Projects - prof.dr.ir. FJ (Frank) Sterck
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Understanding growth patterns of trees from underlying eco-physiological and evolutionary principles.
Current projects include studies on understanding plastic growth responses of trees to contrasting soil conditions, by integrating underlying trait responses in roots, stem and leaves for canopy trees (PhD Weemstra), and comparative studies where we upscale the functioning of anatomical properties in xylem, phloem and leaves to the architecture, functioning and growth for trees across Dutch forests (with MSc students) and European forests (European research networks) . In addition, I explore diel and seasonal patterns in carbon and water relationships within trees and consequences for overall tree growth (European research networks)
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Understanding the consequences of the growth patterns for niche differentiation and species distributions along environmental gradients.
Current projects focus on the impacts of responses in functional traits and architecture for distributions of woody plant species along gradients in climate, for example for tree species across Europe (with European networks), woody plant species from boreal, temperate to tropical forest biomes (PhD Zhang), for liana and tree species in forests of Panama (PhD Medina), Brazil (Post-Doc ) and tropical China (Chinese research networks), and for trees across the Mediterranean (European research networks).
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Understanding the consequences of growth patterns for the management of trees or forests.
Current projects include multiple studies on environmental and physiological impacts on frankincense production by a woodland tree species in Ethiopia (with Frans Bongers, and a whole team of Ethiopian PhD students), and on mono and mixed forest species impacts on forest productivity in the Netherlands (PhD Lu Huicui).
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Distribution and diversity of Himalayan plant species
Distribution and diversity of Himalayan plant species - WUR Project Distribution and diversity of Himalayan plant species Globally, climate change is... -
Why are lianas increasing in tropical forest?
Why are lianas increasing in tropical forest? - WUR Project Why are lianas increasing in tropical forest? In tropical forests, lianas are increasing... -
Beyond leaf economics: Integrating root, leaf and stem traits to examine resource acquisition and tree growth
Improving tree growth is important to meet timber and biomass demands, and driven by leaf, stem and root properties that determine the acquisition and... -
Persisting soil drought reduces leaf specific conductivity in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens)
Leaf specific conductivity (LSC; the ratio of stem conductivity (KP) to leaf area (AL)), a measure of the hydraulic capacity of the stem to supply... -
The life history and wood anatomy of rain forest trees from Bolivia
Hundreds of tree species co-exist in tropical rain forests. In general terms, growth strategies are defined by relationships between tree performance... -
Potential hydraulic conductivity of Pinus sylvestris from 15 sites across Europe
Recently, several vital populations of Scotch pine are decreasing in dry areas such as the Mediterranean region and Central Europe. Increasing summer... -
Vessel area of oak - a new proxy to determine changing environments through the Holocene
What is the natural variation in climatic factors throughout the Holocene? How will future climate change affect trees and forests in Europe? These... -
TROFOCLIM - Tropical forests and climate change: understanding links to predict future responses
Tropical forests cover just 7% of the Earth’s surface, but store 25% of the global terrestrial carbon pool and account for a third of net...