Earth system models: a test using the mid-Holocene in the Southern Hemisphere
Date
2002
Authors
Wasson, Robert J
Claussen, Martin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pergamon-Elsevier Ltd
Abstract
Palaeoclimatic reconstructions from proxy data have been compared with climate model outcomes for three decades. It has become evident that explanations of past climates can rely on neither data source alone, the former often being descriptive tools and the latter dependent on model structures and parameterisations. The status of vegetation changes, either as a follower of climate changes or as a modulator of insolation-terrestrial system responses, is vital if proxy records are to be effectively interpreted in climate terms and if models are to be more robust in appropriately incorporating vegetation roles. We use an earth system model (CLIMBER) and proxy data from Southern Hemisphere locations to compare postdictions of mid-Holocene climates. It is concluded that climate simulations and predictions are likely to be inaccurate if vegetation is not properly incorporated, and appropriate models can allow hypotheses to be developed that better explain atmosphere-earth system linkages.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: Climate change; Computer simulation; Parameter estimation; Vegetation; Palaeoclimatic reconstruction; Earth (planet); climate modeling; comparative study; Holocene; paleoclimate; proxy climate record; Southern Hemisphere; vegetation history
Citation
Collections
Source
Quaternary Science Reviews
Type
Journal article
Book Title
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Restricted until
2037-12-31