Capsis is a generic simulation platform for forestry growth / dynamics models. It is a tool for forest scientists, forest managers and education. It has been developed in the AMAP laboratory since 1999. It contains at this time more than 50 models from several french and foreign research institutes or universities.

For a complete project list, an up-to-date documentation, and to contact the Capsis team, please see the Capsis web site.

E.g. the ModisPinaster model, natural evolution and thinning simulation (Maritime pine, Teresa Fonseca, UTAD Vila Real, Portugal)

Capsis makes it possible to implement models of various types (stand models, distance-independent or distance-dependent tree models, mixed models…), to run simulations and then compare different scenarios in a single software.

Thanks to its flexible architecture, it is possible to integrate heterogeneous models (uneven-aged, several species) with various processes (growth, competition, mortality, regeneration, dispersion…) and to run simulations in interactive or script modes. Some models can have very particular properties, e.g. radiative balance, genetics information at the individual level, internal biomechanics or wood quality.

The core of the platform is free to ease multi-organisms partnerships, but the models belong to the authors who can choose to distribute them with the license they wish. The Capsis Charter explains the roles of all participants, it states that the scientists are responsible for the actual model integration, that they are helped by the developers of the Capsis team and that all member scientists share the whole source code together.

Authors: François de Coligny, Samuel Dufour-Kowalski (INRA-AMAP)