Metla Project 3246

Ecology and management of timberline areas

[  Suomeksi  |  Objectives  |  Results  |  Project leader  |  Researchers  |  Publications  |  Metla Research  ]

Duration: 1999-2003   Keywords: Timberline, forest tundra, north boreal forest, subarctic, treeline

Objectives

The timberline, together with its environment, forms an ecotone (i.e. transitional zone) between two ecosystems. A typical feature of this ecotone is that its species composition and biological diversity in general are greater than in either of the adjacent ecosystems between which the ecotone is situated. The timberline ecotone offers a diverse environment for the study of the physiology and genetics of forest trees as well as of biodiversity, for example. The value of the area to research is underlined by the feature that the trees in the timberline area grow at the extremities of their area of distribution. In these areas, one can observe and measure characteristics and traits that do not come to the fore in better growth conditions.

The project titled "The Ecology, Management and Use of Timberline Areas" is designed to provide data on the basic biology of timberline forests and on the alternative modes of action for the planning of the management and use of forests in the close proximity of the timberline. The project will focus on three central areas, viz.:

1) Basic research on timberline ecotone 2) Regeneration of timberline forests, their growth and tree-species dynamics 3) Utilisation and conservation of timberline areas

The project comprises several sub-projects and research projects (followed by name of person in charge):

1) Climatic changes in timberline areas during the Holocene epoch: Mauri Timonen 2) Soil factors as a determining factor on the timberline: Raimo Sutinen 3) The genetic structure of the timberline forests. 4) Regeneration of timberline forests, their growth and tree-species dynamics: Vesa Juntunen 5) The effect of a variety of methods of forest treatment on the regeneration and the biodiversity of the timberline forests: Anna-Liisa Sippola 6) Research on the mountain birch: Heikki Kauhanen. 7) Evaluation of the risks of biotic damage 8) The effect of UV radiation on forest vegetation: Minna Turunen. 9) The molecular biology of the acclimation of trees: Marja-Liisa Sutinen. 10) Nature conservation in timberline forests. 11) The development of GPS: Aulis Ritari.

When planning and implementing the research, co-operation with institutions at home and abroad forms a central aspect of the project's action ideology. All in all, some 30 - 40 research publications will be produced connected to the project's various partial areas.

Results

Eighteen research publications have been entered in the project's list of publications as of 05/2002

Project leader: Sutinen, Marja-Liisa
The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovanniemi Office, PL 16, FI-96301 ROVANIEMI, FINLAND
Phone: +358 29 532 4478
E-mail: marja-liisa.sutinen@metla.fi

Other researchers: Derome, Kirsti, RO (2003), Ek, Lars-Göran (2001), Haaparanta, Ahti, KO (1999-2000,2002), Jaakkola, Lotta, RO (1999-2001), Jokinen, Mikko, KO (2000,2003), Juntunen, Vesa, KO (1999-2003), Kankaanpää, Sakari (2000-02), Kauhanen, Heikki, KO (1999-2003), Kiviniemi, Sari, RO (2001-03), Loven, Lasse, JO (2001,2003), Manninen, Outi (2003), Martz, Francoise, RO (2001-04), Mattsson, Jorma (2000), Mikkola, Kari, RO (2000,2002-03), Norokorpi, Yrjö (1999-2001), Olofsson, Johan (2001), Ritari, Aulis (2000-03), Ruotsalainen, Seppo, PU (2003), Susiluoto, Paulo (2002), Tasanen, Tapani (1999), Timonen, Mauri, RO (2000-03), Valkonen, Jarno (2001)


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Updated 12.06.2012
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