Rabbits may eat the bark of young trees. The seeds are eaten by red squirrels and such birds as crossbills and pine siskins. Pocket gophers graze the roots of seedlings and young trees. Pine often coexists with other trees and ground plants, but no plants are dependent on white pine. In Wisconsin, the pines may occur in nearly pure stands of a single species, or in mixtures of two or all three.
White pine is spatially diverse.
The broad geographic range of P. strobus demonstrates its adaptability. It occurs from Newfoundland and the Maritimes across Canada to southeastern Manitoba, through the northern United States from Minnesota to New England and southward to northern Georgia. Blister rust is an invasive disease. Invasive species out compete the native species until they are eliminated from the ecosystem. This lowers the biodiversity of the system, which is harmful.