SIGNAL
| Location | Temperature (annual mean) | Precipitation (annual) | Elevation above sea level | Land use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dornburg (Thuringia) | 9.9°C | 608 mm | 289 m | Cropland |
| Forst (Brandenburg) | 9.6°C | 568 mm | 66 m | Cropland |
| Mariensee (Lower Saxony) | 9.6°C | 661 mm | 42 m | Grassland |
| Vechta (Lower Saxony) | 9.3°C | 806 mm | 43 m | Cropland |
| Wendhausen (Lower Saxony) | 9.6°C | 637 mm | 82 m | Cropland |
The SIGNAL project investigated from 2015 to 2024 whether agroforestry systems in Germany can represent a sustainable and at the same time profitable land use option. For this purpose, agroforestry landscapes were compared with conventional agriculture and the effects on various ecosystem functions such as carbon sequestration, yield, and erosion control were examined. The project was a cooperation of various institutes and universities and was funded by the BonaRes programme.
The Department of Bioclimatology investigated land–atmosphere exchange at five different sites: Vechta, Mariensee, Wendhausen, Dornburg, and Forst. All sites were croplands with the exception of Mariensee, which was managed as grassland. Tree strips were planted at all sites. Tree species selected were poplars (Populus nigra × Populus maximowiczii) at Vechta, Wendhausen, and Dornburg, willows (Salix schwerinii × S. viminalis) at Mariensee, and poplars and black locusts (Robinia pseudoacacia) at Forst. The trees were harvested every three to four years and the agricultural crops were grown in an annual rotation.
At all sites, meteorological data were recorded and the exchange of CO2 and water with the atmosphere was measured using the eddy covariance method. Data were collected between 2019 and 2024. The exact measurement period varied by site.
Selected Publications