Biodiversity and ecosystem function responses to woodland creation

Using data collection across natural gradients and designed experiments, this project explores aboveground processes of forest establishment and interactions with belowground communities and soil properties, providing evidence on outcomes of forest expansion by natural regeneration vs planting.

Working within Trees for Life’s Wild Trees Survey in the Scottish Highlands, we are exploring the dynamics of tree regeneration in remnant native woodland and links to soil communities, soil physical properties and soil chemical properties. This is complemented by forest experiments comparing natural regeneration to tree planting and consequences for carbon sequestration and biodiversity colonisation, co-designed with Highlands Rewilding in Scotland.

Working with The Carbon Community experiment in Wales, we are assessing biodiversity responses to treatments designed to optimise woodland carbon sequestration: forest type (Sitka spruce monoculture vs mixed native broadleaf), soil microbiome inoculation and enhanced weathering.