Projects / Programmes
FOREST BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY & TECHNOLOGY
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
4.01.00 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
|
1.03.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biology |
|
2.01.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Civil engineering |
|
Code |
Science |
Field |
B430 |
Biomedical sciences |
Sylviculture, forestry, forestry technology |
Code |
Science |
Field |
4.01 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
forest biology, ecological modelling, ecosystems, forest soils and vegetation, climatology and hidrology, mass and energy fluxes, bioindication, phytoremediation, climatic changes, forest physiology and genetics, forest genetic resources, biodiversity, rhizosphere, mycology, sylviculture, forest protection, phytopathology, forest fauna, protection of environment and conservation of nature, dendrochronology, forest informatics, sustainable forest management, private forest ownership, certification, wood quality, xylogenesis, wood as renewable source of energy, wood biomass
Researchers (47)
no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
1. |
29875 |
Marko Bajc |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Technical associate |
2009 - 2014 |
286 |
2. |
14869 |
PhD Gregor Božič |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
515 |
3. |
08032 |
PhD Miran Čas |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
243 |
4. |
15493 |
PhD Matjaž Čater |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
315 |
5. |
28856 |
PhD Gabrielle I. Deckmyn |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
48 |
6. |
29092 |
PhD Maarten De Groot |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2011 - 2014 |
731 |
7. |
32943 |
PhD Ario de Marco |
Chemistry |
Researcher |
2011 - 2014 |
252 |
8. |
29164 |
PhD Mitja Ferlan |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2013 - 2014 |
226 |
9. |
15492 |
PhD Andreja Ferreira |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2013 |
218 |
10. |
35362 |
PhD Katarina Flajšman |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Junior researcher |
2012 - 2014 |
189 |
11. |
21242 |
PhD Tine Grebenc |
Plant production |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
505 |
12. |
22609 |
PhD Jožica Gričar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
555 |
13. |
29633 |
PhD Polona Hafner |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Junior researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
164 |
14. |
30165 |
PhD Tine Hauptman |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2014 |
359 |
15. |
28855 |
Melita Hrenko |
|
Technical associate |
2010 |
43 |
16. |
17332 |
Jana Janša |
|
Technical associate |
2010 |
5 |
17. |
07948 |
PhD Dušan Jurc |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
670 |
18. |
27605 |
PhD Milan Kobal |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
354 |
19. |
16067 |
PhD Andrej Kobler |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2011 - 2014 |
291 |
20. |
05093 |
PhD Marko Kovač |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
358 |
21. |
07127 |
PhD Hojka Kraigher |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Head |
2009 - 2014 |
1,350 |
22. |
17034 |
PhD Nike Krajnc |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
966 |
23. |
17333 |
Robert Krajnc |
|
Technical associate |
2010 |
57 |
24. |
19721 |
PhD Gal Kušar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2010 |
180 |
25. |
15108 |
PhD Lado Kutnar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
814 |
26. |
23655 |
PhD Jana Laganis |
Control and care of the environment |
Researcher |
2009 - 2010 |
43 |
27. |
37418 |
PhD Martina Lavrič |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Junior researcher |
2014 |
34 |
28. |
11595 |
PhD Tomislav Levanič |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
620 |
29. |
29237 |
PhD Boštjan Mali |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
210 |
30. |
20842 |
PhD Aleksander Marinšek |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2014 |
399 |
31. |
36746 |
PhD Nathan Gabriel Mc Dowell |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2014 |
85 |
32. |
07890 |
PhD Mirko Medved |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2011 |
302 |
33. |
24268 |
PhD Tanja Mrak |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2013 - 2014 |
136 |
34. |
23448 |
PhD Nikica Ogris |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
1,243 |
35. |
25448 |
PhD Barbara Piškur |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
1,035 |
36. |
18112 |
PhD Boštjan Pokorny |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
894 |
37. |
32045 |
PhD Simon Poljanšek |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Beginner researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
45 |
38. |
29428 |
PhD Peter Prislan |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2013 - 2014 |
365 |
39. |
10264 |
PhD Primož Simončič |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
711 |
40. |
21192 |
PhD Helena Šterlinko Grm |
Biochemistry and molecular biology |
Researcher |
2009 |
33 |
41. |
32771 |
PhD Ines Štraus |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Junior researcher |
2010 - 2014 |
52 |
42. |
24777 |
Barbara Štupar |
|
Technical associate |
2010 |
29 |
43. |
32703 |
PhD Daniela Alexandra Teixeira da Costa Ribeiro |
Geography |
Technical associate |
2010 |
90 |
44. |
23553 |
PhD Gregor Torkar |
Educational studies |
Researcher |
2011 - 2014 |
611 |
45. |
22592 |
PhD Urša Vilhar |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
425 |
46. |
24343 |
PhD Marjana Westergren |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
421 |
47. |
28401 |
PhD Peter Železnik |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Researcher |
2009 - 2014 |
188 |
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The research programme is based on the needs and the role of the slovenian forestsv and forestry, international obligations (MCPFE 1990,1993, 1998, 2003; CBD 1992, NATURA 2000; UNGAS 1997; UN-ECE-LRTAP 1986; directives and regulations of the EU etc.) and trends of research and development in Europe and abroad, with the main aim on conservation of forest ecosystems and co-natural, sustainable, multifunctional forest management (CSMFM). The aims are simultaineous use and maintenance of all forest functions.
The programme is flexible and modular with respect to resources and emphasis in time, restricted in the present time-scale on studies of:
i)forest biology: physiology of forest trees - ecophysiology, stress physiology, physiology of symbioses and growth and development, biodiversity of fungi (forest mycology & development of The Mycotheca and Herbarium of the Slovenian Forestry Institute (SFI)), interactions in the rhizosphere, growth of roots and mycorrhizae; population-genetics and provenance studies, conservation of forest genetic resources, development of molecular and biochemical databases in forestry (molecular ecology), development of methods for extraction and storage of forest seeds (for the Seed Storage and Forest Seed Bank), forest health and protection - biotic and abiotic stresses, silviculture - silvicultural studies of optimal site conditions for regeneration of economically important forest trees and the impacts of selected stress-factors (ozone, silvicultural measures - size of gaps, light conditions, water stress, coarse woody debris, damages of root systems) on forest trees;
ii)forest ecology: systemic ecology and ecological modelling (partner: Politechnical Faculty, Nova Gorica), forest ecosystems - forest soils, vegetation, nutrition of forest trees; indicators of sustainable forest management and biodiversity in forests on ecosystem and species levels, mass and energy fluxes (carbon sequestration, water cycle, biogeochemical cycles, decomposition of organic substances, forest climatology and hydrology), site classification - phytoindication, typology, bioindication; yield science, dendrochronology, dendroecology, dendroclimatology; stress and isotope structure of annual rings, measures for conservation of habitats of forest plant and animal species and biodiversity in forests, development of methods for phytoremediation, remote sensing, forest inventories and geo-information systems in forestry, development of know-how and basic studies for the needs of forest monitorings;
iii)forest technology: biology of wood quality - scenescence, mechanic and pollution damages, growth characteristics and utilization of wood, silvicultural impacts on wood quality, economic, social, environmental and technological impacts of wood production and use of biomass in the frameworks of CSMFM; the role of forestry and human resources in rural and regional development, the impacts of forest ownership, especially small estates on accomplishments of management plans;
and studies support of the development of the national forest development programme in the context of CSMFM.
The main goals of the scientific-research programme are oriented into support of the demands of applied, developmental and professional directives of the national Forest development programme in Slovenia. Among the basic guidances are the needs for development of knowledge for the advisory tasks in the Civil Forest Service and for tasks in which SFI is the official authority for Slovenia. Research also concides with the needs of other public administration services (Ministry of environment and landscape ploanning, State agency for nature, Inspectorate etc.), research projects and collaboration in the EU and development of other civil services (environmental, nature conservation, agency for plant health and seeds etc.).
Significance for science
Climate change and activities for its mitigation and adaptation to support forest growth within their present areas, has been part of the research programme (RP) in the last 6-years period. Belowground carbon turnover is the source of most uncertainties in modelling C fluxes and basins in terrestrial ecosystems, where mycorrhiza had been determined as the key mediator of processes driving C dynamics and site productivity. Fine root and mycelium diversity, functioning, and turnover has been studied extensively, coinciding with goals of COST actions FP 1203, FP 1305, ES 1101 and others. Future adaptation of forests to the changing climates depends on the adaptability potential – genetic diversity - of forest trees. The basis for monitoring of genetic diversity has been proposed within the EUFORGEN programme, and the influence of forest management ractices on genetic diversity tested in two beech forests in Slovenia. The RP has contributed to the preparation and acceptance of a new transnational LIFEGENMON project, COST action FP 1202 and a number of national research projects. Early detection and identification of introduced alien harmful organisms for forests enables eradication, which can prevent their establishment in Europe, or mitigation of their spread, which prevents possible economic and biodiversity losses in forest ecosystems. The detection and the identification techniques for regulated forest pests, potential threat of most important regulated pests has been assessed and intensive field sampling has allowed and continues to form the basis to detect them if already present in Slovenia. Special activity has en devoted to harmful organisms , whose outbreaks are provoked by higher temperatures and drought; the prognosis of their development and spread has concentrated in the recent ears especially on ash dieback. The most scientifcally fruitfull group concentrates its srudies on stable carbon isotope chronologies & reconstruction of climate for the last 1000 years for the W Balkans, identification of the main environmental factors responsible for the growth and anatomy of trees, new insights into the understanding of plasticity of selected tree species in different environmental conditions and their long-term responses to extreme weather events, effects of drought stress, forest fires and insect outbreaks on height and radial growth, and build-up of a database of reliable and repeatable results on ecophysiological response of trees in different forest stands, in different environmental conditions and / or silvicultural practices, for future simulations.
Significance for the country
Slovenia has one of the longest traditions of sustainable and co-natural silviculture and forest management among all European countries. As extreme weather conditions became a regular issue, the need for information on how trees and forests behave in extreme environmental conditions has intensified in order to be able to prepare forest management plans incorporating changes in tree species composition, and the most suitable provenances of forest reproductive material (FRM) for future severe climate conditions and climate extremes. The research programme has been providing crucial information for future management of forests to mitigate impacts of negative influence of temperature and precipitation extremes and to prevent forests becoming a source instead of sink of carbon. All countries, members to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC are obliged to report their emissions by sources, and removals by sinks, for all greenhouse gases. Good practice guidelines used in the calculation of the national balance of forest ecosystems are determined by five reservoirs of carbon: above-ground biomass, dead wood, litter, organic matter in the soil and underground biomass. Allometric relationships are used to predict the belowground root biomass with respect to the above ground biomass. These relationships present a significant source of uncertainties, and do not contribute to understanding of belowground processes, driving carbon dynamics and fluxes. For this, fine root and mycelium turnover has been studied and incorporated into experimental models, including diversity-based impacts on ecosystem processes. Furthermore a number of methodological approaches has been developed, simplified, standardized and automated for the needs of forest monitoring. Also, development of the a new forest genetic monitoring (part of a LIFE+ project LIFEGENMON), has been initialized within this programme, as well as development of molecular databases for identification of genetic diversity and source of forest reproductive material (FRM), needed in certification of FRM and approval of forest seed objects (SFI is the state authority for FGM certification and approval of basic material, as well as for detection and prognosis of harmful organisms in Slovenia). The activities for forest health improvement have common social significance and contribute to the social economic and cultural benefits from forests. Transfer of knowledge on risks from introduction of alien forest pests to professional and general public enables rising the perception of necessity for their control, cooperation in their early detection and in their immediate response. Transfer of knowledge has been done through workshops for professionals, conferences, and by publication of results in professional journals and specialized monographies.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si