Coastal Deciduous Forests North-Eastern Germany - Germany

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, we have built up a forest and tree monitoring network in recent years that is constantly growing. We are observing several forest sites with several tree species, species admixtures and soil and environmental conditions. Across the network we are monitoring tree growth with high resolution dendrometers (sub-hourly timescale), forest microclimate, and tree water dynamics and root growth at selected sites, inlcuding a super-site with a canopy crane. The species include: Black Alder, Douglas Fir, English Oak, European Beech, European Larch, European White Elm, Hornbeam, Northern Red Oak, Norway Spruce, Scots Pine, Silver Birch, Silver Fir, Small Leaved Linden and Sycamore. Three special sites are: (1) The university's own forest nature reserve Eldena. In the immediate vicinity of Greifswald, the approximately 400 ha large protected area comprises near-natural, deciduous beech-ash mixed forests on ground moraine sites. Due to the hydromorphic soils, which made agricultural use difficult, a very long forest continuity can be assumed. This can be seen, among other things, in a very extensive early geophyte carpet of anemones, larkspur, bogweed and other species of impressive beauty. Originally owned by the Cistercian monastery of Eldena and the Pomeranian dukes, the area passed to the University of Greifswald in the 17th century. Intensive drainage works and the introduction of modern forestry in the 19th century changed the forest picture from wet, intensively used coppice and Hude forest with typical species such as hornbeam, oak or hazel, to beech dominated high forest. Remains of this former use have been preserved to this day in old, large-crowned oak trees, especially in the natural forest plots, which together cover about 30 hectares and are not used for forestry. The use of the forest during the war and reparation cuts after 1945 led to strong clearings, which are reflected in today’s age structure of the forest area. The forest has been a nature reserve since 1969. Detailed pollen, vegetation and soil studies are available for the area. Investigations of charcoal piles and old cartographic works shed light on the historical tree species inventory and use. The monitoring is supplemented by satellite sites in alder forests. Here, specific questions, for example on the influence of rewetting and drainage on biomass and peat formation, are investigated. (2) The forest on the island of Vilm, that has been out of use since the 1950s. (3) The super site near Demmin, where there is a canopy crane that offers unparalleled ease of access to the canopy and enables special measurements. Here we work together with several other groups. You can find out more here: https://femophys.lup-umwelt.de/