PhD position: The role of soil biodiversity in forest restoration - NIOO-KNAW - Wageningen

Updated: over 1 year ago
Job Type: Temporary
Deadline: 05 Sep 2022

Project:

Enhancing soil biodiversity for vital forests

Project description:

Forests in the Netherlands are under threat from nitrogen deposition, acidification, drought, and climate change. These processes have been shown to cause massive tree dying events, with strong negative consequences for the associated flora and fauna as well. According to the National Forest Strategy of the Netherlands current forests need be turned into future-proof biodiverse forests by planting broadleaf tree species with high quality litter. However, little is known about the role of soil biodiversity in this forest conversion.

You will carry out field, mesocosm and lab experiments to test the role of soil biodiversity in future-proof forest restoration. For this project, large-scale field experiments will be set up in Nationale Park De Hoge Veluwe in order to determine how promoting soil biodiversity may help to establish future-proof forest.

You will be based at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Department of Terrestrial Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Forest Ecology & Management group of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Nationale Park De Hoge Veluwe.



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