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The focal point of the Leipzig Canopy Crane Project is the investigation of biodiversity
in tree crown. The term ‚biodiversity’ describes the sum of all
organisms, their abundance and distribution in time and space. Even in such
a well-investigated country like Germany forest canopies remain widely unexplored
because of the general bad accessibility of tree crowns. The occurrence of
insects, spiders, birds, fungi, mosses or lichens including various interplays
between the different organisms were studied, are currently under investigation
or will be matters of projects in the future.
See also projects and results.
Organismical Interactions (Interdependencies between animals and plants or plants
and fungi) band the elements of biodiversity, the organisms, together to a
function. A well known animal-plant interaction is the pollination.
Photosynthesis and other physiological processes are basic mechanisms in plants.
The understanding of these functions are essential because plants themselves
are at the base of food chains and therefore of fundamental importance for
all living creatures on higher levels (eg., humans). On large trees, the leaves,
the location of photosynthesis and other processes are mostly out of reach
and therefore less investigated concerning energy flows, morphology or anatomy.
Within the scope of discussions about the global climatic situation, the understanding
of plants, in particular of forests, as oxygen producers and CO2 accumulators
is of major importance. Considering the fact that under certain circumstances
forests could produce more CO2 than they consume more research has to be undertaken
in this field.
Forest structures, in particular those of canopy regions, and genetical patterns
of trees could be of great interest especially for forestry. Based on the shape
of canopies and their position to other trees, intra- and interspecific competition
for light can be assessed.
Genetical differences exist not only between different species but also between
different individuals of one tree species. These differences probably can be
correlated with the observed competition between trees. One hypothesis assumes
that different branches on one tree contain different genetic information. If
this is true one single tree could produce descendants that are genetically distinct
from each other.
The investigation of environmental conditions occuring from ground level to the
canopy is the basis for linking single studies within the framework of the
whole project. Patterns of solar radiation, temperature or the small scale
distribution of relative humidity are of fundamental interest as are physical
and chemical and hydrological characteristics of the soil. Since 2003 high
resolution small scale measurements are undertaken and are connected to local
climate to improve climatic modelling. These models are appropriate to assist
future prospects of global climate change because they highlight the regulating
function of forests.
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