Dr Alexander Norton
Areas of expertise
- Terrestrial Ecology 310308
- Plant Physiology 310806
- Climate Change Processes 370201
- Agricultural Systems Analysis And Modelling 300207
Research interests
Plant physiology: Plant function and structure and their relationship with the environment.
Vegetation and ecosystem monitoring (remote sensing, in-situ sensors): Ground to satellite observing systems.
Vegetation and ecosystem modeling (carbon and water cycling): Modeling to improve our predictions of how ecosystems will evolve into the future.
Global carbon cycle and climate feedbacks: Understanding the large-scale interaction of the carbon-climate system.
Biography
Earth's ecosystems are in a state of unprecedented change. My focus is on building better tools to monitor and understand these ecosystems, in particular how they exchange carbon with the atmosphere. In 2019 I graduated with a PhD from The University of Melbourne. My doctoral research developed a new approach to mapping photosynthesis across the globe using satellite measurements and models. Recent research includes the use of state-of-the-art instruments and models to better understand how terrestrial ecosystems respond to environmental change.
Researcher's projects
NESP Climate Systems Hub
Transition to Net Zero – emissions pathways and managing carbon
Understanding carbon trends is the key to Australia reaching Net Zero. This project will assess the impacts of different emissions pathways on global and Australia carbon sources and sinks and provide time-evolving carbon budgets. A focus will be on the role of negative emissions and exploring the potential of the terrestrial biosphere in storing carbon and in supporting a transition to NetZero.
