Loading...
Picture: The black and white photo shows the negative image of a group of trees

The intensity of silvicultural interventions such as thinnings or final harvests as well as the choice of the tree species to be cultivated are two basic silvicultural management decisions. However, our knowledge on the effects of silvicultural management intensity or different neighborhood diversities on distinct changes in tree architecture is still small, especially if the focus is laid on single tree attributes, e.g. branching pattern or crown deformations. This was due to the general inaccessibility, size and complexity of the study object “forest”, especially if the canopy layer is also to be considered. Furthermore, little is known yet about the patterns of canopy space exploration and how it is affected by tree diversity and management activities.


1. Crown structural parameters vary significantly between different levels of management intensity and neighborhood diversity

2. Canopy space filling increases from low to high tree species diversity and from high to low management intensity


First, we are aiming at identifying the distinct tree structural attributes that are changed by different intensities of management (management effect). Secondly, we will attempt to reveal general pattern of alterations in a tree‘s spatial structure depending on neighboring tree-identities (diversity or species identity effect). Thirdly, we will study whether or not the often proposed spatial complementarity of different tree species architectures (crown forms) results in a higher space occupation due to niche partitioning.


1. By the use of terrestrial laser scanning, a detailed, three-dimensional model of each stand will be created. We will use separated point clouds (individual trees) but also combined point clouds from the entire stand for further analysis.

2. An algorithm that examines both stem and crown will be used to derive a large number of structural attributes of each tree individual including competition.

3. An octree- approach will be used to assess the three-dimensional space-filling in detail. Therefore each plot‘s point cloud (32×32 m) is successively divided into smaller sub-cubes (16m, 8m, 4m …, 25cm) that are tested for containing plant material or only empty space.

Our project aims at investigating processes that can only be explained by three-dimensional information obtained from several scanning perspectives (multi-scan approach). Due to a multiplied effort for data acquisition in the field and the need for time-consuming registration procedures that combine different scanning perspectives on the same scene, the present study will focus on the VIPs.


Doc
Einfluss der Baumartenmischung auf die Komplexität der Bestandesstruktur
Juchheim J., Ehbrecht M., Schall P., Ammer C., Seidel D. (2020): Effect of tree species mixing on stand structural complexity. Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research 93 (1), 75–83. doi: 10.1093/forestry/cpz046
More information:  doi.org
Doc
Quantifying the impact of forest management intensity and tree species diversity on individual tree shape and three-dimensional stand structure
Erfassung des Effekts von Bewirtschaftungsintensität und Baumartendiversität auf die Einzelbaummorphologie und dreidimensionale Bestandesstruktur
Juchheim J. (2020): Quantifying the impact of forest management intensity and tree species diversity on individual tree shape and three-dimensional stand structure. Dissertation, University Göttingen
Doc
Dorji Y., Annighöfer P., Ammer C. Seidel D. (2019): Response of Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Trees to Competition—New Insights from Using Fractal Analysis. Remote Sensing 11 (22), 2656. doi: 10.3390/rs11222656
More information:  doi.org
Doc
Eine holistischer Ansatz zur Bestimmung der strukturellen Komplexität von Bäumen
Seidel D. (2018): A holistic approach to determine tree structural complexity based on laser scanning data and fractal analysis. Ecology and Evolution 8 (1), 128–134. doi: 10.1002/ece3.3661. doi: 10.1002/ece3.3661
More information:  doi.org
Doc
Fraktale analyse von Stammfußkarten
Seidel D., Annighöfer P., Ehbrecht M., Ammer C., Schall P. (2018): Applying fractal analysis to stem distribution maps. Ecological Indicators 93, 243-246. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.05.016
More information:  doi.org
Doc
Die Besetzung des Kronenraums anstatt konventionelle Maße der Strukturdiversität erklären die Produktivität von Buchenbeständen
Juchheim J., Ammer C., Schall P., Seidel D. (2017): Canopy space filling rather than conventional measures of structural diversity explains productivity of beech stands. Forest Ecology and Management 395, 19–26. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.03.036.
More information:  doi.org
Doc
Einfluss der Bewirtschaftungsintensität und der Zusammensetzung der Nachbarbaumarten auf die Struktur von Buchen (Fagus sylvatica L.)
Juchheim J., Annighöfer P., Ammer C., Calders K., Raumonen P., Seidel D. (2017): How management intensity and neighborhood composition affect the structure of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees. Trees - Structure and Function 31 (5), 1723–1735. doi: 10.1007/s00468-017-1581-z
More information:  doi.org
Doc
Seidel D., Ehbrecht M., Juchheim J., Schall P., Ammer C. (2017): Terrestrisches Laserscanning erfasst komplexe Waldstrukturen. Allgemeine Forst Zeitschrift/Der Wald 72 (17), 25-28.
More information:  www.forstpraxis.de

Scientific assistants

Dr. Dominik Seidel
Alumni
Dr. Dominik Seidel
Julia Juchheim
Alumni
Julia Juchheim
Top