Simulating dynamics of managed monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest in south China

The forest succession model FORDYN is developed based on TREEDEV model. TREEDEV is a process-based tree growth model, that calculates tree growth based on carbon and nitrogen balance, and is calculated using on the photo-production of leaves, respiration, nitrogen content of all organisms and that in soil, and other losses due to respiration, litter and renewal of stems, branches, leaves and roots. In the FORDYN model succession is divided into three phases called early, middle and late succession, and the transition between these three succession phases is distinguished by a difference in leaf area index. As a verification of the model we used the characteristics and available data of a monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve (DHS-BR). The model was validated with natural forest data. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed in which 30 independent variables were varied and analyzed in connection with their influence on 16 dependent variables describing forest conditions. The simulation results describe the changes in total biomass, carbon and nitrogen change in plant–litter–soil system of an undisturbed monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest during succession. We compared these findings with simulation in which different logging management strategies were used. The results show that having a longer logging cycle, delaying the first logging time and a smaller logging fraction the scenario can contribute to a sustainable forest development, while still having a positive economic yield.     

3 forest simulation model

The 3 forest simulation model is a process model of tree growth, carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a single-species, even-aged forest stand. It is based on the model. Major changes include the computation of sun angle and radiation as a function of latitude and day of the year, the closed-form integration of canopy production as a function of day and hour, the introduction of tree number, height, and diameter as separate state variables, and different growth strategies, mortalities, and resulting self-thinning as function of crowding competition.The tree/soil system is described by a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the state variables: tree number, base diameter, tree height, wood biomass, nitrogen in wood, leaf mass, fine root mass, fruit biomass, assimilate, carbon and nitrogen in litter, carbon and nitrogen in soil organic matter, and plant-available nitrogen. The model includes explicit formulations of all relevant ecophysiological processes such as: computation of radiation as a function of seasonal time, daytime and cloudiness, light attenuation in the canopy, and canopy photosynthesis as function of latitude, seasonal time, and daytime, respiration of all parts, assimilate allocation, increment formation, nitrogen fixation, mineralization, humification and leaching, forest management (thinning, felling, litter removal, fertilization etc.), temperature effects on respiration and decomposition, and environmental effects (pollution damage to photosynthesis, leaves, and fine roots). Only ecophysiological parameters which can be either directly measured or estimated with reasonable certainty are used. 3 is a generic process model which requires species- and site-specific parametrization. It can be applied to deciduous and coniferous forests under tropical, as well as temperate or boreal conditions.The paper presents a full documentation of the mathematical model as well as representative simulation results for spruce and acacia.     

treedyn3 forest simulation model

The treedyn3 forest simulation model is a process model of tree growth, carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a single-species, even-aged forest stand. It is based on the treedyn model. Major changes include the computation of sun angle and radiation as a function of latitude and day of the year, the closed-form integration of canopy production as a function of day and hour, the introduction of tree number, height, and diameter as separate state variables, and different growth strategies, mortalities, and resulting self-thinning as function of crowding competition.The tree/soil system is described by a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the state variables: tree number, base diameter, tree height, wood biomass, nitrogen in wood, leaf mass, fine root mass, fruit biomass, assimilate, carbon and nitrogen in litter, carbon and nitrogen in soil organic matter, and plant-available nitrogen. The model includes explicit formulations of all relevant ecophysiological processes such as: computation of radiation as a function of seasonal time, daytime and cloudiness, light attenuation in the canopy, and canopy photosynthesis as function of latitude, seasonal time, and daytime, respiration of all parts, assimilate allocation, increment formation, nitrogen fixation, mineralization, humification and leaching, forest management (thinning, felling, litter removal, fertilization etc.), temperature effects on respiration and decomposition, and environmental effects (pollution damage to photosynthesis, leaves, and fine roots). Only ecophysiological parameters which can be either directly measured or estimated with reasonable certainty are used. treedyn3 is a generic process model which requires species- and site-specific parametrization. It can be applied to deciduous and coniferous forests under tropical, as well as temperate or boreal conditions.The paper presents a full documentation of the mathematical model as well as representative simulation results for spruce and acacia.     

Simulation of NO and N2O emissions from a spruce forest during a freeze/thaw event using an N-flux submodel from the PnET-N-DNDC model integrated to CoupModel

The amount of nitrogen gases (N₂O, NO and N₂) emitted from forest soils depends on interactions between soil properties, climatic factors and soil management. To increase the understanding of nitrogen processes in soil ecosystems, two dynamic models, CoupModel (coupled heat and mass transfer model for soil–plant–atmosphere systems) and the denitrification–decomposition (DNDC) model were selected. Both are dynamic models with different submodels for soil, vegetation, hydrology and climate system. CoupModel has a higher degree of detail on soil physical and abiotic components, whereas the DNDC model contains details of microbiological processes involved in production of nitrogen gases. To improve the previous simple submodel of nitrogen emission in CoupModel, we included a submodel corresponding to the forest version of DNDC containing photosynthesis/evapotranspiration-nitrogen (PnET-N-DNDC model).     

Biogeochemical model (BGC-ES) and its basin-level application for evaluating ecosystem services under forest management practices

It is important for humans to live in harmony with ecosystems. Evaluation of ecosystem services (ES) may be helpful in achieving this objective. In Japan, forest ecosystems need to be re-evaluated to prevent their degradation due to lack of forest management.In order to evaluate the effects of forest management on forest ES, we developed a process-based biogeochemical model to estimate water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles in forest ecosystems (BGC-ES). This model consists of four submodels: biomass, water cycle, carbon-nitrogen (CN) cycles, and forest management. The biomass submodel can calculate growth of forest biomass under forest managements.Several parameters of the model were calibrated using data from observations of evapotranspiration flux and quality of stream flow in forests. The model results were compared with observations of runoff water from a dam catchment site and with carbon flux observations.Our model was coupled with a basin-level GIS database of forests. Evaluations under various forest management scenarios were carried out for forests in a basin contained in the Ise Bay basin (Chubu region, Japan), where plantations (artificial forests) seemed to have degraded from poor forest management.Comparing our simulation results with those of forests without management in the basin, we found that the amounts of absorbed carbon and runoff were larger in managed forests. In addition, the volume of harvested timber was larger and its quality (diameter) was better in managed forests. Changes of ES within the various scenarios were estimated for their economic value and were compared with the cost of forest management.     

The effects of forest harvest intensity in combination with wind disturbance on carbon dynamics in Lake States Mesic Forests

Total forest carbon (C) storage is determined by succession, disturbances, climate, and the edaphic properties of a site or region. Forest harvesting substantially affects C dynamics; these effects may be amplified if forest harvesting is intensified to provide biofuel feedstock. We tested the effects of harvest intensity on landscape C using a simulation modeling approach that included C dynamics, multiple disturbances, and successional changes in composition. We developed a new extension for the LANDIS-II forest landscape disturbance and succession model that incorporates belowground soil C dynamics derived from the CENTURY soil model. The extension was parameterized and calibrated using data from an experimental forest in northeastern Wisconsin, USA. We simulated a 9800 ha forested landscape over 400 years with wind disturbance combined with no harvesting, harvesting with residual slash left on site (‘standard harvest’), and whole-tree harvesting. We also simulated landscapes without wind disturbance and without eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) to examine the effects of detrital quantity and quality on C dynamics. We estimated changes in live C, detrital C, soil organic C, total C, and forest composition. Overall, the simulations without harvesting had substantially greater total C and continued to sequester C. Standard harvest simulations had more C than the whole tree harvest simulations. Under both harvest regimes, C accrual was not evident after 150 years. Without hemlock, SOC was reduced due to a decline in detritus and a shift in detrital chemistry. In conclusion, if the intensity of harvesting increases we can expect a corresponding reduction in potential C storage. Compositional changes due to historic circumstances (loss of hemlock) may also affect forest C although to a lesser degree than harvesting. The modeling approach presented enabled us to consider multiple, interacting drivers of landscape change and the subsequent changes in forest C.     

帽峰山森林土壤碳氮随雨季月及土壤深度的时空变化特征

采用森林生态系统定位观测及对比试验方法,对广州帽峰山常绿阔叶林和杉木人工林（16年）土壤（0~90 cm）有机碳、无机碳、总氮及有机氮的雨季月（5—10月）含量动态、垂直梯度变化特征及土壤湿度影响进行了对比观测研究。结果表明：常绿阔叶林及杉木林土壤有机碳、无机碳雨季月的剖面权均含量变化趋势均为倒S型,常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳剖面权均质量分数较相应杉木林大0.14%、土壤无机碳则小0.12%。常绿阔叶林土壤表层0~10、10~30 cm有机碳雨季月含量变差较杉木林分别高出1.83%、0.61%,土壤30~90 cm雨季月含量变差相对较小;常绿阔叶林土壤70~90 cm无机碳含量在5—8月份较高、杉木林则以土壤30~50 cm在5、6及10月含量较高;常绿阔叶林群落土壤0~20 cm的总氮雨季月含量均大于相应杉木林,植被吸收作用影响使土壤20 cm以下层的雨季各月总氮相对较低;常绿阔叶林土壤剖面雨季月无机氮含量随土层深度递减变化显著,即表层0~30 cm受矿化作用影响较大、深层30~90 cm则受植被吸收作用影响较大;而杉木林土壤剖面层无机氮含量则随雨季的月变化显著,5—7月份含量相对较小、8—10月份含量相对较大。常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳、总氮含量随土壤深度的增加均呈幂函数规律的递减,而杉木人工林土壤有机碳随土壤深度的增加呈对数函数规律的递减、土壤总氮含量则随土壤深度的增加呈二次函数规律的递减。在0~10 cm处,土壤有机碳和有机氮含量与土壤湿度呈负相关。     

提高碳汇潜力：量化树种和造林模式对碳储量的影响

全球气候变化背景下,造林再造林固定的碳可以抵消温室气体减限排量。通过造林再造林增加森林面积可以增加林业碳汇,在土地面积有限的情况下,提高造林质量——在有限的造林面积上固定更多的碳是十分必要的。树种和造林模式的选择是增加森林生态系统碳汇的重要管理决策。文章综述了树种和造林模式对生态系统的碳储量的影响。树种从生物量的积累,凋落物和土壤碳储存,以及木材密度、碳贮存量等几个方面探讨其对生态系统碳库的影响。混交林能充分利用立地条件、改善树木营养状况,并且可以减少病虫害和森林火灾。同时分析了我国在森林经营方面存在的问题和改善途径,以期为该领域的研究提供参考。     

不同林分土壤有机碳密度研究

在全球气候变化背景下,森林土壤有机碳作为土壤碳库的重要组成部分,已成为森林生态系统碳循环研究的重点之一;而森林土壤有机碳在剖面上具有明显的垂直分布差异,根据土壤发生层次特点,分别研究各层土壤有机碳含量分布规律,对于准确确定森林土壤碳储量具有重要意义。2008年7月在北京西山妙峰山林区侧柏（Platycladus orientalis）林、刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia）林、栓皮栎（Quercus variabilis）林和侧柏、油松（Pinus tabulaeformis）混交林内,分别随机选取3个位置挖土壤剖面,然后根据土壤发生层次性特点,把各剖面划分为四个土层（0～10 cm,10～20 cm,20～40 cm和40～60 cm）,每层用环刀取样测定土壤容重,用土壤袋采集1 000 g的土壤样品,经除杂、风干、过筛等程序后,对土样的有机碳含量和碳密度进行了测定和初步研究。结果表明：4种林分下土壤有机碳平均含量和土壤有机碳密度不同,不同林分土壤0～10 cm有机碳含量和碳密度最高,并且均随土壤深度增加呈降低的趋势;其土壤有机碳密度的大小顺序为：栓皮栎林〉侧柏、油松林〉侧柏林〉刺槐林。4种林分类型0～20 cm土层单位面积有机碳储量占总有机碳储量分别为：栓皮栎林51.1%,刺槐林44.2%,侧柏林43.0%,侧柏、油松混交林37.7%,平均为44.0%。     

Modelling forest management within a global vegetation model—Part 1: Model structure and general behaviour

This article describes a new forest management module (FMM) that explicitly simulates forest stand growth and management within a process-based global vegetation model (GVM) called ORCHIDEE. The net primary productivity simulated by ORCHIDEE is used as an input to the FMM. The FMM then calculates stand and management characteristics such as stand density, tree size distribution, tree growth, the timing and intensity of thinnings and clear-cuts, wood extraction and litter generated after thinning. Some of these variables are then fed back to ORCHIDEE. These computations are made possible with a distribution-based modelling of individual tree size. The model derives natural mortality from the relative density index (rdi), a competition index based on tree size and stand density. Based on the common forestry management principle of avoiding natural mortality, a set of rules is defined to calculate the recurrent intensity and frequency of forestry operations during the stand lifetime. The new-coupled model is called ORCHIDEE-FM (forest management).The general behaviour of ORCHIDEE-FM is analysed for a broadleaf forest in north-eastern France. Flux simulation throughout a forest rotation compare well with the literature values, both in absolute values and dynamics.Results from ORCHIDEE-FM highlight the impact of forest management on ecosystem C-cycling, both in terms of carbon fluxes and stocks. In particular, the average net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of 225 gC m⁻² year⁻¹ is close to the biome average of 311 gC m⁻² year⁻¹. The NEP of the “unmanaged” case is 40% lower, leading us to conclude that management explains 40% of the cumulated carbon sink over 150 years. A sensitivity analysis reveals 4 major avenues for improvement: a better determination of initial conditions, an improved allocation scheme to explain age-related decline in productivity, and an increased specificity of both the self-thinning curve and the biomass-diameter allometry.     

Potential aboveground biomass in drought-prone forest used for rangeland pastoralism

The restoration of cleared dry forest represents an important opportunity to sequester atmospheric carbon. In order to account for this potential, the influences of climate, soils, and disturbance need to be deciphered. A data set spanning a region defined the aboveground biomass of mulga (Acacia aneura) dry forest and was analyzed in relation to climate and soil variables using a Bayesian model averaging procedure. Mean annual rainfall had an overwhelmingly strong positive effect, with mean maximum temperature (negative) and soil depth (positive) also important. The data were collected after a recent drought, and the amount of recent tree mortality was weakly positively related to a measure of three-year rainfall deficit, and maximum temperature (positive), soil depth (negative), and coarse sand (negative). A grazing index represented by the distance of sites to watering points was not incorporated by the models. Stark management contrasts, including grazing exclosures, can represent a substantial part of the variance in the model predicting biomass, but the impact of management was unpredictable and was insignificant in the regional data set. There was no evidence of density-dependent effects on tree mortality. Climate change scenarios represented by the coincidence of historical extreme rainfall deficit with extreme temperature suggest mortality of 30.1% of aboveground biomass, compared to 21.6% after the recent (2003-2007) drought. Projections for recovery of forest using a mapping base of cleared areas revealed that the greatest opportunities for restoration of aboveground biomass are in the higher-rainfall areas, where biomass accumulation will be greatest and droughts are less intense. These areas are probably the most productive for rangeland pastoralism, and the trade-off between pastoral production and carbon sequestration will be determined by market forces and carbon-trading rules.     

Long term effects of thinning on soil and forest floor in a sessile oak (Quercus petrea (Matlusch) Lieb.) forest in Turkey

The effects of thinning on mineral soil and forest floor for three different thinning intensities (control, moderate and heavy) were studied in a sessile oak forest 8 years after treatment. To examine responses to thinning, mass, organic matter and total nitrogen content in forest floor, bulk density and fine soil weight, total nitrogen, organic carbon concentrations and pH in upper mineral soil horizons were measured, and the results compared to control plot. The thinned plots have shown higher total nitrogen concentration and organic carbon in soil. Total mass, weight of layers of forest floor have shown significant patterns with thinning intensity. The present results indicate that various intensities of thinning for a sessile oak stand had major influence on soil and forest floor in eight years following treatment.     

Efficient and sustainable management of complex forest ecosystems

A large range of models has been developed for the analysis of optimal forest management strategies, with the well-known Faustmann models dating back to the mid-19th century. To date, however, there has been relatively little attention for the implications of complex ecosystem dynamics for optimal forest management. This paper examines the implications of irreversible ecosystem responses for efficient and sustainable forest management. The paper is built around two forest models that comprise two ecosystem components, forest cover and topsoil, the interactions between these components, and the supply of the ecosystem services ‘wood’ and ‘erosion control’. The first model represents a forest that responds in a reversible way to overharvesting. In the second model, an additional ecological process has been included and the ecosystem irreversibly collapses below certain thresholds in forest cover and topsoil depth. The paper presents a general model, and demonstrates the implications of pursuing efficient as well as sustainable forest management for the two forest ecosystems. Both fixed and variable harvesting cycles are examined. Efficient and sustainable harvesting cycles are compared, and it is shown that irreversible ecosystem behaviour reduces the possibilities to reconcile efficient and sustainable forest management through a variable harvesting cycle.     

Modelling soil carbon development in Swedish coniferous forest soils—An uncertainty analysis of parameters and model estimates using the GLUE method

Boreal forest soils such as those in Sweden contain a large active carbon stock. Hence, a relatively small change in this stock can have a major impact on the Swedish national CO₂ balance. Understanding of the uncertainties in the estimations of soil carbon pools is critical for accurately assessing changes in carbon stocks in the national reports to UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. Our objective was to analyse the parameter uncertainties of simulated estimates of the soil organic carbon (SOC) development between 1994 and 2002 in Swedish coniferous forests with the Q model. Both the sensitivity of model parameters and the uncertainties in simulations were assessed. Data of forests with Norway spruce, Scots pine and Lodgepole pine, from the Swedish Forest Soil Inventory (SFSI) were used. Data of 12 Swedish counties were used to calibrate parameter settings; and data from another 11 counties to validate. The “limits of acceptability” within GLUE were set at the 95% confidence interval for the annual, mean measured SOC at county scale. The calibration procedure reduced the parameter uncertainties and reshaped the distributions of the parameters county-specific. The average measured and simulated SOC amounts varied from 60 t C ha⁻¹ in northern to 140 t C ha⁻¹ in the southern Sweden. The calibrated model simulated the soil carbon pool within the limits of acceptability for all calibration counties except for one county during one year. The efficiency of the calibrated model varied strongly; for five out of 12 counties the model estimates agreed well with measurements, for two counties agreement was moderate and for five counties the agreement was poor. The lack of agreement can be explained with the high inter-annual variability of the down-scaled measured SOC estimates and changes in forest areas over time. We conclude that, although we succeed in reducing the uncertainty in the model estimates, calibrating of a regional scale process-oriented model using a national scale dataset is a sensitive balance between introducing and reducing uncertainties. Parameter distributions showed to be scale sensitive and county specific. Further analysis of uncertainties in the methods used for reporting SOC changes to the UNFCCC and Kyoto protocol is recommended.     

密云水库上游流域不同林分土壤有机碳分布特征

在全球气候变化背景下,森林土壤有机碳库作为全球土壤碳库的重要组成部分,已成为全球碳循环研究的重点之一。以密云水库上游流域天然次生山杨（Populus davidiana Dode）、白桦（Betula platyphylla Suk.）混交林、天然次生辽东栎（Quercus wutaishanica Blume）林、人工华北落叶松（Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr.）林、人工油松（Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.）林和灌丛等5种典型林分为研究对象,选取典型样区,进行密集采样和试验分析,探讨了不同林分土壤有机碳质量分数和密度的分布特征。结果表明：在整个土壤剖面上（0~40 cm）,不同林分土壤有机碳质量分数和密度大小顺序均为：杨桦林〉辽东栎林〉灌丛〉落叶松林〉油松林,总体上呈现出随土地利用强度和人为干扰程度增加而降低的变化趋势,即天然次生林比人工林更有利于土壤有机碳的储存和积累;不同林分类型土壤有机碳质量分数和密度均在表层（0~10 cm）最大,并随着土层深度的增加呈下降趋势,剖面分布差异明显;此外,不同林分在0~20 cm土层中的单位面积土壤有机碳储量均占其剖面总储量的57%以上,即土壤有机碳富集在0~20 cm深的表层土体中。因此,为增加森林土壤固碳,应加强对天然次生林的保护,减少人类活动对森林及其表土层的干扰。     

Cattle manure biochar and earthworm interactively affected CO2 and N2O emissions in agricultural and forest soils: Observation of a distinct difference

• Earthworms increase CO₂ and N₂O emissions in agricultural and forest soil. • 10% biochar suppresses CO₂ and N₂O emissions in forest soil. • Biochar interacted with earthworm to significant affect CO₂ and N₂O emissions. The application of manure-derived biochar offers an alternative to avoid the direct application of manure to soil causing greenhouse gas emission. Soil fauna, especially earthworms, can markedly stimulate carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from soil. This study therefore investigated the effect of cattle manure biochar (added at rates of 0, 2%, or 10%, coded as BC0, BC2 and BC10, respectively) application, with or without earthworm Aporrectodea turgida, on emissions of CO₂ and N₂O and changes of physic-chemical properties of agricultural and forest soils in a laboratory incubation experiment. The BC10 treatment significantly enhanced cumulative CO₂ emissions by 27.9% relative to the untreated control in the agricultural soil. On the contrary, the BC2 and BC10 treatments significantly reduced cumulative CO₂ emissions by 16.3%–61.1% and N₂O emissions by 92.9%–95.1% compared to the untreated control in the forest soil. The addition of earthworm alone significantly enhanced the cumulative CO₂ and N₂O fluxes in agricultural and forest soils. Cumulative CO₂ and N₂O fluxes were significantly increased when BC2 and BC10 were applied with earthworm in the agricultural soil, but were significantly reduced when BC10 was applied with earthworm in the forest soil. Our study demonstrated that biochar application interacted with earthworm to affect CO₂ and N₂O emissions, which were also dependent on the soil type involved. Our study suggests that manure biochar application rate and use of earthworm need to be carefully studied for specific soil types to maximize the climate change mitigation potential of such management practices.     

Uncertainty analysis of climate change mitigation options in the forestry sector using a generic carbon budget model

Industrialized countries agreed on a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. Many countries elected forest management activities and the resulting net balance of carbon emissions and removals of non-CO₂ greenhouse gases by forest management in their climate change mitigation measures. In this paper a generic dynamic forestry model (FORMICA) is presented. It has an empirical basis. Several modules trace C pools relevant for the Kyoto Protocol and beyond: biomass, litter, deadwood and soil, and harvested wood products. The model also accounts for the substitution of fossil fuels by wood products and bioenergy.     

井冈山两种典型森林土壤有机碳密度及其影响因素的比较

森林土壤有机碳是土壤有机碳库的重要组成部分,研究森林土壤有机碳及其影响因素对于应对气候变化具有非常重要意义。以井冈山自然保护区两种典型森林类型（常绿阔叶林和人工杉木林）为研究对象,各选取12个样地,对比分析了两种森林土壤有机碳密度的垂直分布特征以及与年均温、年降雨量之间的相关性。结果表明：①常绿阔叶林0-100cm层平均土壤有机碳密度为（25．65±3,27）kg-^2,大于人工杉木林0-100cm层平均土壤有机碳密度为（20．37±3．37）kg·m^2;②常绿阔叶林和人工杉木林土壤有机碳密度均随土壤深度的增加显著减少;③常绿阔叶林与人工杉木林土壤有机碳密度随年均温的变化趋势差异较明显,常绿阔叶林0-100cm层土壤有机碳密度随年均温的上升呈显著增加趋势（P〈0．05）,而人工杉木林随年均温的上升先减小后增加再减小,且变化趋势显著（P〈0．05）;④常绿阔叶林与人工杉木林土壤有机碳密度随年降雨量的变化趋势差异亦明显,常绿阔叶林0-100cm层土壤有机碳密度随年降雨量的增加呈显著减小趋势（P〈O．05）,而人工杉木林随年降雨量的增加先增加后减少再增加,且变化趋势极显著（P〈0．005）;⑤森林土壤有机碳质量分数与土壤容重呈极显著负相关（P〈0．0001）。     

A new scheme for initializing process-based ecosystem models by scaling soil carbon pools

Process-based ecosystem models are useful tools, not only for understanding the forest carbon cycle, but also for predicting future change. In order to apply a model to simulate a specific time period, model initialization is required. In this study, we propose a new scheme of initialization for forest ecosystem models, which we term a “slow-relaxation scheme”, that entails scaling of the soil carbon and nitrogen pools slowly during the spin-up period. The proposed slow-relation scheme was tested with the CENTURY version 4 ecosystem model. Three different combinations of scaled soil pools were also tested, and compared to the results from a fast-relaxation regime. The fast-relaxation of soil pools produced unstable, transient model behaviour whereas slow-relaxation overcame this instability. This approach holds promise for initializing ecosystem models, and for starting simulations with more realistic initial conditions.