From: Setting the forest reference levels in the European Union: overview and challenges
Main components and description (based on the theoretical approach from [52]) | Covered aspects | Examples of adequacy levels |
---|---|---|
Model adequacy: Capacity of the model to simulate the development of forest carbon pools and relevant type of forest management practices and natural disturbances | AgeāSimulation of age-related forest characteristics | Ability of the model to incorporate age-related proxies: Highly adequateāexplicit run of age or other maturity-related parameters (individual tree size, volume classes, biomass density classes) Adequateāimplicit run of age-class based on aggregated data reported in the historical GHG inventory, which assumes that age-structure would not change Partly adequateāa constant value is used |
ManagementāSimulation of forest management practices, and natural disturbances | Consideration of harvest intensity: Highly adequateānarrow specifications of thinning and final cuts as explicit characteristics of forest management practices and natural disturbances Adequateābroad specifications of thinning and final cuts as explicit characteristics of forest management practices, and proxies for natural disturbances Partly adequateāimplicit consideration of management activities on thinning and final cuts. Natural disturbances not considered | |
PoolsāIncorporation of forest carbon pools | Forest carbon pools as included in the modelling approach: from mandatory pools in the LULUCF Regulation (i.e. living biomass and deadwood) [model highly adequate] to only one pool [model partly adequate] Highly adequateāmodelling of C stocks and transfers among pools at disaggregated level in spatial and temporal terms Adequateāmodelling of C stocks and transfers among pools at an aggregated level in spatial terms Partly adequateāmultiple and non-integrated modelling framework used for simulations of each C pools (e.g. simplified models) | |
Data quality: Consistency of the input data | Type and quality of the input data | Use of relevant data and information sources and period matching the period 2000ā2009, and consistency of data with modelās requirement (are any other assumptions made, how strong effect those assumptions are expected to have) Completeādata retrieved corresponds to modelling needs and reflects status and dynamic of anthropogenic intervention and natural disturbances in the forests Partly completeāpart of the data needs to be gap filled and reconstructed based on available data Incompleteādata is missing so only expert assumptions are used as a proxy to obtain the required information on forest status and dynamic |