Adding a Storage Pool improves 3-PG Tree-ring Simulations

TL;DR

Enhancing the 3-PG forest growth model with a carbon storage pool significantly improves its accuracy in simulating tree-ring widths and stable isotopes, making it more reliable for climate and growth studies.

Contribution

The paper introduces a new model version of 3-PG with a carbon storage pool, improving tree-ring simulation accuracy compared to previous versions.

Findings

Improved correlation (R2 up to 0.73) between simulated and observed {}13C.

Enhanced simulation of tree-ring widths and indices.

Achieved one of the best {}13C simulation performances.

Abstract

Tree rings provide long-term records of tree growth and climate changes, which makes them ideal benchmarks for forest modeling. Tree-ring information has greatly improved the reliability of 3-PG, which is one of the most commonly used process-based forest growth models. Here we strengthen 3-PGs ability to simulate tree-ring width and carbon stable isotopes ({\delta}13C) by enhancing its descriptions of tree physiology. The major upgrade was adding a carbon storage pool for tree-ring formation using stored carbohydrates. We also incorporated previous modifications (replacing the age modifier with a height modifier) of 3-PG and tested their efficacy in improving tree-ring simulations. We ran the model based on two grand fir (Abies grandis) stands. The updated model greatly improved the simulations for both tree-ring widths and {\delta}13C. The results represent one of the best tree-ring {\delta}13C simulations, which accurately captured the amplitude in annual variations of {\delta}13C. The correlations (R2) between simulations and observations reached 0.50 and 0.73 at two stands respectively. The new model also greatly improved the simulations of raw tree-ring widths and detrended ring-widths index. Because of better descriptions of tree physiology and more accurate simulations of tree rings than the previous model version, the updated 3-PG should provide more reliable simulations than previous 3-PG versions when tree-ring information is used as benchmark in future studies.