Status and Dynamics of Forests in Germany

  The meeting takes place to mark the publication „Status and Dynamics of Forests in Germany” in Ecological Studies (Vol. 237).

The findings focus on the national soil survey and in case of nitrogen and tree nutrition on level II. We will present the key issues of soil condition, forest nutrition, crown condition, biodiversity and drought stress. Due to anthropogenic influences and changing climate conditions, forest ecosystems in Central Europe are changing.

In an effort to understand the influence of site modification, deposition of air pollutants, and climate, a large-scale monitoring programme was undertaken.We present the scientific findings for Germany, covering major challenges with regard to the future preservation and management of forest ecosystems under environmental change.

In addition, we address a number of central questions: What are the main factors affecting forest stands and soil integrity? How, and how rapidly are forest ecosystems changing? How diverse are the changes across Germany? What are the main risks for sustainable forest management in the future? How can policy support the development and maintenance of adaptive and resilient forests that provide essential ecosystem services, today and in the future?