Modeling of Forest Dynamics and Species Distribution

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Inventory, Modeling and Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 November 2025 | Viewed by 513

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
Interests: biogeography; forest dynamics; species distribution modeling (SDM); terrestrial carbon cycling; RS/GIS; spatial statistics; climate change

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests are dynamic ecosystems that play a critical role in maintaining biodiversity and regulating global climate systems. However, these ecosystems are under increasing pressure from climate change, land-use modifications, and other anthropogenic disturbances. Understanding and predicting forest dynamics, particularly in relation to species distribution patterns, is vital for their sustainable management and conservation efforts. This Special Issue will bring together innovative research focused on modeling forest dynamics and species distribution at multiple scales. We encourage contributions that utilize advanced methodologies, including remote sensing, ecological modeling, machine learning, and GIS-based approaches, to investigate how forest ecosystems respond to environmental changes. This collection will highlight studies addressing forest structure, species distribution shifts, and the implications for ecosystem services in the context of global environmental change.

Dr. Youngsang Kwon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • forest dynamics
  • species distribution
  • Climate change
  • ecological modeling
  • remote sensing
  • GIS
  • biodiversity
  • conservation
  • ecosystem services
  • land-use change

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 8080 KB  
Article
Spatial Distribution and Intraspecific and Interspecific Association in a Deciduous Broad-Leaved Forest in East China
by Jingxuan Wang, Zeyu Xiang, Dan Xi, Zhaochen Zhang, Saixia Zhou and Jiaxin Zhang
Forests 2025, 16(10), 1511; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16101511 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 258
Abstract
The spatial distribution of plant species is a crucial indicator of the mechanisms driving competition or coexistence both within and between populations and communities. Analyzing these patterns provides essential insights into fundamental ecological processes and aids in evaluating ecological hypotheses. To study the [...] Read more.
The spatial distribution of plant species is a crucial indicator of the mechanisms driving competition or coexistence both within and between populations and communities. Analyzing these patterns provides essential insights into fundamental ecological processes and aids in evaluating ecological hypotheses. To study the spatial distribution of dominant tree species and their associations both within and among species, we established a 25-hectare forest plot in Lushan Mountain. We employed the g(r) function alongside three null models—complete spatial randomness (CSR), heterogeneous Poisson (HP), and antecedent condition (AC)—to analyze spatial patterns and assess species interactions at various life stages. Additionally, we examined the relationships between spatial distributions and environmental factors such as soil properties and topography using Berman’s test. Our results showed that all 12 dominant tree species exhibited significant aggregation under the CSR model; however, the scales of aggregation were reduced under the HP model. We also found evidence of aggregation among multiple species across different life stages and tree layers under CSR. Notably, this pattern persisted under the AC model but was limited to specific spatial scales. Furthermore, elevation, topographical convexity, and the total content of soil nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) were identified as statistically significant predictors of species distributions. Overall, these findings highlight that both biological and environmental factors play a vital role in shaping plant spatial patterns across different scales. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Forest Dynamics and Species Distribution)
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