@misc{HeinkenBlumroederAdhikarietal., author = {Heinken, Thilo and Blumr{\"o}der, Jeanette S. and Adhikari, Yojana and Balthasar, Cathrina and Binder, Anja and Birkhofer, Klaus and Bischoff, Antje and Brosinsky, Arlena and Bubner, Ben and Clerc, Danica and Djoudi, El Aziz and Dobkowitz, Sophia and Francke, Till and Gerwin, Werner and Hartong, Heinrich and Hess, Carsten and Jarling, Ren{\´e} and Jouy, Florent and Leinen, Loretta and Meißner, Andreas and Raab, Thomas and Repmann, Frank and R{\"o}nnefarth, Susanne and Schaaf, Wolfgang and Schirrmacher, Marina and Schmehl, Marie-Therese and Schmitt, Thomas and Schr{\"o}der, Jens and Sch{\"u}le, Maren and Sturm, Knut and Welle, Torsten and Ibisch, Pierre L.}, title = {PYROPHOB - A post-fire ecosystem research project to inform management for resilient forest development}, series = {Tuexenia}, volume = {44}, journal = {Tuexenia}, issn = {0722-494X}, doi = {10.14471/2024.44.004}, pages = {35}, abstract = {PYROPHOB (fire-resistant) is the name of an interdisciplinary research project that is running for five years from 2020 to 2025. In this project, eight institutions are investigating the ecological effects of wildfires and subsequent forest management strategies in pine forests (plantations) in Brandenburg (NE Germany), with the aim of formulating practical recommendations for managing fire-prone forests and the effective restoration of post-fire forest areas. We provide a brief overview of what is known about the effects of wildfire on abiotic and biotic parameters in temperate pine forests, as well as the effects of silvicultural treatments. To date, we know little about how different components of biodiversity are linked in post-fire forest ecosystems and how management affects their functioning. By describing the project, we illustrate the requirements for the implementation of such an applied research project. We emphasize the importance of the study design for dealing with interdisciplinary questions and for the quantitative synthesis of research results. The project comprises a set of standardised field plots in two wildfire areas covering different post-fire management options. Fifteen study sites were established, including two reference sites in unburned pine stands, each with ten study plots as replicates. In situ nitrogen mineralisation, litter decomposition tests and soil biological activity are used for soil biological characterisation. Microclimate data is measured continuously. Standing and lying dead wood and tree regeneration are recorded as key indicators of the success of forestry treatments. Further methods com-prise terrestrial laser scanning, remote sensing techniques as well as surveys of vegetation and above and below ground biomass. Identification of fruiting body-forming fungi, phytoparasites and ectomycorrhizal fungi is supported by marker gene sequencing. Faunistic indicators comprise predatory soil arthropods (pairs of emergence tents and soil traps), saproxylic beetles (flight traps and funnel traps), moths (automated window traps), mammals (camera traps), and breeding birds (visual and acoustic observation). We discuss the strengths and limitations of the project design. We are able to systematically capture short-term temporal shifts in parameters and trends in post-fire ecosystem development. Research in a real landscape with ongoing environmental changes and interventions pres-ents challenges for experimental design, data analysis and interpretation. The drivers of ecosystem development are rarely completely independent or perfectly balanced, and lack of replication is ine-vitable. The two fires did not occur in the same year and season, resulting in different initial conditions for the colonisation of the burned areas. Finally, a large part of one study area was again affected by a fire in 2022, which destroyed direct comparability with the other sites. Despite these obstacles the project has started to generate valuable results to address management and conservation challenges.}, language = {en} } @misc{MajauraBoehmFreese, author = {Majaura, Marie and B{\"o}hm, Christian and Freese, Dirk}, title = {The influence of trees on crop yields in temperate zone alley cropping systems : a review}, series = {Sustainability}, volume = {16}, journal = {Sustainability}, number = {8}, issn = {2071-1050}, doi = {10.3390/su16083301}, abstract = {Agroforestry is a multifunctional land use system that represents a promising approach to mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture while enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems and ensuring sustainable food production. However, the tree rows in agroforestry systems, particularly in alley cropping systems (ACS), can affect crop productivity on adjacent agricultural fields through various mechanisms. Hence, concerns about declining yields and reduced farm profitability persist and explain the reluctance of farmers to implement ACS on their land. In this review, we examine the available literature on the effects of temperate ACS on yields of various agricultural crops to evaluate if and to what extent crop yields in ACS are affected by tree presence. We identified that ACS crop yields often vary substantially across different species, geographical locations, weather conditions and ACS designs. Our analysis also revealed that several parameters are modified in ACS by the presence of tree rows affecting crop yields positively or negatively and that ACS design aspects play a crucial role in determining crop productivity.}, language = {en} } @misc{PohlWinklerMikuttaetal., author = {Pohl, Lydia and Winkler, Pauline and Mikutta, Robert and R{\"u}cknagel, Jan and Gerwin, Werner}, title = {Potential of Fe sludge addition to increase the water holding capacity of sandy soil substrates}, series = {Journal of environmental management}, volume = {393}, journal = {Journal of environmental management}, publisher = {Elsevier BV}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0301-4797}, doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126870}, pages = {1 -- 11}, abstract = {Iron (Fe) hydroxide sludge is a by-product of open-pit lignite mining that accumulates in large quantities during acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment, where Fe²⁺ is precipitated to mitigate its environmental impact on aquatic ecosystems. Large quantities accrue, and the majority of Fe sludge is currently landfilled, although it may hold potential for beneficial reuse, for example, as a soil amendment. Hence, this study investigated the potential of Fe sludge to improve the water-holding capacity of sandy soils. A pure quartz sand and three sandy soil substrates were mixed with three different amounts of Fe oxide sludge (15, 30, and 60 t ha⁻¹) in pelletized and powdered form. Plant-available water-holding capacity (AWHC) was measured for all treatments, and results were compared to controls without Fe oxide sludge addition. The quartz sand's AWHC increased at all application rates of Fe sludge. In natural sandy soil substrates, Fe sludge increased AWHC at the highest application rate only in the soil material with an initial AWHC of <10 vol\%. The application of powdered Fe sludge was found to be more effective than pelletized sludge. We conclude that Fe oxide sludge applied as powder has the potential to enhance the AWHC of soils with an initial AWHC <10 vol\%, thus improving the quality of sandy substrates in post-mining areas. Yet, application of Fe sludge to improve soil physical properties should always consider their simultaneous impact on soil chemical properties, such as pH buffering, carbon accumulation, and effects on potentially harmful trace elements.}, language = {en} } @misc{MajauraSutterluettiBoehmetal., author = {Majaura, Marie and Sutterl{\"u}tti, Rahel and B{\"o}hm, Christian and Freese, Dirk}, title = {High and dry : barley (Hordeum vulgare) yield benefits from tree presence in a temperate alley cropping system during a drought year}, series = {Agroforestry systems}, volume = {99}, journal = {Agroforestry systems}, number = {6}, publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0167-4366}, doi = {10.1007/s10457-025-01267-9}, pages = {1 -- 20}, abstract = {Alley cropping systems (ACS) are promoted as sustainable, resilient and multifunctional land-use systems. However, concerns about yield reductions persist and whether these are driven by microclimate alterations or below-ground competition for water remains unclear. In this study, we measured wind speed, air temperature, and global radiation at seven positions within a 48 m wide crop alley of a short rotation ACS in Germany with summer barley (Hordeum vulgare) and poplar (Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii and P. trichocarpa Torrey \& A. Gray) and on a treeless reference field (OF) during a particularly dry and warm year. Additionally, gravimetric soil water content and crop yield were assessed with high spatial resolution. Our results show that tree strips influenced all measured parameters. Global radiation and air temperature patterns varied dynamically with shading, while night-time air temperatures were unexpectedly highest on the OF. Wind speeds were reduced by up to 98\% near tree strips and 81\% further away. Soil water content displayed a U-shaped pattern, with higher values near tree strips, a rare observation in ACS. Crop yields in the ACS were twice as high as in the OF, despite being lower near tree strips. Yields were strongly correlated with global radiation but not with air temperature, wind speed, or soil water content. These findings provide preliminary evidence that tree presence in ACS can, under certain conditions, contribute to increased crop yields. The results suggest that ACS provide potential benefits for sustainable land-use, but further multi-year and multi-site studies are needed to validate the observed yield patterns across different environments and years, particularly under varying climatic conditions. Further research should also explore the indirect effects of microclimate modifications on soil water dynamics, including evapotranspiration.}, language = {en} }