Table 2: Population dynamics - structure
| model | process description | relative complexity scoring |
| SORTIE | spatially explicit (coordinates), individual-based, 3D structure (crown geometry) and individual competition for light, GLI (seasonally aggregated measure of photosynthetically active available radiation at the top of every crown) | 5 |
| KiWi | spatially explicit (coordinates), field of neighborhood defines individuals competitve influence on others, additive competitive influence for an individual is averaged over zone of influence | 4 |
| ForClim | gap model structure, individual-based, within patch horizontally non-explicit, beer-lambert law for light availability of trees on patch | 4 |
| 3-PG | mean tree approach | 2 |
| BiomeBGC | big leaf approach | 1 |
| LANDIS | species-age cohorts | 1.5 |
| ED | ecosystem demography approach, 15x15m patch structure of independent patches, within patch horizontally non-explicit, size- and age structured approximation of the first moment of the stochastic gap model with partial differential equations | 4 |
| FireBGC | individual tree succession model, individual trees simulated at plot level, competition at stand level, biogeochemistry at stand level | 4 |
| LANDIS-II | species-age-biomass cohorts, competition via biomass-related growing space estimation | 2.5 |
| PICUS | 3D gap model, individual-based, explicit horizontal and vertical spatial interactions between patches with regard to light availability (5m crown cells), homogeneous foliage biomass distribution within tree crown | 4.5 |
Table 3: Population dynamics - composition
| model | process description | relative complexity scoring |
| SORTIE | multiple tree species, parameterized for central eastern US, Canada, other temperate, boreal and tropical forest regions | 5 |
| KiWi | multiple tree species, parameterized for Mangrove ecosystems | 5 |
| ForClim | multiple tree species, parameterized for central Europe, PNW | 5 |
| 3-PG | evenaged, monospecies stands, parameterized for different parts of the world | 1 |
| BiomeBGC | not modeled explicitly; species parameters for different biomes | 1 |
| LANDIS | multiple tree species, parameterized for central eastern US, Canada, other temperate and boreal forest regions | 5 |
| ED | plant-functional types, different temperate and tropical ecosystems | 3 |
| FireBGC | multiple tree species, parameterized for western US | 5 |
| LANDIS II | multiple tree species, parameterized for central eastern US, Canada, other temperate and boreal forest regions | 5 |
| PICUS | multiple tree species, parameterized for central Europe | 5 |
Table 4: Population dynamics - regeneration
| model | process description | relative complexity scoring |
| SORTIE | seedling establishment probability based on distance from maternal tree | 4 |
| KiWi | depending on the competitive strength (field of neighborhood) from other individuals | 4 |
| ForClim | recruitment (dbh=1.27), depending on light availability on the forest floor, browsing and winter minimum temperature | 4 |
| 3-PG | not modelled | 1 |
| BiomeBGC | not modelled explicitly | 1 |
| LANDIS | spatially explicit dispersal, establishment rate based on land-type related probability | 2 |
| ED | random dispersal, recruitment model | 3.5 |
| FireBGC | spatially explicit dispersal, recruitment model with temperature and drought index as thresholds, depending on seed availability | 4 |
| LANDIS II | spatially explicit dispersal, establishment rate based on light availability (biomass), establishment probability (land type) | 2.5 |
| PICUS | seed production and distribution, germination, cohort regeneration model, recruitment into the individual-based model structure, influenced by light level on forest floor as well as climate and soil factors | 5 |
Table 5: Population dynamics - mortality
| model | process description | relative complexity scoring |
| SORTIE | growth related (function of growth rate of the last 5 years), random component | 4.5 |
| KiWi | stress-realted mortality based on diameter increment | 4 |
| ForClim | age- and stress-related mortality components | 4 |
| 3-PG | -3/2 power law | 2 |
| BiomeBGC | not modelled explicitly | 1 |
| LANDIS | age effect | 1.5 |
| ED | age- and carbon balance driven components | 3.5 |
| FireBGC | random and stress (diameter increment) related components | 4 |
| LANDIS II | competition-related crowding effect, age effect | 2.5 |
| PICUS | age- and stress-related mortality components, age-related mortality variable with site quality | 5 |
Table 6: Population dynamics - management
| model | process description | relative complexity scoring |
| SORTIE | no management | 1 |
| KiWi | no management | 1 |
| ForClim | no management | 1 |
| 3-PG | reduction of stem number / leaf area | 2 |
| BiomeBGC | removal of biomass from ecosystem pools | 2 |
| LANDIS | species-age cohort | 1.5 |
| ED | no management | 1 |
| FireBGC | no management | 1 |
| LANDIS II | species-age-biomass cohort, bottom up or top down removal of cohorts | 2.5 |
| PICUS | prescriptive on individual tree level, spatially explicit, implementation of adaptive management through script engine | 5 |