LWF Lägeren long-term research site

Beschreibung

This research site is located on the southern slope of the Lägern, which forms the eastern most part of the Jura mountains, within a managed mixed deciduous forest. The forest is highly diverse, dominated by beech, but also including ash, maple, spruce and fir trees. Eddy covariance flux measurements were started in April 2004. The site was part of the international CarboEurope IP network and currently part of the following national networks:

• National Air Pollution Monitoring Network (NABEL)
• TreeNet: The biological drought and growth indicator network
• Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research (LWF)
• Swiss FluxNet

The site measurements are jointly run by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), the groups Grassland Sciences and Land-Climate Dynamics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, the unit Soil Science & Biogeochemistry from the University of Zurich, and the Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL).

LWF Plot Lägeren

• Community: Wettingen / canton AG
• Date of installation: 1.05.2012
• Size of the plot: 1.34 ha
• Altitude: 643 - 718 m
• Mean slope: 37 %
• Geology (in German): Kettenjura; Jura: Malm, Molassehangschutt
• Soil types (WSL) : calcareous brown soil, chromic luvisol, mixed rendzina
• Woodland association after Ellenberg and Klötzli's classification (1972): Galio odoratio-Fagetum typicum bis - Pulmonario-Fagetum typicum
• Main tree species: fagus sylvatica
• Management system: high forest
• Silvicultural system: forest reserve
• Top-height diameter (quadratic average diameter of the 100 thickest trees per ha): 72.18 cm
• Number of trees BHD >= 12 cm (2011): 503
• Maximum tree age: picea abies: 120-170 years, fagus sylvatica: ca. 150 years