From forestry to biofuels, land-use and climate change affect not just the carbon balance of ecosystems but their water and nutrient balances as well. Similarly, what happens on one plot of land also affects other locations, whether downhill, downstream, or downwind. I will explore the consequences of land use change for water use and chemistry, focusing on transitions between forests, grasslands, and croplands. The goal of this research is to maximize the carbon gain of different land uses and, to the greatest extent possible, minimize water and nutrient losses and unsustainable changes in water quality.
Results/Conclusions
Land-use change remains the biggest global threat to species and habitats today. Layered on top of this pressure for land, climate change is already altering species ranges and ecosystem boundaries, with land and climate intersecting in the next 10 to 20 years through climate policy. Some of that intersection will be helpful, such as opportunities to avoid deforestation. Overall, though, the land-use effects of climate policy are likely to affect more of the Earth in the coming decade or two than climate change is itself. Land-based incentives for climate protection should carefully balance not just carbon storage but a diverse family of ecosystem services.
