The ORNL DAAC is pleased to announce the release of LINKAGES, a forest ecosystem biogeochemistry model.
LINKAGES: An Individual-based Forest Ecosystem Biogeochemistry Model. Data set prepared by W.M. Post and J. Pastor. This model product contains the source codes for version 1 of the individual-based forest ecosystem biogeochemistry model LINKAGES and two subsequent versions as well as example input and output data. LINKAGES predicts long-term structure and dynamics of forest ecosystems as constrained by nitrogen availability, climate, and soil moisture.
LINKAGES, written in FORTRAN and provided in ASCII format, simulates birth, growth, and death of all trees greater than 1.43-cm dbh. Litter fall and decomposition are also simulated. Sunlight is the driving variable. Growing season degree days, soil water availability, and actual evapotranspiration (AET) are calculated from precipitation, temperature, soil field moisture capacity, and wilting point.
Climatic and forest data for eastern North America and New South Wales are provided as example model inputs. Modelers may use their own site data within any version of LINKAGES. Example model output is also provided.
The ORNL DAAC is a NASA-funded data center archiving and distributing terrestrial ecology and biogeochemical dynamics data.