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Site Info (CH-LAE)

Last update: Aug 11, 2022 @ 12:08

Site Description

Managed mixed deciduous mountain forest located on the steep Lägeren mountain (NW of Zurich, Swiss Plateau), 800 m asl. The forest is highly diverse, dominated by beech and fir. The site is part of the international CarboEurope IP network and the NABEL (Swiss air quality network) and a long-term forest ecosystem research site (LWF) of the WSL (Institut f.Wald Schnee & Landschaft). Eddy covariance flux measurements were started in April 2004 (tower coordinates: 47°28’42.0″ N and 8°21’51.8″ E; at 689 m asl).

 

Location

Site name: Lägeren, Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland
Land cover (IGBP land classification): MF (Mixed Forests: Lands dominated by trees with a percent cover >60% and height exceeding 2 meters. Consists of tree communities with interspersed mixtures or mosaics of the other four forest types. None of the forest types exceeds 60% of landscape.)
Land use: high forest
Altitude: 689 m a.s.l.
Coordinates: 47°28’42.0″ N / 8°21’51.8″ E (Google Maps)
Location description: The site is located on the southern slope of the Lägern, which forms the eastern most part of the Jura mountains (NW of Zurich, Swiss Plateau). (1)
FLUXNET ID: CH-Lae (link)

Digital landscape model of the footprint area (red frame). Source: Wehrli L. 2006: GIS-basierte Kohlenstoffvorratsinventur: Waldböden an der CarboEuropeIP Untersuchungsfläche Lägern. Diplomarbeit. Universität Zürich.

Climate

All numbers shown are for the time period 2005-2020.

Average air temperature: 8.6°C
Average air temperature 2005-2012: 7.8°C
Average air temperature 2013-2020*: 9.4°C (+1.6°C compared to 2005-2012)
5 warmest years*: 2018 (10.7°C), 2020 (10.5°C), 2019 (10.3°C), 2017 (9.8°C), 2016 (9.6°C)
5 coolest years*: 2010 (6.8°C), 2013 (7.1°C), 2005 (7.4°C), 2008 (7.6°C), 2012 (7.8°C), 2009 (7.9°C)

Highest measured air temperature: 33.5°C (25 Jul 2019, half-hourly average between 15:30 and 16:00)
Lowest measured air temperature: -17.2°C (7 Feb 2012, half-hourly average between 4:30 and 5:00)

* … numbers updated 8 Jun 2021

 

Vegetation

The forest is highly diverse, dominated by beech and fir.

Main tree species: fagus sylvatica
Top-height diameter (quadratic average diameter of the 100 thickest trees per ha): 72.18 cm
Number of trees BHD >= 12 cm (2011): 503
Woodland association after Ellenberg and Klötzli’s classification (1972): Galio odoratio-Fagetum typicum / Pulmonario-Fagetum typicum

Maximum Tree Age

  • picea abies: 120-170 years
  • fagus sylvatica: ca. 150 years

LAI

LAI (± standard error): 4.1 ±0.3 m2 m-2
Measured in Jun 2006, in 17 plots within the footprint area, using Licor LAI-2000.

 

Soil

Geology: The main bedrocks of the study site are limestone, marl and sandstone, with transition zones between marland limestone (loamy debris) and marl mixed with sandstone (loam).
Soil type: The main soil types are rendzic leptosols (or rendzinas) and haplic cambisols according to the World Reference Base of Soil Resources (IUSS Working Group WRB, 2007). The litter layer is thin, since leaf litter decomposes almost completely within one year.

 

Management

Management system: high forest
Silvicultural system: forest reserve 

 

Webcam

 

References

 

More Info