Functional significance of forest biodiversity (FunDivEUROPE)

Description:

The project “FunDivEUROPE - Functional Significance of Forest Biodiversity in Europe” was a collaborative project within FP7 and aimed to quantify the role of forest biodiversity for ecosystem functioning including effects of climate warming and the delivery of goods and services in major European forest types. With the Faculty of Biology – Geobotany of the University of Freiburg coordinating 24 institutions from 15 countries that uilt the project consortium.

A major aim of FunDivEUROPE was to understand and quantify how tree species diversity can be used to foster the provision of ecosystem services such as timber production, carbon sequestration and freshwater provisioning. In this context, it is also particularly relevant to understand the implications of tree species diversity for the vulnerability of ecosystem services under climate change. This was assessed by integrating field and modelling data on the performance of pure versus mixed species stands under different climates. The findings and recommendations will support forest owners and forestry organizations to adapt management strategies to climate change and better utilize potential co-benefits of mixed species forests and ecosystem services.

Project information

Lead

University of Freiburg, Faculty of Biology – Geobotany

Partners

Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg (ALU-FR), Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek (ALT), Universitaet Fuer Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU), Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Forstliche Versuchs- Und Forschungsanstalt Baden-Wuerttemberg (FVA), Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Metsäntutkimuslaitos (METLA), Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), National Agricultural Research Foundation (NAGREF), Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), Royal Holloway And Bedford New College (RHUL), Universidad De Alcala (UAH), Universitaet Bern (UBE), The Chancellor, Masters And Scholars Of The University Of Cambridge (UCAM), Københavns Universitet (UCPH), Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze (UFI), Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung GMBH (UFZ), Universiteit Gent (UGent), Universitaet Leipzig (ULEI), University Stefan Cel Mare Suceava (USV), Uniwersytet Warszawski (UWAR), Universitaet Zuerich

Source of funding

FP7