| Researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) at Umeå and Alnarp have demonstrated in a Spruce (Picea) forest in Northern Sweden that tree growth can be more that tripled if trees have available all the necessary nutrients for proper growth. The availability of nutrients to trees growing in Northern regions (and in other specific areas) especially of Nitrogen, tend to be lacking. Fertilization of forests can help in two ways; the growth of biomass above ground increases and secondly, the fertilizer has a negative effect on the degradation of organic material in the soil. This means that the forest produces a greater volume of wood and at the same time stores more carbon in the ground. Better tree growth will help slow down global warming by increasing carbon absorption. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. "AlphaGalileo”. The findings were published in the journal "Global Change Biology” 2005; 11, 1745-1753 E-mail: Per.Olsson@sek.slu.se |
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