Tool NameTree Growth Season
Tool ID11
Library IDclimate_tools
Version1.0
Author(s)O.Conrad, L.Landschreiber (c) 2016

Description

The 'Tree Growth Season' tool estimates the potential number of days suitable for tree growth as well as the average temperature for these days. The estimation needs monthly data of mean, minimum, and maximum temperature and precipitation. Internally a soil water balance model is run on a daily basis. Using the given thresholds a relative tree line height can optionally be estimated.

References

Karger, D.N., Kessler, M., Conrad, O., Weigelt, P., Kreft, H., König, C., Zimmermann, N.E. (2019): Why tree lines are lower on islands - Climatic and biogeographic effects hold the answer. Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 00:1-12. doi:10.1111/geb.12897

Paulsen, J. / Körner, C. (2014): A climate-based model to predict potential treeline position around the globe. Alpine Botany, 124:1, 1-12. doi:10.1007/s00035-014-0124-0

Parameters

NameTypeIdentifierDescriptionConstraints
Input
Mean Temperaturegrid list, inputTMonthly averages of daily mean temperature (12 grids, January to December) [°C]
Minimum Temperaturegrid list, inputTMINMonthly averages of daily minimum temperature (12 grids, January to December) [°C]
Maximum Temperaturegrid list, inputTMAXMonthly averages of daily maximum temperature (12 grids, January to December) [°C]
Precipitationgrid list, inputPMonthly sums of precipitation (12 grids, January to December) [mm / m²]
Soil Water Capacity of Profilegrid, input, optionalSWCTotal soil water capacity (mm H₂O).
Output
Mean Temperaturegrid, outputSMTMean temperature of the growing season.
Precipitation Sumgrid, output, optionalSMPPrecipitation sum of the growing season.
Lengthgrid, outputLGSNumber of days of the growing season.
First Growing Daygrid, output, optionalFIRSTFirst growing day of the year (1-365).
Last Growing Daygrid, output, optionalLASTLast degree day of the year (1-365).
Tree Line Heightgrid, output, optionalTLHEstimated relative tree line height.
Options
Defaultfloating point numberSWC_DEFAULTdefault value if no grid has been selectedMinimum: 0.000000
Default: 220.000000
Top Soil Water Capacityfloating point numberSWC_SURFACEMinimum: 0.000000
Default: 10.000000
Transpiration Resistancefloating point numberSW1_RESISTMinimum: 0.010000
Default: 1.000000
Default Latitudefloating point numberLAT_DEFMinimum: -90.000000
Maximum: 90.000000
Default: 0.000000
Threshold Temperaturefloating point numberDT_MINThreshold temperature (C) that constrains the growing season.Default: 0.900000
Minimum Soil Water Content (Percent)floating point numberSW_MINMinimum: 0.000000
Default: 2.000000
Minimum Lengthinteger numberLGS_MINMinimum length (days) of the growing season.Minimum: 1
Default: 94
Minimum Mean Temperaturefloating point numberSMT_MINMinimum mean temperature (Celsius) for all days of the growing season.Default: 6.400000
Maximum Tree Line Height Differencefloating point numberTLH_MAX_DIFFMinimum: 0.000000
Default: 3000.000000