Bird Cherry) in Forest Communities Throughout Europe and Asia
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Review The Status of Prunus padus L. (Bird Cherry) in Forest Communities throughout Europe and Asia Rolf D. J. Nestby The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy (Horticulture), 1431 Ås, Norway; [email protected]; Tel.: +47-95988530 Received: 23 March 2020; Accepted: 27 April 2020; Published: 29 April 2020 Abstract: Prunus padus L. (bird cherry) belongs to the Racemosa group in subgenus Padus in the genus Prunus L. It is a hardy invasive species, which makes it valuable for securing slopes, and for eco-design. It is a good solitary park tree with early flowering of white flowers in racemes, which have a pleasant smell. However, it may be attacked by cherry-oat aphid, and the small ermine moth, which may weave giant webs over the whole tree, which demonstrates the important role of P. padus in the food web of forest ecosystems. The species is in balance with these pests, other herbivores and diseases throughout Europe and Asia. Another threat is the competition against the invasive P. serotina, but it seems that P. padus is not strongly threatened, though they compete for the same habitats. Moreover, human interference of forest community ecology is probably the greatest threat. The tree is not only winter hardy; it can also survive hot summers and tolerate a wide variety of soil types. It may form dense thickets due to the regeneration of branches bent to the ground and basal shoots, and may be invasive. These characteristics are important in determining the ecological niche of P. padus, which involves the position of the species within an ecosystem, comprising both its habitat requirements and the functional role. It is also important that P. padus has effective dispersal of pollen and seeds. This, together with the previously noted characteristics and the fact that the tree can cope well with climate change, define it as a not threatened species. However, the ssp. borealis is threatened and national level monitoring is required. Prunus padus has been exploited by farmers and rural population, but is less used today. However, it is still used for making syrup, jam and liquor. Moreover, the wood is valuable for wood carving and making cabinets. All tissues are valuable as sources of powerful natural antioxidants. However, the interest in the P. padus fruit and other tissues is overshadowed by the interest in other wild species of edible and human health-related berries. Moreover, the tree is used in horticulture as an ornamental in gardens and parks, values that deserve a new focus. Keywords: botanical classification; community ecology; phenology; herbivores; human interference 1. Introduction Phenology is the study of natural biological events in relation to climate. The registration of phenology data in Europe goes back to early 1700s and, and these are probably the oldest biological data of their kind. These data show that the experienced climate changes have caused the winter to be squeezed at both ends, making the growing season longer [1]. This also counts for Prunus padus L., which is the most widely distributed of the Prunus species and extends throughout Europe from northernmost Scandinavia and northern Russia to the mountains of the Iberian peninsula and has been recorded in Morocco. It also occurs in northwestern Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria and northeastern Asia-minor, extending eastward into Asia from W. Siberia as far as Caucasus and the Himalayas, northern China and Japan (Figure1). It is also established as an invasive alien in North America (Alaska). It mainly thrives in wet woodland, hedgerows and on river banks and is very hardy Forests 2020, 11, 497; doi:10.3390/f11050497 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Forests 2020, 11, 497 2 of 18 but vulnerable to drought. Trunks 80 cm in diameter have been reported from the west coast of Norway [2–9]. TheForests focus 2020, 11 of, x; doi: this FORarticle PEER REVIEW is to give a status of the biologicalwww.mdpi.com/jou classificationrnal/forests and phenology of P. padus, its positionvulnerable as ato valuabledrought. Trunks tree 80 incm thein diameter forest have community been reported from ecology the west and coast to of manifestNorway its ornamental [2–9]. The focus of this article is to give a status of the biological classification and phenology of P. and human health-relatedpadus, its position value. as a valuable tree in the forest community ecology and to manifest its ornamental and human health-related value. Figure 1. Distribution of Prunus padus L. in Europe and Asia [2]. Figure 1. Distribution of Prunus padus L. in Europe and Asia [2]. 2. Botanical Classification and Phenology 2. Botanical Classification and Phenology 2.1. Classification P. padus is a tree or a bush (2–14 m) which develops a stone fruit, black in color when ripe. The 2.1. Classification species belongs to subgenus Padus in the genus Prunus L. (Rosacea) (Figure 2). The polyphyly of Prunus subgenus Padus and position within the Padus group has been thoroughly studied, but it is P. padus is acomplicated. tree or a In bush2016, P. padus (2–14 L. was m) placed which in the developspolyploid Racemosa a stone group in fruit, subgenus black Padus [10– in color when ripe. The species belongs12]. to subgenus Padus in the genus Prunus L. (Rosacea) (Figure2). The polyphyly of Prunus subgenus Padus and position within the Padus group has been thoroughly studied, but it is complicated. In 2016, P. padus L. was placed in the polyploid Racemosa group in subgenus Padus [10–12]. Forests 2020, 11, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Figure 2. Flowering solitary tree of Prunus padus L. at a forest edge in Stjørdal municipality in mid- Figure 2. FloweringNorway, solitary 21 May 2019. tree The tree of isPrunus 10–12 m high padus and theL. trunk at diameter a forest at chest edge height inis 29 Stjørdalcm. Photo: municipality in mid-Norway, 21 MayRolf Nestby. 2019. The tree is 10–12 m high and the trunk diameter at chest height is 29 cm. Photo: Rolf Nestby.The genus Prunus is generally divided into two sub-species (ssp.): P. padus ssp. padus L. (European bird cherry), which is a small tree, and P. padus ssp. borealis L. (synonymous with P. padus ssp. petraea), which is a bush (2–4 m) and has shorthaired leaves. P. padus ssp. padus grows in riparian forests in the lowlands of Europe and Asia, while P. padus ssp. borealis grows in the arctic part of Scandinavia and in the alpine and subalpine regions of the Alps and in the Carpathian Mountains [6,9,13–16]. Almost 20 different cultivars or forms have been named, such as ‘Watereri’ with large flower racemes [6,9]. 2.2. Phenology The twigs of P. padus ssp padus are dull deep brown with pale markings. Its shoots are hairy when young but become hairless with age. The leaves are oval and hairless. The edges have fine, sharp serrations, with pointed tips and two glands on the stalk leaf base. The tree is a hermaphrodite. Bisexual flowers in racemes appear after the sprouting of leaves (April–June), and provide an early source of nectar and pollen for bees (Figure 3). The flowers are strongly scented, white and normally have five petals, and measure 6–15 mm across and are protogynous, while subspecies borealis has leaves with short hairs, the flower clusters are generally upright and few, and the flowers have no smell [3,6,9,13,14]. Forests 2020, 11, 497 3 of 18 The genus Prunus is generally divided into two sub-species (ssp.): P. padus ssp. padus L. (European bird cherry), which is a small tree, and P. padus ssp. borealis L. (synonymous with P. padus ssp. petraea), which is a bush (2–4 m) and has shorthaired leaves. P. padus ssp. padus grows in riparian forests in the lowlands of Europe and Asia, while P. padus ssp. borealis grows in the arctic part of Scandinavia and in the alpine and subalpine regions of the Alps and in the Carpathian Mountains [6,9,13–16]. Almost 20 different cultivars or forms have been named, such as ‘Watereri’ with large flower racemes [6,9]. 2.2. Phenology The twigs of P. padus ssp padus are dull deep brown with pale markings. Its shoots are hairy when young but become hairless with age. The leaves are oval and hairless. The edges have fine, sharp serrations, with pointed tips and two glands on the stalk leaf base. The tree is a hermaphrodite. Bisexual flowers in racemes appear after the sprouting of leaves (April–June), and provide an early source of nectar and pollen for bees (Figure3). The flowers are strongly scented, white and normally have five petals, and measure 6–15 mm across and are protogynous, while subspecies borealis has leaves with short hairs, the flower clusters are generally upright and few, and the flowers have no smell [3,6,9,13,14]. Forests 2020, 11, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Figure 3. Racemes, leaves and shoots of Prunus padus ssp padus L. with open flowers. Photo: R. Figure 3. Racemes, leaves and shoots of Prunus padus ssp padus L. with open flowers. Photo: R. Nestby. Nestby. Prunus padus is a hardy species and is the most northerly distributed Prunus species in Europe, and the northerly distribution limits broadly coincide with the shores of the Arctic Ocean. In the Alps, it grows at a higher altitude than any other deciduous tree [4,6]. Parallel to this, there is strong evidence that P. padus persisted in northern Europe during the last glacial maximum (approx. 20,000 Before Present, BP), based on the presence of the co-dependent leaf beetle (Gonioctena internodia) in northern Europe since the beginning of the last glaciation [17].