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Integration of climate drivers into growth modelling (AN3a)

AN 3a
Hub: Eastern Townships, QC
Year: 2022-2025
Christina Howard, PhD

Diversifying the species composition and structure of forest stands is often proposed as a solution to increase the resilience and resistance of forests to stressors. Yet, most existing models to predict forest growth and stand dynamics in Canada have been developed for even-aged, single-species stands. Christina Howard, a PhD student, will focus on the Eastern Townships hardwood site with the objective to integrate climate drivers into the model framework of existing forest growth and yield models from the Prognosis/FVS family. This will improve our capacity to anticipate the effects of interactions between climate, stand composition, and structure on growth. Model predictions will be verified using stand structure and growth rate combinations highlighted through the big data analysis undertaken in OB.7. Outcome: New model formulations for mixed-species, multi-cohort stands available via open source platforms to allow use and testing at additional sites.

Christina Howard, PhD at University of British Columbia
Main Partner: Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (Québec)
Professor Bianca Eskelson, UBC

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