Fine root production was assessed with the ingrowth bag method.

Root ingrowth cores were installed in 2012, concurrently with soil and root biomass sampling. At each subplot of the HIP plots, a soil core was taken from wich fine roots were separated. This root-free soil was used for filling the ingrowth bag in the same hole where the core was taken. The ingrowth cores were retrieved exactly one year later. After lifting they were divided into layers of 10 cm and respective layers within each plot were pooled. Fine roots were separated and classified either as tree or ground vegetation. After drying at 40 degrees they were weighed. Results are express as g per m2.

FunDiv HIP plots

Installation started in Poland in May 2012 and ended in Italy in October 2012. Retrieval at each site exactly on year later.

Due to heavy disturbance of wild boar or ungulates, some ingrowth bags were pulled out or not found at all. For the Finnish site, HIP plots as well as all plots with birch and/or spruce were used for this experiment.