Staff
Catia Arcangeli
MSc, PhD
MSc, PhD
Research Scientist
Catia’s main research activities are related to the development of mathematical models of forest structure and growth. She is currently working on the development of an individual-tree growth model for forecasting tree growth in irregular and mixed species forest stands, such as those resulting from the application of continuous cover silviculture.
She is the main developer of the stand level M1 growth and yield model, which underpins the current GB Forecast System and FR’s forest carbon accounting models. She also contributes to the development of empirical relationships describing fundamental tree properties. While her main current responsibilities are within the growth and yield modelling research area, she is also interested in supporting the development of process-based models and in the past she has led a modelling study of rainfall interception in conifer and broadleaf canopies.
Catia has also made a major contribution to the formulation of a Strategy for the Forestry Commission and Forest Research on development of models of Growth, Yield and Carbon balance, including supporting data acquisition.
Catia joined Forest Research in 2001 and is one of the main developers of improved mathematical models of forest growth and yields.
Catia’s research background is in theoretical and computational solid state physics. She obtained an MSc in Physics from the University of Modena (Italy) in 1990 and a PhD in Physics from the University of Ferrara (Italy) in 1994. From 1994 to 2001 she conducted research at the Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz (Germany) (1994-1995), at the Max-Planck Institut für Festkörperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany) (1995-1999) and at the Department of Physics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena (Italy) (1999-2001). During these years her research activity was mainly devoted to the development of ab-initio computational methods for electronic structure calculations and the investigation of the electronic properties of low-dimensional systems.
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH
UK
Developing flexible models of individual tree and stand growth for use in British forestry
This page summarises the main findings of the project ‘Investigation of canopy throughfall and interception’, partially funded by the EU’s Forest Focus C funding scheme.
The use of natural regeneration to create a varied forest structure containing a range of species
New dynamic top height models for 10 major species in Great Britain for pure, even-aged stands
Modelling mixed age and mixed species stands
Project leader
Development of mathematical models describing growth, mortality and effect of management interventions in complex stands;
Contribution to the design and establishment of a network of sample plots in uneven age and mixed species stands in support of model development.
Forest mensuration modelling and forecasting
Research scientist
Development of improved growth and yield models;
Leading the development of empirical models of tree properties;
Forest ecosystem modelling;
Data analysis
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Caicoya, A.T., Biber, P., del Rio, M., Ruiz-Peinado, R., Arcangeli, C., Matthews, R., and Pretzsch, H. (2024) Self-thinning of Scots pine across Europe changes with solar radiation, precipitation and temperature but does not show trends in time. Forest Ecology and Management, 552: 121585.
Pretzsch, H., del Rio, M., Arcangeli, C., Bielak, K., Brang, P., Dudzinska, M., Forrester, D.I., Klädtke, J., Kohnle, U., Ledermann, T., Matthews, R., Nagel, J., Nagel, R., Ningre, F., Nord-Larsen, T., and Biber, P. (2023) Forest growth in Europe shows diverging large regional trends. Scientific Reports 13:15373.
Pretzsch, H., del Rio, M., Arcangeli, C., Bielak, K., Brang, P., Dudzinska, M., Forrester, D.I., Kohnle, U., Ledermann, T., Matthews, R., Nagel, J., Nagel, R., Ningre, F., Nord-Larsen, Szeligowski, H., and Biber, P. (2023) Competition-based mortality and tree losses. An essential component of net primary productivity. Forest Ecology and Management, 544, 121204.
Manso, R., McLean, Paul J., Arcangeli, C., Matthews, R. (2021) Dynamic top height models for several major forest tree species in Great Britain. Forestry, 94(2): 181-192.
Pretzsch, H., del Río, M., Biber, P., Arcangeli, C., Bielak, K., Brang, P., Dudzinska, M., Forrester, D. I., Klädtke, J., Kohnle, U., Ledermann, T., Matthews, R., Nagel, J., Nagel, R., Nilsson, U., Ningre, F., Nord Larsen, T., Wernsdörfer, H., Sycheva, E. (2019) Maintenance of long term experiments for unique insights into forest growth dynamics and trends: review and perspectives. European Journal of Forest Research, 138, 165–185.
Bianchi, S., Hale, S., Cahalan, C., Arcangeli, C., Gibbons, J. (2018) Light-growth responses of Sitka spruce, Douglas fir and western hemlock regeneration under continuous cover forestry. Forest Ecology and Management, 422, 241-252.
Arcangeli, C., Klopf, M., Hale, S. E., Jenkins, T.A.R. and Hasenauer, H. (2014). The uniform height curve method for height-diameter modelling: an application to Sitka spruce in Britain. Forestry, 87, 177-186.
Project Reports
Gruffudd, H., Matthews, R., Arcangeli, C., Jenkins, T. (2021), Revised stem volume equations. Forest Research Internal Report
Matthews, R., Arcangeli, C., McLean, P., Manso, R., Ross, D. (2020) Representation of improved Sitka spruce in revised yield models. Forest Research Internal Report.
Craig, I.R., Mackie, E.D., Arcangeli, C. and Matthews, R.W. (2017) Growth and yield of young improved Sitka spruce stands. Report for FC Scotland. Forest Research: Farnham.
Matthews R. and Arcangeli C. (2016). Strategic review of tree and stand modelling research. Report to the Research Strategy Management Board, Forest Research, February 2016.
Arcangeli C., Matthews R. and Mackie E. (2015) Strategic review of tree and stand modelling research. Interim report to the Research Strategy Management Board, Forest Research, October 2015.
Mackie E., Arcangeli C. and Matthews R. (2015). Strategic review of mensuration sample plot data acquisition. Interim report to the Research Strategy Management Board, Forest Research, October 2015.
Software and associated manuals
Arcangeli, C. and Matthews, R. (2021) M1v2 Growth and Yield Model v1.0
Arcangeli, C. and Matthews. R. (2020) YT2020 Revised Yield Models v1.0
Arcangeli, C. (2020) MOSES_GB Individual-tree Growth Model
Hale, S., Jenkins, T. and Arcangeli, C. (2014) MOSES_GB v1.0 – User Guide. Forest Research.
Arcangeli, C. and Matthews, R. (2010) M1 Yield Model v1.0. Forest Research.
Jenkins, T., Arcangeli, C., Henshall, P. and Matthews, R. (2010) M1 Yield Model, Research Interface User Guide. Forest Research.
Scientific conferences
Bianchi S., Arcangeli C., Cahalan C., Hale S., Henshall P., Jenkins T., Gibbons J., (2017) Light responses of conifer species regeneration under Continuous Cover Forestry, Poster presented at the 125th Anniversary IUFRO congress 2017, 18-22 September 2017, Freiburg, Germany.
Bianchi, S., Hale, S., Arcangeli, C., Cahalan, C., Henshall, P., Kerr, G. and Jenkins, T. (2015), Preliminary Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) early growth model for MOSES_GB. Poster presented at the 2015 IUFRO Conference on “Ecology, silviculture and management of spruce species in mixed forests” Alberta, Canada, 11-13 August 2015.
Hale, S., Arcangeli, C., Jenkins, T., Klopf, M., Thurnher, C. and Hasenauer, H. (2012). MOSES_GB: a growth simulator for mixed age and mixes species forest stands in Britain. Poster presented at the Edinburgh 2012 IUFRO International Conference on “Managing forests for ecosystems services: can spruce forests show the way?” Edinburgh, Scotland, 8-11 October 2012.
Other oral presentations
Arcangeli (2023). “Development of an Individual-tree growth model for Britain”. FLS Operation Managers Meeting, NRS.
Arcangeli and G. Kerr (2021) – “Planning for resilient forests: developing an individual tree model for CCF and mixed species stands” FE Planners meeting (via Teams).
Arcangeli, C. (2011). M1 growth and yield model. Forest Research Modellers meeting, Northern Research Station, 17th May 2011.
Arcangeli, C. (2010) Modelling Mixed Aged and Mixed Species Stand in GB. Steering Group of the Modelling Mixed Age and Mixed Species Stands project, Alice Holt, 4th May 2010.
Arcangeli, C. (2007) Modelling Rainfall Interception. Forest Research Update seminar, Alice Holt, 20th April 2007.
