Introduction
Model FCarbon was developed to predict future age structure, volumes, harvests and increments of even-aged forests. It uses input data on current age structure (area of age classes), volumes, site indices and stocking. Increments are calculated according to Slovak yield tables and user can specify forest management by thinning and stocking ratios per tree species and age classes. It is written in Python and open-source.
Description
FCarbon is based on the following principles:
- Stocking of stands is modelled using derived stocking functions – polynom of 5th order
- The total area of each species is fixed
- Increments are based on yield tables (values of increments interpolated using mean site index and age reduced by mean stocking of the stands)
- In each simulation step, the age is increased by given number of years, the volume of particular age class (and volume per ha as well) is increased according to yield tables and decreased by harvested volume (total volume * harvest ratio), the area of age class is reduced by harvested area (calculated as harvested volume / volume per ha)
- New youngest age class is created with the area calculated as sum of harvested areas from each age class, its site index calculated as an average of yield classes of harvested areas weighted by their area
- Oldest age classes are merged, site index is calculated as an average weighted by area
Installation and user guide
FCarbon can be downloaded here. The installation and user guide will be available soon.
FCarbon and the Forest Reference Level for Slovakia
Modified FCarbon model was used for projection and calculation of Forest Reference Level for Slovakia according to EU Decision 2018/841. The version used for calculation can be downloaded here.