Field Station Mülverstedt

The field station in Mülverstedt (Thuringia) is a branch office of the TUM. It serves as the central base for the Hainich-Dün Biodiversity Exploratorium, one of three major research platforms in Germany alongside the Swabian Alb and Schorfheide-Chorin for exploring land use, biodiversity and ecosystem processes. The area provides an ideal platform for the research questions in the Exploratorium project for different types of land use in forestry and agricultural areas. There are more than 100 study areas on grassland, in forests and on arable land.

The Hainich-Dün region is in northwestern Thuringia. It reaches from the Hainich hill region in the south, across the Upper Eichsfeld region in the center, to the Dün hills in the north. The Hainich research area consists of an extensive, wooded ridge area in the west as far as the lower-lying and predominantly agricultural Thuringian basin in the east. The grassland areas the project explores range from unfertilized pastures land grazed by sheep to fertilized meadows primarily used by cows, to intensively managed meadows with high mowing frequency and frequent fertilization. The forest experimental plots are located, among other places, in unmanaged natural beech forests (Hainich National Park), in selectively managed beech forests (“Plenterwald”) and in extensively managed, even-aged forests dominated by beech trees.

The field station serves as the base for all tasks in the region. In addition to office space for Exploratorium staff, the field station offers workrooms and storage rooms and fully equipped accommodation for up to eight researchers at a time. The inventory includes three vehicles, one agricultural trailer, and equipment for field visits and the management of test areas and plots (including GPS technology, photographic equipment, chainsaws and metal detectors). For the collection of samples (e.g., biomass harvests,soil cores and dead wood samples), the field station offers equipment for drying or cooling (two freezers, four refrigerators, and four drying cabinets).

The field station serves as a base for all activities and brings researchers, local stakeholders and the local management team (LMT) together (The LMT coordinates the use of the sampling areas, including the  maintenance of more than 100 plots. The team currently consists of six people (management, grassland technology, forestry, technology, and mechatronics). They are the contact persons and experts for researchers, landowners, authorities, and other interest groups and provide technical and logistical support for research activities on site. The LMT also collects data on land use and climate and informs the local public about scientific projects and plans.

• Management of study areas: Maintenance of 50 grassland, 50 forest, and 10 arable areas for long-term monitoring of land use and biodiversity
• Management of specific areas for simulating land use types in forests and grasslands
• Cooperation with local interest groups and authorities (e.g., for the approval and coordination of research work), e.g., with local forestry authorities, farmers, environmental authorities
• Data collection and maintenance, including maintenance and servicing of weather stations, harmonization of land use data
• Public relations and education (e.g., conducting excursions and local information events)