When a “McDonald’s effect” could threaten our forests – Journal du geek

At a time when more and more citizens are developing a real ecological conscience, everyone knows that forests are a essential component of our ecosystems. We could therefore rejoice at the appearance of artificial forests, say “planting”; after all, a tree is a tree, isn’t it? Not so fast; Bastien Castegneyrol, researcher in ecology at INRAE, recently published an article which paints a much more nuanced picture of this situation.

Today, these plantation forests represent about 7% of the global forest area. They are made up of a limited number of carefully chosen species, and planted over large areas; we therefore end up with large expanses covered with one and the same species of tree.

In absolute terms, this is a good thing. The researcher recalls that these plantation forests “reduce pressure”On natural forests. In addition, it is a model that we already know in the agricultural world. As with monoculture, plantation forests have certain indisputable advantages for the industry.

Double-edged uniformity

This makes it possible to optimize the management of the plot far beyond what is possible in a natural forest. The operator can also obtain a more homogeneous harvest, which greatly simplifies the operating chain. In short, this “McDonald’s effect” has proven itself in terms of productivity.

There is, however, another more discreet, but quite significant, factor to take into account: homogenization. A perfect concept for the industry; it is no coincidence that Bastien Castegneyrol uses the term “McDonald’s Effect”. On the other hand, it is less encouraging for biodiversity. And this is a legitimate source of concern. Because the more researchers’ work progresses, the more their conclusions seem to converge in the same direction: this diversity would be a major component of the functioning of these ecosystems.

“Homogenization of forests, whether at the plot or landscape scale, leads to a decrease in their capacity to provide multiple functions and services”, Explains the researcher. For example, he recalls that the diversity of trees and the rest of the flora and fauna are closely related. The more tree species there are, the more the forest can shelter different plants and animals, which in turn contribute to the dynamics of this ecosystem.

A balance to be found

The concern is that these two components are difficult to reconcile. Based on a large study of more than 200 European forests, the researcher insists that there is no quick fix. No tree, or mixture of trees, can optimize all the functions of a forest; impossible to have the butter and the money of butter, in short.

In conclusion, the researcher recalls that homogenization is not not a bad thing in itself. It makes it possible to promote certain specific functions such as wood production, but not only; it can also be conservation efforts, for example.

To prevent the “McDonald’s effect” from becoming a sword of Damocles suspended over our forests, we will therefore have to apply this homogenization in a balanced, planned and reasoned manner … otherwise it will suffer the consequences for decades.