Department of forest ecology

DEPARTMENT OF FOREST ECOLOGY

From ^{cells to} ecosystems and genes ^to populations

Forest genetics ^researchcoversawide

fieldranging ^from _genes^to popula

tions.One important areaisthe study,

using biotechnological techniques, of

•

themechanisms through ^whichtrees maintainvariationand adapt totheir

environment.The informationis ap

plied ⁱⁿ breeding ^researchwhich, ⁱⁿ addition to developing the growth,

quality ^and resistance properties ^of

trees,isalso^aimedat maintaining the genetic diversity ^oftheforests.

The

information^aimoftheabout^Department the basic ^{offactorsForest} affecting ^{Ecology istheto} growth ^produceand development ^of forests, the functioning of mineral soil and

peatland ecosystems, the biological principles involved in the

growing ^of timber, the environmental ^{effects of} forestry, and the

state of health of the forests. The Department has a modern

laboratory which participates ^{in researchworkand} provides

analytical services for the whole Institute.

The statutory ^{tasks ofthe} Department are the registering

offorestation material, the testing of breeding material,

and ^the inspection ^of pesticides. ^Theforest damage

service investigates cases of damage and ^answers

the public's questions.

Therelationships ^betweenthere

sistanceoftreesand damaging agents

such_asmoose, voles, ^insectsand plant

pathogens arethe^mainresearchtop icsofforest protection.

The properties ^{offorestsoilsand}

stand growth ^factors are studied in

field experiments using awiderange of physiological, microbiological ^and

ecological methods.^Research onsoil

nutrients and the maintenance of soil

conditionand fertility are important

topics.

The laboratory, ^withitswide_range

of analytical instruments and equip

ment, provides the Department's re search projects ^{withchemicalandbio}

logical know-how.

Understanding ^foresteco

systems ^{the basis} of sustainable forestry

The research carried out on the basic

functioning ^{of forestecosystems fo}

cusesonnutrient cycling ^andtheuti lization of nutrient reserves. The De

partment^ofForest Ecology ^isinthe SILMU Project, a national

program

on theeffects ofclimate change _e.g.

onforestecosystems. Changes inthe floraand fauna, especially ^thosein

volving the vegetation ^{and insect}

populations, and outbreaksof dam

ageandthestateofhealthofthefor

ests are regularly ^monitored by ^the Department atthenationallevel.The

sample plot ^{networkanddata}systems of the nationalforest inventory are

utilized in this work.

The environmental effects of for

estry are being ^{studied both within}

andoutsidetheforestecosystems.^The

efration, drainage ^and fertilizationon

watercourse quality are currently ^be

ing investigated. ^The laboratory ^is fully employed analysing ^{thetensofthou} sandsof samples ^{thataccumulate}asa

resultofthemonitoring^work.

From basic principles ^to applications

The results ^of research ^into the bio

logical principles ^offorest growing ^are utilizedin drawing _up^{directionsfor}

the classificationofforestsitetypes,

the growing ^and regeneration ^offor

ests, the regulation ^{ofthewaterand} nutrientstatusofforests, ^the_manage

ment of forest soil and how to reduce

therisk ofpest damage. ^Aconsider

able proportion ^{ofthiswork,whichis} normally ^basedonextensivefield_ex

periments, ^{iscarriedoutattheInsti} tute'sresearch stations.The ecologi

cal research performed ^{at the indi}

vidual research stations, each with its

forestry ^onwatercourses, ^andthein ternational integrated monitoring pro

gram,IMP.TheInstitute'sownState

of Forest Health research program

includes research into the state of

health oftheforests and its upkeep

e.g.inKarelia_ontheRussianside of

theborder. The Department ^is partici

pating ⁱⁿ a number of European

projects ^on environmental impacts,

e.g. monitoring ^{the conditionandvi} tality ^{oftheforests, andthe} mapping

of deposition.

own laboratory capacity, ^alsoconcen

trates on silvicultural and forest im

provement questions ^{oflocal and}re

gional importance.

Research programs ^and projects ^{tomeetthe chal} lenges ^of today

In addition to theSILMU Program,

the Department ^{is also involved in}

national ecological projects ^and re search programs.Theseincludethe

LUMO Program onnatural diversity,

theMETVE Project ontheeffects of

THE FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

M ETLA

Rillitie 12

PO.Box 18, ⁰¹³⁰¹ Vantaa, ^Finland phone ^{+358-0-857 051}

fax +358-0-857 2575

Unioninkatu 40 A

00170 Helsinki, Finland phone +358-0-857 051

fax + 358-0-625 308

DirectorGeneral Eljas ^Pohtila Administrative DirectorTeroOksa

Head of Comminications Unit Marja Ruutu

DEPARTMENT OF FOREST ECOLOGY

The Department ^isled by ProfessorEero Paavilainen, ^Research Director,

Professors:

Insect damage Erkki Annila

Peatland fertility Seppo ^Kaunisto

Foresttree genetics ^{Veikko Koski}

Forest pathology TimoKurkela

Forestsoils

, EinoMälkönen

Research director'ssecretary Marja-Liisa ^Henritius Department's information officer BritaAarnio

Forest damage ^{service Katriina} Lipponen

Central Laboratory:

Laboratory ^director Maija Jarva

METLA/Communications Unit 1993