Why some trees thrive far from home—and what that means for carbon sinks
In a study spanning 192 sites and four continents, researchers have discovered that conifers planted in the Southern Hemisphere grow up to four times faster and are more drought-resistant than those growing in their native ranges.
In a study spanning 192 sites and four continents, researchers have discovered that conifers planted in the Southern Hemisphere grow up to four times faster and are more drought-resistant than those growing in their native ranges.
The short version
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- This rapid growth and resilience could make conifers a strong candidate for carbon storage, but there may also be drawbacks to planting trees outside their home turf.
- University of Mississippi ecologist Stephen Brewer was among more than two dozen researchers across multiple continents who studied the growth rate of pines, spruces, firs, cedars and other conifers in their native and nonnative habitats.
What happened
The group published its findings in Nature . "That result is surprising because ecological theory predicts that there should be a trade-off between how fast a plant can grow and how tolerant it would be of stressful conditions," said Brewer, an Ole Miss professor of biology.
Why it matters
"This is interesting to us because with the elevated carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere contributing to climate change , there's a desire or push for afforestation , or planting trees in areas where there weren't any before, as carbon sinks.
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