Abstract

The case is made for an objective and quantitative assessment of the effects of vegetation on climate and its spatial extent. Reasons are given for focusing attention on changes in tropical vegetation. Previous studies have tended to be too restrictive in scale and sometimes unavoidably subjective. Improvements in experimental method and the collection of necessary data are discussed. In particular, computer models of atmospheric circulation appear to be the most feasible way of using the available data to simulate the climatic effects of vegetation change.