Project B7

Scientific Advisors: Prof. E. Veldkamp, Dr, M. Corree

Working Title:
"The influence of tree species and tree diversity on nutrient use efficiency
in a European temperate deciduous forest"

Description:
The overall approach is to determine nutrient use efficiency by calculating
net primary production per available nutrients (N, P, exchangable bases) over
certain time span.

The values of available nutrients will be taken from soil and litter
samples. The primary production can be evaluated by change of standing biomass
and root growth.
We want to investigate four tree species (i.e. Carpinus betulus, Fagus Sylvatica,
Fraxinus excelsior and Tilia sp.). Each species can be found in monospecies
clusters of five individuals, of which we will have five repetitions
(20 clusters total). The divers clusters can be divided into four kinds, each
containing three of the four species (A, B, C / A, B, D / A, D, B and B, C, D).
Each kind will be represented in 5 clusters (20 clusters total) This way one can
not only investigate the effect of diversity but also the effect of one species.