#Plants #2017 – 2020 #2014 – 2017 #2011 – 2014 #2008 – 2011 #2006 – 2008 #Plant diversity #Spatial diversity #Interaction #Tree species composition #Forest structure #Herbs #Habitat #Species enrichment/ Species loss #Species biodiversity #Grassland #Time series #Biomass #Land use

Botany (Core project)

Plant diversity and plant-related processes

Core project 5

Also in this phase of the project, the core botany project will investigate the diversity of vascular plants, lichens, mosses and fungi, the productivity of grasslands and, in experiments, the influence of dispersal limitation and disturbance.

Picture: The photo shows a meadow with a female scientist and a male scientist kneeling on the ground and laying down markers. Both persons are smiling into the camera, in the background a climate measuring station and a forest can be seen.

Goals

The major aims of this project are:

1. to assess the effect of land use on the diversity of plants and lichens in grassland and forest as well as on plant pathogenic fungi in grassland,

2. to measure functional and phylogenetic diversity of grassland plants cultivated under standardized conditions,

3. to monitor above- and belowground grassland productivity and nitrogen content as important ecosystem processes, and

4. to manipulate plant diversity experimentally by seeding, disturbance, or plant removal to test the consequences of changed plant diversity for ecosystem processes and how these depend on land use.

The repeated monitoring of diversities and ecosystem processes will further allow us to estimate the stability and resilience of communities, and to relate changes in plant diversity and composition to changes in other taxa. In addition, our project will provide important baseline information for other projects and allow assessing the effect of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic plant diversity, and grassland productivity on ecosystem processes and the diversity of other taxa.

	Methods	Grid plots (1000 plots)	Experimental plots (100 plots)
Plant Diversity
Forest vegetation	one releve in spring and autumn, 20 x 20 m	x
	yearly repeated		x
Grassland vegetation	one releve in summer, 4 x 4 m	x
	yearly repeated
Vegetation height		x
Biomass			x
species number-Areal-relation			x
Seed bank			x
Functional Diversity	traits from BIOLFLOR-Database, Morphological traits, dispersal traits, pollination traits
Genetic Diversity	AFLP and microsatellites of selected species		x
Seeding experiment	Seeding of grassland species from the regional species pool to test dispersal limitation		x
	Seeding of selected tree species in fenced and unfenced subplots of EPs to test dispersal limitation (planned)		x
	biomass and SLA measurement to study the effect of diversity on productivity		x
Green house study	germination success
Parasites and Herbivores	identification of parasites and Herbivore damage on thistles		x
Disturbance experiment in grassland and forest	Simulation of trapping and dryness in different intensities to study the effect of disturbance on the stability of ecosystem with varying diversity		x
Population biology of selected species	Quantifying population density, herbivory, pathogen load and pollinator limitation on selected plant specie		x

Publications

Vascular plant diversity in experimental forest canopy gaps with deadwood enrichment

Zurbuchen N. D. (2022): Vascular plant diversity in experimental forest canopy gaps with deadwood enrichment. Master thesis, University of Bern

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

The use of water-filled tree holes by vertebrates in temperate forests

Kirsch J.-J., Sermon J., Jonker M., Asbeck T., Gossner M. M., Petermann J. S., Basile M. (2021): The use of water-filled tree holes by vertebrates in temperate forests. Wildlife Biology 1: wlb.00786. doi: 10.2981/wlb.00786

Direct and indirect effects of management intensity and environmental factors on functional diversity of lichens in Central European forests

Direkte und indirekte Auswirkungen von Bewirtschaftungsintensität und Umweltfaktoren auf die funktionelle Diversität von Flechten in mitteleuropäischen Wäldern

Boch S., Saiz H., Allan E., Schall P., Prati D., Schulze E.-D., Hessenmöller D., Sparrius L., Fischer M. (2021): Direct and indirect effects of management intensity and environmental factors on functional diversity of lichens in Central European forests. Microorganisms 9 (2), 463. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9020463

Will I stay or will I go? Plant species‐specific response and tolerance to high land‐use intensity in temperate grassland ecosystems

Werde ich bleiben oder werde ich gehen? Artspezifische Reaktionen und Toleranzen von Pflanzen auf und gegenüber hoher Landnutzungsintensitäten in temperaten Grünland-Ökosystemen

Busch V., Klaus V. H., Schäfer D., Prati D., Boch S., Müller J., Socher S. A., Chisté M., Mody K., Blüthgen N., Fischer M., Hölzel N., Kleinebecker T. (2019): Will I stay or will I go? Plant species‐specific response and tolerance to high land‐use intensity in temperate grassland ecosystems. Journal of Vegetation Science 30 (4), 674-686. doi: 10.1111/jvs.12749

Recovery of ecosystem functions after experimental disturbance in 73 grasslands differing in land‐use intensity, plant species richness and community composition

Erholung von Ökosystemfunktionen nach experimenteller Störung in 73 Grünlandflächen mit unterschiedlicher Landnutzungsintensität, Artenvielfalt und Zusammensetzung der Pflanzengesellschaft

Schäfer D., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Boeddinghaus R. S., Hinderling J., Kandeler E., Marhan S., Nowak S., Sonnemann I., Wurst S., Fischer M., Hölzel N., Hamer U., Prati D. (2019): Recovery of ecosystem functions after experimental disturbance in 73 grasslands differing in land‐use intensity, plant species richness and community composition. Journal of Ecology 107 (6), 2635-2649. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.13211

Effects of forest management on bryophyte species richness in Central European forests

Müller J., Boch S., Prati D., Socher S., Pommer U., Hessenmöller D., Schall P., Schulze E. D., Fischer M. (2019): Effects of forest management on bryophyte species richness in Central European forests. Forest Ecology and Management 432, 850-859. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.10.019

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

Radar vision in the mapping of forest biodiversity from space

Eine Radarsicht bei der Kartierung der biologischen Vielfalt von Wäldern aus dem Weltraum

Bae S., Levick S. R., Heidrich L., Magdon P., Leutner B. F., Wöllauer S., Serebryanyk A., Nauss T., Krzystek P., Gossner M. M., Schall P., Heibl C., Bässler C., Doerfler I. , Schulze E.-D., Krah F.-S., Culmsee H., Jung K., Heurich M., Fischer M., Seibold S., Thorn S., Gerlach T., Hothorn T., Weisser W. W., Müller J. (2019): Radar vision in the mapping of forest biodiversity from space. Nature Communications 10:4757. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-12737-x

Pflanzen als Indikatoren für regional vorherrschende meteorologische Verhältnisse

Wyss P. (2019): Pflanzen als Indikatoren für regional vorherrschende meteorologische Verhältnisse. Bachelor thesis, University Freiburg

Direct and indirect effects of land use on bryophytes in grasslands

Direkte und indirekte Grünlandnutzungseffekte auf Moosdiversität

Boch S., Allan E., Humbert J.-Y., Kurtogullari Y., Lessard-Therrien M., Müller J., Prati D., Rieder N. S., Arlettaz R., Fischer M. (2018): Direct and indirect effects of land use on bryophytes in grasslands. Science of The Total Environment 644, 60-67. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.323

Contribution of the soil seed bank to the restoration of temperate grasslands by mechanical sward disturbance

Die Bodensamenbank hilft nicht bei der Renaturierung von artenarmem Wirtschaftsgrünland

Klaus V. H., Hoewer C. J., Fischer M., Hamer U., Kleinebecker T., Mertens D., Schäfer D., Prati D., Hölzel N. (2018): Contribution of the soil seed bank to the restoration of temperate grasslands by mechanical sward disturbance. Restoration Ecology 26 (2), 114-122. doi: 10.1111/rec.12626

Effects of mowing, grazing and fertilization on soil seed banks in temperate grasslands in Central Europe

Die Effekte von Düngung, Mahd und Beweidung auf die Bodensamenbank im Grünland

Klaus V. H., Schäfer D., Prati D., Busch V., Hamer U., Hoewer C. J., Kleinebecker T., Mertens D., Fischer M., Hölzel N. (2018): Effects of mowing, grazing and fertilization on soil seed banks in temperate grasslands in Central Europe. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 256, 211-217. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2017.11.008

And the winner is …! A test of simple predictors of plant species richness in agricultural grasslands

Kleinebecker T., Busch V., Hölzel N., Hamer U. , Schäfer D., Prati D., Fischer M., Hemp A., Lauterbach R., Klaus V. (2018): And the winner is …! A test of simple predictors of plant species richness in agricultural grasslands. Ecological Indicators 87, 296–301. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.12.031

Land use intensity, rather than plant species richness, affects the leaching risk of multiple nutrients from permanent grasslands

Die Intensivierung der Nutzung und der Umbruch von Grünland steigern das Risiko der Nitratauswaschung

Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Busch V., Fischer M., Hölzel N., Nowak S., Prati D., Schäfer D., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Hamer U. (2018): Land use intensity, rather than plant species richness, affects the leaching risk of multiple nutrients from permanent grasslands. Global Change Biology 24 (7), 2828-2840. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14123

Low-intensity management promotes bryophyte diversity in grasslands

Extensive Landnutzung fördert die Moosdiversität im Grünland

Boch S., Müller J., Prati D., Fischer M. (2018): Low-intensity management promotes bryophyte diversity in grasslands. Tuexenia 38, 311–328. doi: 10.14471/2018.38.014

Diversity-stability relationships in temperate grasslands and forests of differing land-use intensities

Diversitäts-Stabilitäts-Beziehungen in temperaten Grünländern und Wäldern von unterschiedlicher Landnutzungsintensität

Schäfer D. (2018): Diversity-stability relationships in temperate grasslands and forests of differing land-use intensities. Dissertation, University Bern

Cirsium rivulare (JACQ.) ALL. Wiederfund für Brandenburg

Müller J., Rätzel S., Hemp A. (2018): Cirsium rivulare (JACQ.) ALL. Wiederfund für Brandenburg. In "Neuigkeiten zu den Farn- und Samenpflanzen von Berlin und Brandenburg I" Stefan Rätzel, Michael Ristow und Volker Kummer (Hrsg.). Botanischer Verein von Berlin und Brandenburg 150, 149-153

No evidence for larger leaf trait plasticity in ecological generalists compared to specialists

Dostál P., Fischer M., Chytry M., Prati D. (2017): No evidence for larger leaf trait plasticity in ecological generalists compared to specialists. Journal of Biogeography 44 (3), 511–521. doi: 10.1111/jbi.12881

Transgenerational effects of land use on offspring performance and growth in Trifolium repens

Weißklee-Pflanzen erinnern sich an die Landnutzung bei ihrer Elterngeneration

Wang Z., Bossdorf O., Prati D., Fischer M., van Kleunen M. (2016): Transgenerational effects of land use on offspring performance and growth in Trifolium repens. Oecologia 180 (2), 409-420. doi: 10.1007/s00442-015-3480-6

Lichen species richness is highest in non-intensively used grasslands promoting suitable microhabitats and low vascular plant competition

Der Artenreichtum von Flechten ist am höchsten in extensiven Schafweiden, wo es viele Mikrohabitate gibt und die Konkurrenz mit Gefäßpflanzen niedrig ist

Boch S., Prati D., Schöning I., Fischer M. (2016): Lichen species richness is highest in non-intensively used grasslands promoting suitable microhabitats and low vascular plant competition. Biodiversity and Conservation 25 (2), 225-238. doi: 10.1007/s10531-015-1037-y

Gastropods slow down succession and maintain diversity in cryptogam communities

Langsam kriechende Schnecken verhindern schnellen Artenverlust in Flechtengemeinschaften

Boch S., Fischer M., Prati D. (2016): Gastropods slow down succession and maintain diversity in cryptogam communities. Ecology 97 (9), 2184–2191. doi: 10.1002/ecy.1498

Phenotypic plasticity is a negative, though weak, predictor of the commonness of 105 grassland species

Dostál P., Fischer M., Prati D. (2016): Phenotypic plasticity is a negative, though weak, predictor of the commonness of 105 grassland species. Global Ecology and Biogeography 25 (4), 464–474. doi: 10.1111/geb.12429

Extensive und jährlich wechselnde Nutzungsintensität fördert den Artenreichtum im Grünland

Boch S., Allan E., Birkhofer K., Bossdorf O., Blüthgen N., Christ-Breulmann S., Diekötter T., Dormann C. F., Gossner M. M.,Hallmann C., Hemp A., Hölzel N., Jung K., Klaus V. H., Klein A. M., Kleinebecker T., Lange M., Müller J., Nacke H., Prati D., Renner S. C., Rothenwöhrer C., Schall P., Schulze E.-D., Socher S., Tscharntke T., Türke M., Weiner C. N., Weisser W. W., Westphal C., Wolters W., Wubet T., Fischer M. (2016): Extensive und jährlich wechselnde Nutzungsintensität fördert den Artenreichtum im Grünland. Anliegen Natur 38 (1), 86-95

Effects of forest management on bryophyte communities on deadwood

Mehr Moose durch mehr Totholz in Wäldern

Müller J., Boch S., Blaser S., Fischer M., Prati D. (2015): Effects of forest management on bryophyte communities on deadwood. Nova Hedwigia 100 (3-4), 423-438. doi: 10.1127/nova_hedwigia/2015/0242

To eat or not to eat – Relationship of lichen herbivory by snails with secondary compounds and field frequency of lichens

Was der Bauer nicht kennt, das frisst er nicht – Schnecken fressen bevorzugt Flechtenarten, die häufig in ihrem Lebensraum vorkommen

Boch S., Fischer M., Prati D. (2015): To eat or not to eat – Relationship of lichen herbivory by snails with secondary compounds and field frequency of lichens. Journal of Plant Ecology 8 (6), 642-650. doi: 10.1093/jpe/rtv005

Response of bryophyte diversity to land-use and management in forest and grassland habitats

Müller J.(2015): Response of bryophyte diversity to land-use and management in forest and grassland habitats. Dissertation, University Potsdam

Plant community assembly in temperate grasslands of different land-use intensity

Schmitt B. (2015): Plant community assembly in temperate grasslands of different land-use intensity. Dissertation, University Bern

Influence of experimental soil disturbances on the diversity of plants in agricultural grasslands

Vom Einfluß experimenteller Bodenstörungen auf die Vielfalt von Pflanzen auf Wiesen und Weiden

Müller J., Heinze J., Joshi J., Boch S., Klaus V. H., Fischer M., Prati D. (2014): Influence of experimental soil disturbances on the diversity of plants in agricultural grasslands. Journal of Plant Ecology 7 (6), 509-517. doi: 10.1093/jpe/rtt062

Effects of land use on the diversity of fungi in central European forests and grasslands

Blaser S. (2014): Effects of land use on the diversity of fungi in central European forests and grasslands. Dissertation, University Bern

Neue Ergebnisse aus den Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien

Fischer M., Boch S., Allan E. (2014): Neue Ergebnisse aus den Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien. Senckenberg Natur · Forschung · Museum 144 (3/4), 98-101

Effects of forest management on the diversity of deadwood-inhabiting fungi in Central European forests

Blaser S., Prati D., Senn-Irlet B., Fischer M. (2013): Effects of forest management on the diversity of deadwood-inhabiting fungi in Central European forests. Forest Ecology and Management 304, 42–48. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2013.04.043

Up in the Tree – The Overlooked Richness of Bryophytes and Lichens in Tree Crowns

Hoch oben im Baum – Die übersehene Vielfalt von Moosen und Flechten in Baumkronen

Boch S., Müller J., Prati D., Blaser S., Fischer M. (2013): Up in the Tree – The Overlooked Richness of Bryophytes and Lichens in Tree Crowns. PLoS ONE 8(12): e84913. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084913

Effects of native pollinator specialization, self-compatibility and flowering duration of European plant species on their invasiveness elsewhere

Sind europäische Pflanzen ohne spezialisierte Bestäubungssysteme eher in anderen Regionen der Welt invasiv?

Chrobock T., Weiner C. N., Werner M., Blüthgen N., Fischer M., van Kleunen M. (2013): Effects of native pollinator specialization, self-compatibility and flowering duration of European plant species on their invasiveness elsewhere. Journal of Ecology 101 (4), 916–923. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12107

High plant species richness indicates management-related disturbances rather than the conservation status of forests

Eine hohe Pflanzenartenvielfalt zeigt nutzungsbedingte Störungen statt den Naturschutzwert eines Waldes an

Boch S., Prati D., Müller J., Socher S., Baumbach H., Buscot F., Gockel S., Hemp A., Hessenmöller D., Kalko E. K. V., Linsenmair K. E., Pfeiffer S., Pommer U., Schöning I., Schulze E-D., Seilwinder C., Weisser W. W., Wells K., Fischer M. (2013): High plant species richness indicates management-related disturbances rather than the conservation status of forests. Basic and Applied Ecology 14 (6), 496–505. doi: 10.1016/j.baae.2013.06.001.

Richness of Lichen Species, Especially of Threatened Ones, Is Promoted by Management Methods Furthering Stand Continuity

Die Artenvielfalt von Flechten, besonders jene von gefährdeten Arten, wird durch Bestandeskontinuität sichernde Waldnutzungsmethoden gefördert

Boch S., Prati D., Hessenmöller D., Schulze E.-D., Fischer M. (2013): Richness of Lichen Species, Especially of Threatened Ones, Is Promoted by Management Methods Furthering Stand Continuity. PLoS ONE 8(1): e55461. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055461

Interacting effects of fertilization, mowing and grazing on plant species diversity of 1500 grasslands in Germany differ between regions

Düngung, Mahd und Beweidung beeinflussen die Diversität von Pflanzen im Grasland, eine Untersuchung auf 1.500 Grasland-Flächen

Socher S. A., Prati D., Boch S., Müller J., Baumbach H., Gockel S., Hemp A., Schöning I., Wells K., Buscot F., Kalko E. K. V., Linsenmair K. E., Schulze E.-D., Weisser W. W., Fischer M. (2013): Interacting effects of fertilization, mowing and grazing on plant species diversity of 1500 grasslands in Germany differ between regions. Basic and Applied Ecology 14 (2), 126–136. doi: 10.1016/j.baae.2012.12.003

Direct and productivity-mediated indirect effects of fertilization, mowing and grazing on grassland species richness

Socher S. A., Prati D., Boch S., Müller J., Klaus V. H., Hölzel N., Fischer M. (2012): Direct and productivity-mediated indirect effects of fertilization, mowing and grazing on grassland species richness Journal of Ecology 100 (6), 1391–1399. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.02020.x

Impact of land-use intensity and productivity on bryophyte diversity in agricultural grasslands

Auswirkungen intensiver Landnutzung auf Moosartenreichtum im Grünland

Müller J., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Prati D., Hölzel N., Fischer M. (2012): Impact of Land-Use Intensity and Productivity on Bryophyte Diversity in Agricultural Grasslands. PLoS ONE 7(12): e51520. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051520

Local adaptation of Plantago lanceolata to different land use regimes

Keller S. (2011): Local adaptation of Plantago lanceolata to different land use regimes. Master Thesis, University Bern

Effects of land use on plant diversity and productivity and the population age of Cirsium oleraceum

Brandenburger A. (2011): Effects of land use on plant diversity and productivity and the population age of Cirsium oleraceum. Thesis, University Potsdam

Lichen Endozoochory by Snails

Flechten-Endozoochorie durch Schnecken

Boch S, Prati D, Werth S, Rüetschi J, Fischer M (2011): Lichen Endozoochory by Snails. PLoS ONE 6(4): e18770. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018770

Anwendung von Waldartenlisten für Gefäßpflanzen, Moose und Flechten

Schmidt M., Culmsee H., Boch S., Heinken T., Müller J., Schmiedel I.: Anwendungsmöglichkeiten von Waldartenlisten für Gefäßpflanzen, Moose und Flechten in : Schmidt M., Kriebitzsch W-U., Ewald J. (Hrsg.) (2011): Waldartenlisten der Farn- und Blütenpflanzen, Moose und Flechten Deutschlands. - BfN-Skripten 299

Drivers of vascular plant and lichen diversity in Central European forests

Boch S.(2011): Drivers of vascular plant and lichen diversity in Central European forests. Dissertation, University Bern

Effects of land use on the diversity of grassland plants

Socher S.A. (2011): Effects of land use on the diversity of grassland plants. Dissertation, University Bern

Waldartenliste der Moose Deutschlands

Preussing M., Drehwald U., Koperski M., Thiel H., Waesch G., Baumann M., Berg C., Dierschke H., Dolnik C., Dürhammer O., Ewald J. , Fischer A., Grünberg H. , Heinken T., Jansen F., Kison H.-U., Klawitter J., Kriebitzsch W.-U., Loos G.H. , Manthey M., Müller J., Paul A., Reimann M., Schmidt M., Schmidt W., Stetzka K.M., Teuber D., Teuber U., Wagner I., Wagner A., Weckesser M., Winter S., Wolf T., Wulf M.: : Waldartenliste der Moose Deutschlands in : Schmidt M., Kriebitzsch W-U., Ewald J. (Hrsg.) (2011): Waldartenlisten der Farn- und Blütenpflanzen, Moose und Flechten Deutschlands. - BfN-Skripten 299

Waldartenliste der Flechten Deutschlands

Bültmann H., Scholz P., Teuber D., Feuerer T. , Fischer P., Boch S., Bradtka J.H., Cezanne R. , Dolnik C., Drehwald U., Eichler M., Ewald J. , Heinken T., Hobohm C., Jansen F., Kriebitzsch W.-U. , Loos G.U. , Otte V. , Paul A., Printzen C., Schmidt M., Sparrius L., Waesch G..: Waldartenliste der Flechten Deutschlands in : Schmidt M., Kriebitzsch W-U., Ewald J. (Hrsg.) (2011): Waldartenlisten der Farn- und Blütenpflanzen, Moose und Flechten Deutschlands. - BfN-Skripten 299

Impacts of disturbance, productivity and soil microorganisms on plant-diversity

Heinze J. (2010): Impacts of disturbance, productivity and soil microorganisms on plant-diversity. Thesis, University Potsdam

The influence of land use on plant science diversity in the biosphere area “Schwäbische Alb”, southwest Germany

Wuchter K. M. (2009): The influence of land use on plant science diversity in the biosphere area "Schwäbische Alb", southwest Germany. Master thesis, Humboldt University Berlin

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.