ABSTRACT
Forest landscape models (FLMs) are spatially interactive, computer simulation models that simulate forest stand dynamics and forest landscape processes. They vary greatly on how they simulate cell-level vegetation dynamics. This chapter discusses a forest landscape model, LANDIS PRO, and its design of simulating cell-level dynamics. LANDIS PRO is a raster-based forest landscape model. Within each raster cell, the model records number of trees for each species age class. With both tree density and size information, LANDIS PRO derives key stand parameters including density, basal area, stocking, and biomass by species and by size class for each raster cell. Such information allows seamlessly the use of forest inventory data to construct the initial forest conditions, calibrate model parameters, and validate simulation results. This chapter also presents a few examples showing LANDIS PRO simulation results.
