简介：Background:Conceptualmodelsofforestdynamicsarepowerfulcognitivetools,whichareindispensableforcommunicatingecologicalideasandknowledge,andindevelopingstrategicapproachesandsettingtargetsforforestconservation,restorationandsustainablemanagement.Forestdevelopmentthroughtimeisconventionallydescribedasadirectional,or'linear',andpredictablesequenceofstagesfrom'bareground'tooldforestrepresentingthe'climax-state'.However,thissimpleviewisincompatiblewiththecurrentknowledgeandunderstandingofintrinsicvariabilityofforestdynamics.Hypothesis:Overlysimpleconceptualmodelsofforestdynamicseasilybecometransformedintobiasedmentalmodelsofhowforestsnaturallydevelopandwhatkindofstructurestheydisplay.Tobeabletocommunicatetheessentialfeaturesanddiversityofforestdynamics,comprehensiveconceptualmodelsareneeded.Forthisend,Kuuluvainen(2009)suggestedarelativelysimpleconceptualmodelofforestdynamics,whichseparatesthreemajormodesofforestdynamics,andincorporatesstatechangesandtransitionsbetweentheforestdynamicsmodesdependingonchangesindisturbanceregime.Conclusions:Conceptualmodelsofforestdynamicsshouldbecomprehensiveenoughtoincorporatebothlongtermdirectionalchangeandshort-termcyclicforestdynamics,aswellastransitionsfromonedynamicsmodetoanotherdependingonchangesinthedrivingdisturbanceregimetype.Modelsthatcapturesuchessentialfeaturesofforestdynamicsareindispensableforeducationalpurposes,insettingreferenceconditionsandindevelopingmethodsinforestconservation,restorationandecosystemmanagement.