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Project properties |
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| Title | Effect of nutrient addition and ungulate herbivory on tree sapling growth |
| Group | Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-36 |
| Supervisor(s) | Sylvana Harmsen |
| Examiner(s) | Jan den Ouden |
| Contact info | Jan.denouden@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2024/03/15 |
| End date | |
| Description | Also possible as BSc internship or MSc internship
There is an increasing need to apply mitigation measures to curb the negative effects of acidification and eutrophication in forest ecosystems. A new method now used is the application of rock dust, a ground rock with minerals that recharge the cation exchange capacity of soils. There are still many uncertainties regarding the effectiveness of this approach in natural ecosystems. The main question of this project is whether the addition of nutrients will increase herbivory in nutrient-poor ecosystems and how this cascades back to the plant community. You will work together with us in a large experiment in The Hoge Veluwe National Park that investigates the combined effect of added nutrients and (simulated) ungulate herbivory on tree sapling growth. You will perform experimental clipping of shoots in eight different tree species, and collect and analyse leaves from these plants. With the results, we can possibly predict the development of forests that received rock dust and have a high ungulate density. Keywords to search by: Topic(s): Plant-animal interactions/ Population and forest dynamics/ Forest restoration and succession / Region(s): The Netherlands Climate(s): Temperate zone |
| Used skills | |
| Requirements | - WEC-31806 Ecological Methods I, or a comparable alternative course;
- FEM-30306 Forest Ecology and Forest Management |