HETEROFOR 1.0: a spatially explicit model for exploring the response of structurally complex forests to uncertain future conditions – Part 1: Carbon fluxes and tree dimensional growth

Jonard, Mathieu;André, Frédéric;de Coligny, François;de Wergifosse, Louis;Vincke, Caroline;et.al.
(2020) Geoscientific Model Development — Vol. 13, n° 3, p. 905-935 (2020)

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Abstract
Given the multiple abiotic and biotic stressors resulting from global changes, management systems and practices must be adapted in order to maintain and reinforce the resilience of forests. Among others, the transformation of monocultures into uneven-aged and mixed stands is an avenue to improve forest resilience. To explore the forest response to these new silvicultural practices under a changing environment, one needs models combining a processbased approach with a detailed spatial representation, which is quite rare. We therefore decided to develop our own model (HETEROFOR for HETEROgeneous FORest) according to a spatially explicit approach, describing individual tree growth based on resource sharing (light, water and nutrients). HETEROFOR was progressively elaborated within Capsis (Computer-AidedProjectionforStrategiesinSilviculture),a collaborative modelling platform devoted to tree growth and stand dynamics. Thispaperdescribesthecarbon-relatedprocessesofHETEROFOR(photosynthesis,respiration,carbonallocationand tree dimensional growth) and evaluates the model performances for three broadleaved stands with different species compositions (Wallonia, Belgium). This first evaluation showed that HETEROFOR predicts well individual radial growth (Pearson’s correlation of 0.83 and 0.63 for the Europeanbeechandsessileoak,respectively)andisabletorepro duce size–growth relationships. We also noticed that the net to gross primary production (npp to gpp) ratio option for describing maintenance respiration provides better results than the temperature-dependent routine, while the process-based (Farquharmodel)andempirical(radiationuseefficiency)approaches perform similarly for photosynthesis. To illustrate howthemodelcanbeusedtopredictclimatechangeimpacts on forest ecosystems, we simulated the growth dynamics of the mixed stand driven by three IPCC climate scenarios. According to these simulations, the tree growth trends will be governed by the CO2 fertilization effect, with the increase in vegetation period length and the increase in water stress also playing a role but offsetting each other.
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Jonard, M., André, F., de Coligny, F., de Wergifosse, L., Beudez, N., Davi, H., Ligot, G., Ponette, Q., & Vincke, C. (2020). HETEROFOR 1.0: a spatially explicit model for exploring the response of structurally complex forests to uncertain future conditions – Part 1: Carbon fluxes and tree dimensional growth. Geoscientific Model Development, 13(3), 905-935. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-905-2020 (Original work published 2020)