Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BEREFT (Bilberry Ecology and the Regeneration of forest Ecosystem Functioning)
Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2026-04-30
Bilberry, Vaccinium myrtillus, is a key plant species of the boreal forest. While better known for its deep blue berries, bilberry may have an important role in the nutrient cycle of the boreal forest ecosystem. Bilberry’s positive role in the forest is threatened as previous research has shown that it is impacted through forest management practices potentially reducing its contribution to the forest ecosystem. The project’s objective was to examine bilberry’s traits in both formerly clear-cut and near-natural forests within Norway to better understand how forest management practices impact its role in the forest nutrient cycle. Given that bilberry can be a dominant species in the forest understory, it could have a large impact on stores of carbon and nitrogen in forest soil. Management of soil carbon and nutrients are an important aspect of the forest ecosystem, and the ecosystem services it provides.
The project collected bilberry leaves and measured their chemical composition. The project also prototyped a method to collect in-situ root exudates. The fellow received training from the host in chemical and forest ecology.
The project examined the chemical composition of bilberry leaves across a range of elements. Given bilberry’s relatively large annual production of leaves, the addition of these elements in litterfall likely represents a considerable pool added to the forest litter layer. The loss of bilberry through management practices may therefore reduce these litter inputs. Further efforts can quantify and understand the importance of bilberry’s role in nutrient cycling and its impact on forest yields and management.