Modeling leaf dispersal in mixed hardwood forests using a ballistic approach

Area of Science:

• Forest Ecology
• Biogeochemical Cycles
• Computational Modeling

Background:

• Leaf litter dispersal influences forest floor properties, nutrient cycling, and plant dynamics in mixed-species stands.
• Accurate modeling of leaf litterfall is crucial for ecological predictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and compare a spatially explicit leaf litterfall model with existing models.
• To assess model performance in predicting leaf litter dispersal in oak and beech stands.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel ballistic model incorporating release height, wind speed/direction, and leaf fall velocity.
• Modeled wind speed and direction using Weibull and Von Mises distributions, respectively.
• Calibrated and validated models using litterfall data from mapped forest plots.

Main Results:

• All three models showed good correlation with measurements (r > 0.83).
• Direction-dependent models, including the new ballistic approach, were slightly more accurate.
• Ballistic model parameters aligned with literature and measured wind data.

Conclusions:

• The developed spatially explicit ballistic model provides a mechanistically sound approach to leaf litter dispersal.
• This model can be integrated into larger ecosystem models or used to study patch size effects on litter mixture.