Multiscale relationships between forest structures, saproxylic diversity, deadwood decay and carbon cycle in a changing world

In this project we focus on deadwood dynamics in forests and make use of a long-term set of forest inventory and species diversity data across Switzerland covering the most important central European forest types from lowland to high-elevation forests. 

We aim at providing a holistic assessment of deadwood dynamics by considering the interplay between abiotic and biotic variables related to climate, management, forest structure and deadwood related organisms. The integration of forest inventory, soil and saproxylic species datasets, top notch remote sensing methods, detailed complementary field studies, and cutting-edge modelling exercises will provide novel scientific insights on the current and future dynamics of deadwood, the hotspots of functional diversity and species of conservation concern, as well as the deadwood related carbon cycle and storage of deadwood-carbon in soils.