Projects / Programmes
Impacts of climate change on production and properties of beech and spruce wood biomass in Slovenia and the evaluation of related potentials for bioeconomy growth
Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
4.01.01 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Forest - forestry |
Code |
Science |
Field |
4.01 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
climate change, wood formation, modelling, dendrochronology, wood anatomy, forest production, wood quality, economy, bioeconomy
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
March 31, 2023;
A3 for period 2017-2021
Data for ARRS tenders (
04.04.2019 – Programme tender,
archive
)
Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
WoS |
434 |
8,884 |
7,414 |
17.08 |
Scopus |
453 |
9,645 |
8,198 |
18.1 |
Researchers (20)
no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publications |
1. |
51924 |
Domen Arnič |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Junior researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
48 |
2. |
10890 |
PhD Emil Erjavec |
Plant production |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
1,158 |
3. |
22609 |
PhD Jožica Gričar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
506 |
4. |
29633 |
PhD Polona Hafner |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
152 |
5. |
19106 |
PhD Miha Humar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
1,210 |
6. |
39600 |
PhD Jernej Jevšenak |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
88 |
7. |
16329 |
PhD Luka Juvančič |
Plant production |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
410 |
8. |
30768 |
PhD Tina Kocjančič |
Animal production |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
34 |
9. |
53233 |
PhD Luka Krajnc |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
70 |
10. |
17034 |
PhD Nike Krajnc |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
922 |
11. |
17333 |
Robert Krajnc |
|
Technician |
2020 - 2021 |
54 |
12. |
37425 |
PhD Davor Kržišnik |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
157 |
13. |
28503 |
PhD Boštjan Lesar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
421 |
14. |
11595 |
PhD Tomislav Levanič |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
599 |
15. |
29428 |
PhD Peter Prislan |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Principal Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
308 |
16. |
38944 |
Ilona Rac |
Plant production |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
83 |
17. |
53019 |
Gregor Skoberne |
|
Technician |
2022 - 2023 |
0 |
18. |
38471 |
Darja Stare |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2021 |
204 |
19. |
35079 |
Matevž Triplat |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2020 - 2023 |
209 |
20. |
20457 |
Andreja Žagar |
|
Technician |
2020 - 2023 |
48 |
Organisations (2)
Abstract
Climate observations over the past five decades in Slovenia, a transitional region between the Mediterranean, Alpine and temperate climate regimes, show an increase in annual temperature and changes in precipitation distribution. These trends are also in agreement with climate changes scenarios for the coming decades. Several intra-annual xylem growth ring formation studies suggest that global warming in temperate and cold ecosystems of the Northern hemisphere is affecting the timing and dynamic of wood formation, which may increase the productivity of forest stands. Contrary, some dendroecological studies show that recent, more frequent extreme weather events (e.g. droughts, heat waves, late frost events, windthrows, ice storms) negatively affect tree growth. However, changes in growth conditions may not only affect wood productivity but also its structure, properties and consequently the usability of wood. Changes in forests productivity and the availability of woody biomass will also have economic implication in the forestry and wood-based sector. In addition, it is uncertain how changes in supply and demand for wood biomass may influence the development of sustainable wood-based bioeconomy. European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) are the most common and widespread species, not only in Slovenia also in the major part of Europe. Thus, it is of great importance to understand the performance of this species under climate change, in order to evaluate ecological and economic consequences. Accordingly, the aim of the project proposal is to (I) develop a model explaining the impact of environmental factors (and extreme weather events) on production and anatomical structure of wood in European beech and Norway spruce, (II) evaluate the impact of changing environmental conditions on properties and usability of wood and finally to (III) evaluate the impact of climate change on economy of forest and wood-based sector and on the transition into sustainable bio-economy in Slovenia. Following the objectives, the project proposal is organised into four working packages (WP) addressing the specific research questions. Within WP1, tasks and activates related to communication and dissemination of results are foreseen. The main goal of WP2 is to evaluate the climate-growth relationships, based on wood formation observations, dendrochronology and quantitative wood anatomy. To this purpose, data from previous national ARRS projects will be used and the collection of new data is foreseen at sites, recently affected by extreme weather events. The results of WP2 will be used for predicting the productivity of beech and spruce stands under climate change. Within WP3 the effects of changing environmental conditions on properties and thus the quality of wood biomass will be investigated. Additional wood sampling is planned across Slovenia, at forest sites with diverse growth conditions as well as tree characteristics. Selected structural (e.g. fibre properties), physical (e.g. density, moisture performance) and mechanical properties (e.g. elastic modulus) of collected samples will be analysed to evaluate the effect of changing climate conditions on wood usability. Results from preceding WPs are expected to be used in WP4, to perform quantitative evaluation and characterization of beech and spruce biomass to assess economic consequences of climate change on the forestry and wood-based industry. Furthermore, the data will be used to review material flow balances, which may help to predict the effect of new value chains on supply and demand for wood biomass. Based on that, possible scenarios will be evaluated on the development of sustainable wood-based bioeconomy in Slovenia.