Evolutionary vegetation modeling and management

EEP’s research on evolutionary vegetation modeling and management aims to improve models of the formation and maintenance of vegetation diversity, structure, and functioning. 

Earth’s vegetation is of central importance for terrestrial ecosystems, with our planet’s forests containing an estimated 90% of all terrestrial biodiversity. EEP’s research on evolutionary vegetation modeling and management aims to improve models of the formation and maintenance of vegetation diversity, structure, and functioning. It is carried out in close collaboration with IIASA’s ASA and ESM Programs. Franklin et al. (2012) reviewed approaches for predicting carbon and nitrogen allocations in forest models and critically compared the ability of three widely used frameworks for predicting such allocations under conditions reported by the free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) experiments. Building on the perfect-plasticity approximation (PPA) recently developed by Stephen Pacala and colleagues, Rovenskaya et al. (in preparation) identified harvesting strategies that balance economic and ecological ecosystem services. Using eco-evolutionary techniques, Lindh et al. (in preparation) explored to what extent latitudinal differences in sun angle can explain tree-crown shapes. Elucidating an often neglected aspect of terrestrial vegetation dynamics, Evans et al. (in preparation) modeled how the microorganism-based cycling of soil carbon and nitrogen is affected by shifts in precipitation patterns.



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Last edited: 31 October 2013

CONTACT DETAILS

Ulf Dieckmann

Principal Research Scholar Exploratory Modeling of Human-natural Systems Research Group - Advancing Systems Analysis Program

Principal Research Scholar Systemic Risk and Resilience Research Group - Advancing Systems Analysis Program

Principal Research Scholar Cooperation and Transformative Governance Research Group - Advancing Systems Analysis Program

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313