BILJOU
Forest water balance model
- Silva Joint Research Unit
The exceptionally sever drought in 2003 highlighted in particular the emerging need to be able to quantify intensity and severity levels of water deficit ocurring in forests. It became clear that forest managers lacked the necessary diagnostic tools to further understand major water fluxes in forest ecosystems, tools that would allow them to quantify the respective impacts of climate, soil type and management techniques on water availability for trees.
BILJOU users also will be able to perform real time simulations of operating water stands in observed climate conditions. This tool also will allow them to create test scenarios for susceptibility studies on forests and/or climate to gauge water consumption levels of stands and the intensity and recurrence of droughts.