Simulation Study of the Vegetation Structure and Function in Eastern Siberian Larch Forests Using the Individual-Based Dynamic Vegetation Model SEIB-DGVM

The global ecosystem model SEIB-DGVM was adapted for an eastern Siberian larch forest through incorporation of empirical rules of allometry, allocation, and phenology developed for a larch stand at the Spasskaya-pad tower site. After calibration, the model reconstructed post-fire successional patterns of forest structure and carbon cycling. It also reconstructed seasonal changes in carbon, water, and energy cycling in a mature larch forest. When the model was applied to the entire larch-dominated region of eastern Siberia, the simulation was comparable to the latitudinal gradient of aboveground biomass. Sensitivity analysis showed that plant productivity and biomass were mainly limited by available water at Spasskaya-pad, where mean annual precipitation is only 257 mm. However, on a geographical scale encompassing all of eastern Siberia, productivity and biomass were limited mainly by temperature. These results suggest that the effects of global warming on Siberian larch forests depend on the adequacy of the water supply.