The facilities will enable researchers from the Julius Kühn Institute for Forest Protection, in cooperation with the Forstbetrieb Ostharz, to investigate how spruce trees respond to major disturbance factors that increasingly threaten forests in the Harz region. Particular attention will be given to drought and wind damage, both of which can weaken tree defenses and increase vulnerability to bark beetle infestations.
Throughout spring and summer, scientists will monitor the physiological and chemical responses of trees exposed to experimentally induced water stress and windthrow conditions. The goal is to detect the earliest signals emitted by stressed trees, including volatile compounds that may influence bark beetle behavior and contribute to the onset of infestation.
