Project properties

Title Drought resistance of maple growing under contrasting site conditions in the Netherlands
Group Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group
Project type thesis
Credits 36/39
Supervisor(s) dr.ir. P (Paul) Copini dr. UGW (Ute) Sass-Klaassen
Examiner(s) dr.ir. J (Jan) den Ouden
Contact info ute.sass-klaassen@wur.nl (www.dendrochronology.nl)
Begin date 2021/01/01
End date
Description Also possible as MSc internship

Maple plays an important role in Dutch forestry due to its litter quality, but also the potential to use its wood for wood modification acetylation). Yet the question arises on how maple will perform under changing climate conditions with more drought and late-frost events. By using tree-ring research it is possible to assess climate factors which limit maple growth under contrasting site conditions (sand/clay). The results will help to create productive and resilient mixed forests which are considered to be ‘climate proof’.

[Climate change effects / Population and forest dynamics/ Sustainable forest management/ Ecophysiology / Tree ring analyses and wood anatomy / The Netherlands/ Temperate zone]

Corona proof: Yes (fieldwork, labwork & tree-ring analyses with R) i.e.no field work (abroad) or intensive lab studies required=>suitable to be conducted in Corona time
Used skills
Requirements - WEC-31806 Ecological Methods I, or a comparable alternative course;
- One FEM course (at least), depending on the topic of the thesis: FEM-30306 Forest Ecology and Forest Management, FEM-30806 Resource Dynamics Sustainable Utilization, FEM-32306 Agroforestry, or Models for Ecological Systems FEM-31806