Nordic cooperation to map the status of Phytophthora
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155 Scand. J. For. Res. News & Views 2 (2019)
from Nordic Forest Research SNS
2 2019
Injuries caused by Phytophthora on beech. Photo Jesper Witzell.
Nordic cooperation to map the status of Phytophthora
The microscopic pathogens are transferred to forests with infected Phytophthora is a genus of microscopic
of the genus Phytophthora are plants provides an opportunity for oomycetes (water moulds, not related to
already harming trees in Europe, disease prevention and restoration of fungi). The name is a combination of the
Greek words for Plant and Destroyer.
and there is a risk that some infested sites.
Phytophthora caused severe damage
of the species are becoming to potatoes in the mid-19th century,
a more severe threat. Global Climate change may increase risks particularly in Ireland, where two million
trade in nursery stock combined An ongoing project (SNS-121) people starved or many were forced
with more favourable climatic focuses on the spread of invasive to emigrate to America. Phytophthora
conditions increase potential Phytophthora species in the light of species are usually harmless in their
problems for forests. Two climate change. Over the last 200 natural environments but can become
SNS-supported projects have years, the number of invasive forest aggressive when moved to new conditions
focused on Phytophthora. pathogens introduced to Europe has or host trees. Damage has mostly been
increased exponentially. Outbreaks recorded on broadleaved trees such
as chestnut, beech, alder and oak, but
The invasive spread of the pathogens of these are predicted to become even
also on larch. Phytophthora is easily
has been shown to be closely related more frequent and intense with the transferred from nurseries, where the
to plant trade via nurseries. One of the stress associated with climate change. plants may appear completely healthy,
projects (SNS-117, reported in 2016), Increased winter temperatures, but the soil contains the pathogen. Most
therefore investigated the occurrence summer droughts and more winter species are spread via soil, but some are
of Phytophthora in nurseries in precipitation are factors that are also airborne.
Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Sweden. believed to favour infection by several
Different species can be found in most species of Phytophthora. diversity of different Phytophthora
nurseries and on many tree species, The project involves experts from species on a variety of host species.
both broadleaves and conifers. The Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, One joint activity is to analyse
fact that the pathogens predominately Lithuania and Estonia, who together soil samples across a soil-climate
originate from forest nurseries and are mapping the distribution and
Scand. J. For. Res. News & Views 2 (2019) 156
A
Phytophthora, cont. The projects:
SNS-117 (2013-2015): Preventive
gradient in the Nordic-Baltic area. and restorative measures to reduce
With increased knowledge of the damage on forests – Phytophthora
distribution, it will become more diseases in focus.
viable to predict the potential impacts. Coordinator: Jan Stenlid, SLU,
Some research already predicts that Sweden (jan.stenlid@slu.se) .
increasing temperatures will lead
to a potential range expansion of SNS-121 (2016-2019): Assessing the
Phytophthora species up to a few role of climate factors in association
hundred kilometres. Results of the with spread of invasive Phytophthora
project will be reported on the SNS species in forest and from urban
website as well as in News and Views. landscapes.
Coordinator: Michelle Cleary, SLU,
Both projects are presented on Sweden (michelle.cleary@slu.se )
www.nordicforestresearch.org
Defoliation as a result of root damage
caused by Phytophthora. Photo Johanna Witzell.
Nordic cooperation to cope with extreme weather
By Katarina Ekegren
Nordic cooperation in situations
Photo Yvonne Aldentun.
of extreme weather is about to
improve. Nordic Agri Research
(NKJ) and Nordic Forest
Research (SNS) are launching a
project under the Nordic Council
of Ministers. summer’s exceptional drought and Maria Tunberg, process manager for
of immediate and future actions. A the working groups.
The extremely dry and hot weather full picture of the drought impact – There are both similarities and
last summer clearly demonstrated the on harvesting, animal husbandry differences in how the countries have
need for Nordic cooperation and the and forestry is yet to be completed. been affected and how they have
benefits of learning from each other The project’s goal is to find ways to managed the situation, she adds.
when it comes to extreme situations improve future management of these – We can learn a lot from each
for agriculture and forestry. situations. other and there are starting points for
“Not only in Sweden, the weather Working groups have now been cooperation across national borders.
has set the areas of agriculture and established, one for agriculture and
forestry difficult challenges. In these one for forestry, with representatives Report in June
times, the need for cooperation across from the Nordic countries including The working groups will produce
national borders becomes clearer than Åland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland a report in which the countries’
ever, and I see that we in the Nordic and a representative of NordGen. experiences of the drought will be
Council of Ministers have a natural Nordic Forest Research (SNS) documented. It will also include
forum to meet to discuss these issues” and Nordic Agri Research (NKJ) concrete proposals on how to build a
wrote the Swedish Minister of Rural secretariats will manage the projects. well-functioning cooperative system
Affairs in an invitation to an extra and ways to make the agricultural and
ministerial council meeting between Nordic overview forest sectors increasingly sustainable
the Nordic ministers responsible for – We are starting by gathering under future extreme weather
agriculture and forestry in September the latest statistics relating to the conditions and to reduce negative
last year. effects of the drought. Strategies and effects.
measures to cope with the effects of The report will be completed in
SNS and NKJ in new project the drought will also be compiled. June 2019 before ministers meet
At the meeting, the ministers asked The working groups will then discuss again.
for a summary of the effects of last potential collaborative initiatives, says
157 Scand. J. For. Res. News & Views 2 (2019)
New climate strategy gives Icelandic forests a boost
By Valgerður Jónsdóttir, SNS board
In recent years, public Increase in forestry ahead
contributions to the forest The Icelandic Government
sector in Iceland have been recently announced a new
sharply reduced. climate strategy, intended to
boost efforts in cutting net
The total area of forest and woodland
emissions. The new measures
in Iceland has at least doubled, More Perpectives on www.nordicforestresearch.org
are intended to help Iceland
possibly quadrupled, since 1950.
meet its Paris Agreement
Whether this should be considered a sequestration coming to the top of
targets for 2030 and reach the
large or small increase depends on the the list of forestry goals, mostly by
government’s ambitious aim to make
comparison. It is large in comparison increasing the rate of afforestation.
Iceland carbon neutral before 2040.
to the woodland area in 1950, but very Grants for farm afforestation will
The Strategy consists of 34
small indeed compared to Iceland’s
Government measures, ranging from increase and more planting will
land area and to the woodland area at be undertaken in the state-owned
an increase in reforestation to a ban
the time of settlement.
on new registration of fossil fuel cars forests, but the biggest change will
Native birch woodlands entail increased cooperation with
by 2030.
have expanded through natural
The main emphasis of the new plan the Soil Conservation Service to
regeneration within fenced areas but
is based on two measures: 1) to phase afforest land that has, until now, been
much less in areas not specifically in their care. These are mostly large
out fossil fuels in transport, and 2) to
protected from grazing, until recently.
increase carbon sequestration in land desertified areas, often still with
A recent (2015) remapping of natural problems associated with erosion
use, by afforestation, revegetation
woodland extent by the IFS Research and blowing sand. Afforestation of
and restoration of wetlands. Climate
Division indicates that, for the first such sites involves new challenges for
mitigation measures will get a
time, birch woods are generally Icelandic forestry, including questions
substantial increase in funding –
expanding and now cover 130 km 2 of species and provenance selection,
almost 7 billion Icelandic krónur in
more than in 1990 or a total of site preparation and fertilisation. At the
the period 2019-2023.
roughly 1.5% of Iceland. Cultivated same time, the issue of adaptation to
A general carbon tax, already in
forests cover another 0.4%, bringing a changing climate is becoming ever
place, will be gradually increased.
the total forest and woodland cover to more important, including what to do
very nearly 2% of Iceland’s land area. about new pests and diseases.
Afforestation emphasised
Afforestation and revegetation have
Funding cut drastically
long been a major emphasis in
After the financial crisis of 2008-
Iceland‘s climate policies, as these
2009, funding for forestry was cut
actions help to mitigate climate
drastically. In real terms, public
change by uptake of carbon from
funding for forestry in 2013 was only
the atmosphere. Funding for these
half what it was in 2005. This resulted
activities will be increased. The
in a severe reduction in planting,
Government will also support efforts
down to about 3 million seedlings in
to reclaim drained wetlands, which
2017. Among the consequences were
in recent years have been shown to
tree nurseries going out of business
be a significant source of carbon
and trained foresters moving abroad
emissions. Further details of the
to find work.
policy may be obtained from the
Despite rapid economic recovery
Ministry for the Environment and
in Iceland during 2014-2018, funding
Natural Resources’ web site:
for forestry has only increased
www.umhverfisraduneyti.is.
slightly. However, the country now
What this all means is that state
has a developing commercial forest Valgerður Jónsdóttir works for the Icelandic
funding for forestry will almost
resource that is already starting to Forest Service, and is a member of the SNS
double from current levels by board.
generate significant income.
2023, with emphasis on carbon Photo Mats Hannerz.
Scand. J. For. Res. News & Views 2 (2019) 158
A
Shortcuts from Nordic-Baltic forest research
Norway: three years, the project aims to improve
opportunities for small and medium-sized
Sweden:
The forest history can enterprises (SMEs) in the forest sector Long-term study
help to predict future to engage in cross-border cooperation in
Finnish and Russian parts of the Karelia
indicates growth
climate region. limitation due to
IMPRINT is the name of a brand new,
NOK 10 million, three-year research
Source: www.luke.fi nitrogen deficiency
Can a warmer climate lead to a long-term
project initiated by the Norwegian
Research Council in order to study the Sweden: increase in growth in Swedish coniferous
forest, and thus increased storage of
interactions between forests, forest First large-scale indoor carbon? Model-based studies have hinted
management and climate in Norway.
The project is a collaboration between seed orchard at this, but now the first long-term study
The demand in Sweden for genetically shows that it does not have to be so at
Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy
improved seed of Norway spruce is all. The reason is probably that nitrogen
Research (NIBIO) and the Norwegian
exceeding the supply. To meet the need, deficiency limits the growth of the forest.
Water Resources and Energy Directorate
(NVE), and involves international experts Skogforsk and the company Södra Source: www.nature.com
from Sweden, the UK and the US. are starting a project to increase the
NIBIO scientist and project manager
Stephanie Eisner explains how the
production of spruce seeds in an indoor
seed orchard facility. The seed orchard
NordGen and SNS:
IMPRINT project aims to link past data will be located at Södra's nursery in Apply for a scholarship
on forest growth and management with Falkenberg in southern Sweden, and the NordGen Forest and Nordic Forest
predictions about how the future forests first seed will produced in 2019. Research (SNS) have announced a
will affect climate, and also how a future Source: www.skogforsk.se scholarship available in 2019. The
climate will affect our forests. scholarship is aimed at people working
- Anthropogenic greenhouse gas with or studying forest seed or plant
emissions are one of the main drivers of Finland: production, regeneration methods or tree
changes in moisture and energy budgets Mountain-birds decline breeding. The call is open until February
at the the land surface. At the same 14, 2019.
time, land use and land management in Europe Read the testimonies from previous
activities modify biophysical properties of Population data for European mountain scholarship holders on SNS webpage,
vegetation that govern energy and water birds have been for the first time for example the interview with
fluxes between the land surface and the combined in a recent study, with worrying Johanna Carlsson who used the last
atmosphere, she explains. results: the abundances of mountain- year’s scholarship to visit a German
specialist birds has declined by as much biotechnology lab.
Source: www.nibio.no
as 10% in the 2000s. The study, led by Read more: www.nordicforestresearch.org
the Finnish researcher Aleksi Lehikoinen,
Finland: examined population trends of 44 bird
Increased cooperation species in the mountain and fell regions of
Fennoscandia, Great Britain, the Alps and
across the border the Iberian Peninsula.
Coordinated by the Natural Resources Source: www.helsinki.fi
Institute Finland (Luke), the Bofori
project was launched at a kick-off seminar
in November 2018. During the next
Contact News & Views
SNS
Write to the editor: News & Views is a newsletter from SNS
Mats Hannerz, containing short, popularized articles
Silvinformation AB covering Nordic forest research and
mats.hannerz@silvinformation.se forestry. Articles presenting SNS-supported Nordic Forest Research
activities are prioritized. The newsletter
More info about SNS: News & Views is written, edited and
is published eight times per year, and is produced by Mats Hannerz,
www.nordicforestresearch.org available for download from the SNS and Silvinformation AB
mats.hannerz@silvinformation.se
Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
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