Susceptibility of pine to mammalian herbivores in northern Finland.

Abstract

An inventory of Scots pine ( L.) graft collection in Kolari (67°15’ N, 23°45’ S) showed that severe damage by arctic hare ( L.), root and bank vole ( Pallas and L.) and moose ( L.) was done to grafts in size and in rather poor condition. Furthermore, the damage by arctic hare was dependent on the dry matter content of the needles. Another inventory in a fertilization experiment in a pine pole-stage forest showed that nitrogen fertilization increased the damage by arctic hare. On the basis of the present results, an assumption was made that the formation of repellent substances against herbivorous mammals is connected with wintering process of northern pines.Pinus sylvestrisLepus timidusMicrotus oeconomusM. agrestisAlces alces