The team, led by Dr. WANG Qingwei, conducted experiments using seedlings of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica), two common tree species in these forests. They exposed seedlings to different light spectra and monitored their growth.

The researchers found that blue light benefited both species, while ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation had opposite effects. It stunted Korean pine growth but boosted the height, leaf area, and overall biomass of Mongolian oak. This suggests that the two tree species have developed different strategies to cope with light conditions in the forest understory. Mongolian oak, a broad-leaved deciduous tree, adjusts its morphological traits (e.g., total leaf area and aboveground biomass allocation) to capture more light. In contrast, Korean pine, a shade-tolerant evergreen conifer, relies on internal physiological and biochemical processes to make better use of available light.

These findings offer valuable insights for promoting natural regeneration of Korean pine forests and improving the health of these ecologically important forests. The study was published in Environmental and Experimental Botany.