Forest structures under drought stress: influence on tree growth, microclimate and soil life
Prolonged periods of drought, which are occurring more frequently, have led to unprecedented levels of tree mortality across Germany. These recent events have greatly accelerated forest restructuring, whereby the forestry and timber industry is attempting to counter the effects of drought and heat by promoting more structured stands. New sustainable concepts should make it possible to continue economic forest management and support the development of climate-adapted forest ecosystems in the future.
This project aims to support this process by scientifically investigating promising tree species within different neighborhood constellations. The focus is on investigating the effect of different forest structures on tree growth under drought conditions.
The following forest structure scenarios will be considered:
- Main stand: native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in pure stands or in mixed deciduous stands, with special focus on native oak species (Quercus spec).
- Ancillary stand: absence or presence of dense understory. In particular, the non-native black cherry Prunus serotina is considered. This tree species is considered invasive, but appears to have survived recent drought years comparatively well.
The effects of above and below ground factors on tree growth are analyzed with respect to the following parameters:
- Recording of forest structure by terrestrial laser scanning (TLS)
- Inventory of tree species diversity
- Analysis of the air and soil microclimate (temperature, humidity, light)
- Investigation of tree responses to drought stress by remote sensing and on-site monitoring
- Consideration of soil life and mycorrhiza
As one of the driest regions in Germany, the study area of the Zwillenberg-Tietz Foundation, located in Brandenburg, offers ideal conditions for research on drought stress responses. To consider the influence of soil properties, the selection of the specific sample plots is based on the previous project "Site mapping with chemical-physical soil characterization" of the Georg-August-University Göttingen.
Contact:
Duration:
2023 - 2026
Funding: