Report on vegetation dynamics across the Mediterranean basin

Abstract

In this report we present simulations of two dynamic vegetation models (JULES and TFS) at different study sites across the Mediterranean Basin. The field data and the way that these data have been used to parameterize the two models are described in the accompanying MEDIT Deliverable 4. The aim here is to explore the ability of the models to accurately predict vegetation properties at areas surrounding the Mediterranean basin and in particular the forest types that are the focus of the MEDIT project i.e. Mediterranean Lowland Coniferous Forests (MLC) with typical species including: Pinus halepensis and Pinus brutia, Mediterranean Evergreen Broadleaved Forests (MEB) with typical species including: Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex, Pistacia lentiscus, Phillyrea latifolia, Arbutus unedo and Arbutus andrachnae, Mediterranean Mountainous Coniferous Forests (MMC) with typical species including: Abies cephalonica, Abies borisii-regis, Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris, and Mediterranean Deciduous Broadleaved Forest (MDB) with typical species including: Quercus frainetto, Quercus cerris, Castanea sativa, Ostrya carpinifolia, Carpinus orientalis, Fraxinus ornus and Fagus sylvatica.