4 RID objectives

A: Development and standardisation of a system for genetic monitoring of forest trees aims to facilitate certification of forest reproductive material and implementation of concepts of dynamic conservation of forest genetic resources.

Sub-objectives:

• A1. Development of a system for genetic monitoring of forest trees
• A2. Implementation of certification of forest reproductive material (origin and quality)
• A3. Establishment of a forest gene bank, a vital component of ex situ conservation measures

B: Biodiversity & functional diversity at gene, species and community level

is focused on:

• the development of standardised microscopy techniques as an essential prerequisite to visualize,
• compare and define taxa in combination with microdissection, and genomic and transcriptomic high-throughput sequencing approaches adapted to forest tree (roots, wood), fungal (mycorrhiza, pathogens) and soil (bacteria, insects,...) samples.

A specialized post-doc was recruited: Tanja Mrak, PhD Biology.

C: Belowground complexity and carbon dynamics

is focused on the development of protocols to quantify C fluxes in the soil, including mycelial and fine root turnover, development of C dynamics models including the complex belowground diversity, development of an automatic soil respiration measurement system and further development of fine root and mycelial turnover analysis devices with permanent temperature and moisture measurement.
Sub-objectives include:

• C1. Fine root turnover and modeling
• C2. Mycorrhizal turnover and function
• C3. Innovative forest management tools to predict consequences of disturbance regimes
• C4. Microbial activity & soil respiration measurements

D: Net Ecosystem Carbon Exchange in time and space

is focused on the development of a laboratory for stable isotopes analysis including laser-based in situ methodologies for forestry development of NCEE models, upgrading of a standardised LiDAR method for acquiring data relevant for forestry. Sub-objectives include:

• D1. Super sites with trace gas isotopes monitoring: a senior scientist has been recruited – Dr. Nate McDowell
• D2. Remote sensing
• D3. Stable isotopes in wood, fungi and soils: development of a fully established laboratory for analysis; recruitment of a specialized postdoc to run stable isotopes analyses