The Coupled Carbon-Water Cycles: Imposing the Atmospheric Constraint

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Water is of singular importance for human society and carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important long-lived greenhouse gas. CO2 is emitted from human combustion of fossil fuels and participates in the carbon cycle, which controls its fate in the atmosphere. The carbon and water cycles form a closely coupled system. For instance, photosynthetic uptake of CO2 by plants through stomatal opening inevitably leads to water loss through transpiration. Furthermore, management practices that seek to sequester carbon from the atmosphere or preserve water resources must consider the impact on both the carbon and water cycles.