#Forest & Deadwood #BELongDead #2023 – 2026 #2020 – 2023 #2017 – 2020 #2014 – 2017 #2011 – 2014 #2008 – 2011
BELongDead (Contributing project)
Long-term Monitoring of Deadwood (BELongDead)
Research without DFG funding
The longterm experiment was established by Prof. E.-D. Schulze (emeritus, MPI Biogeochemistry in Jena) in the second phase and is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser (Technical University of Munich, Chair for Terrestrial ecology) since the third phase.
BELongDead is not a funded project but an experiment that allows scientists from various fields of interest to investigate ecological degradation processes of dead wood.
- What is the meaning of deadwood in ecosystem processes?
- What is the influence of the surrounding habitat?
- How is the settlement of species and the decomposition of deadwood?
- How does decomposition affect the carbon cycle and microorganisms on the soil surface?
2008 the following tree species were put into each forest VIP in the three regions of the Biodiversity Exploratories in three replicates (in total 1,140 deadwood logs):
Beech, oak, maple (sycamore maple, mountain maple and field maple in mixture), lime tree, cottonwood tree, hornbeam, ash, birch and cherry (one log per VIP), as well as pine, larch, Douglas fir, and spruce.
Each deadwood log has a center diameter of 30cm and a length of 4m.
At the beginning of the experiment, a soil sample was taken next to each log, dried and stored, and a log slice was cut and stored.
| Project name | Supervisor, Institution | Content |
| Arthropods since 2011 | Blüthgen (Technische Universität Darmstadt)
Weisser (Technical University Munich) |
Population density and diversity saproxylic arthropods,
monitoring saproxylic insects |
| BEL-FFD-HZG since 2014 | Hofrichter, Kellner (TU Dresden, International Gratuate School Zittau)
Buscot (Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research Halle) Bässler (Bavarian Forest National Park) Hoppe (Julius-Kühn-Institute) |
Influence of surrounding ecosystem to wood decomposition, procedure of substrate succession, Influence of microorganisms to wood
decomposition and ecosystem processes, diversity of fungi and bacteria in deadwood and the expression of genes relevant to wood degradation |
| Project name | Supervisor, Institution | Content |
| Arthropoden I (2009-2014) | Weisser, Gossner (Technical University Munich) | Population density and diversity saproxylic arthropods,
infestation by Trypodendron and Xyleborus, monitoring saproxylic insects
|
| Arthropoden II (2009-2014) | Linsenmair (emeritus MPI BGC Jena
Steffan-Dewenter (University Würzburg) |
Investigation of saproxylic arthropods in canopy and ground dead wood |
| Arthropods (2014-2017) | Weisser (Technical University Munich) | Population density and diversity saproxylic arthropods,
monitoring saproxylic insects |
| Arthropods (2017-2020) | Weisser (Technical University Munich) | Population density and diversity saproxylic arthropods,
monitoring saproxylic insects |
| Arthropods (2020-2023) | Blüthgen (Technische Universität Darmstadt)
Weisser (Technical University Munich) |
Population density and diversity saproxylic arthropods,
monitoring saproxylic insects |
| BELongDead (2009) | Schulze (Emeritus, Max Planck Institute of biogeochemistry)
Weisser (Technical University Munich) |
Initial measurements at the beginning of the project (eg diameter, trunk cover) |
| BEL-FFD-HZG (2014 – 2017) | Hofrichter, Kellner (TU Dresden, International Gratuate School Zittau)
Krüger, Hoppe (Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research Halle) Bässler (Bavarian Forest National Park) |
Diversity of fungi and bacteria in deadwood and expression of genes relevant for wood-degrading |
| BEL-FFD-HZG II (2017 – 2020) | Hofrichter, Kellner, Leonhardt (TU Dresden, International Gratuate School Zittau)
Hoppe, Moll (Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research Halle) Bässler (Bavarian Forest National Park) |
Diversity of fungi and bacteria in deadwood and expression of genes relevant for wood-degrading |
| BELongDead – Stoffflüsse (2009 – 2014) | Matzner (University Bayreuth) | Measurement of stem flow and release of DOC and DON |
| FRASS (2011 – 2014) | Maraun (University Göttingen) | Reproductive behavior of oribatid mite species on bark along a land use gradient |
| Funwood (2009 – 2011) | Bauhus, Kahl (University Freiburg) Buscot, Krüger (Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research Halle) Hofrichter (International Gratuate School Zittau)Otto (University Leipzig) |
Effects of the intensity of forest management on the diversity of wood-decaying fungi and dead wood decomposition, fungus monitoring |
| Funwood II (2011 – 2014) | Bauhus, Kahl (University Freiburg)
Krüger, Hoppe (Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research Halle) Otto (University Leipzig) Hofrichter, Kellner (TU Dresden, International Gratuate School Zittau) |
Effects of the intensity of forest management on the diversity of wood-decaying fungi and dead wood decomposition, fungus monitoring |
| Funwood III (2014 – 2017) | Bauhus, Kahl (University Freiburg)
Krüger, Hoppe (Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research Halle) Otto (University Leipzig) Hofrichter, Kellner (TU Dresden, International Gratuate School Zittau) |
Effects of management intensity of Forests, tree species and fungal diversity to deadwood and their ecosystem processes |
| Funwood IV (2017-2020) | Jehmlich (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig)
Noll (Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts) |
Functional diversity in decomposer communities, influence of fluctuating temperatures on decomposer communities, influence of forest management intensity and tree species to decomposer communities and decomposition rates |
| Woodsoil (2017-2020) | Borken (University Bayreuth)
Persoh (University Bochum) |
Nutrient translocation towards fungi communities in soil, functional diversity of saprotrophic fungi, microbial biomass and activity |
Edelmann P., Weisser W. W., Ambarli D., Bässler C., Buscot F., Hofrichter M., Hoppe B., Kellner H., Moll J., Minnich C., Persoh D., Seibold S., Seilwinder C., Schulze E.-D., Wöllauer S., Borken W. (2023): Regional variation in deadwood decay of 13 tree species: effects of climate, soil and forest structure. Forest Ecology and Management 541, 121094. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121094
More information:
doi.org
Einflussfaktoren der Artenzusammensetzung von Totholzkäfergemeinschaften ändern sich während der Sukzession
Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Ambarlı D., Gossner M. M., Mori A., Cadotte M. W., Hagge J., Bässler C., Thorn S. (2023): Drivers of community assembly change during succession in wood-decomposing beetle communities. Journal of Animal Ecology 92 (5), 965-978. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13843
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doi.org
CO2- und CH4-Emissionen von 13 Totholzbaumarten werden durch die Baumartenidentität und der Bewirtschaftungsintensität in Wald- und Grünlandhabitaten beeinflusst.
Kipping L., Gossner M. M., Koschorreck M., Muszynski S., Maurer F., Weisser W. W., Jehmlich N., Noll M. (2022): Emission of CO2 and CH4 From 13 Deadwood Tree Species Is Linked to Tree Species Identity and Management Intensity in Forest and Grassland Habitats. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 36 (5), e2021GB007143. doi: 10.1029/2021GB007143
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doi.org
Forstbewirtschaftung beeinflusst totholzabhängige Käfer durch Baumartenzusammensetzung und Beschirmungsgrad
Edelmann P., Ambarlı D., Gossner M. M., Schall P., Ammer C., Wende B., Schulze E.-D., Weisser W. W., Seibold S. (2022): Forest management affects saproxylic beetles through tree species composition and canopy cover. Forest Ecology and Management 524, 120532. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120532
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doi.org
Entflechtung der Bedeutung von Raum und Wirtsbaum für die Beta-Diversität von Käfern, Pilzen und Bakterien: Lehren aus einem großen Totholzexperiment
Rieker D., Krah F.-S., Gossner M. M., Uhl B., Ambarli D., Baber K., Buscot F., Hofrichter M., Hoppe B., Kahl T., Kellner H., Moll J., Purahong W., Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Bässler C. (2022): Disentangling the importance of space and host tree for the beta-diversity of beetles, fungi, and bacteria: Lessons from a large dead-wood experiment. Conservation Biology 268, 109521. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109521
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Purahong W., Tanunchai B., Muszynski S., Maurer F., Wahdan S. F. M., Malter J., Buscot F., Noll M. (2022): Cross-kingdom interactions and functional patterns of active microbiota matter in governing deadwood decay. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289: 20220130. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0130
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doi.org
Minnich C., Persoh D., Poll C., Borken W. (2021): Changes in Chemical and Microbial Soil Parameters Following 8 Years of Deadwood Decay: An Experiment with Logs of 13 Tree Species in 30 Forests. Ecosystems 24, 955–967. doi: 10.1007/s10021-020-00562-z
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Muszynski S., Maurer F., Henjes S., Horn M. A., Noll M. (2021): Fungal and Bacterial Diversity Patterns of Two Diversity Levels Retrieved From a Late Decaying Fagus sylvatica Under Two Temperature Regimes. Frontiers in Microbiology 11:548793. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.548793
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Moll J., Heintz-Buschart A., Bässler C., Hofrichter M., Kellner H., Buscot F., Hoppe B. (2021): Amplicon Sequencing-Based Bipartite Network Analysis Confirms a High Degree of Specialization and Modularity for Fungi and Prokaryotes in Deadwood. mSphere 6 (1): e00856-20. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00856-20.
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doi.org
Molekulare pilzliche Gemeinschaftsstruktur und deren Aktivitäten im Totholzabbau von Splint- und Kernholz 13 temperater Baumarten
Leonhardt S., Hoppe B., Stengel E., Noll L., Moll J., Bässler C., Dahl A., Buscot F., Hofrichter M., Kellner H. (2019): Molecular fungal community and its decomposition activity in sapwood and heartwood of 13 temperate European tree species. PLoS ONE 14 (2): e0212120. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212120
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Purahong W., Wubet T., Kahl T., Anstadt T., Hoppe B., Lentendu G., Baber K., Rose T., Kellner H., Hofrichter M., Bauhus J., Krüger D., Buscot F. (2018): Increasing N deposition impacts neither diversity nor functions of deadwood-inhabiting fungal communities, but adaptation and functional redundancy warrants ecosystem function. Environmental Microbiology 20 (5), 1693-1710. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.14081
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Purahong W., Wubet T., Krüger D., Buscot F. (2018): Molecular evidence strongly supports deadwood-inhabiting fungi exhibiting unexpected tree species preferences in temperate forests. The ISME Journal 12, 289–295. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2017.177
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Purahong W., Wubet T., Lentendu G., Hoppe B., Jariyavidyanont K., Arnstadt T., Baber K., Otto P., Kellner H., Hofrichter M., Bauhus J., Weisser W. W., Krüger D., Schulze E.-D., Kahl T., Buscot F. (2018): Determinants of deadwood-inhabiting fungal communities in temperate forest: molecular evidence from a large scale deadwood decomposition experiment. Frontiers in Microbiology 9:2120. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02120
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Kahl T., Arnstadt T., Baber K., Bässler K., Bauhus J., Borken W., Buscot F., Floren A., Heibl C., Hessenmöller D., Hofrichter M., Hoppe B., Kellner H., Krüger D., Linsenmair K. E., Matzner E., Otto P., Purahong W., Seilwinder C., Schulze E.-D., Wende B., Weisser W. W., Gossner M. M. (2017): Wood decay rates of 13 temperate tree species in relation to wood properties, enzyme activities and organismic diversities. Forest Ecology and Management 391, 86-95. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.02.012
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Untersuchung von pilzlichen Laccasen und Peroxidasen in Buchen-, Fichten- und Kieferntotholz sowie deren Beziehungen zu Holzvariablen
Arnstadt T., Hoppe B., Kahl T., Kellner H., Krüger D., Bässler C., Bauhus J., Hofrichter M. (2016): Patterns of laccase and peroxidases in coarse woody debris of Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestrisand their relation to different wood parameters. European Journal of Forest Research 135 (1), 109-124. doi: 10.1007/s10342-015-0920-0
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Pilzbiomasse und extrazelluläre Enzymaktivität im Totholz von 13 Baumarten in der frühen Zersetzungsphase
Noll L., Leonhardt S., Arnstadt T., Hoppe B., Poll C., Matzner E., Hofrichter M., Kellner H. (2016): Fungal biomass and extracellular enzyme activities in coarse woody debris of 13 tree species in the early phase of decomposition. Forest Ecology and Management 378, 181-192. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.07.035
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Gossner M. M., Wende B., Levick S., Schall P., Floren A., Linsenmair K. E., Steffan-Dewenter I., Schulze E.-D., Weisser W. W. (2016): Deadwood enrichment in European forests – Which tree species should be used to promote saproxylic beetle diversity? Biological Conservation 201, 92–102. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.06.032
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Baber K., Otto P., Kahl T., Gossner M. M., Wirth C., Gminder A., Bässler C. (2016): Disentangling the effects of forest-stand type and dead-wood origin of the early successional stage on the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi. Forest Ecology and Management. 377, 161-169. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.07.011
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Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffdynamik in Totholz: Bedeutung der Flüsse mit der gelösten Phase und der pilzlichen N-Translokation aus dem Boden
Noll L. (2015): Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffdynamik in Totholz: Bedeutung der Flüsse mit der gelösten Phase und der pilzlichen N-Translokation aus dem Boden. Master thesis, University Bayreuth
Bantle A. K. (2015): Tree species effects on the release of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from decomposing logs. Dissertation, University Bayreuth
More information:
epub.uni-bayreuth.de
Totholz als Quelle für gelöste organische Substanzen
Bantle A., Borken W., Ellerbrock R. H., Schulze E. D., Weisser W. W., Matzner E. (2014): Quantity and quality of dissolved organic carbon released from coarse woody debris of different tree species in the early phase of decomposition. Forest Ecology and Management 329, 287–294. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2014.06.035
More information:
doi.org
Totholz als Quelle für gelösten Stickstoff
Bantle A., Borken W., Matzner E. (2014): Dissolved nitrogen release from coarse woody debris of different tree species in the early phase of decomposition. Forest Ecology and Management 334, 277–283. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2014.09.015
More information:
doi.org
Public Datasets
Seibold, Sebastian; Weisser, Wolfgang; Gossner, Martin M.; Simons, Nadja (2025): Deadwood-associated invertebrates, 9 forest plots Schorfheide, BELongDead, 2011- 2017. Version 8. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/32014?version=8
Moll, Julia; Hoppe, Björn (2022): Wood-inhabiting archaeal community - primer comparison: Data set 'V56' (16S amplicon sequencing). Version 4. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/31303?version=4
Moll, Julia; Hoppe, Björn (2022): Wood-inhabiting archaeal community - primer comparison: Data set 'Prok' (16S amplicon sequencing). Version 4. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/31300?version=4
Moll, Julia; Hoppe, Björn (2022): Wood-inhabiting archaeal community - primer comparison: Data set 'V34' (16S amplicon sequencing). Version 4. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/31301?version=4
Moll, Julia; Hoppe, Björn (2022): Wood-inhabiting archaeal community - primer comparison: Data set 'V46' (16S amplicon sequencing). Version 4. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/31302?version=4
Weisser, Wolfgang; Goßner, Martin; Wende, Beate; Floren, Andreas (2018): Saproxylic beetles on different tree species, all forest VIPs, intensive subplots, 2011 to 2014, BELongDead . Version 3. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/22867?version=3
Seilwinder, Claudia; Weisser, Wolfgang (2015): BELongDead - Photos of logs - SCH (2013). Version 2. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/18726?version=2
Seilwinder, Claudia; Weisser, Wolfgang (2014): BELongDead - Photos of logs - HAI (2013). Version 2. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/17327?version=2
Bantle, Andreas; Matzner, Egbert (2011): DOC and DON concentrations in CWD runoff HEW. Version 2. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de/ddm/data/Showdata/14016?version=2
Non-public datasets
LIDAR-based canopy cover above BELongDead subplots 2008-2009
Goßner, Martin; Levick, Shaun; Schall, Peter (2021): LIDAR-based canopy cover above BELongDead subplots 2008-2009. Version 2. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de. Dataset ID= 30925
BELongDead – Workshop November 2012 – Presentations (in German)
Seilwinder, Claudia; Weisser, Wolfgang (2012): BELongDead - Workshop November 2012 - Presentations (in German). Version 2. Biodiversity Exploratories Information System. Dataset. https://www.bexis.uni-jena.de. Dataset ID= 15426
Scientific assistants
