Forests are central to mitigating both climate change and biodiversity loss. Yet, we still poorly understand how local soil conditions and decomposer diversity together determine carbon storage and turnover.
KÕPS addresses this gap by studying how biotic (fungi, microbes) and abiotic (moisture, fertility, temperature) factors jointly control decomposition and carbon cycling in forest ecosystems.
Main goals
- Quantify how soil moisture and productivity shape biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
- Partition the contribution of decomposer assemblages vs. environment in controlling decomposition.
- Develop practical methods for predicting carbon flux and storage from field measurements.
- Identify management and restoration options that enhance both biodiversity and carbon retention.
- Provide a standardized baseline and long-term dataset for future ecological and experimental studies on forest biodiversity, decomposition, and ecosystem functioning.
