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Tree species composition in European pristine forests

Badeck, FW ; Lischke, H ; Bugmann, H ; Hickler, Thomas LU ; Hönninger, K ; Lasch, P ; Lexer, MJ ; Mouillot, F ; Schaber, J and Smith, Benjamin LU (2001) In Climatic Change 51(3-4). p.307-347
Abstract
The degree of general applicability across Europe currently achieved with several forest succession models is assessed, data needs and steps for further model development are identified and the role physiology based models can play in this process is evaluated. To this end, six forest succession models (DISCFORM, ForClim, FORSKA-M, GUESS, PICUS v1.2, SIERRA) are applied to simulate stand structure and species composition at 5 European pristine forest sites in different climatic regions. The models are initialized with site-specific soil information and driven with climate data from nearby weather stations. Predicted species composition and stand structure are compared to inventory data. Similarity and dissimilarity in the model results... (More)
The degree of general applicability across Europe currently achieved with several forest succession models is assessed, data needs and steps for further model development are identified and the role physiology based models can play in this process is evaluated. To this end, six forest succession models (DISCFORM, ForClim, FORSKA-M, GUESS, PICUS v1.2, SIERRA) are applied to simulate stand structure and species composition at 5 European pristine forest sites in different climatic regions. The models are initialized with site-specific soil information and driven with climate data from nearby weather stations. Predicted species composition and stand structure are compared to inventory data. Similarity and dissimilarity in the model results under current climatic conditions as well as the predicted responses to six climate change scenarios are discussed. All models produce good results in the prediction of the right tree functional types. In about half the cases, the dominating species are predicted correctly under the current climate. Where deviations occur, they often represent a shift of the species spectrum towards more drought tolerant species. Results for climate change scenarios indicate temperature driven changes in the alpine elevational vegetation belts at humid sites and a high sensitivity of forest composition and biomass of boreal and temperate deciduous forests to changes in precipitation as mediated by summer drought. Restricted generality of the models is found insofar as models originally developed for alpine conditions clearly perform better at alpine sites than at boreal sites, and vice versa. We conclude that both the models and the input data need to be improved before the models can be used for a robust evaluation of forest dynamics under climate change scenarios across Europe. Recommendations for model improvements, further model testing and the use of physiology based succession models are made. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Climatic Change
volume
51
issue
3-4
pages
307 - 347
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:0035209484
ISSN
0165-0009
DOI
10.1023/A:1012577612155
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
664ec796-27c8-4227-aa33-bd40d054a362 (old id 584343)
alternative location
http://www.springerlink.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.1023/A:1012577612155
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:30:33
date last changed
2022-01-29 03:32:10
@article{664ec796-27c8-4227-aa33-bd40d054a362,
  abstract     = {{The degree of general applicability across Europe currently achieved with several forest succession models is assessed, data needs and steps for further model development are identified and the role physiology based models can play in this process is evaluated. To this end, six forest succession models (DISCFORM, ForClim, FORSKA-M, GUESS, PICUS v1.2, SIERRA) are applied to simulate stand structure and species composition at 5 European pristine forest sites in different climatic regions. The models are initialized with site-specific soil information and driven with climate data from nearby weather stations. Predicted species composition and stand structure are compared to inventory data. Similarity and dissimilarity in the model results under current climatic conditions as well as the predicted responses to six climate change scenarios are discussed. All models produce good results in the prediction of the right tree functional types. In about half the cases, the dominating species are predicted correctly under the current climate. Where deviations occur, they often represent a shift of the species spectrum towards more drought tolerant species. Results for climate change scenarios indicate temperature driven changes in the alpine elevational vegetation belts at humid sites and a high sensitivity of forest composition and biomass of boreal and temperate deciduous forests to changes in precipitation as mediated by summer drought. Restricted generality of the models is found insofar as models originally developed for alpine conditions clearly perform better at alpine sites than at boreal sites, and vice versa. We conclude that both the models and the input data need to be improved before the models can be used for a robust evaluation of forest dynamics under climate change scenarios across Europe. Recommendations for model improvements, further model testing and the use of physiology based succession models are made.}},
  author       = {{Badeck, FW and Lischke, H and Bugmann, H and Hickler, Thomas and Hönninger, K and Lasch, P and Lexer, MJ and Mouillot, F and Schaber, J and Smith, Benjamin}},
  issn         = {{0165-0009}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3-4}},
  pages        = {{307--347}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Climatic Change}},
  title        = {{Tree species composition in European pristine forests}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1012577612155}},
  doi          = {{10.1023/A:1012577612155}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}