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I've had a die off of the pinyon pine trees on my small lot, from bark beetles, and have lost about half of them. It's been a big job to clear them out. During
by progne 3y ago
I've had a die off of the pinyon pine trees on my small lot, from bark beetles, and have lost about half of them. It's been a big job to clear them out. During that I've noticed that they are more likely to survive when closely paired with the other common tree in the area, a shaggy bark juniper. The junipers are resistant to the beetles and seem to bestow some of that on nearby pines.
It was 50/50 pine/juniper, now it's around 25/75, all due to loses in pine. Without the juniper the loss could have been another half as much pine. So my yard is an example of multiple species resulting in more carbon capture.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- freedomben 3y agoJunipers are fascinating trees to me. Most people find them ugly, (and they certainly can feel that way next to a beautiful Maple) but they are quite remarkable trees. I've seen junipers get horribly torn up by deer antlers, and survive wounds that would have ended a Cottonwood and especially an Ash or a Maple. They are survivors!
- winnit 3y agoEven if they are ugly when they are living, they're wonderful to behold when they burn! I would hazard a guess that they're unpopularity with people stems from their popularity with ticks.
- hinkley 3y agoSimard showed that birch trees favor a more benign fungus in the soil over a pathogenic cousin. When you cut the birches, within a few years the balance shifts and other trees start to succumb. I wonder if the pinyon is working like that or if it’s polyphenols of some sort being exchanged through the food web.