Coupling a Forest Growth Model with a Soil Carbon Simulator

Abstract

the description of the competition between the different tree species within a forest and the success of trees for natural regeneration [7][8][9][10].Biogeochemical models such as Biome-BGC are large scale models that model primary productivity [11]. The simulation results mostly apply for large regions and are skillfully broken down for smaller regions. Although the models are generally not conceived for the description of silvicultural treatments, there are efforts underway to introduce options of forest management [12].We chose a productivity model, because we wanted to properly depict management options that are expressed in terms of generally understandable silvicultural interventions. In productivity models the emphasis is typically on the effect of silvicultural interventions, but not necessarily on the provision of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration.The sequestration of carbon in forest soils is often not integrated in the productivity models. Instead, the carbon dynamics are calculated separately. A notable exception is a Swiss study were the impact of storm damage on the soil carbon pool had been evaluated [13]. The effect of tree species on the forest soil carbon pool has been shown [14][15][16][17]. Therefore, we are convinced that a full assessment of forest management options needs to comprise both the carbon pools in the total biomass and the soil.