Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research

About: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research is a facility organization based out in Birmensdorf, Switzerland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Climate change & Soil water. The organization has 1256 authors who have published 3222 publications receiving 161639 citations. The organization is also known as: WSL.

To What Extent Do Food Preferences Explain the Trophic Position of Heterotrophic and Mixotrophic Microbial Consumers in a Sphagnum Peatland

Abstract: Although microorganisms are the primary drivers of biogeochemical cycles, the structure and functioning of microbial food webs are poorly studied. This is the case in Sphagnum peatlands, where microbial communities play a key role in the global carbon cycle. Here, we explored the structure of the microbial food web from a Sphagnum peatland by analyzing (1) the density and biomass of different microbial functional groups, (2) the natural stable isotope (δ(13)C and δ(15)N) signatures of key microbial consumers (testate amoebae), and (3) the digestive vacuole contents of Hyalosphenia papilio, the dominant testate amoeba species in our system. Our results showed that the feeding type of testate amoeba species (bacterivory, algivory, or both) translates into their trophic position as assessed by isotopic signatures. Our study further demonstrates, for H. papilio, the energetic benefits of mixotrophy when the density of its preferential prey is low. Overall, our results show that testate amoebae occupy different trophic levels within the microbial food web, depending on their feeding behavior, the density of their food resources, and their metabolism (i.e., mixotrophy vs. heterotrophy). Combined analyses of predation, community structure, and stable isotopes now allow the structure of microbial food webs to be more completely described, which should lead to improved models of microbial community function.

Effects of heavy metal soil pollution and acid rain on growth and water use efficiency of a young model forest ecosystem

Abstract: In a 4-year lysimeter experiment, we investigated the effects of topsoil heavy metal pollution (3,000 mg kg−1 Zn, 640 mg kg−1 Cu, 90 mg kg−1 Pb and 10 mg kg−1 Cd) and (synthetic) acid rain (pH 3.5) on tree growth and water use efficiency of young forest ecosystems consisting of Norway spruce (Picea abies), willow (Salix viminalis), poplar (Populus tremula) and birch (Betula pendula) trees and a variety of understorey plants. The treatments were applied in a Latin square factorial design (contaminated vs uncontaminated topsoil, acidified rain vs ambient rain) to 16 open-top chambers, with 4 replicates each. Each open-top chamber contained two lysimeters, one with a calcareous, and the other with acidic subsoil. The four tree species responded quite differently to heavy metal pollution and type of subsoil. The fine root mass, which was only sampled at the end of the experiment in 2003, was significantly reduced by heavy metal pollution in P. abies, P. tremula and B. pendula, but not in S. viminalis. The metal treatment responses of above-ground biomass and leaf area varied between years. In 2002, the heavy metal treatment reduced above-ground biomass and leaf area in P. tremula, but not in the other species. In 2003, metals did not reduce above-ground growth in P. tremula, but did so in the other species. It appears that the responses in above-ground biomass and leaf area, which paralleled each other, were related to changes in the relative competitive strength of the various species in the two experimental years. S. viminalis gained relative to P. tremula in absence of metal stress, in particular on calcareous subsoil, while P. abies showed the largest increases in growth rates in all treatments. Above- and below-ground growth was strongly inhibited by acidic subsoil in S. viminalis and to a lesser degree also in P. abies. In P. abies, this subsoil effect was enhanced by metal stress. Acid rain was not found to have any substantial effect. Whole-system water use efficiency was reduced by metal stress and higher on calcareous than on acidic subsoil.

The role of rapid flow paths for nitrogen transformation in a forest soil : A field study with micro suction cups

Abstract: Preferential flow is a common phenomenon in soils. This study was conducted to investigate the significance of rapid flow paths for N transformation in a forested Humaquept in central Switzerland. Fifty micro suction cups, each with a surface area of 12 mm 2 , were installed in a regular grid in the uppermost 5 cm. First, the location of each microcup relative to main flow paths was estimated based on the response to applications of a dye, SO 2- 4 , and Cl . Then, a N-addition experiment was carried out to study the N transformation at locations along flow paths and within the soil matrix. Only 23 of 50 microcups responded to the application of the dye within the first 24 h, which indicates that a large portion of the soil volume is not in contact with the infiltrating rainwater. Those microcups which responded to the added dye were regarded to be located along flow paths. At depths below 2 cm, under temporarily reducing conditions, sampling locations in or near flow paths had higher NO 3 concentrations (20-25 μM) than those of the soil matrix (below 12 μM). Within 24 h after a simulated rainfall, the NO 3 ICI ratio decreased more in the flow paths (between - 2.4 and - 4.9 mol mol -1 ) than in the soil matrix (-0.7 to - 0.8 mol mol 1 ), which indicates an enhanced denitrification at these locations. In the subsequent dry period, nitrification started 2 d earlier and was more pronounced along flow paths. The results of this study suggest that flow paths are microhabitats with an increased N transformation compared with the soil matrix.

Factors affecting the persistence of traditional agricultural landscapes in Slovakia during the collectivization of agriculture

Abstract: Collectivization of agriculture (1950s–1970s) was one of the most important periods in landscape development in Slovakia. Traditionally managed agricultural landscapes, that covered more than half of the Slovak territory, were transformed into large-scale fields and only fragments of traditional agricultural landscapes survived. We mapped the remaining traditional agricultural landscapes using aerial photos and historical maps. We then statistically analyzed the various geographical factors and their influence on the transformation process of traditional and collectivized fields, i.e., slope steepness, soil fertility, distance from settlements and isolation from regional capital cities. The comparison was performed using classification tree analysis. We constructed a set of decision rules that explain why fields were managed traditionally or collectivized. Our findings show that traditional agricultural fields were more likely to persist on steep terrain, less fertile soils, and on locations that were closer to the settlements, but more isolated from the regional capital cities. Steepness played the most important role: small-scale fields located on steep areas were not accessible to heavy machinery and therefore, frequently survived the collectivization. We show that the selected geographical factors are good explanatory variables for the collectivization of arable fields and orchards. For vineyards and grasslands, however, the explanatory power of the selected geographical factors is lower, and we suspect that other factors, not depicted in the analysis play an important role.