Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research LWF

Forest ecosystem Photo: T. Reich (WSL)

The mission of LWF is to improve our understanding of how natural and anthropogenic stresses affect forests in the long term, and which risks for humans are involved. Consequently, we need to gain a more profound knowledge of the cause-effect relationships in the forest ecosystem and the underlying processes. The aims of LWF are:

• to assess external anthropogenic and natural stresses (e.g., atmospheric deposition, climate)
• to assess changes of relevant forest ecosystem components
• to evaluate the influence of external stresses on forest ecosystems
• to develop indicators of forest health
• to analyse the risks under different stress scenarios

Using a network of selected study sites, we monitor the long-term response of forest ecosystem components and processes to the most relevant stress factors. Our particular emphasis is on atmospheric deposition, the biogeochemical cycle, the climate, the soil, the ground vegetation and the trees.

The mission is in agreement with the aims of the "International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests" (ICP-Forests) and the "International Co-operative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects" (ICP-IM). The LWF is part of the International Long-Term Ecological Research Network ILTER.

Project leader

• Matthias Dobbertin
  

• Peter Waldner
  

Participants 

LWF Staff >>