Forest

Actively restored forests recover above ground biomass faster than areas left to regenerate naturally after being logged, according to a long-term study on Borneo lowland rainforest led by the University of Dundee, Aberdeen and ETH Zurich. 

Irrigated Scots pines in the dry Pfyn Forest (canton of Valais) had their water supply turned off after 11 years. The trees' response surprised the WSL-led international research group as it suggests that tree growth is also influenced by past conditions. Trees, you might say, do not forget.

The lockdown that began in mid-March to contain the coronavirus epidemic had a marked effect on the forest visiting habits of the Swiss population, according to a unique comparison of two surveys conducted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) before and during the crisis.

The cooling leaf canopy protects forest organisms from extreme temperatures and has a significant influence on their adaptation to global warming, according to an international study led by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) and published in the journal Science today.

It is little known that Switzerland harbours chestnut forests and mixed stands covering about 24000 ha. Even more unknown is that these forests hide a precious genetic resource specific to Switzerland and not existing elsewhere in Europe. This is what an international team of scientists with participation of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL has discovered.

During their lifetime, trees are not only able to adapt quickly to new conditions but can even pass on the 'memory' of such environmental changes to the next generation. This amazing ability has been proved for the first time by researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). The findings provide hope that trees will be better at adapting to climate change than was originally feared.