Global assessment of vegetation photosynthesis and carbon assimilation through space measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Luis Guanter
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: from 2011 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 204380742

The gross carbon uptake of terrestrial vegetation through photosynthesis is a crucial parameter in climate change research. A global, observation-based characterisation of ecosystem gross primary production can only be performed with satellite measurements. However, the traditional description of vegetation from space is based on the so-called spectral vegetation indices, which are not able to provide a reliable indication of photosynthetic efficiency driving carbon assimilation by vegetation. This results in an inherent limitation of existing satellite products to provide an accurate description of ecosystem functioning. By contrast, ongoing developments in instrument design and modelling approaches have very recently made possible the retrieval of vegetation chlorophyll fluorescence from space measurements. A vast number of laboratory and field experiments have demonstrated that fluorescence is a direct proxy to vegetation light use efficiency which can therefore enable a much more accurate description of gross primary production. This project proposes the implementation of a research group with focus on the global monitoring and interpretation of chlorophyll fluorescence from existing and upcoming Earth Observation missions. This task will imply the development of a variety of atmospheric-surface radiative transfer modelling approaches, data processing, retrieval techniques and ecosystem modelling tools, with the ultimate objective of developing a new approach to the observation of carbon assimilation by vegetation from space.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups