Title: Dynamic Global Vegetation and FATES

Summary:

Introduction
- This document provides a technical note on the Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM) and the Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator (FATES) within the Community Terrestrial Systems Model (CTSM).

Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM)
- DGVM is a component of CTSM that simulates the distribution and dynamics of natural vegetation in response to climate and other environmental factors.
- It represents different plant functional types (PFTs) and their competition, mortality, establishment, and biogeochemical processes.
- DGVM allows for the dynamic simulation of vegetation cover, structure, and composition, which can feedback to the climate system.

Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator (FATES)
- FATES is a more advanced vegetation model that replaces the traditional DGVM approach in CTSM.
- FATES represents the competition, growth, and mortality of individual plants within a grid cell, allowing for a more detailed representation of vegetation dynamics.
- It incorporates various plant traits and functional processes to simulate vegetation changes in response to environmental conditions.

Coupling FATES with CTSM
- FATES is coupled to the land surface model within CTSM, allowing for interactions between vegetation, soil, and the atmosphere.
- This coupling enables the simulation of vegetation-climate feedbacks and the response of vegetation to changing environmental conditions.

Conclusion
- The inclusion of DGVM and FATES in CTSM provides a sophisticated representation of vegetation dynamics and their interactions with the climate system.
- These models are important for understanding and simulating the role of terrestrial ecosystems in the Earth's climate system.