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Fundamentals of Model Scaling in Forest Ecology

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Forest Management and the Water Cycle

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 212))

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Abstract

Coping with disturbances of forest systems which result from increasing fluctuations of physical and human environments requires a better quantitative understanding of forest ecological processes at different scales. Examples of applied scaling in forest ecology are initially discussed to stress the practical relevance of scaling studies. Model-based reasoning serves as a starting point of any scaling activity. Initial cognitive processes play an important role in model conceptualizing and are thus briefly summarized. Statistical techniques for scale identification are outlined and the establishment of mathematical scaling laws explained. Structure and function are emphasized as important concepts for understanding tree responses to changing environments. Methods of translating models across spatial scales are categorized in the concluding section.

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Acknowledgments

I gratefully acknowledge the support of this work through the European COST action “Forest Management and the Water Cycle”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Protection, Crop Science Group, University of Bonn, Katzenburgweg 5, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Matthias Langensiepen

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  1. Matthias Langensiepen
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Correspondence to Matthias Langensiepen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Forschungszentrum Waldökosysteme, Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, Göttingen, 37077, Germany

    Michael Bredemeier

  2. , ARO Volcani Center, Institute of Soil, Water and Environment, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel

    Shabtai Cohen

  3. College of Natural Sciences, School of the Environment & Natural Reso, University of Wales, Bangor, LL57 2UW, Gwynedd, United Kingdom

    Douglas L. Godbold

  4. , Institute of Ecology, Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, Tallinn, 10120, Estonia

    Elve Lode

  5. Faculty of Forestry, Department of Natural Environment, Technical University Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, Zvolen, 96053, Slovakia

    Viliam Pichler

  6. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, Zürcherstr. 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland

    Patrick Schleppi

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Langensiepen, M. (2010). Fundamentals of Model Scaling in Forest Ecology. In: Bredemeier, M., Cohen, S., Godbold, D., Lode, E., Pichler, V., Schleppi, P. (eds) Forest Management and the Water Cycle. Ecological Studies, vol 212. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9834-4_21

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