In Serbia, as in many other countries of the former Eastern Bloc, there is a general lack of forest site mapping. Since 2014, the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Belgrade and German research partners (University of Freiburg, Soilution GbR, UNIQUE) have been working on the development of modern digital site mapping and mapping of natural potential forest vegetation. This previous work tie in with the activities of WP2 in ANKLIWA-DS and by the established collaboration on the German side (Prof. Reif and UNIQUE).

Modern multifactorial spatially explicit models open up new analytical possibilities, limits and thresholds for the distribution of tree species and forest types with respect to temperature, water and nutrient requirements, e.g. in the form of bioclimatic frame. With these area distribution models, the influence of climate change on the distribution of tree species can be analyzed. Future climate scenarios will then be integrated into the models by changing spatially climate parameters. Based on these models, future management strategies can be developed for the main tree species at the various sites, taking into account climate change. The first step is data collection and analysis (activities 2.1, 3.1 & 4.1) - a joint activity of WP 2, WP 4 and WP 3. For this purpose, all available data sets for forest planning from the two forest regions (the North and West forest region) will be used. UNIQUE will lead the collection, checks and preparation of the spatial databases.

The first step is data collection and analysis (activities 2.1, 3.1 & 4.1) - a joint activity of WP 2, WP 4 and WP 3. For this purpose, all available data sets for forest planning from the two forest regions (the North and West forest region) will be used. UNIQUE will lead the collection, checks and preparation of the spatial databases.

In the second step, the main field work will be carried out in these two forest regions using planning units whose GPS coordinates have been marked in the past (activities 2.1 & 2.4). Soil, climate, geology, elevation and exposure data will be collected for site mapping of the main tree species, completing existing information. In addition, two experimental plots from parallel studies of the FAO-GEF project of the University of Belgrade will be used. The evaluation of inventory data as well as data collected in the field will be carried out in cooperation with WP 4.

In addition, new remote sensing systems will be tested. The two-satellite Sentinel 2 multispectral optical satellite system provides free multi-area data coverage in 10 m resolution, funded by the EU & ESA Copernicus program. The Dove/Rapid Eye satellite constellation provides additional, freely available data with 5 m resolution multispectral optical data and daily coverage funded by the private US company “Planet”.

The PhD student will spend a scientific stay of a total of three months at the University of Freiburg (activity 2.3). The research stay will be split into two stays of 1.5 months. During the first stay, the fieldwork results will be evaluated and possibly suggested corrections can be realized thereafter. During the second stay, the results will be re-evaluated and receive assistance/support in using the remote sensing data.

Both steps will result in the completion of digital site mapping methods (activity 2.2) and will highlight the current and potential occurrence of the tree species of the beech- and oak-dominated "management types". The result is a dynamic tree species suitability map for the Serbian pilot areas representative for Serbia on the basis of a pan-European dataset (presence absence of main tree species) and on the acquired information on location and vegetation cover as well as current climate data for a climate normal period. By intersecting climate and soil data with this distribution (activity 2.5), an assessment of tree species suitability (hemeroby, productivity, risks, competitiveness) is derived with the goal of developing dynamic dissemination & productivity maps (activity 2.6 & 4.5) and providing climate-sensitive digital mapping.

- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade

- Chair of Site Geography and Vegetation Science, University of Freiburg