Thicken Our Forests: Biodiversity is the Answer
By Aidan Tribolet, WELLKIND Forestry Intern
Aidan Tribolet was an intern for WELLKIND Forestry during our summer 2021 session, exploring the importance of biodiversity and other crucial environmental topics.
The vast majority of scientists agree that climate change is indeed occurring and that human processes of burning fossil fuels are to blame. In fact, geochemist and author Dr. James Powell found that 100 percent of climate change related peer-reviewed studies conclude that climate change is real and caused by humans.
Extreme weather and natural disasters are on the rise as the globe continues to heat up. Paired with decreased levels of biodiversity and greater demand for land, the Western United States is rapidly desertifying. The conversion of forests and savannas into dry grassland has caused tree die-offs and the deterioration of soil quality.
As an intern for WELLKIND Forestry, I am just beginning to understand the processes that are causes and effects of a changing climate. In terms of the environment, today’s world is unlike anything we have ever seen. We know the change is real, but many of us misunderstand the exact changes. Scientists and conservationists alike often have the answers: many only require that the solutions be illustrated, so all can take part. Taking steps to stop climate change may seem a daunting task, and small steps may seem infinitesimal on the world stage. Yet although restoring entire systems may seem impossible, I have recently learned that increasing biodiversity can actually yield a healthy, self-sustaining environment on a global scale.
A focus at WELLKIND is to increase the holistic health of forest systems to restore habitats and stop climate change. To create such a system, it is sometimes best to look at an area’s historical use. Where were the trees and grasses historically located, and in what abundance? Were there any grazers or species essential to the area's health?
Just as important as the plants and animals that occupy the land is the soil itself. In many parts of the Western United States, desertification and tree die-off have followed drought, deforestation, and changes in grazing patterns. A major factor is the deterioration of our soil. Without any plants to hold the soil together and provide shade and nutrients, soil has become tough and dry—void of the microorganisms key to healthy soil. “What we need to really get good nutrient uptake is . . . good microbial life in the soil,” says Dr. Raymond Ward, a soil health expert. Those nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are important factors and contribute directly to the growth of the plant. Both are essential to photosynthesis and general cell processes, and are thus required for energy to be obtained and stored within the plant. On the other hand, excess levels of nitrogen can be harmful and even run off the land into streams and water supplies. PH levels are also indicative of a soil's health because if a soil is too acidic or alkaline (basic), at certain levels the growth and yield of a plant may be stunted.
Key to protecting this soil is planting a variety of plants or ground cover. This is where biodiversity comes into play. Roots contribute to the health of microorganisms, which in turn help the plant. Diversity among speciation will ensure greater tolerance against epidemics and drought while also enabling a given area to support more animal life.
Animals have their own role in the system. Each part of the trophic pyramid helps regulate the others. Prey eat the primary producers and excrete nutrient-rich feces back to the ground to feed the plants, predators eat the prey and regulate pests, and microorganisms break down organic material. With each part in play, a cycle emerges, where every organism supports the others—either directly or indirectly—to create a healthier system.
Increasing biodiversity will only add to the natural harmony of the system. On a larger scale, more diverse, denser forests have been proven to be more fire-resistant; humidity and moisture is higher, winds lesser, and plants and trees less dry. A study of 1500 fires in mixed-conifer forests of the western United States found that areas with greater levels of biomass actually had lower severity fires than those of managed lands (Bradley, Hanson, and DellaSala, 2016).
The forests also act as carbon sinks, taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it as biomass and in the ground. Improving forests and increasing their size will be an essential measure to provide space for organisms to flourish and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide, among other things.
While the news sources may not mention this—only 0.4 percent prevalent in the New York Times—climate change is not a short wave to pass over; it will last thousands of years. But what those same people also neglect to describe is that we have many of the solutions. Improving forest health is just one way to combat climate change and among many other avenues to be used in our ever-changing world.