A selection harvesting algorithm for use in spatially explicit individual-based forest simulation models
Ken Arii,
John P. Caspersen,
Trevor A. Jones and
Sean C. Thomas
Ecological Modelling, 2008, vol. 211, issue 3, 251-266
Abstract:
There is growing interest in using spatially explicit, individual-based forest simulation models to explore the ecological and silvicultural consequences of various harvesting regimes. However, simulating the dynamics of managed forests requires harvesting algorithms capable of accurately mimicking the harvest regimes of interest. Under selection silviculture, trees are harvested individually or in small groups, with the aim of retaining trees across a full range of size classes. An algorithm that reproduces selection harvesting must therefore be able to recreate both the spatial and the structural patterns of harvest. Here we introduce a selection harvest algorithm that simulates harvests as a contagious spatial process in which the cutting of one tree affects the probability that neighboring trees are also cut. Three simple and intuitive parameters are required to implement this process: (1) the probability of cutting a “target” tree (Pt) (often a function of tree size), (2) the probability of cutting its nearest neighbor (Pn), and (3) the total number of target trees to cut (Nt). Specification of these parameters allows representation of both the spatial and the structural patterns of harvest expected under selection silviculture.
Keywords: Harvesting algorithm; Selection harvesting; Gaps; Forest management; Tolerant hardwoods; Spatially explicit individual-based simulation model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)
Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380007004589
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.
Export reference: BibTeX
RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan)
HTML/Text
Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:211:y:2008:i:3:p:251-266
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2007.09.007
Access Statistics for this article
Ecological Modelling is currently edited by Brian D. Fath
More articles in Ecological Modelling from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().