Simon Landhausser, associate professor and NSERC industrial chair at the University of Alberta, discusses the research completed on determining seedling quality in forest restoration. Even though planting trees is the most effective way to re-establish forests on disturbed lands, more research needs to be done to understand understory shrubs and forbs. There needs to be more information about the plants that should be planted for restoration, and how they can be optimally grown.
He uses aspen as the model species for the research, and assessed: root development, leaf area development, shoot dieback and tree form, and increased susceptibility to insects and disease. Research included evaluating seedling quality, including morphological and physiological factors. He discusses the importance of understanding the particular environmental requirements for each species grown, including their requirements for resources during germination and early growth. This presentation was a part of the Alberta Centre for Reclamation and Restoration Ecology (ACRRE) Research Connections for Resource Managers Seminar on April 7, 2015.
