Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0123300
Title (Primary) Simulating carbon stocks and fluxes of an African tropical montane forest with an individual-based forest model
Author Fischer, R. ORCID logo ; Ensslin, A.; Rutten, G.; Fischer, M.; Schellenberger Costa, D.; Kleyer, M.; Hemp, A.; Paulick, S.; Huth, A.
Source Titel PLOS ONE
Year 2015
Department OESA
Volume 10
Issue 4
Page From e0123300
Language englisch
Supplements https://ndownloader.figshare.com/articles/1395208/versions/1
UFZ wide themes RU5;
Abstract Tropical forests are carbon-dense and highly productive ecosystems. Consequently, they play an important role in the global carbon cycle. In the present study we used an individual-based forest model (FORMIND) to analyze the carbon balances of a tropical forest. The main processes of this model are tree growth, mortality, regeneration, and competition. Model parameters were calibrated using forest inventory data from a tropical forest at Mt. Kilimanjaro. The simulation results showed that the model successfully reproduces important characteristics of tropical forests (aboveground biomass, stem size distribution and leaf area index). The estimated aboveground biomass (385 t/ha) is comparable to biomass values in the Amazon and other tropical forests in Africa. The simulated forest reveals a gross primary production of 24 tcha-1yr-1. Modeling above- and belowground carbon stocks, we analyzed the carbon balance of the investigated tropical forest. The simulated carbon balance of this old-growth forest is zero on average. This study provides an example of how forest models can be used in combination with forest inventory data to investigate forest structure and local carbon balances.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=16092
Fischer, R., Ensslin, A., Rutten, G., Fischer, M., Schellenberger Costa, D., Kleyer, M., Hemp, A., Paulick, S., Huth, A. (2015):
Simulating carbon stocks and fluxes of an African tropical montane forest with an individual-based forest model
PLOS One 10 (4), e0123300 10.1371/journal.pone.0123300