Modelling fire-prone vegetation dynamics

Abstract

Two modelling approaches applied to two fire-prone ecosystems are reviewed. The first approach is based on the descriptive (statistical) models of resprouting after a fire. The second is based on the long-term simulation models. The fire-prone areas studied were: NE Spain and SE Australia. The results of the statistical model on resprouting suggested a similar pattern of resprouting between Quercus suber (NE Spain) and some Eucalyptus species (SE Australia), i.e., stem death was inversely related, and recovery was positively related to tree size. Results using two dynamic simulation models (the EDEN model for SE Australia, and the BROLLA model for NE Spain) suggested clear changes in vegetation structure and composition when fire recurrence was increased.