DEWOOD UNDERSTANDING RATES AND DRIVERS OF DEAD WOOD DECOMPOSITION IN VIRGIN FORESTS OF ROMANIA

The main aim of DeWood will be to quantify the role of Dead Wood as a potentially important component of the ecosystem C budgets in a temperate European beech-silver fir mixed virgin forest.  DeWOOD further aims to gain a better  mechanistic understanding of WD decay by studying the drivers of WD decomposition and its interactions, taking in to account the role of the abiotic factors (e.g. climate), wood functional traits (physical and chemical properties) and the diversity of decomposers (fungal, insects) and other inhabiting deadwood organisms (bryophytes) influencing the decomposition process of WD. To achieve these aims the following specific objectives of the proposal need to be considered:government and a number of foundations.