Long-term nutritional trends of conifer stands in Europe: results from the RECOGNITION project

Since 1999–2002 the European Commission has funded and the European Forest Institute has coordinated the interdisciplinary RECOGNITION project aiming at elucidating the causes of the growth acceleration which has been observed in some forest tree species in several parts of Europe. Within this project, it was our task to identify and quantify long-term changes in the nutritional status of representative forest stands that potentially could explain this growth increase, using available long-term series of foliar analyses. An inquiry among 25 forest research institutions in Europe resulted in 28 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and 21 Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) stands for this historical development investigation (HDI). The stands generally are control plots of fertilization experiments and are located mainly in Central Europe and in Scandinavia. The monitoring periods vary from 15–40 years. The foliar data were given to us by our partner organisations, subjected to rigorous tests for plausibility and comprehensively evaluated using mainly single linear regression approaches. Most Scots pine stands under study in Central Europe, which grow predominantly on naturally poor or devastated soils in regions with relatively high atmospheric N deposition, suffered from N deficiency at the start of the monitoring period, but exhibited a considerable improvement in N nutrition over the past decades. The increase in N levels was usually associated with an increase in the ratios of N and P, K, Ca, and Mg, although critical values of these ratios are far from being reached. For the majority of the investigated Scots pine stands in Central Europe, growth acceleration due to a better N supply is highly probable. In contrast, N seems to be far less important as a potential driving factor for long-term growth changes in Scots pine in Scandinavia. Norway spruce stands examined in Central Europe were, in general, initially well supplied with N and characterised by a decreasing trend in foliar N levels although they received considerable N deposition from the atmosphere. This decrease in concentrations of N and other macronutrients is believed to be mainly a dilution effect as indicated by a simultaneous increase in needle weights. Spruce in Finland also turned out to be adequately provided with N at most sample sites, and no general trend of improving N nutrition was detected.     

Soluble N compound profiles and concentrations in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) are influenced by local climate and thinning

We assessed seasonal changes of total soluble nonprotein nitrogen compounds (TSNN) in adult European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica, L.) growing under different local climate during the growing season immediately following a thinning treatment and 3 years later. In both years, samples of leaves, xylem sap and phloem exudates from beech trees growing in thinned and unthinned (control) stands on a dry, warm SW exposed and a cooler, moist NE exposed site were collected in May, July and September. In May of both years, asparagine (Asn) and glutamine (Gln) were most abundant in leaves and xylem, respectively, whereas arginine (Arg) dominated in the phloem. In July, TSNN concentrations decreased in all tissues and sites, but differences in water availability between aspects were reflected in TSNN concentrations. In September, differences in the increase of Arg concentration in the phloem were related to differences in the onset of senescence between treatments. Thinning treatment increased amino compound concentrations of beech tissues in July on both aspects, particularly at the NE thinned site. It is supposed that, the N balance of adult beech is favoured by both, the thinning treatments as well as the cool-moist climate prevailing at the NE aspect.     

Climate and forest management influence nitrogen balance of European beech forests: microbial N transformations and inorganic N net uptake capacity of mycorrhizal roots

The effects of local climate and silvicultural treatment on the inorganic N availability, net N uptake capacity of mycorrhizal beech roots and microbial N conversion were assessed in order to characterise changes in the partitioning of inorganic N between adult beech and soil microorganisms. Fine root dynamics, inorganic N in the soil solution and in soil extracts, nitrate and ammonium uptake kinetics of beech as well as gross ammonification, nitrification and denitrification rates were determined in a beech stand consisting of paired sites that mainly differed in aspect (SW vs. NE) and stand density (controls and thinning treatments). Nitrate was the only inorganic N form detectable in the soil water. Its concentration was high in control plots of the NE aspect, but only in canopy gaps and not influenced by thinning. Neither thinning nor aspect affected the abundance of root tips in the soil. Maximum nitrate net uptake by mycorrhizal fine roots of beech, however, differed with aspect, showing significantly lower values at the SW aspect with warm–dry local climate. There were no clear-cut significant effects of local climate or thinning on microbial N conversion, but a tendency towards higher ammonification and nitrification and lower denitrification rates on the untreated controls of the SW as compared to the NE aspect. Apparently, the observed sensitivity of beech towards reduced soil water availability is at least partially due to impaired N acquisition. This seems to be mainly a consequence of reduced N uptake capacity rather than of limited microbial re-supply of inorganic N or of changed patterns of inorganic N partitioning between soil bacteria and roots.     

Eine Schnellmethode zur Prüfung der Dauerwirkung und Regenbeständigkeit von DDT- und DDT-Gamma Suspensionen

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Competition modifies effects of enhanced ozone/carbon dioxide concentrations on carbohydrate and biomass accumulation in juvenile Norway spruce and European beech

Elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide ([CO2]) and ozone ([O3]) affect primary metabolism of trees in opposite ways. We studied their potential interactions on carbohydrate concentrations and contents. Two hypotheses currently under debate were tested. (1) Stimulation of primary metabolism by prolonged exposure to elevated [CO2] does not compensate for the adverse effects of O3 on carbohydrate accumulation and biomass partitioning to the root. (2) Growth in a mixed-species planting will repress plant responses to elevated [O3] and [CO2] relative to conditions in a monoculture. To this end, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) saplings grown under conditions of intra- and interspecific competition were pre-acclimated for 1 year to ambient or elevated [CO2]. In the following 2-year phytotron study, trees were exposed to factorial combinations of ambient and elevated [O3] and [CO2]. The total carbohydrate content (sugar and starch) of spruce was greater in plants exposed to elevated [CO2] than in plants exposed to ambient [CO2]. In beech, the opposite response was observed, especially when this species was grown in combination with spruce. Overall, the data did not support Hypothesis 1, because the adverse effects of O3 were counteracted by elevated [CO2]. Support for Hypothesis 2 was species-dependent. In beech saplings, reduction of carbohydrates by elevated [O3] and stimulation by elevated [CO2] were repressed by competitive interaction with spruce. In contrast, in spruce, stimulation of carbohydrates by elevated [CO2] was similar in mono- and mixed cultures. Thus Hypothesis 2 was supported for beech but not spruce. We conclude that, in juvenile beech and spruce, a 3-year exposure to elevated [CO2] counteracts the adverse effects of O3 on carbohydrate concentrations and contents. For beech, sensitivity to elevated [CO2] and [O3] was high in monoculture but was largely repressed by interspecific competition with spruce. In contrast, the response of spruce to perturbations of atmospheric chemistry was not significantly affected by either intra- or interspecific competition.     

Die Wichtigkeit der staatlichen Kontrolle für erfolgreiche Schädlingsbekämpung

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Total oxidant scavenging capacity of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí) seeds and identification of their polyphenolic compounds

The antioxidant capacity of methanol and ethanol seed extracts from Euterpe oleracea Mart. (a?aí) against the reactive oxygen species (ROS) peroxyl radicals, peroxynitrite, and hydroxyl radicals was studied with the total oxidant scavenging capacity (TOSC) assay in a modified and automated version. Cold methanol digestion was the most efficient extraction method with respect to the antioxidant capacity. The extracts exhibit good antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, similar to the capacity of the pulp. The antioxidant capacity against peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals is even higher. The main antioxidants identified by HPLC-MS and HPLC-CEAD are five different procyanidins (di- through pentamers); furthermore, protocatechuic acid and epicatechin were identified as minor compounds. Determination of TOSC values of HPLC seed extract fractions indicates that the procyanidins contribute substantially to the overall antioxidant capacity. In addition, however, other compounds that have not yet been identified are responsible for a large part of the observed antioxidant capacity.     

Universality of a surface tension—contact‐angle relation for hydrophobic soils of different texture

Wettability of soil affects a wide variety of processes in soils like infiltration, percolation, preferential flow, and surface runoff. Even though efforts have been made to determine contact angles and surface tension or energy of smooth surfaces, the determination on granular materials like soil particles remains unsolved. One objective of this study was to test the consistency of contact angles (CA) measured with the newly modified and easy‐to‐apply Wilhelmy plate method by using solid particles and liquids with defined variations of surface tension. A second objective was to derive basic physical surface properties for the irregularly shaped and chemically heterogeneous soil particles. Advancing contact angles were determined by using model soils varying in texture from clay to coarse sand to check the impact of grain size on the CA measurements. Varying the solid‐surface tension with dichlorodimethlylsilane treatments provided for pure‐water wetting stages ranging from wettable to extremely hydrophobic. The surface tensions of the liquids were varied from 72 mN m^–1 to 25 mN m^–1 by using water or water‐ethanol mixtures. The surface tensions of the model soils were determined with the zero degree–contact angle method following Zisman's critical–surface tension concept. Results show that the measured CA varied continuously with the variations of the surface tension of the liquid and the solid phase, respectively. A general interpretation of the results is possible by using the concept of the Equation of State Approach.     

Mansouramycins E–G,Cytotoxic Isoquinolinequinones from Marine Streptomycetes

Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract from the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. isolate B1848 resulted in three new isoquinolinequinone derivatives, the mansouramycins E–G (1a–3a), in addition to the previously reported mansouramycins A (5) and D (6). Their structures were elucidated by computer-assisted interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR spectra, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and by comparison with related compounds. Cytotoxicity profiling of the mansouramycins in a panel of up to 36 tumor cell lines indicated a significant cytotoxicity and good tumor selectivity for mansouramycin F (2a), while the activity profile of E (1a) was less attractive.