FORBIO (Belgium)
FORBIO is an innovative, large-scale forest biodiversity experiment established in Belgium between 2009 and 2012. The acronym stands for assessment of the effects of tree species diversity on FORest BIOdiversity and ecosystem functioning. At three sites with contrasting site conditions, plots were planted with one up to four tree species. Various aspects of ecosystem functioning will be compared between plots that differ in tree species richness but have developed under the same abiotic conditions. The sites are located in Gedinne (Gribelle, Gouverneurs), Hechtel-Eksel and Zedelgem
Design
The basic experimental design is the same for each study site and follows a classical synthetic community approach. Monocultures and mixtures of two up to four tree species were planted on an environmentally homogeneous site. All species combinations occur, and there is one (blocked) replication. Each study site has 40 plots, i.e., 5 plots for each of the four diversity levels (1, 2, 3, and 4 species) and two replications. Yet, the overall number of plots in the FORBIO experiment is 127 instead of 120. At the Hechtel-Eksel site, one extra plot is left for spontaneous succession. At the Zedelgem and Gedinne sites, different provenances of oak (Zedelgem) and beech (Gedinne) were used as an extra treatment; two additional monocultures with the extra provenances were added in Zedelgem and four in Gedinne.
Trees were planted on a 1.5 m x 1.5 m grid. In mixed plots, individual species were randomly assigned to homogenous groups of 3 x 3 trees. Five site-adapted but functionally dissimilar species were planted per site. Each species occurs in a similar frequency, i.e., in 20 of the 40 plots, and the two-species combinations occur in similar frequencies as well (10/40). An extensive soil survey prior to the planting enabled attributing treatments and replications to the experimental plots in such a way that there is no covariation between any of the soil variables and the presence/absence of a tree species or the diversity treatments, a major strength of the FORBIO experiment. The overall species pool consists of broadleaved as well as coniferous tree species that are particularly relevant for forestry in Belgium. The species differ in, e.g., root characteristics, temporal growth dynamics, and shade tolerance.
Site characteristics
| FORBIO (Gedinne) | FORBIO (Hechtel-Eksel) | FORBIO (Zedelgem) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Country |
Belgium |
Belgium |
Belgium |
Local name |
Gribelle |
Pijnven |
Vloethemveld |
Biome |
temperate |
temperate |
temperate |
Latitude |
49.9962562 |
51.16461285 |
51.14781182 |
Longitude |
4.975947885 |
5.312499773 |
3.118412822 |
Soil type |
moderately dry stony loam soils (Gbb; both sites) |
dry sandy soil with gravel substrate (tZbg/Podzol) |
relatively dry sandy soil (Zbh) to moderately wet loamy sand soil (SdP) |
Former land use |
forest: broadleaved until 1920, spruce plantations until 2005 |
heathland converted to pine plantation in 1908 |
agriculture: crops and grass |
Altitude |
367-376 m (Gribelle) |
55-56 m |
11-16 m |
Design |
patch-wise planting (cells of 3 x 3 individuals of the same species) |
patch-wise planting (cells of 3 x 3 individuals of the same species) |
patch-wise planting (cells of 3 x 3 individuals of the same species) |
Plot shape |
square |
square |
square |
Plot size (m^2) |
1764 |
1296 |
1764 |
Plant distance (m) |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
Number of trees planted |
33 304 |
23 040 |
32 810 |
Planting date |
April-May 2010 |
December 2012 |
December 2009, March 2010 |
Diversity variables |
species richness |
species richness |
species richness |
Diversity gradient |
1, 2, 3, 4 sp. |
1, 2, 3, 4 sp. |
1, 2, 3, 4 sp. |
Size species pool |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Species pool |
Acer pseudoplatanus |
Betula pendula |
Betula pendula |
Contact person |
Quentin Ponette |
Bart Muys |
Kris Verheyen |
quentin.ponette@uclouvain.be |
bart.muys@ees.kuleuven.be |
kris.verheyen@ugent.be |
Research
Monitoring of ecosystem functioning started shortly after planting. Multiple processes are being measured, ranging from tree growth and tree quality development over element cycling to associated biodiversity dynamics. As the trees grow older, we plan to add more processes, e.g., water cycling, to the monitoring scheme so that the picture of ecosystem functioning in the different treatments will be as complete as possible. We try to assure that measurements are performed in all the plots, in order to include the full range of treatments, sites and processes in the analyses.
Extra information
Send an e-mail to the contact persons, visit the experiment’s own website, or explore the publications that utilized data from this experiment.
PhD thesis
- Dhiedt E 2022 Legacy effects of tree species diversity on soil properties and seedling performance. PhD thesis, Ghent University
- Rahman MM 2018 Effects of tree species diversity and drought on ecosystem functioning in a young forest. PhD thesis, Université de Liège
- Van de Peer T 2018 Effects of tree species diversity on early-stage forest dynamics. PhD thesis, KU Leuven
- Dillen M 2017 Local neighbourhood tree species composition effects in young forest stands: impact of stress, species identity and multitrophic interactions. PhD thesis, University of Groningen and Ghent University
- Setiawan NN 2016 Experimental assessment of tree diversity - ecosystem functioning relationships in young forest plantations. PhD thesis, Ghent University
Research papers
- Blondeel H, Guillemot J, Martin‐StPaul N, Druel A, Bilodeau‐Gauthier S, Bauhus J, … Baeten L 2024 Tree diversity reduces variability in sapling survival under drought. Journal of Ecology 112(5): 1164-1180 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14294
- Vázquez-González C, Castagneyrol B, Muiruri EW, Barbaro L, Abdala-Roberts L, Barsoum N, Fründ J, Glynn C, Jactel H, McShea WJ, Mereu S, Mooney KA, Morillas L, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Parker, WC, Roales J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schuldt A, Verheyen K, Weih M, Yang B, Koricheva J 2024 Tree diversity enhances predation by birds but not by arthropods across climate gradients. Ecol Lett (27): e14427
- Zheng L, Barry KE, Guerrero-Ramírez NR, Craven D, Reich PB, Verheyen K, … Hautier Y 2024 Effects of plant diversity on productivity strengthen over time due to trait-dependent shifts in species overyielding. Nature communications 15(1): 2078 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46355-z
- Depauw L, De Lombaerde E, Dhiedt E, Blondeel H, Abdala-Roberts L, Auge H, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Chu C, Damtew A, Eisenhauer N, V. Fagundes M, Ganade G, Gendreau-Berthiaume B, Godbold D, Gravel D, Guillemot J, Hajek P, Hector A, Hérault B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Liu X, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Parker WC, Paterno, GB, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Rewald B, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schnabel F, Sousa-Silva R, Weih M, Clara Zemp D, Verheyen K, Baeten L 2024 Enhancing Tree Performance Through Species Mixing: Review of a Quarter-Century of TreeDivNet Experiments Reveals Research Gaps and Practical Insights. Current Forestry Reports - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40725-023-00208-y
- Desie E, Zuo J, Verheyen K, Djukic I, Van Meerbeek K, Auge H, Barsoum N, Baum C, Bruelheide H, Eisenhauer N, Feldhaar H, Ferlian O, Gravel D, Jactel H, Kappel Schmidt I, Kepfer-Rojas S, Meredieu C, Mereu S, Messier C, Morillas L, Nock C, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Reich PB, Roales J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Seitz S, Schmidt A, Stefanski A, Trogisch S, van Halder I, Weih M, Williams LJ, Yang B, Muys B 2023 Disentangling drivers of litter decomposition in a multi-content network of tree diversity experiments. Science of the Total Environment 857(3): 159717 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159717
- FAO 2023 Towards more resilient and diverse planted forests. Unasylva (254)74: 2031/1. Rome. https://doi. org/10.4060/cc8584en
- Cesarz S, Craven D, Auge H, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Gutknecht J, Hector A, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Messier C, Muys B, Brien MJO, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Smith AR, Verheyen K, Eisenhauer N 2022 Tree diversity effects on soil microbial biomass and respiration are context dependent across forest diversity experiments. Global Ecology and Biogeography 31:872-885 - https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13461
- Dhiedt E, Baeten L, De Smedt P, Jaroszewicz B, Verheyen K 2022 Tree neighbourhood-scale variation in topsoil chemistry depends on species identity effects related to litter quality. European Journal of Forest Research 141(6): 1163-1176 - https://10.1007/s10342-022-01499-9
- Zhang S, Landuyt D, Verheyen K, De Frenne P 2022 Tree species mixing can amplify microclimate offsets in young forest plantations. Journal of Applied Ecology 59:6 1428-1439 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14158
- Dhiedt E, Baeten L, De Smedt P, Verheyen K 2021 Little effect of tree species richness on within- and between-plot variability in soil chemical properties in a young plantation forest. European Journal of Soil Science 1–8 - https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13164
- Dhiedt E, Verheyen K, De Smedt P, Ponette Q, Baeten L 2021 Early tree diversity and composition effects on topsoil chemistry in young forest plantations depend on site context. Ecosystems - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00605-z
- Kwon T, Shibata H, Kepfer-Rojas S, Schmidt IK, Larsen KS, Beier C, Berg B, Verheyen K, Lamarque J-F, Hagedorn F, Eisenhauer N, Djukic I, TeaCompositionNetwork 2021 Effects of climate and atmospheric nitrogen deposition on early to mid-term stage litter decomposition across biomes. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4: 678480 - https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.678480
- Messier C, Bauhus J, Sousa-Silva R, Auge H, Baeten L, Barsoum N, Bruelheide H, Caldwell B, Cavender-Bares J, Dhiedt E, Eisenhauer N, Ganade G, Gravel D, Guillemot J, Hall JS, Hector A, Hérault B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Mereu S, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schnabel F, Verheyen K, Weih M, Wollni M, Zemp DC 2021 For the sake of resilience and multifunctionality, let’s diversify planted forests! Conservation Letters e12829 - https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12829
- Poeydebat C, Jactel H, Moreira X, Koricheva J, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Eisenhauer N, Ferlian O, Francisco M, Gottschall F, Gravel D, Mason B, Muiruri E, Muys B, Nock C, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Scherer‐Lorenzen M, Stokes V, Staab M, Verheyen K and Castagneyrol B 2020 Climate affects neighbour‐induced changes in leaf chemical defences and tree diversity‐herbivory relationships. Functional Ecology - doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13700
- Kambach S, Allan E, Bilodeau-Gauthier S, Coomes D A, Haase J, Jucker T, Kunstler G, Muller S, Nock C, Paquette A, van der Plas F, Ratcliffe S, Roger F, Ruiz-Benito P, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Auge H, Bouriaud O, Castagneyrol B, Dahlgren J, Gamfeldt L, Jactel H, Kandler G, Koricheva J, Lehtonen A, Muys B, Ponette Q, Setiawan N, Van de Peer T, Verheyen K, Zavala M A, Bruelheid H 2019 How do trees respond to species mixing in experimental compared to observational studies? Ecology and Evolution 9: 11254-11265 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5627
- Djukic I, Kepfer-Rojas S, Kappel Schmidt I, Steenberg Larsen K, Beier C, Berg B, Verheyen K, TeaComposition 2018 Early stage litter decomposition across biomes. Science of the Total Environment 628-629: 1369-1394 - doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.012
- Hicks LC, Rahman MM, Carnol M, Verheyen K, Rousk J 2018 The legacy of mixed planting and precipitation reduction treatments on soil microbial activity, biomass and community composition in a young tree plantation. Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry 124: 227-235 - doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.05.027
- Rahman MM, Castagneyrol B, Verheyen K, Jactel H, Carnol M 2018 Can tree species richness attenuate the effect of drought on organic matter decomposition and stabilization in young plantation forests? Acta Oecologica 93: 30-40 - doi: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.10.008
- Rahman MM, Hicks LC, Verheyen K, Rousk J, Carnol M 2018 Effects of drought legacy and tree species admixing on bacterial growth and respiration in a young forest soil upon drying and rewetting. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 127: 148-156 - doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.09.026
- Van de Peer T, Verheyen K, Ponette Q, Setiawan NN, Muys B 2018 Overyielding in young tree plantations is driven by local complementarity and selection effects related to shade tolerance. Journal of Ecology 106: 1096-1105 - doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12839
- Grossman JJ, Vanhellemont M, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Cavender-Bares J, Eisenhauer N, Ferlian O, Gravel D, Hector A, Jactel H, Kreft H, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Nock C, Paquette A, Parker J, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Reich PB, Schuldt A, Staab M, Weih M, Zemp DC, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Verheyen K 2018 Synthesis and future research directions linking tree diversity to growth, survival, and damage in a global network of tree diversity experiments. Environmental and Experimental Botany 152: 68-89 - doi: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2017.12.015
- Dillen M, Smit C, Buyse M, Höfte M, De Clercq P, Verheyen K 2017 Stronger diversity effects with increased environmental stress: A study of multitrophic interactions between oak, powdery mildew and ladybirds. PLoS ONE 12(4): e0176104 - doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176104
- Dillen M, Smit C, Verheyen K 2017 How does neighbourhood tree species composition affect growth characteristics of oak saplings? Forest Ecology and Management 401: 177-186 - doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.07.016
- Setiawan NN, Vanhellemont M, Baeten L, Van de Peer T, Ampoorter E, Ponette Q, Verheyen K 2017 Local neighbourhood effects on sapling growth in a young experimental forest. Forest Ecology and Management 384: 424-443 - doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.10.012
- Van de Peer T, Verheyen K, Kint V, Van Cleemput E, Muys B 2017 Plasticity of tree architecture through interspecific and intraspecific competition in a young experimental plantation. Forest Ecology and Management 385: 1-9 - doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.11.015
- Dillen M, Vanhellemont M, Verdonckt P, Maes WH, Steppe K, Verheyen K 2016 Productivity, stand dynamics and the selection effect in a mixed willow clone short rotation coppice plantation. Biomass and Bioenergy 87: 46-54 - doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.02.013
- Dillen M, Verheyen K, Smit C 2016 Identity rather than richness drives local neighbourhood species composition effects on oak sapling growth in a young forest. Forest Ecology and Management 380: 274-284 - doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.09.004
- Setiawan NN, Vanhellemont M, Baeten L, Gobin R, De Smedt P, Proesmans W, Ampoorter E, Verheyen K 2016 Does neighbourhood tree diversity affect the crown arthropod community in saplings? Biodiversity and Conservation 25: 169-185 - doi: 10.1007/s10531-015-1044-z
- Setiawan NN, Vanhellemont M, De Schrijver A, Schelfhout S, Baeten L, Verheyen K 2016 Mixing effects on litter decomposition rates in a young tree diversity experiment. Acta Oecologica 70: 79-86 - doi:10.1016/j.actao.2015.12.003
- Van de Peer T, Verheyen K, Baeten L, Ponette Q, Muys B 2016 Biodiversity as insurance for sapling survival in experimental tree plantations. Journal of Applied Ecology 53: 1777-1786, doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12721
- Verheyen K, Vanhellemont M, Auge H, Baeten L, Baraloto C, Barsoum N, Bilodeau-Gauthier S, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Godbold D, Haase J, Hector A, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Loreau M, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Nolet P, Paquette A, Parker J, Perring M, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich P, Smith A, Weih M, Scherer-Lorenzen M 2016 Contributions of a global network of tree diversity experiments to sustainable forest plantations. Ambio 45: 29-41 - doi: 10.1007/s13280-015-0685-1
- Setiawan NN, Vanhellemont M, Baeten L, Dillen M, Verheyen K 2014 The effects of local neighbourhood diversity on pest and disease damage of trees in a young experimental forest. Forest Ecology and Management 334: 1-9 - doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2014.08.032
- Verheyen K, Ceunen K, Ampoorter E, Baeten L, Bosman B, Branquart E, Carnol M, De Wandeler H, Grégoire J-C, Lhoir P, Muys B, Setiawan NN, Vanhellemont M, Ponette Q 2013 Assessment of the functional role of tree diversity: the multi-site FORBIO experiment. Plant Ecology and Evolution 146: 26-35 - doi: 10.5091/plecevo.2013.803
Gedinne in 2015, Hechtel-Eksel in 2018, and Zedelgem in 2017