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Stand Dynamics and Silviculture

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Head: Dr. Martina Hobi

We study stand dynamics and how they can be influenced by man. We thereby focus
on the following topics:

Growth and yield research, with a focus on continous-cover and plenter forests
Forest dynamics in forest reserves
Primary forest research in Ukraine
Adaptation of forest trees to climate change
Regeneration dynamics and young forest tending
Forest-ungulate interactions and browsing

We maintain and manage a net of long-term permanent plots and use the data in simulation models of forest dynamics. Our research contributes to an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable forest management.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

TradeES

To better inform forest practitioners, the TradeES project examines trade-offs among drought impact on forest growth, ecological functions and ecosystem services in thinned and unthinned Norway spruce-dominated stands in Switzerland.

Harnessing forest genetic resources

OptFORESTS is an European funded project that aims to support the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources.

SeedOpt – Genetischen Diversität der Samenernte

Mit molekulargenetischen Analysen in Samenerntebeständen der Traubeneiche wollen wir zeigen, wie sich die Ausführung der Samenernte (Anzahl beernteter Mutterbäume, räumliches Design) auf die genetische Diversität und Repräsentativität des Saatgutes auswirkt.

Verbisseinflussmonitoring in Buchenwäldern

Eine Abschätzung des Verbisseinflusses erfolgt in Buchwäldern des Forstreviers Kirchberg. Infolge der Laubbaumarten, welche oft Johannistriebe machen oder auf den Verbiss im selben Jahr reagieren können wird eine Herbstinventur der nächsten zwei Bäumchen pro Höhenklasse und Baumart gemacht.

Doku Zukunftsbaumarten

Im Projekt "Doku-Tool Zukunftsbaumarten" wird eine web-basierte Datenbank entwickelt, die Informationen zu bemerkenswerten Pflanzungen und natürlichen Vorkommen zukunftsfähiger Baumarten in der Schweiz bereitstellt. Die Datenbank dient dem Informationsaustausch unter Waldfachleuten.

MountEx

The MountEx project, part of the WSL research program Extremes, aims to develop guidance and tools for managing spruce-dominated mountain forests under the influence of previously unthinkable, extreme disturbances.

Wildschäden: LFI2-LFI4-Vergleich für die Region des Kantons Waadt

Auswertung der Daten des Schweizerischen Landesforstinventars von 1993 bis 1995 und 2009 bis 2017 für den Kanton Waadt bezüglich Verbiss, Fegen und Schälen. Es werden statistische Auswertungen zur Häufigkeit und zur Verteilung sowie zur Entwicklung zwischen den beiden Inventaren durchgeführt. Die Auswertungen werden für den gesamten Kanton und auch auf regionaler Ebene (Jura - Mittelland-Voralpen - Aplen) vorgenommen.

Regeneration assessment in open forest areas

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV equipped with a LiDAR sensor will be used to test its potential for regeneration structure assessments in mountain forests. The project aims to combine terrestrial regeneration mapping with LiDAR-based information to assess size, density and location of regeneration.

Partitioning of resources between beech trees during drought

We will examine whether recent drought events shifted the partitioning of growth among tree size classes of beech trees and use this information to develop thinning strategies for mitigating drought impacts in lowland and montane Swiss beech forests

Gebirgswaldverjüngung

In diesem Langfristprojekt starten wir in 10 Versuchsflächen in Fichten- und Fichten-Tannenwäldern waldbauliche Langzeit-Experimente. Wir erfassen die Naturverjüngung wiederholt, um die Demografie der Bäume zu verstehen und abzuleiten, wie die Verjüngung gefördert werden kann.

Global blue-green richness differences

This project contributes to the Blue Green Biodiversity Research Initiative - an Eawag-WSL collaboration focusing on Biodiversity at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Quantifizierung von Totverbiss an verschiedenen Standorten

Von welchen Faktoren hängt die Häufigkeit der durch Verbiss bedingten Mortalität ab? Einzelbäumchen werden in gezäunten und ungezäunten Vergleichsflächen über Jahre individuell beobachtet. Zudem erfolgt eine Auswertung bestehender Vergleichsflächenpaare aus verschiedensten Regionen der Schweiz.

Integration of biodiversity conservation and forest management

The publication "How to balance biodiversity conservation and forest management - a tour across Europe" written by more than 70 scientific and professional experts from 50 Institutions and 20 different countries explores how to best integrate biodiversity conservation in forest management

Modelling forest growth using 3-PG

Testing 3-PG in uneven-aged forests, comparing predictions with an empirical model and developing a 3-PG R package.

European Forest Research Initiative (EuFoRIa)

This is a working group with members from all over Europe carrying out research in primeval forest and forest reserves. The main goal of the group is to explore possibilities to join forces, enhance the visibility and exploit the potential of the existing long-term monitoring plots in primeval forests and forest reserves of Europe.

Tree species map of Switzerland

Despite the technical developments in the remote sensing sector that have emerged recently, data collection, efficient processing and especially storage of big data, and classifications over large areas are still insufficient.

Baumartenempfehlungen im Klimawandel

Die Tree App liefert für jeden Punkt im Schweizer Wald eine Baumartenempfehlung für das heutige Klima und für zwei Klimazukünfte, einen mässigen und einen starken Klimawandel. Sie unterstützt die Waldbewirtschafter dabei, Baumarten zu wählen, die in einem wärmeren und trockeneren Klima gedeihen.

Waldlabor Zürich

Das Waldlabor Zürich ist ein erlebnisorientierter Bildungs- und Forschungsort, es ist das erste Waldlabor der Schweiz. Im Zentrum steht der vom Menschen beeinflusste Wald, der "Kulturwald" mit verschiedenen Formen der Waldpflege und -bewirtschaftung, der Leistungen der Waldeigentümer und der Bedeutu

FORClimateS

The project aims to aggregate and synthesize existing information on different spatial and temporal scales to provide decision-makers with relevant and robust information on short- and long-term risks for forests and forest functions and on adaptation strategies under different climate futures

Preserving 100+ years of growth plot data

This project will digitise the 100+ years worth of data that is stored in field note books, plot maps, hand-drawn root structures and crown maps etc.

Long-term growth and yield data

WSL has been investigating the growth of trees and forests since being founded in 1887. The results of this research form an important basis for sustainable forest management.

Ungulate browsing on tree regeneration in Swiss forests

The temporal development of the influence of wild ungulate species on tree regeneration in Swiss forests is estimated using data from the Swiss National Forest Inventory and density estimates of roe deer, chamois and red deer.

Carbon storage and ungulate browsing

The joint effects of drought tolerance and herbivory is determined by analysing the extent to which water use efficiency and C storage of Abies alba saplings are influenced by genetic factors and ungulate browsing.

Experimental plantations of tree species

With a network of 57 experimental plantations we investigate which tree species and seed provenances will grow well in the Swiss forest under the climatic conditions in 50 - 100 years.

Sumforest - ForRISK

Risk resilient forest management - Adapting forest management regimes, including risk assessment related to potential climate change impacts.

Anbauversuch mit Gastbaumarten im Bois de Forel

Ein 1970 angelegter Versuch mit gebietsfremden Baumarten wurde als ertragskundliche Fläche eingerichtet. Der trocken-warme Standort entspricht Verhältnissen, die im Mittelland im Zuge des Klimawandels häufiger werden. Am besten wuchsen innert 47 Jahren Douglasien und Atlaszedern.

Primeval forest structures and biodiversity: A Swiss-Ukrainian research cooperation

The primeval forests of the Carpathians, which are similar to many forests in Switzerland with regards to tree species composition and growth conditions, are therefore of high interest to WSL as research and reference objects.

Change inventory Uholka

A partial repetition of the sample plot inventory of 2010, where 314 plots were measured, will allow representative conclusions about the temporal change of the forest structure, the regeneration, the tree composition and the deadwood in the primeval beech forest of Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh.

Remote sensing Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh

In order to quantify the vegetation in its 3D structure and to be able to model the topography of the surveyed area, a LiDAR aerial survey will be carried out during spring of 2017.

Beech dominance

Beech forests provide important ecosystem services. In the primeval forest of Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh, 97% of the tree layer is composed of beech. The reasons for this extremely pronounced dominance are examined in this project.

Forest structure in the spruce-fir-beech primeval forest of Chornohora

In order to invest in the infrastructure and basis for future research in the area of forest dynamics, new permanent plots will be established in mountainous mixed primeval forests with spruce, fir and beech.

Forstliches Vermehrungsgut im Klimawandel

Anhand von Literaturrecherchen, Experteninterviews und Workshops wird der Status quo im Umgang mit forstlichem Vermehrungsgut in der Schweiz charakterisiert, Handlungsbedarf aufgezeigt und Handlungsoptionen skizziert. Im Fokus steht dabei der Klimawandel.

Vegetation height model NFI

For Switzerland, a national vegetation elevation model was calculated and updated on an ongoing basis. The ADS80 images routinely captured by swisstopo form the basis for the image matching workflow for deriving a 3D model of the landscape.

Monitoring natural forest reserves in Switzerland

We offer scientific support for monitoring natural forest reserves through the "Research and effectiveness controlling in Swiss forest reserves" partnership project of the WSL, ETH and FOEN.

Integrating Species Mixtures in Tree Growth Functions for Forest Development Models in Switzerland

The project advances the understanding of the effects of species mixtures on tree growth under a broad range of environmental conditions in Switzerland, and it prepares this knowledge for further development of forest scenario models.

Species Mixture Effects on Tree Growth

Clipping Experiment

In an genecological common garden experiment, we investigate quantitative genetic variation within and among Swiss provenances of Abies alba, Picea abies, and Fagus sylvatica, before and after clipping. Growth, resilience after simulated browsing and provenance differences are related to environmental variables of seed sources.

Characteristics of game impact

The relationship between the brwosing intensity and structure of the tree regeneration is complex. In this project, knowlege gaps in the characteristics to evaluate the influence of game will be explored by means of further investigations in indicator areas in the canton of St. Gallen and the potential additional features will be tested form foresters for their practicality in the region Calanda. The aim is to approach a scientifically sound and at the same simple monitoring for game influence on forest regeneration.

Harvesting intensity

An optimal management of mountain forests is economically viable, maintains and ensures the protection against natural hazards, creates good conditions for regeneration and maintains stand increment in the long-term at high levels. These requirements pose complex optimization tasks for managers.

GTREE

We investigate seedling emergence and survival of Norway spruce and European larch at treeline in an experiment at Stillberg near Davos.

Impact of browsing

Tree regeneration is part of the normal diet of ungulates species such as roe and red deer and chamois. Silver fir and sycamore maple are particularly preferred tree species for ungulate browsing, but also silvicultural important tree species. Analyses of data from long-term surveys in indicator areas are used to determine whether and how ungulate browsing affect the structure of regeneration in the long term, i.e. the size distribution of the tree species.

Exotic tree species

Exotic tree species, which are adapted to a warmer and dryer climate, could contribute to coping with climate change. Six such species are tested in a long-term field experiment near Mutrux (Canton of Vaud).

Nadelbäume und Trockenheit

Sehr starke waldbauliche Eingriffe im Gebirgswald können kurzfristig ökonomisch vorteilhaft sein. Langfristig könnten sie aber die Waldverjüngung verzögern und den Holzuwachs vermindern. Ob solche nachteiligen Auswirkungen auftreten und wie gross sie allenfalls sind, wird mit retrospektiven ertragskundlichen und dendroökologischen Erhebungen in Gebirgswäldern abgeschätzt.

Genetic Variation

Die Klimerwärmung dürfte den Wald auf vielen Standorten unter Stress setzen. Wir untersuchen, ob die genetische Variation der Waldbäume es ihnen erlaubt, sich an den Klimawandel anzupassen. Wir fokussieren dabei auf die drei häufigsten Baumarten in Schweizer Wäldern, die Fichte, die Tanne und die Buche.

Dynamics of dead wood and saproxylic insects

Dead wood is a vital prerequisite for a quarter of all organisms living in a forest. The future intensification of forest management will pose a threat to many wood inhabiting (saproxylic) insect species. In forest reserves the formation and decay process of dead wood is quantified and the importance of micro-habitats for saproxylic beetles is investigated.

Young growth tending

Each year, about 50 Millions CHF are invested in tending interventions in Swiss forestry. In a field experiment of 7.3 ha size, we study how four tending variants affect tree species richness and stem quality in the long term. Particular interest is given to the question how minority species present in mixed stands can be maintained against the highly competitive beech.

Trupppflanzung

Nach flächigen Sturmschäden samen sich innert gewünschter Frist nicht immer genügend Jungbäume an. Fehlt eine ausreichende Verjüngung, ist eine Pflanzung zu rechtfertigen. Wie sich solche Pflanzungen kostengünstig anlegen lassen, zeigt dieses Projekt. Hauptaugenmerk legten die Forschenden auf die Trupppflanzung.

Trupppflanzung

The group selection system

The effects of selective thinning and group selection cuts on stand growth and stability are studied in this long-term project. The aim is to derive silvicultural recommendations for risk reduction in mountain forests.

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Publications

Waldner, P.; Hobi, M.; Stillhard, J.; Brang, P.; Hug, C.; Thimonier, A.; Schmitt, M.; Walser, M.; Köchli, R.; Zürcher, A.; Christen, D.; Hajjar, N.; Schaub, M.; Sutter, F.; Häni, M.; Meusburger, K.; Gessler, A.; Nussbaumer, A.; Hirsiger, T.; Zhu, J., 2023: Forschung im Waldreservat am Bettlachstock. Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft des Kantons Solothurn, 161-179. doi: 10.5169/seals-1007786

Kurz, M.; Kölz, A.; Gorges, J.; Pablo Carmona, B.; Brang, P.; Vitasse, Y.; Kohler, M.; Rezzonico, F.; Smits, T.H.M.; Bauhus, J.; Rudow, A.; Hansen, O.K.; Vatanparast, M.; Sevik, H.; Zhelev, P.; Gömöry, D.; Paule, L.; Sperisen, C.; Csilléry, K., 2023: Tracing the origin of Oriental beech stands across Western Europe and reporting hybridization with European beech - implications for assisted gene flow. Forest Ecology and Management, 531: 120801 (14 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120801

Angst, J.K.; Kupferschmid, A.D., 2023: Assessing browsing impact in beech forests: the importance of tree responses after browsing. Diversity, 15, 2: 262 (22 pp.). doi: 10.3390/d15020262

Glatthorn, J.; Schweier, J.; Streit, K.; Thees, O.; Hobi, M., 2023: Adaptiver Waldbau – mit Wissen, Vorsicht und Mut. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 174, 2: 64-69. doi: 10.3188/szf.2023.0064

Razenkova, E.; Dubinin, M.; Pidgeon, A.M.; Hobi, M.L.; Zhu, L.; Bragina, E.V.; Allen, A.M.; Clayton, M.K.; Baskin, L.M.; Coops, N.C.; Radeloff, V.C., 2023: Abundance patterns of mammals across Russia explained by remotely sensed vegetation productivity and snow indices. Journal of Biogeography, doi: 10.1111/jbi.14588

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