Comparison of an empirical forest growth and yield simulator and a forest gap simulator using actual 30-year growth from two even-aged forests in Kentucky.

摘要

Two individual-tree growth simulators are used to predict the growth and mortality on a 30-year-old forest site and an 80-year-old forest site in the Daniel Boone National Forest, eastern Kentucky, USA. The sites were mixed hardwood stands dominatedby Quercus alba. The empirical growth and yield model (NE-TWIGS) was developed to simulate short-term (<50 year) forest growth from an industrial perspective. The gap model (ZELIG) is based on the theory of growth processes and has been used to simulatelong-term (>=100 years) forest succession. Based on comparisons of species-specific diameter distributions, biomass, and board-foot and cubic-meter volumes, NE-TWIGS performed better for both sites than did ZELIG.