BIPHOREP research proposal
SUMMARY
Our understanding of the role of biogenic emissions, their importance
in relation to anthropogenic emissions, and their atmospheric fate in
the European boreal regions is very poor due to the lack of studies
conducted in this area. However, high biomass densities in
boreal forests make them potentially high emission areas of Biogenic
Volatile Organic Compounds (hereafter BVOC). Moreover, climate change
impacts are estimated to be particularly strong in the boreal regions.
These are our impetus to address the issue of BVOC
emissions, their quantification, mechanisms and contribution to
tropospheric chemistry, which is specifically mentioned in the
Environment & Climate Specific Programme (Workprogramme item
1.2.1.2, task 3). Our work plan will be built upon answering the following
key questions:
- What are the biogenic VOC species emitted from the main types of
North European vegetation ?
- What are the emission factors (emission intensities) of the
emitted compounds for different plant species ?
- How do these emissions vary with temperature, sunlight, season,
and forest type ?
- What is the annual flux of biogenic VOCs to the atmosphere
from the main North European biotopes ?
- What is the fate of the biogenic species in the atmosphere,
and how do their oxidation pathways in the North European environment
differ from those in warmer or more polluted regions ?
- What is the role of biogenic VOC emissions in photochemical
ozone formation and how do they compare with anthropogenic emissions
with respect to the elevated background ozone levels in northern Europe ?
To answer these questions we propose a multinational integrated
research project called Biogenic VOC emissions and photochemistry in
the boreal regions of Europe (BIPHOREP) whereby we shall carry out a
wide range of measurements at different scales in the northern parts
of Europe as well as develop and run different models for the interpretation
of these data. The emission intensity measurements will be performed
at both leaf and canopy level. Ambient air measurements will allow
an inverse assessment of the regional biogenic emissions and a
comparison of the contribution of biogenic and anthropogenic VOC species
to the formation of oxidants. The use and development of models will
be crucial at all scales: to derive emission algorithms at leaf
level, to relate emissions to the vegetative structure at canopy
scale using detailed forest information (i.a. satellite landuse data),
and to correlate ozone formation with photochemical and emission
modelling at regional scale.
The project products will be:
- emission algorithms and emission factors for a wide range of
boreal vegetation species;
- validation of VOC emission calculations by canopy and regional
scale measurements;
- parameters characterizing boreal forest and biomass which are
easily usable in emission inventories;
- a canopy model suitable for emission inventory applications;
- an assessment of the contribution of biogenic VOC emissions
on photochemical pollution;
- an evaluation of photochemical modules that includes biogenic species.
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Contents of research proposal
BIPHOREP