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Functional Plant Biology Functional Plant Biology Society
Plant function and evolutionary biology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Toward extension of a single tree functional–structural model of Scots pine to stand level: effect of the canopy of randomly distributed, identical trees on development of tree structure

Risto Sievänen A D , Jari Perttunen A , Eero Nikinmaa B and Pekka Kaitaniemi C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, PL 18, FI-01301, Vantaa, Finland.

B Department of Forest Ecology, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, (PO BOX 27), FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.

C Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station University of Helsinki, Hyytiäläntie 124, FIN-35500 Korkeakoski, Finland.

D Corresponding author. Email: risto.sievanen@metla.fi

This paper originates from a presentation at the 5th International Workshop on Functional–Structural Plant Models, Napier, New Zealand, November 2007.

Functional Plant Biology 35(10) 964-975 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP08077
Submitted: 14 March 2008  Accepted: 10 September 2008   Published: 11 November 2008

Abstract

Functional–structural plant growth models (FSPMs) combine the description of the structure of plants and the resource acquisition and partitioning at a detailed architectural level. They offer a means to study tree and stand development on the basis of a structurally accurate description that combines resource capture at the same level of detail. We describe here how a ‘shoot-based’ individual tree model, LIGNUM of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) has been applied to a group of identical trees (forest). The model has been applied to isolated trees and saplings growing in forest gaps. First, we present the LIGNUM model and the changes necessary for simulation of a forest instead of individual trees. LIGNUM derives tree growth on the basis of a process-based model of tree carbon balance and the architectural development of the 3-D tree crown. The time step is 1 year. We realised the forest as consisting of individual Scots pine trees on a plot 17 × 17 m, but simplified the stand description by simulating the growth of only one tree in the middle of the plot and assumed that the other trees were identical to it at all times. The model produced results that are comparable with observations made in real Scots pine trees and tree stands in Finland. The simulations with variable values of the parameters controlling the foliage–sapwood relationship, amount of sapwood required below a point in a branch or a stem, and the senescence of sapwood showed how growth declines when the sapwood requirement in the branches and stem was high. In this case, the proportion of resources allocated to the needles became small and the needle mass was low.

Additional keywords: forest, Pinus sylvestris L.


Acknowledgements

This study has been supported by Academy of Finland, grant no. 210875. We are grateful to reviewers and the Guest Editors for their useful comments.


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