GRK 3050:  Scale effects in the forest adaptation to climate change (FORSCALE)

• Subject Area: Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 529057870

Forests in Germany and Canada are significantly affected by climate change. The rapid changes in growing conditions, in particular increasing stress situations, are leading to drastic changes in forest ecosystems. This jeopardizes their ecosystem functions and services. At the same time, societal expectations regarding the future function of forests are also changing. Owing to the long-term nature of forest development and production cycles, these rapid changes pose enormous challenges for forestry. Science provides the basis for an adaptation, but many studies focus on approaches at specific spatial and temporal scales, whereas the adaptation of forests to climate change requires cross-scale approaches. This is where the international research training group FORSCALE comes in. It creates a platform to train a new generation of young scientists in research on adaptation approaches that integrates across scales to foster systemic solutions. FORSCALE primarily investigates the effects of forest adaptation at different spatial, temporal and institutional scales and the resulting interactions. The programme is based on theories of system dynamics and resilience research in complex adaptive systems (CAS). It is based on the realisation that interactions between different scales in CAS need to be understood to identify possible tipping points and transition phases, as they are increasingly observed in forests. Here, we want to advance the CAS concept for research on forest adaptation by improving our understanding of scale interactions. FORSCALE is a transatlantic collaborative research training group between the Universities of Freiburg, British Columbia, Lakehead and Quebec. Together, these partners offer a unique expertise and research infrastructure in forest research, covering a wide range of growing conditions and forestry concepts. This is a major strength of FORSCALE, which aims to promote multi- and transdisciplinary thinking in young scientists with an international perspective who will research and implement theory-driven innovative forest adaptation concepts in their future positions. This is achieved through research stays in the partner country, binational teams of supervisors and summer schools as well as a coordinated course programme that teaches both, the theoretical foundations and the necessary soft skills and cultural competence in a balanced way. FORSCALE promotes scientific excellence by providing innovative tools for the study of CAS at different scales and by offering an international innovative environment that enables early scientific independence and a unique education for FORSCALE graduates.

• DFG Programme: International Research Training Groups
• International Connection: Canada
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• IRTG-Partner Institution: Lakehead University; University of British Columbia; Université TÉLUQ; Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT); Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO); Université du Québec à Montréal
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Thomas Seifert
• IRTG-Partner: Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Brigitte Leblon, Ph.D.
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Jürgen Bauhus; Professorin Dr. Kathrin Blumenstein; Professor Dr. Marc Hanewinkel; Professorin Dr. Katrin Heer; Professorin Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit; Professorin Dr. Friederike Lang; Professor Dr. Thomas Purfürst; Professor Dr. Markus Weiler; Professorin Dr. Christiane Werner; Professorin Dr. Cathrin Zengerling