Spatial simulation of forest succession and timber harvesting using LANDIS

The LANDIS model simulates ecological dynamics, including forest succession , disturbance, seed dispersal and establishment, fire and wind disturbance, and their interactions. We describe the addition to LANDIS of capabilities to simulate forest vegetation management, including harvest. Stands (group s of cells) are prioritized for harvest using one of four ranking algorithm s that use criteria related to forest management objectives. Cells within a selected stand are harvested according to the species and age cohort remov al rules specified in a prescription. These flexible removal rules allow si mulation of a wide range of prescriptions such as prescribed burning, thinn ing, single-tree selection, and clear-cutting. We present a case study of t he application of LANDIS to a managed watershed in the Missouri (U.S.A.) Oz ark Mountains to illustrate the utility of this approach to simulate succes sion as a response to forest management and other disturbance. The differen t cutting practices produced differences in species and size-class composit ion, average patch sizes (for patches defined by forest type or by size cla ss), and amount of forest edge across the landscape. The capabilities of LA NDIS provide a modeling tool to investigate questions of how timber managem ent changes forest composition and spatial pattern, providing insight into ecological response to forest management.