TreeNet

The biological drought and growth indicator network

TreeNet - biological drought and growth indicators from trees

TreeNet is an international monitoring and research network in which automated tree stem radius fluctuations measured with point dendrometers are analyzed in terms of forest ecosystem responses to climate change. A continuous stream of microclimate and tree physiology data provides real-time information on tree water relations and tree growth. 

Imbalances in tree water relations - quantified as tree water deficits - are interpreted as biological drought indicator for entire forest ecosystems.

Current stem growth rates are related to the ones of past years and interpreted as indicator for forest growth. Combinations of indicators are used as early predictors for the expected annual carbon sink of forest ecosystems.

TreeNet produces the basic data needed to extrapolate research results from the eddy flux supersites Seehornwald Davos (LWF/ETHZ) and Lägeren (LWF/ETHZ) for entire landscapes. We closely collaborate with the Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme (LWF/WSL), the ETHZ and the Institute for Applied Plant Biology (IAP).

For further information about data, results, methods and products of TreeNet visit TreeNet.info. 

TreeNet offers scientific and public informations on:

Water relations of forest ecosystems:

• Realtime tree water deficits.
• Daily biological indicator for drought stress of forest ecosystems.
• Daily estimation of missing rain to cover the current water deficit.
  

Carbon balance of forest ecosystems:

• Realtime stem growth rates of trees.
  
• Indicator for phenological growth phases.
• Biological indicator for the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of different forest types.

Project partners

• Federal Office for the environment /Bundesamt für Umwelt BAFU
• Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme LWF of Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ETHZ
• Institute for Applied Plant Biology IAP
• DecentLab - Decentralized monitoring solutions
  
• Natkon.ch - Home of the point dendrometers

Swiss TreeNet sites

• Map of Swiss sites

TreeNet super sites:

• Seehornwald Davos (WSL/LWF/ETHZ/EMPA/BAFU)
  
• Lägeren (WSL/LWF/ETHZ/EMPA/BAFU)

TreeNet dendrometer sites:

• Schänis/SG (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
  
• Novaggio/TI (LWF)
• Visp/VS (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Lausanne/VD (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Muri/AG (IAP) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Riehen-Maienbühl/BS (IAP) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Wangen/ZH (IAP) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Beatenberg/BE (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Vordemwald/AG (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Sagno/TI (IAP) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Jussy/GE (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)
• Bachtel (LWF) -> Link to realtime data (raw)

WSL Contact

Roman Zweifel

Related projects

Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme LWF (WSL)

Tree response to climate change (WSL)

Seehornwald Davos research site (WSL)

Downloads

• Zweifel R., Etzold S., Eugster W., Zielis S., Häni M., Buchmann N. 2012. Flyer 'Baumstämme als CO₂ Reservoir?'
  
• Zweifel R., Etzold S., Zielis S., Häni M., Steppe K., Sterck F. 2012. Flyer 'Der Baumwasserhaushalt - Link zum physiologischen Verständnis von Wachstum'

• Zweifel R., Dobbertin M., Eugster W., Zielis S., Häni M., Buchmann N, Braun S. 2012. 'TreeNet - Bäume als biologische Indikatoren für Wachstum und Trockenstress von Waldökosystemen'

• Zweifel R., Eugster W., Braun S., Dobbertin M., Schaub M., Etzold S., Buchmann N.  (2011). TreeNet - Bäume als biologische Indikatoren für Trockenheit und Kohlenstoff-Aufnahme von Waldökosystemen. Poster, Forschungsmarkt Davos, 20 March 2011 (PDF 176 KB).

• Etzold, S. (2010). The carbon dioxide budget and respiration components of two contrasting forest ecosystems in the Swiss Alps. Dissertation. ETH Zurich. Diss No 19061. 176 p. (link to pdf coming soon).

• Zweifel R., Eugster W., Etzold S., Dobbertin M., Buchmann N. and Häsler R. 2010. Link between continuous stem radius changes and net ecosystem productivity of a subalpine Norway spruce forest in the Swiss Alps. New Phytologist, 187: 819-830. (PDF 510KB).
  
• Zweifel R., Steppe K. and Sterck FJ. 2007. Stomatal regulation by microclimate and tree water relations: interpreting ecophysiological field data with a hydraulic plant model. Journal of Experimental Botany, 58, 2113-2131. (PDF 1437KB).