Carlos A. Sierra - The transit time of carbon through the terrestrial biosphere

SUMMARY OF THE WORKSHOP:

In this presentation, I will introduce the concept of transit time of carbon through ecosystems and the terrestrial biosphere. This concept is defined as the time it takes carbon atoms to pass through all living organisms of an ecosystems until they return back to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. I will present recent advances in modelling and quantification of transit times using radiocarbon methods. I will also introduce concepts that integrate the transit time of carbon for the design of policies for climate change mitigation.

 ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Carlos Sierra is a scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry where he leads the research group on Theoretical Ecosystem Ecology. He has a bachelor’s degree in Forest Engineering from the National University of Colombia, and a PhD in Forest Sciences from Oregon State University. The research in his group is focused on studying carbon-climate interactions using a combination of mathematical models and field observations, particularly the use of radiocarbon as a tracer of the carbon cycle. The group has made relevant contributions to ecosystem theory and the study of timescales of carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.