Exploring the characteristics of successful volunteer-led urban forest tree committees in Massachusetts

Citizen engagement through urban forest tree committee volunteer service may aid in providing essential experience, ideas, and skills that support municipal tree management. Using semi-structured, research interviews with tree committee (TC) representatives from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this study addresses current knowledge gaps concerning the general composition, processes, and relationships of volunteer-led urban forest tree committees. Our findings indicate that TC representatives are typically motivated, passionate volunteers who generally desire to work cooperatively with the many associations, organizations, and agencies that comprise the local socio-political landscape. Our findings also indicate it is important that TC representatives make a sustained, concerted effort to work collaboratively with their local tree warden to advance the care of their community’s urban trees. Furthermore, it is also essential that municipal managers and decision-makers attempt to provide TC volunteers with appropriate training opportunities, resources, as well as demonstrate appreciation, to further encourage and solidify volunteer-engagement in urban forestry at the local level.     

Tree vibrations: Determining oscillatory properties by using infra-red marker-tracking system

A state-of-the-art infrared marker-tracking system that consists of eight cameras outfitted with infra-red optical filters and an array of infra-red light-emitting diodes as well as a set of reflective markers, is used to record the motion of a set of markers arranged along a trunk-dominated potted tree, which was pulled and released to perform free vibrations. The time-history diagrams of these markers are numerically fitted to the corresponding analytical mathematical model for each marker, in which the markers are treated as particles performing in-plane oscillations. This combination of experimental, analytical and numerical results yields the main vibration properties of the markers, i.e. the points on the tree: natural frequencies, damping ratios and the position of principal axes in two cases: for the in-leaf and out-of-leaf tree under consideration. The shape of the time history diagrams for the motion along one direction indicates the initial increase of the amplitude, and this property is found to be associated with two closed-valued natural frequencies. These two natural frequencies decreased after the removal of leaves, but stayed closed-valued. Two natural frequencies correspond to two principal axes, whose change along the height of the tree is also determined in both cases. The change of the damping ratios associated with two principal axes is also obtained: only one of them changed after the removal of leaves. Besides providing a proof of concept for the use of the high-tech marker-tracking system for obtaining certain oscillatory characteristics, this study also points out the possibilities for future work in which this system can be beneficial for investigating tree vibrations and deflections under different loads.     

Age estimation of different tree species using a special kind of an electrically recording resistance drill

The determination of tree age is an important issue for urban green planning, forestry and dendrology; finding non-destructive and quasi-non-destructive methods for this purpose is of great theoretical and practical importance. The resistance drilling method is quasi-non-destructive because the average diameter of an opening that remains after drilling does not exceed 3 mm. Do electrically recording resistance drills allow precise assessment of tree age? The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of determining the number of tree rings based on an examination of this special kind of drilling resistance profiles for three tree species, the pine Pinus sylvestris L., the oak Quercus robur L., and the birch Betula pendula ROTH. In 2015 and 2016, 15 pine trees, 15 oak trees, and 15 birch trees were randomly selected. For each studied tree, a measurement was conducted using the electrically recording resistance drill IML-Resi E400 with a flat-tipped 1.5/3 mm steel needle (research sample), and an increment core was taken (reference sample). The drill used was not a real Resistograph^®. The analysis of the E400-profiles underestimated the number of tree rings; the mean bias error (MBE) values were –6.5, –2.5, and –6.0 years for pine, oak, and birch, respectively. The proportion of investigated trees with less than five years difference between the research and reference samples varied from 38.4 (birch) to 66.7 (oak) percent. The accuracy of tree age determination was lowest for birch and highest for oak. The binomial generalised linear model (GLM) revealed that the most accurate tree age assessments were obtained from tree rings wider than 2 mm. The measurements clearly showed that the electrically recording resistance drill IML-Resi E400 enables a quick, although approximate, tree age assessment. Future research should concentrate on electronically regulating and recording drills, providing a higher spatial and signal resolution, and a stronger correlation to wood density.     

Demographic trends in Claremont California’s street tree population

The aim of this study was to quantify street tree population dynamics in the city of Claremont, CA. A repeated measures survey (2000 and 2014) based on a stratified random sampling approach across size classes and for the most abundant 21 species was analyzed to calculate removal, growth, and replacement planting rates. Demographic rates were estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian framework. The community-level (all species) median growth rate was 1.41% per year (95% CI: 1.21–1.65%) with Pinus brutia and Pistacia chinensis growing significantly faster than the community-level median. The community-level median removal rate was 1.03% per year (95% CI: 0.66–1.68%), with no significant differences between species and the community-level medium. Once removed, only 7.2% (95% CI: 4.4–12.9%) were replaced annually. Presence of overhead utility lines influenced tree removal rates while age, diameter-at-breast-height, and prior tree condition influenced tree growth. Overall live aboveground biomass in sampled sites was 713.29 Mg in 2000 and increased to 877.36 Mg by 2014. Biomass gain from growth outweighed loss from removals nearly three-fold; replacement contributed 0.5% of the total biomass gain. We conclude that to increase the resilience of the street tree population will require 1) an increase in percent of full stocking or biomass stock and 2) a shift in the species palette to favor species less vulnerable to pests and expected disturbance from climate change and 3) ongoing monitoring to detect departures from baseline demographic rates.     

Summer drought decreases Leymus chinensis productivity through constraining the bud,tiller and shoot production

Extreme drought events can directly decrease productivity in perennial grasslands. However, for rhizomatous perennial grasses it remains unknown how drought events influence the belowground bud bank which determines future productivity. Ninety‐day‐long drought events imposed on Leymus chinensis, a rhizomatous perennial grass, caused a 41% decrease in the aboveground biomass and a 28% decrease in belowground biomass. Aboveground biomass decreased due to decrease in both the parent and the daughter shoot biomass. The decreases in daughter shoot biomass were due to reductions in both the shoot number and each individual shoot weight. Most importantly, drought decreased the bud bank density by 56%. In addition, drought induced a bud allocation change that decreased by 41% the proportion of buds that developed into shoots and a 41% increase in the buds that developed into rhizomes. Above results were supported by our field experiment with watering treatments. Thus, a 90‐day‐long summer drought event decreases not only current productivity but also future productivity, because the drought reduces the absolute bud number. However, plasticity in plant development does partly compensate for this reduction in bud number by increasing bud development into rhizomes, which increases the relative allocation of buds into future shoots, at the cost of a decrease in current shoots.     

Early development and allometric growth in hatchery‐reared Eurasian perch,Perca fluviatilis L.

The morphological development and allometric growth patterns of Eurasian perch, Perca fluviatilis L., a highly valued commercial species, were studied under intensive rearing conditions from hatching up to 50 DPH (Days Post Hatch). Based on the external morphology, four different phases during early development of Eurasian perch were identified: pre‐flexion larva 0–20 DPH (5.70–10.16 mm TL); flexion larva 22–30 DPH (11.09–15.14 mm TL) and post‐flexion larva/juvenile 32–50 DPH (18.00–24.75 mm TL). The results indicate that growth period when final replacement of all temporary (larval) structures and most important changes in the shape of P. fluviatilis occurred (between 13.95 and 24.06 mm TL, during flexion and post‐flexion phase) can be considered as a transitional period between the larva and juvenile. All body segments, except trunk length and tail length showed fast growth (positive allometry) throughout the entire studied period or up to the respective inflexion point with a common tendency to isometry. In addition, the specific behaviours (e.g. pelagic way of life) of Eurasian perch larvae resulted in some characteristic allometric growth patterns in the posterior region, different from the majority of other teleosts. The results are discussed with respect to the ontogeny of the functional morphology under both ecological and aquaculture considerations.     

我国大树移植的现状与对策

上世纪未,伴随我国城市建设和城市绿化高速发展而来的滥挖滥移大树的歪风吹遍中华大地,使我国脆弱的生态系统雪上加霜,严重破坏了大树原生地的生态环境,制造了一大堆城市“景观垃圾”,同时也突显了我国苗圃技术和苗圃建设严重滞后的现实。几年以来,作者利用工作之便,对广东、浙江、上海、福建、海南、湖南等地的部分苗圃和城市绿地就“大树移植”问题进行了调研,收集了大量的资料、数据和现场照片;着重分析了这股歪风的缘起、发展和危害;并就如何解决这一问题作了深入的探讨,提出了一些对策和建议。     

山东省针叶树(球果类)引种驯化及评价

树木的引种驯化是增加林木种质资源的一种传统育种方法。山东省有记载的针叶树引种历史应追溯到19世纪末至20世纪初,在20世纪50年代和70年代分别出现两个引种高峰期,分别占引种种质的26.5%和21.5%。山东有计划的科学引种针叶树种约30个,其中银杏科1个属1个种,19份种质;松科5个属39份种质;杉科4个属5份种质;柏科3个属3个种质,共计66份种质,其中松科种质占总引种种质59.09%,而松属种质占松科种质79.49%。从1978~2006年省林业厅鉴定或获奖的项目中针叶树遗传改良占4.77%,审(认)定品种占总数量5.22%。建议:(1)强化针叶树引种驯化策略;(2)明确引种驯化程序、标准和关键技术;引种驯化与种质创新相结合;(3)重视乡土树种驯化及开发。本文对针叶树引种驯化与遗传改良进行了评价。     

浅谈中国南岭山地树种资源保护

根据中国南岭山地树种资源现状分析了其保护的意义和效益,提出了保护方法、措施及手段。     

重视多功效树种的开发

以多目标经营为着眼点，以生态优先为原则，提出多功效树种开发的建议，旨在引起社会上对多功效树种开发的重视，并推荐了9个具一定代表性的多功效树种。