Pinus pinaster: Difference between revisions

In addition, depending on the regions ''P. pinaster'' invades, ''P. pinaster'' has the potential to dramatically alter the quantity of water in the environment. If ''P. pinaster'' invades an area covered with grasses and shrubs, the water level of the streams in this area would lower significantly because ''P. pinaster'' are [[evergreen trees]] that take up considerably more water than grasses and shrubs all year around.<ref name=Carbon>{{cite bookjournal|first=B.A.|last=Carbon|trans-title=Journal of Hydrology | title=Deep drainage and water use of forests and pastures grown on deep sands in a Mediterranean environment|journal=Journal of Hydrology|year=1982|volume=55|issue=1|pages=53–63|doi=10.1016/0022-1694(82)90120-2|bibcode=1982JHyd...55...53C}}</ref> They deplete [[Surface run off|run-off]] in [[Drainage basin|catchment areas]] and water flow in rivers. This depletes the resources available for other species in the environment. ''P. pinaster'' tends to grow rapidly in [[riparian zones]], which are areas with abundant water where trees and plants grow twice as fast and invade. ''P. pinaster'' takes advantage of the water available and consequently reduces the amount of water in the area available for other species.<ref name=Carbon /> The fynbos catchments on the [[Western Cape]] of South Africa are a habitat negatively affected by ''P. pinaster''. Twenty-three years after planting the pines, there was a 55% decrease in streamflow in this area.<ref name=Moran /> Similarly, in [[KwaZulu-Natal]] Drakensberg there was an 82% reduction in streamflow 20 years after introducing ''P. pinaster'' to the area. In the [[Mpumalanga Province]], 6 streams completely dried up 12 years after [[grasslands]] were replaced with pines.<ref name=Moran /> To reinforce that, there is a negative effect from the invasive species ''P. pinaster'', these areas of dense ''P. pinaster'' were thinned and the number of trees in the area decreased. As a result, the [[streamflow]] in the fynbos catchments of the Western Cape increased by 44%. The streamflow in the Mpumalanga Province increased by 120%.<ref name=Moran /> As a result of ''P. pinaster'' growth, there is often less understory vegetation for livestock grazing. Once again there was a positive effect when some of the pines were removed and agreeable range grasses were planted. The grazing conditions for the sheep of the area were greatly improved when the ''P. pinaster'' plantation was thinned to 300 trees per hectare. The invasion of ''P. pinaster'' leads to the decrease of [[understory]] vegetation and therefore a decrease in [[livestock]].<ref name=Papanastasis>{{cite book|first=V.|last=Papanastasis|trans-title=School of Forestry and Natural Environment | title=Effects of thinning, fertilisation and sheep grazing on the understory vegetarion of ''Pinus pinaster'' plantations|year=1995|pages=181–189}}</ref>