Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is one of the most widely distributed conifers in the northern hemisphere. Although widely planted for timber, natural pinewoods in Scotland are severely degraded.
Ancient woodlands under threat
Pine trees began growing in Scotland after the last ice age, around 9,000 years ago. Huge forests developed, but then shrank as the weather became wetter and windier. From about 4,000 years ago, human activities such as felling and grazing further reduced the forested areas.
Ancient native pinewoods in the UK represent roughly 1% of their former range and are limited to fragmented populations in the Scottish Highlands. They are important for conservation and form habitat for many nationally endangered species, including capercaillie (a large species of grouse).
Pine trees have two to five needles coming from each point on the stem, while spruce and fir bear needles singly.
Modelling forest regeneration
With no natural predators, deer populations have increased dramatically. Deer eat seedlings of Scots pine and other trees. They are an important part of pinewood ecosystems, but over-browsing can prevent the natural regeneration of forests. Predicting how forests will regenerate is important to restoration efforts. By understanding how individual trees react to different environmental conditions, we can simulate how entire forests might look in the future.
Liam Wakefield (Department of Plant Sciences)
Liam is interested in how plant communities react and adapt to environmental change at a landscape scale. They enjoy getting out into the field and working in remote and beautiful environments. Liam is currently working alongside Cairngorms Connect, the UK’s largest landscape restoration project, to make simulation models of natural forest regeneration in the Cairngorms.
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