Monitoring and Impact Assessment of Climate Change: Eddy Covariance Technique

The human population is witnessing discernible changes in earth’s climate and its negative impacts during the recent decades. Positive radiative forcing from accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is driving this change. Climate is simulated using regional or global circulation models which are 3-D models of earth-atmosphere system. Proper data driven monitoring of model parameters and input variables is important for greater confidence in future projections. Quantification of GHG fluxes has been carried out by chamber-based, micrometeorological and remote sensing approaches. This chapter discusses the measurements of GHGs and other surface fluxes with the help of a micrometeorological eddy covariance (EC) technique to understand the two-way feedback between climate and ecosystems. The prediction and impact assessment of climate change involving EC technique has gained prominence due to specific advantages like direct, continuous and real time monitoring of CO2, CH4, H2O, heat and momentum fluxes. EC- fluxes are useful for validation of carbon, water and energy budget models. Activities under various flux-networks and net carbon exchanges of various ecosystems based on long-term monitoring have been presented. EC-tower site fluxes can be upscaled in conjunction with remote sensing measurements for climate change studies.