| 1. |
- Benavent-Celma, Clara, et al.
(author)
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Current practices and emerging possibilities for reducing the spread of oomycete pathogens in terrestrial and aquatic production systems in the European Union
- 2022
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In: Fungal Biology Reviews. - : Elsevier. - 1749-4613 .- 1878-0253. ; 40, s. 19-36
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diseases caused by oomycete pathogens are a global threat to forestry, agriculture and aquaculture. Because of their complex life cycles, characterised by dormant resting structures that enable their survival for years under hostile environmental conditions, reducing the spread of oomycetes is a challenging task. In this review, we present an overview of this challenge, starting from the need to understand the natural and anthropogenic dispersal pathways of these pathogens. Focusing on the European Union, we explore current legislation that forms a backbone for biosecurity protocols against the spread of oomycetes through trade and transport. We discuss the options for prevention, containment and long-term management of oomycetes in different production settings, emphasising the importance of prevention as the most cost-efficient strategy to reduce the spread of these pathogens. Finally, we highlight some of the new and emerging technologies and strategies as potential tools in the integrated pest management of animal and plant diseases caused by oomycetes. We emphasise the urgency of actions to halt the global spread of these pathogens.
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| 2. |
- Crous, P. W., et al.
(author)
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Fusarium : more than a node or a foot-shaped basal cell
- 2021
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In: Studies in mycology. - : CENTRAALBUREAU SCHIMMELCULTURE. - 0166-0616 .- 1872-9797. ; :98
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent publications have argued that there are potentially serious consequences for researchers in recognising distinct genera in the terminal fusarioid clade of the family Nectriaceae. Thus, an alternate hypothesis, namely a very broad concept of the genus Fusarium was proposed. In doing so, however, a significant body of data that supports distinct genera in Nectriaceae based on morphology, biology, and phylogeny is disregarded. A DNA phylogeny based on 19 orthologous protein-coding genes was presented to support a very broad concept of Fusarium at the F1 node in Nectriaceae. Here, we demonstrate that re-analyses of this dataset show that all 19 genes support the F3 node that represents Fusarium sensu stricto as defined by F. sambucinum (sexual morph synonym Gibberella pulicaris). The backbone of the phylogeny is resolved by the concatenated alignment, but only six of the 19 genes fully support the F1 node, representing the broad circumscription of Fusarium. Furthermore, a re-analysis of the concatenated dataset revealed alternate topologies in different phylogenetic algorithms, highlighting the deep divergence and unresolved placement of various Nectriaceae lineages proposed as members of Fusarium. Species of Fusarium s. str. are characterised by Gibberella sexual morphs, asexual morphs with thin- or thick-walled macroconidia that have variously shaped apical and basal cells, and trichothecene mycotoxin production, which separates them from other fusarioid genera. Here we show that the Wollenweber concept of Fusarium presently accounts for 20 segregate genera with clear-cut synapomorphic traits, and that fusarioid macroconidia represent a character that has been gained or lost multiple times throughout Nectriaceae. Thus, the very broad circumscription of Fusarium is blurry and without apparent synapomorphies, and does not include all genera with fusarium-like macroconidia, which are spread throughout Nectriaceae (e.g., Cosmosporella, Macroconia, Microcera). In this study four new genera are introduced, along with 18 new species and 16 new combinations. These names convey information about relationships, morphology, and ecological preference that would otherwise be lost in a broader definition of Fusarium. To assist users to correctly identify fusarioid genera and species, we introduce a new online identification database, Fusarioid-ID, accessible at www.fusarium.org. The database comprises partial sequences from multiple genes commonly used to identify fusarioid taxa (act1, CaM, his3, rpb1, rpb2, tef1, tub2, ITS, and LSU). In this paper, we also present a nomenclator of names that have been introduced in Fusarium up to January 2021 as well as their current status, types, and diagnostic DNA barcode data. In this study, researchers from 46 countries, representing taxonomists, plant pathologists, medical mycologists, quarantine officials, regulatory agencies, and students, strongly support the application and use of a more precisely delimited Fusarium (= Gibberella) concept to accommodate taxa from the robust monophyletic node F3 on the basis of a well-defined and unique combination of morphological and biochemical features. This F3 node includes, among others, species of the F. fujikuroi, F. incarnatum-equiseti, F. oxysporum, and F. sambucinum species complexes, but not species of Bisifusarium [F. dimerum species complex (SC)], Cyanonectria (F. buxicola SC), Geejayessia (F. staphyleae SC), Neocosmospora (F. solani SC) or Rectifusarium (F. ventricosum SC). The present study represents the first step to generating a new online monograph of Fusarium and allied fusarioid genera (www.fusarium.org).
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| 3. |
- Elbakidze, Marine, et al.
(author)
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Perceived benefits from agroforestry landscapes across North-Eastern Europe : What matters and for whom?
- 2021
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In: Landscape and Urban Planning. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-2046 .- 1872-6062. ; 209
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Agroforestry landscapes are crucial to human wellbeing; however, they are in sharp decline across Europe. Improved understanding of the complexity of agroforestry landscapes within different biophysical, social cultural, economic and governance contexts is essential for designing effective policy and management interventions that are more tightly aligned with societal expectations and aspirations. This paper identifies and compares values that people attribute to agroforestry landscapes across North-Eastern Europe, using case studies in Sweden, Latvia, Belarus, and the Russian Federation. We apply the multiple-value approach developed for the conceptual framework of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to an assessment of agroforestry landscapes. Using data from a total of 1634 face-to-face structured interviews, we (i) analyse and explore the preferences of diverse groups of respondents for agroforestry landscapes; (ii) identify a broad range of nature's contributions to people (NCP) that were attributed to agroforestry landscapes by respondents; and, (iii) analyse values of agroforestry landscapes across different contexts in NorthEastern Europe. We found that a highly heterogenous group of people - broadly irrespective of age, education, gender, place of residence, as well as political, economic, or social-cultural context - perceive agroforestry landscapes to be important to their quality of life. Respondents attributed multiple NCP to agroforestry landscapes, and nonmaterial NCP are the most frequently assigned in all four countries. An absolute majority of respondents across all case studies considered relational values of agroforestry landscapes to be important for their quality of life with identity as the most often associated with agroforestry landscapes. We discuss how relational values might be incorporated in policies and practices related to agroforestry landscapes in North-Eastern Europe.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Lennartsson, Tommy, et al.
(author)
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Skötselplanering i skogsbetesmarker : vägledning
- 2021
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Book (other academic/artistic)abstract
- För endast ett sekel sedan täckte skogsbetesmarker och andra naturbeten mycket stora arealer och utgjorde en grundförutsättning för landets försörjning och livsmedelsproduktion. Formade av århundraden av bete och lokalt mångbruk fanns en bred palett av skogsbetesmarker. Idag är det svårt att föreställa sig hur ett visst skogsbete kan ha sett ut och nyttjats, men det är ändå det vi behöver veta så mycket som möjligt om, för att förstå vad som har gett upphov till de natur- och kulturmiljövärden som finns kvar idag.
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| 6. |
- Svensson, Teresia, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Chlorination of soil organic matter : The role of humus type and land use
- 2022
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 806p2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The levels of natural organic chlorine (Clorg) typically exceed levels of chloride in most soils and is therefore clearly of high importance for continental chlorine cycling. The high spatial variability raises questions on soil organic matter (SOM) chlorination rates among topsoils with different types of organic matter. We measured Clorg formation rates along depth profiles in six French temperate soils with similar Cl deposition using 36Cl tracer experiments. Three forest sites with different humus types and soils from grassland and arable land were studied. The highest specific chlorination rates (fraction of chlorine pool transformed to Clorg per time unit) among the forest soils were found in the humus layers. Comparing the forest sites, specific chlorination was highest in mull-type humus, characterized by high microbial activity and fast degradation of the organic matter. Considering non-humus soil layers, grassland and forest soils had similar specific chlorination rates in the uppermost layer (0–10 cm below humus layer). Below this depth the specific chlorination rate decreased slightly in forests, and drastically in the grassland soil. The agricultural soil exhibited the lowest specific chlorination rates, similar along the depth profile. Across all sites, specific chlorination rates were correlated with soil moisture and in combination with the patterns on organic matter types, the results suggest an extensive Cl cycling where humus types and soil moisture provided best conditions for microbial activity. Clorg accumulation and theoretical residence times were not clearly linked to chlorination rates. This indicates intensive Cl cycling between organic and inorganic forms in forest humus layers, regulated by humic matter reactivity and soil moisture, while long-term Clorg accumulation seems more linked with overall deep soil organic carbon stabilization. Thus, humus types and factors affecting soil carbon storage, including vegetation land use, could be used as indicators of potential Clorg formation and accumulation in soils.
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| 7. |
- Svensson, Teresia, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Chlorine cycling and the fate of Cl in terrestrial environments
- 2021
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In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. - : Springer. - 0944-1344 .- 1614-7499. ; 28:7, s. 7691-7709
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chlorine (Cl) in the terrestrial environment is of interest from multiple perspectives, including the use of chloride as a tracer forwater flow and contaminant transport, organochlorine pollutants, Cl cycling, radioactive waste (radioecology; 36Cl is of largeconcern) and plant science (Cl as essential element for living plants).During the past decades, there has been a rapid developmenttowards improved understanding of the terrestrial Cl cycle. There is a ubiquitous and extensive natural chlorination of organicmatter in terrestrial ecosystems where naturally formed chlorinated organic compounds (Clorg) in soil frequently exceed theabundance of chloride. Chloride dominates import and export from terrestrial ecosystems while soil Clorg and biomass Cl candominate the standing stock Cl. This has important implications for Cl transport, as chloride will enter the Cl pools resulting inprolonged residence times. Clearly, these pools must be considered separately in future monitoring programs addressing Clcycling. Moreover, there are indications that (1) large amounts of Cl can accumulate in biomass, in some cases representing themain Cl pool; (2) emissions of volatile organic chlorines could be a significant export pathway of Cl and (3) that there is aproduction of Clorg in tissues of, e.g. plants and animals and that Cl can accumulate as, e.g. chlorinated fatty acids in organisms.Yet, data focusing on ecosystem perspectives and combined spatiotemporal variability regarding various Cl pools are still scarce,and the processes and ecological roles of the extensive biological Cl cycling are still poorly understood.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Wiström, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Intraspecific drought tolerance of Betula pendula genotypes: an evaluation using leaf turgor loss in a botanical collection
- 2021
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In: Trees - Structure and Function. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0931-1890 .- 1432-2285. ; 35, s. 569-581
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Key message The results showed a significant relationship between the potential evapotranspiration of the provenance collection site and the leaf turgor loss point and significant positive differences in drought tolerance between provenances and subspecies of B. pendula. The ecosystem services provided by urban trees make substantial contributions to the quality of urban living and securing resilience towards the challenges posed by a changing climate. Water deficits are a major abiotic stress for trees in urban environments and, in many regions, this stress is likely to be amplified under future climate scenarios. Although wide variation in drought tolerance exists at the species level, many species also show substantial intraspecific variation in drought tolerance. The aim of this study is to evaluate how drought tolerance, inferred from the water potential at leaf turgor loss point (psi(P0)), varies in Betula pendula from different geographical origins and determine if the observed drought tolerance can be related to the local climate and seasonal water balance from the provenance of origin, despite the trees now being established in similar soil and climatic conditions within a single botanical collection. Six subsp. betula, five subsp. mandshurica and two subsp. szechuanica were evaluated, giving a total of 12 different provenances. The results showed a significant relationship between the potential evapotranspiration of the provenance collection site and the leaf turgor loss point and significant positive differences in drought tolerance between provenances and subspecies of B. pendula. By directing efforts towards identifying more drought-tolerant genotypes, it will be possible to diversify the palette of trees that could confidently be integrated by urban tree planners and landscape architects into the urban landscape. The results of this study on different ecotypes of B. pendula clearly show that it is possible to find more drought-tolerant plant material.
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| 10. |
- Abbas, Nadeem, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Smart Forest Observatories Network : A MAPE-K Architecture Based Approach for Detecting and Monitoring Forest Damage
- 2023
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In: Proceedings of the Conference Digital solutions for detecting and monitoring forest damage.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Forests are essential for life, providing various ecological, social, and economic benefits worldwide. However, one of the main challenges faced by the world is the forest damage caused by biotic and abiotic factors. In any case, the forest damages threaten the environment, biodiversity, and ecosystem. Climate change and anthropogenic activities, such as illegal logging and industrial waste, are among the principal elements contributing to forest damage. To achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to forests and climate change, detecting and analyzing forest damages, and taking appropriate measures to prevent or reduce the damages are essential. To that end, we envision establishing a Smart Forest Observatories (SFOs) network, as shown below, which can be either a local area or a wide area network involving remote forests. The basic idea is to use Monitor, Analyze, Plan, Execute, and Knowledge (MAPE-K) architecture from autonomic computing and self-adaptive software systems domain to design and develop the SFOs network. The SFOs are planned to collect, analyze, and share the collected data and analysis results using state-of-the-art methods. The principal objective of the SFOs network is to provide accurate and real-time data to policymakers and forest managers, enabling them to develop effective policies and management strategies for global forest conservation that help to achieve SDGs related to forests and climate change.
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| 11. |
- Aliabad, Fahime Arabi, et al.
(author)
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Use of Landsat 8 and UAV Images to Assess Changes in Temperature and Evapotranspiration by Economic Trees following Foliar Spraying with Light-Reflecting Compounds
- 2022
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In: Remote Sensing. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-4292. ; 14:23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pistachio is an important economic crop in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. A major problem leading to a reduction in crop quality and reduced marketability is extreme air temperature in summer, which causes sunburn of pistachio leaves and fruit. A solution proposed to deal with the negative effects of high temperatures and increase water consumption efficiency in pistachio orchards is use of light-reflecting compounds. This study investigated the effect of foliar application of gypsum, sulfur, and NAX-95 (calcium-based suspension coating) to trees in a pistachio orchard (150 ha) in central Iran. The effect of these foliar products is assessed at plot scale, using control plots sprayed with calcium sulfate, based on temperature and evapotranspiration changes analyzed through remote sensing. Landsat 8 sensor images and RGB images collected by UAVs (spatial resolution of 30 m and 20 cm, respectively), on the same dates, before and after foliar spray application, were merged using the PCA method and bilinear interpolation re-sampling. Land surface temperature (LST) was then estimated using the split-window algorithm, and daily evapotranspiration using the surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) algorithm. A land use map was prepared and used to isolate pistachio trees in the field and assess weed cover, whose effect was not accounted. The results showed that temperature remained constant in the control plot between the spraying dates, indicating no environmental changes. In the main plots, gypsum had the greatest effect in reducing the temperature of pistachio trees. The plots with foliar spraying with gypsum displayed a mean tree temperature (47–48 °C) decrease of 3.3 °C in comparison with the control plots (>49 °C), leading to an average decline in evapotranspiration of 0.18 mm/day. NAX-95 and sulfur reduced tree temperature by on average 1.3 °C and 0.6 °C, respectively. Thus, gypsum is the most suitable foliar-spraying compound to lower the temperature of pistachio trees, reduce the water requirement, and increase crop productivity.
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| 12. |
- Almeida, Juan Pablo, et al.
(author)
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Phosphorus regulates ectomycorrhizal fungi biomass production in a Norway spruce forest
- 2023
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In: Biogeosciences. - : Copernicus Publications. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 20:7, s. 1443-1458
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) are important components of soil microbial communities, and EMF biomass can potentially increase carbon (C) stocks by accumulating in the soils as necromass and producing recalcitrant structures. EMF growth depends on the C allocated belowground by the host trees, and the nutrient limitation on tree growth is expected to influence this allocation. Therefore, studying EMF production and understanding the factors that regulates it in natural soils are important to understand C cycling in forests.Fungal mycelium collected from ingrowth mesh bags is commonly used to estimate EMF biomass, but these measurements might not reflect the total EMF production since turnover rates of the hyphae are not considered. Here we estimated EMF production and turnover in response to P fertilization (applied as superphosphate) in a Norway spruce forest where nitrogen (N) deposition has resulted in phosphorus (P) limitation of plant production by using a combination of mesh bags with different incubation periods and with Bayesian inferences. To test how localized patches of N and P influence EMF production and turnover we amended some bags with a nitrogen source (methylene urea) or P source (apatite). Additionally, the Bayesian model tested the effect of seasonality (time of mesh-bag harvesting) on EMF production and turnover.We found that turnover of EMF was not affected by P fertilization or mesh-bag amendment. P fertilization had a negative effect on EMF production in all the mesh-bag amendments, suggesting a reduced belowground C allocation to the EMF when P limitation is alleviated. Apatite amendment significantly increased EMF biomass production in comparison with the pure quartz bags in the control plots but not in the P-fertilized plots. This indicates that P-rich patches enhance EMF production in P-limited forests, but not when P is not limiting. Urea amendment had a generally positive effect on EMF production, but this was significantly reduced by P fertilization, suggesting that a decrease in EMF production due to the alleviated P limitation will affect N foraging. Seasonality had a significant effect on EMF production, and the differences registered between the treatments were higher during the warmer months and disappeared at the end of the growing season.Many studies highlight the importance of N for regulating belowground C allocation to EMF in northern coniferous forests, but here we show that the P status of the forest can be equally important for belowground carbon allocation to EMF production in areas with high N deposition.
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| 13. |
- Angelstam, Per, et al.
(author)
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Sweden does not meet agreed national and international forest biodiversity targets : A call for adaptive landscape planning
- 2020
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In: Landscape and Urban Planning. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-2046 .- 1872-6062. ; 202
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Loss of forest naturalness challenges the maintenance of green infrastructure (GI) for biodiversity conservation and delivery of diverse ecosystem services. Using the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi target #11 with its quantitative and qualitative criteria as a normative model, we aim at supporting landscape planning through a pioneering assessment of the extent to which existing amounts and spatial distributions of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) meet these criteria. Highly forested and committed to both intensive wood production and evidence-based conservation targets of 17–20% protected areas, Sweden was chosen as a case study. Specifically, we estimated the amount, regional representation, and functional connectivity of HCVF patches using virtual bird species, validated the results using field surveys of focal bird species, and assessed conservation target fulfilment. Finally, we linked these results to the regional distribution of forest land ownership categories, and stress that these provide different opportunities for landscape planning. Even if 31% of forest land in Sweden is officially protected, voluntarily set-aside, or not used for wood production now and in the future, we show that applying the representation and connectivity criteria of Aichi target #11 reduces this figure to an effective GI of 12%. When disaggregating the five ecoregions the effective GI was 54% for the sub-alpine forest ecoregion, which hosts EU's last intact forest landscapes, but only 3–8% in the other four ecoregions where wood production is predominant. This results in an increasing need for forest habitat and landscape restoration from north to south. The large regional variation in the opportunity for landscape planning stresses the need for a portfolio of different approaches. We stress the need to secure funding mechanisms for compensating land owners’ investments in GI, and to adapt both the approaches and spatial extents of landscape planning units to land ownership structure.
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| 14. |
- Azeem, Muhammad, et al.
(author)
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Chemical composition and antifeedant activity of some aromatic plants against pine weevil (Hylobius abietis)
- 2020
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In: Annals of Applied Biology. - : Blackwell Publishing Ltd. - 0003-4746 .- 1744-7348.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The pine weevil Hylobius abietis is an important pest causing severe damage to conifer seedlings in reforestation areas in Europe and Asia. Plants that have no evolutionary history with the pine weevil are of special interest in the search for compounds with a strong antifeedant activity. Thus, the essential oils of nine aromatic plants, viz Amomum subulatum, Cinnamomum tamala, Curcuma longa, Laurus nobilis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, Origanum vulgare, Syzygium aromaticum and Trachyspermum ammi were extracted by hydrodistillation. The essential oil constituents were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and antifeedant properties towards the pine weevil were assessed using choice feeding bioassay. The essential oils of C. longa, O. majorana, S. aromaticum and T. ammi showed an excellent antifeedant activity towards the pine weevil for 24 hr, whereas the essential oil of other plants showed the activity for 6 hr. There was a positive correlation between the amount of benzenoid compounds and the antifeedant activity of the essential oils. This study suggests that pine weevil non-host plant compounds have potential to be used for the protection of seedlings against pine weevil feeding. However, further study will be needed to explore the antifeedant activity of individual components and oils in the laboratory as well as in the field.
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| 15. |
- Berhin, Johan, et al.
(author)
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”Den svenska skogen är underutnyttjad”
- 2023
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In: Svenska Dagbladet Debatt. - 1101-2412.
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Journal article (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- Forskning och nya metoder för skogsbruk visar att svensk skog kan binda mycket mer koldioxid än i dag och samtidigt ge virke med högre värden. Vi menar att svensk skog är underutnyttjad, skriver flera debattörer.
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| 16. |
- De Pauw, Karen, et al.
(author)
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Urban forest microclimates across temperate Europe are shaped by deep edge effects and forest structure
- 2023
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In: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. - 0168-1923 .- 1873-2240. ; 341
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The urban heat island (UHI) causes strong warming of cities and their urban forests worldwide. Especially urban forest edges are strongly exposed to the UHI effect, which could impact urban forest biodiversity and functioning. However, it is not known to what extent the UHI effect alters edge-to-interior microclimatic gradients within urban forests and whether this depends on the forests' structure.Here we quantified gradients of air temperature, relative air humidity and vapour pressure deficits (VPD) along urban forest edge-to-interior transects with contrasting stand structures in six major cities across Europe. We performed continuous hourly microclimate measurements for two consecutive years and analysed the magnitude and depth of edge effects, as well as forest structural drivers of microclimatic variation.Compared to edge studies in rural temperate forests, we found that edge effects reached deeper into urban forests, at least up to 50 m. Throughout the year, urban forest edges were warmer and drier compared to forest interiors, with the largest differences occurring during summer and daytime. Not only maximum, but also mean and minimum temperatures were higher at the urban forest edge up to large edge distances (at least 85 m). Denser forests with a higher plant area index buffered high air temperatures and VPDs from spring to autumn.We conclude that urban forest edges are unique ecotones with specific microclimates shaped by the UHI effect. Both forest edges and interiors showed increased buffering capacities with higher forest canopy density. We advocate for the conservation and expansion of urban forests which can buffer increasingly frequent and intense climate extremes. To this end, urban forest managers are encouraged to aim for multi-layered dense forest canopies and consider edge buffer zones of at least 50 m wide.
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| 17. |
- Hahn, Thomas, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Specified resilience value of alternative forest management adaptations to storms
- 2021
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0282-7581 .- 1651-1891. ; 36:7-8, s. 585-597
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Resilient ecosystems provide natural insurance value, or resilience value, to the landowner and to society at large. In response to global calls for integrating biodiversity in sector policy and planning, we analysed the specified resilience value by simulating three storm regimes and five management scenarios: Business As Usual/BAU (spruce-dominance), Spruce Monoculture, More Broadleaves, Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), and No Thinnings. The forest decision support system Heureka RegWise was used to simulate the effects of storms on forest dynamics and Net Present Value (NPV). No Thinnings, CCF and More Broadleaves were more resilient to storms (reduced damage cost) compared to BAU. BAU had the highest NPV only if storms are ignored, a common assumption in today’s forest planning. Given storms, No Thinnings maximises NPV on landscape level. On the 20% most vulnerable plots the NPV was much higher for No Thinnings and slightly higher for CCF and More Broadleaves, compared to BAU. CCF and More Broadleaves also provide nature-based solutions (co-benefits) including public goods. However, forestry adaptations to storms are slow in Sweden, in contrast to e.g. German state forestry which emphasises maximising tree growth and resilience to several stresses and disturbances rather than NPV optimisation.
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| 18. |
- Hernandez Velasco, Marco, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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Light shock stress after outdoor sunlight exposure in seedlings of picea abies (L.) Karst. and Pinus sylvestris L. pre-cultivated under LEDs-possible mitigation treatments and their energy consumption
- 2020
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In: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 11:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Year-round cultivation under light emitting diodes (LEDs) has gained interest in boreal forest regions like Fenno-Scandinavia. This concept offers forest nurseries an option to increase seedling production normally restricted by the short vegetation period and the climate conditions. In contrast to some horticultural crops which can be cultivated entirely under LEDs without sunlight, forest seedlings need to be transplanted outdoors in the nursery at a very young age before being outplanted in the field. Juvenile plants are less efficient using absorbed light and dissipating excess energy making them prone to photoinhibition at conditions that usually do not harm mature plants. The outdoor transfer can cause stress in the seedlings due to high sunlight intensity and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation not typically present in the spectra of LED lamps. This study tested possible treatments for mitigating light shock stress in seedlings of Picea abies (L.) Karst. and Pinus sylvestris L. transplanted from indoor cultivation under LEDs to outdoor sunlight exposure. Three sowings were carried out in 2014 (May and June) and 2015 (May) cultivating the seedlings during five weeks under LED lights only. Afterwards, higher light intensity or UV radiation treatments were applied during one week in order to adapt the seedlings to natural outdoor conditions. After transplanting a transition phase was introduced using shading cloths for one or three weeks as outdoor treatments for light shock mitigation. Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) levels and CO2 assimilation rates were measured before transplanting and followed outdoors during 5 weeks. The ChlF results revealed stress symptoms in the photoreceptors during the first days after transplanting. After five weeks outdoors the ChlF levels had recovered and the light saturation points had shifted, allowing higher CO2 assimilation rates. By the end of the vegetation period the morphological attributes showed no major differences between treatments. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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| 19. |
- Johansson, Maria Ulrika, et al.
(author)
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Fire and grazing controlling a tropical tree line : Effects of long-term grazing exclusion in Bale Mountains, Ethiopia
- 2020
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In: Journal of Vegetation Science. - : Wiley. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 31:5, s. 841-853
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: Tropical tree lines are often associated with abrupt shifts in vegetation, soils and disturbance regimes, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We analysed the role of grazing, fuels and fire in maintaining a sharp tree line with flammable heathland above non-flammable forest.Location: Bale Mountains, Ethiopia.Methods: The study used grazing exclosures, repeated vegetation sampling, soil analyses and burning and sowing experiments along an altitudinal gradient with Hagenia abyssinica forest, Erica trimera forest and Erica heathland; all were heavily grazed, the Erica heathland also burnt on short rotation.Results: Contrary to expectation, livestock exclusion did not increase flammability in the forest, but instead resulted in a dense carpet of non-flammable herbs. In the heathland, livestock exclusion led to somewhat faster post-fire fuel recovery, but no major change in vegetation. Seeding of tree species resulted in some seedling establishment, but notably Hagenia grew poorly in the heathland, even when protected from livestock. A bioassay, as well as observations of outpost trees on atypical soil above the tree line, suggests that this poor growth is caused by the acidic soils, rather than harsh climate. Despite frequent fires, heathland soils had lower pH and higher organic matter content than forest soils. Below the tree line, tree seedling establishment was successful only in forest gaps, and if livestock was excluded. In both forest and heathland rapid vegetative regeneration in the ground flora after disturbance restricted major species shifts.Conclusions: These results suggest that the contrasting fire potential between heathland and forest, and thus the sharp tree line would be maintained, or possibly even accentuated, in the absence of livestock grazing, and that Hagenia colonization upwards into the heathland is restricted not only by fire and grazing, but also the acidic soils, which is a legacy of centuries of dominance by Erica.
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| 20. |
- Johansson, Victor, et al.
(author)
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Fewer butterflies and a different composition of bees, wasps and hoverflies on recently burned compared to unburned clear-cuts, regardless of burn severity
- 2020
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In: Forest Ecology and Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1127 .- 1872-7042. ; 463
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Insect pollinators are declining, which often is related to intensified agriculture. Less focus has been on the effect of forestry. In many boreal forests, clear-cutting has replaced fire as the main disturbance agent, which has been negative for many species. Therefore, prescribed burning is performed, often on clear-cuts. Knowledge on the effect of fire on pollinators is, however, scarce. We sampled pollinators and their resources in 22 burned and 15 unburned clear-cuts in and around a large wildfire area in Sweden, three years after fire. We compared potential pollinator resources as well as richness, abundance and community composition of four groups of pollinators: bees (totaling 583 individuals), wasps (1226), hoverflies (416), and butterflies (7 2 8) between burned and unburned clear-cuts. Moreover, we analyzed the effect of burn severity (depth of remaining humus). We show that the diversity and cover of potential nectar/pollen plants were clearly lower in burned clear-cuts, while potential nesting resources were higher. Butterfly richness was 67% lower and abundance 89% lower in burned clear-cuts. Differences in richness and abundance were smaller for bees, wasps, and hoverflies, but their species composition differed. We found no effect of burn severity on pollinators or their resources. We conclude that burned clear-cuts have fewer pollinators three years after fire, which is driven by a loss of butterflies. However, changes in species composition from clear-cut fires could complement the fauna of unburned sites when mixed at landscape level. Future studies should follow vegetation and pollinator communities over longer time periods following clear-cut burning.
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| 21. |
- Kimanzu, Ngolia, et al.
(author)
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What Is the Evidence Base Linking Gender with Access to Forests and Use of Forest Resources for Food Security in Low- and Middle-Income Countries? A Systematic Evidence Map
- 2021
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In: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 12:8
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In nearly all parts of the world, an important part of people's livelihood is derived from natural resources. Gender is considered one of the most important determinants of access and control over forests. It is thought that women and men within households and communities have different opportunities and different roles and responsibilities in relation to forest use. It is probable that when women have equal access to forests, better food security outcomes can be achieved for individuals and households that are dependent on forests for their livelihoods. A systematic evidence map of the evidence base linking gender with access to forests and use of forest resources for food security was undertaken. Ten bibliographic databases and 22 websites of international development and conservation organisations were searched using keywords suggested by stakeholders. Other articles were found by emailing authors and organisations to send potentially relevant publications. 19,500 articles were retrieved from bibliographic databases and 1281 from other sources. After iterative screening, 77 studies were included: 41 focussed on Africa, 22 on Asia, 12 on Latin America, 2 were global. Most indicators of food security measure access to food, measured by total consumption, expenditure, or income. Studies showed strong gender specialisation: commercial access and utilisation of forests and forest products dominated by men, whereas access for subsistence and household consumption is almost exclusively the task of women. Despite the large number of studies reviewed, limitations of the evidence base, including methodological heterogeneity, a dominance of case studies as the study design, and unequal geographical representation in study locations, make it difficult to generalise about the overall importance of gender and its effect on access to and use of forests for food security in developing countries. The critical gaps in the evidence base include geographical representation in primary research and a greater breadth of study designs to assess gender implications of access to forest resources globally.
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| 22. |
- Lucander, Klas, et al.
(author)
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The Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on Tree Growth, Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Leaching-A Modeling Study in a Steep Nitrogen Deposition Gradient in Sweden
- 2021
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In: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 12:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nitrogen (N) fertilization in forests has the potential to increase tree growth and carbon (C) sequestration, but it also means a risk of N leaching. Dynamic models can, if the important processes are well described, play an important role in assessing benefits and risks of nitrogen fertilization. The aim of this study was to test if the ForSAFE model is able to simulate correctly the effects of N fertilization when considering different levels of N availability in the forest. The model was applied for three sites in Sweden, representing low, medium and high nitrogen deposition. Simulations were performed for scenarios with and without fertilization. The effect of N fertilization on tree growth was largest at the low deposition site, whereas the effect on N leaching was more pronounced at the high deposition site. For soil organic carbon (SOC) the effects were generally small, but in the second forest rotation SOC was slightly higher after fertilization, especially at the low deposition site. The ForSAFE simulations largely confirm the N saturation theory which state that N will not be retained in the forest when the ecosystem is N saturated, and we conclude that the model can be a useful tool in assessing effects of N fertilization.
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| 23. |
- Meeussen, Camille, et al.
(author)
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Structural variation of forest edges across Europe
- 2020
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In: Forest Ecology and Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1127 .- 1872-7042. ; 462
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Forest edges are interfaces between forest interiors and adjacent land cover types. They are important elements in the landscape with almost 20% of the global forest area located within 100 m of the edge. Edges are structurally different from forest interiors, which results in unique edge influences on microclimate, functioning and biodiversity. These edge influences have been studied for multiple decades, yet there is only limited information available on how forest edge structure varies at the continental scale, and which factors drive this potential structural diversity. Here we quantified the structural variation along 45 edge-to-interior transects situated along latitudinal, elevational and management gradients across Europe. We combined state-of-the-art terrestrial laser scanning and conventional forest inventory techniques to investigate how the forest edge structure (e.g. plant area index, stem density, canopy height and foliage height diversity) varies and which factors affect this forest edge structural variability. Macroclimate, management, distance to the forest edge and tree community composition all influenced the forest edge structural variability and interestingly we detected interactive effects of our predictors as well. We found more abrupt edge-to-interior gradients (i.e. steeper slopes) in the plant area index in regularly thinned forests. In addition, latitude, mean annual temperature and humidity all affected edge-to-interior gradients in stem density. We also detected a simultaneous impact of both humidity and management, and humidity and distance to the forest edge, on the canopy height and foliage height diversity. These results contribute to our understanding of how environmental conditions and management shape the forest edge structure. Our findings stress the need for site-specific recommendations on forest edge management instead of generalized recommendations as the macroclimate substantially influences the forest edge structure. Only then, the forest edge microclimate, functioning and biodiversity can be conserved at a local scale.
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| 24. |
- Mrad, Assaad, et al.
(author)
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Recovering the Metabolic, Self-Thinning, and Constant Final Yield Rules in Mono-Specific Stands
- 2020
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In: Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2624-893X. ; 3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Competition among plants of the same species often results in power-law relations between measures of crowding, such as plant density, and average size, such as individual biomass. Yoda's self-thinning rule, the constant final yield rule, and metabolic scaling, all link individual plant biomass to plant density and are widely applied in crop, forest, and ecosystem management. These dictate how plant biomass increases with decreasing plant density following a given power-law exponent and a constant of proportionality. While the exponent has been proposed to be universal and thus independent of species, age, environmental, and edaphic conditions, different theoretical mechanisms yield absolute values ranging from less than 1 to nearly 2. Here, eight hypothetical mechanisms linking the exponent to constraints imposed on plant competition are featured and contrasted. Using dimensional considerations applied to plants growing isometrically, the predicted exponent is -3/2 (Yoda's rule). Other theories based on metabolic arguments and network transport predict an exponent of -4/3. These rules, which describe stand dynamics over time, differ from the rule of constant final yield that predicts an exponent of -1 between the initial planting density and the final yield attained across stands. The latter can be recovered from statistical arguments applied at the time scale in which the site carrying capacity is approached. Numerical models of plant competition produce plant biomass-density scaling relations with an exponent between -0.9 and -1.8 depending on the mechanism and strength of plant-plant interaction. These different mechanisms are framed here as a generic dynamical system describing the scaled-up carbon economy of all plants in an ecosystem subject to differing constraints. The implications of these mechanisms for forest management under a changing climate are discussed and recent research on the effects of changing aridity and site quality on self-thinning are highlighted.
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| 25. |
- Weih, Martin, et al.
(author)
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Functional traits of individual varieties as determinants of growth and nitrogen use patterns in mixed stands of willow (Salix spp.)
- 2021
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In: Forest Ecology and Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1127 .- 1872-7042. ; 479
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Short rotation plantations of willows (Salix spp.) have high biomass production potential in many parts of the world, and may frequently support ecosystem services related to nutrient cycling. A plantation management enhancing favorable environmental impacts that are conducive to maintaining ecosystem services is a main challenge in establishing sustainable biomass production systems. There is evidence supporting the hypothesis that biomass production and nutrient cycling can be increased by supporting ecosystem niche differentiation (complementarity) through enhancing the number of plant species or varieties grown in the stand. However, the specific trait values of the individual components (e.g., varieties) in a mixed community could also be more important than the community diversity per se. We assessed, at community level, the plant trait profiles related to growth and nitrogen (N) use for four different Salix varieties that were taxonomically distinct at species or genotype level ('Björn', 'Jorr', 'Loden', 'Tora') and field-grown in unfertilized plots of pure and mixed commu-nities during one cutting cycle in Central Sweden. The aims were to use elements of functional growth analysis for exploring the mechanistic relationships between various traits related to growth and N use at stand level in our pure and mixed willow communities; and to address two hypotheses related to (i) the effect of diversity level on above-ground traits linked to growth, N uptake efficiency, N productivity and N conservation; and (ii) the influence of individual variety identities on the growth and N use traits observed in a mixture. Diversity level had no significant effect on the traits assessed here, and we thus found no evidence in support of our hypothesis that traits linked to growth, N uptake and use are significantly affected by the diversity level per se. In most but not all cases, the admixing effects on trait values were explained by the effects of the individual variety characteristics assessed in monocultures in combination with their relative share in the respective mixtures. The absence or presence of individual varieties strongly affected community-averaged (stand level) trait values. Therefore, the design of desirable variety mixtures is suggested that combine, for example, the high nutrient conversion efficiency that certain varieties achieve in mixed stands with the specific nutrient acquisition characteristics of other varieties.
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