Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.11.018
Title (Primary) Lessons learned from applying a forest gap model to understand ecosystem and carbon dynamics of complex tropical forests
Author Fischer, R. ORCID logo ; Bohn, F.; Dantas de Paula, M.; Dislich, C.; Groeneveld, J.; Gutiérrez, A.G.; Kazmierczak, M.; Knapp, N.; Lehmann, S.; Paulick, S.; Pütz, S.; Rödig, E.; Taubert, F.; Köhler, P.; Huth, A.
Source Titel Ecological Modelling
Year 2016
Department OESA; iDiv
Volume 326
Page From 124
Page To 133
Language englisch
Keywords FORMIND; Forest simulations; Species richness; Disturbance; Carbon balance; Structural realism
UFZ wide themes RU5;
Abstract Forests worldwide are threatened by various environmental and anthropogenic hazards, especially tropical forests. Knowledge on the impacts of these hazards on forest structure and dynamics has been compiled in empirical studies. However, the results of these studies are often not sufficient for long-term projections and extrapolations to large spatial scales especially for unprecedented environmental conditions, which require both the identification and understanding of key underlying processes. Forest models bridge this gap by incorporating multiple ecological processes in a dynamic framework (i.e. including a realistic model structure) and addressing the complexity of forest ecosystems. Here, we describe the evolution of the individual-based and process-based forest gap model FORMIND and its application to tropical forests. At its core, the model includes physiological processes on tree level (photosynthesis, respiration, tree growth, mortality, regeneration, competition). During the past two decades, FORMIND has been used to address various scientific questions arising from different forest types by continuously extending the model structure. The model applications thus provided understanding in three main aspects: (1) the grouping of single tree species into plant functional types is a successful approach to reduce complexity in vegetation models, (2) structural realism was necessary to analyze impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbances such as logging, fragmentation, or drought, and (3) complex ecological processes such as carbon fluxes in tropical forests – starting from the individual tree level up to the entire forest ecosystem – can be explored as a function of forest structure, species composition and disturbance regime. Overall, this review shows how the evolution of long-term modelling projects not only provides scientific understanding of forest ecosystems, but also provides benefits for ecological theory and empirical study design.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17061
Fischer, R., Bohn, F., Dantas de Paula, M., Dislich, C., Groeneveld, J., Gutiérrez, A.G., Kazmierczak, M., Knapp, N., Lehmann, S., Paulick, S., Pütz, S., Rödig, E., Taubert, F., Köhler, P., Huth, A. (2016):
Lessons learned from applying a forest gap model to understand ecosystem and carbon dynamics of complex tropical forests
Ecol. Model. 326 , 124 - 133 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.11.018