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betafor.bsky.social
BETA-FOR
@betafor.bsky.social
...we investigate ecosystem functioning and biodiversity 🦉🐞🐝 in a real-world experiment 🌳 | led by @cofeuniwue.bsky.social | DFG-funded FOR5375 I https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/for5375/
New paper out 🌱📄: More light in canopy gaps 🌤️ does not offset the loss of tree diversity caused by roe deer browsing 🦌.
In paired exclosure experiments, roe deer browsing cut tree diversity by half🌳.
Read it here: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Light and ungulate browsing interact in shaping future woody plant diversity through natural regeneration
Our results provide strong evidence that in the current context of increasing tree mortality and subsequent light availability, roe deer act as a keystone species. It is crucial to implement browsing....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM
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Deer browsing limits forest diversity – even in the light. New study in @jappliedecology.bsky.social by Würzburg ecologists and others: Even sunny canopy gaps cannot offset the impact of roe deer on forest regeneration. 🦌🌳☀️
➡️ www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/news-and-...
November 6, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Our #BETAFOR PhDs had an amazing time presenting their research at last week’s #gfoe2025 at @uni-wuerzburg.de! 🌟 Full of fresh ideas and inspiring discussions, it’s back to daily life. 💻✨
@claudiki.bsky.social @piambr.bsky.social @johannaasch.bsky.social @juliarothacher.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Anne Chao and @piambr.bsky.social, the 100% perfect dialogue duo at #gfoe2025! ✨
Thank you for sharing statistical insights on sample coverage and it's standardization in the first @gfoesoc.bsky.social keynote session using #BETAFOR data.🌳🌱
@uni-wuerzburg.de @cofeuniwue.bsky.social
September 2, 2025 at 9:29 AM
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Interesting approach for the first keynote at the GfÖ, where Pia Bradler walks the audience through her PhD biodiversity data, together with Anne Chao. Creative, useful, interesting, and quite educational!
September 2, 2025 at 7:30 AM
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@piambr.bsky.social & Anne Chao presenting a stats -ecology dialogue about forest structural dynamics #gfoe2025

Nice way of presenting imo

An interesting discussion around how to get to a complete species sample.
September 2, 2025 at 7:57 AM
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Anne Chao:

"Data can't tell you everything! Your data are just not sufficient."

#gfoe2025
September 2, 2025 at 7:59 AM
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Some shots from my talk at the #gfoe2025 on forest heterogeneity and hoverfly diversity 🪰🌲
If you’d like to hear more about the topic - and with a slightly less shaky voice than on stage - I’m always happy to chat during the conference! @gfoesoc.bsky.social
September 2, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Ein kürzlich erschienener Fernsehbeitrag gibt Rückblicke auf das Anlegen unserer Experimentierflächen im Uniwald 🌳🍁 @uni-wuerzburg.de, Einblicke in die spannende Methodenvielfalt, die in unserem Projekt zum Einsatz kommt 🎤🎵📸🔬 und beleuchtet erste Ergebnisse. 🦉🐞🐝🦌
#BETAFOR #biodiversity
Wie wird Artenvielfalt gefördert? Forschung zu Bayerns Wäldern streamen | Joyn
Gut ein Drittel des Freistaats ist bewaldet – doch nur ein Bruchteil gilt als naturnah. Wie kann die Artenvielfalt gestärkt werden? Bayerns Forscher suchen im Rahmen des Projektes „Beta-FOR“ nach neue...
www.joyn.de
August 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM
New paper out! 📃 Enhanced structural complexity in forests has limited effects on #soil abiotic properties, but #microbial activity and biomass respond site-specifically. Soil moisture and understory growth link to microbial functions. 💧🧫🌳🍁
Read it here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Inconsistent short-term effects of enhanced structural complexity on soil microbial properties across German forests
Structural and biotic homogenization can result from forestry practices lacking promotion of canopy gaps and deadwood. This can lead to biodiversity l…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM
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Experimental research @betafor.bsky.social finds that canopy gaps with deadwood boost insect diversity by supporting rare phylogenetic lineages 🧪

Natural dynamics and targeted management can help conserve them and their ecosystem functions 🌳 🌏

🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
July 3, 2025 at 3:04 PM
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Canopy disturbances affect insect diversity via increased light availability and deadwood, but the effects of these two drivers on taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity differ. New insights from a replicated experiment, led by @juliarothacher.bsky.social @betafor.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/1365...
June 23, 2025 at 5:22 AM
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Fresh #beetle delivery from the Bavarian Forest! 🍁🪲
In the next days we will start a lab #experiment to find out if and how #temperature alters their stress levels🌡😬 Taken together with field data this might help us understand effects of microclimate on #forestbiodiversity

@betafor.bsky.social
May 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
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Have you ever wondered what happens when you put 400g of cow dung in the Bavarian Forest? - A feast! 🪲🪲
@betafor.bsky.social
May 24, 2025 at 9:09 AM
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Had fun presenting my poster about the effects of climate and forest structure on dung beetles at #EGU2025. Thanks to everyone in the Forest Floor session for showing so much interest in my somewhat different research topic! 🌲🪲 @betafor.bsky.social
May 2, 2025 at 12:45 PM
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Find us at #EGU25, where our PhD student @johannaasch.bsky.social of @betafor.bsky.social will present her research on how climate and forest structure shape forest dung beetle communities 🌲🪲
➡️ meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU25/EGU25-...
Abstract EGU25-20671
meetingorganizer.copernicus.org
April 26, 2025 at 11:52 AM
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New #soundscape study out: We investigated the effect of experimental forest manipulation @betafor.bsky.social on four #acousic indices. 🌳🍁
Manipulation diversified the soundscapes with distinct differences between open and closed #canopy patches. Deadwood however only played a minor role 🧪🌍🐛🐦‍⬛
Testing the soundscape response to silvicultural interventions in a controlled before-and-after experiment
In forest ecosystems, soundscape recordings are increasingly used to measure loss or shifts in biodiversity. In particular, acoustic indices can quant…
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320725001533🧪🌍🌳🍁🐛🐞
April 19, 2025 at 6:28 PM