London – Black pine forests (Pinus nigra), even when found outside their natural range, can support levels of plant biodiversity comparable to those in native forests. This is the key finding of a study published in the prestigious journal Global Ecology and Biogeography, resulting from an international collaboration of 22 universities and research centers, coordinated by the University of Siena as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center.
The study examined over 1,360 black pine forests across Europe, comparing those within their native range to those outside it — often reforestations or plantations.
Researchers discovered that local environmental conditions, such as soil fertility and moisture (including rainfall), play a greater role in determining vegetation composition than the geographic origin of the pine.
“Our findings show that, when placed in suitable environments — that is, where they do not damage or replace valuable habitats such as dry grasslands — black pine forests outside their native range but within the same biogeographic context can function ecologically like native forests,” explains Gianmaria Bonari, a botanist at the University of Siena and coordinator of the study.
The research highlights how certain plantations, often overlooked in conservation strategies, may actually play an important ecological role, offering habitats to many plant species.
This study is part of the activities of Spoke 3 of the National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), which focuses on the analysis of terrestrial ecosystems and is led by Professor Francesco Frati.
“Much of biodiversity remains unknown,” says Frati, “even in familiar environments like plantations. The work of NBFC researchers is vital to fully understanding ecological processes and designing truly effective conservation and management strategies that help us preserve the biodiversity of the past and present, and the ecosystem services it provides.”