Bilberry Ecology and the Regeneration of forest Ecosystem Functioning

Projektinformationen

BEREFT

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 101107791

DOI

10.3030/101107791

Das Projekt endete am 28 Februar 2025

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 18 Juli 2023

Startdatum 1 Mai 2024

Enddatum 30 April 2026

Finanziert unter

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Gesamtkosten

Keine Daten

EU-Beitrag

€ 226 751,04

Koordiniert durch

NORGES MILJO-OG BIOVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BEREFT (Bilberry Ecology and the Regeneration of forest Ecosystem Functioning)

Berichtszeitraum: 2024-05-01 bis 2026-04-30

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

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.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

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.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

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.

Bilberry in a Norwegian forest