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THE DOWNSLOPE PROPAGATION OF A DISTURBANCE IN A FORESTED CATCHMENT: AN ECO-HYDROLOGIC SIMULATION STUDY
Citation:
STIEGLITZ, M., F. PAN, R. B. MCKANE, AND B. KWIATKOWSKI. THE DOWNSLOPE PROPAGATION OF A DISTURBANCE IN A FORESTED CATCHMENT: AN ECO-HYDROLOGIC SIMULATION STUDY. Presented at American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 11 - 15, 2006.
Description:
We developed and applied a spatially-explicit, eco-hydrologic model to examine how a landscape disturbance affects hydrologic processes, ecosystem cycling of C and N, and ecosystem structure. We simulated how the pattern and magnitude of tree removal in a catchment influences forest regrowth. The study site is the WS10 catchment at the HJ Andrews LTER, located in the Pacific Northwest, USA. The model was calibrated to reproduce current conditions of stand biomass and productivity, stream discharge, etc. Sensitivity studies were then conducted to explore the impact of biomass removal scenarios. For example, we examined how an upslope disturbance (fire or clearcutting) alters the downslope transport of water and nutrients, C and N cycling, and retention of nutrients. We also conducted simulations to establish bounds on climatic conditions and landscape disturbances which, when exceeded, will lead to a threshold response and a fundamental restructuring of the ecosystem. We compare these bounds to expected future conditions in order to develop criteria for characterizing ecosystem stability.