Exploring the mechanisms of monodominance in species-rich tropical forests using process-based simulation models and percolation theory
Forestry
Final Report Abstract
The most significant criticism of the pilot model was that the coexistence of the mixed and the monodominant phase was not stable. Therefore we included additional positive and negative feedback loops into the pilot model to test different pathways leading to classical monodominance. Positive feedback loops reduced the time needed for a cluster to form, whereas negative feedback loops slowed down cluster growth. The resulting cluster dynamics corresponded to observations made in natural tropical forests. Additionally, the parameter space allowing for the coexistence of a monodominant and a mixed-forest phase was broader, implying that the configurations were more stable. Also, the energy required to be put into seed mass for the monodominant to remain competitive was reduced by the additional mechanisms to a realistic value. Therefore, the extended model is more qualified to explain the occurrence of monodominance and is an excellent foundation for future studies on a way towards a theory of monodominance.
