📝 Fungal Friends Help Young Trees Thrive in Mixed Forests 🧵 https://doi.org/n249 Young spruce trees grow better with pine neighbours thanks to underground helpers. #Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief - ThreadSky

About ThreadSky

botany.one • 37 days ago

📝 Fungal Friends Help Young Trees Thrive in Mixed Forests 🧵
https://doi.org/n249

Young spruce trees grow better with pine neighbours thanks to underground helpers.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief

Comments

botany.one•37 days ago

For generations, foresters have observed a curious phenomenon: certain trees grow better when planted alongside different species. Now, research from Zhou and colleagues has revealed the hidden mechanics behind this "nursing effect".

botany.one•37 days ago

They studied how different combinations of trees affected the growth of Sitka spruce, Britain's most important timber tree. They found that pines help foster beneficial soil fungi that can aid the young spruce trees.

The effect was large.

botany.one•37 days ago

Sitka spruce seedlings grew up to 60% more when planted in soil previously inhabited by Scots pine. The increased growth was correlated with a doubling in root colonisation by beneficial ectomycorrhizal fungi - from roughly 20% in spruce-only soil to over 40% in pine-conditioned soil.

botany.one•37 days ago

These fungi helped the saplings by helping them access nutrients, particularly by transforming phosphorus into forms the young trees.

The researchers devised a two-part experiment at Cannock Chase Forest in the UK to peek into the hidden life of forest soils.

botany.one•37 days ago

First, they carefully tended different tree combinations - spruce growing alone, pine growing alone, birch alone, or all three mingling together - for 34 weeks. Next, Zhou and colleagues planted spruce seedlings in these "conditioned" soils.

botany.one•37 days ago

They then watched the saplings grow for 24 weeks, measuring everything from root patterns to fungal connections.

The results won't surprise foresters. It's been known for a long while that diverse woodlands often flourish where single-species plantations struggle.

Posting Rules

Be respectful to others
No spam or self-promotion
Stay on topic
Follow Bluesky's terms of service

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply