pft_params.nml options

In CABLE the characteristics of the vegetation cover are parametrised and generally remain constant throughout the simulation. These vegetation parameters in general vary by vegetation type. CABLE supports tiling of vegetation, i.e. multiple vegetation types with specified area fractions for a single location/grid-cell (also referred to as patches in CABLE). Altogether CABLE considers the 17 distinct types of vegetation cover listed in Table 1. Eleven of those are plant functional types (PFT), two are generally unoccupied, and the remaining four are not vegetated.

Table 1: CABLE vegetation types

Number	Type
1	Evergreen Needleleaf
2	Evergreen Broadleaf
3	Deciduous Needleleaf
4	Deciduous Broadleaf
5	Shrub
6	C3 Grassland
7	C4 Grassland
8	Tundra
9	C3 Cropland
10	C4 Cropland
11	Wetland
12	empty
13	empty
14	Barren
15	Urban
16	Lakes
17	Ice

The CABLE vegetation parameters are listed in Table 2 along with their value ranges, units, and descriptions. All parameters in Table 2 are of type real and dimension 17, corresponding to the number of vegetation types in Table 1. The ranges listed are “physically possible” and mostly correspond to the optional checks in the CABLE offline code.

Table 2: CABLE vegetation parameters

Name (vegin%)	Range	Units	Description
a1gs	>=0.0	\( (-) \)	a1 parameter in stomatal conductance model. Represents the sensitivity of stomatal conductance to the assimilation rate
alpha	>=0.0	\( (mol (electrons) \cdot mol^{-1} (photons) (C3) \cdot \) \( mol (CO2) \cdot mol^{-1} (photons) (C4)) \)	Initial slope of J-Q response curve
canst1	0.05 – 0.15	\( (mm \cdot LAI^{-1}) \)	Maximum intercepted water by canopy
cfrd	>=0.0	\( (-) \)	Ratio of day respiration to vcmax
clitt	>=0.0	\( (tC \cdot ha^{-1}) \)	Leaf litter (alters resistance to soil evaporation)
conkc0	>=0.0	\( (bar) \)	Michaelis-Menton constant for carboxylase
conko0	>=0.0	\( (bar) \)	Michaelis-Menton constant for oxygenase
convex	>=0.0	\( (-) \)	Convexity of J-Q response curve
cplant1	>=0.0	\( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)	Plant carbon in 1st vegetation carbon store
cplant2	>=0.0	\( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)	Plant carbon in 2nd vegetation carbon store
cplant3	>=0.0	\( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)	Plant carbon in 3rd vegetation carbon store
csoil1	>=0.0	\( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)	Soil carbon in 1st soil carbon store
csoil2	>=0.0	\( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)	Soil carbon in 2nd soil carbon store
d0gs	>=0.0	\( (kPa) \)	d0 in stomatal conductance model
ejmax	0 – 3.0E-4	\( (mol \cdot m^{-2} \cdot s^{-1}) \)	Maximum potential electron transp rate top leaf
ekc	>=0.0	\( (J \cdot mol^{-1}) \)	Activation energy for carboxylase
eko	>=0.0	\( (J \cdot mol^{-1}) \)	Activation energy for oxygenase
extkn	0.0 – 10.0	\( (-) \)	Extinction coeficient for vertical profile of N
frac4	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of c4 plants
froot1	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of root in soil layer 1
froot2	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of root in soil layer 2
froot3	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of root in soil layer 3
froot4	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of root in soil layer 4
froot5	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of root in soil layer 5
froot6	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Fraction of root in soil layer 6
g0	-0.5 – 0.5	\( (mol \cdot m^{-2} \cdot s^{-1}) \)	Belinda's stomatal model intercept. Residual stomatal conductance as net assimilation rate reaches zero
g1	0.0 – 20.0	\( (kPa) \)	Belinda's stomatal model slope. Sensitivity of stomatal conductance to the assimilation rate
gswmin	>=0.0	\( (mol \cdot m^{-2} \cdot s^{-1}) \)	Minimal stomatal conductance
hc	0.0 – 100.0	\( (m) \)	Roughness height of canopy (veg - snow)
lai	0.0 – 8.0	\( (-) or (m^{2} \cdot m^{-2} ) \)	Leaf area index of each plant functional type
length	>=0.0	\( (m) \)	Leaf length
ratecp1	0.01 – 3.0	\( (year^{-1}) \)	Plant carbon pool rate constant in 1st vegetation carbon store
ratecp2	0.01 – 3.0	\( (year^{-1}) \)	Plant carbon pool rate constant in 2nd vegetation carbon store
ratecp3	0.01 – 3.0	\( (year^{-1}) \)	Plant carbon pool rate constant in 3rd vegetation carbon store
ratecs1	0.01 – 3.0	\( (year^{-1}) \)	Soil carbon pool rate constant in 1st soil carbon store
ratecs2	0.01 – 3.0	\( (year^{-1}) \)	Soil carbon pool rate constant in 2nd soil carbon store
refl1	0.0 – 0.5	\( (-) \)	Leaf reflectance in 1st radiation band
refl2	0.0 – 0.5	\( (-) \)	Leaf reflectance in 2nd radiation band
refl3	0.0 – 0.5	\( (-) \)	Leaf reflectance in 3rd radiation band
rootbeta	0.0 – 1.0	\( (-) \)	Beta parameter to calculate froot (Jackson et al. 1996)
rp20	0.0 – 10.0	\( (-) \)	Plant respiration coefficient at 20 C
rpcoef	0.05 – 1.5	\( (^{\circ}C^{-1}) \)	Temperature coefficient non-leaf plant respiration
rs20	0.0 – 10.0	\( (mol \cdot m^{-2} \cdot s^{-1} ) \)	Soil respiration at 20 C
shelrb	1.0 – 3.0	\( (-) \)	Sheltering factor
taul1	0.0 – 0.3	\( (-) \)	Leaf transmittance in 1st radiation band
taul2	0.0 – 0.3	\( (-) \)	Leaf transmittance in 2nd radiation band
taul3	0.0 – 0.3	\( (-) \)	Leaf transmittance in 3rd radiation band
tmaxvj	-15.0 – 30.0	\( (^{\circ}C) \)	Maximum temperature of the start of photosynthesis
tminvj	-20.0 – 15.0	\( (^{\circ}C) \)	Minimum temperature of the start of photosynthesis
vbeta	-999999 – 999999	\( (-) \)	Stomatal sensitivity to soil water
vcmax	5.0E-6 – 1.5E-4	\( ( mol \cdot m^{-2} \cdot s^{-1} ) \)	Maximum RuBP carboxylation rate top leaf
vegcf	0.0 – 100.0	\( (-) \)	Scaling on soil respiration (place-holder scheme)
width	>=0.0	\( (m) \)	Leaf width
xfang	-1.0 – 0.5	\( (-) \)	Leaf angle
zr	>=0.0	\( (cm) \)	Maximum rooting depth

The CABLE default values of the vegetation parameters in Table 2 for the vegetation types in Table 1 are listed in Table 3.

Table 3: Default vegetation parameter values

	Evergreen Needleleaf	Evergreen Broadleaf	Deciduous Needleleaf	Deciduous Broadleaf	Shrub	C3 Grassland	C4 Grassland	Tundra	C3 Cropland	C4 Cropland	Wetland	empty	empty	Barren	Urban	Lakes	Ice
a1gs	9	9	9	9	9	9	4	9	9	4	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
alpha	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
canst1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
cfrd	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.025	0.015	0.015	0.025	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015	0.015
clitt	20	6	10	13	2	2	0.3	0.3	0	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0
conkc0	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302	0.000302
conko0	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256	0.256
convex	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.8	0.01	0.01	0.8	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
cplant1	200	300	200	300	159	250	250	250	150	150	250	1	0.1	0	1	1	0
cplant2	10217	16833	5967	12000	5000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
cplant3	876	1443	511	1029	500	500	500	500	607	607	500	1	0.1	0	1	1	0
csoil1	184	303	107	216	100	275	275	275	149	149	275	1	0.1	1	1	1	1
csoil2	367	606	214	432	250	314	314	314	300	300	314	1	0.1	1	1	1	1
d0gs	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500
ejmax	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
ekc	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430	59430
eko	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000	36000
extkn	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001
frac4	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
froot1	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
froot2	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
froot3	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
froot4	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
froot5	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
froot6	0.05	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
g0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
g1	2.346064	4.114762	2.346064	4.447321	4.694803	5.2485	1.616178	2.222156	5.789377	1.616178	5.2485	5.2485	0	5.2485	5.2485	5.2485	5.2485
gswmin	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.04	0.01	0.01	0.04	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
hc	17	35	15.5	20	0.6	0.567	0.567	0.567	0.55	0.55	0.567	0.2	6.017	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
lai	4	5	0	0	0	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
length	0.055	0.1	0.04	0.15	0.1	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.03	0.242	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03
ratecp1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
ratecp2	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03
ratecp3	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14
ratecs1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
ratecs2	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
refl1	0.09	0.09	0.075	0.09	0.09	0.11	0.11	0.075	0.11	0.11	0.108	0.055	0.091	0.238	0.143	0.143	0.159
refl2	0.3	0.29	0.3	0.29	0.3	0.34	0.34	0.32	0.34	0.34	0.343	0.19	0.31	0.457	0.275	0.275	0.305
refl3	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
rootbeta	0.943	0.962	0.966	0.961	0.964	0.943	0.943	0.943	0.961	0.961	0.943	0.975	0.961	0.961	0.961	0.961	0.961
rp20	3	0.6	3	2.2	1	1.5	2.8	2.5	1.5	1	1.5	1	1	1	1	1	1
rpcoef	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832	0.0832
rs20	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
shelrb	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
taul1	0.09	0.09	0.075	0.09	0.09	0.11	0.11	0.075	0.11	0.11	0.075	0.023	0.059	0.039	0.023	0.023	0.026
taul2	0.3	0.29	0.3	0.29	0.3	0.34	0.34	0.32	0.34	0.34	0.146	0.198	0.163	0.189	0.113	0.113	0.113
taul3	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
tmaxvj	-10	-10	10	15	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10	-10
tminvj	-15	-15	5	5	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15	-15
vbeta	2	2	2	2	4	4	4	4	2	2	4	4	2	4	4	4	4
vcmax	4E-05	5.5E-05	4E-05	6E-05	4E-05	6E-05	1E-05	4E-05	8E-05	8E-05	6E-05	1.7E-05	1E-06	1.7E-05	1.7E-05	1.7E-05	1.7E-05
vegcf	9	14	9	8	5	7	7	5	7	1	7	1	1	1	1	1	1
width	0.001	0.05	0.001	0.08	0.005	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.003	0.015	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.001
xfang	0.01	0.1	0.01	0.25	0.01	-0.3	-0.3	-0.3	-0.3	-0.3	-0.3	0.1	0	0	0	0	0
zr	1.8	3	2	2	2.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	1.8	3.1	3	1	1	1	1

The CABLE distribution provides the default vegetation parameter values from Table 3 in the namelist file pft_params.nml, including the vegetation types from Table 1 in the top part. The chosen parameter values in offline cases can be checked against the pre-defined realistic parameter value ranges using the CABLE namelist variable check%ranges in cable.nml.

Example pft_params.nml file

Namelist file format explanation

The asterisk symbol, in the namelist file, means the following entry is repeated multiple times. It does not mean arithmetic multiplication.

&cable_pftparm
vegin%desc='Evergreen Needleleaf', 'Evergreen Broadleaf', 'Deciduous Needleleaf', 'Deciduous Broadleaf',
                    'Shrub', 'C3 Grassland', 'C4 Grassland', 'Tundra', 'C3 Cropland', 'C4 Cropland',
                    'Wetland', 'empty', 'empty', 'Barren', 'Urban', 'Lakes', 'Ice',
vegin%a1gs=6*9.000000,4.000000,9.000000,9.000000,4.000000,7*9.000000,
vegin%alpha=6*0.200000,0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.050000,7*0.200000,
vegin%canst1=17*0.100000,
vegin%cfrd=6*0.015000,0.025000,0.015000,0.015000,0.025000,7*0.015000,
vegin%clitt=20.000000,6.000000,10.000000,13.000000,2.000000,2.000000,0.300000,0.300000,0.000000,0.000000,2.000000,2.000000,5*0.000000,
vegin%conkc0=17*0.000302,
vegin%conko0=17*0.256000,
vegin%convex=6*0.010000,0.800000,0.010000,0.010000,0.800000,7*0.010000,
vegin%cplant1=200.000000,300.000000,200.000000,300.000000,159.000000,250.000000,250.000000,250.000000,150.000000,150.000000,250.000000,1.000000,0.100000,0.000000,1.000000,1.000000,0.000000,
vegin%cplant2=10217.000000,16833.000000,5967.000000,12000.000000,5000.000000,12*0.000000,
vegin%cplant3=876.000000,1443.000000,511.000000,1029.000000,500.000000,500.000000,500.000000,500.000000,607.000000,607.000000,500.000000,1.000000,0.100000,0.000000,1.000000,1.000000,0.000000,
vegin%csoil1=184.000000,303.000000,107.000000,216.000000,100.000000,275.000000,275.000000,275.000000,149.000000,149.000000,275.000000,1.000000,0.100000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,
vegin%csoil2=367.000000,606.000000,214.000000,432.000000,250.000000,314.000000,314.000000,314.000000,300.000000,300.000000,314.000000,1.000000,0.100000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,
vegin%d0gs=17*1500.000000,
vegin%ejmax=17*0.000000,
vegin%ekc=17*59430.000000,
vegin%eko=17*36000.000000,
vegin%extkn=17*0.001000,
vegin%frac4=6*0.000000,1.000000,0.000000,0.000000,1.000000,7*0.000000,
vegin%froot1=0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.150000,11*0.000000,
vegin%froot2=0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.150000,11*0.000000,
vegin%froot3=0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.150000,11*0.000000,
vegin%froot4=0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.150000,11*0.000000,
vegin%froot5=0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.150000,11*0.000000,
vegin%froot6=0.050000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.150000,11*0.000000,
vegin%g0=17*0.000000,
vegin%g1=2.346064,4.114762,2.346064,4.447321,4.694803,5.248500,1.616178,2.222156,5.789377,1.616178,5.248500,5.248500,0.000000,5.248500,5.248500,5.248500,5.248500,
vegin%gswmin=6*0.010000,0.040000,0.010000,0.010000,0.040000,7*0.010000,
vegin%hc=17.000000,35.000000,15.500000,20.000000,0.600000,0.567000,0.567000,0.567000,0.550000,0.550000,0.567000,0.200000,6.017000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,0.200000,
vegin%lai=4.0,5.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.2,11*0.0,
vegin%length=0.055000,0.100000,0.040000,0.150000,0.100000,6*0.300000,0.030000,0.242000,0.030000,0.030000,0.030000,0.030000,
vegin%ratecp1=17*1.000000,
vegin%ratecp2=17*0.030000,
vegin%ratecp3=17*0.140000,
vegin%ratecs1=17*2.000000,
vegin%ratecs2=17*0.500000,
vegin%refl1=0.090000,0.090000,0.075000,0.090000,0.090000,0.110000,0.110000,0.075000,0.110000,0.110000,0.108000,0.055000,0.091000,0.238000,0.143000,0.143000,0.159000,
vegin%refl2=0.300000,0.290000,0.300000,0.290000,0.300000,0.340000,0.340000,0.320000,0.340000,0.340000,0.343000,0.190000,0.310000,0.457000,0.275000,0.275000,0.305000,
vegin%refl3=17*0.010000,
vegin%taul1=0.090000,0.090000,0.075000,0.090000,0.090000,0.110000,0.110000,0.075000,0.110000,0.110000,0.075000,0.023000,0.059000,0.039000,0.023000,0.023000,0.026000,
vegin%taul2=0.300000,0.290000,0.300000,0.290000,0.300000,0.340000,0.340000,0.320000,0.340000,0.340000,0.146000,0.198000,0.163000,0.189000,0.113000,0.113000,0.113000,
vegin%taul3=17*0.010000,
vegin%rootbeta=0.943000,0.962000,0.966000,0.961000,0.964000,0.943000,0.943000,0.943000,0.961000,0.961000,0.943000,0.975000,5*0.961000,
vegin%rp20=3.000000,0.600000,3.000000,2.200000,1.000000,1.500000,2.800000,2.500000,1.500000,1.000000,1.500000,6*1.000000,
vegin%rpcoef=17*0.083200,
vegin%rs20=11*1.000000,0.000000,1.000000,0.000000,0.000000,0.000000,0.000000,
vegin%shelrb=17*2.000000,
vegin%tmaxvj=-10.000000,-10.000000,10.000000,15.000000,13*-10.000000,
vegin%tminvj=-15.000000,-15.000000,5.000000,5.000000,13*-15.000000,
vegin%vbeta=2.000000,2.000000,2.000000,2.000000,4.000000,4.000000,4.000000,4.000000,2.000000,2.000000,4.000000,4.000000,2.000000,4.000000,4.000000,4.000000,4.000000,
vegin%vcmax=0.000040,0.000055,0.000040,0.000060,0.000040,0.000060,0.000010,0.000040,0.000080,0.000080,0.000060,0.000017,0.000001,0.000017,0.000017,0.000017,0.000017,
vegin%vegcf=9.000000,14.000000,9.000000,8.000000,5.000000,7.000000,7.000000,5.000000,7.000000,1.000000,7.000000,6*1.000000,
vegin%wai=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,13*0.000000,
vegin%width=0.001000,0.050000,0.001000,0.080000,0.005000,6*0.010000,0.003000,0.015000,0.001000,0.001000,0.001000,0.001000,
vegin%xalbnir=17*1.000000,
vegin%xfang=0.010000,0.100000,0.010000,0.250000,0.010000,6*-0.300000,0.100000,5*0.000000,
vegin%zr=1.800000,3.000000,2.000000,2.000000,2.500000,5*0.500000,1.800000,3.100000,3.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,
/

Unused parameters

Name	Type	Available	Default	Description
vegin%cplant	real	>=0.0	?	Plant carbon in 1st vegetation carbon store, now split into cplant1-3 \( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)
vegin%csoil	real	>=0.0	?	Soil carbon in 1st soil carbon store, now split into csoil1-2 \( (gC \cdot m^{-2}) \)
vegin%dleaf	real	0.005 – 0.4	?	Characteristic length of leaf (not used) \( (m) \)
vegin%froot	real	0.0 – 1.0	?	Root fraction, now split into froot1-6 (not used) \( (-) \)
vegin%ratecp	real	0.01 – 3.0	?	Plant carbon pool rate constant in 1st vegetation carbon store, now split into ratecp1-3 \( (year^{-1}) \)
vegin%ratecs	real	0.01 – 3.0	?	Soil carbon pool rate constant in 1st soil carbon store, now split into ratecs1-3 \( (year^{-1}) \)
vegin%refl	real	0.0 – 0.5	?	Leaf reflectance in 1st radiation band, now split into refl1-3 \( (-) \)
vegin%taul1	real	0.0 – 0.3	?	Leaf transmittance in 1st radiation band, now split into tau1-3 \( (-) \)
vegin%wai	real	0.0 – 5.0	1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0	Wood area index (stem+branches+twigs) (not used) \( (-) \)
vegin%xalbnir	real	0.0 – 1.5	1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1	? (not used)