KuSaMWET
Project
Classification of forest development types regarding their suitability as habitats for Arvicolinae
Project period
05.11.2020 - 31.12.2023
Collaborating partner
Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst
Project description
To ensure the stability and sustainability of forests with regard to climate protection, forest regenerations need to be prevented from risks. Due to abiotic and biotic damaging events in 2018 and 2019, many forest stands were interrupted in their development or disturbed, and need to be regenerated. The large number of deforested areas that have to be regenerated, as well as their distribution and size, offer ideal colonization conditions for Arvicolinae, which pose a severe threat to the establishment of forest regeneration, in particular to broadleaved tree species.
The high radiation rate on these areas causes a fast development of a dense ground vegetation with gras and herb species, which means that the occurrence of Arvicolinae is to be expected. However, in fall and winter time these depend on food consisting of plant parts of the tree regeneration. Their feeding damage on stems and roots not only leads to biomass and quality losses but may also cause the total loss of a forest regeneration.
Besides these economic losses questions regarding the changing environmental conditions have to be considered. It is still unknown to which extent warm winters (reduced natural population reduction) and hot summers (early dietary changes to woody plant-based food sources) affect the development of the food source and the Arvicolinae populations in the course of the year and how severe their impact on forest regeneration is.
One of the biggest challenges with regard to Arvicolinae in forestry is the early detection of a colonization as well as the evaluation of the risk potential. Taking into account the characteristics of population ecology and the data and results gained within the project, a complete portrait of the environmental requirements of field vole (Microtus agrestis) and common vole (Microtus arvalis) will be identified to develop strategies for successful forest regenerations. These will allow for a more specific and systematic control of Arvicolinae, for example with biological approaches and without the use of rodenticides, which is in accordance with the principles of integrated pest management.
Projektbezogene Veröffentlichungen, Präsentationen und Abschlussarbeiten
Höhn F. (2022): Mäuse in der gegenwärtigen und zukünftigen Waldverjüngung - Eindrücke aus dem Projekt KuSaMWET Vortrag zum 4. Tharandter Waldschutzkolloquium am 13. und 14. Oktober 2022 in Tharandt.
Project staff
© Professur für Waldschutz
Researcher
NameMaximilian Groschke
KuSaMWET project
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Office address:
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01737 Tharandt
Deutschland
M. Sc. Franziska Höhn, Researcher
This project is funded by
Freistaat Sachsen