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Alpine humus as a Climate-sensitive C-storage and decisive site factor in mountain forests (ALPENHUMUS)
Project
Project code: 28WC4063
Contract period: 01.07.2016
- 31.08.2019
Budget: 491,799 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
The significance of organic surface layer humus for carbon storage and other important ecosystem functions of mountain forests has only been realized during recent years. The project will close important gaps of knowledge by pursuing the following goals: 1. improved knowledge on the distribution oft thick surface humus in the landscape 2. quantification of its contribution to the carbon storage of mountain forests 3. improved understanding of the processes leading to the formation and to the loss of humus layers 4. spatial and temporal scenarios of the distribution and changes of humus-bound C-stocks under climate change 5. recommendations for stabilization and enhancement of surface humus through adapted land-use Reaching these goals will make a significant contribution to the goals of the Waldklimafonds (Fund on Climate and Forests), especially to adapting of mountain forests to climate change securing the potential for CO2-reduction and C-storage of mountain forests detecting effects of current climate change on C-storage in humus layers implementing humus conservation measures into silviculture The project goals are pursued at three relevant scales: comparative analysis of humus chemistry and microbiology on selected soil profiles with different dynamics of C-stocks, allowing identification of decisive processes comparative analysis of water and bioelement budgets of selected mountain forest ecosystems, allowing identification of temporal trends and threats regionalization (spatial modelling) of surface humus thickness and related C-stocks as a function of releif, parent material, climate , vegetation and land-use history, allowing extrapolation at landscape scale and recommendations for silviculture In linking the three levels of inquiry, the decisive driving forces and processes leading to the formation of thick humus layers will be identified and mapped at the scale relevant for management and monitoring.
Section overview
Subjects
- Silviculture
- Climate Change
