Single-point CLM simulations at Niwot Ridge, CO with anomaly forcing

In this study, we ran ecosystem-scale Community Land Model (CLM) simulations using the hillslope hydrology configuration to represent topographically heterogeneous alpine tundra vegetation across a moisture gradient at Niwot Ridge, Colorado, USA. We evaluate our simulations using local site observations and quantify the contributions of plant functional trait uncertainty and scenario uncertainty to carbon cycle outcomes from 2022-2100.

This dataset contains output files from single-point CLM simulations for the manuscript titled 'Plant functional trait uncertainty outweighs climate change uncertainty in tundra ecosystems'. Local observations from Niwot Ridge, CO were used to force and evaluate these simulations to represent alpine tundra vegetation by creating separate plant functional types for moist, wet, and dry meadow communities.

Our control simulations were modified to represent a site at Niwot Ridge referred to as the 'Saddle', with an east and west facing knoll and a lowland area between them. Three columns represent distinct moist, wet, and dry meadow vegetation communities. We then modified sets of parameters (specific leaf area, leaf C:N, and d13C) for each community to represent more resource use acquisitive or conservative growth strategies that could occur with warming temperatures. Transient simulations were run using input data from 2008-2021 (historical) and then extended to year 2100 (future) using an anomaly forcing protocol with SSP2-4.5 and SSP3-7.0. We ran six experiments: two SSP scenarios x three trait experiments (control, resource acquisitive, and resource conservative).