Effect of ACQ-D Treatment on the Surface Free Energy of Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata)

In this study, the contact angles of three different reference liquids (including distilled water, diiodomethane, and formamide) and PF resin on the surfaces of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) samples untreated or treated with different con- centrations of ACQ-D (ammoniacal copper quat Type D) solutions were measured. Then, the surface free energy was calculated by two approaches: acid-base approach and geometric mean approach. ACQ-D treatment caused higher contact angles and lower surface free energies at a retention level corresponding to the commodity treated wood products. When wood was treated with much higher concentrations of ACQ-D, the total surface free energy of wood would be higher than the untreated control. Acid-base/polar compo- nents related with the hydrogen bonding state in wood were considered to be responsible for the observed changes according to the applied approaches. The hydrophobic properties and also higher contact angles of PF resin drop on wood surfaces after ACQ-D treatment at a reasonable retention level confirms the changes on surface free energy.     

Weed control measures in Christmas tree plantations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies nordmanniana</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies lasiocarpa</Emphasis> on agricultural land

Abies nordmanniana and Abies lasiocarpa, established for Christmas tree production in southwestern Norway (58°44′N, 5°38′E), were treated with different weed control methods, including chemicals, use of black plastic mulch, grass or clover as ground cover, living mulch and mechanical hoeing. Ground cover with black plastic mulching resulted in the best growth and quality in A. lasiocarpa; the least favourable treatment was when grasses were allowed to grow close to the trees. Unless measures were taken to remove this competing vegetation, the ground cover grew over the trees, smothering 94% of them. A. nordmanniana plants grew to the same height on plots with no weed control as on plots with thorough weed eradication. Stem diameter decreased on plots with ground vegetation compared to seedlings grown in the weed-free environment. The use of Trifolium repens as ground cover decreased height growth by 30% compared to thorough weed control. Both grasses and clover sown as living mulch, damaged the trees more than did natural weed vegetation.     

Composition and partition of biomass in a smith fir (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies georgei</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">smithii</Emphasis>) timberline forest on the Sergyemla Mountain,southeastern Tibetan Plateau

The southeastern Tibetan Plateau has the highest timberlines in the world and climate change affects this area to a considerable extent.Quantification of vegetation biomass in the forests at the timberline is essential for understanding carbon balance,forest structure and functional changes in the forests at timberlines.We describe biomass and its constituent components of a smith fir timberline forest occurring at an elevation of 4320 m on the Sergyemla Mountain in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.The results show that,in the tree layer,the average diameter at breast height(DBH) was 35.6 cm,the density 251 trees per hectare with a total biomass of 309.9 t.ha-1.Of the total biomass,the trunks accounted for 70.49%,branches for 9.09%,leaves for 5.57% and roots for 14.85%.The total biomass in the shrub layer was 77.9 t.ha-1 of which the biomass of trunks,branches,leaves and roots accounted for 42.8,14.9,4.6 and 15.6 t.ha-1,respectively.The total biomass in the herb layer was 3.0 t.ha-1.The total vegetation biomass in the smith fir timberline forest was 390.9 t.ha-1,to which the tree layer contributed the most(79.3%),followed by shrubs(19.9%) and herbs(0.8%).We estimate that the smith fir forest stand at the timberline had a higher total biomass than other fir or spruce forest stands in the surrounding area.     

冰雪灾害对杉木林地养分分布的影响

2008年1月至2月,我国南方发生了严重的冰雪灾害,受害的森林地面达2.09×106km2。为了了解冰雪灾害对杉木的损害和由此引起的林地养分分布特点,作者调查粤北一个杉木林地的受害情况。冻雨在杉木枝叶上形成冰柱,造成所有的林木折冠。林木折断的高度和胸径呈显著相关。树冠残体的养分总浓度随残体组分而变化,呈理叶>皮>枝>干。树冠残体的干重达19.11t·hm-2,枝、树干、叶和皮分别占37%、28%、27%和8%。2008年树冠残体的养分分布随组分而急剧变化,其中叶的养分量占残体养分总量的70%,枝、干和皮分别占13%、7%和10%。2008年杉木林地的N、P、K 的积累量为105067.9 t·hm-2,杉木残体、凋落物和土壤分别占0.18%、0.03%和99.79%。养分积累量在树冠残体各组分和凋落物中的排序为N>K>P,而在土壤中为K>N>P。2009年的凋落物中N和P浓度大于2008年的凋落物,而K浓度小于后者。2009年的干和皮残体中N和P浓度略大于2008年的干和皮残体,而K浓度正好相反。2009年的干和皮残体中的N和P储量与2008年接近,K储量略小于后者。2009年的凋落物中N、P和K储量大于20...     

Dendroclimatological regions of Douglas fir (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudotsuga menziesii</Emphasis> Franco) in western Poland

Abstract Six Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco) stands were selected in both the Sudety Mountains and the Great Poland Lowland. These two regions are distinctly different with regard to thermal and pluvial conditions. In each stand, two increment cores per tree were extracted from 20 approximately 100-year-old trees and the tree-ring widths measured. It is clear from the different growth reactions of the study trees to the climatic conditions that the Sudety Mountains and the Great Poland Lowland are two dendrochronologically separate regions. The tree-ring width chronologies form homogeneous groups for each region. The tree ring–climate models for Douglas fir in both regions indicate similarities and differences. The similarities among chronologies are attributed to winter temperature. The differences are attributed to rainfall (which changes with longitude and altitude of sites) during the vegetation season.     

冷湿层积法对印度冷杉(Abies pindrow)和长叶云杉(Picea smithiana）种子萌发的影响

研究赤霉素(GA3),冷湿和温度 对五个种源的印度冷杉(Abies pindrow)和长叶云杉(Picea smithiana)种子萌发的影响.种子被浸泡在GA3 (10 mg(L-1)中24小时,然后在3(5(C温度的条件下冷藏15天.设计4个温度(10(C, 15(C, 20(C 和 25(C)条件来促进种子的萌发.结果表明,浸泡和冷湿处理明显增加种子的萌发率.在10 (C时种子的萌发率最高.总体结果表明,种子被浸泡在GA3 (10 mg(L-1)中24小时,冷湿藏15天,可以有效地促进印度冷杉和长叶云杉的种子萌发.统计数据表明,浸泡处理、温度和种源以及与温度的相互作用都对种子的萌发有明显的影响.     

A generalized algebraic difference approach allows an improved estimation of aboveground biomass dynamics of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cunninghamia lanceolata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Castanopsis sclerophylla</Emphasis> forests

Key message

A generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) developed in this study improved the estimation of aboveground biomass dynamics of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook and Castanopsis sclerophylla (Lindl.) Schott forests. This could significantly improve the fieldwork efficiency for dynamic biomass estimation without repeated measurements.

Context

The estimation of biomass growth dynamics and stocks is a fundamental requirement for evaluating both the capability and potential of forest carbon sequestration. However, the biomass dynamics of Cunninghamia lanceolata and Castanopsis sclerophylla using the generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) model has not been made to date.

Aims

This study aimed to quantify aboveground biomass (AGB, including stem, branch and leaf biomass) dynamics and AGB increment in C. lanceolata and C. sclerophylla forests by combining a GADA for diameter prediction with allometric biomass models.

Methods

A total of 12 plots for a C. lanceolata plantation and 11 plots for a C. sclerophylla forest were selected randomly from a 100 m × 100 m systematic grid placed over the study area. GADA model was developed based on tree ring data for each stand.

Results

GADA models performed well for diameter prediction and successfully predicted AGB dynamics for both stands. The mean AGB of the C. lanceolata stand ranged from 69.4 ± 7.7 Mg ha^?1 in 2010 to 102.5 ± 11.4 Mg ha^?1 in 2013, compared to 136.9 ± 7.0 Mg ha^?1 in 2010 to 154.8 ± 8.0 Mg ha^?1 in 2013 for C. sclerophylla. The stem was the main component of AGB stocks and production. Significantly higher production efficiency (stem production/leaf area index) and AGB increment was observed for C. lancolata compared to C. sclerophylla.

Conclusion

Dynamic GADA models could overcome the limitations posed by within-stand competition and limited biometric data, can be applied to study AGB dynamics and AGB increment, and contribute to improving our understanding of net primary production and carbon sequestration dynamics in forest ecosystems.

     

Dielectric properties of copper-ethanolamine treated Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata Hook.)

In order to clarify the interaction between copper and wood substances in wood treated with copper containing water-borne wood preservatives, the dielectric constant ε′ and dielectric loss factor ε″ of untreated wood and wood treated with four concentration levels of copper-ethanolamine (Cu-EA) solutions were determined within a temperature range from –100 to 40°C and a frequency range from 100 to 1 MHz. Three dielectric relaxation processes were observed in the ε″ spectrum; among them R-I is based on the reorientation of methylol groups in the amorphous region of wood cell walls and R-II is related to wood extractives. R-III appeared in Cu-EA treated wood, and its magnitude decreases with the concentration of Cu-EA solutions used in this experiment. This relaxation process was considered to be based on the reorientation of copper-ethanolamine-wood complexes in wood cell walls. At low copper retention, the hydrogen in the complex can form hydrogen bonding with adjacent hydroxyl groups, which results in a strong bonding state between copper and wood; at high copper retention, the numerous copper-ethanolamine complexes not only hinder them from forming hydrogen bonding with adjacent wood molecules due to steric hindrance, but also weaken the interaction between wood molecules themselves, which corresponds to reducing ε″ values of both R-I and R-III processes. The results explain the fact of in-creasing copper leaching in wood treated with high concentration copper-based water-borne preservatives.     

Successful <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus tomentosa</Emphasis> with apple <Emphasis Type="Italic">SPDS</Emphasis> gene

The problem of salinized soils has become one of the most serious constraints to agricultural and forest productivity. With the purpose of enhancing salt stress tolerance of Populus tomentosa, we transformed this tree species with spermidine synthase （SPDS） genes derived from an apple by an Agrobacterium-mediated method. Four transgenic clones were confu＇med by PCR and Southern blot analysis. As well, the expression of introduced SPDS genes was analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bursaphelenchus mucronatus</Emphasis> (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) vectored by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monochamus </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">urussovi</Emphasis> (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Hokkaido,Japan

Bursaphelenchus mucronatus Mamiya et Enda has been recovered for the first time from adults of the cerambycid beetle, Monochamus urussovi (Fischer), in Hokkaido, Japan. The nematode was also recovered from the inner bark of Picea jezoensis (Siebold et Zuccarini) Carrière and Abies sachalinensis (Fr Schmidt) Masters infested with M. urussovi larvae. PCR–RFLP analysis indicated that B. mucronatus in Hokkaido is the European type.     

Effectiveness of Neem (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Azadirachta indica</Emphasis>) insecticides against Brassica pod midge (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dasineura brassicae</Emphasis> Winn<Emphasis Type="Italic">.</Emphasis>)

The efficiency of the botanical insecticide (BI) NeemAzal T/S (containing 1% Azadirachtin A), on the basis of azadirachtin applied in a dose of 20 g a.i. ha⁻¹ against Brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae), has been monitored for 4 years. The biological efficiency of BI was compared with the efficiency of some synthetic insecticides. It was ascertained that BI was very efficient in decreasing the number of damaged oilseed rape pods (ranging from 56.5 to 85.9% compared to untreated plants) and its efficiency was comparable with synthetic insecticides based on Chloronicotinyl (Thiacloprid) and Neonicotinoid (Acetamiprid). BI’s efficiency was, in some years, even significantly higher compared to pyrethroid (λ-cyhalothrin). The high biological efficiency of azadirachtin that we ascertained was significantly reflected in increasing potential crop yields. The yield increase of azadirachtin ranged between 9.3 and 19.4% compared to the control sample. Azadirachtin showed the highest yield for the whole time of experimentation, and in some years the yield increase was significantly higher compared to some synthetic agents.     

Cultivation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pleurotus eryngii</Emphasis> on umbrella plant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyperus alternifolius</Emphasis>) substrate

Mycelial growth and mushroom yields of three strains of Pleurotus eryngii produced on wheat bran-supplemented umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius) substrate were assessed using surface brightness, bromophenol blue color reactions, ergosterol and glucosamine contents, and water potential as indicators of strain performance. Mycelial growth was 31%–46% greater, depending on strain, on the umbrella plant substrate compared with the mushroom industry standard sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) substrate. Mushroom yields on the first flush were 20%–23% higher, depending on strain, on the plastic bottle-contained umbrella plant substrate. However, yields on the second break were lower from the umbrella plant substrate. Because many growers in Japan only harvest one flush, production of P. eryngii on umbrella plant substrate may offer commercial producers an alternative basal ingredient to diminishing supplies of sugi sawdust.Part of this report was presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Gifu, April 2002.     

Photosynthetically active radiation use efficiency of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylis glomerata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schedonorus phoenix</Emphasis> along a hardwood tree-induced light gradient

Photosynthetically active radiation use efficiency (PARUE) of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub) was determined. Leaf mass was harvested for canopies at different shade levels when each reached 20 cm height with 5 cm residue for regrowth to simulate grazing. Total incident PAR at each site was summed for the growth period (S-PAR). Values for PARUE were calculated from dried leaf mass divided by S-PAR. The more highly shaded plants reached 20 cm at lower S-PAR. While overall leaf mass decreased linearly with shade induced decreases in S-PAR, PARUE increased exponentially. The coefficients for the equations representing this exponential increase vary for forage species and may represent a useful index for characterizing forage response to silvopastoral systems.     

Pathogenic effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xenorhabdus nematophilus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Photorhabdus luminescens</Emphasis> (Enterobacteriaceae) against pupae of the Diamondback Moth, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plutella xylostella</Emphasis> (L.)

The relationship between Xenorhabdus nematophilus and Photorhabdus luminescens, the bacterial symbionts of the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, against the diamondback moth, P. xylostella (L.), pupae showed the pathogenic capability of P. luminescens to be over that of X. nematophilus. They gave 60 and 40?% mortality with LC₅₀ values of 5?×?10⁴ and 5.5?×?10⁵ cells/ml, respectively.The number of bacterial cells influences the rate of killing the pupae of P. xylostella and a direct correlation between mortality of the pupae, percentage of deformed adults and the spraying dose with significant differences were observed. An inverse correlation found between the no. of eggs laid/female, percentage of hatching, adult survival and the spraying dose. These bacterial effects have been attributed to different toxic bacterial enzymes which damage the haemocytes and inhibit activation of the humoral immune system of the insect.     

Insecticidal properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thymus persicus</Emphasis> essential oil against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tribolium castaneum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitophilus oryzae</Emphasis>

Red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.) are considered to be the major insect pests in storage. Essential oils from aromatic plants are recognized as proper alternatives to fumigants. Thymus persicus (Ronniger ex Rech. f.) is one of these plants that have medicinal properties and is indigenous to Iran. The essential oil was obtained from aerial parts of the plant and analyzed by GC and GC–MS. Carvacrol (44.69%) and thymol (11.05%) were the major constituents of the oil extracted. In this experiment, fumigant toxicity of the essential oil was studied against T. castaneum, S. oryzae at 27 ± 1°C and 60 ± 5% RH in dark condition. The adult insects were exposed to the concentrations of 51.9, 111.1, 207.4 and 370.4 μl/l air to estimate median lethal time (LT₅₀) values. The fumigant toxicity was increased in response to increased essential oil concentrations. The LT₅₀ values at the lowest and the highest concentrations tested were ranged from 28.09 to 13.47 h for T. castaneum, and 3.86 to 2.30 h for S. oryzae. It was found that S. oryzae adults were much more susceptible to the oil than T. castaneum. After 24 h of exposure, the LC₅₀ values (95% fiducial limit) for T. castaneum and S. oryzae were estimated to be 236.9 (186.27–292.81) and 3.34 (2.62–4.28) μl/l air, respectively. These results suggest that T. persicus essential oil merits further study as potential fumigant for the management of these stored-product insects.     

Effect of micro-environmental factors on natural regeneration of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sal</Emphasis> (S<Emphasis Type="Italic">horea robusta</Emphasis>)

Micro-environmental factors viz., soil moisture and light intensity are important factors that affect natural regeneration in forests. These factors vary spatially depending on the overhead canopy density of the forest. The present study focused on studying the effect of variation of soil moisture and light intensity on natural regeneration of sal species (Shorea robusta) under different micro-environments due to overhead canopy of varying forest density. Experimental plots of 40m× 40m size were laid under different overhead canopy densities in a small sal forested watershed in the foot hills of Himalayas in Nainital District of Uttarakhand State, India. The plots were monitored on a long term basis for soil moisture at multi depths, light intensity and natural regeneration of sal. The results of the study revealed that the natural regeneration was highest under C1 (up to-0.30) canopy followed by C2 (0.30–0.50), and C3 (0.50–0.70) canopies. The C3 canopy showed the dying back of sal shoots over 4 years of study. The highest R² value of linear regression between incremental score of plot regeneration and average soil moisture content was obtained as 0.156 for average soil moisture content during non-monsoon months at 100 cm depth. The R² value between incremental score of plot regeneration and annual average light intensity was obtained as 0.688 which indicated that the regeneration is largely dependent on the light intensity conditions during the year. The multiple linear regression analysis between the incremental score of regeneration and the average light intensity and average soil moisture content revealed that that about 80% of variation in regeneration is explained by both the factors.     

Effects of resource plant size on rooting of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dryobalanops lanceolata</Emphasis> cuttings

 Cuttings from older trees of the Dipterocarpaceae generally lose their ability to root. However, branches in a canopy of adult dipterocarps are a possible source of cuttings because they show juvenile characteristics in architecture due to “adaptive reiteration”, suggesting physiological rejuvenation. Effects of resource plant size on the rooting of cuttings and the possibility of using cuttings from reiterated branches of adult trees were studied for Dryobalanops lanceolata, an emergent dipterocarp species. A cutting experiment with non-mist propagators was conducted for cuttings collected from resource plants of four different size classes: <2 m, 2–5 m, 8–15 m, and 70 m in height. The smallest size class included two different age classes: <2 and >2 years old. Cuttings from the tallest resource plant were collected from reiterated branches. Rooting percentage was negatively correlated with resource plant size: 77–78% for resource plants <2 m, 63% for 2–5 m, 36% for 8–15 m, and 0% for 70 m. Rooting percentages of cuttings collected from different individuals were not different for the 2–5 m tall class, while they were significantly different for the 8–15 m tall class. Resource plant size was negatively correlated with the number of roots for rooted cuttings. No significant relationship was observed between resource plant size and mean length of each root, total root length or total root dry weight for rooted cuttings. The results suggest the possibility of collecting cuttings from relatively large resource plants up to 15 m tall and >20 years old if we chose good individuals for resource plants. The results, however, show the difficulty in using reiterated branches of adult trees as a source of cuttings for D. lanceolata. Received: October 15, 2001 / Accepted: November 11, 2002 Acknowledgments We express our sincere thanks to Dr. S. Tamura, Dr. K. Ogino, and Mr. A.A. Hamid for their kind support. The tree tower was constructed in a cooperative project between Japan and Sarawak supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (Grant NP0201). The cutting experiment was partly funded by the Nippon Life Insurance Foundation and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS-RFTF96R16001). Correspondence to:A. Itoh     

Side effects of selected insecticides on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tuta absoluta</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) predators <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrolophus pygmaeus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nesidiocoris tenuis</Emphasis> (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Tuta absoluta is a pest native to South America that produces significant damage to tomato crops and was first detected in Europe in late 2006. Data obtained during 2008 from commercial tomato crops in which IPM was applied suggested that good pest control was possible through the combined action of the predatory mirid bugs Macrolophus pygmaeus and Nesidiocoris tenuis and the use of selective insecticides. The aim of our study was to evaluate the lethal and sublethal side effects of three of the insecticides most widely used to control T. absoluta on these predators: azadirachtin, spinosad and indoxacarb. Seven days after applying the treatment at the maximum recommended field rates, the mortality produced by indoxacarb ranged from 28% for nymphs of M. pygmaeus to 77% for females of N. tenuis and were significantly higher than those produced by azadirachtin, spinosad and the control (<13%). However, indoxacarb did not affect the number of descendants of females exposed to residues during the last days of their preimaginal development. In contrast, spinosad significantly reduced the offspring of M. pygmaeus and azadirachtin significantly reduced the offspring of N. tenuis females. The sublethal effects of azadirachtin and spinosad on predator reproduction should therefore not be ignored. This information could be useful when selecting the most appropriate insecticide to control T. absoluta in greenhouses and field crops in which M. pygmaeus and N. tenuis are used as biological control agents.