Outline: Sharon A. Cowling
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Associate Professor PhD Lund University, Sweden (2000) MSc University of Toronto (1997) BSc University of Toronto (1989) Phone: (416) 978-0714 Location: Room 201, PGB (45 St. George) Email: cowling@geog.utoronto.ca |
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| Research Interests |
| I am an Earth System scientist studying the interface between the biosphere and atmosphere. The focus of my research is to better understanding the response of past, present and future vegetation to changes in regional and global climate, including vegetation feedbacks on climate. As such, I address research questions over various temporal and spatial scales, and although I am predominantly a modeler, I am building a field component to my laboratory. My recent discovery of lagoonal reef ecosystems naturally growing beneath a causeway in Cayo Coco (Cuba) has broadened my interest in macroecology from the terrestrial and into the marine. I can classify my modeling research into three general sub-areas, with tropical marine fieldwork comprising a fourth category: (1) Modelling vegetation form and function over past, present and future climate, (2) Representation of vegetation-climate feedbacks in Earth System Models, (3) Consequences of low atmospheric CO2 for plant-climate interaction, and (4) Assessment of the underlying mechanisms for the natural establishment of lagoonal reefs beneath a causeway in the northern keys of Cuba. |
| Selected Publications |
| Cowling, S. A., P.M. Cox, R. A. Betts, V. J. Ettwein, C. D. Jones, M. A. Maslin and S.A. Spall. 2004. Contrasting simulated past and future responses of the Amazonian forest to atmospheric change. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 359: 539-547. |
| Cowling, S. A. 2001. Plant carbon balance, evolutionary innovation and extinction in land plants. Global Change Biology 7: 231-240. |
| Cowling, S. A. and M. T. Sykes. 1999. Physiological significance of low atmospheric CO2 for plant-climate interactions. Quaternary Research 52: 237-242. |
| Cowling, S. A. 1999. Plants and temperature-CO2 uncoupling. Science 285: 1500-1501. |
| Teaching (2008-2009) |
| GGR 101H1S - Ancient Civilizations and Their Environments GGR 303H1F - Climate Biosphere Interactions GGR 403H1S / GGR 1214H1S - Global Ecology and Biogeochemical Cycles |
