Possible role of atmosphere-biosphere interactions in triggering the last glaciation

We coupled a global biome model iteratively with an atmospheric general circulation model to study the possible role of vegetation in the climate system, at the time of glacial inception 115,000 years ago. Orbital forcing alone was not sufficient to initiate glaciation when other components of the climate system were kept as present (atmospheric composition, oceans, biosphere and cryosphere). Summers were however cold enough to induce major vegetation shifts in high northern latitudes. Southward migration of the boreal forest/tundra limit helped to Create favourable conditions for continental ice-sheet growth, with increasing snow depth and duration in Labrador, Arctic Canada and northern/western Fennoscandia. These results support a role for biogeophysical feedback in initiating glaciations.