ROOKEY: Recent growth trends in Norway spruce and European beech forests - Roots, the hidden key players?

Impression of the Site "Othmarsingen"

Recent growth trends in Norway spruce and European beech forests - ROOts, the hidden KEY players? a contribution to COST E21-Action "Contribution of Forests and Forestry to Mitigate Greenhouse Effects"

Aims

• The study aims at clarifying the relationship between above- and below-ground biomass by dating growth layers in stem and roots in order to assess the impact of climatic change on forest ecosystems and to estimate the potential of Swiss forest to act as carbon sinks mitigating the greenhouse effects.
• Measurements of trees and roots in 'Lothar'-impacted Norway spruce and European beech stands in Switzerland will be used to identify growth patterns of above and below-ground biomass.
• Model the below-ground root biomass

Methods

• The data is collected on Swiss plots of the ICP forests level 1 program as well as on the plots of the root studies by other Lothar projects.
• Sampling design is: case studies on typical windthrow sites of the Swiss Plateau with spruce/beech stands. Measurements based on the known Lothar project parameters, enlarged by 3D-oriented root sampling, dry weights, root classes, root system structure parameters (WIN-ROOT-software) and root ages.
• To determine the fine root system part that windthrown trees left back in the soil, a typical experimental root sampling will be done at some standing Norway spruce trees by drilling soil cores.
• Methods consist also of computer infrastructure, tree ring measurement tools, HUMAX drilling machine.

Sites

• Forest Area Berg, Othmarsingen AG (in german)
• Forest Area Galgenhübel, Habsburg AG (in german)
• Forest Area Buechwald, Sarmensdorf AG (in german)

Project links

• Proposal "ROOKEY"
  
• European Program COST E21
  

Information, Contact persons

• Holger Gärtner
  

• Otto Ulrich Braeker
  otto.braeker@datazug.ch