Establishment and expansion of a Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Den. & Schiff.) (Lep. Notodontidae) population with a shifted life cycle in a production pine forest,Central-Coastal Portugal

In 1997, a temporally shifted population of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Den. & Schiff.), was recorded for the first time in a restricted area of the oldest National Pine Forest of Portugal—the National Pine Forest of Leiria. This new population larval development takes place during the summer (summer population—SP), while in the normal population it takes place during the winter (winter population—WP). Between 2000 and 2003, we assessed the distribution and expansion of the SP, and quantified the differences in population densities, mortality and major life history traits with the WP within the Leiria Forest. The SP occurred at higher population levels (5–35% attacked trees) in a large continuous area of young plantations with high tree density, the same area where it was initially discovered. These densities were higher than the ones recorded for the WP in any part of the forest (0–12%), although both populations coexist geographically. The temporally shifted population preferably attacked young plantations. It also expanded south, following the direction of the dominant winds during adult flight. SP had a lower fecundity than the WP, however it benefited from lower egg mortality due mostly to a low rate of parasitism. It also benefited from a lower mortality in the early larval instars leading to low levels of colony extinction. SP larvae take half the time compared to the WP larvae, to reach the same final mass, probably due to the fact that they develop under higher temperature and global radiation. Separated emergence timings of adults lead to an allochronic isolation of the two populations. However, if this might represent an allochronic speciation event has to await further ecological and evolutionary studies of the system.     

The influence of fire severity,serotiny, and post-fire management on Pinus pinaster Ait. recruitment in three burnt areas in Galicia (NW Spain)

The effect of fire severity and post-fire management on Pinus pinaster recruitment was evaluated in three burnt areas in Galicia (NW Spain) exhibiting different levels of serotiny. Three sites were sampled, each of which had two of the following levels of fire severity: combusted crown, scorched crown and unaffected crown. Viable seed rain was closed related to the canopy cone bank and stand serotiny level. Soil burn severity also favoured seed dispersal. Relative germination success increased with soil burn severity whereas initial and final seedling density depended on both the canopy cone bank and soil burn severity. A positive influence of fire severity on the final/initial seedling density and final density/total seed dispersal ratios was also observed.     

Differentiation of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and P. pallida (H. & B. ex. Willd.) H.B.K. using foliar characters and ploidy

Two species of Prosopis, Prosopis juliflora and Prosopis pallida, native to Central America and northern South America, have been widely introduced and are now found throughout the world’s hot arid and semi-arid zones. However, these species are frequently misidentified, especially where introduced, hampering genetic improvement and effective management. Samples from trees previously identified as either P. juliflora or P. pallida were divided into two groups by multivariate analysis using selected foliar characters. One group contained known tetraploids and the other contained known diploids. It was concluded that the tetraploid and diploid groups correspond to P. juliflora and P. pallida, respectively. Triploid individuals were also identified, the first report of these in the genus Prosopis. A dichotomous key was developed to differentiate the species, using number of interfoliar glands per rachis, number of leaflet pairs per pinna and leaflet length. P. juliflora and P. pallida grown from seed collected within their respective native ranges were correctly identified using the key. Where introduced, samples from Burkina Faso, Jordan and India were confirmed as P. juliflora, but those from Brazil, Cape Verde and Senegal were identified as P. pallida, rather than P. juliflora, the species assumed to be naturalized in these countries. The correct identification of these two species will facilitate the genetic improvement and management of P. juliflora and P. pallida. There is a strong case for basing future selection and genetic improvement programs on P. pallida rather than P. juliflora. Further collection and evaluation of P. pallida is therefore required, together with conservation programs in the native range.     

Growth analysis on the competition–density effect in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) and Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) stands

The competition–density (C–D) effect for Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) and Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) stands was analyzed using the reciprocal equation of the C–D effect, i.e. 1/w=Aρ+B, where w and ρ, respectively, represent mean stem volume and stand density. The C–D curve, which is given by the reciprocal equation on logarithmic coordinates, shifted upward with the progress of time. The coefficients A and B included in the reciprocal equation were calculated at each growth stage. The biological time τ defined as the integral of λ(t), the coefficient of growth in the general logistic growth curve, with respect to physical time t, tended to increase to an asymptote with increasing t. With increasing τ, the coefficient A, the reciprocal of which means the asymptote of yield (=wρ), increased abruptly up to a maximum value and then tended to decrease gradually to a constant level. On the other hand, the coefficient B, the reciprocal of which means the asymptote of mean stem volume, decreased exponentially and tended to close to zero with increasing τ. The λ(t) decreased with increasing stand age, whereas the final yield Y(t) defined as W(t) ρ, where W(t) is the asymptote of w in the general logistic growth curve, tended to increase gradually with increasing stand age.     

四川省大邑县舞毒蛾天敌的研究*

１９９３年在大邑县共收集到舞毒蛾天敌３０种，其中寄生性昆虫１９种，捕食性昆虫９种，病毒和虫霉菌各１种。卵期平均寄生率为２７．０６％±０．５４％，大蛾卵跳小蜂是主要天敌。幼虫期天敌有病毒、斑痣悬茧蜂、毒蛾镶颚姬蜂和绒茧蜂等，平均杀死幼虫５１．５９％±６．４８％。蛹期主要天敌有寄蝇、广大腿小蜂和脊腿囊爪姬蜂等，平均寄生率达３２．９１％±２６．４０％。在舞毒蛾卵－蛹期，累计约有８７．６２％的个体被天敌致死。     

Density-dependent effects of northern hardwood competition on selected environmental resources and young white spruce (Picea glauca) plantation growth, mineral nutrition, and stand structural development – a 5-year study

The effects of competition from red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) and northern hardwood tree species on white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings were examined on a clearcut site of the boreal mixedwood forest of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada. A controlled experiment involving a gradient of five vegetation densities on the basis of the leaf area index (LAI) was established in a completely randomized plot design with six replications. Each of the five levels of vegetation cover (including vegetation-free plots) were examined to evaluate how they affected environmental factors (quantity and quality of light reaching the spruce seedlings, and soil temperature), spruce growth (height, basal diameter, volume index, and above-ground biomass), spruce mortality, browsing damage, spruce foliar mineral nutrition, as well as the stand structural development, during the first 5 years after seedling planting.

Each spruce growth variable analyzed in this study, according to a RMANOVA procedure, followed a negative hyperbolic form of density dependence of competitive effects. Loss of growth in young white spruce plantations in competition with northern hardwoods is likely to occur with the first few competitors. In cases where higher levels of competing vegetation were maintained over time, loss of spruce growth was extremely severe, to an extent where the exponential growth character of the young trees has been lost. At the end of the fifth year, spruce growing with no interference were larger in mean total above-ground biomass by a factor of 9.7 than those growing with the highest level of vegetation cover. Spruce did not develop a strategy of shade avoidance by increasing tree height, on the contrary. Spruce mortality differed among treatments only in the fifth year, indicating that early evaluation of spruce survival is not a strong indicator of competitive effects, when compared to diameter growth. Spruce foliar N and Ca contents were significantly reduced by the first level of competing vegetation cover, while K increased with the density of the vegetation cover, and P and Mg were not affected. Nitrogen nutrition of young white spruce planted on recently disturbed sites is discussed in relation to the potential root discrimination of this species against soil nitrate, a reaction observed by Kronzucker et al. [Kronzucker, H.J., Siddiqi, M.Y., Glass, A.D.M., 1997. Conifer root discrimination against soil nitrate and the ecology of forest succession. Nature London 385, 59–61]. The effects of hardwood competition indicate a prevalence of competition for light over a competition for nutrients, as revealed by the substantial increase in the h/d ratio of white spruce. Two indicators, h/d ratio and the quantity of light received at the tree seedling level, are suggested as a basis for the management of hardwood competition in a white spruce plantation.

Analysis of the stand structural development indicates that spruce height distribution was affected only by moderate or dense cover of vegetation, while diameter distribution, when compared to competing vegetation-free plots, was affected by the lowest level of vegetation cover. This study shows that competition influenced the stand structural development in the same way as genetic and micro-site factors by aggravating the amplitude of size inequality. The impact of hardwood competition is discussed in view of reaching an equilibrium between optimal spruce plantation growth and benefits from further silvicultural treatments, and maintaining hardwood species known to improve long term site quality, within a white spruce plantation.