Project description
Resilient or at Risk: European beech forests in a changing climate
Restoring and conserving Europe’s forests is becoming more urgent as climate change puts ecosystems under pressure. How can forests recover after disturbances or move to more suitable habitats? To answer this question, the EU-funded FECUND project focuses on European beech (Fagus sylvatica), which is experiencing a sharp decline in viable seed supply. By combining climate data, field observations, and ecological modelling, FECUND aims to study how climate change affects seed production and seedling recruitment. The project will also aid forest restoration and conservation by identifying future suitable habitats and informing management strategies. This work paves the way for the creation of more climate-resilient forests across Europe.
Objective
Climate change is increasingly threatening European forests, yet we lack fundamental knowledge on a key determinant of resilience, namely regeneration. Without this knowledge, we risk overlooking populations at risk of collapse, unable to regenerate, recolonise after disturbance, or migrate. The FECUND fellowship addresses this challenge, and is particularly timely; we are witnessing sharp declines in viable seed supply in a cornerstone species, European beech (Fagus sylvatica), but its effects on regeneration outcomes remain unknown. The primary objective of ‘FECUND’ is to understand the interactions between climate conditions, seed viability, and seedling recruitment in European beech across different climates. FECUND will pursue four specific research objectives: 1) assessing how climate affects beech fecundity and viable seed production, 2) exploring the trade-offs between seed number and size (and quality) across climates, 3) evaluating the impact of seed supply on seedling recruitment, and 4) predicting future species distribution through dynamic forest modelling. These objectives will be met through an interdisciplinary approach, leveraging a European-wide network of researchers and a secondment at Ohio University to integrate empirical data into predictive models. The project is highly relevant to Horizon Europe, which emphasises the need for research that enhances forest resilience in the face of climate change. By providing critical insights into the factors that drive forest regeneration, FECUND will contribute to the development of more effective forest management practices and conservation strategies, and help safeguard the future of Europe’s beech forests. For the fellow, this project offers a unique opportunity to gain expertise in ecological modelling, advanced statistical analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration, ultimately positioning her as a future leader in forest ecology and biogeography.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences physical geography
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.4.1 - Widening participation and spreading excellence
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-TALENTS-02
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
61 712 POZNAN
Poland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.