Project Details
Projekt
Coordination Funds
Applicant
Professor Dr. Jörg Müller
Subject Area
Ecology of Land Use
Forestry
Forestry
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 459717468
Natural forests form a diverse mosaic of different successional stages, with variability in environmental conditions and species compositions, that together determine the overall ecosystem functions. However, over centuries, the focus on timber production has considerably homogenized the structure and composition of forests. The Research Unit BETA-FOR combines a unique and well-replicated experiment under real-world conditions, with new statistical approaches in the study of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. We investigate biodiversity across all strata, from below- to above-ground, and at all trophic levels, comprising 29 taxonomical-functional groups across all 234 patches distributed among 11 pairs of homogenous (Control) forests and forests with an Enhancement of Structural Beta-Complexity (ESBC), by increasing heterogeneity in light and deadwood. We measured 28 ecosystem functions along with a diverse set of soil, climate and structural data. In addition, we developed new statistical methods in the field of Biodiversity-Ecosystem-Functioning (BEF) research. In the second phase, we aim to synthesize the data collected in Phase 1. We will also replicate most measurements once at all 234 patches to track ongoing succession within the patches and to test for causalities. As envisioned in the first proposal, the full database compiled across all patches will be prepared at the beginning of Phase 2. The data will be immediately available for modelling forest dynamics and socioeconomics and for testing the effects of between-patch heterogeneity under different climatic and socioeconomic scenarios. While our focus in Phase 1 was fully on the spatial effect, we started a time series of diversity and ecosystem functions, measured annually on three subsets of our sites to test the impact of between-patch heterogeneity over time. This is particularly relevant in the context of climate change. To prepare for our new extension on time-series analyses, we already developed a new statistical method for quantifying temporal stability along Hill numbers which allows decomposition of stability into alpha, beta and gamma across spatial scales and organization levels. Combining the existing across all patches with the single replication in Phase 2, as well as the annual time series at 3 sites, we will synthesize the findings to inform management strategies for future forests. These strategies aim to use structural heterogeneity as a tool to achieve resilient forests through enhanced multidiversity and multifunctionality. Furthermore, building on the unique experimental data, which include an unprecedented range of taxa, and the new statistical tools developed during Phase 1, we will contribute to general theories on β-diversity, metacommunities, and spatio-temporal insurance. Finally, since microclimate proved to be a key link between forest structure, diversity and functions in Phase 1, we will investigate its role more intensively.
DFG Programme
Research Units
