SORTIE-ND
Software for spatially-explicit simulation of forest dynamics

BC mortality

BC mortality is a growth-based mortality behavior.

Trees killed by this behavior will have a mortality reason code of "natural".

Parameters for this behavior

Parameter nameDescription
Light-Dependent MortalityLight-dependent mortality.
Mortality at Zero GrowthMortality rate at zero growth.

How it works

The BC mortality model evaluates the following function to determine the probability of a tree's mortality:

m = 1 - exp(-(T * m1) * exp(-m2 * G))

where:
  • m is the probability of mortality
  • T is the number of years per timestep
  • m1 is the Mortality at Zero Growth parameter
  • m2 is the Light-Dependent Mortality parameter
  • G is amount of radial growth, in mm/yr, added to the tree's diameter during T


BC mortality is described in Kobe and Coates 1997.

How to apply it

This behavior can be applied to seedlings, saplings, and adults of any species. Any tree species/type combination to which it is applied must also have a growth behavior applied.