Functioning and Management of European Beech Ecosystems

About this book

This volume compiles the results of long-term observations of site properties and ecosystem processes for three beech forests. Representing a spectrum of common beech forest sites in Central Europe, they receive similar atmospheric inputs and are growing under similar climatic conditions, but differ in their soil acidity. Significant differences were observed in the diversity and activities of fauna and microbes in these soils, which was the major driving variable for the nutrient cycling processes, growth patterns, greenhouse gas emissions and the C and N sequestration in these forests. Differences in N and C contents and cycling among the three beech sites represented three phases (quasi steady-state, accumulation and degradation) as described by ecosystem theory on the functioning and historical development of the N dynamic of other 50 European ecosystems. Various implications for the future management of these and similar beech sites are discussed.

Contents

IntroductionR. Brumme Part A Description of Long-term Observation Sites 1 General description of study sitesH. Meesenburg, R. Brumme 2 Climatic condition at three beech forest sites in Central GermanyO. Panferov, H. Kreilein, H. Meesenburg, J. Eichhorn, G. Gravenhorst 3 Soil propertiesH. Meesenburg, R. Brumme, C. Jacobsen, K.J. Meiwes, J. Eichhorn 4 Changes in C and N contents of soils under beech forests over a period of 35 yearsK.J. Meiwes, H. Meesenburg, J. Eichhorn, C. Jacobsen, P.K. Khanna 5 Vegetation W. Schmidt 6 Microbial BiomassR. Brumme, M. Raubuch, J. Priess, C.P. Wang, T.-H. Anderson 7 Soil FaunaM. Schaefer, J. Schauermann Part B Ecosystem Processes 8 Tree Growth, Biomass, and Elements in Tree Components of three beech sitesP. Rademacher, P.K. Khanna, J. Eichhorn, M. Guericke 9 Fine Root Biomass, Turnover and Litter ProductionD. Murach, A. Horn, W. Ke-Hong, C. Rapp 10 Phytomass, Litter and Net Primary Production of Herbaceous LayerI.-M. Schulze, A. Bolte, W. Schmidt and J. Eichhorn 11 Biomass and Element Content of Foliage and Aboveground Litterfall on the three Long-Term Experimental Beech Sites -- Dynamics and SignificanceP.K. Khanna, H. Fortmann, H. Meesenburg, J. Eichhorn, and K.J. Meiwes 12 The Role of Soil Fauna for Decomposition of Plant ResiduesM. Schaefer, S. Migge-Kleian, S. Scheu 13 Nitrogen and Carbon TransformationsR. Brumme, J. Priess, C.P. Wang, M. Raubuch, G. Steinmetz, H. Meyer 14 Fate, Transport, and Retention of Applied 15N Labelled Nitrogen in Forest Soils R. Brumme, C.P. Wang, J. Priess, M. Raubuch, G. Steinmetz 15 Atmospheric deposition and canopy interactionsH. Meesenburg, J. Eichhorn, K.J. Meiwes 16 Changes in soil solution chemistry, seepage losses, and input-output budgets at three beech forests in response to atmospheric depositions R. Brumme, H. Meesenburg, M. Bredemeier, C. Jacobsen, E. Schonfelder, K.J. Meiwes, J. Eichhorn 17 Soil RespirationR. Brumme, W. Borken, J. Prenzel 18 N2O Emission from Temperate Beech Forest SoilsR. Brumme and W. Borken 19 Methane Uptake by Temperate Forest SoilsW. Borken and R. Brumme Part C Forest Management and Regional Scale Issues Concerning C and N 20 Microbial Biomass in Broad-leaved Forest SoilsT.-H. Anderson 21 Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Forest Soils of GermanyR. Brumme, M. Egenolf, C. Aydin, J. Block, K.J. Meiwes, K. v.Wilpert 22 Management Options for European Beech Forests in Relation to Changes in C and N status as described by the three study sitesN. Bartsch and E. Rohrig Part D Synthesis 23 Stand, Soil and Nutrient Factors Determining the Functioning and Management of Beech Forest Ecosystems -- A SynopsisR. Brumme

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