Contemporary environmental concerns highlight the vulnerability of karst environments to changing hydrometeorological patterns and vegetation disturbance, necessitating a unified, interdisciplinary strategy for comprehensive understanding. This paper critically examines the current state of research. To overcome the identified gaps, it presents an integrated multi-scale ecohydrogeological monitoring approach tailored to karst critical zones (KCZ) and its spatio-temporal variability. Forested karst aquifer in Slovenia is used as a case study to demonstrate and assess the strengths and limitations of the proposed monitoring framework. To decipher flow dynamics and propose customized data collection strategies the approach combines surface and underground sites and employs advanced methods adapted to the challenges of karst environments. The results highlight the benefits and advancements of monitoring and sampling approaches to ensure representativeness in heterogeneous environments. The focus is on the use of enhanced precipitation monitoring systems to expand sampling areas nearly fivefold and improve precipitation and throughfall measurements. Additionally, customized lysimeter techniques for karst soils and microscale adaptations for cave exploration have been developed, addressing the challenges of instrument placement in environments with significant variability. Further opportunities lie in improving instrument protection, integrating sensor networks, combining remote sensing and scaling from plot to aquifer level. However, challenges remain in achieving spatio-temporal representativeness and ensuring the operational reliability of snow monitoring, soil solution sampling and drip flow measurements. Threats include environmental pressures and hydrometeorological conditions, equipment tampering and funding stability. Nevertheless, this comprehensive approach improves monitoring of ecohydrogeological processes in the KCZ, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and environmental resource management.

Bark beetle outbreaks have caused large-scale tree mortality and damage in recent decades, primarily following an increase in large-scale forest disturbances induced by climate change. After tree logging operations, leftover branches are traditionally piled to make the potential brood material less suitable for bark beetles, thereby lowering the risk of subsequent attacks on surrounding trees. On the other hand, the residues could prove valuable to biodiversity by supplementing important habitat, given the apparent decline in deadwood in European forests and its associated saproxylic fauna. Our aim was to identify the most successful method of logging residue management for both bark beetle management and biodiversity. We focussed on Norway spruce felling residues, their associated bark beetle pests and saproxylic insect orders, beetle families, and Cerambycidae species. We prepared four treatments: (i) logging residues in piles, (ii) scattered logging residues, (iii) logging residues removed, and (iv) a control plot with no felling activity. Five plots per treatment were established at each site. In total, three sites were selected: one at a high elevation and two at lower elevations in different parts of Slovenia. The catch was counted to the order level, the attracted beetles were identified to the family level, and Cerambycidae and Scolytinae to the species level. We found that the treatments with residues attracted the highest diversity of insect orders and the most beetles across different families, including Cerambycidae. Furthermore, we found that the species composition differed between control and residue treatments, although no difference was observed in species richness. More bark beetles and a higher number of bark beetle species were attracted to both piled and scattered residues. Thick branches were more frequently attacked in scattered residues. There was no difference in the number of attacked trees (within a plot) one month after treatment. Hence, leaving logging residues in the forest could represent an interesting compromise between pest management and biodiversity conservation. Conflicting aims, such as increasing biodiversity or controlling bark beetles, should be carefully considered in the management decisions.

The study aimed to evaluate and compare growth resilience to hotter droughts of three common subMediterranean species: black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold), manna ash (Fraxinus ornus L.) and pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens Willd). Over 200 trees were sampled across eight different sites in two countries, Slovenia and Italy. Our primary objective was to evaluate and compare diversity in response to drought within individual species. Increment cores were extracted from trees from each site, which were then processed and their treering width measured. Potential droughts were identified using a Summer-Heat moisture index in the following years 1983, 1985, 1992, 2000 and 2003. Radial growth resilience was analyzed using two indices, post-drought recovery period and average relative growth reduction. Climate-growth relationships were also examined. The individual droughts affected the majority of studied trees. Of the three examined species, F. ornus appears to be the least sensitive to drought stress. Across sites, species or individual droughts, a small proportion of trees always remained unaffected by the droughts. Some of the affected trees never recovered their radial growth within the studied period, indicating that their recovery period exceeded 20 years after individual drought events. The proportion of both varied between species, site and drought. These facts would indicate that more emphasis should be given in the future to studying "winner" trees, since they may hold the answer to species' better adaptability to the occurrence of hotter droughts.

Nowadays, there is contrasting evidence between the ongoing continuing and widespread environmental degradation and the many means to implement environmental sustainability actions starting from good policies (e.g. EU New Green Deal, CAP), powerful technologies (e.g. new satellites, drones, IoT sensors), large databases and large stakeholder engagement (e.g. EIP-AGRI, living labs). Here, we argue that to tackle the above contrasting issues dealing with land degradation, it is very much required to develop and use friendly and freely available web-based operational tools to support both the implementation of environmental and agriculture policies and enable to take positive environmental sustainability actions by all stakeholders. Our solution is the S-DSS LANDSUPPORT platform, consisting of a free web-based smart Geospatial CyberInfrastructure containing 15 macro-tools (and more than 100 elementary tools), co-designed with different types of stakeholders and their different needs, dealing with sustainability in agriculture, forestry and spatial planning. LANDSUPPORT condenses many features into one system, the main ones of which were (i) Web-GIS facilities, connection with (ii) satellite data, (iii) Earth Critical Zone data and (iv) climate datasets including climate change and weather forecast data, (v) data cube technology enabling us to read/write when dealing with very large datasets (e.g. daily climatic data obtained in real time for any region in Europe), (vi) a large set of static and dynamic modelling engines (e.g. crop growth, water balance, rural integrity, etc.) allowing uncertainty analysis and what if modelling and (vii) HPC (both CPU and GPU) to run simulation modelling 'on-the-fly' in real time. Two case studies (a third case is reported in the Supplementary materials), with their results and stats, covering different regions and spatial extents and using three distinct operational tools all connected to lower land degradation processes (Crop growth, Machine Learning Forest Simulator and GeOC), are featured in this paper to highlight the platform's functioning. Landsupport is used by a large community of stakeholders and will remain operational, open and free long after the project ends. This position is rooted in the evidence showing that we need to leave these tools as open as possible and engage as much as possible with a large community of users to protect soils and land.

Procesi klimatskih promjena stimulisali su brojna istraživanja usmjerena na potencijal tla da djeluje kao skladište ugljika. Dok su zalihe organskog ugljika u tlu (Corg) u vezi s tipom tla, topografijom i vrstama drveća opsežno dokumentovani drugdje, primjećuje se značajan nedostatak podataka o tlima u šumama dinarskih kraških planina. Dinarska regija se karakteriše prisustvom mješovitih raznodobnih šuma bukve i jele (sa smrčom) kojima se upravlja prebornim sistemom, smatranim održivim i pogodnim za očuvanje zaliha Corg tla. U ovom istraživanju, provedenom na četiri uporedive lokacije kraških planinskih šuma (Bjelašnica, Bosna i Hercegovina; Kočevski Rog, Snežnik i Trnovski gozd, Slovenija) istraživano je kako zaliha Corg i odnos C/N variraju u odnosu na uslove staništa, vegetacije i reljefne pozicije. Glavni rezultati obuhvataju podatke o zalihama Corg, procijenjene na temelju izmjerenih koncentracija Corg, izračunatih gustina, grubih fragmenata i efektivnih dubina organskog (Ol, Of, Oh) i mineralnog tla do 60 cm dubine. Istraživanje je otkrilo značajno variranje vrijednosti Corg i C/N u odnosu na stanište i vegetaciju, naročito u organskim horizontima i površinskom mineralnom sloju. Osim toga, istraživanje je pružilo uvid u stabilnost organske materije na temelju odnosa C/N u tlu. Rezultati daju vrijedne informacije o dinamici Corg u tlima dinarskih kraških planina, značaju očuvanja sitnog organskog otpada u šumi i bitne su za održive prakse upravljanja šumama u smislu ublažavanja uticaja klimatskih promjena.

Experimental drought decreased the vitality of ectomycorrhiza and reduced the number of unique morphotypes. Quercus pubescens (Willd.) is an ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree species that is capable of withstanding occasional drought events, but the response of its ectomycorrhiza to drought is not well known. An experiment with two rain exclusion plots and two natural precipitation regime plots was established in a secondary sub-Mediterranean oak forest. ECM roots were sampled before the experiment and after 11 months of rain exclusion. ECM root tips were divided into vital and non-vital and quantified. Morphoanatomical characterization and molecular identification were performed for vital ectomycorrhizae to obtain diversity indices and perform community analyses. Soil water content (SWC) in rain exclusion plots was reduced by approx. 6 vol.

We investigated several aspects of windthrow that are relevant to our understanding and management of forest ecosystems. As an example, we used an extreme event in December 2017, when the strongest storm in recent history occurred in the Slovenian Dinaric High Karst. We examined influential factors such as soil properties, wind speed, precipitation and ecological consequences for the affected forests. Soil properties were measured around standing and fallen silver fir trees at all three research sites. Tree species composition in the regeneration was observed on plots with chemical and acoustic ungulate deterrents and on control plots without deterrents. Economic estimates of yield loss due to damage were calculated at the national level. A model of the potential threat from windthrow was also developed based on data collected from windthrow events and meteorological data over the past 20 years. Our results indicate that soil depth and mineral fraction depth were similar at sites with and without damaged trees and were not the determining factors for tree toppling. Plots with acoustic deterrents showed the most effective regeneration development, the least decline in silver fir and the greatest increase in noble hardwood seedlings, while plots with chemical deterrents showed the least browsing damage. The estimated economic loss of €16.1 million is 6.6% less than the harvest under normal conditions. The economic loss was relatively low due to the nature of the storm, with the predominant type of damage being uprooted trees with no damaged trunks. The windthrow hazard model revealed that a large number of consecutive events with strong winds in each section weakened the stand, which was subsequently knocked down during the next extreme wind and rainfall event.

Monografija obsega pregled znanja na področju prilagoditve oljk na sušne razmere ter pregled tehnologij namakanja oljk. Res je, da je oljka manj zahtevna vrsta, saj lahko uspeva v izjemno skeletnih tleh in je zelo dobro prilagojena na pomanjkanje vode v njih, a kljub fiziološkim prilagoditvam, lahko sušne razmere negativno vplivajo na rast, razvoj in pridelek oljk. Sušni stres lahko pri oljkah blažimo z deficitnim namakanjem. Deficitni način namakanja je oblika nadgradnje namakanja, saj z nadzorovanim primanjkljajem vode zagotovimo kakovost pridelka, obstoj rastline ter hkrati zmanjšamo porabo vode in energije. Deficitni način namakanja, temelji na načelu, da obrok vode dodamo takrat, ko ga rastlina najbolj gospodarno uporabi. Pri tem je ključnega pomena poznavanje rastlinske vrste, njenih anatomskih in morfoloških značilnosti, fizioloških prilagoditev na sušo, biokemijski odziv na stresne dejavnike in s tem vpliv na kakovost plodov in olja. Poleg tega je potrebno tudi poznavanje dejavnikov, ki vplivajo na pridelovalne sposobnosti oljk, kot so lastnosti tal s svojimi vodno zadrževalnimi sposobnostmi ter dostopna voda v tleh. Ob skrbnem upoštevanju potreb rastline in okoljskih razmer z ustreznim delovanjem namakalnega sistema lahko dosežemo usklajeno razmerje med kakovostjo in količino pridelka o hkratnem varovanju potencialov naravnih virov.

Karst systems represent 10–15% of land surface in the world and supply around 25% of the global demand for drinking water. In Slovenia karst areas are merely covered by forest and important for their rich and unique ecosystems. However, prevailing beech and mixed fir-beech forests in the region have been exposed to severe large-scale disturbances in the past few years, e.g., ice storms and heavy snow, windthrow, severe and prolonged periods of droughts and secondary insect damage, which have caused episodes of forest decline. Modification of the vegetation cover indirectly impacts the water balance. Despite the important role of karst water resources for supplying the population with drinking water, few studies exist that adequately evaluate the impact of predicted global changes on their quantity and quality. The effects of large-scale forest disturbances have been only marginally addressed, despite evaporation of water from the soil and epikarst being recognized as a significant process affecting hydrological cycle in karst regions. In many hydrological studies, the role and importance of vegetation in infiltration mechanisms, in particular the effect of trees and their root networks, has been widely neglected. In this study we present a holistic approach to infiltration processes research. An in-situ environmental monitoring network of the atmosphere-vegetation-soil-unsaturated zone of the aquifer has been designed to better understand infiltration in different compartments of the karst aquifer. Special focus is given to different forest development phases after large-scale disturbances and karst terrain morphology. The amount of precipitation in the open, canopy interception in mature forest and in canopy gaps with varying forest development phases, soil moisture and soil temperature are measured on the surface and subsurface. These measurements are performed in the area of an eLTER site Postojna-Planina cave system, i.e., on the top and bottom of karst depressions, while in the underground water discharge and electrical conductivity are measured in cave drips. By observing the time lag of the measured parameters to the recharge events, the effective infiltration of precipitation into the aquifer is evaluated and quantified. The results enabled to distinguish the recharge conditions under different forest development phases after large-scale disturbances and under different geomorphological conditions. The findings will in the later stage of the research serve as an input information for coupled vegetation-hydrological modelling of recharge conditions. Upscaling the modelling results from local to entire catchment scale would be useful for the evaluation of impacts of large-scale forest disturbance on the water balance of the entire karst aquifer system.

Due to the increasing interest in highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) among consumers, together with the problems of climate change and specific substrate requirements, a novel approach to intensive blueberry production is required. Here, ‘Duke’, ‘Aurora’, and ‘Brigitta’ blueberry cultivars were planted under the protective environments of a high tunnel and black hail net, each using ridge and pot planting systems. The high tunnel increased the maximal air temperature on average by 7.2 °C compared to the hail net. For all three cultivars, harvest began 6 to 18 days earlier under the high tunnel than under the hail net; however, lower yields and individual phenolics contents were obtained for the fruit. In ‘Aurora’ and ‘Brigitta’, environmental conditions under the high tunnel also reduced plant volume and fruit sugar/organic acid ratio. Growing blueberry plants in 60 L pots had no negative effects on plant volume and fruit ripening time, yield, firmness, color, and chemical composition. This study represents the first to compare highbush blueberry grown under the high tunnel and hail net protective environments using ridge and pot planting systems across three different cultivars. Here, we can conclude that optimal highbush blueberry production of ‘Duke’, ‘Aurora’, and ‘Brigitta’ under the climate conditions of the study provides earlier ripening times under the high tunnel. However, according to fruit yield and quality, all three cultivars benefit from the hail net over the high tunnel, while ‘Duke’ and ‘Brigitta’ also benefit in particular from the hail net combined with growth in pots.

This work was designed to investigate the influence of artificial aeration on the sludge decomposition process in mesocosm sludge treatment reed beds (STRBs). In addition to the typical STRB design, where ventilation is mainly provided by a drainage pipe, passive aeration via a "chimney" and active aeration via a blower were introduced. During the entire observation period of 1.5 years, O-2 concentrations in the upper part of the filter were significantly higher in the artificially aerated beds. To determine decomposition rates, a study with decomposition bags, measurements of CO2 emissions from the STRB and isotopic partitioning of CO2 emissions were performed. The results indicate an accelerated sludge degradation process in both active and passive beds. However, this effect was limited to part of the season and could not be demonstrated by episodic measurements of CO2 efflux. The CO2 efflux showed a seasonal pattern. Average CO2 efflux was below 3.0 mu mol m(2) s(1) in the winter months and reached 43 mu mol m(2) s(1) in the warmer months. The low sludge load and drought period in summer 2018 resulted in an extremely low CO2 efflux in August 2018. Isotopic analyses revealed changes in decomposition dynamics for certain parts of the season, differences in contributions of sludge and plant derived CO2 to total CO2 emissions from differently aerated beds. Overall, passive aeration proved to be similarly efficient as active aeration and could therefore be considered for application in a full-scale system.

Increased frequency and severity of stressful events affects the growth patterns and functioning of trees which adjust their phenology to given conditions. Here, we analysed environmental effects (temperature, precipitation, VPD and SWC) on the timing of leaf phenology, seasonal stem radial growth patterns, and xylem and phloem anatomy of Quercus pubescens in the sub-Mediterranean in the period 2014–2019, when various adverse weather events occurred, i.e. spring drought in 2015, summer fire in 2016 and summer drought in 2017. Results showed that the timings of leaf and cambium phenology do not occur simultaneously in Q. pubescens, reflecting different environmental and internal constraints. Although year-to-year variability in the timings of leaf and cambial phenology exists, their chronological sequence is fairly fixed. Different effects of weather conditions on different stages of leaf development in spring were observed. Common climatic drivers (i.e., negative effect of hot and dry summers and a positive effect of increasing moisture availability in winter and summer) were found to affect the widths of xylem and phloem increments with more pronounced effect on late formed parts. A legacy effect of the timing of leaf and cambial phenology of the previous growing season on the timing of phenology of the following spring was confirmed. Rarely available phloem data permitted a comprehensive insight into the interlinkage of the timing of cambium and leaf phenology and adjustment strategies of vascular tissues in Mediterranean pubescent oak to various environmental constraints, including frequent extreme events (drought, fire). Our results suggest that predicted changes in autumn/winter and spring climatic conditions for this area could affect the timings of leaf and stem cambial phenology of Q. pubescens in the coming years, which would affect stem xylem and phloem structure and hydraulic properties, and ultimately its performance.

The present study addresses the short-term effects of different harvest intensities under close-to-nature selective management on the upper soil layers in Slovenian and Bosnian Dinaric karst fir-beech forests. The different harvest intensities coincided with the single-tree and irregular shelterwood management, common in the region. The effect of harvesting intensity on the upper soil layers (Ol, Of, Ol and 0–10 cm mineral soil) was investigated by a repeated measurements experiment in Slovenia on 27 research plots in close-to nature managed forests. The properties of the upper layers (concentration of SOC and TN, C/N ratio, weights, BD and SOC stocks) were analyzed twice, before (2011) and after (2014) treatment of 50% and 100% harvest intensity in relation to the total standing growing stock of trees. As a control, we used no-treatment <20% harvesting intensity plots. To extend this experiment, we added three comparable plots from the Bosnian site: one in an old-growth forest with 0% harvest intensity and two in the managed forest with <20% harvest intensity. The results of the assessment of mean differences indicated a significant influence of harvesting intensity on the decrease in SOC, TN concentrations, weights and SOC stocks in the organic layers and the increase in BD and SOC stocks in the 0–10 cm mineral soil. The highest relative decreases in Ol, Of and Oh SOC stocks occurred in 50% (−10 and −38%) and 100% (−16 and −49%) harvest intensities. Negligible relative differences in both organic and 0–10 cm mineral layers were found for the <20% harvest intensity in the region. The change in forest light conditions resulting from differences in canopy openness as a function of applied harvest intensity explained the significant difference in the properties of the upper soil layers. The impact of the short-term losses in SOC stocks, in terms of overall soil productivity, may depend on the regeneration dynamics and melioration methods.

In the December 2017, 211 000 ha of Slovenian forests or 2 201 000 m3 were severely damaged by the windstorm. The damage was greatest in the adult beech-silver fir forest stands. In each management district (FMD) with different share of damaged forested area - Kočevje (69%), Postojna (22%) and Ljubljana (19%), research location were established to evaluate soil properties, root characteristics and ecophysiological regeneration response of predominating tree species in damaged stands as well as the economic effect of the windstorm on sensitive high karst sites. The restoration and regeneration efficiency of latest disaster (2017) was also compared with restoration efficiency of areas damaged in 2008, identifying possible specifics / differences and providing guidelines for their optimal recovery. Timber database from Slovenian Forest Service with data about felling and felling reasons between Dec. 2017 and the end of 2019 was used to evaluate economic losses. The total amount from the database was multiplied by the shares of individual quality category, obtaining the quantitative assortment structure according to the actual felling. We used tables of assortment losses caused by wind to estimate the actual assortment loss and multiplied those with 2018 roundwood market prices. Estimated cumulative biomass loss amounted 205 855 m3 - 5.6% less, compared to regular felling, or 16.1 million €. Physical soil properties between plots damaged by wind and control areas without damage did not confirm any significant difference in relation to weather and microsite conditions (rootstock, exposition, altitude, species structure of stands, microrelief). Characteristics of root systems of the most affected tree species - fir, spruce and beech did not differ between damaged and neighboring undamaged sites. An overview of fir and spruce windbreaks during the 1995 - 2018 period outlined the cumulative effect of multiple site conditions with strong wind, severely reducing the mechanical stability of fir and spruce; consequently, the following weather events with even mild wind intensities resulted in calamity. Natural regeneration ability on all plots of recent windthrow shows successful regeneration of beech, maple, and fir in all light categories of damaged stands, but questionable regeneration of fir, which is in tight relation with ungulate browsing. For comparison with regeneration after windthrow in 2017, we analyzed successional development in three windthrow areas from 2008. Seedling densities ranged from 5000 to 9000 ha-1, with the highest densities in the 150-300 cm height class. Within plots with natural regeneration, height and species diversity were better compared to planted plots. Shade-tolerant species increased in plots at lower elevations, while pioneer species still increased at higher elevations. Overall browsing was moderate, but silver fir and sycamore had difficulty establishing. The results indicate that regeneration spreads from areas that were covered with seedlings shortly after windthrow and that certain parts will not be covered with regeneration for a longer period.

An increased frequency of fire events on the Slovenian Karst is in line with future climate change scenarios for drought-prone environments worldwide. It is therefore of the utmost importance to better understand tree-fire-climate interactions for predicting the impact of changing environment on tree functioning. To this purpose, we studied the post-fire effects on leaf development, leaf carbon isotope composition (delta C-13), radial growth patterns and the xylem and phloem anatomy in undamaged (H-trees) and fire-damaged trees (F-trees) of Quercus pubescens Willd. with good resprouting ability in spring 2017, the growing season after a rangeland fire in August 2016. We found that the fully developed canopy of F-trees reached only half of the leaf area index values measured in H-trees. Throughout the season, F-trees were characterized by higher water potential and stomatal conductivity and achieved higher photosynthetic rates compared to unburnt H-trees. The foliage of F-trees had more negative delta C-13 values than those of H-trees. This reflects that F-trees less frequently meet stomatal limitations due to reduced transpirational area and more favourable leaf-to-root ratio. In addition, the growth of leaves in F-trees relied more on the recent photosynthates than on reserves due to the fire disturbed starch accumulation in the previous season. Cambial production stopped 3 weeks later in F-trees, resulting in 60 and 22% wider xylem and phloem increments, respectively. A novel approach by including phloem anatomy in the analyses revealed that fire caused changes in conduit dimensions in the early phloem but not in the earlywood. However, premature formation of the tyloses in the earlywood vessels of the youngest two xylem increments in F-trees implies that xylem hydraulic integrity was also affected by heat. Analyses of secondary tissues showed that although xylem and phloem tissues are interlinked changes in their transport systems due to heat damage are not necessarily coordinated.

Karst systems represent an important carbon sink worldwide. However, several phenomena such as the CO2 degassing and the exchange of cave air return a considerable amount of CO2 to the atmosphere. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand the contribution of the ecosystem to the carbon budget of karst areas. In this study conducted in a mid-succession ecosystem developed on abandoned karst grassland, two types of model were assessed, estimating the gross primary production (GPP) or the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) based on seven years of eddy covariance data (2013-2019): (1) a quadratic vegetation index-based empirical model with five alternative vegetation indices as proxies of GPP and NEE, and (2) the vegetation photosynthesis model (VPM) which is a light use efficiency model to estimate only GPP. The Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) was the best proxy for NEE whereas SAVI performed very similarly to EVI in the case of GPP in the empirical model setting. The empirical model performed better than the VPM model which tended to underestimate GPP. Therefore, for this ecosystem, we suggest the use of the empirical model provided that the quadratic relationship observed persists. However, the VPM model would be a good alternative under a changing climate, as it is rooted in the understanding of the photosynthesis process, if the scalars it involves could be improved to better estimate GPP.

This data set was used to estimate carbon fluxes by comparing eddy covariance tower (Long = 13.916701, Lat = 45.543491) measurements with vegetation indices based estimates. The data set includes all data required to : - Perform empirical regression of GPP (gross primary production) or NEE (Net ecosystem exchange) with vegetation indices, - Apply the vegetation photosynthesis model, which is a light use efficiency model.This data set includes 4 files, which are 2 *.csv files and 2 *.txt files. The *.csv files have the actual data in tabular format, and the *.txt files, named in the same way as the *.csv files with a prefix "parameters _ metadata", have a complete description of each variable found in the *.csv file, including their units.The first *csv file "1.Halfmonthly_fluxes_vegetation_indices.csv" contains half-monthly aggregated fluxes, environmental parameters and vegetation indices from 2012 to 2019. The variables included in the file are: date, NEE, GPP, Reco, Rg, Tair_midday, Tair, VPD, EVI, SAVI, LSWI, NDVI, GNDVI; and their meanings can be found in the corresponding *.txt file "1.parameters_metadata_Halfmonthly_fluxes_vegetation_indices.txt".The second *.csv file "2.Halfhourly_LUEmax_calculation_data_2019.csv" contains half-hourly fluxes and environmental parameters for the year 2019, needed to calculate LUE_max, further used in the VPM model. The variables included in the file are: time, incPPFD, bcPPFD_1, bcPPFD_2, naPPFD, frac_grass, frac_trees, frac, VPD, GPP, SWC, Rg, PAR, APAR, uncloudy; and their meanings can be found in the corresponding *.txt file "2.parameters_metadata_Halfhourly_LUEmax_calculation_data_2019.txt".About the authors of this data set,The original data set was collected by Mitja Ferlan, Klemen Eler, Dominik Vodnik and Primož Simončič. However, the processed data, object of this publication was prepared by Koffi Dodji Noumonvi and Mitja Ferlan.P.S. This data set is a research data, that can be used to reproduce the methodology applied in the paper (in review at the moment of publishing this data).