Forest Growth and Global Changes

Resilience of forests to climate change as a basis for integrative forest management and promotion of biodiversity.

We study the dynamics of forest ecosystems influenced by abiotic and biotic factors, including extreme climatic events such as drought and heat, and disturbances such as storms, fire and insect pests. The focus is on the adaptation of our forests to environmental changes and the possibilities to increase their resistance and resilience in a hotter and drier future with adapted forest management respecting different ecosystem services including biodiversity. As part of system analysis, natural processes such as competition for light, water and nutrients and the effects of past land use on today's forest dynamics and the current state of our forests are also taken into account.