FORICO: gap dynamics model of the lower montane rain forest in Puerto Rico

Technical Report · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:5103905

Doyle, T W; Shugart, H H; West, D C

A model, FORICO, was developed to simulate the natural gap succession of the lower montane rain forest in Puerto Rico. The FORICO model stochastically simulates a 1/30-ha stand, and determines, on a yearly basis, the establishment, growth, and death of individual trees. Hurricane frequency and stand damage probabilities are included to mimic storm effects common to forests of the West Indies. Validation of the model was achieved by correlating diameter distributions and species ranking of model results to field data. Comparison of hurricane and nonhurricane simulations indicates that disturbance plays an important role in maintaining the composition and species diversity of the Puerto Rican rain forest.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5103905
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-8115; ON: DE82020456
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510100* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISASTERS
ECOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
F CODES
FEDERAL REGION II
FORESTS
GREATER ANTILLES
ISLANDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
PUERTO RICO
RAIN
SIMULATION
SPECIES DIVERSITY
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
STORMS
USA
WEST INDIES