Start of research project on Oriental beech

On December 1, a collaborative research project on Oriental beech officially started. The species has been classified as a priority tree species by the Federal-State Working Group on Forest Genetic Resources and Forest Seed Law due to its potential to substitute European beech in Germany. The project focuses on studying the genetic and phenotypic variation of Oriental beech and assessing its adaptability. Our group will lead the dendroecological analyses, comparing the growth dynamics and resilience of Oriental and European beech. As part of the project, Katja Liedel will write her Ph.D. thesis, and we are delighted that Elham Elzami, who recently rejoined our team, will also play a key role in the project. The project is funded through the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) under the “Renewable Sustainable Resources” (FPNR) program.