Test Sites
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
Established
2011
Organization
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Location
11°49’19.2”E; 48°56’8.16”N. Northern Bavaria (Germany)
Soil type
Terra fusca-cambisol
Dominant species
Picea abies (L.) Karst. Fagus sylvatica L.
Ground vegetation
Rubus fruticosus, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, div. mosses, div. young tree saplings
Aim of the study
Understand the impact of tree mixture and precipitation on soil functioning, soil biome and GHGs exchange.
Germany – Kranzberg
Established
2010
Organization
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Location
11°39’39.6”E; 48°25’8.4”N
Southern Bavaria (Germany)
Soil type
Cambisol-luvisol
Dominant species
Picea abies (L.) Karst. Fagus sylvatica L.
Ground vegetation
Rubus fruticosus, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, div. mosses, div. young tree saplings
Aim of the study
Understand the impact of tree mixture and precipitation on soil functioning, soil biome and GHGs exchange.
Germany – Wasserburg
Established
2011
Organization
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Location
12°04’22.8”E; 48°08’31.2”N
Southeastern Bavaria (Germany)
Soil type
Cambisol-luvisol
Dominant species
Picea abies (L.) Karst. Fagus sylvatica L.
Ground vegetation
Rubus fruticosus, Dryopteris filix-mas, Oxalis acetosella, div. mosses, div. young tree saplings
Aim of the study
Understand the impact of tree mixture and precipitation on soil functioning, soil biome and GHGs exchange.
Germany – Thunen (Buchenhorst)
Established
2022
Organization
Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems (Thünen)
Contact
Location
53°20′ (N), 12°59′ (E)
Mecklenburg Lake Plateau (Germany)
Soil type
Fibric Histosol and Sapric Drainic Histosol
Dominant species
Alnus glutinosa
Ground vegetation
Carex Spec., Pteridium aquilinium
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)
Established
2022
Organization
Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems (Thünen)
Contact
Location
50°26′ (N), 12°41′ (E)
Ore Mountains (Germany)
Soil type
Fibric Histosol and Sapric Drainic Histosol
Dominant species
Picea abies
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
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
Established
2019
Organization
Wageningen University & Research
Location
BE: 52.182931, 5.877977;
DG: 52.178796, 5.875220;
SP: 52.205046, 5.865131
Soil type
Poor sandy with low ground water levels
Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)
Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.
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
Established
2019
Organization
Wageningen University & Research
Location
BE: 52.015920, 5.759646; DG: 52.104700, 5.792321; SP: 52.089985, 5.804077
Soil type
Poor sandy with low ground water levels
Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)
Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.
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
Established
2019
Organization
Wageningen University & Research
Location
BE: 52.408315, 6.021905; DG: 52.421805, 6.040273; SP: 52.420669, 6.034353
Soil type
Poor sandy with low ground water levels
Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)
Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.
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
Established
2019
Organization
Wageningen University & Research
Location
BE: 51.309577, 5.243088; DG: 51.260337, 5.637027; SP: 51.263399, 5.633711
Soil type
Poor sandy with low ground water levels
Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)
Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.
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
Established
2019
Organization
Wageningen University & Research
Location
BE: 51.590771, 4.882138; DG: 51.543930845077774, 4.764990261111019; SP: 51.552727, 4.767818
Soil type
Poor sandy with low ground water levels
Dominant species
European beech (Fagus sylvatica; BE), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; DG), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; SP)
Ground vegetation
Vaccinium spp., Calamagrostis spp.
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.
