Modeling carbon and nitrogen dynamics in western red cedar and western hemlock forests

Abstract

The storage and flux of carbon are important components in the functioning of forest ecosystems, and these are often intimately coupled with the cycling of nutrients. Western red cedar and western hemlock differ in their maximum life span and maximum size, and in their resistance to insects and pathogens. This chapter investigates the extent to which lower nutrient availability in the forest floors of cedar-hemlock stands could be explained by differences in species chemistry. The study tested the LINKAGES model in this environment, using it to simulate biomass accumulation and nitrogen (N) availability over time, given constant climate and mineral soil conditions, for forests dominated by two species: western red cedar, and western hemlock. The results suggest that the modified LINKAGES model, using a relatively simple calibration data set, provided reasonable simulations of population dynamics, organic matter turnover and nutrient dynamics in this environment.