Although exploring soil seed bank characteristics and dynamics is conducive to plant diversity protection and restoration, few investigations have been undertaken in the rocky mountainous area of North China. To address this research gap, qualitative and quantitative changes in soil seed bank characteristics over different seasons and elevations as well as potential causes for differences were examined

Drought is one of the most devastating climate factors in terms of its spatial extent and intensity. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the water stress tolerance in young saplings of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels and Populus deltoides Marchall that are cultivated in the rain fed areas of Pakistan. Plants were subjected to three levels of moisture regimes: well-watered (WW, 90% of field capacity)

Urban Forests (UFs) are key elements in Mediterranean compact cities, as they provide numerous ecosystem benefits and increase the resilience of cities against the anticipated impacts of climate change. It is, thus, necessary to review all the aspects that may have a negative effect on their ecosystem functions and the services that they provide. In this paper, a set of indicators is proposed that

The majority of studies have found that an increase in tree species diversity can increase the productivity of forest stands thanks to complimentary effects with enhanced resource use efficiency or selection effects; however, it is unclear how tree species diversity affects the soil fungal community and enzyme activities in subtropical evergreen forests. In this study, we used soil high-throughput

The Calbuco volcano ranks third in the specific risk classification of volcanoes in Chile and has a detailed eruption record since 1853. During 2015, Calbuco had a sub-Plinian eruption with negative impacts in Chile and Argentina, highlighting the need to determine the long-term history of its activity at a high-resolution time scale to obtain a better understanding of its eruptive frequency. We developed

Fire exclusion and a lengthening fire season has resulted in an era of megafires. Fuel reduction treatments in forested ecosystems are designed to guard against future extreme wildfire behavior. Treatments create a heterogenous landscape and facilitate ecosystem function and resilience in fire-adapted forests of the western United States. Despite widespread recognition that repeated fuel treatments

Forest operations have become increasingly reliant on mechanized harvesting equipment due to their increased production capacities in competitive markets. However, operating heavy machinery in mountainous terrain poses numerous operational and accessibility challenges from steep slopes, erosion risk, and poor road access. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have effectively been used in various studies

An analysis was undertaken of the Brinell hardness of silver birch wood and its dependence on stand location, tree age, tree thickness and forest habitat type, and the interactions between these factors. Wood was obtained from 12 forest districts throughout Poland, from trees aged approximately 30, 50, and 70 years. A total of 51 study plots was established, from which 306 trees were taken. Hardness

In the context of global sustainable development, the use of natural and renewable bamboo as a building material is of great significance for building engineering. As an important part of bamboo, there is still a lack of systematic research on the effect of bamboo nodes on the mechanical properties of bamboo. In this paper, compression parallel to the grain of the bamboo, bending, tensile parallel

The content of sulphur and copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and of assimilation pigments in the needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the forests of Bydgoszcz, Poland was determined. The content of those metals and the activity of dehydrogenases (DHA) in the rhizosphere of the trees was assayed. The average total sulphur (TS) content in 2-year-old pine needles was 832.4 mg

This article starts a series of articles on dependences between the conditions of the growth of trees in forests and the technical aspects and directions of using the raw material obtained from these trees. This is a key feature for wood purchasers because it determines the efficiency of production and directly affects the final financial result of their activity. Wood represents an environmentally

Seed dispersal plays critical roles in determining species survival and community structures. Since the dispersal is biologically under maternal control, it is hypothesized that intraspecific variation of dispersal potential and associated traits of seeds (diaspores) should be influenced by maternal habitat quality. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effects of maternal environmental light

In the subtropical zone of southern China, there was a considerable conversion of forests from deciduous to evergreen broadleaf in the early Holocene. However, the exact timing of this vegetation change and its relationship to climate are still unclear. We examined a high-resolution pollen record collected in the mid-subtropical zone and then performed a correlation with regional data to reconstruct

Quantifying the phenological variations of Populus euphratica Olivier (P. euphratica) resulting from climate change is vital for desert ecosystems. There has previously been great progress in the influence of climate change on vegetation phenology, but knowledge of the variations in P. euphratica phenology is lacking in extremely arid areas. In this study, a modified method was proposed to explore

Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an important trunk borer of pine trees and a major vector of pine wilt disease. Although chemicals are widely used in forest pest control, new strategies based on insect biology are offering promising approaches to manage the disease. Although there have been important research advances in this respect, there has not yet been a deep sequence

There is no doubt that the NATURA 2000 network has been one of the most relevant tools for nature protection. However, the designated areas within the borders of large cities are subjected to many threats. Traffic noise takes on a very important role in this subject, posing the question of whether NATURA 2000 areas should be located in urban areas strongly affected by noise pollution. This particular

The latest international climate documents emphasize the great importance of protective forest stands in ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture, and the main requirement is the use of the forest-forming factor by landowners in the interests of improving the environment. In Russia, until recently, the ecological significance of forest plantations was underestimated, which created the ground

Stocks and stoichiometry of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in ultisols are not well documented for converted forests. In this study, Ultisols were sampled in 175 plots from one type of secondary forest and four plantations of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.), Slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.), Eucalypt (Eucalyptus obliqua L’Hér.), and Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn., 1782) in Yunfu

The planted forest area in Vietnam increased from 3.0 to 4.4 million hectares in the period 2010–2020, but the loss of productivity from pests and diseases continues to be a problem. During this period, frequent and systematic plantation forest health surveys were conducted on 12 native and 4 exotic genera of trees as well as bamboo across eight forest geographic regions of Vietnam. Damage caused by

Stem taper function is an important concept in forest growth and yield modeling, and forest management. However, the additivity of the function and the inherent correlations between stem components (diameter outside bark—dob, diameter inside bark—dib, and double-bark thickness—dbt) are seldom considered. In this paper, a total disaggregation model (TDM) structure was developed based on the well-known

Santalum (Santalaceae, sandalwood) is a hemiparasitic genus that includes approximately 15 extant species. It is known for its aromatic heartwood oil, which is used in incense and perfume. Demand for sandalwood-based products has led to drastic over-harvesting, and wild Santalum populations are now threatened. Knowledge of phylogenetic relationships will be critical for the conservation and proper

Thinning of forestry plantations is a common silviculture practice to increase growth rates and to produce larger dimension logs. The wood properties, basic density and stiffness, are key indicators of the suitability of timber for particular purposes and ultimately determine timber value. The impact of thinning operations on wood properties is, therefore, of considerable interest to forest growers

Knowledge about the dynamics and biophysical controlling mechanism of nocturnal evapotranspiration (ETN) in desert-dwelling shrub ecosystem is still lacking. Using the eddy covariance measurements of latent heat flux in a dried shrubland in northwest China, we examined the dynamics of ETN and its biophysical controls at multiple timescales during growing-seasons from 2012 to 2014. The ETN was larger

Broadleaved tree species in mountainous populations usually demonstrate high levels of diversity in leaf morphology among individuals, as a response to a variety of environmental conditions associated with changes in altitude. We investigated the parameters shaping leaf morphological diversity in 80 beech individuals (Fagus sylvatica L.), in light and shade leaves, growing along an elevational gradient

Peatlands are both responding to and influencing climate change. While numerous studies on peatland carbon dynamics have been published in boreal and temperate regions for decades, a much smaller yet growing body of scientific articles related to tropical peatlands has recently been published, including from previously overlooked regions such as the Amazonian and Congo basins. The recent recognition

Forest wildfire is an important threat and disturbance facing natural forest ecosystems. Conducting wildfire risk assessments and zoning studies are of great practical significance in guiding wildfire prevention, curbing fire occurrence, and mitigating the environmental effects of wildfire. Taking Hunan Province, China as the case area, this study used remotely sensed high-temperature fire data as

Malaysia has a large extent of forest cover that plays a crucial role in storing biomass carbon and enhancing carbon sink (carbon sequestration) and reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions, which helps to reduce the negative impacts of global climate change. This article estimates the economic value of forest carbon stock and carbon value per hectare of forested area based on the price of removing

Survival and growth of planted tree species are common indices used to evaluate success of wetland restoration efforts used to compensate for wetland losses. Restoration efforts on marginal agricultural lands have typically resulted in less than satisfactory survival and growth of desired tree species. In an attempt to determine the effects of bottomland hardwood silvicultural methods on the survival

Remotely sensed imagery has been used to support forest ecology and management for decades. In modern times, the propagation of high-spatial-resolution image analysis techniques and automated workflows have further strengthened this synergy, leading to the inquiry into more complex, local-scale, ecosystem characteristics. To appropriately inform decisions in forestry ecology and management, the most

In forest landscape restoration, one of the key objectives is to improve the water conservation capacity of the deforested land. A rapid, accurate assessment of the effects of the restoration measures on the water conservation capacity of targeted forests can help forest managers to identify the best practices for forest restoration. However, the traditional assessment tools of forest water conservation

This study was designed to estimate the variation in non-volatile carbon (C) content in different above- and belowground tree parts (stem, living branches, dead branches, stumps, coarse roots and small roots) and to develop country-specific weighted mean C content values for the major tree species in hemiboreal forests in Latvia: Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris

Reforestation and restoration using nursery-produced seedlings is often the most reliable way to ensure successful establishment and rapid growth of native plants. Plant establishment success—that is, the ability for the plant to develop within a set period of time with minimal further interventions needed—depends greatly on decisions made prior to planting, and yet nursery-grown plants are often produced

Plant endemic species are the result of continuous evolution under the combined action of long-term climatic and geological conditions. There are 534 bamboo species in China, and 371 endemic species account for about 70% of all bamboo species. However, little is known about the differences in the rhizome evolution rate between endemic and non-endemic bamboos. Here, we collected morphological traits

In temperate forests within Europe, early-flushing (EF) deciduous trees are often heavily infested by early spring leaf-eating Lepidoptera, while late-flushing (LF) trees are better protected in a phenological manner against such heavy infestations, as spring moth larvae begin to appear before their bud burst. The associational effects of EF trees on LF ones are only poorly known. We studied whether

Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv. is a unique and endangered species belonging to the Salicaceae family. It has great potential for ornamental and industrial use. However, human interference has led to a decrease in and fragmentation of its natural populations in the past two decades. To effectively evaluate, utilize, and conserve available resources, the genetic diversity and population structure

Neighborhood models have allowed us to test many hypotheses regarding the drivers of variation in tree growth, but require considerable computation due to the many empirically supported non-linear relationships they include. Regularized regression represents a far more efficient neighborhood modeling method, but it is unclear whether such an ecologically unrealistic model can provide accurate insights

The riparian areas of the Mediterranean are unique but face many pressures from anthropogenic and climate change impacts. They have very rich and diverse plant communities as a result of the dynamic fluvio-geomorphologic conditions of the Mediterranean streams. In this study, the riparian areas of two adjacent mountainous tributaries (Arkoudorema and Vathirema) of the Nestos River were studied. To

Using bamboo particle board as a wall divider, a furniture component, or an automotive component with a sound absorber function may be a viable option for architects and engineers seeking to achieve desired acoustical qualities, including noise reduction. However, there is still a dearth of research on the effect of particle board finishing and coatings on acoustical sound absorption and noise reduction

The aim of this research was to compare methods of overwinter storage of forest tree species planting stock and to specify of the optimal and the minimal temperature for freezing. Planting stock of European beech and Norway spruce were stored three times over a period of dormancy (2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018) (1) in freezers, (2) in an air-conditioned warehouse, (3) in a cave and (4) in soil (bare-rooted

The present work applied a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to assess changes in the technical efficiency of timber production at a period of transition in forest management priorities. The study material consisted of data on timber sold by Polish State Forests (PSF) and on its forest management inputs in the years 1990–2019. During the period of economic transition in Poland (1990–2003) the technical

This study provides new information on the infection biology and pathogenicity of an important root-rot fungus, Heterobasidion annosum sensu stricto (Fr.) Bref., through a detailed examination of the vegetative spread of clonal individuals and their capacity to produce fruiting bodies on young pine seedlings. The seedlings were planted in a clear-cutting area (c. 1.2 ha in size) after a pine generation

The straits of ecological development in the forestry industry and the problems existing in the industrial forestry system are currently the main focus of policy-making research in China, to alleviate the contradiction between forestry economic development and the ecological environment, as well as evaluate the level and trend of the ecological development in China’s forestry industry. This paper analyzed

Eucommia ulmoides (E. ulmoides) is a significant national strategic resource in China. It is a natural high quality rubber resource, with great development potential. We found large differences in rooting ability during adventitious root (AR) formation in two E. ulmoides improved varieties. Therefore, we used two improved varieties of E. ulmoides, ‘Huazhong 6’ (H6, with rooting rate 85.3%) and ‘Huazhong

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) are involved in the plant defense response against pathogens, and most of them exhibit antifungal activity. However, the role of TLPs in pathogen-induced defense responses in spruce is not fully understood. In this study, four TLP genes encoding thaumatin-like protein, designated as PlTLP1–4, were isolated and identified from Picea likiangensis needles. Sequence analysis

Forests play an important role in biodiversity conservation, being one of the main providers of ecosystem services, according to the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. The functions and ecosystem services provided by forests are various concerning the natural capital and the socio-economic systems. Past decades of remote-sensing advances make it possible to address a large set of variables,

As essential nutrients for plant growth and development, the balance of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) between soils and plants is a key component to ecosystem stability. In this study, we examined the distribution of nutrients in the soils and different organs of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) in Hunan Province, southern China. Additionally, we investigated the nutrient concentrations in soil

Accurate estimates of tree bole volume are fundamental to sustainable forest management. Total inside and outside bark and merchantable volume equations were developed for 25 major commercial tree species grown in natural stands in eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States. Data used to develop these equations was collected from 9647 trees sampled from natural stands across the

Vegetation biomass is commonly measured through destructive sampling, but this method is time-consuming and is not applicable for certain studies. Therefore, it is necessary to find reliable methods to estimate vegetation biomass indirectly. Quantification of early-seral vegetation biomass in reforested stands in the United States Pacific Northwest (PNW) is important as competition between the vegetation

There is growing interest in air quality and air purification, due to current high pollution levels, their effects on human health, and implications for urban economies. Since the improvement of air quality carries important economic value, air-related benefits have been evaluated monetarily from two perspectives: the first relates to air quality improvements, while the second values air purification

Forests contribute strongly to global carbon (C) sequestration and the exchange of greenhouse gases (GHG) between the soil and the atmosphere. Whilst the microbial activity of forest soils is a major determinant of net GHG exchange, this may be modified by the presence of litter through a range of mechanisms. Litter may act as a physical barrier modifying gas exchange, water movement/retention and

Even though survival rates for mangrove restoration in Vietnam have often been low, there is no information on fungal pathogens associated with mangrove decline in Vietnam. Therefore, this research was undertaken to assess the overall health of mangrove afforestation in Thanh Hoa Province and fungal pathogens associated with tree decline. From a survey of 4800 Sonneratia trees, the incidence of disorders

Forest management activities in boreal and hemiboreal environments have been found to increase the concentration of carbon, nutrients, and methylmercury (MeHg) in runoff water, thus contributing to environmental quality issues. We evaluated carbon, nutrient, and MeHg concentrations in water at eight small, forested catchments on organic soils in Latvia, subject to ditch cleaning and beaver dam removal

Sediment is an important part of heavy metal cycling in the coastal ecosystem, acting as a potential sink and source of inorganic and organic contaminants as environmental conditions change. The productivity of mangroves is utterly dependent on sediment enrichment. Moreover, mangrove sediment can trap pollutants discharged by households, industries, and agriculture activities. In this regard, it is

This paper presents a new strategy in the use of wood of heterogeneous quality for composing LVL products. The idea is to consider veneers representative of the resource variability and retain local stiffness information to control panel manufacturing fully. The placement of veneers is also no longer random as in the first part of this group of papers but optimized for the quality of veneers according

Ray traits affect secondary xylem development and wood properties. Pinus massonia and Cunninghamia lanceolata, commercially important timber species, were chosen to study the differences in wood ray traits of juvenile versus mature wood. Seven ray traits, i.e., percentage of rays, ray spacing, ray number, uniseriate ray height, fusiform ray height, ray parenchyma cell length and ray tracheid length

Quantification of forest Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) is important for understanding ecosystem function and designing appropriate carbon mitigation strategies. Coupling forest biometric data with canopy photosynthesis models can provide a means to simulate GPP across different stand ages. In this study we developed a simple framework to integrate biometric and leaf gas-exchange measurements, and

Over the past years, our research on baobabs mainly focused on the largest Malagasy species, namely the Reniala or Grandidier baobab (Adansonia grandidieri Baill.). The biggest A. grandidieri are located in the Morombe area, especially in the so-called Andombiry Forest. This giant forest of Reniala hosts well over 6000 mature individuals, out of which more than 30 have very large sizes, i.e., circumferences

The establishment of an Acacia mangium plantation often alters physicochemical characteristics and nutrient concentrations of soils. We aimed to evaluate the invasive potential of A. mangium forest on the soil in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, Peninsular, Malaysia. To achieve the mentioned target, four different regions, namely, the open ground region (OG), Acacia mangium region (AM), transition region

Flavonoids are natural antioxidants in plants that affect the color of plant tissues. Flavonoids can be divided into eight subgroups, including flavonols, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins. The mechanisms of flavonoid synthesis in model plants have been widely studied. However, there are a limited number of reports on the synthesis of flavonoids in the red leaf varieties of woody plants. In this

Cone development in conifer species is crucial to ensure sexual regeneration. A better understanding of carbon (C) source-sink relations at the branch level can guide strategies for improving resource allocation to reproduction. In particular, the evaluation of C relations between vegetative and reproductive branches is helpful to test whether tree branches are carbon autonomous. With this aim, we