Now, 3D cyberforests to study climate change

Washington: Scientists have created ‘cyberforests’ — computer simulation that grows realistic 3D forests down to the branches, leaves and roots of individual trees — to determine how drought, wildfires and other climate-related changes may affect real forests.

The model, called LES, uses computing power to grow 100x100metre stands of drought and shade tolerant trees that can then be scaled up to actual forest size.

“It is a tool that forest managers can use to create 3D repre sentations of their own forests and simulate what will happen to them in the future,” said Niko lay Strigul, assistant professor at Washington State University (WSU) Vancouver in the US.


It is the only forest-growing simulator that creates intricate root systems and canopy structures for each tree. Previous forest simulators could either grow one or the other.

Below ground, the roots of different trees in LES compete for water resources in each pixel of the model. Above ground, the leaves in each tree’s canopy compete for sunlight.

Over time, the trees’ cano pies change shape to expose their leaves to more sunlight.

The researchers used a combination of data from the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Programme and other forestry databases, as well as aerial reconnaissance from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones, to customise their model to particular forests.

The simulator lets scientists project how changing climate conditions will impact forests over thousands of years.