Assessing the impacts of transient forest edges on biophysical conditions and regeneration in the forest interior

Europe's forests are undergoing rapid change. Climate change and altered land use are increasingly leading to large-scale disturbances caused by drought, storms, and insect infestations. The gaps created by these disturbances in the formerly dense forest lead to the formation of new forest edges. Unlike permanent forest edges—for example, in transition zones between forest and agricultural land—these temporary forest edges develop along disturbed areas and gradually disappear as the forest regenerates.

Temporary forest edges can nevertheless have lasting effects on forest ecosystems: they alter local biophysical conditions – such as light penetration, temperature, forest regeneration, and structure – which can have repercussions deep within the forest. These changes could have a major impact on the future development of our forests.

Within the framework of the T-EDGE research project, we are investigating how temporary forest edges affect the biophysical conditions and the regeneration dynamics of the forest.