Does the spatial arrangement of forest management increase susceptibility to ecosystem disturbances under climate change?
To evaluate the spatial arrangement of C stocks in managed vs. unmanaged areas, and their relationship to disturbance exposures (natural and anthropogenic), we will utilize a spatially explicit modeling framework to assess vulnerability under climate change.
We will use LANDIS-II, an open source, spatially-explicit, process-based, simulation model. LANDIS-II forecasts the interactive effects of climate, succession, management, and multiple disturbances on the spatial distribution of tree species and C dynamics We will utilize the Net Ecosystem Carbon Nitrogen (‘NECN’) extension to LANDIS-II, which has been used extensively in the western U.S. to study carbon and management interactions.
LANDIS-II
NECN extension simulates multiple C pools and fluxes, including NPP, heterotrophic respiration, and NECB. The proposed remote sensing-derived wind extension will make more realistic estimates of spatially-explicit C stocks and fluxes in complex, wind influenced terrain.