Florian Steinebrunner

My research is about biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and microclimate of forest ground vegetation after disturbance. Within the project ResEt-Fi (Wegbereiter Wiederbewaldung: Regionales Flächenmanagement zur Entwicklung multifunktionaler Wälder auf gestörten Fichtenflächen), I investigate the development of plant biodiversity in drought exposed and insect damaged spruce (Picea abies) monocultures in Thuringia, Germany. In silviculture, urgent questions emerged about how to re-establish forests after disturbances as mentioned above. We focus on developing mitigation strategies to climate change by creating diverse and climate resilient forests.

We aim to understand vegetation dynamics and interspecific competition in recently died-off spruce stands. The intention of the ResEt-Fi project is to test the effect of different forest management types, varying in the amount and structure of remaining deadwood (snags, high stumps, crown material), on forest ecosystem functions. Furthermore, planting of Acer platanoides will be carried out to determine if this species is applicable to help convert disturbed areas back into forest as quickly as possible under expected future climate scenarios. 

My main research questions are A) How do different forest management types influence biodiversity, succession and microclimate? B) What is the influence of forest management and ground vegetation on the establishment of tree seedlings? 

I will use vegetation surveys, functional trait measurements, estimations of biomass and nutrient status, microclimate data and climate chamber experiments.

The ResEt-Fi project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

04/2023-present PhD student in Vegetation ecology at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena supervised by apl. Prof. Dr. Markus Bernhardt Römermann

10/2019-02/2023 M. Sc. Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Thesis Title: Functional diversity and plant traits in an early stage of an extensive year-round grazing project in southwest Germany. Supervised by Prof. Dr. Michael Scherer-Lorenzen and Dr. Martin A. Mörsdorf

10/2016-07/2019 B. Sc. Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Thesis Title: Photosynthese und funktionelle Blatteigenschaften von zwölf Baumarten der gemäßigten Zone auf der Fläche eines jungen Diversitätsexperiments (Photosynthesis and functional leaf traits of twelve temperate tree species on the site of a young diversity experiment). Supervised by Dr. Tobias Gebauer