Pseudotsuga menziesii

Douglas Fir

The Douglas fir is an evergreen conifer and one of the dominant tree species in many North American forests. It can reach heights of up to 70-100 metres, making it one of the tallest tree species in the world. The Douglas fir has a conical shape with a straight trunk and strong horizontal branches. The bark is thick, rough and deeply grooved. The needles are soft, flat, dark green and arranged in a spiral. The cones are pendulous, elongated and have three pointed prongs at the ends of the scales. The Douglas fir has been introduced in many parts of the world, including Europe, South America and New Zealand. In some areas, such as Central Europe, it is grown extensively because of its high wood quality and growth rate. There it is classified as potentially invasive, as it can spread into natural forests and suppress native species.

Types of damage

Ecological damage

Douglas fir can become dominant in some areas and suppress native plant species, especially on dry, acidic sites. In near-natural birch-oak forests, the acidification of soil conditions by the conifer litter can also be a problem.

Region of origin

North America

Introduction vectors

Forestry

Douglas fir has been planted for forestry purposes in some regions and is the most important non-native forest tree species in Germany with 218,000 hectares in the main stand.

Current distribution

Based on the FlorKart Database of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, as of 2013

Miscellaneous

Family

The pine family (Pinaceae) comprises about 11 genera with around 210 species. They are mainly distributed in the northern hemisphere and are the largest family of conifers. The family includes trees and shrubs that are evergreen and mostly resinous. Characteristic are the needle-shaped leaves and the cone-shaped fruits. Many species have an enormous economic importance as they provide wood, resin and sometimes edible seeds. Well-known representatives are pines (Pinus), firs (Abies), spruces (Picea), larches (Larix) and Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga). They also characterise many natural forest ecosystems in temperate and boreal climate zones.

Climate change

Pseudotsuga menziesii has not yet filled its potentially suitable habitat under current climate conditions. It benefits from climate change because in the future its potentially suitable habitat will increase. The environmental factors that most influence its spread are soil type, summer precipitation, altitude, winter temperature and summer temperature.

Positive effects

The wood of the Douglas fir has many uses, including as veneer wood, for making parquet flooring or for building roof trusses.
Dispersion forecast

Indicates the proportion of land suitable for habitat under current and future climate conditions (2060-2080) under three emission scenarios (RCP26, RCP45 & RCP85).

Habitat suitability maps

Instructions for use: Click here

Habitat suitability under current climate conditions

These habitat suitability maps show for Pseudotsuga menziesii where suitable habitat conditions exist.

The map on the left shows this for current climate conditions. Below this are maps for the time classes 2040-2060 and 2061-2080, in which three different emission scenarios can be selected.

The slider at the top left allows you to adjust the opacity of the map to make orientation easier.

By clicking on the respective quadrant, information on the environmental conditions present in it can be called up.

The methodology is explained here .

Habitat suitability 2040 - 2060

2040-2060: In the RCP2.6 scenario, GHG emissions are expected to peak by 2040 through comprehensive mitigation measures and to decline rapidly thereafter. By 2060, global warming would stabilise at about 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Subtle changes in precipitation patterns could vary regionally, with some areas facing increased drought and others increased precipitation.

2040-2060: Under RCP4.5, GHG emissions would continue to increase until 2040, but stabilise at a high level thereafter. By 2060, there could be a global temperature increase of about 2°C above pre-industrial levels. This scenario would likely cause moderate changes in precipitation patterns, with potential regional differences.

2040-2060: Under RCP8.5, which assumes continued intensive use of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions would rise sharply by 2060. The global temperature increase could be around 2.5-3°C. In this scenario, significant changes in precipitation patterns could occur, with an increased likelihood of extreme weather events.

Habitat suitability 2061 - 2080

2060-2080: By 2080, global warming could be limited to below 2°C in the RCP2.6 scenario, provided emission reductions are consistently pursued. Impacts on precipitation patterns would likely stabilise, although regional variance would remain significant.

2060-2080: In the RCP4.5 scenario, global temperatures would continue to increase and could be around 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2080. Changes in precipitation patterns would likely increase and regional differences could become more pronounced.

2060-2080: Under RCP8.5, global temperatures could rise by more than 4°C above pre-industrial levels by 2080. Precipitation patterns would be expected to change significantly, with further increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. This would have far-reaching impacts on ecological and socio-economic systems.