Modeling interactions of water fluxes with species and structural diversity in temperate forests

Ecosystem functions of temperate forests are expected to be severely impacted by future climate change - particularly hydro-meteorological extremes (heavy precipitation events, droughts, and heat waves) that will increase in frequency, duration, magnitude, and extent. Previous studies have shown that both structural and tree species diversity may act as buffers against the impacts of climate extremes.

To better understand the influence of structural and tree species diversity, we use two models to analyze the influence of species and structural diversity on hydrologic dynamics during recent drought events. The well-equipped test sites are located in central Germany and represent typical forests in this area. One model is the individual forest gap model FORMIND. Using a newly developed technique, it allows us to analyze local heterogeneous patterns on a 2 meter scale of carbon and water cycling, flow, and water stress, and their relationship to structural and species diversity. The second model is mHM, a mesoscale hydrological model. We parameterize mHM for two catchments in central Germany (Nägelstedt and Upper Saale). We further analyze the relevance of local heterogeneity in structural and species diversity and the resulting local heterogeneity in water fluxes on the fluxes at the mesoscale.

This two-model and interdisciplinary workflow allows us to consider various soil-plant-atmosphere interactions in drought disturbed ecohydrological systems