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

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138 Chapter 5<br />

Available nitrogen Soil properties (E/P/S)<br />

N & Litter<br />

Humus<br />

T (°C)<br />

P (mm/yr)<br />

Organic matter <strong>in</strong> litter Organic matter <strong>in</strong> humus<br />

T (°C)<br />

T (°C)<br />

P (mm/yr)<br />

P (mm/yr)<br />

Fig. 5.8: Contour plot <strong>of</strong> available nitrogen (kg/ha, top), organic matter <strong>in</strong> litter (t/ha,<br />

bottom left), and organic matter <strong>in</strong> humus (t/ha, bottom right) as simulated by FORCLIM-<br />

E/P/S.<br />

The belowground properties simulated by FORCLIM-E/P/S (Fig. 5.8) can not be compared<br />

to anyth<strong>in</strong>g simulated by <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r two models. The E/P/S model produces a gradient<br />

<strong>of</strong> nitrogen availability that ranges from 50 kg/ha close to <strong>the</strong> timberl<strong>in</strong>es to around<br />

140 kg/ha <strong>in</strong> warm and humid regions. The amount <strong>of</strong> “litter” simulated by <strong>the</strong> model reflects<br />

a gradient <strong>of</strong> net primary productivity, whereas <strong>the</strong> accumulation <strong>of</strong> “humus” is <strong>in</strong>dicative<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nitrogen m<strong>in</strong>eralization rates. All three gradients appear to be realistic. The<br />

total amount <strong>of</strong> soil organic matter (i.e. <strong>the</strong> sum <strong>of</strong> “litter” and “humus”) <strong>in</strong>creases from<br />

200 t/ha <strong>in</strong> warm climates to around 250 t/ha <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> subalp<strong>in</strong>e region. Also with this <strong>in</strong>dex,<br />

FORCLIM produces a plausible gradient, although one might expect it to be steeper<br />

(e.g. Richard et al. 1978).

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