Long-term Monitoring of Deadwood (BELongDead)
The long-term experiment was established by Prof. E.-D. Schulze (emeritus, MPI Biogeochemistry in Jena) in the second phase, and will be coordinated by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser (TU München, Chair for Terrestrial ecology) in the third.
Within the framework of BELongDead scientists from various fields of interest examine ecological degradation processes of deadwood.

- 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 |
Responsible person, Institution | Content |
Arthropods I (since 2009),
Arthropods II (2009-2014) |
Weisser, Seibold (Technische Universität München) Steffan-Dewenter (University of Würzburg) |
Population density and diversity saproxylic arthropods, infestation by Trypodendron and Xyleborus, monitoring saproxylic insects |
BELongDead (2009) | Schulze (Emeritus, Max Planck Institute of biogeochemistry) Weisser (Technische Universität München) |
Initial measurements at the beginning of the project (e.g., diameter, trunk cover) |
BLD-FFD-HZG (2014-2017) | Hofrichter, Kellner (International Institute Zittau) Krüger, Hoppe (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental research) Bässler (Nationalpark Bayrischer Wald) |
Diversity of funghi and bacteria in deadwood and expression of genes relevant for wood-degrading |
BEL-FFD-HZG II (since 2017) | Hofrichter, Kellner (TU Dresden, International Institute 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 |
BELongDead – Stoffflüsse (2009 – 2014) | Matzner (University of Bayreuth) | Measurement of stem flow and release of DOC and DON |
FRASS | Maraun (University of Göttingen) | Reproductive behavior of oribatid mite species on bark along a land use gradient |
FunWood (2009 – 2011) | Bauhus, Kahl (University of Freiburg) Buscot, Krüger (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental research) Hofrichter (International Gratuate School Zittau) Otto (University of Leipzig) |
Effects of the intensity of forest management on the diversity of wood-decaying fungi and deadwood decomposition, fungus monitoring |
FunWood II (2011 – 2014) | Bauhus, Kahl (University of Freiburg) Krüger, Hoppe (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental research) Otto (University of Leipzig) Hofrichter, Kellner (International Gratuate School Zittau) |
Effects of the intensity of forest management on the diversity of wood-decaying fungi and deadwood decomposition, fungus monitoring |
FunWood III (2014-2017) | Bauhus, Kahl (University of Freiburg) | Effects of management intensity of forests, tree species and fungal diversity to deadwood and their ecosystem processes |
FunWood IV (since 2017) | 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 (since 2017) | Borken (University Bayreuth) Persoh (University Bochum) |
Nutrient translocation towards fungi communities in soil, functional diversity of saprotrophic fungi, microbial biomass and activity |