Regeneration & growth models for MOSES-GB
Carried out by: Forest Research Agency/Bangor University
Summary Description:
MOSES-GB is a distance-independent individual tree growth model based on the MOSES (MOdelling Stand rESponses) concept that was originally developed in the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria. This 3-year PhD project augments the development of MOSES-GB continuing within the Forestry Commission’s Forest Research Agency. The models produced during this PhD project will simulate the patterns of regeneration and early growth of tree species likely to be managed under low impact silvicultural systems (LISS) in Britain.
This work will add the following crucially important functionality to MOSES-GB:
• the simulation of realistic, species-specific, patterns of seedlings on bare ground – whether occurring as natural regeneration or planted
• a mechanism for incorporating details of existing seedlings or transplants through the development of an easily-applied field survey protocol
• accurate modelling of the early growth of key tree species.
Further information about the MOSES-GB mixed-age and mixed species stands modelling project can be found on the Forest Research website.
Timescale: 2013-2016
SFT Funds Awarded: £21,000
SFT/FC Joint Bursary Award Scheme:. This project has received funding from the SFT/FC Joint Bursary Award.
My name is Simone, I'm a PhD student at Bangor University in collaboration with Forest Research. My project involves modelling the growth of naturally regenerating seedlings, crucial aspect for the Continuous Cover Forestry approach. To gather more data and gave a more robust model, I launched a citizen science project to run a crowd sourcing data collection!!
WHY? Forest surveys are time consuming and I won't be able to cover all the UK. You can help me increasing the range of the data collection.
WHERE? Wherever you can find a Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) or Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedling growing under any kind of canopy cover.
HOW? It is very simple: 1) shoot a picture above the seedling with a fish-eye equipped smartphone; 2) take few measurements of the plant; 3) upload your data to a webserver thanks to the free app Open Data Kit. It's so quick that you can do it whenever you are in a forest for other reasons. (Open Data Kit is available for Android devices - iOS users please contact me for separate arrangements)
WHEN? Right now! Please send me an email and you will receive a free fish-eye lens (subject to budget availability) for smartphone/tablet and the simple instructions.
WHAT'S NEXT? The model will be useful to everyone interested in Continuous Cover Forestry. When the results will be published, also the dataset will be openly released for everyone to make further use of it.
Please check more details on simonebianchi.eu/crowdsourcing or email me at afp462@bangor.ac.uk.
The project will contribute towards the preparation of MOSES_GB, the new individual tree model prepared by FR (http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/infd-8bxetz).