On the Ecology of Mountainous Forests in a Changing Climate: A ...
On the Ecology of Mountainous Forests in a Changing Climate: A ...
On the Ecology of Mountainous Forests in a Changing Climate: A ...
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Appendix 201<br />
II.<br />
Derivation <strong>of</strong> parameters for European tree species<br />
sType parameter<br />
The sType parameter serves two purposes:<br />
First, it separates evergreen (coniferous) from deciduous species; <strong>the</strong> two types differ <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> specific leaf area (<strong>the</strong> foliage area per unit foliage weight, parameter kC 2 ), and <strong>the</strong> dry<br />
to wet weight ratio <strong>of</strong> foliage (parameter kC 1 ). Values for <strong>the</strong>se parameters were derived<br />
based on a large data set cover<strong>in</strong>g 8 species (Abies alba, Picea excelsa, P<strong>in</strong>us silvestris,<br />
P<strong>in</strong>us cembra, P<strong>in</strong>us montana, Larix decidua, Fagus silvatica, Quercus spp.) <strong>in</strong> Burger<br />
(1945-1953). The data by Mitscherlich (1970, p. 28) was also evaluated, but it was concluded<br />
that <strong>the</strong> Burger data provided a more reliable basis for estimat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se parameters.<br />
Second, it describes <strong>the</strong> relationship between diameter at breast height (D) and foliage<br />
weight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> species. These relationships were derived based on Burger (1945-1953) as<br />
well. Because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scarcity <strong>of</strong> data on o<strong>the</strong>r species, five relationships were def<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Burger data, and <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g species were assigned to one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se classes<br />
based on <strong>the</strong>ir capability to cast shade as described by Ellenberg (1986, p. 82) and on <strong>the</strong><br />
values <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> parameters A1 and A2 used <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> FORECE model (Kienast 1987).<br />
Specific leaf area and dry to wet weight ratio<br />
Regression analyses <strong>of</strong> foliage area vs. foliage weight showed large correlation coefficients,<br />
whereas <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tercepts were not significantly different from zero (α = 5%) for all<br />
species except for Quercus spp., where <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tercept differs from zero at α = 0.002<br />
(Tab. A-2). The slope for evergreen (coniferous) species varies between 5.1 and 6.6<br />
[m 2·kg -1 ]; thus a value <strong>of</strong> kC 2 = 6 m 2·kg -1 was used. For deciduous species, <strong>the</strong> range<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> slope is 10.1 to 14.9 [m 2·kg -1 ]; a value <strong>of</strong> kC 2 = 12 m 2·kg -1 was used.<br />
Tab. A-2: Regression analysis <strong>of</strong> foliage area (gFolA) vs. foliage wet weight (L) accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> equation<br />
gFolA = i + kC 2·L, dry to wet weight ratio <strong>of</strong> foliage (kC 1 ), and sample size (n) from Burger (1945-<br />
1953).<br />
Species i kC 2 r 2 kC 1 n<br />
P<strong>in</strong>us silvestris 0.24 5.50 0.983 0.386 210<br />
P. montana 2.29 5.95 0.989 0.489 18<br />
P. cembra -2.59 6.64 0.994 0.408 4<br />
Picea excelsa -0.51 5.27 0.979 0.478 56<br />
Abies alba -1.47 5.09 0.987 0.465 52<br />
Fagus silvatica 9.78 14.89 0.948 0.363 91<br />
Larix decidua 6.67 10.05 0.984 0.366 99<br />
Quercus spp. 17.41 10.07 0.983 0.362 51<br />
The dry to wet weight ratio for deciduous trees shows small variability between <strong>the</strong><br />
species (Tab. A-2); a value <strong>of</strong> 0.35 was used. For evergreen species, variability is larger<br />
and <strong>the</strong> average dry to wet weight ratio is 0.445; thus a value <strong>of</strong> 0.45 was used.<br />
Derivation <strong>of</strong> a relationship between foliage weight and DBH<br />
The analysis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> species-specific data <strong>in</strong> Burger (1945-53) <strong>in</strong>dicated that several<br />
species have similar relationships between foliage wet weight (L) and diameter at breast<br />
height (D). Thus, <strong>the</strong>se species were grouped. Tab. A-3 gives <strong>the</strong> regression formulae<br />
obta<strong>in</strong>ed for four species/species groups, plus an additional species group hav<strong>in</strong>g low foliage<br />
weight (e.g. Betula, Salix), for which kA 1 was set arbitrarily 20% lower, i.e. to