Test of a forest dynamics simulator in New Zealand

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Abstract
A computer simulation model of forest dynamics is described and tested against observations from Fiordland, New Zealand. The model tracks the birth, growth, and death of individual trees and is driven by species-specific attributes of maximum age, height, and diameter. Recruitment is determined stochastically and on the basis of seed production indices and establishment requirements. Simple mathematical expressions are utilised and the number of assumptions is minimised. The reasonable agreement of the simulated trends and observation suggests that forest dynamics after landslides in Fiordland may be predicted on the basis of life history characteristics and stochastic events. Modelling of forest dynamics has wide scientific and management applications including: prediction, advancement of basic understanding of forest dynamics, assistance in research planning, and information synthesis.