Date of Award:

5-1989

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Wildland Resources

Department name when degree awarded

Forest Resources

Committee Chair(s)

David W. Roberts

Committee

David W. Roberts

Committee

Jim Haefner

Committee

Dick Fisher

Abstract

An ecologically based model of forest succession is presented. In the model, trees compete for a share of limited growth resources available from their environment. Competition is reflected by each tree's effect on the resource pool and is not explicitly modeled. Model parameters were fit to field data from subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains. A technique for estimating model parameters from understory-tolerance rankings and silvical characteristics of each species is also presented. The model's output was consistent with our current understanding of forest dynamics. Emergent properties of the model also mimicked natural processes such as self-thinning, release, and maximum stand basal area as a function of species present and site quality.

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