Research into the forest ecosystem - Universities of Lüneburg and Göttingen research climate-friendly forests
The state of Lower Saxony provides approximately 20 million Euros for research on the effects of climate change on the forest ecosystem. Four new Future Labs - so-called Climate Future Labs - are working at the Climate Research Centre in Lower Saxony. In one part, the resilience of German forests against stress factors such as drought and heat is being investigated, as the Leuphana University of Lüneburg announced.
Instruments for monitoring, decision support, and management of the forests in Lower Saxony are to be further developed. Participating in this are the Nordwest German Forest Research Institute and the Georg-August-University Göttingen, Leuphana, the Alfred Toepfer Academy for Nature Conservation, the Technical University Munich, and the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Which stress reactions are there?
The Lüneburg project focuses on stress reactions of typical deciduous tree species such as the Red Beech and the European Beech. Observational studies at various locations in Lower Saxony and experiments in a growth chamber are planned. The experimental part allows for the regulation of nutrient input and a better understanding of the interactions between climate change and nutrients. "With our approach, we take into account both the investigation of older trees and established forest stands as well as the role of climate change for natural regeneration," explains Professor Sylvia Haider. The goal is to come up with recommendations for managing the forests in Lower Saxony in the face of climate change.
- The Climate Research Centre in Lower Saxony is funding four Climate Future Labs to investigate the resilience of German forests against climate change stress factors like drought and heat.
- The Leuphana University of Lüneburg is involved in one of these projects, focusing on stress reactions of deciduous tree species such as the Red Beech and the European Beech.
- The Nordwest German Forest Research Institute, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Leuphana, Alfred Toepfer Academy for Nature Conservation, Technical University Munich, and the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands are also participating in the research to develop instruments for monitoring and managing forests in Lower Saxony.
- The goal of this collaborative project is to provide recommendations for managing forests in Lower Saxony as they face climate change, taking into account both established forest stands and natural regeneration.
- The experimental part of the project will involve regulating nutrient input in a growth chamber to better understand the interactions between climate change and nutrients.
- The research findings may also have implications for agriculture and ecosystems in Lower Saxony and beyond, as climate change affects various aspects of the environment.
