Enhancing gap model accuracy by modeling dynamic height growth and dynamic maximum tree height

Livia Rasche, Lorenz Fahse, Andreas Zingg and Harald Bugmann

Ecological Modelling, 2012, vol. 232, issue C, 133-143

Abstract: Gap models are flexible tools for the simulation of forest dynamics under different climatic conditions. An important area, however, has not yet received the attention it deserves: the formulation of height growth and maximum tree height. In most gap models, every tree approaches a fixed maximum height regardless of site conditions, and tree height as such is approximated via stem diameter. To address these issues, we converted maximum height from a parameter to a variable that depends on site-specific climatic conditions. We also established tree height as a separate state variable besides diameter, to allow for competition effects to influence the ratio between height and diameter growth. The new model formulations were tested against data from the Swiss National Forest Inventory (NFI) and from a forest growth and yield research plot. Lastly the new model version was applied to study productivity changes due to climate change along an environmental gradient.

Keywords: Climate change; Forest productivity; Gap model; Tree height growth; Site quality; Taper (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:232:y:2012:i:c:p:133-143

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.03.004

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