Coastal Deciduous Forests North-Eastern Germany - Germany

The main focus of the monitoring is the university's own forest nature reserve Eldena. In the immediate vicinity of Greifswald, the approximately 400 ha large protected area comprises near-natural, deciduous beech-ash mixed forests on ground moraine sites. Due to the hydromorphic soils, which made agricultural use difficult, a very long forest continuity can be assumed. This can be seen, among other things, in a very extensive early geophyte carpet of anemones, larkspur, bogweed and other species of impressive beauty. Originally owned by the Cistercian monastery of Eldena and the Pomeranian dukes, the area passed to the University of Greifswald in the 17th century. Intensive drainage works and the introduction of modern forestry in the 19th century changed the forest picture from wet, intensively used coppice and Hude forest with typical species such as hornbeam, oak or hazel, to beech dominated high forest. Remains of this former use have been preserved to this day in old, large-crowned oak trees, especially in the natural forest plots, which together cover about 30 hectares and are not used for forestry. The use of the forest during the war and reparation cuts after 1945 led to strong clearings, which are reflected in today’s age structure of the forest area. The forest has been a nature reserve since 1969. Detailed pollen, vegetation and soil studies are available for the area. Investigations of charcoal piles and old cartographic works shed light on the historical tree species inventory and use. The monitoring is supplemented by satellite sites in alder forests. Here, specific questions, for example on the influence of rewetting and drainage on biomass and peat formation, are investigated.