Researchers

Nils Henriksson (researcher)

Studies nitrogen uptake and use of trees and tree seedlings, and their mycorrhizal interactions. With growing interest in clearcut-free forestry methods, it is critical that reliable forest regeneration can be achieved under a variety of conditions, in smaller gaps, under shelterwoods etc., but currently the limitations of seedlings aren’t well understood. 

Zsofia Stangl  (researcher)

Zsofia Stangl  is an ecophysiologist with expertise in photosynthetic gas exchange and plant water use efficiency. Tree seedlings growing under a shelterwood or in a continuous cover forestry system are exposed to a dynamic light environment. It is traditional to view climax tree species like spru

ce as simply shade tolerant, but Zsofia is studying how tree species perform under dappled light under a forest canopy.

Alexina Brännlund (PhD student) 

Seedling growth is often poor along forest edges, and must be understood for clearcut-free forestry to be successful. Alexina is using stable isotope methods to study belowground competition for nitrogen between seedlings and nearby trees in the field. 

Ellen Svensson (PhD student) 

Plant nitrogen responses are based on additions of mineral nitrogen. But in boreal forests, organic nitrogen is common, and Ellen is studying how much of observed fertilization effects may in fact be driven by nitrogen form, rather than the addition itself. 

Marcus Björs (PhD student) 

Pine is considered a pioneer species while spruce is a climax species, often defined as shade tolerant. Marcus is studying the physiological differences associated with these strategies in order to determine how spruce can grow under a closed canopy shelterwood, where pine seedlings struggle.

Jasmin Danzberger (postdoc) 

On boreal pine heaths, seedlings must often establish near ericaceous shrubs, like heather (Calluna vulgaris) and as interest grows for natural regeneration and less destructive soil preparation methods, potential competition from these shrubs could be significant - Jasmin is using isotopic methods to study mycorrhizal and direct interactions between pine seedlings and Calluna vulgaris.