ESSFmw2/01 BlBa - Rhododendron

Widespread unit dominated by Bl Se and Ba with some Hm (Hw rare) Cw Fd but mostly at lower elevations and sparse.

Modelled suitability shows significant decline for Ba and Bl and Hm and strong decline for Sx. Hw shows moderate increase from about 60% to 80%, Fd shows strong increase from about 50% to 90%, Hw shows moderate increase from about 50% to 70%, and moderate increase for Cw from 50% to 80%.

Model appears to be wrong in that it assumes at the start this site series is already largely suitable for Cw Hw and Fd and unsuitable for species that dominate this site series and includes Bl Ba and Sx. It fails to account for frost risks for these species in the model and assumes the climate is more CWH/ICH than ESSF.

Review the ESSFmw2/01 Bl Ba site series and its modelled suitability results, focusing on the starting suitability assumptions for Cw, Hw, Fd, Bl, Ba, Sx and Hm. Compare those assumptions with the described frost risks and ESSF/ICH climate context; done means identifying and agreeing on the model changes needed to represent the site series correctly.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.