CANIF

CArbon and NItrogen cycling in Forest ecosystems

Co-ordinator : E.D. Schulze

CANIF (Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in Forest Ecosystems) investigates the effects of climat and of soil-borne and deposited nitrogen on C- and N-assimilation and turnover as well as on forest organism functioning in broad-leafed and coniferous forests and plantations along a climatic transect through Europe, extending from North Sweden to Central Italy.

The objectives are :

• to link process studies on carbon and nutrient fluxes with observations on the function of biodiversity at different trophic levels,
• to quantify the ability of coniferous and deciduous trees to assimilate C and N along a gradient of climate and deposition, and to investigate the function of the canopy and herb layer (including the affects of tree age) in order to extrapolate over the tree-life cycle,
• to examine the function of soil animals in litter decomposition and their interaction with soil microorganisms,
• to analyze the specific metabolic function of important species of mycorrhizae and saprophytic fungi with a view toward determening their ability to use different forms of N and C, derived from plants or decomposing organic matter,
• to quantify the function of different types of microorganisms by measuring relevent metabolic properties,
• to determine the long-term ecosystem C-balance (¹⁴C) and to measure C-, N- and S-losses to groundwater.

contact :

E.D. Schulze
Max-Plank-Institut for Biogeochemestry
D 07701 Jena
Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 3641 64 3702
Fax: +49 3641 64 3710
detlef.schulze@bgc-jena.mpg.de

web site :