Source: UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE submitted to
REDUCING UNCERTAINTY IN CARBON CYCLE SCIENCE OF NORTH AMERICA: A SYNTHESIS PROGRAM ACROSS UNITED STATES AND MEXICO
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1003496
Grant No.
2014-67003-22070
Project No.
DELW-2014-04520
Proposal No.
2014-04520
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
A3161
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2014
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2019
Grant Year
2014
Project Director
Vargas, R.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
(N/A)
NEWARK,DE 19717
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Research under the North American Carbon Program (NACP) has enhanced our scientific understanding of North America's carbon cycle dynamics. Scientists and policymakers both recognize the importance of an integrated view in order to advance carbon cycle science across North America, but studies outside the United States and Canada are often left behind. The time is ripe for synthesis activities that include information about carbon cycle science in Mexico and move towards an integrated view of North America's carbon cycle. We propose to conduct a broad-scale analysis of carbon cycle science and data across the United States (U.S.) and Mexico by synthesizing new existing datasets and models in a consistent and comprehensive analysis framework. Specifically, the research will be directed towards improving our understanding of forest and soil carbon dynamics, and the validation of terrestrial ecosystem models.The specific objectives are: a) Harmonize available datasets describing the key components of the carbon cycle in Mexico, and produce national-scale information in a standardize way to be comparable to datasets available in the U.S.; b) Develop the synthesis approaches for scaling these new Mexican datasets using methodology consistent with and comparable to available U.S. datasets; c) Develop a consistent benchmarking framework between available datasets and state-of-the-art terrestrial biosphere and atmospheric inverse modeling and remote sensing approaches to identify uncertainties and knowledge gaps.This research will be unique because datasets on soil carbon, forest inventory, evapotranspiration, and net ecosystem exchange across Mexico have not been widely available for North American syntheses and validation studies. ??This proposal will build on use existing information provided by remote sensing platforms (e.g., MODIS) and networks such as AmeriFlux, International Soil Carbon Network, NACP, and networks in Mexico (e.g., MexFlux, Mexican Carbon Program). This proposal will result in new standardized datasets of Mexican carbon cycle science (e.g., soil carbon, forest biomass, NEE) available to the scientific community, and synthesis research activities that will contribute to a broader overall understanding of carbon cycle across North America.Data will be analyzed for synthesis activities using different analytical tools such as parametric statistics for model intercomparison, extreme values distribution theory, information theory to quantify uncertainty, artificial neural networks-self organizing maps to examine covariance between variables, and time series analysis to define temporal patterns in the observations and data-model agreement. ??This proposal is scientifically and societally important because environmental problems and ecological understandings are not delineated within specific sociopolitical or economic boundaries. This proposal directly addresses the Carbon Cycle Science themes of carbon cycle science synthesis research (theme 6 solicited by USDA), and the topic of belowground carbon processes and soil carbon (theme 3 solicited by USDA).
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1230199107050%
1020199107050%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0199 - Soil and land, general;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Keywords
Goals / Objectives
We propose to conduct a broad-scale analysis of carbon cycle science and data across the United States (U.S.) and Mexico by synthesizing new existing datasets and models in a consistent and comprehensive analysis framework. Specifically, the research will be directed towards improving our understanding of forest and soil carbon dynamics, and the validation of terrestrial ecosystem models.The specific objectives are: a) Harmonize available datasets describing the key components of the carbon cycle in Mexico, and produce national-scale information in a standardize way to be comparable to datasets available in the U.S.; b) Develop the synthesis approaches for scaling these new Mexican datasets using methodology consistent with and comparable to available U.S. datasets; c) Develop a consistent benchmarking framework between available datasets and state-of-the-art terrestrial biosphere and atmospheric inverse modeling and remote sensing approaches to identify uncertainties and knowledge gaps.
Project Methods
Evaluation dataEddy covariance measurementsThe eddy covariance method measures the molar density of CO2 and vertical wind perturbation to calculate fluxes of CO2 (Goulden et al. 1996; Aubinet et al. 2000; Baldocchi 2003). The MexFlux network is a new consortium of scientists using the eddy covariance (EC) method across ecosystems in Mexico (Vargas & Yepez 2011; Vargas et al. 2012; Vargas et al. 2013b) and is equivalent to the EC consortium in the U.S. (i.e, AmeriFlux). MexFlux represents a regional network within the global network of eddy covariance sites (i.e., FLUXNET), which is represented by over 500 study sites around the world (Baldocchi 2008). MexFlux has eleven active eddy covariance sites that represent a variety of ecosystem types, including shrublands, forests and grasslands from arid to tropical climates. MexFlux has >35 site-years of information of mass and energy exchange. Eddy covariance data is being processed following international standards and according with MexFlux policy (Papale et al. 2006; Vargas et al. 2013b).National available datasetsIn collaboration with Mexican scientists PI-Dr. Vargas has compiled a database of forest biomass and soil organic carbon inventories at the national level for the surveys of 1999, 2003 and 2007 (Paz, Vargas, et al. unpublished). This information builds on previously published datasets of forest biomass and soil carbon, but where the high-resolution data has not been available to the public (Sheinbaum & Masera 2000; de Jong et al. 2010), nor the latest data has been published (i.e., year 2007). Forest biomass and soil carbon was estimated using a dataset of about 16,000 - 22,000 geo-referenced inventory plots (1000 m2 each), systematically distributed over the terrestrial ecosystems of Mexico (SARH 1994).Remote sensing, model estimates and simulation dataMODIS Products (MOD16 and MOD17)MODIS derived ET will be obtained from the MOD16 product (Mu et al. 2007; Mu et al. 2011). This product is a Penman-Monteith based methodology for calculating both ET and potential ET. The algorithm separates saturated and moist soils, dry and wet canopies, and accounts for differential fluxes during daytime and nighttime. Stomatal conductance values are determined from minimum temperature and vapor pressure deficit with a lookup table to determine maximum and minimum values as a function of land cover.The GPP and net primary productivity (NPP) will come from the MOD17 product (Running et al. 2004). Briefly, the MOD17 algorithm is based on the original radiation use efficiency logic of Monteith (Monteith 1972), which suggests that productivity of annual crops under well-watered and fertilized conditions is linearly related to the amount of absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (APAR). The translation of APAR to an actual productivity estimate is conducted via a conversion efficiency parameter, which varies by vegetation type and climate conditions. To calculate NPP, MOD17 also estimates daily leaf and fine root maintenance respiration, annual growth respiration, and annual maintenance respiration of live cells in woody tissue (Running et al. 2004).Model estimates and simulation dataAs distinguished from the "off-the-shelf" model submissions to the NACP interim synthesis activities (e.g., Schwalm et al. 2010; Schaefer et al. 2012), this study will make use of the ensemble of TBM simulation and sensitivity test results from the MsTMIP for analysis and evaluation (http://nacp.ornl.gov/MsTMIP.shtml). The MsTMIP is a multi-scale (global and continental) model intercomparison and synthesis effort based on a formal protocol that prescribes: 1) a common set of environmental and meteorological drivers; and 2) a standardized simulation framework to facilitate comparison with other model results, measurements and observations (Huntzinger et al. 2012). Because the driver data are controlled, the variation observed in model results can be attributed to differences in structural uncertainty. Approximately 20 TBMs are participating in this study, and we will use the results from the regional-scale (i.e., North America) simulations available at quarter-degree spatial grid resolution and sub-daily to monthly time steps. The model-data include a suite of carbon cycle and ecosystem process indicators, including GPP, ecosystem (plant and heterotrophic) respiration (Reco), and ET, across a range of driver-sensitivity simulations.Data analysisSynthesis activitiesWe will conduct our analyses and model-data evaluations at both site- and regional- scales. We will synthesize and harmonize data and use a consistent methodology to investigate the relative variation in measurements, remote sensing observations and model performance and spread between the U.S. and Mexico (Hayes & Turner 2012). In the first stage, the focus will be on Mexico due to newly available datasets, and in the second stage we will focus across the U.S. and Mexico. To strengthen our collaboration with Mexican scientists we included in this proposal two visits to Mexico by the PIs that includes a 4-day workshop for Year 1 and 2. The goal of these workshops will be data analysis/data sharing (Year 1), and data analysis/manuscript writing (Year 2) where the PIs will be heavily interacting with Mexican colleagues.Calculation of uncertainty and trendsIt is important to quantify uncertainty, confront models with data, and remote-sensing observations with ground-base observations in order to create new capabilities for data-model fusion (Keenan et al. 2011). These fields are ripe for application of synthesis activities across North America, but high quality, consistent, and standardized data are needed in a way that facilitates integration and comparison between ground with remote sensing data and modeling estimates. Our strategy is to compile and make available to the scientific community state-of-the art standardized datasets describing the key components of the carbon cycle in Mexico, and produce national-scale information in a consistent manner to be comparable to datasets available in the U.S. These new datasets will be used for synthesis studies across the U.S. and Mexico and will contribute in the short- and long-term to reduce uncertainty in carbon cycle science across North America.First we will harmonize and standardize available datasets in Mexico and add data quality flags, generate common gap-filled data, and provide quality checked/quality-assured datasets to enable comparisons with datasets available across the U.S. Second, synthesis activities using the data will be conducted using different analytical tools such as parametric statistics for model intercomparison (Schaefer et al. 2012), extreme value theory for identifying outliers spatially and within time series (Vargas 2012; Zscheischler et al. 2013), information theory to quantify uncertainty (Brunsell 2010; Brunsell & Anderson 2011), artificial neural networks self-organizing maps to examine covariance between variables (Mele & Crowley 2008), and time series analysis to define temporal patterns in the observations and data-model agreement (Vargas et al. 2010c; Dietze et al. 2011; Vargas et al. 2013a). One of the most exciting opportunities of this proposal is that this will: a) produce a first generation of calculations of uncertainties, errors and trends across the U.S. and Mexico; and b) will open new lines of research across North America by catalyzing new collaborations with other scientists interested in validating carbon dynamics across North America (e.g., AmeriFlux, NACP, International Soil Carbon Network, CarboNA, MexFlux).

Progress 08/01/14 to 07/31/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience were members of the scientific community with the main goal to better understand the carbon cycle across North America. We worked in collaboration with members of the North American Carbon Program,Mexican Carbon Program, and the International Soil Carbon Network. Furthermore, we collaboratedwith groups of scientists of the US Forest Service andthe Mexican Forest Service (i.e., CONAFOR) toward building a continental soil carbon database. Science-base knowledge was delivered through formal and informal education programs including formal classroom instruction (at the University of Delaware, Kansas University, and University of Maine), participation in national and international scientific conferences, and giving seminars at multiple Universities. Finally, this project supported the formal training of 2 Hispanic graduate students (Mario Guevara and Samuel Villarreal) and 1 Hispanic postdoctoral researcher (Josep Barba). We conducted a broad-scale analysis of carbon cycle science and data across the United States (U.S.) and Mexico by synthesizing new existing datasets and models in a consistent and comprehensive analysis framework. Specifically, the research was directed towards improving our understanding of forest and soil carbon dynamics, and the validation of terrestrial ecosystem models. The specific objectives were: a) Harmonize available datasets describing the key components of the carbon cycle in Mexico, and produce national-scale information in a standardize way to be comparable to datasets available in the U.S.; b) Develop the synthesis approaches for scaling these new Mexican datasets using methodology consistent with and comparable to available U.S. datasets; c) Develop a consistent benchmarking framework between available datasets and state-of-the-art terrestrial biosphere and atmospheric inverse modeling and remote sensing approaches to identify uncertainties and knowledge gaps. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PIs of the project included information gathered from this grant on graduate-level courses at the University of Delaware, University of Kansas, and University of Main. Furthermore, the project directly trained 2 Hispanic graduate students at the University of Delaware and one Hispanic postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We participated in national and international scientific conferences, shared knowledge in graduate-level University courses, published results in peer-reviewed journals, posted data in public repositories, and participated in extension activities throughout the length of this award. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This grant had international impact across North America, and improved knowledge of carbon dynamics at national, regional and global scales. We collaborated with several federal institutions across the USA such as the US Forest Service and the National Resources Conservation Service. In addition we interacted with multiple scientific networks such as the International Soil Carbon Network, AmeriFlux (the US consortium of eddy covariance measurements with the goal of understanding exchange of energy and matter (e.g., carbon dioxide) between land and atmosphere), and the North American Carbon Program. Finally, we collaborated with international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and scientific consortiums such as the Mexican Carbon Program and the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) in the Netherlands. Our work contributed to multiple scientific publications, presentations at national and international scientific venues, we shared knowledge from this grant as formal teaching for undergraduate and graduate students, and we trained multiple graduate students across three universities in the USA. Knowledge and information from this grant was used in a national carbon assessment: the 2nd State Of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-2) requested by the United States Carbon Cycle Science Program (an interagency partnership) where Hayes and Vargas are co-leaders of a chapter in this report (expected to be published by 2018). Furthermore, knowledge and information was used for the 2015 FAO report on the "Status of the World's Soil Resources" and for a global database of soil information (SoilGrids; http://www.isric.org/explore/soilgrids). Specific advances for remote sensing. We focused heavily on development of techniques to assess the uncertainty in carbon and water cycling from satellite datasets (MODIS and Landsat based) in relation to specific Ameriflux sites in the central U.S. operated by Co-I Brunsell. These datasets include satellite-based estimates of surface temperature, vegetation indices, gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) estimates as well as MODIS based atmospheric data of near surface air temperature and humidity. In addition, we used AIRS based boundary layer height estimates in comparison with a surface ceilometer located at the US-KFS Ameriflux site. The analytical technique was focused on a multi-scale information theoretical perspective to examine the temporal scales of interactions between the fluxes and the timescales of the environmental factor. This technique allowed quantification of the sensitivity to diurnal variability of humidity and air temperature as distinct from bi-weekly to monthly scale variability in soil moisture and seasonal shifts in vegetation dynamics. Specific advances on modelling. In collaboration with the Multi-scale Synthesis and Terrestrial Model Intercomparison Project (MsTMIP), we organized and conducted several analyses of carbon cycle sensitivity to key drivers based on a set of simulations from the ensemble of terrestrial biosphere models. This work resulted in a manuscript on global fire emissions and pyrogenic carbon, currently in review. Another manuscript near-submission presents the results of our study on the impacts of drought on net ecosystem exchange of across North America. Progress was made in developing the synthesis approaches for scaling existing and new datasets for North America, and Mexico specifically. A significant amount of on-going work by our group was organizing model driver, calibration and benchmarking data sets in preparation for synthesis and modeling studies. Model simulations were aimed at understanding sensitivities and uncertainties of the carbon cycle of Mexico's ecosystems to its major drivers, including climate and land use change. Specific advances on mapping soil organic carbon. We have a manuscript accepted in "Global Biogeochemical Cycles" were we report soil organic carbon stocks across Mexico and the USA at a 250m resolution. Furthermore, the matrix with all covariates and pedon information (n=43 979 pedons) will be available as an open access resource at the ORNL DAAC. This effort represents a major milestone as we now provide an unprecedented database of soil organic carbon for North America. Vargas has been an active member of the scientific committees for the North American Carbon Program, the Mexican Carbon Program, the North American Forestry Commission, and AmeriFlux as a way to support and engage with the broader scientific community.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Delgado-Balbuena J, Yepez EA, Paz-Pellat F, Angeles-Perez G, Aguirre-Gutierrez C, Alvarado-Barrientos MS, Arredondo T, Ayala-Nino F, Bullock S, Castellanos AE, Cueva A, Figueroa-Espinoza B, Garatuza- Payan J, Gonzalez-del Castillo E, Gonzalez-Sosa E, Guevara-Escobar A, Hinojo-Hinojo C, Kyaw-Tha PU, Lizarraga-Celaya C, Maya-Delgado Y, Oechel W, Perez-Ruiz ER, Quesada-Avendano M, Robles-Zazueta CA, Rodri?guez JC, Rojas-Robles NE, Tarin-Terrazas T, Troyo-Dieguez E, Uuh-Sonda J, Vargas-Terminel ML, Vargas R, Vega-Puga MG, Verduzco VS, Vivoni ER, Watts CJ (2019) Database of vertical carbon dioxide fluxes at terrestrial and coastal ecosystems in Mexico. Elementos para Politicas Publicas. 2(2)93-108. http://www.elementospolipub.org/ojs/index.php/epp/article/view/41/49
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hinojo-Hinojo C, Castellanos A, Huxman T, Rodriguez Julio, Vargas R, Romo-Le�n J, Biederman JA (2019) Native shurbland and managed buffelgrass savanna in drylands: implications for ecosystem carbon and water fluxes. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 268:269-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2019.01.030
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Delgado-Balbuena J; Arredondo T, Loescher H, Pineda-Mart�nez L, Carbajal N, Vargas R (2019) Seasonal precipitation legacy effects determine the annual carbon balance of a semiarid grassland. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. 124:987-1000. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JG004799
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Villarreal S, Guevara M, Alcaraz-Segura D, Vargas R (2019) Optimizing an environmental observatory network using publicly available data. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. 124(7):1812-1826 https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JG004714
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Vazquez-Lule A, Colditz R, Herrera-Silveira J, Guevara M, Rodriguez-Zuniga MT, Cruz I, Ressl R, Vargas R (2019) Greenness trends and carbon stocks of mangroves across Mexico. Environmental Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab246e
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Guevara M, Arroyo C, Brunsell N, Cruz CO, Domke G, Equihua J, Etchevers J, Hayes D, Hengl T, Ibelles A, Johnson K, de Jong B, Libohova Z, Llamas R, Nave L, Ornelas JL, Paz F, Ressl R, Schwartz A, Victoria A, Wills S, Vargas R (accepted) Soil organic carbon across Mexico and the conterminous United States. Global Biogeochemical Cycles.


Progress 08/01/17 to 07/31/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience were members of the scientific community with the main goal to better understand the carbon cycle across North America. We worked in collaboration with members of the North American Carbon Program,Mexican Carbon Program, and the International Soil Carbon Network. Furthermore, we started collaborationswith groups of scientists of the US Forest Service andthe Mexican Forest Service (i.e., CONAFOR) toward building a continental soil carbon database. Science-base knowledge was delivered through formal and informal education programs including formal classroom instruction (at the University of Delaware, Kansas University, and University of Maine), participation in national and international scientific conferences, and giving seminars at multiple Universities. Finally, this project continues to support the formal training of 2 Hispanic graduate students (Mario Guevara and Samuel Villarreal) and 1 Hispanic postdoctoral researcher (Josep Barba). Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PIs of the project included information gathered from this grant on graduate-level courses at the University of Delaware, University of Kansas, and University of Main. Furthermore, the project directly trained 2 Hispanic graduate students at the University of Delaware and one Hispanic postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have participated in national and international scientific conferences, shared knowledge in graduate-level University courses, published results in peer-reviewed journals, posted data in public repositories, and participated in extension activities throughout the length of this award. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We are requesting an additional one year as a no cost extension (8/1/2018 - 7/31/2019). While progress has been made to date, progress was slowed due to several factors: a) graduate student at the University of Kansas withdraw from the program; b) Co-I Hayes changed institutions (from ORNL to University of Main) and a new PhD student had to be recruited. This no-cost extension will: a) allow both graduate students finalize their current projects for the objectives of this award; b) conclude peer-reviewed publications; and c) consolidate participation-collaboration with our colleagues across Mexican institutions. Specific tasks will include: a) present results of the global-scale, model ensemble analysis and benchmarking; b) set up and run simulations with the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model for the Mexico domain, with accompanying analysis of carbon flux estimates and sensitivity tests; and c) perform regional-to-continental scale comparisons with top-down data constraints on net ecosystem exchange estimated from atmospheric inverse models. Summer 2018 - a) Finalize compilation of satellite and flux tower observations across Mexico and the US; b) Participate in the symposium of the Mexican Carbon Program to consolidate synthesis activities and data sharing; and c) Continue to harmonized US-Mexico data sets and model simulation framework Fall 2018-Spring 2019 - a) Apply multiscale analytical technique to satellite and flux tower observations with particular emphasis on diagnosing uncertainty during 'extreme' events such as heat waves and drought; b) Finalize harmonized US-Mexico data sets and model simulation framework; c) Finalize Model-driver sensitivity study; d) Finalize manuscript for delineation of carbon cycle science environmental networks across Mexico Spring 2019-Summer 2019 - a) Finalize manuscript on comparison of differential uncertainty across timescales as well as a function of plant functional type across the study area; b) Finalize Model-data benchmarking study.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This grant has had international impact across North America, and it has supported knowledge of national, regional and global carbon dynamics. We have collaborated with several federal institutions across the USA such as the US Forest Service and the National Resources Conservation Service. In addition we have interacted with multiple scientific networks such as the International Soil Carbon Network, AmeriFlux (the US consortium of eddy covariance measurements with the goal of understanding exchange of energy and matter (e.g., carbon dioxide) between land and atmosphere), and the North American Carbon Program. Finally, we have collaborated with international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and scientific consortiums such as the Mexican Carbon Program and the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) in the Netherlands. Our work has contributed to multiple scientific publications, presentations at national and international scientific venues, we have shared knowledge from this grant as formal teaching for undergraduate and graduate students, and we have trained multiple graduate students across three universities in the USA. Knowledge and information from this grant is being used in national carbon assessments such as the 2nd State Of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-2) requested by the United States Carbon Cycle Science Program (an interagency partnership) where Hayes and Vargas are co-leaders of a chapter in this report (expected to be published by 2018). Furthermore, knowledge and information has been used for the 2015 FAO report on the "Status of the World's Soil Resources" and for a global database of soil information (SoilGrids; http://www.isric.org/explore/soilgrids). Specific advances for remote sensing. We have focused heavily on development of techniques to assess the uncertainty in carbon and water cycling from satellite datasets (MODIS and Landsat based) in relation to specific Ameriflux sites in the central U.S. operated by Co-I Brunsell. These datasets include satellite-based estimates of surface temperature, vegetation indices, gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) estimates as well as MODIS based atmospheric data of near surface air temperature and humidity. In addition, we are utilizing AIRS based boundary layer height estimates in comparison with a surface ceilometer located at the US-KFS Ameriflux site. These data although a more thorough examination of the coupling between the surface and the atmosphere to assess site level responses to environmental conditions (drought, heat waves, etc.). The analytical technique has focused on a multi-scale information theoretical perspective to examine the temporal scales of interactions between the fluxes and the timescales of the environmental factor. This technique allows quantification of the sensitivity to diurnal variability of humidity and air temperature as distinct from bi-weekly to monthly scale variability in soil moisture and seasonal shifts in vegetation dynamics. Specific advances on modelling. In collaboration with the Multi-scale Synthesis and Terrestrial Model Intercomparison Project (MsTMIP), we have organized and conducted several analyses of carbon cycle sensitivity to key drivers based on a set of simulations from the ensemble of terrestrial biosphere models. This work has resulted in a manuscript on global fire emissions and pyrogenic carbon, currently in review. Another manuscript near-submission presents the results of our study on the impacts of drought on net ecosystem exchange of across North America. Progress has been made in developing the synthesis approaches for scaling existing and new datasets for North America, and Mexico specifically. A significant amount of on-going work by our group is organizing model driver, calibration and benchmarking data sets in preparation for a set of synthesis and modeling studies. Model simulations are aimed at understanding sensitivities and uncertainties of the carbon cycle of Mexico's ecosystems to its major drivers, including climate and land use change. Specific advances on mapping soil organic carbon. We have submitted a manuscript for review to Global Change Biology where we report soil organic carbon stocks across Mexico and the USA at a 250m resolution. Furthermore, the matrix with all covariates and pedon information (n=43 979 pedons) is being submitted to be posted on the ORNL DAAC. This will represent a major milestone as we will provide to the scientific community an unprecedented database of soil organic carbon for North America. Vargas also is a co-author of a recently accepted manuscript in NATURE entitled "Globally rising soil heterotrophic respiration over recent decades" where there are explicit acknowledgements to this USDA award. The manuscript is in print and we will provide a copy of it to Dr. Cavallaro as we get a final print. Vargas continues to be an active member of the scientific committees for the North American Carbon Program, the Mexican Carbon Program, the North American Forestry Commission, and AmeriFlux as a way to support and engage with the broader scientific community.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Hengl, T., Mendes de Jesus, J., Heuvelink, G. B. M., Ruiperez Gonzalez, M., Kilibarda, M., Blagotic, A., Shangguan, W., Wright, M. N., Geng, X., Bauer-Marschallinger, B., Guevara, M. A., Vargas, R., MacMillan, R. A., Batjes, N. H., Leenaars, J. G. B., Ribeiro, E., Wheeler, I., Mantel, S., Kempen, B. 2017. SoilGrids250m: Global gridded soil information based on machine learning. PLOS ONE. 12(2), e0169748. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169748
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Hayes DJ, Vargas R, Alin SR, Conant RT, Hutyra L, Jacobson AR, Kurz WA, Liu S, McGuire AD, Poulter B, Woodall CW. SOCCR-2, Chapter 2: a synthesis of the North American Carbon Budget. AGU Fall meeting. December 11-15, 2017. New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Cueva, A., Bullock, S. H., Lopez-Reyes, E., Vargas, R. 2017. Potential bias of daily soil CO2 efflux estimates due to sampling time. Scientific Reports. 7(1). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11849-y
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Biederman, J. A., Scott, R. L., Bell, T. W., Bowling, D. R., Dore, S., Garatuza-Payan, J., Kolb, T. E., Krishnan, P., Krofcheck, D. J., Litvak, M. E., Maurer, G. E., Meyers, T. P., Oechel, W. C., Papuga, S. A., Ponce-Campos, G. E., Rodriguez, J. C., Smith, W. K., Vargas, R., Watts, C. J., Yepez, E. A., Goulden, M. L. 2017. CO2 exchange and evapotranspiration across dryland ecosystems of southwestern North America. Global Change Biology. 23(10), 4204-4221. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13686
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Barba, J., Cueva, A., Bahn, M., Barron-Gafford, G. A., Bond-Lamberty, B., Hanson, P. J., Jaimes, A., Kulmala, L., Pumpanen, J., Scott, R. L., Wohlfahrt, G., Vargas, R. 2018. Comparing ecosystem and soil respiration: Review and key challenges of tower-based and soil measurements. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 249, 434-443. DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2017.10.028
  • Type: Other Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2018 Citation: Hayes D, Vargas R (chapter leaders) Chapter 2: The North American Carbon Budget: Past and Present. SOCCR-2
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Bond-Lamberty B, Bailey VL, Chen M, Gough CM, Vargas R (accepted) Globally rising soil heterotrophic respiration over recent decades. Nature
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Hinojo-Hinojo C, Castellanos AE, Llano-Sotelo J, Penuelas J, Vargas R, Romo-Leon JR (2018) High Vcmax, Jmax and photosynthetic rates of Sonoran Desert species using nitrogen and specific leaf area traits as predictors in biochemical models. Journal of Arid Environments. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2018.04.006
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Vargas R. Navegando por la ciencia del ciclo del carbono en M�xico: = �Quo vadis?. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- IX International Carbon Symposium. May 16-18, 2018. Alamos, Sonora, M�xico.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Vargas R. National map of organic carbon in the soils and mantle of Mexico. Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon. March 21-23, 2017. Rome, Italy.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Miller JB, Jacobson AR, Bruhwiler L, Michalak A, Hayes DJ, Vargas R. Analysis of top-down and bottom-up North American CO2 and CH4 emissions estimates in the second State of the Carbon Cycle Report. AGU Fall meeting. December 11-15, 2017. New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Guevara M*, Arroyo C, Warner DL, Equihua J, Vazquez Lule A*, Schwartz A, Tauffer M, Vargas R. Global response of the growing season to soil moisture and topography. AGU Fall meeting. December 11-15, 2017. New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Vazquez Lule A*, Colditz RR, Herrera-Silveira J, Guevara M*, Rodriguez-Zuniga MT, Cruz I, Ressl R, Vargas R. Greenness and carbon stocks of mangroves: a climate-driven effect. AGU Fall meeting. December 11-15, 2017. New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Harden J, Loisel J, Ryals R, Lawrence C, Blankinship J, Phillips C, Bond-Lamberty B, Todd-Brown K, Vargas R, Hugelius G, Nave L, Malhotra A, Silver W, Sanderman J. Soils in our big back yard: characterizing the state, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for detecting changes in soil carbon storage. EGU General Assembly. April 23-28, 2017. Vienna, Austria.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Harden J, Hugelius G, Vergara S, Lawrence C, Blankinship J, Phillips C, Bond-Lamberty B, Todd-Brown K, Vargas R, Ryals R, Ahlstrom A, Loisel J, Ogle S, Malhotra A. Characterizing the state, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for detecting changes in soil carbon storage. X International Carbon Dioxide Conference. August 21-25, 2017. Interlaken, Switzerland


Progress 08/01/16 to 07/31/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience were members of the scientific community with the main goal to better understand the carbon cycle across North America. We worked in collaboration with members of the North American Carbon Program,Mexican Carbon Program, and the International Soil Carbon Network. Furthermore, we started collaborationswith groups of scientists of the US Forest Service andthe Mexican Forest Service (i.e., CONAFOR) toward building a continental soil carbon database. Science-base knowledge was delivered through formal and informal education programs including formal classroom instruction (at the University of Delaware, Kansas University, and University of Maine), participation in national and international scientific conferences, and giving seminars at multiple Universities. Finally, this project supported the formal training of 2 Hispanic graduate students (Mario Guevara and Samuel Villarreal) and 1 Hispanic postdoctoral researcher (Josep Barba). Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PIs of the project included information gathered from this grant on graduate-level courses at the University of Delaware and University of Kansas. Furthermore, the project directly trained 2 Hispanic graduate students at the University of Delaware, and provided multiple opportunities for informal training to 4 Hispanic students outside the University of Delaware. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have participated in national and international scientific conferences, shared knowledge in graduate-level University courses, published results in national and international reports, andpeer-reviewed journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This grant has had international impact across North America, and it has supported knowledge of national, regional and global carbon dynamics. We have collaborated with several federal institutions across the USA such as the US Forest Service and the National Resources Conservation Service. In addition we have interacted with multiple scientific networks such as the International Soil Carbon Network, AmeriFlux (the US consortium of eddy covariance measurements with the goal of understanding exchange of energy and matter (e.g., carbon dioxide) between land and atmosphere), and the North American Carbon Program. Finally, we have collaborated with international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and scientific consortiums such as the Mexican Carbon Program and the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) in the Netherlands. Our work has contributed to multiple scientific publications, presentations at national and international scientific venues, we have shared knowledge from this grant as formal teaching for undergraduate and graduate students, and we have trained multiple graduate students across three universities in the USA. Knowledge and information from this grant is being used in national carbon assessments such as the 2nd State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-2) requested by the United States Carbon Cycle Science Program (an interagency partnership) where Hayes and Vargas are co-leaders of a chapter in this report (expected to be published in 2018). Furthermore, knowledge and information has been used for the 2015 FAO report on the "Status of the World's Soil Resources" and for a global database of soil information (SoilGrids; http://www.isric.org/explore/soilgrids). During this reporting period we have completed the first two objectives and made substantial progress on the third objective. We have strengthened our collaborations with multiple agencies and scientific consortiums across North America and have designed a framework for up scaling information using machine learning techniques and digital soil mapping. These techniques have open new opportunities across universities and disciplines as we started a new collaboration on mapping soil moisture across North America with computer scientists. Vargas continues to be an active member of the scientific committees for the North American Carbon Program, the Mexican Carbon Program, and the North American Forestry Commission as a way to support and engage the broader scientific community.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Hengl T, Mendes de Jesus J, Heuvelink BM, Gerard B.M. Heuvelink BMG, Ruiperez Gonzalez M, Kilibarda M, Blagotic A, Shangguan W, Wright MN, Geng X, Bauer-Marschallinger B, Guevara MA*, Vargas R, MacMillan RA, Batjes NH, Leenaars JGB, Ribeiro E, Wheeler I, Mantel S, Kempen B (2017) SoilGrids250m: global gridded soil information based on Machine Learning. PlosONE. 12(2): e0169748. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169748
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Phillips CL, Bond-Lamberty B, Desai AR, Lavoie M, Risk D, Tang J, Todd-Brown K, Vargas R (2017) The value of soil respiration measurements for interpreting and modeling terrestrial carbon cycling. Plant and Soil. (Invited Marschner Review). doi: 10.1007/s11104-016-3084-x
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Bond-Lamberty B, Epron D, Harden JW, Harmon M, Hoffman FM, Kumar J, McGuire AD, Vargas R. The challenge of establishing decomposition functional types to estimate heterotrophic respiration at large scales. AGU Fall meeting. December 12-16, 2016. San Francisco, CA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Hayes D, Vargas R, Alin SR, Conant RT, Hutyra L, Jacobson AR, Kurz WA, McGuire AD, Poulter B, Woodall CW. The North American Carbon Budget Past, Present and Future. AGU Fall meeting. December 12-16, 2016. San Francisco, CA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Rojas NE, Yepez EA, Garatuza J, Sanchez-Mejia ZM, Coronel C, Madrigal J, Vargas R . Variations of net ecosystem production and evapotranspiration across a successional gradient of tropical dry forest in Northwestern Mexico. Joint North American Carbon Program and AmeriFlux PIM. March 27-30, 2017. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Nevescanin L, Yepez EA, Johnson K, Garatuza J, Vargas R. Carbon stocks in two successional stages of a dry tropical forest for the establishment of an intensive carbon monitoring site in Northwestern Mexico. Joint North American Carbon Program and AmeriFlux PIM. March 27-30, 2017. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Soriano-Luna MA, �ngeles-P�rez G, Guevara M, Vargas R, Vaquera-Huerta H, Valdez-Lazalde JR, Birdsey R, Pan Y, Johnson K. Above ground biomass and its spatial variability in a Mexican managed temperate forest. Joint North American Carbon Program and AmeriFlux PIM. March 27-30, 2017. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Guevara M, Arroyo C, Brunsell N, Curz C, Domke G, Equihua J, Etchevers J, Hayes D, Hengl T, Ibelles A, Johnson K, de-Jong B, Libohova Z, Nave L, Ornelas J, Paz F, Ressl R, Schwartz A, Victoria A, Wills S, Vargas R. Mapping organic carbon in the soils of Mexico and the United States. Joint North American Carbon Program and AmeriFlux PIM. March 27-30, 2017. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Barba J, Cueva A, Bahn M, Barron-Gafford G, Bond-Lamberty B, Hanson P, Jaimes A**, Kulmala L, Pumpanen J, Scott R, Wohlfahrt G, Vargas R. Comparing ecosystem and soil respiration: synthesis of tower-based and soil measurements. Joint North American Carbon Program and AmeriFlux PIM. March 27-30, 2017. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vargas R. Digital soil mapping of soil moisture and soil carbon across North America. October 21, 2016. Temple University. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R. Carbon Cycle Science across North America: uncertainty, interoperability and the case of Mexico. April 10, 2015. Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R, Guevara M, Cruz-Gaistardo C, Paz F, de Jong B, Etchevers J. Spatial variability of soil carbon across Mexico and the United States. AGU Fall meeting. December 16, 2015. San Francisco, CA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R. Soil moisture and soil carbon across North America. March 21, 2016. Boston University. Boston, MA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R. CarboNA: una visi�n desde M�xico. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VI International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 20-22, 2015. Villahermosa, Tabasco, M�xico.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vargas R. Carbon dynamics and water relations from plots to continental scales. January 19, 2016. Seoul National University. Seoul, Korea.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vargas R. Land-atmosphere water and carbon dynamics across North America: site-studies, remote sensing, and network design. January 21, 2016. Yonsei University. Seoul, Korea.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Vargas R. National map of organic carbon in the soils and mantle of Mexico. Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon. March 21-23, 2017. Rome, Italy.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Petrie MD, Brunsell NA, Vargas R, Collins SL, Flanagan LB, Hanan NP, Litvak ME, Suyker AE (2016) The sensitivity of carbon exchanges in Great Plains grasslands to precipitation variability. Journal of Geophysical Research- Biogeosciences 121:280-294. doi: 10.1002/2015JG003205
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Villarreal S, Vargas R, Yepez E, Acosta JS, Castro A, Escoto-Rodriguez M, Lopez E, Martinez-Osuna J, Rodriguez J, Smith S, Vivoni E, Watts C (2016) Contrasting precipitation seasonality influence evapotranspiration in two water-limited shrublands. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences 121:494-508. doi: 10.1002/2015JG003169
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Reimer JJ, Cueva A, Gaxiola-Castro G, Lara-Lara R, Vargas R (2016) Random error analysis of pCO2 measurements in a costal upwelling region. Progress in Oceanography. 143:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2016.02.003
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Bond-Lamberty B, Epron D, Harden J, Harmon ME, Hoffman F, Kumar J, McGuire DA, Vargas R (2016) Estimating heterotrophic respiration at large scales: challenges, approaches, and next steps. Ecosphere 7(6): e01380. doi: 10.1002/ecs2.1380
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Vargas R, Alcaraz-Segura D, Birdsey R, Brunsell NA, Cruz-Gaistardo CO, de Jong B, Etchevers J, Guevara M, Hayes DJ, Johnson K, Loescher HW, Paz F, Ryu Y, Sanchez-Mejia Z, Toledo-Gutierrez KP (2017) Enhancing interoperability to facilitate implementation of REDD+: case study of Mexico. Carbon Management. 8(1):57-65. doi:10.1080/17583004.2017.1285177


Progress 08/01/15 to 07/31/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience were members of the scientific community with the main goal to better understand the carbon cycle across North America. We worked in collaboration with members of the North American Carbon Program,Mexican Carbon Program, and the International Soil Carbon Network. Furthermore, we started collaborationswith groups of scientists of the US Forest Service andthe Mexican Forest Service (i.e., CONAFOR) toward building a continental soil carbon database. Science-base knowledge was delivered through formal and informal education programs including formal classroom instruction (at the University of Delaware and Kansas University), participation in national and international scientific conferences, and giving seminars at multiple Universities. Finally, this project supported the graduate training of 1 Hispanic graduate student. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PIs of the project included information gathered from this grant on graduate-level courses at the University of Delaware and University of Kansas. Furthermore, the project directly trained 1 Hispanic graduate student at the University of Delaware, and provided multiple opportunities for informal training to 4 Hispanic students outside the University of Delaware. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have participated in national and international scientific conferences, shared knowledge in graduate-level University courses, published results in peer-reviewed journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During this reporting period we continue working toward the first goal of the project:Harmonize available datasets describing the key components of the carbon cycle in Mexico, and produce national-scale information in a standardize way to be comparable to datasets available in the U.S. We continue our collaborators with the US Forest Service, the Mexican Forest Service, the International Soil Carbon Network, and the Mexican Carbon Program. We started the harmonization and synthesis of information on soil carbon across North America. We worked with the second goal by developing a framework for scaling datasets. In collaboration with ORNL we started exploring the third goal related to terrestrial biosphere and atmospheric inverse modeling and remote sensing approaches to identify uncertainties and knowledge gaps across North America. Vargas has been an active member of the scientific committees fo the North American Carbon PRogram, the Mexican Carbon Program, and the North American Forestry Comission as a way to support and engage the broader scientific community.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Birdsey R, Hurtt G, Dubayah R, Hagen S, Vargas R, Nehrkorn T, Domke G, Houghton R. Applications of advanced technology for monitoring forest carbon to support climate change mitigation. AGU Fall meeting. December 14, 2015. San Francisco, CA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Guevara M, Vargas R. Soil moisture decline across the conterminous United States. AGU Fall meeting. December 18, 2015. San Francisco, CA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Rojas-Robles NE, Villagran-Gonzalez D, Sadoval-Aguilar M, G�mez-Badouin I, Nevescanin-Moreno L, Rivera MA, Coronel C, Madrigal JM, Vargas R, Robes-Morua A, Garatuza-Pay�n J, Yepez EA. Producci�n neta del ecosistema en un gradiente sucesional de bosque tropical seco en el Noroeste de M�xico. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Soriano-Luna MA, �ngeles-P�rez G, Guevara M, Vargas R, Vaquera-Huerta H, Valdez-Lazalde JR, Birdsey R, Pan Y. Variabilidad espacial de la biomasa a�rea en un bosque templado manejado. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Nevescanin-Moreno L, Y�pez EA, Villanueva-Hern�ndez D, Gonz�lez-Pelayo MA, Kristofer J, Garatuza-Payan J, Vargas R. Reservorios de carbono en un bosque tropical seco en el noroeste de M�xico. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vargas-Terminel ML, Rodr�guez JC, Robles-Zazueta CA, Y�pez EA, Vargas R, Christopher J, Garatuza-Pay�n J. Net carbon dioxide ecosystem exchange in contrasting mangroves from Northwest Mexico. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Villarreal S, Guevara M, Alcaraz-Segura D, Vargas R. Clasificaci�n no supervisada de las caracter�sticas funcionales y climatol�gicas de M�xico. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Guevara M, Vargas R, Arroyo A, Julian E, Cruz C, Etchevers J, Paz F, Brunsell N, Hayes D, de Jong B. Inferencia espacial de la concentraci�n de carbono org�nico en los suelos de M�xico. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Cueva A, Bullock SH, L�pez-Reyes E, Vargas R. La influencia de sequ�a y humedad anormales en el intercambio neto de carbon en un matorral semi�rido. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VII International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 18-20, 2016. Pachuca, Hidalgo, M�xico
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Cueva A, Bahn M, Litvak M, Pumpanen J, Vargas R. (2015) A multisite analysis of random errors in soil CO2 efflux across soil water conditions. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences 120:737-751.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Reimer JJ, Vargas R, Rivas D, Gaxiola-Castro G, Hernandez-Ayon M, Lara-Lara R (2015) Sea surface temperature influence on terrestrial gross primary production along the southern California Current. PLoS ONE. 10(4):e0125177
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R, Alin S, Shrestha G (2015) Integrating carbon cycle research into decision-making processes. EOS, 96. doi:10.1029/ 2015EO037893
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: FAO and ITPS (2015) Status of the Worlds Soil Resources (SWSR)  Main Report. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, Rome, Italy. Contributing author for the 12 chapter entitled Regional assessment of soil changes in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Programa de Investigaci�n en Cambio Clim�tico (PICC) (2015) Reporte Mexicano de Cambio Clim�tico. Grupo I: Bases Cient�ficas, Modelos y Modelaci�n. (Mexican Report on Climate Change. Group I: Scientific Bases, Models and Modeling). Vargas is a contributing author for the 7th chapter entitled Ciclos Biogeoqu�micos (Biogeochemical cycles).


Progress 08/01/14 to 07/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience were members of the scientific community with the main goal to better understand the carbon cycle across North America. We worked in collaboration with members of the North American Carbon Program,Mexican Carbon Program, and the International Soil Carbon Network. Furthermore, we started collaborationswith groups of scientists of the US Forest Service andthe Mexican Forest Service (i.e., CONAFOR) toward building a continental soil carbon database. Science-base knowledge was delivered through formal and informal education programs including formal classroom instruction (at the University of Delaware and University of Kansas), participation in national and international scientific conferences, and giving seminars at multiple Universities. We participated in extension outreach as PI Vargas delivered information from this project to theDelaware Master Garden Program (senior US citizens; see products). Finally, this project supported the graduate training of 1 Hispanic graduate student. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PIs of the project included information gathered from this grant on graduate-level courses at the University of Delaware and University of Kansas. Furthermore, the project trained 1 Hispanic graduate student at the University of Delaware. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have participated in national and international scientific conferences, shared knowledge in graduate-level University courses, published results in peer-reviewed journals, and participated in extension activities for senior citizens. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During this reporting period we worked toward the first goal of the project:Harmonize available datasets describing the key components of the carbon cycle in Mexico, and produce national-scale information in a standardize way to be comparable to datasets available in the U.S. We reach out to our collaborators at the US Forest Service, the Mexican Forest Service, the International Soil Carbon Network, and the Mexican Carbon Program. We were able to have access to a unique continental-scale database of >20000 soil samples across USA and Mexico.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Banwart S, Black H, Cai Z, Gicheru P, Joosten H, Victoria R, Milne E, Noellemeyer E, Pascual U, Nziguheba G, Vargas R, Bationo A, Buschiazzo D, de-Brogniez D, Melillo J, Richter D, Termansen M, van Noordwijk M, Goverse T, Ballabio C, Bhattacharyya T, Goldhaber M, Nikolaidis N, Zhao Y, Funk R, Duffy C, Pan G, la Scala N, Gottschalk P, Batjes N, Six J, van Wesemael B, Stocking M, Bampa F, Bernoux M, Feller C, Lemanceau P, Montanarella L (2014) Benefits of soil carbon: report on the outcomes of an international scientific committee on problems of the environment rapid assessment workshop. Carbon Management 5:185-192
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Nziguheba G, Vargas R, Bationo A, Black H, Buschiazzo D, de-Brogniez D, Joosten H, Melillo J, Richter DB, Termansen M (2015). Soil Carbon, a Critical Natural Resource: Long-term goals, short-term actions. In: SA Banwart, E Noellemeyer and E Milne (Eds.) Soil Carbon: science, management and policy for multiple benefits. CABI. 10-25.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Milne, E., S. A. Banwart, E. Noellemeyer, D. J. Abson, C. Ballabio, F. Bampa, A. Bationo, N. H. Batjes, M. Bernoux, T. Bhattacharyya, H. Black, D. E. Buschiazzo, Z. Cai, C. E. Cerri, K. Cheng, C. Compagnone, R. Conant, H. L. C. Coutinho, D. de Brogniez, F. d. C. Balieiro, C. Duffy, C. Feller, E. C. C. Fidalgo, C. F. da Silva, R. Funk, G. Gaudig, P. T. Gicheru, M. Goldhaber, P. Gottschalk, F. Goulet, T. Goverse, P. Grathwohl, H. Joosten, P. T. Kamoni, J. Kihara, R. Krawczynski, N. La Scala, Jr., P. Lemanceau, L. Li, Z. Li, E. Lugato, P.-A. Maron, C. Martius, J. Melillo, L. Montanarella, N. Nikolaidis, G. Nziguheba, G. Pan, U. Pascual, K. Paustian, G. Pineiro, D. Powlson, A. Quiroga, D. Richter, A. Sigwalt, J. Six, J. Smith, P. Smith, M. Stocking, F. Tanneberger, M. Termansen, M. van Noordwijk, B. van Wesemael, R. Vargas, R. L. Victoria, B. Waswa, D. Werner, S. Wichmann, W. Wichtmann, X. Zhang, Y. Zhao, J. Zheng, and J. Zheng. 2015. Soil carbon, multiple benefits. Environmental Development 13:33-38.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R. Advancing carbon cycle science in North America: emerging opportunities and information across Mexico. January 12, 2015. Arizona State University. Tempe, Arizona, USA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Jaimes A, Vargas R. Vulnerability of ecosystem fluxes to Extreme Climatic Events in Western North America: synthesis project of biosphere-atmosphere interactions to integrate environmental network data of Mexico-USA region. North American Carbon Program AIM5. January 26-29, 2015. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: S�nchez-Mej�a ZM, V�zquez-Lule AD, Tovilla C, Colditz R, Vargas R. Leaning into La Encrucijada Chiapas mangroves: NPP from ground measurements and MODIS. North American Carbon Program AIM5. January 26-29, 2015. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Yepez EA, Garatuza-Payan J, Gamez-Badouin JI, Gonzalez-Pelayo MA, Rivera MA, Mendez-Barrozo LA, Robles-Morua A, Tarin T, Benitez-Lopez J, Johnson K, Vargas R, Birdsey R. Carbon cycle dynamics of the Mexican tropical dry forest within the North American monsoon region. North American Carbon Program AIM5. January 26-29, 2015. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: King AW, Andres RJ, Davis KJ, Hafer M, Hayes DJ, Huntzinger DN, de Jong B, Kurz WA, McGuire AD, Vargas R, Wei Y, West TO, Woodall CW. North Americas net terrestrial carbon exchange with the atmosphere 1990-2009. North American Carbon Program AIM5. January 26-29, 2015. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Aguirre CA, Bullock S, Vargas R, Villarreal S, Lopez E. Variabilidad estacional e interanual en la producci�n primaria bruta y evapotranspiraci�n en un ecosistema de clima mediterr�neo en Baja California. V Congreso Mexicano de Ecologia. April 19-24, 2015. San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Arellano-Mart�n F, Andrade JL, Us-Santamaria RA, Sim�-G�mez JL, Dupuy JM, Vargas R, Caamal JP. Variaci�n temporal del flujo de carbon del suelo de una seva mediana subcaducifolia de Yucat�n. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VI International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 20-22, 2015. Villahermosa, Tabasco, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: S�nchez-Mej�a ZM, Tovilla C, Infante-Mata DM, Birdsey R, Aguilar E, Castro L, Ochoa-Avelar C, Olgu�n M, Velasco E, Wayson C, Vargas R. Mangrove forests monitoring: pre-installation of an eddy covariance system to monitor carbon fluxes. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VI International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 20-22, 2015. Villahermosa, Tabasco, M�xico
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vargas R, de Jong B, Echeveres J, Guevara M, Paz-Pellat F. Cambios en la din�mica del carbon terrestre en M�xico: implicaciones locales y regionales. Mexican Carbon Program (PMC, Programa Mexicano del Carbono)- VI International Carbon Symposium in M�xico. May 20-22, 2015. Villahermosa, Tabasco, M�xico.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Guevara M, Vargas R, Brunsell N, Cruz C, Etchevers J, Hayes D, Paz F. Reducing uncertainty in carbon cycle science of North America: a synthesis of soil carbon across Mexico. USDA Program Directors Meeting. May 20-22, 2015. Washington, DC, USA.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Vargas R. Principles of global environmental change and the global carbon. New Castle County Cooperative Extension Office. Master Gardner Training Program. September 29, 2014. Newark, DE