Global Litter Invertebrate Decomposition Experiment

Giessen, Germany

Site Manager

Dr. Joerg-Alfred Salamon
Leinefelde 120 Site
Justus-Liebig-University
Department of Animal Ecology
Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 (IFZ)
D-35392 Giessen
Phone: (+49) 641 9935716
Fax: (+49) 641 9935709

Site Description

The GLIDE-littebags were placed in a 120-year old beech stand near Leinefelde (Thueringen, Germany) which is part of a beech forest chronosequence (including a 40-, 80-, 120- and 150 year old beech stand (Fagus sylvatica). The climate is temperate/continental with an annual precipitation of 700-750 mm and a mean temperature of 7°C. The soil type is a Cambisol/Luvisol on limestone.

Site Location

Site is located in Thueringen, Germany (near Leinefelde); 51° 20' N, 10° 22' E.

Site Area

Site area is 42 ha.

Site Elevation

Site elevation is 440 m.

Annual Rainfall

Rainfall is 700-750 mm annually.

Annual Temperature

Average yearly temperature is 7 °C.

Soil

Soil classification is Cambisol to Luvisol with depths from 40-75 cm; parent material is limestone; nitrogen deposition = 9-12 kg N/ha/yr.

Native Forest/Vegetation Types

Temperate beech forest (dominant tree species Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur with grass and herb understory); stand age = 123 yrs.

Principal Biome/Ecoregion

Ecoregion is temperate.

Photo Gallery

			Photos courtesy of Anne Pflug

GLIDE

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This webpage is funded by the Soil Science Society of America.

Please contact the GLIDE headquarters (email: glide@nrel.colostate.edu) if you have any comments or questions.

GLIDE was a project of the International Biodiversity Observation Year 2001-2002

This material is based upon work supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 98 06437 Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.