Recurrence Quantification and Recurrence Network Analysis of Global Photosynthetic Activity

Abstract

In this chapter, the potential of Recurrence Analysis (RA) for applications in the biogeosciences is demonstrated. We investigate the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR), an index based on multispectral reflectance properties of land surfaces which relates to the carbon uptake by plants. FAPAR is available with global coverage from satellites. We combine observations from two sensors, SeaWifs on board SeaStar and MERIS on board Envisat, to produce time series with 10 days resolution for a period of 14 years (1998–2011) at a spatial resolution of 0.5^∘ latitude × 0.5^∘ longitude. After careful quality checking and gap-filling, more than 30,000 individual time series are obtained covering all terrestrial ecosystems and climates apart from Antarctica and major deserts. To characterize the different dynamical behaviour as a function of spatial location, we employ Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA) and Recurrence Network Analysis (RNA). They deliver detailed information on the nonlinear dynamics in phase space through embedding. RQA and network measures are calculated for individual time series using identical recurrence parameters, and results are visualized on world maps. Taken together, the recurrence analysis leads to a partitioning of the terrestrial biosphere into regions with distinct dynamical patterns of photosynthetic activity.