The use of compensatory and non-compensatory multi-criteria analysis for small-scale forestry

Small-scale farm forestry has the potential to offer many benefits both to landholders and the wider community. As with all changes in land-use practices, there are associated benefits and costs and these are not uniformly distributed. They have varying impacts on the different values, aspirations, goals and objectives that exist within the community. Furthermore, the community does not consider these values, aspirations, goals and objectives of equal importance. The degree of concern can vary from minor to high and overriding all other considerations. When evaluating farm forestry options it is necessary to address all of these concerns. This paper examines the combined use compensatory and non-compensatory multi-criteria analyses to evaluate forestry options, in a case study for the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. These aggregation techniques are found to be highly complementary and together provide a comprehensive analysis. The compensatory technique provides a sound measure of overall performance of a forestry system, whereas the non-compensatory technique alerts decision-makers to presence of particularly poor performance with respect to individual criteria. The compensatory technique used is simple and understandable even for those with non-mathematical backgrounds. This analysis can identify and aid communication of the relative benefits and costs, and trade-offs, between economic, environmental and social considerations.     

Habitat selection of Guizhou golden monkey （Phinopithecus roxellanae brelichi）in Fanjing Mountain Biosphere Reserve, China

Guizhou golden monkey (Phinopithecus roxellanae brelichi) is a peculiar, rare and endangered species. It is distributed most narrowly and requires a rigorous habitat. In this study the habitats of Guizhou Golden Monkey were divided into three habitats: most suitable habitats, suitable habitats and marginally suitable habitats. The characteristics of the vegetation community, environmental factors and extreme environmental factors in the three habitats were systematically analyzed. The seasonal activity rule, activity area and the food characteristic of Guizhou golden monkey were also study at the same time. The results indicate that the evergreen and deciduous broadleaf mixed forest is the optimal living vegetation community for Guizhoug olden Monkey, and the suitable annual temperature is 8-15℃, the extremely lowest temperature is -2.5℃, the extremely highest temperature is 25℃, and the optimal living altitude is 1500-1700 m. In the same area, the higher the vegetation diversitythe more suitable it is for the life of Guizhou golden monkey. Temperature and food are the main habitat factors in determining the activity scope of the guizhou golden monkey community. The Altitude, temperature and the characteristics of the vegetation community are the main limitina factors for habitat selection.     

Predicting moisture content and density distribution of Scots pine by microwave scanning of sawn timber

This study was carried out to investigate the possibility of calibrating a prediction model for the moisture content and density distribution of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) using microwave sensors. The material was initially of green moisture content and was thereafter dried in several steps to zero moisture content. At each step, all the pieces were weighed, scanned with a microwave sensor (Satimo 9,4GHz), and computed tomography (CT)-scanned with a medical CT scanner (Siemens Somatom AR.T.). The output variables from the microwave sensor were used as predictors, and CT images that correlated with known moisture content were used as response variables. Multivariate models to predict average moisture content and density were calibrated using the partial least squares (PLS) regression. The models for average moisture content and density were applied at the pixel level, and the distribution was visualized. The results show that it is possible to predict both moisture content distribution and density distribution with high accuracy using microwave sensors.     

试论火与兴安落叶松种子发芽条件的关系

兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii)自然分布区大兴安岭的立地条件和种子发芽条件的特殊性,导致了兴安落叶松天然更新的特殊性。瘠薄的棕色针叶林土,生长季短、冬季漫长以及土壤表层较厚的死地被物层增加了天然更新的难度。然而兴安落叶松的天然更新效果却是令人满意的。兴安落叶松在母树林冠下更新良好,只是在某些林型如草类落叶松林的成熟林冠下更新不良;而在3—10年的择伐迹地和火烧迹地上平均每公顷有13500株幼树。大兴安岭地区兴安落叶松火烧迹地天然更新良好的奥秘何在?火灾后兴安落叶松的种子发芽条件如何?火灾在这方面的作用是什么?作者从天然更新的关键之一——种子     

杉木人工林中微量营养元素的含量、积累和生物循环

微量元素在植物体内参与各种生理生化活动,其作用机制有很强的专一性,是植物正常生长发育所不可缺少和相互替代的。森林生态系统的养分循环中,也包括微量营养元素的循环。本文对杉木林中的微量元素(Fe、Mn、Zn、Cu、B)进行了研究,旨在了解杉木林生态系统中这些元素的含量、积累和分布状况,以及它们在系统中循环的规律,以期进一步完善     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus halepensis</Emphasis> somatic embryogenesis is affected by the physical and chemical conditions at the initial stages of the process

Pinus halepensis has been described as a drought-tolerant species with high plasticity to growth in different environments. Its eco-physiological characteristics could facilitate the use of this species in large afforestations in the future scenery of climate change. Somatic embryogenesis is a biotechnological tool with potential for large-scale clonal propagation. In order to establish an improved regeneration protocol for Pinus halepensis, the effects of different temperatures (18, 23, and 28 °C) and water availability conditions (2, 3, and 4 g L^?1 Gelrite^®), during initiation of embryonal masses on the rate of initiation, proliferation, maturation, and the number of embryos developed, were evaluated. It was found that environmental conditions during the initiation stage of Pinus halepensis somatic embryogenesis influence the success of initiation and proliferation. In contrast, there was no effect of these conditions on the maturation rates and the number of somatic embryos. Somatic embryos were obtained in all treatments tested, indicating that plants can be produced from extreme conditions of induction, such as high temperatures (28 °C) and low water availability conditions (4 g L^?1).     

Establishment of a high-frequency regeneration system in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cerasus humilis</Emphasis>, an important economic shrub

Cerasus humilis is a species of small, perennial, drought-resistant and multipurpose deciduous shrub grown in arid and semi-arid conditions in northern China. In this study, an efficient protocol for the rapid micropropagation of C. humilis has been standardized using stem and/or leaf explants. Direct multiple shoot induction was observed when the stem explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different plant growth regulators. The highest shoot induction was obtained when stem explants from adult trees were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L^?1 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) and 0.9 mg L^?1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The leaf and stem explants cultured on MS medium with 1.0 mg L^?1 6-BA and 0.6 mg L^?1 NAA, and 0.5 mg L^?1 6-BA and 0.8 mg L^?1 NAA, respectively, produced the highest induction frequency of callus. Maximum proliferation of callus was observed on MS medium containing a combination of 0.5 mg L^?1 6-BA with 0.6 mg L^?1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-d). Optimal shoots differentiated from callus were obtained on MS medium supplemented with 5.0mg L^?1 6-BA and 0.9 mg L^?1 NAA. In vitro rooting was achieved on half-strength (1/2) MS medium containing 0.5 mg L^?1 NAA. Rooted plantlets were hardened under control conditions and successfully acclimatized under field conditions.     

Chemical composition,antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extracts from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schinus molle</Emphasis> wood branch growing in Egypt

In the present work, for the first time, the chemical components of essential oils (EOs) and extracts from wood branch (WB) resulted from the tree pruning wastes of Schinus molle L. grown in Egypt were evaluated for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. EOs, methanol (ME), dichloromethane (DCME) and water (WE) extracts as antioxidant and antibacterial activities were measured. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as analysis of extracts by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were reported. The major components in EOs were α-elemol, β-pinene, and α-phellandrene, in ME were 6-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyano-4-(N-benzylpiperazino)-2H-pyran-2-one, and 2-naphthalene methanol, decahydro-α,α,4a-trimethyl-8-methylene, in DCME were 12-methyl-E,E-3,13-octadecadien-1-ol, and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dioctyl ester, and in WE were β-eudesmol, and (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester. The highest total antioxidant activity was found with EOs (90 ± 1.23 %) and WE (86.30 ± 1.40 %). The lowest IC₅₀ values of 13.11 ± 3.00, and 12.66 ± 2.15 μg/mL were found with WE and EOs, respectively. EOs and WE were observed to have good antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Sarcina lutea, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Micrococcus luteus. In conclusion, the Schinus molle L. WB EOs and extracts might, indeed, be used as a potential source for pharmaceutical or food industries.     

The Level II aggregated forest soil condition database links soil physicochemical and hydraulic properties with long-term observations of forest condition in Europe

Key message

Aggregated, consolidated, and derived soil physicochemical data of 286 ICP Forests Level II plots were completed with soil hydraulic properties for integrated use with forest monitoring data. Database access should be requested at http://icp-forests.net . Metadata associated available at https://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/apps/georchestra/?uuid=153e599e-6624-4e2b-b862-8124386ea9cd&hl=eng

Context

The ICP Forests database is one of the most comprehensive forest ecosystem datasets in Europe and contains the accumulated results of more than two decades of harmonised forest monitoring all over Europe.

Aims

The aim of this paper is to share knowledge on the ICP Forests Level II soil data for broader use among forest scientists.

Methods

After standard analysis, quality checks, aggregation, and calculation of derived variables (e.g. nutrient stocks, base saturation, C:N ratio, and water retention parameters), data have been gathered into a static database (AFSCDB.LII.2.2), which will be updated to new versions as soon as new measurements become available.

Results

The database provides a basis for the combined evaluation of up to 130 unique soil variables of 286 plots with dynamic data on tree growth, ground vegetation, foliar chemistry, crown condition, tree phenology, leaf area index, ozone injury, litterfall, soil solution chemistry, deposition, ambient air quality, and meteorological data assessed on the same plots.

Conclusion

The unprecedented comprehensiveness and level of detail in this newly aggregated database may overcome existing restrictions so far impeding the realisation of large-scale forest ecosystem studies in Europe.

     

Analysis of sawn lumber production from logging residues of branchwood of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aningeria robusta</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Terminalia ivorensis</Emphasis>

One way of meeting the supply demands of the wood industry is through the reduction of waste in timber processing. It has been estimated in Ghana that for every tree felled, nearly 50% of the tree volume is left in the forest in the form of branches, crownwood, and stumps. In this study, the potential of utilizing branchwood as raw material from logging residues to help meet the timber demands of the downstream processing sector was analyzed experimentally. The sawing characteristics of the branchwood of Aningeria robusta and Terminalia ivorensis with diameters in the range 10–25 cm using live sawing and cant sawing methods were determined using a randomized complete block design, 2 × 4 factorial with three replications. Experimental results indicate that, the relative lumber value yields for first and second grade boards of A. robusta and T. ivorensis branches were 25 and 20%, respectively, while the green lumber volume yields were 40 and 32%, respectively. A high proportion of sapwood and the occurrence of washboarding in T. ivorensis contributed to that species’ relatively low lumber value and volume yield. The experimental results further indicate that the sawing technique used had no significant influence on lumber yields. However, at 5% level of significance, significant differences in lumber yield existed between some of the diameter classes.