Starter kit

The quickest way to get started is with our tutorial, which introduces you step by step to the simulation with TreeMig with differend application examples via a graphical user interface (GUI). It begins quite simply with a completely predefined simulation to illustrate the basics of the setup and the general working steps involved. You will then learn how to set up and run your own simulations for different scenarios and how to visualize the results using a series of prebuilt graphical functions. We recommend working through sections A to F, scenario 2. The later sections deal with specifics like using the TM-R code, entering own data and running more complex simulations.

The application examples include

• a click-and-go simulation with given input data and plotting the results in the GUI,
• simulations in a freely selectable area in Switzerland for various scenarios,
• the use of the TM R script instead of the GUI,
• the iterative coupling with another model.

Everything you need to work through the tutorial and run the simulations in Switzerland with a climate change scenario is located in the folder TMEnvAndInputData, which can be downloaded as zip file here (1.5GB).

It includes

• the installation script for the TM R package (installAndRunTreeMigWrapperAndGUI.R),
• a complete simulation setup, i.e. a folder structure including files for control settings, bioclimate and species parameter values (TMEnvironment),
• example data for Switzerland (TMInputData),
• some R scripts, e.g. for model coupling (AdditionalRScripts).

The folder TMInputData contains a complete set of standard input data for Switzerland. These contain:

• Topographic data include a digital elevation model, slope and aspect, all based on the digital elevation model DHM25/200 by Federal Office of Topography swisstopo.
• Climate data comprise monthly data for temperature and precipitation from 1981 – 2010 (historical/reference period) and 2011 – 2099 (future/scenario period). The data are based on the CH2018 - Climate Scenarios for Switzerland.
• Soil data: The bucketsize (i.e. the soil water holding capacity) was empirically derived from the Swiss Soil Suitability Map.
• Land use: The stockabililty (i.e. areas where forest is allowed to grow) is based on land cover data for Switzerland provided by the Swiss areal statistics (NOAS04, 72 categories). In general, the following categories are considered suitable for forest: 50-51 closed forest, 52-56 open forest, 57-60 shrub land. For future scenarios these categories of land cover classes can be expanded by e.g., 45-49 (sub-)alpine meadows.