Collaborative Research: Seasonal and Geographical Impact of Land-Use on Climate Change

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

This project will extend existing work to investigate the impact of land use on climate change. Two of the most important ways in which anthropogenic activity can produce climate changes are the increase of greenhouse gases, commonly referred to as global warming, and changes in land use due to urbanization, industry, and agriculture. To date, the impact of land-use changes has been considered only as a small correction to surface temperature trends to account for urbanization. The project will attempt to validate this methodology by using model reanalysis products from the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts, and if successful, will provide an important contribution in the area of societally-induced changes in land use impacts on the Earth's climate.