Forest%20simulation%20models%20in%20Slovakia:%20main%20developments%20and%20challenges

1

COST ACTION FP0603 Forest models for research
and decision support in sustainable forest
management

• Forest simulation models in Slovakia main
  developments and challenges
• WG1
• Marek Fabrika, Katarina Merganicova, Jaroslav
  Jankovic

1st Workshop and Management Committee
Meeting.Institute of Silviculture, BOKU.8-9 of
May 2008Vienna, Austria
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Main features of Slovak forests

• Forest cover (total/share)
• 1 932 000 ha/ 41 of land
• Growing stock, annual growth and cuts
• 443.8 mil. m3, 11.7 mil m3 y-1, 70 of the annual
  growth is cut
• Main species
• Fagus silvatica 31.2, Picea abies 26.1, Quercus
  robur petraea 10.9, Pinus silvestris nigra
  7.2, Carpinus betulus 5.7, Abies alba 4, other
  deciduous 11.4, other coniferous 3.5
• Main non-wood products and services
• soil protection, water source protection,
  hunting, biodiversity, recreation
• Main risks
• wind, ips typographus, snow, air pollution,
  drought, lymantria dispar, rime, forest fires
  (with descending order of occurrence)
• Management and silvicultural characteristics
• Plenty of unmanaged forests- Low profitability of
  timber (33)
• High value of some non-timber services
• shelterwood (57.8), clear cut (32.2), selection
  and purpose-made cut (10)
• Complex forests mixed and irregular

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Forest modelling approaches and trends

• Empirical models
• The trend has been towards individual tree-level
  modelling due to the site (climate and soil)
  conditions of forests and silvicultural systems.
• Tree level models exist for the main species
  spruce, fir, pine, beech and oak.
• Structure generator and site condition generator
  is developed in order to implement
  individual-tree models with stand-level data.
• Recent research is concentrating in
• Modelling regeneration
• Modelling risk
• Modelling water transpiration
• Web-based and GIS-based forest information system
  integrated with forest model

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Forest modelling approaches and trends

• Mechanistic models
• Slovak model has not been yet developed in
  Slovakia
• the biogeochemical model BIOME-BGC has been used
  for the simulation of virgin forests of Babia
  hora, the data from these forests were used for
  the validation of the model self-initialisation
  spinup procedure and incorporation of the dynamic
  mortality submodel
• References
• Merganicová K., 2004 Modelling forest dynamics
  in virgin and managed forest stands. Dissertation
  thesis, BOKU Vienna, 155pp.
• Hasenauer H., Merganicová K., Pietsch S.A., 2005
  Modeling biogeochemical cycles within old-growth
  forest ecosystems. For. Snow Landsc. Res. 79,
  1/2 81-90

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Modelling non-timber products and services

• Models have not been yet developed in Slovakia

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Models for predicting risk of hazards

• Complex model for modelling risk of hazards
  wind, snow, rime, drought, bark beetles and
  timber borers, defoliators and other insects,
  wood destroying fungi, air pollutions, forest
  fires and illegal cuttings model is based on
  factor analysis, regression analysis, Monte Carlo
  method, planar geometry and fuzzy based rules
• Fabrika, M., Vaculciak, T. Modeling of
  incidental cuttings in tree growth model SIBYLA.
  In Deutscher Verband forstlicher
  Forschungsanstalten Sektion Ertragskunde,
  Jahrestagung 21.- 23. Mai 2007, Alsfeld-Eudorf,
  s. 57-67 p.
• Fabrika, M., Vaculciak, T. Modeling of natural
  hazards in tree growth model SIBYLA. In
  Strelcova, K., Skvarenina, J. Blazenec, M.
  (eds.) Bioclimatology and natural hazards,
  International Scientific Conference, Polana nad
  Detvou, Slovakia, September 17-20, 2007, ISBN
  978-80-228-17-60-8, 9 p.

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Simulators and information systems

• Individual tree level simulator
• SIBYLA, Simulator of forest Biodynamics for
  Slovak forests
• (http//etools.tuzvo.sk/sibyla/slovensky/model
  .htm)
• - english version of web-page is in phase of
  translation
• Information system integrated with forest growth
  simulator
• SIBYLA Cartographer GIS based information
  system integrated with forest growth simulator
  SIBYLA
• Web-based Information System of Technical
  University Enterprise in Zvolen
• (http//etools.tuzvo.sk/terra/)

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Research highlight

• The model SIBYLA is parametrised for Slovak and
  German conditions (basic modelling approach come
  from model SILVA2.2 by Pretzsch et al.)
• But model is applicable also for Czech
  conditions, Austria conditions and eventually for
  Polish and Hungarian conditions (of course after
  validation and possible calibration)

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Future challenges

• How to implement forest simulators into national
  forest inventory systems for forest updating and
  regular model validation and calibration
• How to utilise sophisticated inventory methods
  for individual tree data collection terrestrial
  and aerial laser scanning, hyper spectral images
  and remote sensing data with high resolution
• How to implement new computer science technology
  in simulations high parallel computing and grid
  computing, virtual reality in virtual cave and
  virtual sphere, OLAP analysis and data mining
  methods, web services
• How to integrate process based modelling
  approaches and principles of structural modelling
  for more detailed simulations
• How to calculate and quantify value of non-timber
  products and services
• Demonstrating the potential of models and
  simulators and direct using in e-learning process

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Innovative references

• Fabrika, M. Virtual forest stand as a component
  of sophisticated forestry educational systems.
  Journal of Forest Science, 49, 2003 (9),
  p.419-428.
• Fabrika, M., Durský, J. Algorithms and software
  solution of thinning models for SIBYLA growth
  simulator. Journal of Forest Science, 51, 2005
  (10), p.431-445
• Fabrika, M. Implementation of GIS and model
  SIBYLA in a spatial decision support system for
  forest management. In Global Change Issues in
  Developing and Emerging Countries, Proceedings of
  the 2nd Goettingen GIS and Remote Sensing Days
  2006, 4th to 6th October, Goettingen, Germany,
  Edited by Kappas, M., Kleinn, Ch. and Sloboda,
  B., Universitaetsverlag Goettingen 2007., p.
  61-72.
• Surovy P., Fabrika, M., Daenner, M, Schulz, R.,
  Lanwert, D., Sloboda, B. Kartografer - tool for
  supporting the management of forest landscape
  linking GIS and an individual tree growth
  simulator. In Global Change Issues in Developing
  and Emerging Countries, Proceedings of the 2nd
  Goettingen GIS and Remote Sensing Days 2006, 4th
  to 6th October, Goettingen, Germany, Edited by
  Kappas, M., Kleinn, Ch. and Sloboda, B.,
  Universitaetsverlag Goettingen 2007., p. 51-59
• Fabrika, M., Vaculciak, T. Modeling of
  incidental cuttings in tree growth model SIBYLA.
  In Deutscher Verband forstlicher
  Forschungsanstalten Sektion Ertragskunde,
  Jahrestagung 21.- 23. Mai 2007, Alsfeld-Eudorf,
  s. 57-67 p.