Signal-transfer modeling for regional assessment of forest responses to environmental changes in the southeastern United States

Stochastic transfer of information in a hierarchy of simulators is offered as a conceptual approach for assessing forest responses to changing climate and air quality across 13 southeastern states of the USA. This assessment approach combines geographic information system and Monte Carlo capabilitie s with several scales of computer modeling for southern pine species and ea stern deciduous forests. Outputs, such as forest production, evapotranspira tion and carbon pools, may be compared statistically for alternative equili brium or transient scenarios providing a statistical basis for decision mak ing in regional assessments.