![]() ![]() Photo: Marie-Charlotte Nilsson HegethornĪ first greenhouse trial indicated that the plants grew much better in soil samples from the areas in northern Sweden where the lodgepole pine has been introduced, compared with the soil samples from its original habitat in Canadian British Columbia. ELSEWHERE CHARLOTTE SERIESBy conducting a series of experiments on young plants, the researchers have shown that the growth of the lodgepole pine is greatly affected by which organisms live in the soil.Ī Pinus contorta plantation in Norrbotten, the northernmost county in Sweden. There is a multitude of life forms in soil, some of which may be harmful (such as diseases and herbivores), and some of which may be beneficial (such as mycorrhizal fungi). Michael Gundale and his colleagues from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) have focused on what the organisms found in Swedish and Canadian soils mean for the growth of the lodgepole pine*. The reason why plants sometimes function very differently in a new environment is a question that many researchers are currently focusing on. This may be welcomed by agriculture and forestry, while an introduced plant spreading uncontrollably in nature can become a major concern. Plants are often moved away from their natural provenance, and sometimes they become stronger competitors in their new habitat. Ī Pinus contorta landscape in northern British Columbia, Canada, which is the general region where much of the Swedish P. These results improve our understanding of why some exotic tree species and invasive plants at times can function so well in new environments.Ĭlick here to view the original article currently published on early view in New Phytologist. When the researchers studied the growth of the lodgepole pine in sterilized and unsterilized Swedish and Canadian soil samples, they discovered clear differences in growth: it grew better in soil inoculated with Swedish soil biota compared to Canadian soil biota. Researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences are now able to demonstrate that organisms in the Swedish soil most likely contribute to the success of this exotic tree species. Thanks to its excellent growth, the Canadian lodgepole pine has become a popular feature of forestry in Northern Sweden. No place like elsewhere for the lodgepole pine ![]()
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