Improving the representation of high-latitude vegetation distribution in dynamic global vegetation models

Vegetation is an important component in global ecosystems, affecting the physical, hydrological and biogeochemical properties of the land surface. Accordingly, the way vegetation is parameterised strongly influences predictions of future climate by Earth system models. To capture future spatial and temporal changes in vegetation cover and its feedbacks to the climate system, dynamic global vegetation models (DGVM) are included as important components of land surface models. Variation in the predicted vegetation cover from DGVMs therefore has large impacts on modelled radiative and non-radiative properties, especially over high-latitude regions. DGVMs are mostly evaluated by remotely sensed products, but rarely by other vegetation products or by in-situ field observations. In this study, we evaluate the performance of three methods for spatial representation of vegetation cover with respect to prediction of plant functional type (PFT) profiles – one based upon distribution models (DM), o...