Simioni, G.,
Ritson, P., McGrath, J., Kirschbaum, M.U.F., Copeland, B., Dumbrell,
Abstract.
In south-western
The process based model CenW was evaluated using
measurements of basal area and soil moisture in Pinus radiata plantations at seven sites in south-western
The model was then applied to assess the effects of
the change in climate that has occurred since 1975, by running the model for
whole 30 year rotations, using observed climate data from either the 1945-1975
or 1975-2005 periods. Simulated responses were that, for one site out of the
six considered, wood production and carbon sequestration were lower in the
latter period, but were unchanged or increased on all other sites. Analysis of
the model outputs and additional simulations revealed that the response to the
climate shift was determined by soil type (i.e. decrease in growth rate
attributed to a sandy soil), and by the interaction between rising CO2
levels (positive effect) and changes in rainfall (positive or negative
depending on the direction of change in rainfall).
Keywords: climate change, forest growth, model tests,
modelling, net ecosystem exchange, radiata pine,
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