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Simulating stand climate, phenology, and photosynthesis of a forest stand with a process-based growth model

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Abstract

In the face of climate change and accompanying risks, forest management in Europe is becoming increasingly important. Model simulations can help to understand the reactions and feedbacks of a changing environment on tree growth. In order to simulate forest growth based on future climate change scenarios, we tested the basic processes underlying the growth model BALANCE, simulating stand climate (air temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and precipitation), tree phenology, and photosynthesis. A mixed stand of 53- to 60-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in Southern Germany was used as a reference. The results show that BALANCE is able to realistically simulate air temperature gradients in a forest stand using air temperature measurements above the canopy and PAR regimes at different heights for single trees inside the canopy. Interception as a central variable for water balance of a forest stand was also estimated. Tree phenology, i.e. bud burst and leaf coloring, could be reproduced convincingly. Simulated photosynthesis rates were in accordance with measured values for beech both in the sun and the shade crown. For spruce, however, some discrepancies in the rates were obvious, probably due to changed environmental conditions after bud break. Overall, BALANCE has shown to respond to scenario simulations of a changing environment (e.g., climate change, change of forest stand structure).

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for providing funds for the Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 607 ”Growth and Parasite Defense“ and the projects CSWH (0330546A) and ENFORCHANGE (03306434L) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The authors also thank the Bavarian State Institute of Forestry and the German Weather Service (DWD) in Freising for providing meteorological and phenological data and the staff of the SFB 607 for making observations and measurements of the ‘Kranzberger Forst’ available. We are also grateful to two anonymous reviewers for giving helpful comments and suggestions.

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  1. Lehrstuhl für Waldwachstumskunde, TU München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany

    Thomas Rötzer

  2. Fachgebiet für Ökoklimatologie, TU München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany

    Michael Leuchner

  3. Lehrstuhl für Ökophysiologie der Pflanzen, TU München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany

    Angela J. Nunn

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  1. Thomas Rötzer
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Correspondence to Thomas Rötzer.

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Rötzer, T., Leuchner, M. & Nunn, A.J. Simulating stand climate, phenology, and photosynthesis of a forest stand with a process-based growth model. Int J Biometeorol 54, 449–464 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-009-0298-0

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