Forschung & Projekte

MULTI-TROPHIC INTERACTIONS IN A FOREST BIODIVERSITY EXPERIMENT IN CHINA (MULTITROPH)

Funding: Research Group FOR 5281 funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)

Duration: 2022-2026

Institute staff involved: Joshua Spitz (PhD student), Michael Staab (PI)

The DFG-funded research unit MultiTroph "Multi-trophic interactions in a forest biodiversity experiment in China" (FOR 5281) is investigating the role of tree diversity for multi-trophic interactions and dependent ecosystem functions. MultiTroph works on the BEF-China platform (https://bef-china.com/) that comprises the worldwide largest tree diversity experiment, located in subtropical southeast China (Jiangxi province).

The BEF-China experiment addresses the fundamental question whether tree diversity matters for the functioning of forest ecosystems. In 2009, a large-scale tree diversity experiment was established using a pool of 42 local subtropical tree species that are planted in plots with 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 tree species. Thus, it is possible to investigate the effects of tree diversity per se.

Within MultiTroph, Michael Staab leads subproject 6 on “Trophic interactions and ecological functions of ants”. The PhD student Joshua Spitz is busy quantifying ant diversity and trait distribution to functionally characterize ant communities. To investigate realized trophic niches, resource choice experiments are performed and stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N) measured in cooperation with researchers from the University of Bayreuth. By integrating across components of biological organization in a key arthropod taxon, our research helps to understand how the interplay among tree diversity, ant diversity, trait distribution and trophic interactions influences forest ecosystem functionality.

CORE PROJECT ARTHROPODS WITHIN THE BIODIVERSITY EXPLORATORIES

Funding: Infrastructure Priority Program SPP 1374 funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)

Duration: 2026-2029

Institute staff involved: Julian Lunow (Postdoc), Michael Staab (PI)

Website: https://www.biodiversity-exploratories.de/en/

The Biodiversity Exploratories aim to understand the effects of land-use intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Since 2008 this collaborative large-scale project involves researchers from various disciplines and universities. Key research objectives are the effects of different forms and intensities of land-use on biodiversity and ecosystem processes; the interactions between different components of biodiversity; and how biodiversity influences ecosystem processes.

The research project includes three different regions (i.e., “Exploratories”) across Germany: Schwäbische Alb in the southwest, Hainich Dün in the center and Schorfheide Chorin in the northeast of Germany. Each exploratory consists of 50 grassland and 50 forest sites that can be ranked along gradients of land-use intensity (from low to very intensive land use).

Within the Biodiversity Exploratories consortium, Michael Staab leads the Core Arthropods (https://www.biodiversity-exploratories.de/en/projects/arthropods-and-arthropod-related-processes/) project together with Wolfgang Weisser (TU Munich). The Core project Arthropods conducts long-term monitoring of arthropods and arthropod related processes in forest and grassland ecosystems to disentangle the influence of land-use intensity on arthropod abundance and diversity and changes therein.