Miguel F.Acevedo
ABSTRACTS
Vegetation Dynamics in North-Central
Texas: A Prospectus for Landscape
Scale Modeling
In: D.Lyons and P. Hudak (Eds.) Geographic Perspectives on the
Texas
Region. Association of American Geographers, Washington DC
pp:115-124. 1997
Acevedo M.F., D.P. Smith and M. Ablan
Institute of Applied Sciences and Department of Geography, University
of
North Texas, Denton TX 76203, USA.
ABSTRACT
In this chapter we overview the vegetation dynamics in north central
Texas
emphasizing the relations between forest and prairie. As a case study
we
focus on the Ray Roberts Lake area, where an extensive data set has
been
developed during recent years. We explore the influence that soil type
and topographic position have on vegetation distribution in the area,
by
modeling forest response to soil moisture for two different soil
texture
classes: sand and sandy loam. Six species of trees were selected for
simulation
using an individual-based forest model (ZELIG), whose output could be
used
to parameterize a semi-Markov forest cover type transition model
(MOSAIC).
We also explore how to model the effect of sudden and periodic
disturbances
on prairie succession. We propose that both forest and prairie
succession
dynamics can be formulated in the same framework to develop a model of
the north central Texas vegetation at the landscape level.
Key Words: soil moisture,
prairie, forest, north central Texas, succession,
ZELIG, MOSAIC, STEPPE.
Back to list