Modeling Vegetation

To model changes in species composition and C cycling due to fire and climate change, we will use the Net Ecosystem Carbon and Nitrogen (NECN) succession extension of LANDIS-II. NECN tracks multiple above- and belowground pools and fluxes of C and N, while simulating growth, mortality, and dispersal/regeneration of trees, shrubs, and grasses as a function of both climate and soil. Changes in species composition depend on life history attributes (e.g., serotiny, vegetation regeneration, seed dispersal distance), biogeochemistry (e.g., C:N ratios of wood, leaves, and roots), and resource availability (e.g., light, nutrients). NECN simulates many facets of climate change, both direct (e.g., temperature, precipitation) and indirect (e.g. changes in growing season length, soil temperature, soil moisture, available N) and subsequent impacts on growth, mortality, and regeneration.