Modeling Natural Disturbances in Boreal Forests

Abstract

Natural disturbances such as wildfires, insect outbreaks, and windthrow are important processes shaping the structure and functioning of boreal forests. Disturbances are expected to intensify in the future, and this change will have profound consequences on the supply of ecosystem services to society. Consequently, models are needed to project future disturbance trajectories and quantify disturbance impacts on boreal forests. Here, we summarize key concepts of modeling natural disturbances in boreal forests. We focus specifically on disturbances from wildfire, wind and snow, and herbivores and discuss the different approaches used to capture their dynamics in models.