How forest management, disturbance and restoration affect belowground diversity and ecosystem functioning

Northern high-latitude forests are one of the greatest reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon (C) stocks globally. At the same time, they are susceptible to disturbances caused by human activities, such as forestry.

Belowground microbes regulate soil C dynamics in forest ecosystems, and many of these organisms are vulnerable to such disturbances.

However, current conservation or restoration measures have mainly focused on the most conspicuous groups living aboveground, leaving out the enormous diversity of microbes and fauna in the soil, much of which is cryptic and previously undocumented. In addition, little is known about the effects of forestry on forest belowground diversity and functions.

This project aims to examine how forest management and restoration measures affect belowground diversity and ecosystem functions, and to compare this with effects on aboveground organisms and processes.

We will use a space-for-time substitution approach, combined with carefully designed experiments and novel molecular identification methods to examine how disturbances affect biotic and abiotic factors driving belowground diversity and functions.

The research, which includes important stakeholders, is an important step towards understanding how human interventions alter the diversity and ecosystem functioning of both above- and belowground organisms, along with evaluating challenges and opportunities for the implementation of this knowledge in the Swedish forestry sector.