Publications 2010 – 2019 – Forest Ecology and Conservation Group

The Effects of Sampling Bias and Model Complexity on the Predictive Performance of MaxEnt Species Distribution Models

Working with MaxEnt software and with tree fern presence data from New Zealand, we assessed whether choosing to correct for geographical sampling bias and using complex environmental response curves have strong effects on goodness of fit. Syfert, M.M.; Smith, M.J.; Coomes, D.A. 2013 PDF
Getting the biggest birch for the bang: restoring and expanding upland birchwoods in the Scottish Highlands by managing red deer

We develop a spatially explicit model to predict the responses of Betula spp. to red deer (Cervus elaphus) and land management in the Scottish Highlands. Tanentzap, A.J.; Zou, J.; Coomes, D.A. 2013 PDF
Identification of 100 fundamental ecological questions

We identified 100 important questions of fundamental importance in pure ecology. Sutherland, W.J. et al. 2013 PDF
Sustainable management, earthquake disturbances,and transient dynamics: modelling timber harvesting impacts in mixed-species forests

We used SORTIE/NZ, an individual tree-based forest dynamics model, to understand how harvesting and earthquake disturbance affect the dynamics of a New Zealand podocarp–angiosperm forest. Kunstler, G.; Allen, R.B.; Coomes, D.A.; Canham, C.D.; Wright, E.F. 2013 PDF
Soil drainage and phosphorus depletion contribute to retrogressive succession along a New Zealand chronosequence

We tested whether poor drainage contributed to changes in ecosystem properties along a 291,000-year chronosequence in New Zealand. Coomes, D.A.; Bentley, W.A.; Tanentzap, A.J.; Burrows, L.E. 2013 PDF
Remotely sensed indicators of forest conservation status: Case study from a Natura 2000 site in southern Portugal

We test the complementarity and joint effectiveness of airborne multispectral and laser scanning (lidar) in providing robust indicators of conservation status.Principal forest types and other land covers are mapped to an accuracy of up to 70% (11 land cover classes) and 81% (5 classes) by fusing the two remote sensing datasets, results that are superior…
Patterns and Drivers of Tree Mortality in Iberian Forests: Climatic Effects Are Modified by Competition

We quantified the relative importance of tree size, competition, climate and edaphic conditions on tree mortality of 11 species, and explored the combined effect of climate and competition on tree mortality. Ruiz-Benito, P.; Lines, E.R.; Gómez-Aparicio, L.; Zavala, M.A.; Coomes, D.A. 2013 PDF
Microclimate moderates plant responses to macroclimate warming

Here we show that microclimatic effects brought about by forest canopy closure can buffer biotic responses to macroclimate warming, thus explaining an apparent climatic lag. De Frenne, P. et al. 2013 PDF
A general combined model to describe tree-diameter distributions within subtropical and temperate forest communities

We describe a model which assumes that the dominant mortality process is asymmetric competition when trees are smaller, and size-independent processes (e.g. disturbance) when trees are larger. Lai, J. et al. 2013 PDF