Cryptic genetic variation and adaptation to waterlogging in Caledonian Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L.

Exposure to a contrasting novel environment such as waterlogging under common garden conditions can trigger release of otherwise unobservable (cryptic) genetic variation. Under a flooding treatment, there was a greater increase in variability in Scots pine populations originating from drier sites in Scotland which likely reflects a relative absence of past selection. Under climate change this cryptic genetic variation may provide considerable potential to adapt.

Getting to know the ‘friendly fungi’ associated with the roots of key timber species

Nadia Barsoum provides highlights of over 10 years of research shedding light on who’s who in the world of friendly fungi colonising tree roots.

Forestry and climate change mitigation

Research to improve our understanding of how forests and woodlands can contribute to the carbon balance at both local and global scales

The origins of shake and drought crack in trees

The soil conditions experienced by a growing tree are reproduced under controlled conditions. Fluid distributions with the tree are visualised using magnetic resonance imaging in order to identify stresses and determine if these are linked to drought cracking and shake.

Timber, carbon and wind risk: towards an integrated model of optimal rotation length

Modern forest management practice increasingly adopts an ecosystem services approach to account for the multiple benefits and objectives of forestry. It is also increasingly linked to climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. In view of the priority given to these policy agendas, it is important that new models take an integrated approach to accounting for […]

Harvested Wood Products and Carbon Substitution

This study reviews approaches to accounting for carbon storage and carbon substitution benefits of harvested wood products under existing carbon market standards, and considers how the UK Woodland Carbon Code - which at present covers climate change mitigation benefits of afforestation in terms of carbon sequestration, might be extended.

Climate Change Adaptation Demonstration

Establishment of climate change adaptation demonstration areas in Alice Holt Forest.

Assessing the investment returns from timber and carbon in woodland creation projects

Financial returns from woodland creation have traditionally been generated from sales of timber. In recent years, the voluntary carbon market has established and grown in the UK and landowners can now generate additional revenue from the sale of carbon. The sale of carbon ‘credits’ allows landowners to increase their financial returns by creating woodlands for […]

Research concludes climate change brings enormous challenges for forests worldwide

climate change disturbances to forestry

SCALEFORES: Scaling Rules For Ecosystem Service Mapping

We are working with Southampton University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology to develop and test novel modelling frameworks to explore the drivers of ecosystem services at different spatial scales in order to predict and map their delivery.

Putting UK woodland bats on the map

We are working with Bat Conservation Trust to develop and trial a national citizen science field survey scheme and species distribution modelling framework for UK woodland bats.

Forest disturbances under climate change

Disturbances such as droughts, wind and insects attacks all result in stress for forests and they are influenced by changing climate. Forests cover about a third of worldwide land surface, but knowledge is still lacking about how these types of disruptions interact with one another given global climate change. Now, for the first time, an international […]