Organization: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Research Title: Terrestrial Carbon Flux Tracking

Funding Level (millions of dollars):

FY94	10.7
FY95	9.8
FY96	7.6

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Component:
(a) Subcommittee: Global Change Research (100%)
(b) Environmental Issues: other
(c) Research Activity: System Structure and Function: Observation (100%)

Organizational Component:
Office of Environmental Processes & Effects Research
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20560

Point of Contact:
Courtney Riordan
Phone: 202-260-5950

Research Goals:
To assess regional and impacts of global climate change; to predict the extent of such biospheric effects in the future and to understand how that change effects greenhouse gas fluxes.

Research Description:
The North American Landscape Characterization Program (NALC) is quantifying of the probable magnitudes, rates, and variations of human-induced change in selected regions of North America; Multispectral scan Landsat imagery (MSS) from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s is being georegistered archived for land cover change analysis; Biomass Burning and deforestation is developing techniques for estimating emissions from biomass burning and developing emissions inventories. Deforestation estimates for Southeast Asia are being produced. Carbon Flux Tracking will identify biogenic C sources and sinks for major countries.

Program Interfaces:
This program works closely with NASA, USGS, NOAA, USFS.

Program Milestones:

Policy Payoffs:
1) More accurate information on quantifying sources and sinks of GHGs, 2) Better management strategies for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, 3) Understanding ecological vulnerabilities to climate change so that management decisions can be made to protect these systems.