Root of Scots Pine. Photo: Anna Korhonen.

Physiology and growth of boreal trees in variable and changing climate:
Responses of roots and shoots as induced through changes in root environment

New information about the functioning of roots for a better understanding of tree growth and material fluxes in boreal forest ecosystem in changing climatic conditions is urgently needed. This demand concerns the responses of different tree species, forest sites and treatments, between-year variation in the responses and the aspects connected with climate change and its impacts.

When circumstances in the root area are changed, but concurrently the circumstances of air are similar, the experiments give information of the responses of roots to different treatments. The aim of the experiments is to study tree responses induced through roots. Annual stage of development (pdf) of trees is important to be considered when interpreting the root and shoot responses and their interactions.

A new root laboratory was established in Joensuu in order to meet the above challenges. The laboratory was founded by Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) and University of Joensuu (University of Eastern Finland nowadays)