Research

In alignment with the Austrian Climate Research Program Implementation (ACRPI) 2023, this project is dedicated to the practical application of research methodologies within the domain of climate change adaptation and protection. With a particular emphasis on the topic of "Adaptation to extreme weather events using nature-based solutions," the project seeks to integrate existing expertise in order to generate new scientific knowledge. The project places a particular emphasis on the development and optimization of planting methods for reforestation, with consideration given to the diverse characteristics of forest growth areas and tree species, in order to address the challenges posed by climate change in Austrian forestry. The project employs drone-based monitoring, leaf nutrient analysis, and automated image analysis to develop precise models for evaluating the vitality of tree seedlings. The monitoring and management strategies developed will ensure that these reforestation projects can be continuously adapted to changing conditions and needs. The project aims to create practical tools for forest owners to monitor forest health and take effective reforestation measures. Thus, the project not only contributes to scientific advancement in the field of forest management, but also has direct applications in the national implementation of the EU Climate Mission and the EU Forest Strategy 2030.

The overall aim of this project is to provide practical guidance on the successful restoration of native forests in the Ethiopian highlands. To address this, we will use an approach that will strengthen the supply of native tree species, combined with investigations of establishment of this material in tree species diverse plantations. This will be realized by strengthening the national reproductive material supply by establishment of seedling seed orchards of the target species (Juniperus procera, Prunus africana, Podocarpus gracilior, Albizia gummifera, Olea europaea sub sp. cuspidata, Cordia africana, Millettia ferruginea), methods of vegetative propagation (primarily for Juniperus procera but also for other species), and investigation of the growth of the target species in the tree species diverse plots. In the plots, the mineral nutrient requirements tree species and plant protection methods to aid successful establishment will be addressed. The HIGH FIVE project will build on the experience and data gained in previous projects by the consortium, which is made up of two Austrian partners, the Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW) and the University of Natural Resources and Life Science (BOKU), and the Ethiopian Forest Development agency (EFD) and Bahir Dar University (BDU) from Ethiopia, and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) from Kenya.

Forest soils store large amounts of carbon (C) and act as globally important sink for atmospheric CO2. Forest disturbances, e.g. by windthrow, are increasing due to a changing climate. This represents a key risk for soil organic C (SOC) storage, potentially turning soils into a distinct C source to the atmosphere until succession returns back to a forested state. Across Europe, tree regeneration is often inhibited by ungulate herbivory and a dense herbaceous ground vegetation, and ecosystems remain in grass-dominated states for decades. The impact of these diverging successional pathways – either as tree regeneration or as prolonged grass cover – on SOC dynamics is highly unknown because a multitude of plant-soil feedbacks are involved and underlying processes have hardly been studied. The proposed project aims to link successional plant groups, associated soil fungal communities, decomposition processes and SOC storage. It is hypothesized that distinct soil fungal communities associated with each succession type will exert a dominant influence on SOC dynamics. Most temperate trees form symbiosis with ectomycorrhizal fungi, while grasses are primarily associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In comparison to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, it is hypothesized that ectomycorrhizal fungi increase the decomposition of older SOC. The project is based on a series of approaches ranging from naturally disturbed forest stands to controlled microcosm experiments. At windthrow sites with tree regeneration and prolonged grass covers, soils will be density fractionated and analyzed for their isotopic composition and radiocarbon (14C) ages, which allows the quantification of C inputs from new plant-derived sources and C losses from older SOC pools. These results will then be linked to soil fungal communities measured by DNA-based techniques and soil C fluxes. In microcosms, it will be determined under controlled conditions whether plant types and associated mycorrhizal fungi differ in stimulating SOC decomposition and associated C fluxes. Overall, the project will provide novel insights into the complex field of disturbance ecology which has so far focused on above-ground processes by combining advanced techniques with innovative experimental set-ups from the plant to the ecosystem scale. The findings of this study will be of interest for microbiologists, functional ecologists, ecosystem modelers and will be published in high profile journals. Moreover, the project is highly relevant for policy makers and forest practitioners as it helps to better assess C sequestration in forests and their potential contribution to mitigate climate change. This project will be hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), ETH domain