Disturbances can hit Alberta’s lodgepole pine forests hard—including life under the soil, new University of Alberta research shows.
Disturbances can hit Alberta’s lodgepole pine forests hard—including life under the soil, new University of Alberta research shows.
Fungal communities that nourish pine tree roots are being altered by both human-made and natural disturbances, which can stress forests and make it tougher for pine seedlings to regenerate, said Jean Rodriguez Ramos, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and co-author of a pair of studies showing the results.
That’s a concern for forest sustainability, he said.
“The forestry industry is important to Alberta, so we should work to ensure plants of interest are able to establish under the increased stress imposed by climate change.”
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Image via University of Alberta.
