System analysis of land use and climate effects on ecosystem services affecting C and N exchanges with the atmosphere and water cycles

Current land use practices have affected ecosystem structure and processes in ways that have degraded delivery of key ecosystem services controlling exchanges of carbon and nitrogen with the atmosphere and surface and groundwater systems. These impacts are observed in the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and N pollution in our nation’s water systems and coastal areas. Improvements in databases of climate, soils, and land use practices in the north central Great Plains (i.e., NCGP: Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota) provide a unique opportunity for integration and synthesis of this information on the exchanges of C and N affecting our environmental resources. In addition, improved analytical tools are available to evaluate ecosystem dynamics and to conduct life-cycle analysis of various land use management options. This synthesis of information and modeling approaches is timely as greater competition for land resources is anticipated in the coming decades and this synthesis will provide new insights to guide decision makers to choose between alternative land use strategies. The synthesis activity will bring together researchers familiar with various aspects of land use dynamics, including the biophysical, biogeochemical, social, and agricultural sciences to develop an updated synthesis of land use effects on environmental conditions and to provide a more integrated framework to assess future policy decision related to agricultural impacts on the environment.