values from OCO-2/3 Lite File, Solar Induced Fluorescence data, and vegetation indices such as NDVI from MODIS and Landsat satellites. These space based observations will be coupled with in situ measurements from networks like FluxNet for validation. An inverse modeling approach using the Global Earth system Monitoring model (GEOS Chem) will assist in interpreting the data to identify the CO₂ fluxes and their association with vegetation dynamics and climate conditions. Furthermore, the study will utilize satellite imagery to analyze land cover changes, fire disturbances, and post fire regeneration. The research aims to combine top down satellite observations with bottom up ground measurements to address the frequency, extent, and intensity of wildfires and their subsequent effect on the forest carbon balance. Furthermore, the study will utilize satellite imagery to analyze land cover changes, fire disturbances, and post fire regeneration. The research aims to combine top down satellite observations with bottom up ground measurements to address the frequency, extent, and intensity of wildfires and their subsequent effect on the forest carbon balance. This is the WDCAG Conference 2024 Award Winner for Best PhD Poster.

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