Experts Puzzled as Finland Pine Trees Die Off

Staggering numbers of dead pine trees have been reported in southern Finland this summer, with researchers linking the phenomenon to climate change. From a report: Over 1,350 patches of dead pine trees have been reported in southwestern Finland since April, when researchers started collecting observations from the public. "Every day we receive more in our mapping service," Turku University geography professor Risto Kalliola told AFP. He described the phenomenon as a "local mass-death of patches of pine trees." Most affected were rocky coastal areas with barren soil easily exposed to drought, he said. Browned groups of dead pines suddenly started to appear along Finland's southern coast a few years ago, and researchers are now trying to find out the cause of the phenomenon. "Something is happening in our nature and we have to take it seriously," Kalliola said. Similar deaths of pine trees have also occurred in other northern European countries, including neighbouring Sweden. "What is new in Finland is that this phenomenon has quite recently begun to be common," he said. He believed several factors could be causing the local die-offs, such as insect pests and fungal diseases -- all exacerbated by global warming.

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