The Missouri Ozark Forest AmeriFlux Project: A Strategically...

The Missouri Ozark Forest AmeriFlux Project: A Strategically Located Site for Understanding Variability and Resiliency of CarbonUptake and Water Use at Ecosystem and Species Levels.The overall objective of the Missouri Ozark forest AmeriFlux site (MOFLUX)is to partition atmospheric, eco-physiological, and biogeochemical controls on the variability and resiliency to extreme weather andclimate events of carbon uptake and water use at both ecosystem and species levels. To achieve this objective and to ensure a fullrealization of the scientific potential offered by the strategic location of the site, we will continue measurements in ecosystemand soil fluxes, meteorology, plant biochemistry and physiology. Modeling activities will integrate ecosystem-based and individualtree-based models to investigate ecosystem and species responses to variations in environmental conditions and their resiliencies toextreme weather and climate events. Cross-site synthesis will be conducted to examine how mechanisms controlling biophysical fluxeschange along critical climate and vegetation gradients. We will continue the high accuracy CO2 concentration measurements to supportatmospheric inversion of large-scale carbon budgets. Our research will help determine whether there are potential surprises interrestrial carbon cycling, how the boundary between eastern deciduous forests and central grasslands might shift in response toclimate change, and how such change might affect ecosystem carbon uptake of the Midwest known for extreme weather and climateevents.Starting in FY09, MOFLUX will become part of the Climate Change Forcing SFA by serving as a primary site for processunderstanding and advanced model testing, particularly in areas related to droughts, heat waves, and ecotonal changes.