Research interests
- Applying methods of dendroecology to answer silvicultural questions in terms of growth, productivity and vitality
- Investigating how silvicultural systems and interventions affect individual trees and forest stands
- Exploring the influence of complexity enhancement by silvicultural means on remaining trees
- Assessing the effect of silvicultural methods in interplay with increasing climate stress and extreme climatic events
Aktuelle Projekte
| Objective | Trees in space and time – effects of ESBC measures on the complexity-diversity relationship in the forest landscape and on individual tree stress level (subproject in the group Beta-For) |
| Content | In this subproject, we want to investigate the effects of silvicultural measures aimed at enhancing structural heterogeneity in forest stands on biodiversity and tree vitality. The starting point is the finding that while structurally complex stands (high within-stand complexity, alpha level) may benefit certain animal species, diversity at the landscape level (beta and gamma diversity) is more strongly promoted by heterogeneity, i.e., variation of different structures side by side. However, it remains unclear at which spatial scales such positive effects occur and whether negative effects, such as increased stress for edge trees, arise simultaneously. Measures intended to promote species diversity, such as gap creation, can diversify habitats but also pose risks such as fragmentation or increased stress on edge trees due to exposure to higher light, heat and evaporative demand. With more frequent drought and heat events, tree vitality may become increasingly vulnerable. To address these questions, the project combines structural analysis at different spatial scales ranging from 0.25 ha plots to landscapes of 1,250 ha, deriving heterogeneity and complexity patterns and their scaling behavior. We also aim to analyze individual tree competition and how gap exposure affects the vitality of edge trees by dendrochronological and carbon isotope analyses (δ¹³C) in tree rings to address potential drought stress retrospectively. Overall, our subproject aims at providing an integrated understanding of trade-offs between biodiversity promotion and tree vitality, thereby offering guidance for sustainable and climate-resilient forest management. |
| Term | 01.05.2026 bis 30.04.2030 |
| Funded by | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) |
| Partners | Spatial Structures and Digitization of Forests University of Göttingen, Chair of Forest Botany Dresden University of Technology |
| Person in charge | Dr. Lars Sprengel |
| Publications | Not available so far |