#Forest & Deadwood #2017 – 2020 #Species biodiversity #Tree-related microhabitats #Ecosystem processes #Resources #Time series #Cultivation #Land use #Management #Productivity #Landscape structure #Ecosystem services #Synthesis #Tree species composition #Forest structure #Spatial scale #Disturbance #Drought stress #Beech #Spruce #Temporal scale

Forest structure (Core project)

Forest structure – Properties, structure and management of the forest experimental plots

Core project 6

Forests are characterised by a highly variable compositional and spatial structure being extremely important for various ecological processes and availability of resources and habitats. However, the specific structure of a forest stand is changed by stand development due to tree growth, ageing and competition, disturbances, and by forest management. Silvicultural interventions may do both, homogenise or diversify stand structure. Therefore, the assessment of stand structure and its quantitative description are crucial for understanding the impact of forest management on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

Background

The forests of the Exploratories differ in respect to regeneration method employed, tree species mixture, developmental phase, age structure, layering and patchiness. The managed forests of the Exploratories cover the entire spectrum from planted, even-aged, single-layered, monoculture stands of conifers (spruce or pine) via naturally regenerated, even-aged, single or double layered monoculture stands of broadleaves (beech or oak) of various developmental phases to even-aged man-made mixed forests and uneven-aged beech forests. Additionally, pure and mixed forests dominated by European beech which have been unmanaged since some decades are studied.

Goals

Within the framework of the exploratories, this project serves to provide quantitative data for all experimental plots on 1) attributes of forest structure, 2) changes in attributes of forest structure due to forest management and natural processes, 3) stand development and productivity, 4) type and magnitude of forest management interventions, 5) deadwood amount and composition, and 6) abundance of tree microhabitats. This information may serve as explanatory variables for all teams working on functional biodiversity at the level of specific species, functional groups or multidiversity.

Additionally, we will further develop existing approaches of quantifying forest management intensity in order to analyse the relationship between forest structure and land-use intensity.

Picture: The diagram shows information on interactions between land use and biodiversity. On the left of the diagram is the term land use, from which an arrow leads to the right to an elipse containing several terms. From the elipse, an arrow leads further to the right to the term biodiversity. The terms within the elipse are arranged in the form of a triangle whose three sides consist of arrows with arrowheads at both ends to represent the interaction. At the top of the triangle is the term land use intensity, at the bottom left is the term stand structure and at the bottom right is the term productivity.

Methods

Our work is strongly based on inventories. That is, we locate, count and measure the objects of interest, be it living trees, deadwood items or habitats. Repeated inventories serve to quantify temporal changes, like tree growth or deadwood accumulation. Additionally, we rely on terrestrial laser scanning.

Work packages

In the previous phase (4th phase, 2014 – 2017) we:

Completed and processed the initial large trees inventory (2nd and 3rd phase)
Linked terrestrial and airborne data
Conducted the repeated large trees inventory (70453 trees)
Inventoried small trees (dbh < 7 cm, 97177 trees)
Measured browsing damage (14990 trees)
Provided data on forest characteristics, stand structure and LUI
Quantified forest growth, tree harvests and other causes of tree mortality

In this phase (5th phase, 2017 – 2020) we will:

Survey deadwood items
Survey tree microhabitats
Monitor browsing damage
Analyse temporal changes in stand structure and land-use intensity

Picture: The graphic shows an overview of the areas of the hole cuts before the intervention in the Exploratory Hainich-Dün.

The areas of the hole cuts before the intervention in the Hainich-Dün exploratory

Picture: The diagram shows information on the amount and dynamics of deadwood on the experimental plots.

Quantity and dynamics of deadwood on the experimental plots

Picture: The diagram shows information on the occurrence of microhabitats by forest type.

Occurrence of microhabitats by forest type (unmanaged beech forests and managed forests of different composition)

Picture: The diagram shows information on the status and dynamics of land use intensity in the forest for various tree species. Measured with the Indize For M I.

Status and dynamics of land use intensity in forests measured with the two indices ForMI and SMI

Publications

Impacts of forest management on stand and landscape-level microclimate heterogeneity of European beech forests

Menge J. H., Magdon P., Wöllauer S., Ehbrecht M. (2023): Impacts of forest management on stand and landscape-level microclimate heterogeneity of European beech forests. Landscape Ecology 38, 903–917. doi: 10.1007/s10980-023-01596-z

Towards a causal understanding of the relationship between structural complexity, productivity, and adaptability of forests based on principles of thermodynamics

Seidel D., Ammer C. (2023): Towards a causal understanding of the relationship between structural complexity, productivity, and adaptability of forests based on principles of thermodynamics. Forest Ecology and Management 544, 121238. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121238

Index of biodiversity potential (IBP) versus direct species monitoring in temperate forests

Zeller L., Baumann C., Gonin P., Heidrich L., Keye C., Konrad F., Larrieu L., Meyer P., Sennhenn-Reulen H., Müller J., Schall P., Ammer C. (2022): Index of biodiversity potential (IBP) versus direct species monitoring in temperate forests. Ecological Indicators 136: 108692. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108692

Short-term dynamics of structural complexity in differently managed and unmanaged European beech forests

Willim K., Ammer K., Seidel D., Annighöfer P., Schmucker J., Schall P., Ehbrecht M. (2022): Short-term dynamics of structural complexity in differently managed and unmanaged European beech forests. Trees, Forests and People 8, 100231. doi: 10.1016/j.tfp.2022.100231

Dispersal ability, trophic position and body size mediate species turnover processes: Insights from a multi‐taxa and multi‐scale approach

Bae S., Heidrich L., Levick S. R., Gossner M. M., Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Magdon P., Serebryanyk A., Bässler C., Schäfer D., Schulze E.-D., Doerfler I., Müller J., Jung K., Heurich M., Fischer M., Roth N., Schall P., Boch S., Wöllauer S., Renner S. C., Müller J. (2021): Dispersal ability, trophic position and body size mediate species turnover processes: Insights from a multi‐taxa and multi‐scale approach. Diversity and Distributions 27 (3), 439-453. doi: 10.1111/ddi.13204

On the structural complexity of central European agroforestry systems: a quantitative assessment using terrestrial laser scanning in single-scan mode

Seidel D., Stiers M., Ehbrecht M., Werning M., Annighöfer P. (2021): On the structural complexity of central European agroforestry systems: a quantitative assessment using terrestrial laser scanning in single-scan mode. Agroforestry systems 95, 669–685. doi: 10.1007/s10457-021-00620-y

Modelling the effects of forest management on landscape-level microclimate heterogeneity in European beech forests based on airborne laser scanning data (ALS)

Menge J. H. (2021): Modelling the effects of forest management on landscape-level microclimate heterogeneity in European beech forests based on airborne laser scanning data (ALS). Master thesis, University Göttingen

Among stand heterogeneity is key for biodiversity in managed beech forests but does not question the value of unmanaged forests: Response to Bruun and Heilmann-Clausen (2021)

Die Heterogenität der Bestände ist der Schlüssel für die biologische Vielfalt in bewirtschafteten Buchenwäldern, stellt aber den Wert unbewirtschafteter Wälder nicht in Frage: Antwort auf Bruun und Heilmann-Clausen (2021)

Schall P., Heinrichs S., Ammer C., Ayasse M., Boch S., Buscot F., Fischer M., Goldmann K., Overmann J., Schulze E.-D., Sikorski J., Weisser W. W., Wubet T., Gossner M. M. (2021): Among stand heterogeneity is key for biodiversity in managed beech forests but does not question the value of unmanaged forests: Response to Bruun and Heilmann-Clausen (2021). Journal of Applied Ecology 58 (9), 1817-1826. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13959

Effect of tree species mixing on stand structural complexity

Einfluss der Baumartenmischung auf die Komplexität der Bestandesstruktur

Juchheim J., Ehbrecht M., Schall P., Ammer C., Seidel D. (2020): Effect of tree species mixing on stand structural complexity. Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research 93 (1), 75–83. doi: 10.1093/forestry/cpz046

Can multi‐taxa diversity in European beech forest landscapes be increased by combining different management systems?

Kann die Multitaxa-Biodiversität in europäischen Buchenwaldlandschaften durch die Kombination verschiedener Managementsysteme erhöht werden?

Schall P., Heinrichs S., Ammer C., Ayasse M., Boch S., Buscot F., Fischer M., Goldmann K., Overmann J., Schulze E.-D., Sikorski J., Weisser W. W., Wubet T., Gossner M. M. (2020): Can multi‐taxa diversity in European beech forest landscapes be increased by combining different management systems? Journal of Applied Ecology 57 (7), 1363-1375. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13635

Deriving stand structural complexity from airborne laser scanning data- What does it tells us about a forest?

Bestimmung der structurellen Bestandeskomplexität aus luftgestützen Laserscanningdaten- was sagt sie uns über den Wald?

Seidel D., Annighöfer P., Ehbrecht M., Magdon P., Wöllauer S., Ammer C. (2020): Deriving stand structural complexity from airborne laser scanning data - What does it tell us about a forest? Remote Sensing 12, 1854. doi: 10.3390/rs12111854

Dynamics of three-dimensional forest structure and canopy openness in European beech forests

Dynamik von dreidimensionaler Waldstruktur und Kronenbeschirmung in europäischen Buchenwäldern

Schmucker J. (2020): Dynamics of three-dimensional forest structure and canopy openness in European beech forests. Master thesis, University Göttingen

Annahmen und Ergebnisse zur Biodiversität im Wirtschafts- wald – Neues aus der Biodiversitätsforschung

Heinrichs S., Schall P., Ammer C., Fischer M., Gossner M. (2020): Annahmen und Ergebnisse zur Biodiversität im Wirtschaftswald – Neues aus der Biodiversitätsforschung. WSL-Berichte 100: 15-29.

Mapping forest tree species in high resolution UAV-based RGB-imagery by means of convolutional neural networks

Genaue Baumartenkartierung aus hochauflösenden UAV-basierten RGB-Bildern, ermöglicht durch neuronale Netzwerke

Schiefer F., Kattenborn T., Frick A., Frey J., Schall P., Koch B., Schmidtlein S. (2020): Mapping forest tree species in high resolution UAV-based RGB-imagery by means of convolutional neural networks. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 170, 205-215. doi: 10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2020.10.015

Eignung des IBP (L’Indice de Biodiversité Potentielle) zur Abschätzung der Biodiversität in Wäldern – Eine empirische Studie anhand einer Erhebung in bewirtschafteten Wäldern in der Schwäbischen Alb

Eignung des IBP (L’Indice de Biodiversité Potentielle) zur Abschätzung der Biodiversität in Wäldern - Eine empirische Studie anhand einer Erhebung in bewirtschafteten Wäldern in der Schwäbischen Alb

Konrad F. (2020): Eignung des IBP (L’Indice de Biodiversité Potentielle) zur Abschätzung der Biodiversität in Wäldern - Eine empirische Studie anhand einer Erhebung in bewirtschafteten Wäldern in der Schwäbischen Alb. Bachelorarbeit, Universität Göttingen

Eignung des IBP (L’Indice de Biodiversité Potentielle) zur Abschätzung der Biodiversität in Wäldern. Eine Fallstudie auf Flächen der Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien in der Region Schorfheide-Chorin

Baumann C. (2020): Eignung des IBP (L’Indice de Biodiversité Potentielle) zur Abschätzung der Biodiversität in Wäldern. Eine Fallstudie auf Flächen der Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien in der Region Schorfheide-Chorin. Bachelorarbeit, Universität Göttingen

Scale-guided mapping of forest stand structural heterogeneity from airborne LiDAR

Kukunda C. B., Beckschäfer P., Magdon P., Schall P., Wirth C., Kleinn C. (2019): Scale-guided mapping of forest stand structural heterogeneity from airborne LiDAR. Ecological indicators 102, 410-425. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.02.056

Analyzing the relationship between historic canopy dynamics and current plant species diversity in the herb layer of temperate forests using long-term Landsat time series

Graf W., Kleinn C., Schall P., Nauss T., Detsch T., Magdon P. (2019): Analyzing the relationship between historic canopy dynamics and current plant species diversity in the herb layer of temperate forests using long-term Landsat time series. Remote Sensing of Environment 232, 111305. doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2019.111305

Effects of structural heterogeneity on the diurnal temperature range in temperate forest ecosystems

Ehbrecht M., Schall P., Ammer C., Fischer M., Seidel D. (2019): Effects of structural heterogeneity on the diurnal temperature range in temperate forest ecosystems. Forest Ecology and Management 432, 860-867. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.10.008

Exclusion of large herbivores affects understorey shrub vegetation more than herb vegetation across 147 forest sites in three German regions

Wildausschluss beeinflusst Strauchvegetation stärker als Krautvegetation in 147 Waldflächen dreier deutscher Regionen

Schäfer D., Prati D., Schall P., Ammer C., Fischer M. (2019): Exclusion of large herbivores affects understorey shrub vegetation more than herb vegetation across 147 forest sites in three German regions. PLoS ONE 14(7): e0218741. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218741

Landscape-Scale Mixtures of Tree Species are More Effective than Stand-Scale Mixtures for Biodiversity of Vascular Plants, Bryophytes and Lichens

Mischungen unterschiedlicher Reinbestände auf Landschaftsebene sind effektiver für die Biodiversität von Gefäßpflanzen, Moosen und Flechten als Mischbestände

Heinrichs S., Ammer C., Mund M., Boch S., Budde S., Fischer M., Müller J., Schöning I., Schulze E.-D., Schmidt W., Weckesser M., Schall P. (2019): Landscape-Scale Mixtures of Tree Species are More Effective than Stand-Scale Mixtures for Biodiversity of Vascular Plants, Bryophytes and Lichens. Forests 10 (1), 73. doi: 10.3390/f10010073

Response of Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Trees to Competition—New Insights from Using Fractal Analysis

Dorji Y., Annighöfer P., Ammer C. Seidel D. (2019): Response of Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Trees to Competition—New Insights from Using Fractal Analysis. Remote Sensing 11 (22), 2656. doi: 10.3390/rs11222656

The impact of even-aged and uneven-aged forest management on regional biodiversity of multiple taxa in European beech forests

Die Auswirkungen bestandesweiser und einzelbaumweiser Waldbewirtschaftung auf die regionale Artenvielfalt mehrerer Taxa in europäischen Buchenwäldern

Schall P., Gossner M. M., Heinrichs S., Fischer M., Boch S., Prati D., Jung K., Baumgartner V., Blaser S., Böhm S., Buscot F., Daniel R., Goldmann K., Kaiser K., Kahl T., Lange M., Müller J., Overmann J., Renner S., Schulze E.-D., Sikorski J., Tschapka M., Türke M., Weisser W. W., Wemheuer B., Wubet T., Ammer C. (2018): The impact of even-aged and uneven-aged forest management on regional biodiversity of multiple taxa in European beech forests. Journal of Applied Ecology 55 (1), 267–278. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12950

Relations between forest management, stand structure and productivity across different types of Central European forests

Beziehungen zwischen Waldbewirtschaftung, Bestandsstruktur und Produktivität in verschiedenen mitteleuropäischen Wäldern

Schall P., Schulze E.-D., Fischer M., Ayasse M., Ammer C. (2018): Relations between forest management, stand structure and productivity across different types of Central European forests. Basic and Applied Ecology 32, 39-52. doi: 10.1016/j.baae.2018.02.007

A holistic approach to determine tree structural complexity based on laser scanning data and fractal analysis

Eine holistischer Ansatz zur Bestimmung der strukturellen Komplexität von Bäumen

Seidel D. (2018): A holistic approach to determine tree structural complexity based on laser scanning data and fractal analysis. Ecology and Evolution 8 (1), 128–134. doi: 10.1002/ece3.3661. doi: 10.1002/ece3.3661

Applying fractal analysis to stem distribution maps

Fraktale analyse von Stammfußkarten

Seidel D., Annighöfer P., Ehbrecht M., Ammer C., Schall P. (2018): Applying fractal analysis to stem distribution maps. Ecological Indicators 93, 243-246. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.05.016

Qualitative und quantitative Analyse der Totholzvorräte des Biodiversitäts-Exploratoriums Schwäbische Alb

Szemes D. G. C. A. (2018): Qualitative und quantitative Analyse der Totholzvorräte des Biodiversitäts-Exploratoriums Schwäbische Alb. Bachelor thesis, University Göttingen

Quantifying stand structural complexity and its relationship with forest management, tree species diversity and microclimate

Ehbrecht M., Schall P., Ammer C., Seidel D. (2017): Quantifying stand structural complexity and its relationship with forest management, tree species diversity and microclimate. Agricultural & Forest Meteorology 242, 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2017.04.012

Buche in Mischbeständen bei Trockenheit weniger gestresst

Annighöfer P., Metz J., Schall P., Schulze E.-D., Ammer C. (2017): Buche in Mischbeständen bei Trockenheit weniger gestresst. Allgemeine Forst Zeitschrift/Der Wald 72 (17), 13-15

Waldbewirtschaftung und Biodiversität: Vielfalt ist gefrag

Ammer C., Schall P., Goßner M. M., Heinrichs S., Boch S., Prati D., Jung K., Baumgartner V., Blaser S., Böhm S., Buscot F., Daniel R., Goldmann K., Kaiser K., Kahl T., Lange M., Müller J., Overmann J., Renner S. C., Schulze E.-D., Sikorski J., Tschapka M., Türke M., Weisser W. W., Wemheuer B., Wubet T., Fischer M. (2017): Waldbewirtschaftung und Biodiversität: Vielfalt ist gefragt! Allgemeine Forst Zeitschrift/Der Wald 17, 20-25

Quantifying three-dimensional stand structure and its relationship with forest management and microclimate in temperate forest ecosystems

Ehbrecht M. A. (2017): Quantifying three-dimensional stand structure and its relationship with forest management and microclimate in temperate forest ecosystems. Dissertation, University Göttingen

Effective number of layers: A new measure for quantifying three-dimensional stand structure based on sampling with terrestrial LiDAR

Effektive Anzahl an Schichten: ein neues Maß zur Beschreibung der vertikalen Bestandesstruktur mithilfe terrestrischen Laserscannings

Ehbrecht M., Schall P., Juchheim J., Ammer C., Seidel D. (2016): Effective number of layers: A new measure for quantifying three-dimensional stand structure based on sampling with terrestrial LiDAR. Forest Ecology and Management 380, 212–223. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.09.003

The so-called core projects of the BE emerged from the site selection project and the establishment of the exploratories (2006-2008). Since 2008, they have been providing the infrastructure and collecting important basic information on land use, diversity and ecosystem processes (long-term monitoring) for all projects. In addition, they coordinate project-wide activities such as various large-scale experiments.