Leaf-trait responses to irrigation of the endemic fog-oasis tree Myrcianthes ferreyrae: can a fog specialist benefit from regular watering?

Myrcianthes ferreyrae is an endemic, endangered species, with a small number of individuals located only in hyperarid, fog-oases known as lomas along the Peruvian desert in southern Peru, where fog is the main source of water. Following centuries of severe deforestation, reforestation with this native species was conducted in the Atiquipa lomas, Arequipa-Perú. On five slopes, five 2-year-old seedlings were irrigated monthly with water trapped by raschel-mesh fog collectors, supplementing natural rainfall with 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mm month(-1) from February to August 2008. We measured plant growth, increment in basal diameter, height and five leaf traits: leaf mass area (LMA), leaf carbon isotope composition (δ(13)C), nitrogen per leaf area, total leaf carbon and stomatal density; which are indicative of the physiological changes resulting from increased water supply. Plant growth rates, estimated from the variation of either shoot basal diameter or maximum height, were highly correlated with total biomass. Only LMA and δ(13)C were higher in irrigated than in control plants, but we found no further differences among irrigation treatments. This threshold response suggests an on-off strategy fitted to exploit pulses of fog water, which are always limited in magnitude in comparison with natural rain. The absence of a differential response to increased water supply is in agreement with the low phenotypic plasticity expected in plants from very stressful environments. Our results have practical implications for reforestation projects, since irrigating with 20 mm per month is sufficient to achieve the full growth capacity of this species.     

Ueber die Entstehung der fog. Abfprünge an Fichtenstämmen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Corrosiveness of Copper-based Preservatives to 4 Types of Metals

The corrosive rates of 4 types of metals as well as epoxy-coated metal in a variety of preservatives derived from different copper sources and ingredients were .measured in this paper. The main results show that： CCA is less corrosive to red brass and Q235A steel than other copper formulations; Copper-based preservatives such as ACQ and CuAz derived from basic cupric carbonate or cupric hydroxide are much less corrosive to Q235A steel than those from cupric sulfate; Ethanolamine is less corrosive to Q235A steel than ammonia in ACQ derived from cupric hydroxide, while other ingredients are the same; Epoxy resin coating could be used for protecting red brass, Q235A steel and zinc hotdipped galvanized mild steel from corrosion.     

Application of Participatory Method to Selection of Project Demonstration Area

The Sino-Japan cooperation project of "Vegetation Rehabilitation Demonstration and Planning in Sandstorm Jeopardized Area around Beijing" introduced participatory method to select the project area. Through investigating the socioeconomic indicators of 9 villages in Beijing and Hebei Province as well as the farmers’ willingness to participate in forestry operation activities, the vegetation restoration demonstration areas were selected, including Hantai Village, Baicaowa Village and Xiabachi Village, respect...     

Resistance to Adversity of New Poplar Clones

1IntroductionAdversitystudyisoneofthefocusesinplantphysiology.However,thepriorityhadbeenputontheselectionofpoplarcloneswithfastgrowthrateandbetterwoodqualityonpoplarbreedinginthepastfewdecades.Therewerelimitedresearchestargetedontheresistancebreeding.Moreover,mostoftheresearchonadversityresistancewasconductedonPopulustomentosa(Peietal.1994,Duanetal.1998)andPopulusussuriensis(Jiangetal.1999).LittlewasknownabouttheadversityresistanceofpoplarclonesinSectionAigeiros(Wang1982,Zhu1990,Liuetal.1…     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies to woodderived β-1,4-xylanase of Postia placenta and their application to detection of incipient decay

Summary Murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced to the extracellular -1,4-xy-lanase fraction of the brown-rot fungus, Postia placenta. The immunizing antigen was derived from decayed southern yellow pine wood blocks extracted in phosphate-buffered saline and Triton X-100, and fractionated by column chromatography. Five IgG monoclonal antibodies were selected for characterization by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, (ELISA) and western blot. Each mAb exhibited binding to two major protein bands on western blot at 32 kDa and 36 kDa. Characterization by chemical and enzymatic modification of the antigen determined whether mAbs were protein specific or specific for the carbohydrate portion of the glycoprotein. Affinity chromatography with the protein specific mAbs demonstrated specific binding to -1,4-xylanase and cross-reactivity with -1,3-glucanase, -1,4-glucanase, and -1,4-mannanase. These mAbs were also immunoreactive with polysaccharidases from liquid culture filtrates when tested by ELISA.The mAbs have been utilized to successfully detected P. placenta by ELISA in decayed southern yellow pine at a weight loss of 3.6%.This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and it is therefore the public domain and not subject to copyright. The Forest Products Laboratory is maintained in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin     

Responses of fractal dimensions of Picea koraiensis seedlings to different light environments

I "trod notionNatural lines, such as coastlines, mountain outlines, or boundaries between forest types, usuallyhave spatial dimensions, called "f racial dimensions,"that are greater than one. The excess over one indicates the amount of convolution within a line. Similarly, the dimensions of natural surfsces exceed two.Natural lines are hybrids betWeen ideal lines andsurfaces, just as classical surfaces and volumesserve as the ideal extremes of actual surfsces.Tree crown is a truly fractal obj…     

Application of micromechanical models to tensile properties of wood–plastic composites

Wood–plastic composites (WPC) were produced with white birch pulp fibers of different aspect ratios (length-to-diameter), high-density polyethylene, and using two common processes: extrusion or injection molding. Three additive levels were also used: no additive, compatibility agent, and process lubricant. Fiber size was measured with an optical fiber quality analyzer. Tensile properties of WPC were measured and modeled as a function of fiber aspect ratio. Models were fitted to experimental values using the minimum sum of squared error method. A shift from the oriented fiber case (injection molding) to the randomly oriented fiber case (extrusion) was achieved using a fiber orientation factor. Fiber/matrix stress transfer increased with increasing fiber aspect ratio. Stress transfer was reduced with the use of process lubricant. Unexpectedly, the compatibility agent had the same effect. Fiber strength and stiffness contributions to the composite were lower than those of intrinsic fiber properties.     

Key Impact Factors to Success of Forest Certification

Forest certification has developed very quickly across the world as one of the most important market initiative to promote sustainable forest management (SFM). Its success and effectiveness are influenced by some key factors, including credibility, cost effectiveness, certification standard, effectiveness, equitableness, government’s role and laws/regulations framework. The paper analyzed these key factors to the success of forest certification and put forward relevant suggestions and advices for China to develop forest certification.     

Application of Native Tree Species to Urban Forest

Native tree species plays important roles in theconstruction of urban forest. It bears manyadvantages, such as sufficient cultural context, strongecologic adaptability, high performance-cost ratio andconvenient management. The authors put forwardseveral countermeasures based on the existingproblems. And this paper will be very helpful inunderstanding why native tree species are put in animportant position in the construction of urban forest.The plant is the material basis of constructing urban…     

Study on Resistance of Poplars to Marssonina brunnea

PoplarisakindofgrowingquicklyspecieswithhighornaInentajandappliedvaluesisusedextensiveIyintllestreetofcitiesbotanicaIgardenandfarmprotection.Thep0pIarsarealwaysfacingthethreatsofdiseasesandinsectswI1ichcanmakethemdecIineingrowingandevendie.One0ftl1eiInpor…     

Effects of Pruning to Promote Trunk Extensionon Annual Growth Rhythm of Paulownia

TreesgrowthregularityandtheirannualgrowthrhythmareusuallysimulatedandanalyzedbyRichardsequation(TangShouzheng,etal,1999;RichardsJ,1959;WangMingliang,etal,2000).However,previousstudiesonPaulowniaannualgrowthrhythmhavebeenlaidparticularstressonseedlingscultureandyoungplantletselectionofclonesbutlackofrelevantstudyonwoodcycles(ZhaoDaning,etal,1993;FuDali,etal,2001;ZhouYongxue,etal,1996).ThenaturaltrunkextensionanditsstraightnessofPaulowniaarerestrictedprodigiouslybycharacteristicsofpseudo-d…     

Use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Mechanical Properties of Solid Wood

The visible and near infrared （NIR） （350-2500 nm） spectra and the MOE of 438 small clear wood samples from Chinese fir, eucalyptus and poplar 72 were measured. Using partial least-square （PLS） modeling, the NIR spectra could be used to predict MOE and MOR of the clear-wood samples from Chinese fir and eucalyptus solid wood. NIR spectra could only be used to Predict MOE but not MOR of poplar clear-wood samples. With the exception of MoR of poplar clear-wood samples, the correlations between NIR and the mechanical properties are very strong, and the calibration and test correlation coefficients are both above 0.80.     

Issues Relating to Forestry and the Mitigation of Poverty

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