Objective To study the effects of community complexity (of both vegetation and soil (micro) organisms) on ecosystems processes and vegetation dynamics on former agricultural, set-aside, land. - To examine if the complexity of the community on set-aside agricultural land can be enhanced artificially by increasing plant species diversity. - To examine if, and how, a stepping stone approach may be used to enhance the colonisation of the soil of set-aside land by soil (micro)organisms of expected/desired successional stages. - To study the effects of community complexity, as well as manipulation of community development by increasing plant species diversity and by applying stepping stones in a north-south and east-west double gradient to get results applicable at a European scale. - To contribute to the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Initiative (TERI) of the European Union by establishing field sites that may be used for studying effects of changing land use, biodiversity and species interactions on ecosystem processes and ecosystem development.Key processes enhancing the transformation of set-aside agricultural land into restored natural ecosystems will be examined by six partners, offering expertise in plants and soil organisms, as well as biogeochemical cycles of nutrients, affecting biodiversity-related interactions and ecosystem processes. The soil biota involved concern bacteria, fungi (incl.endo- and ecyomycorrhizae), nematodes, insects and earth worms. Six countries participate in CLUE: Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Spain (representing a north-south gradient) and the Czech Republic and England (representing the extremes of the east-west gradient) to obtain results applicable at an European scale. The CLUE project team is organized interdisciplinary and each participant supplies specific expertise. At all six participating countries a similar main field experiment is set up where each participant collects both basic and specialised data. During joint field work shops (twice a year) all six field sites will be examined in order to collect a complete set of data from all sites, as well as to exchange approaches, knowledge and expertise. Results of CLUE will provide basic knowledge on key ecosystem processes determining rate and direction of natural vegetation development to extensively managed grassland and forest at former agricultural land. Two main applications of enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem development will be examined: 1. Enhancement of the initial diversity in vegetation. 2. Introduction of later-successional organisms via 'Stepping stones'. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomologysocial sciencespolitical sciencesgovernment systems Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 01020203 - Biodiversity and environmental change Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator ROYAL NETHERLANDS ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE EU contribution No data Address 22,Boterhoeksestraat 48 6666 ZG HETEREN Netherlands See on map Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CAB International United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Queen's Gate SW7 5JR London See on map Total cost No data CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE France EU contribution No data Address Route de Mende 1919 34293 MONTPELLIER See on map Total cost No data CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Spain EU contribution No data Address 40,Calle Cordel de Merinas 40 37071 SALAMANCA See on map Total cost No data LUND UNIVERSITY Sweden EU contribution No data Address Ecology Building, Soelvegatan 37 223 62 LUND See on map Total cost No data University of South Bohemia Czechia EU contribution No data Address 31,Branisovska 370 05 Ceské Budejovice See on map Total cost No data