Chalmers Conferences, 9th European Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology

Simulation modeling of spatial-temporal dynamics of the woody community of shade-tolerant and light-loving species
Alexey Nikolaevich Kolobov

Last modified: 2014-03-28

Abstract


This paper presents the results of the construction and study of individual-based model the spatial-temporal dynamics of mixed woody communities. In the model focuses on the description and study of the mechanisms of intraspecific and interspecific competition, this is a determining factor in shaping the specific community of trees. Also modeled the spatial structure of the stand which is the main factor affecting the strength of competition relations.

As used in the model individual-based approach considers the dynamics of the wood stand due to growth and interaction of individual trees located in space and influences each other through competition for light. The model can be used to conduct computational experiments with different sets of input data, which can be different combinations of species and age structure of the wood stand. Various forecast scenarios of the forest can be achieved based on the simulation results.

Using model was built various model scenarios spatio-temporal dynamics of mixed woody communities growing in the Far East Russia. The main tree species considered: spruce (Picea jezoensis), fir (Abies nephrolepis), cedar (Pinus koraiensis) and birch (Betula costata). The computational experiments carried out on modeling interspecific interactions dark coniferous and light-loving is shown that the dark coniferous species of spruce, fir and cedar over time displace birch. The resulting model scenario reflects the secondary plant succession in the spruce-birch forest stand. Modeling the dynamics of the interaction of dark coniferous species of spruce, fir and cedar showed their sustainable co-existence, this corresponds to reality.

Analysis of model scenarios of mixed wood community has confirmed the basic position that in the long term in the absence of external influences shade-tolerant species displaces light-loving. However, the removal of mature trees dark coniferous species leads to the coexistence of species. Such regimes of dynamics occur at loss large trees as a result of windfall, or damage to trees phytophages. In the case of removal part of shade-tolerant saplings in the community observed oscillations in which the dominance of light-loving species, replaced by dominated of shade-tolerant and vice versa. Such conditions may occur, for example, by eating saplings ungulates or ground fires.

This work was supported in part by the Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (no. № 12-I-П30-14, № 12-III-А-09-195)


Keywords


individual-based model; competition for light; wood community