Forests with few tree species pose considerably higher risk of being damaged and especially vulnerable is the introduced lodgepole pine.
Forests with few tree species pose considerably higher risk of being damaged and especially vulnerable is the introduced lodgepole pine. This is shown in a new study by researchers from Umea University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Science in Uppsala. The results can be useful for preventing forest damages and financial losses related to the forest industry.
Fungi, insects, fires and cervids, such as moose, are examples of natural factors behind tree damages in Swedish forests. Sometimes, the damages become so extensive that they impact the function of forest ecosystems, not least the ability of forests to provide wood and other tree products.
“In a warmer climate with more extreme weather and new pest organisms, and with a more intense forestry, forest damages are expected to become more common and more severe. It is therefore important to understand causes of forest damages and whether it can be prevented,” says researcher Micael Jonsson at Umeå University, who led the study.
Read more at Umea University
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