Adding a Storage Pool improves 3-PG Tree-ring Simulations

Tree rings provide long-term records of tree growth and climate changes, which makes them ideal benchmarks for forest modeling. Tree-ring information has greatly improved the reliability of 3-PG, which is one of the most commonly used process-based forest growth models. Here we strengthen 3-PGs ability to simulate tree-ring width and carbon stable isotopes (δ13C) by enhancing its descriptions of tree physiology. The major upgrade was adding a carbon storage pool for tree-ring formation using stored carbohydrates. We also incorporated previous modifications (replacing the age modifier with a height modifier) of 3-PG and tested their efficacy in improving tree-ring simulations. We ran the model based on two grand fir (Abies grandis) stands. The updated model greatly improved the simulations for both tree-ring widths and δ13C. The results represent one of the best tree-ring δ13C simulations, which accurately captured the amplitude in annual variations of δ13C. The correlations (R2) between simulations and observations reached 0.50 and 0.73 at two stands respectively. The new model also greatly improved the simulations of raw tree-ring widths and detrended ring-widths index. Because of better descriptions of tree physiology and more accurate simulations of tree rings than the previous model version, the updated 3-PG should provide more reliable simulations than previous 3-PG versions when tree-ring information is used as benchmark in future studies.