SORTIE Workshop Report

November 3-6, 2003
Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA

List of attendees with contact information

Monday AM:

9:00 - 10:00: Neighborhood dynamics of forest ecosystems: an overview of the theory and the model. Charlie Canham
10 - 12: A guided tour of the study sites
- Temperate forests:
  - GMF - Charlie Canham
  - British Columbia - Dave Coates
  - Quebec - Marilou Beaudet
  - New Zealand - Deb Wilson
  - Kentucky - Chris Tripler
  - Michigan - Rich Kobe
- Boreal forests:
  - Quebec - Christian Messier
- Tropical forests:
  - Puerto Rico - Jill Thompson

Monday PM:

1:30 - 2:00: SORTIE-ND: goals of the re-engineering, and overall design of the new model. Charlie Canham
2:30 - 5:00: A guided tour of the new model (beta version). Lora Murphy. Discussion and input from the group on the beta version, and identification of features to be incorporated this winter

Tuesday and Wednesday will be devoted to a series of sessions devoted to specific ecological processes. Each session will have a moderator, and will involve (1) a brief description of current and anticipated features in the model, (2) short presentations by volunteers on current research in their systems, and (3) group discussion on challenges and opportunities for advancing our understanding through the use of the model...

Tuesday AM:

8:30 - 9:30: Dynamics of resources and the physical environment. Moderator: Charlie Canham
- Dynamics of resources and the physical environment in boreal black spruce forests. Yves Claveau
- Resources discussion.
10:00 - 12:00: Seed dispersal and seedling recruitment. Moderator: Elaine Wright
- Estimating fecundity and modeling long-distance dispersal. Michael Papaik
- Seedling dispersion patterns and production across a landscape fertility gradient in northern lower Michigan. Rich Kobe
- Small mammal effects on forest recruitment. Wendy Ruscoe
- Ferns as filters for regeneration. David Coomes
- Recruitment discussion.

Tuesday PM:

1:00 - 5:00: Growth and mortality, including neighborhood competition. Moderator: Dave Coates
- Parametrization and application of SORTIE for mixedwood boreal forests of Quebec. Julie Poulin, Dave Coates, Christian Messier, Brian Harvey and Ernest Lo
- Sapling growth as a function of light, soil moisture, and foliar N for 4 species across a landscape fertility gradient in northern lower Michigan. Rich Kobe
- Neighborhood effects on tree growth and mortality. Maria Uriarte
- Use of long-term monitoring data: The U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. Will McWilliams
- General growth and mortality discussion.

Wednesday AM:

8:30 - 10:00: Disturbance and substrate dynamics. Moderator: Michael Papaik
- Disturbance and succession in New Zealand forests. David Coomes
- Fire in boreal forests. Yves Claveau
10:30 - 12:00: Harvesting and silviculture applications. Moderator: Christian Messier
- SORTIE harvest demonstration. Dave Coates
- Use of SORTIE in management of deciduous forests of Quebec. Marilou Beaudet
- Application of SORTIE for mixedwood boreal forests of Quebec. Julie Poulin

Wednesday PM:

1:00 - 5:00: Herbivory. Moderator: David Coomes
- Incorporation of deer herbivory in SORTIE. Chris Tripler
- Seed and seedling predation by rodents and possum in New Zealand forests. Deb Wilson
- Recovery from deer impacts in New Zealand forests. David Coomes
- Herbivory discussion.

Thursday AM:

Moderator: Charlie Canham

8:30 - 10:00: Future directions for neighborhood dynamics theory and modeling. (e.g. invasive species, snags, stochasticity...)
10:30 - 12:00: Future directions for collaboration (e.g. networking and other mechanisms for collaboration...)