Infrastructure

The stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry instrument consists of two main units – ISOPRIME 100 IRMS and Elemental Analyser (vario Pyro cube). The complete instrument contributes to EUFORINNO RID objective D3 - Stable isotopes in wood, fungi and soils: development of a fully established laboratory for analysis.
Instrument was installed, tested and calibrated by the official engineer from ISPRIME and is use since September 2013. During the installation three researchers from Slovenian Forestry Institute were educated and passed the “Basic Instrument Familiarisation” test.
With stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry instrument we measure stable isotopes of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur. After development of in-house standards for carbon, oxygen and nitrogen IRMS+EA the equipment will be tightly incorporated in research work in progress (stable isotope dendrochronology, carbon allocation in fungi and soil, etc.).
The equipment is available for research cooperation, sample analysis as service for customers. The responsible person for the equipment: doc. Dr. Tom Levanič (tom.levanic@gozdis.si)

The purchase included: Zeiss StereoLUMAR steremicroscope, Zeiss Axio Imager Z2 Microscope, and PALM laser microdisection system. Equippment improved the quality of the microscopy room considerably and contributed to EUFORINNO RID objectives B - Biodiversity and functional diversity at the gene, species and community levels and C - Belowground complexity and carbon dynamics.
Details(.pdf)

Minirhizotrons are used as a nondestructive tool for investigating fine root turnover and usually consists of a picture taking device inserted in clear tubes which have been installed into the soil. A portion of minirhizotron tube, installed in soil, is exposed on the air and under influence of aboveground microclimate and direct sun light. Minirhizotron tube is hollow, filled with air, which is different heat conductor than soil, which can lead to the potential cooling or heating influence of minirhizotron tubes on soil at different depths. This can significantly alter fine root growth dynamics. For purpose of monitoring temperature profiles in minirhizotron tubes and tubes insolation against influence of aboveground microclimate, filling tubes were constructed and patented with diameter slightly smaller than inside diameter of minirhizotron tube. Filling tubes can be equipped with various sensors at different tube depths and enable continuous measurements of environmental conditions. Design of measuring apparatus is fully adaptable and can be modified for use for soil monitoring and similar media without minirhizotron tubes.

Portable soil respiration systems do not allow a deeper insight into temporal variability of soil respiration. For this automated systems for measuring soil respiration are needed. Drawbacks of existing systems are very high prices and the impact of mechanical parts of the automatic chamber into the measuring point. Collars that are inserted around the location and assist in the stability of the chamber can affect the measurement point and could have the effect on increasing temperature and/or soil moisture. In the Laboratory for Electronic Devices, which was established in 2009 at the Slovenian Forestry Institute, was developed automatic chamber with an improved mechanism for opening and closing. Development was founded in the frame of LIFE+ project ManForC.BD (ENV/IT/000078). Patent application was founded by P4-0107 Programme Group for Forest Biology, Ecology and Technology.

Ferlan M. (2013) The use of micro-meteorological methods for the monitoring of the carbon fluxes in Karst ecosystems. PhD thesys, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, 102 pp. (http://www.digitalna-knjiznica.bf.uni-lj.si/dd_ferlan_mitja.pdf)