>>> As part of the project, we are looking for motivated student assistants and offering exciting thesis topics. Please contact Johannes Senn for more information. <<<

Erosion: In your forest too?

Vegetation plays a crucial role in reducing soil erosion. However, tall tree crowns can increase the force of erosion by redistributing precipitation and forming large, fast-falling drops. The conditions under which vegetation reduces or increases the erosive force of precipitation have not yet been sufficiently researched.

The OberRAIN project

The OberRAIN project closes this gap by combining spatially dense measurements of precipitation properties, 3D laser scanning, and controlled precipitation experiments in a new Eucor research network (Basel, Karlsruhe, Freiburg).

Observation in the forest

At the well-instrumented ECOSENSE forest site, we will establish several measurement plots and measure rainfall amounts, drop size distribution, and drop energy with high spatial resolution. These data will be supplemented by drone-based and terrestrial lidar point clouds of the canopy in leafy and leafless conditions.

Replication in the simulator

In the Basel precipitation laboratory, we will reconstruct these canopy architectures under controlled precipitation conditions in order to isolate the processes taking place.

And why is this important?

By demonstrating the scaling from the plot to the landscape level, the OberRAIN project aims to provide proof of concept for the modeling of drop erosion. The project thus creates a scientific basis and a platform for cross-border cooperation.