I have recieved the Forest Dynamics book from Ohiolink and found the equation for light availibility. Irena has put it into the following format with values I found in the book:

AL=1e^1(-(1/6000)*SLA)

The only issue at this moment is what value to give to SLA (Shading leaf weight). Three assumptions are given for the this variable:

1.) all of the leaf wieght is concentrated at a point at the top of a tree.
2.) therefore that all of the leaves of one tree shade any shroter tree and...
3.)... conversely, that none of the leaves of any shorter tree shade any leaf of a taller tree.

It states that SLA is leaf weight, which would differ from species to species, particularly as stated by Botkin, shaded tolerant and shade intolerant species. Earlier in the book its states that leaf wieght is the square of the diameter of the leaf, and an equations is given:

W=CD^2 (C is a constant with an i as subtext, which and what its value is, I dont know)

I am still working on getting my Simforest to work. My computer decided to bail on my over the weekend and I had to fix it and reinstall vista. Now I am in the process of finding a working download of Java 1.2 so that I can at least get Simforest up and running again, since it appears I no longer have that version of Java and the program won't open at all. Perhaps it will run correctly after I download Java again.

~Erin K. Pfeil