About this Site About this Site Forests are an essential component of the world's environment. Issues surrounding the use of forests include old-growth conservation, clearcutting, and the impact of forests on global warming. Computer simulation can help us understand complicated forest systems.
The Stand-Damage Model grows individual trees on small plots. This model type, known among ecologists as "gap models", has been used throughout the world, from Eastern Europe to Australia and Africa. The model grows individual trees on forest plots. The user can change much about the forest and its environment: the location of the forest, its weather and soil, and the trees at the beginning of the simulation. One can try different logging practices and introduce global warming temperature changes.
You can run the software after downloading the software from this site. After downloading and installing the software, you can grow your own forest stand and graph the results. The web site documentation explains how to do these things.
This site also describes Gypsy Moth population dynamics resulting from gypsy moth defoliation and phenology. It includes model descriptions, publications, and downloads. To learn more about gypsy moth biology click here.Last modified: June 14, 2006 - George Racin gracin@fs.fed.us |  |