Research in Soil, Nutrients and Water

Soil, nutrients and water are the basic resources for the functioning of forests as well as other ecosystems. We study how different external drivers (air pollution, climate change) and land management (land use change, biomass extraction, etc.) interact on soil quality and the cycling of water and nutrients.

 

Currently we are particularly focussing on:

 

• How forests (tree species, stand structure and age) affect evaporation and water yield? This is relevant both for changes occurring in existing forests as well as when arable land is afforested

• To what extend do forest produce clean ground and surface water? What is affecting forest water quality?

• How can the long term fertility of soils be sustained under more pressure for biomass removal for bioenergy production? We look at the amount of nutrients removed and how this may be compensated by fertilisation or wood ash recycling.

• How to evaluate and quantify the benefits - soil, water and biodiversity protection and carbon sequestration – from forest ecosystems? We focus on theses environmental services as an important part of the ecosystems services.

Researchers Per Gundersen Professor   Jesper Riis Christiansen Researcher   Karsten Raulund-Rasmussen Professor

Morten Ingerslev Senior researcher   Karin Hansen Senior researcher   Inge Stupak Researcher

 

Collaboration

The work is linked to international networks such as CAR-ES and Forest Soil Carbon-sink Nordic Network .