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Simulating Carbon Stocks and Fluxes of an African Tropical Montane Forest with an Individual-Based Forest Model

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  • Rico Fischer
  • Andreas Ensslin
  • Gemma Rutten
  • Markus Fischer
  • David Schellenberger Costa
  • Michael Kleyer
  • Andreas Hemp
  • Sebastian Paulick
  • Andreas Huth

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Rico Fischer & Andreas Ensslin & Gemma Rutten & Markus Fischer & David Schellenberger Costa & Michael Kleyer & Andreas Hemp & Sebastian Paulick & Andreas Huth, 2015. "Simulating Carbon Stocks and Fluxes of an African Tropical Montane Forest with an Individual-Based Forest Model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0123300
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123300
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bohn, Friedrich J. & Frank, Karin & Huth, Andreas, 2014. "Of climate and its resulting tree growth: Simulating the productivity of temperate forests," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 278(C), pages 9-17.
    2. Taubert, Franziska & Frank, Karin & Huth, Andreas, 2012. "A review of grassland models in the biofuel context," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 245(C), pages 84-93.
    3. Sebastiaan Luyssaert & E. -Detlef Schulze & Annett Börner & Alexander Knohl & Dominik Hessenmöller & Beverly E. Law & Philippe Ciais & John Grace, 2008. "Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks," Nature, Nature, vol. 455(7210), pages 213-215, September.
    4. Köhler, Peter & Huth, Andreas, 2007. "Impacts of recruitment limitation and canopy disturbance on tropical tree species richness," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 203(3), pages 511-517.
    5. Lehmann, Sebastian & Huth, Andreas, 2015. "Fast calibration of a dynamic vegetation model with minimum observation data," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 301(C), pages 98-105.
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