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Project summary:
A spatially explicit, dynamic simulation model of forest ecosystems at the Warra LTER Site was prepared. The advantage of this form of modelling is that one can not only explore the dynamic interactions of the sub-components of the ecosystem but also experiment with different disturbance regimes and management options. The simulation model was built using an agent-based modelling approach.
The approach builds a virtual landscape ecosystem and simulates how the various components of the forest ecosystem fit together and interact with each other. Fire is the main disturbance source in the succession of the eucalypt forest ecosystem in this area and plays a critical role in the process of patterning the forested landscape. The emergent patterns from the simulation are in accord with the succession theory for the type of the forested ecosystem being modelled. Fuel dynamics are the main contributing factors to the definition of the fire regime of the forest ecosystems, and study of fuels in relation to topographic features is needed to further improve the simulation result.
Methodology: Not available
Datasets: None available.
Publications: Su, W., Brown, M.J. & Mackey, B. (2001). Agent-based dynamic modelling of forest ecosystems at the Warra LTER Site. Tasforests 13: 129-140.
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