Biospheric Aspects of the Hydrological Cycle. Highlights of the research synthesis conducted under the umbrella of IGBP -BAHC and WCRP-GEWX/ISLSCP international projects

The Global Energy and Water Experiment GEWEX was initiated in 1988 by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) to observe and model the hydrologic cycle and energy fluxes in the atmosphere, and at the land and ocean surface. GEWEX is an integrated program of research, observations, and science activities ultimately leading to the prediction of global and regional climate change. In this report, we present a brief overview of the synthesis research highlights of both international programmes with the primary focus on the biospheric feedbacks in the hydrological cycle and on interactions with the climate system. A full extended research synthesis book, to production of which this NOP project contributed, is currently in press by Springer Verlag (Kabat et al (eds), 2002: Vegetation, Water, Humans and the Climate: A New Perspective of an Interactive System, 650 pp; ISBN 3-540-42400-8)