Iida Puurula

I am a first year PhD student at the Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre at SLU in Alnarp, where I started my work in June 2023. My research focuses on ash as a fertilizer and its effects on growth and biomass production of fast-growing broadleaved trees.

My research aims to unravel the characteristics of ash that are optimal for increasing the growth of poplar and birch at different soil conditions. The experiments will include a smaller scale greenhouse experiment, and larger scale field experiments in Sweden. In addition, the goals of my PhD work include identifying the most effective ash for increasing the growth of poplar and birch, determining the amount of ash that is needed to optimal increase in growth, and determining the increase in biomass production in practical plantations. 

I have BSc and MSc degrees in Biology from the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). In my studies I specialised in ecology, and studied forestry and hydrobiology as minor subjects. Previously I have also worked two summers as a research assistant conducting inventories  in forests and on mires, as well as on traditional biotopes in farmlands. In large part my work in these inventories was based on plant species and site type identification.