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On the Ecology of Mountainous Forests in a Changing Climate: A ...

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Behaviour <strong>of</strong> FORCLIM along a transect <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Alps 109<br />

At <strong>the</strong> site Sion (Fig. 4.11), no obvious changes are evident as compared to FORCLIM-<br />

E/P, although nitrogen availability is lower (Tab. 4.5). The reason for this is tw<strong>of</strong>old:<br />

(1) all three species are tolerant <strong>of</strong> low nitrogen concentrations; thus none <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m gets a<br />

competitive advantage over <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs; (2) drought stress is <strong>of</strong> paramount importance at<br />

this site, and all <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r environmental <strong>in</strong>fluences are marg<strong>in</strong>al.<br />

600<br />

Bever (south, E/P/S)<br />

500<br />

Biomass (t/ha)<br />

400<br />

300<br />

200<br />

P<strong>in</strong>us silvestris<br />

Larix decidua<br />

P<strong>in</strong>us cembra<br />

Picea excelsa<br />

100<br />

0<br />

0<br />

400<br />

Year<br />

800<br />

1200<br />

600<br />

Davos<br />

(E/P/S)<br />

500<br />

Biomass (t/ha)<br />

400<br />

300<br />

200<br />

Abies alba<br />

Populus nigra<br />

P<strong>in</strong>us silvestris<br />

Larix decidua<br />

P<strong>in</strong>us cembra<br />

Picea excelsa<br />

100<br />

0<br />

0<br />

400<br />

Year<br />

800<br />

1200<br />

Fig. 4.10: Average species composition from 200 forest patches simulated by <strong>the</strong> full FORCLIM-<br />

E/P/S model at <strong>the</strong> sites Bever (sou<strong>the</strong>rn slope, top) and Davos (bottom).

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