Climate change puts Swiss forests under pressure
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Loading... - Jack Knight
- 17 May 2022
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In addition, a fungus causes problems in the ash tree, according to a report by the Institute for Applied Plant Biology (IAP). The institute has been monitoring forest health for 38 years.
It compiled the report on behalf of the cantons AG, BL, BS, BE, GR, SO, TG, ZH and the environmental departments of Central Switzerland and with the support of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). In the four-year period 2017-2021, the institute examined the health of the forests on 190 observation plots. The cantons of Aargau and Solothurn provided information on the new report on Monday.
According to the report, high nitrogen inputs lead to a lack of other nutrients and thus to a weakening of the beech, spruce and oak tree species examined. Susceptibility to parasites and the effects of climate change such as drought and storms are increasing and tree growth is being inhibited.
The variety and abundance of mycorrhizal fungi would decrease. As a result, the trees are less able to absorb nutrients and water. According to the report, nitrogen inputs from agriculture (livestock farming), industry and transport must be further reduced for a sustainably healthy forest.
The hot and dry summer of 2018 caused significantly more damage to beech and spruce than the similarly dry summer of 2003. The reason for this is probably the earlier onset of drought in spring 2018 and the accumulation of dry years since 2015, which made recovery impossible it in the report. Read More...
