EU-Project - DynaBeech -
Effects of silvicultural regimes on dynamics of genetic and ecological diversity of European beech forests

Abstract

Traditional forest management of European beech forests consists of large scale felling with few remaining trees to produce the next generation. This may have significantly disturbed the genetic and ecophysiological diversity. In general, high diversity is assumed to be very important for the adjustment to environmental changes. DynaBeech aims to assess the impacts of silvicultural regimes on genetic and ecological diversity. It will result in guidelines for both the optimisation of the adaptive potential and in situ conservation of beech forests through appropriate silvicultural regimes. These will be obtained through the integration of genetic and ecophysiological results by modelling and the development of alternative management scenarios. End-users involved in the project will evaluate the guidelines for economic and practical implications in their field of forest management.

Objectives

DynaBeech aims to assess the impacts of previous silvicultural regimes on genetic and ecophysiological diversity within beech forests in Europe, and to provide guidelines for both the optimisation of the adaptive potential and the in situ conservation of diversity of beech forests through appropriate silvicultural regimes. DynaBeech aims to contribute to key action 5.3.1. By:

• providing tools for evaluating biodiversity
• understanding the functioning and diversity of forest ecosystems
• assessing the interactions with forestry activities

Partners

• K. Kramer (Coordinator), ALTERRA Green World Research, Wageningen, NETHERLANDS – k.kramer@alterra.wag-ur.nl
• M. Forstreuter, Institute of Ecology and Biology, Technical University Berlin, GERMANY – manfred.forstreuter@fu-berlin.de
• G. Vendramin, CNR, Firenze, ITALY – vendramin@imgpf.fi.cnr.it
• Th. Geburek, Institute of Forest Genetics, Vienna, AUSTRIA – thomas.geburek@fbva.bmlf.gv.at
• P. Menozzi, University of Parma, ITALY – menozzi@dsa.unipr.it
• E. Teissier du Cros, Mediterranean Forest Research Unit, Avignon, FRANCE – teissier@avignon.inra.fr