Fieldwork in the frames of the InterRest project

In July, our working group was engaged in fieldwork: in InterRest project we estimated plant biodiversity and took soil samples from 32 grasslands in western Estonia. Triin, Elisabeth, Eliisa and Linda were busy with plant-soil fieldwork. In autumn and winter, we will analyse the soil samples for fungal biodiversity, soil carbon content and other soil geochemical parameters. Half of the grasslands were managed and half were abandoned. Our aim is to understand how grassland management affects plant-soil interactions. We also collected root samples of Centaurea jacea from all the grasslands to examine which fungal symbionts live in its roots. The plant-soil fieldwork protocol was developed by our working group and the same methodology is used also in German and Spanish grasslands. InterRest is a Biodiversa project where we collaborate with scientists from Germany, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Netherlands.

University of Tartu Landscape Biodiversity Group

J. Liivi 2, 50409, Tartu, ESTONIA

Aveliina Helm / +372 5553 8679 / aveliina.helm@ut.ee
Tsipe Aavik / +372 516 1187 / tsipe.aavik@ut.ee

© UNIVERSITY OF TARTU LANDSCAPE BIODIVERSITY GROUP, 2024