Office of Science Office of Biological and Environmental Research J Michael Kuperberg, Ph.D. Dan Stover, Ph.D. Terrestrial Ecosystem Science AmeriFlux P.I. meeting January 31, 2011

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 2

3 Department of Energy Office of Science William Brinkman Director Patricia Dehmer Deputy Director High Energy Physics Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Sharlene Weatherwax, Acting Associate Director Basic Energy Sciences Fusion Energy Sciences Advanced Scientific Computing Research Nuclear Physics Biological Systems Science Sharlene Weatherwax, Director Climate and Environmental Sciences Gary Geernaert, Director

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 4 Biological and Environmental Research Mission To understand complex biological, climatic, and environmental systems across spatial and temporal scales. BER provides the foundational science to : –Support the development of biofuels as major, secure, and sustainable national energy resources –Understand the potential effects of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth’s climate and biosphere and the implications of these emissions for our energy future –Predict the fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface environment at DOE sites –Develop new tools to explore the interface of biological and physical sciences

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 5 Biological and Environmental Research Approach Understanding complex biological and environmental systems across many spatial and temporal scales: –From the sub-micron to the global –From individual molecules to ecosystems –From nanoseconds to millennia Integrating science by tightly coupling theory, observations, experiments, models, and simulations Supporting interdisciplinary research to address critical national needs Engaging national laboratories, universities, and the private sector to generate the best possible science

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 6 Biological and Environmental Research Divisions Biological Systems Science Division Climate and Environmental Sciences Division Genomic Science Program Bioenergy Research Centers DOE Joint Genome Institute Low Dose Radiation Radiochemistry, Imaging, and Instrumentation Structural Biology Climate Change Research Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring (ARM) Climate Research Facility Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 7 Climate & Environmental Sciences Division (FY 10 funding levels) Research Programs −Climate and Earth System Modeling ($69.7M) −Atmospheric Systems Research ($26.4M) −Environmental Systems Science Terrestrial Ecosystem Science ($32.6M) Subsurface Biogeochemical Research ($49.8M) Facilities −Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring (ARM) Climate Research Facility ($41.8M) −Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory ($52.0M)

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 8 Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Environmental System Science admapWorkshop_2010.pdf

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 9 Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Foundational science to improve our predictive understanding of terrestrial ecosystems in the context of a changing climate Observations Manipulations Large-scale, long-term field studies Process modeling with ties to earth- system models Funding to universities and national laboratories

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 10 Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Foundational ecological science –Specific terrestrial and ecological processes –Both for steady and rapidly changing climate conditions Multiscale ecosystem experiments –Multiple ecological process interactions –Existing and future rates of climate change –Dedicated experiments, including manipulative Process modeling –Translates understanding into multi-process models –To be assimilated into earth system models and integrated assessments –Uncertainty quantification

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 11 AmeriFlux sites

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 12 Molecular biology (-omics) NGEE Concept (Next Generation Ecosystem “Experiment”) Process

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 13 Climate Change and Permafrost Ecosystems Approach Collaborative effort among DOE National Laboratories and universities, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Interdisciplinary, multi-scale approach to advance predictive understanding through iterative experimentation and modeling Opportunities for leveraging through external collaboration (DOE and other agencies) Goal: advance the predictive understanding of the structure and function of Arctic terrestrial ecosystems in response to climate change Objectives: Understand processes/feedbacks governing these complex systems Design and deploy combination of observations and manipulative experiments to test model-inspired hypotheses Resulting knowledge improves models, resulting in improved climate predictions

Department of Energy Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research 14 Interagency Coordination Represented on USGCRP interagency working groups: –Carbon Cycle IWG –Ecology IWG DOE representatives to the North American Carbon Program (NACP) Program management responsibilities for DoD’s Strategic Environmental R&D Program (SERDP) –Environmental Restoration and Sustainable Infrastructure focus areas