Modeling the effect of rockfall on?forest?development in a dynamic?forest?landscape model

编号 030037604

推送时间 20230102

研究领域 森林经理 

年份 2022 

类型 期刊 

语种 英语

标题 Modeling the effect of rockfall on?forest?development in a dynamic?forest?landscape model

来源期刊 ECOSPHERE

期 第376期

发表时间 20220203

关键词 disturbance;  dynamic forest modeling;  meta-model;  protection forest;  rockfall;  rockfall-forest feedback;  TreeMig; 

摘要 Mountain forests below rocky cliffs are regularly impacted by falling blocks. Rockfall thus increases tree mortality and can locally alter the?forest?structure. At the same time, trees can decelerate or stop falling blocks and play an important role in protecting settlements and infrastructure from rockfall impacts. Furthermore, trees in the upper part of a slope protect trees further downslope. Considering the interaction between?forest?dynamics and rockfall disturbance in dynamic?forest?models is necessary to accurately predict the development of rockfall protection forests in the long term. In this study, we integrated the disturbing effect of rockfall on trees in the dynamic?forest?landscape model TreeMig through a coupling with three-dimensional rockfall simulations and analyzed the rockfall-forest?feedback over time. We introduced an additional mortality per cell, based on the probability and severity of rockfall disturbance derived from rockfall simulations. We implemented the potential feedback effect between rockfall disturbance and?forest?development using a meta-model of the rockfall simulations and analyzed the sensitivity of?forest?development to varying disturbances for a case study in the Swiss Alps. With increasing disturbance, the total biomass of the?forest?decreased, whereby differences were relatively small at the scale of the?forest?complex, but more pronounced at local (cell) scale. Generally, the comparison to light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-derived?forest?data showed a better agreement between the modeled?forest?and reality when considering the rockfall disturbing effect. The coupled simulations further revealed a positive feedback effect of rockfall disturbance and?forest?development. Disturbance probability and severity clearly decreased with advancing?forest?growth, which, however, lead to an overestimated recolonization of the disturbed areas. Still, the rockfall disturbance module clearly improved the simulations of a rockfall protection?forest?with TreeMig. Future improvement of the model should include a better representation of soil formation and water availability in the disturbed areas and the consideration of long-term effects of the rockfall disturbances, such as pests and diseases. The consideration of the rockfall disturbance in?forest?modeling is particularly relevant for small-scale studies requiring a detailed representation of spatial differences in?forest?cover, as this is the case in protection?forest?management.

服务人员 付贺龙

服务院士 唐守正

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