## 3 Results
### Evaluation of DIMONA PB Model Performance
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Model Run Name** & **Period** & **Time Step** & **a** & **b** & **R\({}^{2}\)** & **RMSE** & **d** \\ \hline VBall\_WT & 2002 & daily & 1.46 & 0.09 & 0.80 & 1.07 & 0.84 \\ \hline VBall\_WT & 2003 & daily & 1.40 & 0.16 & 0.91 & 0.72 & 0.88 \\ \hline VBall\_WT & 2004 & daily & 1.01 & 0.26 & 0.85 & 0.86 & 0.94 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: _Cont._The _DIMONA_ PB model's performance was further examined by comparing the model outcomes for ecosystem, shrub, and moss NPP, as well as shrub LAI, biomass, and height vs. available field and modelling reports. The model outcomes were determined as averages from the repeated 2000-2004 period in each model run (Section 2.3). The average simulated aboveground ecosystem NPP was 343 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) in VBall_WT and 318 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) in VBall_NS, both comparable to the field aboveground ecosystem NPP at Mer Bleue bog of 340 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\)[39] and simulated by _ecosys_ ecosystem NPP of 285 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) for the same site and period [10]. The average simulated aboveground shrub NPP was 301 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) in VBall_WT and 256 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) in VBall_NS, both higher than the field-determined aboveground shrub NPP of 160 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) at Mer Bleue bog. However, both VBall_WT and VBall_NS values of the aboveground shrub NPP were within the range of shrub aboveground NPP in bogs reported between 43 and 338 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\)[39]. The average simulated aboveground shrub biomass was 652 g m\({}^{-2}\) in VBall_WT and 526 g m\({}^{-2}\) in VBall_NS, both within one standard deviation of reported aboveground shrub biomass at Mer Bleue bog, i.e., 506 \(\pm\) 234 g m\({}^{-2}\)[53]. For reference, _ecosys_ predicted 408 g m\({}^{-2}\) aboveground shrub biomass for the same site and period [10]. The average shrub LAI was 3.82 in VBall_WT and 3.1 in VBall_NS vs. the average shrub LAI from field observation of 1.6 \(\pm\) 1.6 (\(\pm\)two standard deviations) [53; 54]. However, shrub LAI at the Mer Bleue bog is highly variable and reported as \(>\)3 at various locations [55]. Also, simulated shrub canopy height was 35 cm in hummocks and 32 cm in hollows in VBall_WT and 31 cm in hummocks and 29 cm in hollows in VBall_NS, values which are slightly above the observed mean shrub canopy height of \(\sim\)20 cm at Mer Bleue [53]. The average simulated moss NPP was 51 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) in VBall_WT and 77 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) in VBall_NS, both lower than the field moss NPP of 170 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) at Mer Bleue bog; however, both are within the range of moss NPP reported in bogs, which is between 17 and 380 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\)[39], and comparable to the _ecosys_-simulated moss NPP of 87 g C m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\) for Mer Bleue [10]. Due to the specifics of _Sphagnum_ growth, with no clear division of live and dead plant material [23], no comparisons for moss LAI, biomass, and height were made due to uncertainty in the evaluation of those features in the field [39].