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.
South Europe
Spain – Gámiz
Established
2021
Organization
BC3- Basque Center for Climate Change
Location
42°49’2.32″N; 2°37’10.67″W (Northern Spain)
Soil type
Silty Clay with the organic layer of 0.05 m
Dominant species
Quercus faginea
Ground vegetation
Presence of Acer campestre and Fraxinus excelsior in the tree layer, with understory composed of different species (Viburnum lantana, arbutus unedo, Rhamnus alaternus, Ligustrum vulgaris or Corylus avellana, among others). Climbing plants such as hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenun or Smilax aspera are also well represented. The herbaceous layer is represented by many nemoral species.
Aim of the study
Understand soil resilience following a mortality event and improving soil resilience trough implementation of post-disturbance practices.
Spain – Cap de Creus
Established
2021
Organization
UB – University of Barcelona
Location
42°20’12.41″N 3° 9’20.93″E
Northeast Spain
Soil type
Xerorthent litic
Dominant species
Quercus ilex
Ground vegetation
Ulex parviflorus, Cistus albidus, Cistus nigra
Aim of the study
Understand soil resilience following a wildfire event and improving soil resilience trough implementation of post-fire practices
Spain – Life+ Demorgest
Established
2015 & 2018
Organization
Forest Science and Technology centre of Catalonia (CTFC)
Contact
Location
41°57’08″N, 1°27’55″E
Llobera, Northest Spain
41°56’16″N, 1°26’05″E
Secanella, Northest Spain
Soil type
Lithic or Typic Xerorthent. Silt loam texture; C content is 4 mg C/g in the first 10 cm;
pH is 8.3 and CaCO3 is 32%
Dominant species
Pinus nigra.
Also Quercus pubescens and P. sylvestris present with low frequency.
Ground vegetation
Presence of Buxus sempervirens and Viburnum lantana.
Aim of the study
Evaluate the effects of canopy thinning intensity and forest debris chopping or burning on tree and understory growth, as well as resistance and resilience to multiple stresses or disturbances (e.g. wildfire and drought)
Spain – Montgrí
Established
2022
Organization
UB – University of Barcelona
Location
42°4′59.840″N, 3°9′55.738″W
Northeast Spain
Soil type
Lithic Xerorthent
Dominant species
Pinus halepensis
Ground vegetation
Mediterranean shrubs, briophytes, seedlings regeneration
Aim of the study
Understand the resilience of burnt soils with prescribed fire management in Mediterranean forest soils
Spain – Cadiretes
Established
2022
Organization
UB – University of Barcelona
Location
41°78’40″N 2°86’46″E
Northeast Spain
Soil type
Typic Haploxerept
Dominant species
Pinus pinaster, Quercus suber
Ground vegetation
Arbutus unedo, Erica arborea, Cistus mospeliensis
Aim of the study
Understand the resilience of burnt soils without any management in Mediterranean forest soils
France – Saint-Mitre les Remparts
Established
2007
Organization
Aix Marseille University
Contact
Location
43°27′0″N; 5°2′24″
Southeast France
Soil type
Sandy loamy calcareous
Dominant species
Pinus halepensis, Quercus Ilex
Ground vegetation
Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis and Phyllirea angustifolia
Aim of the study
Study of the impact of two forest management practices (thinning and removal of understory shrubs) on pine growth and pine forest functioning.
