The MANgrove–GroundwAter feedback model (MANGA) – Describing belowground competition based on first principles

Jasper Bathmann, Ronny Peters, Dmitri Naumov, Thomas Fischer, Uta Berger and Marc Walther

Ecological Modelling, 2020, vol. 420, issue C

Abstract: It is commonly accepted that the processes determining how plant-groundwater interactions influence vegetation patterns depend on subsurface properties, including groundwater availability, but not much is known about the underlying processes. We present a hybrid process-based simulation system to study the feedback between vegetation and subsurface hydrodynamics using mangroves as an example. Our approach relies on first principles rather than on empirical competition concepts. We develop a modular tool which dynamically couples an agent-based vegetation model to a continuum groundwater model. The vegetation model describes individual trees and their interactions within their environment and communities. We show the dependence of the salinity distribution on aquifer properties within stylized case studies. Moreover, the model predicts varying tree allometries depending on variations of subsurface properties. Finally, we analyze the nature of belowground competition for fresh water as a direct consequence of the plant-soil feedback that is inherent to the modelling approach. The results show that the interaction of vegetation and subsurface hydrodynamics is crucial for vegetation zonation patterning in form of a pronounced distribution of tree allometry. We also discuss the benefits and disadvantages of our presented plant-soil feedback modelling approach, as well as its implications for future research.

Keywords: Mangroves; Groundwater; Vegetation; Subsurface; Coupling; Mechanistic; Plant-soil feedback; Belowground competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:420:y:2020:i:c:s0304380020300454

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.108973

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