Ferdinand Betting

Since October 2024, we have been attaching measuring devices to 192 trees in the city of Karlsruhe to measure the trunk circumference, so-called dendrometers. Combined with other data, such as tree parameters, location, vitality, soil moisture and fine root growth, this should contribute to a better understanding of the growth of urban trees under different environmental conditions.

Yasha Magarik

The growth response of trees to climate change, in particular to extreme heat and drought events, is to be analysed. To this end, we have taken cores from 12 tree species in the city, parks and nearby forests. The cores are analysed for ring width, wood anatomy and isotope composition. These parameters can help us to understand which trees are more susceptible to these climate shocks and which are more resilient.

Tamalika Chakraborty

Over the past few months, we have been working with the Karlsruhe Horticultural Office to select suitable trees for our irrigation experiment. The trees had to have a certain diameter and show no visible signs of disease or damage. We have now selected around 50 healthy trees, which will be fitted with irrigation rings, sap flow sensors and tape dendrometers in the coming weeks.

Jan Totzki

Preparations for the irrigation experiment of the work package Urban tree physiology during drought (TreePulse) are in full swing. By spring 2025, measuring instruments are to be attached to around 50 trees in Karlsruhe, which will then collect tree physiological data for two years.

On June 14, an instructive ARBOTOM training course took place at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Frank Rinn, Managing Director of Rinntech Metriwerk GmbH & Co KG, was on hand to give participants a comprehensive introduction to the sonic tomography of trees.

On June 10, 2024, the time had finally come: the kick-off event for the URBORETUM project took place in the TRIANGEL Studio. From 9:30 a.m., all those involved in the project, including the Mayor of Environment and Health in Karlsruhe, Ms. Bettina Lisbach, students, researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), employees of the Horticultural Office and other interested parties, came together to give the starting signal for the project.