Geoinformational model of the carbon budget of the Russian tundra zone

We present a summary of our own gas measurement data on biogenic fluxes of CO2 in various ecosystems of the Russian tundra zone, using seasonal and ge ographical extrapolations based on mathematical simulation modeling. The mo del follows construction principles of geoinformational systems and consist s of (1) a computer map of tundra landscape boundaries; (2) a meteorologica l database; (3) a model of changes of the phytomass; and (4) the actual mod el of carbon fluxes. The model, which uses a IO-day step, allows estimates of regional and landscape-associated macroscopic carbon fluxes and predicts the response of the tundras to climatic changes. The data obtained are in good agreement with independently obtained estimates of the major character istics of tundra carbon balance.