Abstract

This review summarises the knowledge about the ecology, breeding and management of hybrid aspen (Populus x wettsteinii Hamet-Ahti = P. tremula L. x P. tremuloides Michx.). The review is restricted mainly to Northern Europe, where hybrid aspen has been most intensively studied and cultivated and where it has proved to be one of the fastest-growing hardwoods, suitable for the production of pulp- and energy-wood using the principles of short-rotation forestry. During recent decades over 4500 ha have been cultivated with hybrid aspen in the region. A number of research articles and domestic project reports involving hybrid aspen have been published, providing the basis for this review. Breeding has resulted in clones with high productivity and improved resistance to pests and diseases. Thus, hybrid aspen has fulfilled the preconditions for becoming an economically valuable hardwood in Northern Europe. Hybrid aspen plantations can be established on abandoned agricultural land, on forest land, and for the reclamation of exhausted surface mines. However, fast growth rate occurs only in fertile sites with good nutritional and hydrophysical properties. An increased area of Populus plantations on forest or agricultural land can have both positive and negative impacts on biodiversity, depending on landscape context, management activities and considered organisms. Further studies are needed concerning silviculture, site-growth relations, stability of clones, environmental and biodiversity impacts in large-scale plantations at various sites and adaptation of hybrid aspen to climate change.

Keywords

Afforestation; boreal region; plantation forestry; Populus

Published in

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
2012, Volume: 27, number: 1, pages: 10-29
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS

SLU Authors

• Weih, Martin

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
SDG13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts


UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2011.628949

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/59022