On the occurrence and ecology of the Rhododendron-leafhopper,Graphocephala fennahi young 1977, in the Western Palaearctic region (Homoptera,Cicadellidae)

The cicadellid Rhododendron-leafhopper,Graphocephala fennahi Young, was imported from the Nearctic region to Europe during the first half of this century. Since this time, it expanded its colonized area in the Palaearctis occurring often in cities on ornamental plants. The Palaearctic populations of this species showed changes of foodplants which are regionally often found in phytophagous insects. A synoptic view of the occurrence ofG. fennahi in Europe and of its food plants recorded is given. The species possibly contributes to the distribution of a pathogenic fungus onRhododendron which is rapidly spreading in European countries.     

Primary studies on the parasitoid fauna of Coccoidea in cultivated and non-cultivated areas in the east Mediterranean region of Turkey

The parasitoid fauna of Coccoidea in cultivated and noncultivated areas was studied in the east Mediterranean region of Turkey in 1994–1997. In total, 25 parasitoid species belonging to Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, and Eulophidae (Hymenoptera) were reared from 21 different scale hosts. On crop plants, mainly citrus and peach, 13 parasitoids from eleven Coccoidea hosts were determined while 14 parasitoid species were obtained from twelve scale insects on non-cultivated plants. Seven parasitoid species are new records for the Turkish insect fauna. Only one of them was found on citrus, while the other six species were sampled in non-cultivated areas. The most common parasitoids encountered wereAphytis melinus DeBach,Encarsia berlesei (Howard) (Aphelinidae),comperiella bifasciata Howard (Encyrtidae), andMetaphycus flavus (Howard) (Eulophidae) in cultivated areas andCoccophagus lycimnia (Walker) (Aphelinidae) in non-cultivated areas. All other parasitoids species were obtained only from a few scale insects hosts.     

云南窗翅叶蝉属一新种(同翅目:叶蝉科:大叶蝉亚科)

记述采自我国云南省的窗翅叶蝉属1新种:大斑窗翅叶蝉Mileewaamplimaculasp.nov..详细描记了新种的外部形态特征和雄虫外生殖器构造,并附主要特征图.模式标本保存在贵州大学昆虫研究所.     

Site index models for Calabrian pine in the central Mediterranean region of Turkey

Stem analysis data of 432 trees were obtained from even-aged, pure natural stands of Calabrian pine in the central Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Eight dynamic site equations derived with the Generalized Algebraic Difference Approach (GADA) were compared, based on autoregressive analysis and a thorough evaluation of the goodness of fit. We used generalized nonlinear least squares methods for model fitting. The adjusted coefficients of determination (0.9825–0.9842), root-mean-square errors (0.8004–0.8435 m), and Akaike’s information criterion differences (0–145) indicated a good fit of the eight site index equations. The Hossfeld equation (M3) provided the best result. The Durbin-Watson test statistic did not reveal an autocorrelation issue while the Hossfeld equation provided a satisfactory solution to the serial correlation problem in stem analysis data as time series using autoregressive modeling. This study presents new site index models for Calabrian pine forests in the central Mediterranean region of Turkey where it is the most important commercial tree species. The site index equation, based on the Hossfeld model is recommended for height growth prediction and site classification of Calabrian pine stands in the central Mediterranean region of Turkey, providing a new basis for growth prediction and yield estimation in these important forest ecosystems.     

陕西太白山横皱叶蝉属一新种记述(同翅目:叶蝉科:广头叶蝉亚科)

记述了采自陕西太白山的横皱叶蝉属1新种,即凸斑横皱叶蝉Oncopsis convexus sp.nov.,新种模式标本保存在西北农林科技大学昆虫博物馆.     

Selection of promising chestnuts(Castanea sativa) among wild growing trees from southern Mediterranean region forests of Turkey

Turkey ranked third place in the world for chestnut production after China and South Korea and the country has unique chestnut forests including valuable and diverse chestnut genotypes. This study was conducted to select superior chestnut genotypes within seedling populations found in natural wild grown chestnut forest located in Isparta province in Turkey during 2010–2011 years. A total of 2500 wild grown chestnut trees were examined on the field first year and among them the most promising22 genotypes were chosen according to relatively high yield capacity, earliness, tolerance to chestnut blight(Cryphonectria parasitica), ink disease(Phytopthora cambivora), and fruit quality characteristics. The selected22 genotypes were evaluated for their detailed morphological, phenological and pomological traits in 2010 and2011. According to average of 2 years, nut weight, the number of nut per kilogram, nut width, nut length, nut height and nut shell thickness of 22 promising genotypes ranged from 10.26 to 22.32 g, 97.47 to 44.80/kg, 26.80 to42.47, 16.92 to 25.91, 27.74 to 39.73, and 0.26 to 1.01 mm,respectively. The ash, crude protein, and total fat content of kernels were between 0.85 to 1.94, 3.69 to 7.06 and 1.32 to4.52, respectively. The genotypes were evaluated with weighted ranking method and the highest general qualityscore was observed in genotypes of IY17, IY01, IY42,IY43 and IY12.     

Deadwood volume assessment in Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) peri-urban forests: Comparison between two sampling methods

In the Sustainable Forest Management, deadwood is a fundamental substrate for numerous species, and a key factor in carbon and nutrient cycles. The main aim of the paper is to estimate the amount of deadwood in two Calabrian pine forests (Monte Morello in Italy; Xanthi in Greece) characterized by different stand conditions and management practices. The second aim is to compare two different sampling methods to estimate the volume of lying deadwood: the fixed-area sampling (FAS) method and the line intersect sampling (LIS) method. The results show that the Monte Morello peri-urban forest is characterized by a high quantity of deadwood (75.1 m³ ha^?1) divided in 80% of lying deadwood, 18% of standing dead trees, and 2% of stumps. The Xanthi peri-urban forest is characterized by a total amount of deadwood of 9.21 m³ ha^?1 divided in 34% of lying deadwood, 18% of standing dead trees and 48% of stumps. The mean volume of lying deadwood in Monte Morello estimated using the FAS is 59.91 m³ ha^?1, while using the LIS the mean volume is 64.9 m³ ha^?1. In the Xanthi, the mean volume of lying deadwood is 3.11 m³ ha^?1 using FAS and 5.49 m³ ha^?1 using LIS.     

Studies on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aleurothrixus floccosus</Emphasis> (Maskell) (Homoptera,Aleyrodidae) and its parasitoid, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cales noacki</Emphasis> Howard (Hymenoptera,Aphelinidae) in the East Mediterranean Region of Turkey

Survey studies of Aleurothrixus floccosus (Maskell) (Homoptera, Aleyrodidae) and its parasitoid Cales noacki Howard (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) were made in 4 provinces; namely Adana, Mersin, Hatay and Osmaniye, which are the main citrus growing areas of the East Mediterranean region of Turkey. Inoculative parasitoid releases were made in regions where no or low natural parasitism occurred after obtaining preliminary results on presence of the parasitoid. The population dynamics of A. floccosus and C. noacki were examined in Silifke (Mersin), Dörtyol (Hatay) and Yüreir (Adana), where the A. floccosus population was remarkably high at the beginning of the study in 1999. However, after parasitoid release, the pest population declined in all the sites and did not attain the same high levels again. Five predators, three parasitoids and one entomopathogen species were determined as natural enemies of A. floccosus. In addition, seven plant species, six of them belong to Rutaceae, were found as host plants for A. floccosus.     

Comparison of water quality in two catchments with different forest types in the headwater region of the Hun River,Northeast China

In the headwater catchments of the Hun River,Northeast China, secondary forests(SF) have been replaced by plantations since the 1960 s. Concern has been growing over this loss and the decline in water quality caused by the plantations. To test the effects of plantations on water quality, we selected two separate catchments covered by SF and Pinus koraiensis plantations(KP) to monitor physical and chemical properties of various hydrological variables including throughfall, stemflow,through-litterfall and runoff(flowing out of outlets of the catchments). The physical properties of water declined after water flowed through the two catchments as compared with rainwater. The pH of runoff in both catchments also dramatically decreased. The concentrations of Cl^-, NO_3^- and NH_4^+ in the runoff from the two catchments were similar(concentrations of Cl-and NH_4^+ in both catchments were similar to those in rainwater). Total P concentration in runoff of the SF catchment was higher than that of the KP catchment(P concentrations in both catchments were also higher than in rainwater) because P concentrations in litter and soil of the SF catchment were higher than those in the KP catchment. In summary, the rainwater became acidic in both catchments, but the responses of most water quality variables were similar in the two catchments, suggesting that appropriate ratios of KP in SF are feasible for secondary forest recovery and for preserving water quality(KP did not cause a decline in quality) in the headstream regions in Northeast of China.     

银杏落叶期叶片NDVI值2种拟合方法比较

【目的】对银杏Ginkgo biloba L.落叶期(9—12月)的叶片进行连续定期定点的高光谱测量,计算出能代表其生长状况和营养信息的高光谱参量NDVI值,通过选用两种不同的曲线拟合方法对其NDVI值进行宏观上的以时间为自变量的曲线拟合,选出最优拟合方法,更好地了解银杏落叶期叶片光谱特征参量NDVI值的变化趋势,从而更有效地对其进行决策和控制,为植被的大尺度遥感动态监测提供方法参考。【方法】利用SVC HR-1024I全波段地物光谱仪,选取三株健康、生长环境相同、长势相近的中龄银杏为叶片采集对象,对其落叶期冠层叶片进行定期定点定方位的高光谱观测。对获取的高光谱原始数据进行数据筛选与预处理后,通过计算得出叶片的NDVI值,分别采用二次函数拟合法和ARIMA时间序列拟合法对落叶期叶片的NDVI值进行曲线拟合,并对两种拟合方法的拟合结果进行比较,选出最适合银杏叶片落叶期NDVI值的拟合方法。【结果】二次函数拟合结果为NDVI=-0.0221T2+0.0547T+0.711,决定系数R2为0.926,但因拟合结果t值不显著,样本结果随机性大,不具广泛性;ARIMA时间序列拟合中ARIMA(2,1,2)模型估测结果与实际情况接近,R2为0.811,拟合效果较好。【结论】ARIMA时间序列拟合方法比二次行数拟合方法更适用于对银杏落叶期叶片的NDVI值进行拟合。     

Hydraulic traits are associated with the distribution range of two closely related Mediterranean firs, Abies alba Mill. and Abies pinsapo Boiss

Abies alba and Abies pinsapo are two closely related fir species that occur in the Iberian Peninsula under very different environmental conditions. Abies alba proliferates in the humid European mountains, including the Spanish Pyrenees. In contrast, A. pinsapo is a relict species that occurs in some restricted areas of the Mediterranean mountain ranges in Spain and Morocco, which experience intense summer drought periods. To cope with the high atmospheric evaporative demand during summer, A. pinsapo may either have a high resistance to xylem cavitation or develop a very efficient conducting system to reduce the soil-to-leaf water potential gradient. To investigate such hypotheses, we measured (i) the xylem vulnerability to cavitation for different populations, and (ii) several anatomical and hydraulic parameters indicating xylem sufficiency for -supplying water to the shoot in two contrasting populations of both species. Our results show that the resistance to cavitation was not different between species or populations. However, hydraulic conductivity (K(h)), specific hydraulic conductivity (K(s)), leaf-specific conductivity (LSC) and whole-shoot hydraulic conductance (K(shoot)) were higher in A. pinsapo, indicating a higher efficiency of water transport, which should contribute to maintaining its xylem tension below the threshold for rapidly increasing cavitation. The higher K(s) in A. pinsapo was largely a result of its wider tracheids, suggesting that this species may be much more vulnerable to freeze-thaw-induced cavitation than A. alba. This is consistent with the absence of A. pinsapo in northern mountain ranges with cooler winters. These physiological differences could partly explain the niche segregation and the geographical separation of these two firs.     

Comparison of Crop Rotations, and of Fertilizer with Compost, in long-term Experiments with Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) in two English Nurseries

Groups of related experiments, of more than 300 plots, withseedlings and transplants of Picea sitchensis, tested inorganicfertilizer and bracken-hopwaste compost, and compared continuousconifer cropping with a rotation in which one conifer crop inthree was replaced by fallow or a green manure crop. The experiments,lasting 15 years, were done in a nursery on moderately acidagricultural land at Kennington and in a heathland nursery onan acid sandy podsol at Wareham. At Kennington, seedlings given fertilizer grew better throughoutthan those given compost, with no additional benefit when bothwere given, despite considerable increases in soil organic matterand nutrients on compost-treated plots. On plots with fertilizer,growth was maintained during the experimental period. At Wareham,fertilizer lost its initial advantage; neither of the manunaltreatments supplied adequate amounts of major nutrients butfertilizer and compost together was better than either alone. With transplants, at both nurseries, fertilizer was slightlymore effective during the early years, but compost later. Interrupting continuous conifer cropping by fallow or greencrops had no advantage at either nursery.     

Comparison of fixed area and distance sampling methods in open forests: case study of Zagros Forest,Iran

The main aim of this study was to evaluate methods for fixed area and distance sampling in the Zagros open forest area in western Iran.Basic forest management and planning required appropriate quantitative and qualitative information.Two sampling methods were compared on the basis of the actual means of characteristics derived from the 100 % survey.In total,37 sampling plots were systematically installed with a grid of 100 m 9 100 m in the study area.Density,crown canopy,and basal area of the stands were measured.The 100 % survey showed that tree density above 12.5 cm diameter at breast height was 68.04 stem ha~(-1),basal area was 15.16 m~2ha~(-1) and crown canopy percentage was 35.71 % ha~(-1).The values for the traits determined by the two sampling methods differed significantly(P=0.05).When the time required for the methods was compared,transect sampling required less than systematic-random sampling.Therefore,the transect sampling method was the more economical method for the Zagros open forests.The transect sampling method was statistically defensible and practical for quantitating characteristics of the Zagros open forests.     

Overwintering of the egg parasitoids Trichogramma brassicae and T. cacoeciae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in the Thrace region of Turkey

Classic biological control is generally understood as an environmentally safe practice of insect pest management. We investigated the overwintering abilities of Trichogramma brassicae Bezd. and T. cacoeciae Marchall in Tekirda Turkey. Parasitized eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zell (Lep.: Pyralidae) by T. cacoeciae and T. cacoeciae were exposed under outdoor conditions between 17 August and 9 October. Emergence of T. brassicae and T. cacoeciae for the five exposure dates occurred in the same year. An emergence of 99% was observed in the following offspring for all of the tested parasitoid species exposed on 17 September. For eggs that were parasitized later than 9 November 2003, the emergence of parasitoids was in spring, on 19 March 2004. We found that T. brassica and T. cacoeciae were able to overwinter successfully on E. kuehniella. Fecundity of T. brassicae and T. cacoeciae females that overwintered on E. kuehniella was significantly different from the fecundity of control females that were reared under optimal conditions at 25°C. Our results demonstrate that the egg parasitoids T. brassicae and T. cacoeciae are able to overwinter successfully in Turkey .     

Hopper (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha) diversity in shaded coffee systems of Turrialba, Costa Rica

Diversity of hopper species (suborder Auchenorryncha) in coffee (Coffea arabica) plantations with no shade (C) was compared with the diversity in plantations with shade of either poró (Erythrina poeppigiana) (CP) or poró plus laurel (Cordia alliodora) (CPL) in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Species-abundance and rarefaction curves were plotted for each system, and indices of diversity (Shannon-Wiener), dominance (Simpson), species evenness, and similarity (Jaccard) were calculated. The majority of hopper species and individuals belonged to the Cicadellidae family. A particular species dominated in each system: Graphocephala sp. (C), Fusigonalia lativittata (CP) and Hebralebra nicaraguensis (CPL). The richness and diversity of hopper species were highest in the CP system, followed by the CPL and C systems. Species similarity was closest between the CP and CPL systems, but varied considerably according to plant component and geographic location of each plot. Even though hoppers have not been reported as coffee pests in Mesoamerica, some of them cause serious problems elsewhere. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Selection of promising chestnuts (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Castanea sativa</Emphasis>) among wild growing trees from southern Mediterranean region forests of Turkey

Turkey ranked third place in the world for chestnut production after China and South Korea and the country has unique chestnut forests including valuable and diverse chestnut genotypes. This study was conducted to select superior chestnut genotypes within seedling populations found in natural wild grown chestnut forest located in Isparta province in Turkey during 2010–2011 years. A total of 2500 wild grown chestnut trees were examined on the field first year and among them the most promising 22 genotypes were chosen according to relatively high yield capacity, earliness, tolerance to chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica), ink disease (Phytopthora cambivora), and fruit quality characteristics. The selected 22 genotypes were evaluated for their detailed morphological, phenological and pomological traits in 2010 and 2011. According to average of 2 years, nut weight, the number of nut per kilogram, nut width, nut length, nut height and nut shell thickness of 22 promising genotypes ranged from 10.26 to 22.32 g, 97.47 to 44.80/kg, 26.80 to 42.47, 16.92 to 25.91, 27.74 to 39.73, and 0.26 to 1.01 mm, respectively. The ash, crude protein, and total fat content of kernels were between 0.85 to 1.94, 3.69 to 7.06 and 1.32 to 4.52, respectively. The genotypes were evaluated with weighted ranking method and the highest general quality score was observed in genotypes of IY17, IY01, IY42, IY43 and IY12.     

Comparison of two optical methods for contactless,full field and highly sensitive in-plane deformation measurements using the example of plywood

In the present paper, the suitability of Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) for the measurement of two-dimensional strain distribution on mechanically stressed wood specimens is evaluated. Particular attention is dedicated to the basics of the individual techniques in order to discuss potential advantages and disadvantages. The results of a model experiment with plywood show that the results delivered by both methods are very similar and of high quality. ESPI provides reasonably fast experimental set-up and data acquisition, and fast, straightforward post-processing. Compared to ESPI, DIC is a more versatile method demanding skilled sample preparation, and post-processing may be time consuming.     

COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT STAINING METHODS FOR ANALYSING ESTERASE (EST) ISOZYME OF FUNGI AND PLANTS

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