Floristic and ecological differences between recent and ancient forests growing on non-acidic soils

The aim of this work was to investigate differences in soil chemistry and understory composition between recent forests (sites afforested in the last 170 years) and ancient forests growing on non-acidic soils. The study was carried out on hardwood forests at moderate elevation (400–600 m asl) in the Jura Mountains (N.E. France) on four main pedological substrates with different characteristics. The floristic composition of 127 stands from recent forests (n = 65) or ancient forests (n = 62) was surveyed. Some functional traits and the Ellenberg indicator values of the surveyed species were recorded. In addition, the topsoil from 30 stands was analysed. The composition of the flora was analysed by Detrended Correspondence Analysis and the species which were typical of one class of forest age were identified using a chi-square (χ²) test. The difference between forest classes for plant traits, their indicator values, or soil chemistry was tested using the generalized linear model and Bonferroni t-tests (or Kruskall–Wallis tests). The floristic composition of the ancient forests was significantly different from that of the recent forests and was characterized by a high occurrence of shrub species in recent forests. These differences were associated with higher specific leaf area, low-range seeds dispersal, and some life forms like geophytes. There was no clear difference in soil chemistry between the two classes of forests, except for δ¹⁵N values. The weakness of the difference in the soil between ancient and recent forests suggested that changes in soil chemistry caused by a former agricultural land use were not responsible for the differences in understory composition recorded. The differences in functional traits between the two forest classes supported this conclusion. We finally concluded that (i) past land use modifies the vegetation composition of current forests, even on neutral soils and that (ii) in our context, biological filters were probably responsible for these changes.     

Sensitivity study of the finite element model for wood-framed shear walls

A sensitivity study was performed with a nonlinear elastic finite element model for monotonie analyses of wood-framed shear walls. The objective was to provide information about simplifying a model of wood-framed shear walls with no significant loss in accuracy. The simplifications concern features such as slips in joints between frame members, slips in hold-down connections, and bearing between adjacent sheathing panels. The results from analyses of a shear wall with an opening of window shape show that the effect of constraint by the bearing between sheathing panels and slips in frame joints on the overall stiffness of the wall is limited. Thus, there are great possibilities for reducing the calculation time by not taking these phenomena into account, avoiding an excessive number of degrees of freedom and iterations. The influence of the simplifications on the distribution of vertical reaction forces along the wall is more significant. Furthermore, if each simplification is introduced separately, the effect on the overall stiffness is greater. The difference, however, is less than 10%. The failing pattern of the nail connections is also clearly influenced by the simplifications when they are introduced separately. The results from the analyses show that slips in frame joints can be sufficiently represented by those in connection with the opening.     

Evaluation of the visual stress grading standard on French Spruce (Picea excelsa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) sawn timber

? In this paper an evaluation of the visual grading standard for softwood sawn timber was made.

? In order to do so, visual grading according to EN 518 and theoretical grading according to EN 338 and EN 384 (measurements of MOE, MOR and density) were applied to lumber. Two batches of 111 and 102 French boards were graded, respectively, of Spruce (Picea excelsa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). For the visual grading the most discriminant criterion was noted: knots, cracks, wane, etc.

? Finally, the results of the two grading methods were compared, and it was shown that the visual stress grading gave quite low results for our two French species.

     

An explicit stem profile model for forked and un-forked teak (Tectona grandis) trees in West Africa

Studies on stem profile of teak (Tectona grandis) hardly exist. This can be possibly attributed to the occurrence of forks that is prevalent on teak trees. Stem profile model was therefore developed for teak in West Africa, which took into account the occurrence of forks. Trees were destructively sampled from Moist Evergreen Forest (MEF), Moist Semi-deciduous Forest (MSDF), Dry Semi-deciduous Forest (DSDF) and Savannah ecological zones in both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire for the study. A single set of parameters could be used explicitly to predict stem profile of any teak tree, irrespective of country, eco-climatic zone, edaphic variables, site index, tree age, stand density and tree competition. The model efficiency and root mean square error (in relative diameter) were calculated to be 0.97 and 0.053, respectively. The relative position of the forks along the stem bole, with respect to total tree height, was highly variable and did not follow any particular trend, except higher value for the first fork in the Moist Evergreen Forest zone. However, average tree height to the first fork decreased along the ecological gradient from MEF, MSDF and DSDF to Savannah. The extent of diameter reduction due to the forks could be predicted. Relative tree form for zero-forked, one-forked and two-forked trees was calculated to be 0.39, 0.36 and 0.33, respectively. Relative loss of stem volume due to one fork and two forks was estimated to be 6.5 and 13.9%, respectively. The measured stem volume when related to the corresponding predicted value yielded coefficient and intercept not significantly different from unity and zero, respectively, with an r² value of 0.97.     

Monitoring of atrazine treatment on soil bacterial,fungal and atrazine-degrading communities by quantitative competitive PCR

We report the development of quantitative competitive (QC) PCR assays for quantifying the 16S, 18S ribosomal and atzC genes in nucleic acids directly extracted from soil. QC-PCR assays were standardised, calibrated and evaluated with an experimental study aiming to evaluate the impact of atrazine application on soil microflora. Comparison of QC-PCR 16S and 18S results with those of soil microbial biomass showed that, following atrazine application, the microbial biomass was not affected and that the amount of 16S rDNA gene representing 'bacteria' increased transitorily, while the amount of 18S rDNA gene representing fungi decreased in soil. In addition, comparison of atzC QC-PCR results with those of atrazine mineralisation revealed that, in response to atrazine treatment, the amount of atzC gene increased transitorily in soil pre-treated with atrazine, suggesting that accelerated atrazine biodegradation in soil could be due to a transient increase in the size of the atrazine mineralising community.     

Accuracy of asymmetry indices of ground reaction forces for diagnosis of hind limb lameness in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of asymmetry indices of ground reaction forces (GRF) for diagnosis of hind limb lameness in dogs. ANIMALS: 36 healthy dogs and 13 dogs with naturally acquired cranial cruciate ligament rupture or hip dysplasia. PROCEDURES: Lameness for affected dogs ranged from not detectable to minor and constant. While dogs trotted on an instrumented treadmill, GRF variables were recorded and analyzed with asymmetry indices. Each index was tested for its ability to discriminate between healthy and affected dogs. Combinations of several indices were also assessed. RESULTS: Vertical force variables had better accuracy than craniocaudal force variables. Peak vertical force was the most accurate variable. Partial asymmetry during trotting was detected in healthy dogs. A multivariate approach that used peak vertical force and maximal rising slope yielded the optimum combination to distinguish between healthy and affected dogs. In addition, sensitivity of 92% or specificity of 95% may be achieved with 2 cutoff values while simultaneously maintaining specificity or sensitivity, respectively, at > 85%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Asymmetry indices of GRFs were accurate for detection of hind limb lameness in dogs. This is particularly relevant for study designs in which only a single gait evaluation is possible.     

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Alleviate the Negative Effect of Temperature Stress in Millet Lines with Contrasting Soil Aggregation Potential

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish a mutualistic symbiosis with several plants and play a key role in improving plant growth, tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses as well as the soil structure. This work aimed at elucidating the AMF temperature stress modulating impact on four pearl millet lines plant growth and soil aggregation. Experimental trials were carried out in both greenhouse and growth chamber to determine the response of the four millet lines to inoculation with two AMF strains (Rhizophagus aggregatus and Funneliformis mosseae) under heat and non-stress conditions. We first investigated the mycorrhizal colonization (MC) and the mycorrhizal growth response (MGR) of millet lines in relation with their soil aggregation potential (root adhering soil/root biomass, MAS/RB) in the greenhouse. Secondly, the four millet lines were grown in two separated growth chambers and subjected to a day/night temperature of 32/28?°C as the control treatment and 37/32?°C as the temperature stress treatment. Plant growth, mycorrhization rate and several physiological, mycorrhizal and soil parameters were measured. Results showed that the mycorrhization rates of millet lines were low and not significantly different. Funneliformis mosseae (31.39%) showed higher root colonization than Rhizophagus aggregatus (22.79%) and control (9.79%). The temperature stress reduced the mycorrhizal colonization rate, shoot and root biomass, and the soil aggregation for all tested lines. L220 and L132 showed more MC rate and MGR than the other lines under control and high-temperature treatment. The MGR was significantly better under temperature stress conditions than in the control. Under the temperature stress conditions, inoculation with R. aggregatus and F. mosseae increased chlorophyll concentration, root dry weight and shoot dry weight as compared to non-inoculated plants. AMF inoculation, particularly with F. mosseae had a positive influence on the tolerance of millet lines to temperature stress. This study demonstrates that AMF play an important role in the response of these four millet lines to temperature stress. AMF is therefore an important component in the adaptation of crops to climatic variations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

     

Impact of the potato inoculation date on potato virus Y load and viral distribution in daughter tubers at harvest

Aged plants are more difficult to infect than young plantlets. This modification of susceptibility is described as mature plant resistance (MPR). For potato virus Y (PVY), MPR is known to lead to low infection rates of plants inoculated at the postflowering stage and a decrease in the number of infected daughter tubers. However, the impact of inoculation date on the capacity of PVY to accumulate in daughter tubers has not been studied so far. Field and greenhouse experiments were carried out to better understand PVY epidemiology and to help potato growers to evaluate consequences of early/late infections on the quality of their crops. In field trials, potato plants (cv. Bintje) were covered by insectproof nets from planting to harvest except for a 14-day period to expose plants to natural PVY infections. Under controlled conditions, potato plants were mechanically inoculated with PVY at different dates from preflowering stages (early inoculations) to postflowering stage (late inoculations). At harvest, daughter tubers were individually collected and analysed to define proportions and viral load of infected tubers according to the time between virus inoculation and harvest. Our results showed that although the age of plants at the time of inoculation can modify their susceptibility to PVY infection, in return, early and late PVY inoculations lead to similar rates of infected tubers at the plant scale and equivalent viral accumulation in infected tubers. All together, these data revealed that both early/late infections are high risks for the sanitary quality of potato tubers.