2008 NOV 3 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "A modelling framework is presented for the calculation of potential species habitat based on species vital attributes and spatial calculations of growing season averages of growing degree day accumulation, incident solar radiation, and soil moisture. Soil moisture and incident solar radiation are calculated from first principles; i.e., hydrological cycle and earth-sun geometry," scientists writing in the journal Forestry Chronicle report ...read more

  2008 JUL 7 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Growth-climate relationships were analyzed for 15 stands of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) along a productivity gradient in northeastern British Columbia. Productivity was evaluated with a site index model whose values varied between 6.65aand 26.93am height at age 50 years," scientists writing in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research - Revue Canadienne de Recherche Forestiere report ...read more

  2008 JUL 7 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to a study from Lisbon, Portugal, "The width of tree rings of Pinus nigra Arn. trees growing near the ecological limits for the species, in the Vienna basin, Austria, showed a strong and positive correlation with spring-summer precipitation, indicating a dependence of growth on water availability during the growing season. During the late 20th century, tree rings grew wider than expected given the predicted relationship between rainfall and growth rate observed in the early 20th century. ...read more