Forest21

Within the project "Forest 21 - Forest risks – deriving receptor specific indicators for storm and drought in the 21st century" we apply a combination of process modeling (soil water status with BROOK90), planetary boundary layer modeling (HIRVAC) and diagnostic wind modeling (WITRAK), together with remote sensing data to study areas of various climates in Germany, which were subjected to well‐documented storm damage since 1990. Combined non‐linear statistical approaches will be used to establish relationships between wind throws/breaks and the prevailing preconditions (soil moisture regime, local wind field, etc.) while taking stand characteristics (age, structure, species composition, etc.) into account. An indicator system for the two dominating forestry trees (spruce and pine) will allow mapping these futures risks (windstorm, drought, and „compound events“) for forested areas throughout Germany.

Contact: Christian Bernhofer and Daniel Gliksman