The changing global carbon cycle: linking plant–soil carbon dynamics to global consequences

Summary 1. Most current climate–carbon cycle models that include the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle are based on a model developed 40 years ago by Woodwell microbial community effects on C sequestration; and the effects of temperature and labile C on decomposition. The controls over and consequences of these processes are still unclear at the ecosystem scale. 5. Carbon fluxes in addition to NPP and HR exert strong influences over the climate system under conditions of rapid change. These fluxes include methane release, wildfire, and lateral transfers of food and fibre among ecosystems. 6. Water and energy exchanges are important complements to C cycle feedbacks to the climate system, particularly under non‐steady‐state conditions. An integrated understanding of multiple ecosystem–climate feedbacks provides a strong foundation for policies to mitigate climate change. 7. Synthesis . Current climate systems models that include only NPP and HR are inadequate under conditions of rapid change. Many of the recent advances in biogeochemical understanding are sufficiently mature to substantially improve representation of ecosystem C dynamics in these models.