HoliSoils harmonises and maps soil data from multiple sources. These harmonised products are indispensable for Europe-wide GHG inventories and for the project’s experimental and modelling work in Europe’s main bioclimatic regions and soil types.

Field experiments at HoliSoils test sites will investigate the effects of soil and forest management (including thinning regimes, tree species composition, fertilisation, rewetting) and natural disturbances (forest fires, windthrow, droughts) on soil processes, resilience and climate change mitigation potential. Measurements of soil physico-chemical properties and biodiversity will be complemented by monitoring soil processes such as GHG fluxes and nutrient cycling.

Central West Europe

Germany – Kelheim

Germany
Established

Established

2011

Organization

Organization

Technical University of Munich (TUM)

Location

Location

11°49’19.2”E; 48°56’8.16”N. Northern Bavaria (Germany)

Soil type

Soil type

Terra fusca-cambisol

Dominant species

Dominant species
Picea abies (L.) Karst. Fagus sylvatica L.

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Rubus fruticosus, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, div. mosses, div. young tree saplings

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of tree mixture and precipitation on soil functioning, soil biome and GHGs exchange.

Germany – Kranzberg

Germany
Established

Established

2010

Organization

Organization

Technical University of Munich (TUM)

Location

Location

11°39’39.6”E; 48°25’8.4”N
Southern Bavaria (Germany)

Soil type

Soil type

Cambisol-luvisol

Dominant species

Dominant species
Picea abies (L.) Karst. Fagus sylvatica L.

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Rubus fruticosus, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, div. mosses, div. young tree saplings

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of tree mixture and precipitation on soil functioning, soil biome and GHGs exchange.

Germany – Wasserburg

Germany
Established

Established

2011

Organization

Organization

Technical University of Munich (TUM)

Location

Location

12°04’22.8”E; 48°08’31.2”N
Southeastern Bavaria (Germany)

Soil type

Soil type

Cambisol-luvisol

Dominant species

Dominant species
Picea abies (L.) Karst. Fagus sylvatica L.

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Rubus fruticosus, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, div. mosses, div. young tree saplings

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of tree mixture and precipitation on soil functioning, soil biome and GHGs exchange.

Germany – Thunen (Buchenhorst)

Germany
Established

Established

2022

Organization

Organization

Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems (Thünen)

Location

Location

53°20′ (N), 12°59′ (E)
Mecklenburg Lake Plateau (Germany)

Soil type

Soil type

Fibric Histosol and Sapric Drainic Histosol

Dominant species

Dominant species
Alnus glutinosa

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Carex Spec., Pteridium aquilinium

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Long term ghg measurements during and after the process of rewetting. Oberservation of the short-term and long-term changes of ghg emissions. How are tree stands influenced by rewetting. Changes of net C storage and as well consideration of the changes of the C storage of the compartments organic soil vs. tree stand. Derive measures for the rewetting of peatlands including recommandations on tree species if usefull. Next to CO2, CH4 and N2O measurements, groundwater level and weather parameters are continously measured. The change of the ground level elevation will be determined regularly. Soil pH, CN-content and field saturated hydraulic conductivity are measured. Vegetation analysis and timber stand inventory.

Germany – Thunen (Großes Eisenstraßenmoor)

Germany
Established

Established

2022

Organization

Organization

Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems (Thünen)

Location

Location

50°26′ (N), 12°41′ (E)
Ore Mountains (Germany)

Soil type

Soil type

Fibric Histosol and Sapric Drainic Histosol

Dominant species

Dominant species
Picea abies

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Sphagnum spec., Sphagnum girgensohnii, Dicranum spec., Lophocolea spec., Polychtrium formosum, Plagiothecium spec., Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Melampyrum pratense

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Long term ghg measurements during and after the process of rewetting. Oberservation of the short-term and long-term changes of ghg emissions. How are tree stands influenced by rewetting. Changes of net C storage and as well consideration of the changes of the C storage of the compartments organic soil vs. tree stand. Derive measures for the rewetting of peatlands including recommandations on tree species if usefull. Next to CO2, CH4 and N2O measurements, groundwater level and weather parameters are continously measured. The change of the ground level elevation will be determined regularly. Soil pH, CN-content and field saturated hydraulic conductivity are measured. Vegetation analysis and timber stand inventory.

Netherlands – Ugchelen & Kroondomein

Netherlands
Established

Established

2019

Organization

Organization

Wageningen University & Research

Location

Location

BE: 52.182931, 5.877977;
DG: 52.178796, 5.875220;
SP: 52.205046, 5.865131

Soil type

Soil type

Poor sandy with low ground water levels

Dominant species

Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of harvest intensity on the nutrient budget, stand productivity (C dynamics aboveground), soil carbon cycling and soil biodiversity as well as the above- and below-ground responses to drought.

Netherlands – Hoge Veluwe & Buunderkamp

Netherlands
Established

Established

2019

Organization

Organization

Wageningen University & Research

Location

Location

BE: 52.015920, 5.759646; DG: 52.104700, 5.792321; SP: 52.089985, 5.804077

Soil type

Soil type

Poor sandy with low ground water levels

Dominant species

Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of harvest intensity on the nutrient budget, stand productivity (C dynamics aboveground), soil carbon cycling and soil biodiversity as well as the above- and below-ground responses to drought.

Netherlands – Zwolse Bos

Netherlands
Established

Established

2019

Organization

Organization

Wageningen University & Research

Location

Location

BE: 52.408315, 6.021905; DG: 52.421805, 6.040273; SP: 52.420669, 6.034353

Soil type

Soil type

Poor sandy with low ground water levels

Dominant species

Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of harvest intensity on the nutrient budget, stand productivity (C dynamics aboveground), soil carbon cycling and soil biodiversity as well as the above- and below-ground responses to drought.

Netherlands – Weerterheide & Bergeijk

Netherlands
Established

Established

2019

Organization

Organization

Wageningen University & Research

Location

Location

BE: 51.309577, 5.243088; DG: 51.260337, 5.637027; SP: 51.263399, 5.633711

Soil type

Soil type

Poor sandy with low ground water levels

Dominant species

Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of harvest intensity on the nutrient budget, stand productivity (C dynamics aboveground), soil carbon cycling and soil biodiversity as well as the above- and below-ground responses to drought.

Netherlands – Mastbos & Dorst

Netherlands
Established

Established

2019

Organization

Organization

Wageningen University & Research

Location

Location

BE: 51.590771, 4.882138; DG: 51.543930845077774, 4.764990261111019; SP: 51.552727, 4.767818

Soil type

Soil type

Poor sandy with low ground water levels

Dominant species

Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)

Ground vegetation

Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.

Aim of the study

Aim of the study

Understand the impact of harvest intensity on the nutrient budget, stand productivity (C dynamics aboveground), soil carbon cycling and soil biodiversity as well as the above- and below-ground responses to drought.