Simulating carbon stocks and fluxes of an African tropical montane forest with an individual-based forest model

Rico Fischer; Andreas Ensslin; Gemma Rutten; Markus Fischer; David Schellenberger Costa; Michael Kleyer; Andreas Hemp; Sebastian Paulick; Andreas Huth

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0123300

Simulating carbon stocks and fluxes of an African tropical montane forest with an individual-based forest model

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 27;10(4):e0123300. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123300. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Rico Fischer¹, Andreas Ensslin², Gemma Rutten², Markus Fischer², David Schellenberger Costa³, Michael Kleyer³, Andreas Hemp⁴, Sebastian Paulick¹, Andreas Huth⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
² Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013, Bern, Switzerland.
³ Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Strasse 9-11, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.
⁴ Dept. of Plant Systematics, University of Bayreuth, Universitaetsstr. 30-31, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
⁵ Department of Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Environmental Systems Research, University of Osnabrueck, Barbarastraße 12, 49076, Osnabrueck, Germany.

Abstract

Tropical forests are carbon-dense and highly productive ecosystems. Consequently, they play an important role in the global carbon cycle. In the present study we used an individual-based forest model (FORMIND) to analyze the carbon balances of a tropical forest. The main processes of this model are tree growth, mortality, regeneration, and competition. Model parameters were calibrated using forest inventory data from a tropical forest at Mt. Kilimanjaro. The simulation results showed that the model successfully reproduces important characteristics of tropical forests (aboveground biomass, stem size distribution and leaf area index). The estimated aboveground biomass (385 t/ha) is comparable to biomass values in the Amazon and other tropical forests in Africa. The simulated forest reveals a gross primary production of 24 tcha(-1) yr(-1). Modeling above- and belowground carbon stocks, we analyzed the carbon balance of the investigated tropical forest. The simulated carbon balance of this old-growth forest is zero on average. This study provides an example of how forest models can be used in combination with forest inventory data to investigate forest structure and local carbon balances.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Africa
Biomass*
Carbon / analysis*
Carbon Cycle*
Computer Simulation
Rainforest*

Substances

Carbon

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the Research Unit FOR1246 (Kilimanjaro ecosystems under global changes: linking biodiversity, biotic interactions and biogeochemical ecosystem processes; www.kilimanjaro.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.