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When you hear the word “migration,” you probably think of the movement of people or the seasonal flights of birds.
As part of La Conversation Canada’s new series on the boreal forest, Claudio Mura, a doctoral student in forest ecophysiology at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, and his colleagues, discuss a very particular type of migration: That of trees.
Yes, even if they are rooted in the ground and do not move, trees can “move.” Not individually, of course, but on a species scale, and over a time frame of several hundred years.
However, this movement can become limited in the context of rapid climate change. This is where “human-assisted tree migration” — humans helping trees to migrate — comes into play in response to climate change.
“Artificial seed transfer and planting can accelerate the natural migration process and help overcome geographical barriers, such as mountain ranges or large water surfaces,” the authors explain.
This approach has already proven itself effective, particularly for the sugar maple, an iconic species in Canada.
Also today:
All the best,
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Trees are rooted to the ground — but they move into new areas as the wind carries their seeds or seedlings are planted.
(Shutterstock)
Claudio Mura, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC); Patricia Raymond, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC); Sergio Rossi, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)
The rapidly changing climate presents many challenges for the sustainability of forest ecosystems. Assisting the migration of trees is a tool to address these challenges.
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(Erinn Acland)
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S'il est vrai que les arbres individuels sont immobiles, à l’échelle de l’espèce ils peuvent se déplacer et migrer aussi bien que les oiseaux, mais sur une période différente.
(Shutterstock)
Claudio Mura, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC); Patricia Raymond, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC); Sergio Rossi, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)
Le climat en rapide changement présente de nombreux défis à affronter pour assurer la durabilité des écosystèmes forestiers. La migration assistée est un outil qui permet de faire face à ces enjeux.
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