About TSS

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Modeling

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• Biome-BGC
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Education

• Ph.D., Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, 1988
• M.S., Forest Resources, University of Georgia, 1984
• B.A., Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, 1982

Current Position

• Senior Scientist, Terrestrial Sciences Section, Climate and Global Dynamics Division, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, 07/02 - present
• Section Head, Terrestrial Sciences Section, Climate and Global Dynamics Division, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, 01/02 - present

Research Interests

My research examines land-atmosphere interactions, especially the ecological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes by which terrestrial ecosystems affect climate. My research integrates ecological, hydrological, and atmospheric sciences to study natural and human changes in land cover and ecosystem functions and their effects on climate, water resources, and biogeochemistry. I develop and use climate, hydrological, and ecosystem models to study the influence of ecosystems on climate.

Curriculum Vitae

CV and publications in PDF format

Ecological Climatology, 2nd edition (Cambridge University Press, 2008)

Ecological Climatology introduces an interdisciplinary framework to understand the interaction between terrestrial ecosystems and climate change. Written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying ecology, environmental science, atmospheric science and geography, the textbook reviews basic meteorological, hydrological and ecological concepts to examine the physical, chemical and biological processes by which terrestrial ecosystems affect and are affected by climate.

Forests and Climate Change

In a review paper appearing in the 13 June 2008 special issue of Science on "Forests in Flux," Gordon Bonan presents the current state of understanding for how forests impact global climate. "As politicians and the general public become more aware of climate change, there will be greater interest in legislative policies to mitigate global warming," said Bonan. "Forests have been proposed as a possible solution, so it is imperative that we understand fully how forests influence climate."

Read the abstract

Read the full text

Read the National Science Foundation press release

Seminars

Seminars in PDF format.