Plant growth simulation for landscape-scale hydrological modelling

Landscape-scale hydrological models can be improved by incorporating realistic, process-oriented plant models for simulating crops, perennial grasses and woody species. The objective of this project was to present some approaches for plant modelling applicable to daily time step hydrological transport models, such as SWAT. Accurate simulation of plant growth can improve the accuracy of simulations of hydrological and biogeochemical cycles. First, we describe some unique aspects of the general plant model ALMANAC. Next, we describe a modification of the original ALMANAC model used to simulate complex successional vegetation changes in the years following disturbance of a variety of different forest ecosystems, such as forest fires, clear cuts and insect infestations. Finally, we discuss alternative physiological and physical process simulation techniques of plant growth that could increase simulation accuracy in landscape-scale hydrological and transport models such as SWAT.