Increases in drought frequency and insect defoliation are emerging threats that typically affect the plantation production of Populus yunnanensis, which is an endemic dioecious tree species in China. Nevertheless, it is difficult to predict which sex of P. yunnanensis will be more affected by the combined effects of water limitations and defoliation. In this study, we examined the combined effects

In commercial plantations, mass propagation and deployment of identified and tested clones has potential economic benefits. However, the major challenge is the adventitious rooting ability of high yielding genotypes. In Eucalyptus, large-scale plantations of hybrid clones with enhanced productivity are well documented. However, the understanding of genetic architecture of adventitious rooting traits

Understanding forest regeneration in relation to land-use legacies is an important goal of research on global environmental changes and future ecosystem patterns. Recent findings on spruce regeneration on abandoned agricultural land showed it to be linked to land-use legacies involving increased soil fertility by fertilization. We argue that indirect drivers like land-use changes from arable land to

Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) has had an extensive impact across North America. It is currently present in Minnesota, USA but has not been observed in northern portions of the state where the vast majority of black ash (Fraxinus nigra) trees are located. Unlike other ash forest communities, the black ash forest type occurs in wetlands and is dominated by black ash with few associate

The genus Picea has wide geographical range and includes species with great economic and ecological value in the northern hemisphere. Growth traits, gas exchange parameters and needle morphology and anatomy vary greatly among Picea species, but the instrinsic relationship among these traits has not been well studied for the genus Picea. We thus conducted a common garden experiment to study the relationship

In the tropical low deciduous forest, seed size has been recognized as a functional trait that can contribute to the development of restoration strategies due to its influence on the processes of germination, survival and growth of seedlings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of seed size on the seedling emergence and establishment of seedlings of Ceiba aesculifolia in pastures

The influence of scions donor tree age on the morphological variability of needles, shoots, and branching pattern was studied in 7-year-old grafted scions of Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour). We analyzed clones of four age groups: seedlings (4–7 years), young trees (38–62 years), mature trees (238–376 years), and old trees (549–700 years). The results showed that during the first 7 years

Planting of seedlings is the most reliable and speedy way of forest restoration. Routine spring planting of bareroot seedlings is frequently unsuccessful in central Europe. In this study, the effects of planting time and a spring-pre-planting application of ectomycorrhiza-hydrogel additive Ectovit and hydrogel Stockosorb on the development of bareroot and container Norway spruce and Scots pine seedlings

Defense can be induced in conifer seedlings to reduce pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) damage, by treatment with the plant hormone methyl jasmonate (MJ). Few studies have addressed important practical issues regarding the use of MJ such as treatment incidence and timing, seedling age and its compatibility with plant nursery practices. We examined if levels of pine weevil damage depend on seasonal timing

In Turkey, current wood production does not meet the demand of wood-products, and this gap is expected to be larger in the near future. It is necessary to increase the productivity and growth efficiency of current forests and to expand the extension of forest plantations, including areas where drought is the main climatic constraint. Even though researchers are currently working on hybridization programs

There is a growing interest in improving wood properties through clonal selection. However, traditional methods for determining wood properties are difficult to implement at the scale required for large-scale selection programs. In this study, we used rapid phenotyping methods (i.e., drill resistance (DR) and stress wave velocity (SWV)) for assessing wood quality in a 3-year-old clonal trial containing

Enrichment planting can be an effective strategy for increasing the ecological and economic value of timber plantations, but success depends on appropriate matching of under- and overstory species and site conditions. This case study in the Panama Canal Watershed explores the viability of enrichment planting for rehabilitating underperforming teak (Tectonia grandis) plantations, which are common in

The present study is focused on the potential distribution of the Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani) in the present and in the future throughout the twenty-first century. The location of this work encompasses Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. Twenty-four environmental variables are used and two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios for two different time periods are studied: RCP 4.5 2050, RCP

Gene flow from an experimental plot of genetically modified eucalypt was studied by measuring pollen dispersal at various distances from the pollen donor up to a maximum distance of 1592 m. Spontaneous seedling establishment around mother trees, the potential receptors of GM pollen, was also verified. All trees analyzed in this study were identified as compatible for crossing with the pollen donor

Promoting patchy recruitment of shade tolerant tree species into the midstory is an important step in developing structural diversity in second-growth stands. Variable-density thinning (VDT) has been proposed as a strategy for accelerating structural diversity, as its combination of within-stand treatments (harvest gaps, thinning, and non-harvested skips) should create variable overstory and understory

Understanding tree vulnerability to freezing temperatures will help resource managers to mitigate the effects of climatic variability. To test the effectiveness of tissue dehardening curves to represent whole seedling responses, we tested the cold tolerance of 4 conifer species to a range of freezing temperatures, − 15, − 25, and − 35 °C in late March, and − 5, − 10, and − 15 °C in early May. Results

Insufficient winter chilling related to rising temperatures has raised questions about its potential effects on budburst timing (growth initiation) and subsequent tree growth. We quantified budburst timing and growth of seedlings of six Ontario temperate forest tree species after exposure to different levels of winter chilling using controlled forcing experiments. Based on chilling–forcing relationships

Plantations are playing an increasingly important role in providing forest products and improving the ecological environment, but they also face many challenges, such as low biodiversity, severe pest and disease problems, reduced productivity, and diminished soil fertility. Reasonable management strategies are vital for their sustainability. In this study, we took a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata

Cultivation of seedlings in trays requires the use of specifically developed substrates. This study presents the results of the analyses of selected physical and mechanical parameters of a peat–perlite substrate, in which seedlings of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), and pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) were grown

Alkaline residues of recycled paper production (ARRP) can be an alternative for correcting soil acidity and adding bases to Pinus taeda L. systems. Our aim was to investigate the effect of increasing doses of ARRP on tree, forest floor (litter and root), and soil composition in a 3-year-old Brazilian pine forest plantation. In 2007, ARRP treatments of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 T ha−1 were imposed. Tree

The quality of forest seeds may be maintained in the course of storage for their use in the restoration of degraded areas and the conservation of genetic resources. In this sense, physiological and biochemical markers were evaluated during the short-term storage of Pityrocarpa moniliformis seeds, a pioneer species native to the Caatinga. Seeds harvested from 25 mother trees were stored in a growth

Competition suppression within loblolly pine plantations (Pinus taeda L.) is typically carried out within the first 2 years of a plantation, but competition control for longer durations could improve productivity. As plantation growth improves with increasing vegetation suppression frequency, it may be necessary to pre-commercially thin stands to reduce intraspecific competition. The effect of these

There is rising global interest in growing more trees in order to meet growing population, climate change, and wood energy needs. Using recently published data on planted forests by country, we estimated relationships between per capita income and planted forest area that are useful for understanding prospective planted forest area futures through 2100 under various United Nations Intergovernmental

Planted forests contribute to maximizing timber production but their role as valuable habitat for diversity is of increasing concern, particularly in tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) landscapes, which present extremely high diversity and endemism. We compared tree diversity, potential timber productivity and estimated net revenues in planted forests of Pinus patula and mixed TMCF species in southern

Between 1994 and 2017, 137,455 ha of agricultural land were afforested in Andalusia (Spain), using a great diversity of tree species, under the Common Agricultural Policy scheme. Quercus ilex and Pinus halepensis were the most used species. In view of the need to know the spatial distribution of survival according to the potential species habitat, the current survival was assessed under current and

Monitoring and assessment reveal important information about restoration areas and can also be useful for understanding ecological processes such as succession and species-area relationships. Herein, we investigated whether the time after restoration determines the similarity between restoration forests and reference ecosystems, and whether the age and width of the forest as well as the surrounding

This study investigated the growth (height, diameter at breast height and volume) of Picea koraiensis families at two sites and explored the genotype × environment interaction (GEI) of growth traits to provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of P. koraiensis families. Genetic variation analysis and genetic parameter estimation of growth traits were carried out using 52 families of three provenances

The article [Effect of soil preparation method on root development of P. sylvestris and P. abies saplings in commercial forest stands], written by [Santa Celma, Katrīna Blate, Dagnija Lazdiņa, Kārlis Dūmiņš, Santa Neimane, Toms A. Štāls, Kristīne Štikāne], was originally published Online First without Open Access. After publication in volume [#], issue [#], page [#-#], the author decided to opt for

Shrub willow (Salix spp.) has been a focus of international efforts to develop renewable alternatives for fossil fuels and to sequester carbon from earth’s atmosphere. In the central Appalachian region of the eastern U.S., short rotation willow could be grown on the significant amount of reclaimed mine land, which would promote economic opportunities for these lands. The objective of this study was

Most Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil are located in regions with low fertility soils and seasonal droughts. The main objectives of the present study were to evaluate the fine root distribution of Eucalyptus along the soil profile and the vertical distribution of Ca, Mg, S, and K in the soil in response to dolomitic limestone and gypsum application under severe water deficit conditions. The experiment

Pinus pinea produces the most expensive pine nuts worldwide, with a masting habit (variable cone productivity over time) in its native habitat. This study assessed the presence of masting habit in a non-native area, the correlation of annual cone production with climatic variables, and the impact of resource depletion on cone productivity 3 and 4 years after a bumper crop. During 10 years, all cones

The management of high-quality timber plantations prioritizes obtaining high productions with short rotation cycles, which results in high economic and environmental costs, similar to intensive agricultural systems. The suppression of the herbaceous understorey by ploughing, and the use of fertilizers to boost tree growth potentially pose high environmental risks. Managing these plantations as silvopastoral

In post-disturbance areas, salvage logging is a common management practice that can negatively affect ecosystem services and alter successional pathways of natural regeneration. In this study, we aim to investigate the effects of salvage logging in post-fire areas on the regeneration and height of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) on dry-poor, wet-poor, and peat soils. We used the Poisson generalised

Here we describe for the first time a protocol for the genetic transformation of the holm oak Quercus ilex. Holm oak populations are seriously affected by a disorder known as oak decline syndrome. However, tolerant plants can be obtained by overexpression of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. The aim of the present study was to define a protocol for transforming somatic embryos (SEs) of holm oak with

The extent by which the contribution of eucalypt harvest residues (HR) to soil organic carbon (SOC) is impacted by soil disturbance during and/or after harvesting is unclear. We addressed this question by following the decomposition of HR in microplots (15-cm diameter, 15-cm height) and determining their contribution to SOC in 10 sites across southeastern Brazil. The experiment was set up according

A mathematical model was used in this study to simulate the root architecture comprising of both structural and geometric components, to reproduce the morphogenetic behaviour of the commercially important Eucalyptus genotypic root distribution pattern over time. Profile trench wall method was used to map the root intersection density of six genotypes over a period of 2 years and subsequently root length

There is lack of guidelines helping land managers to locate suitable areas for planting new shelterbelt agroforestry systems on their landbases. The goal of this study was to create land suitability maps for deciduous, coniferous, and shrub shelterbelt agroforestry systems establishment across a wide range of climatic and soil zones of Saskatchewan, Canada. Spatial shelterbelt data and a suite of 50

Rising mineral and fossil fuel demand have accelerated the global prevalence of surface mining, resulting in adverse impacts to many forest ecosystems. Post-mining reclamation techniques, specifically spoil preparation methods, can influence reforestation success and the trajectory of future stand dynamics. Compaction is a common post-mining spoil stabilization technique but consequently creates high-density

Perennial crops such as Christmas trees have increasingly been cultivated throughout Europe. However, knowledge on the influence of Christmas-tree plantations (CTP) on biodiversity is still scarce. We examined phytodiversity and soil and habitat-structure characteristics within young (CTP-YOUNG, tree age ≤ 6 years) and old (CTP-OLD, tree age > 6 years) conventionally managed CTP in comparison with

The use of heavy forestry machines for clear-cutting and site preparation causes soil compaction, which can decrease forest productivity. This process becomes complicated in forests with high levels of precipitation due to the erosion and deposition of surface soil. Here, we investigated how soil compaction and slash dispersal on compacted soil affect soil nitrogen (N) mineralization in a high precipitation

In post-disturbance grasslands in New Zealand shrubs can serve as nurse plants. However, while many canopy trees may establish under a shrub canopy, shade may also restrict seedling establishment. We assessed the potential of shrubs and canopy manipulations in restoring mature forest species in a stressful environment. Mountain beech (Fuscospora cliffortioides, Nothofagaceae) seedlings were planted

Fineroots (≤ 2 mm diameter) are dynamic components of the forest ecosystems and play important role in water and nutrient acquisition in forests. These roots are sensitive to forest fertilization and therefore, the response of fineroots to nutrient application would provide better understanding of the forest carbon and nutrient dynamics that will be helpful in sustainable forest management plans. Two

Sprouting by woody plants can increase species resilience to disturbance and foster regeneration during periods with little recruitment from seed. Though sprouting often plays a critical role in oak forest regeneration, there is little information available on sprouting capacity and sprout physiology at the seedling stage, particularly for new germinants. This study compared sprouting capacity and

The aim of this study was to improve the rooting efficiency of Eucalyptus urophylla clones by in vitro reinvigoration/rejuvenation in two clones (02 and 04) from the breeding program of the V&M Florestal company. An in vitro culture began with 200 meristems of each clone, which were excised, disinfected, and inoculated in culture medium. When shoots from these first meristems inoculated reached a height

Conifer tree species belonging to Abies are notoriously difficult to propagate vegetatively due to aging of material, slow rooting, and persistent plagiotropism in rooted cuttings. We produced orthotropic shoots by reiteration from strongly pruned trees (5–6 years and 12–14 years, respectively), and harvested cuttings in summer. By HPLC–MS we analyzed the stem base of each cutting for initial hormonal

Hevea brasiliensis natural rubber production is strategic for the world economy. Meloidogyne exigua causes the main root disease in this crop in Brazil. Its early diagnosis allows better pest management, reducing losses. This study aimed to identify rubber tree orchard areas infested by M. exigua using remote sensing and vegetation spectral indices—normalized difference vegetation (NDVI) and simple

Recently, pest occurrence in forest plantations has been increasing influenced by genotypes and environmental conditions such as climate change, thus impacting production negatively. In 2008, the exotic pest Leptocybe invasa (Hym: Eulophidae), known as the blue gum chalcid, was introduced in Brazil causing damage to eucalypt plantations in many regions of the country. To this end, this study evaluated

Eucalyptus harvests generate residues that remain on the soil and affect the efficacy of preemergent herbicides in the following planting cycle. The objective of this work was to evaluate the dynamics of flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, and isoxaflutole herbicides applied on different amounts and compositions of eucalyptus harvest residues subjected to different rainfall depths; and evaluate the weed control

Seasonal internal nitrogen (N) cycling is an important strategy for trees to uncouple growth from N acquisition. While N uptake, allocation and storage has been intensively studied in association with leaf phenology and vegetative growth, influence of reproduction on these key processes is still poorly understood. Therefore, we applied pulse 15N labelling to three fruiting and three non-fruiting trees

Mediterranean holm oak forests are subjected to chronic seasonal droughts coinciding with the warmest conditions during the summer. Importantly, climate change projections support increased frequency and intensity of droughts in the future. In order to evaluate whether thinning practices can be used as efficient adaptation strategies to climate change, we measured canopy cover as a surrogate of defoliation

With the demand for, and scale of, ecological restoration increasing globally, effectiveness monitoring remains a significant challenge. For forest restoration, structural complexity is a recognised indicator of ecosystem biodiversity and in turn a surrogate for restoration effectiveness. Structural complexity captures the diversity in vegetation elements, from tree height to species composition, and

Native trees from the Caribbean were tested for seed desiccation responses, by adapting the “100-seed test” protocol. Ninety-seven seed lots of 91 species were collected in the Dominican Republic and tested for germination immediately after collecting, and after drying and moist storage. Seed desiccation sensitivity was assessed as a continuous variable (Viability Loss Index; VLI), based on seed germination

Casuarina equisetifolia is planted extensively in clonally-established coastal shelterbelts in South China. During the last decade, the plantations have been severely attacked by Ralstonia solanacearum bacterial wilt, causing widespread decline and mortality. It has been thought that lack of genetic diversity, both within individual sites and at a regional scale, may render the plantations particularly

Primary physiological dormancy and secondary physiological dormancy of Korean pine seeds restrict the regeneration of broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) mixed forest. Dry and imbibed seeds were stratified at 1 °C and 5 °C for 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Germination percentage, mean germination time (MGT) and germination rate index (GRI) were measured to determine the optimal low temperature and

According to some studies, the use of forest biomass for the generation of electric power and/or heat would result in a significant reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. This would happen even in the case of soils substitution that currently have an agricultural use although its implementation would require more studies on the environmental impact that they could have in each particular case

Seed dormancy is an adaptive mechanism that allows seed germination under suitable environmental conditions. Germination of stored dormant seeds proceeds after dormancy breaking induced by stratification. To improve understanding of dormancy breaking in beechnuts, we: investigated effects of moisture content and temperature during storage; analysed contents of abscisic acid, abscisic acid metabolites

Climate change is projected to increase fire severity and frequency in the boreal forest, but it could also directly affect post-fire recruitment processes by impacting seed production, germination, and seedling growth and survival. We reviewed current knowledge regarding the effects of high temperatures and water deficits on post-fire recruitment processes of four major tree species (Picea mariana

The coppice is a very flexible cultural system producing several calibers adapting to the demands of the market. Small-caliber roundwood from sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) coppices, formerly in great demand, is now less interesting for the market. Thus, the improvement of coppices management by applying alternative silvicultural models in order to obtain benefits and sustainability is essential

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a foundation species in the eastern United States until chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) infestation resulted in range-wide catastrophic reduction. Since 1983, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has engaged in a breeding program aimed at restoring C. dentata to the wild. The primary goal has been to introduce blight resistance from Castanea mollissima

Forest managers are increasingly planting non-native tree species that are adapted to anticipated future conditions such as increased droughts. This work quantified individual tree growth patterns of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson), a western US species, planted outside of its natural range in Minnesota, USA. After 50 years, survival was as high as 69% for some ponderosa pine seed sources