Climate impact and adaptation research in Lower Saxony

The impact of global climate change on forests located at the Lüneburger Heide is observed to generate an early warning for an endangered forest. For this purpose the physiological impacts of draught stress, fungal decay etc. on beech (Fagus sylvatica) are studied besides altered volatile patterns. Specialised pest insects e.g. bark beetles, false powderpost beetles, wood-boring beetles, longicorns and others are able to detect the volatile pattern and to deduce if trees can protect themselves successfully against the pest infestination. The pest insects search selectively for weak trees and infest them. Thereby, a reduced cost of host tree finding and an increased breed success could lead to an outbreak of the pest insects, which at a higher number could infest healthy trees.
At three experimental areas with a water gradient draught stress and its impact to the incidence of altered volatile patterns and the incidence of insects is studied. Therefore, volatile samples are analysed by GC-MS and trapped insects are determined. These parameters can be used for an early stress warning and at the same time as the base of an adequate protection of the forest.


Impact trap for monitoring of insects

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