CREAF

Consolidated Research Group by the Government of Catalonia that studies the structure and operation of forest ecosystems at different scales, including carbon and water flows, ecological interactions and mature forests. On the other hand, its experts investigate changes that can occur in these forest ecosystems due to fire impact, climate change (such as drought) and changes in usage (such as deforestation).

Objectives

The objectives and the research activities of the group during the next three years are structured in two main axes that continue the tasks carried out in the last years:
1)    Changes in the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems at different scales.
2)    Changes in forest ecosystems due to different impacts of global change

Axis 1. Changes in the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems at different scales

The study of the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems (forests, scrubland and natural meadows) poses great challenges given the important spatial and temporal variations that occur: (i) Changes in ecosystem services in forest ecosystems; (ii) Water resources in forest ecosystems; (iii) Ecological interactions and pollination ecology.

Axis 2. Changes in forest ecosystems due to different impacts of global change

The new scenarios of global change predict an increase in the reiteration of fires in many areas, important changes in land uses and the increase of other disturbances such as recurrent droughts. The activities to be developed in this axis can be grouped into three lines: (iv) Assessing the relative role of different drivers of environmental change in determining forest ecosystem services and old-growthness in recent years; (v) Impacts of fires and deforestation on forest ecosystems; (vi) Impacts of global change on forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean region; (vii) Impact of global change on pollinators and pollination ecosystem services.