Research project PYROPHOB: what makes forests resilient
Aim of the scientific research project PYROPHOB- “Strategies for developing pyrophobic and climate resilient forests at burned areas“ is to investigate the impact of fire disturbance, silviocultural management strategies and natural succession on the mid-term development of forests in the context of enhanced climate-change induced drought stess. Further, to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of silviocultural management strategies in order to give recommendations how to treat fire-prone and fire-damaged forests in the future. Moreover, the project makes important contributions to basic scientific research about forest-fire-ecology in Germany and educational work.
Based on an integrative analysis at ecosystem level, the impact of fire disturbance and silviocultural management strategies on abiotic and biotic properties and on forest structures and functions are analyzed systematically. Therefore, the parameters of soil properties and functions, water balance, microclimate, flora, mycological flora and fauna as well as their process-interactions are investigated.
The scientific research project PYROPHOB is a collaboration between eight research partners: Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, University of Potsdam, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Eberswalde Forestry Competence Centre, Thünen-Institute of Forest Genetics, Senckenberg German Entomological Institute, Natural Forest Academy and the Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation. The project lead is carried out at the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development.
The scientific research project PYROPHOB is part of the program “forest fires- addressing the challenges of prevention and management“ and is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) by the Fachagentur Nachwachsender Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR). The project startet in May 2020 and runs until April 2025.
