An economic and ecological multi-criteria evaluation of reforestation methods to recover burned Pinus nigra forests in NE Spain

Recurrence of recent large wildfires is threatening the permanence of Pinus nigra Arnold (Black pine) forests in central Catalonia (NE Spain), due to the almost nil post-fire regeneration of this non-serotinous pine. Potential practices to carry out extensive reforestation programs with P. nigra may differ widely in terms of their final success, economic cost and undesired ecological impact. In this framework, we have analysed different types of vegetation clearing (mechanical, controlled burning or grazing), soil preparation (ripping or planting holes) and reforestation methods (broadcast seeding, spot seeding and planting) to restore P. nigra forests. We have compared these practices in terms of seedling establishment, but also in the light of their economic costs and ecological impact, through a new multi-criteria analysis. Seedling establishment after sowing was very poor and not influenced by vegetation clearing. In plantations, seedling survival was higher in the ripper treatment than in planting holes for all vegetation clearing treatments except the control one. Nevertheless, the higher economic cost of the planting holes treatment and the negative impact of mechanical clearing and burning on the small mammals community made the stated differences in seedling survival irrelevant. Thus, the multi-criteria analysis revealed that the two most preferred options were planting in uncleared or lightly grazed areas with soil preparation through ripping. This study gives some valuable insights about the use of new decision-support tools in restoration programs and provides practical guidelines concerning the restoration of extensive burned P. nigra forests.     

Improving Lettuce Yield and Quality of an Agricultural Soil Using a Combination of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus and Phosphate-Green Wastes Compost

The use of biofertilizers on agricultural soils could act positively to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. This work was performed to assess the potential beneficial impacts of local produced phospho-compost and/or an exogenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) (Rhizoglomus irregulare DAOM 197198) on lettuce agro-physiological and soil characteristics under filed conditions. Four treatments were applied: control treatment without any biofertilizer, compost, AMF, and compost?+?AMF treatments. Obtained results showed that shoot nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were significantly improved in lettuce plants treated with compost supplementation and/or AMF inoculation compared to the control with a maximum increment for P in plants treated with compost (106%). As for growth traits, lettuce plants treated with compost?+?AMF recorded the highest values in terms of shoot and root dry weights and yield by 121, 54 and 127%, respectively, compared to the control plants. Considering physiological and biochemical traits, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll fluorescence as well leaf area index and total soluble sugar and protein concentration were significantly improved in plants treated with compost and/or AMF compared to the control. In addition, soil properties, especially the soil total organic carbon, N, P, and glomalin-related soil protein content were significantly enhanced after two months of field experiment in treated soils with the applied biofertilizers alone or in combination compared to the control. Based on the main obtained results, applied biofertilizers were able to increase lettuce productivity and soil fertility under field conditions, especially the compost?+?AMF treatment, which demonstrated an effectiveness promotion of lettuce productivity and soil fertility.

     

Contributions of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to growth of retama monosperma and acacia gummifera under water stress (case study: essaouira sand dunes forest)

ABSTRACT

Two leguminous plant species: Retama monosperma and Acacia gummifera were selected for water deficit tolerance test for future use in reforestation programs of the Atlantic sand dunes forest of Essaouira region. Mycorrhizal fungal colonization was used to help plants amend the water deficit. To assess R. monosperma and A. gummifera response to water stress and the effectiveness of mycorrhizal formation alleviating it, two categories for each plant species were made, one inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and the other not, were submitted to a hydric deficit treatment of four levels for 6 months. This treatment impact on the plants was assessed by comparing root/shoot dry weight ratios, levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, and by measuring mycorrhizal colonization frequencies and intensities. Results showed that these parameters were significantly affected by water deficit. The presence of the mycorrhizal fungi had significantly enhanced plants phosphorus uptake by 72–124% for Acacia gummifera and 87–161% for Retama monosperma. Nitrogen uptake was increased by 134–388% for Retama monosperma and 510–901% for Acacia gummifera. The colonization frequencies changed significantly only for the treatment extreme level and stayed between 80%-90% for the other levels. The mycorrhization intensities showed significant lessening between each treatment level decreasing from 35% to 10%.     

Relationship between the glass transition temperature and the melt flow behavior for gluten, casein and soya

The effects of moisture content (25–45% wwb) and temperature (75–120 °C) on the viscosity of gluten, soya and rennet casein systems was studied using a capillary rheometer. An attempt was made to relate the viscosities to the glass transition temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and the phase transition analyzer. The temperature where the material flowed was also determined by the latter technique. All three-protein systems showed shear and extension thinning. Over the shear rate range investigated (1–10³ s⁻¹), gluten had a substantially lower viscosity than the other two proteins, although the difference was less pronounced at the highest temperature studied. This low viscosity is reflected by lower values of the glass transition temperature, the melt flow temperature and the dynamic moduli E′ and E″ in the rubbery state. The results are discussed in terms of the structure and heat induced changes for the three proteins and their relevance to food processing considered.     

Seasonality of mycorrhizal attributes,soil phosphorus and nitrogen of Juniperus phoenicea and Retama monosperma boiss. in an Atlantic sand dunes forest

Seasonal variation of mycorrhization attributes in a degraded ecosystem seems to be key information in conceiving rehabilitation programs that use mycorrhized plantations specific to that ecosystem. In order to record seasonality of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in an Atlantic sand dunes forest, root colonization and spores abundance alongside rhizospheric phosphorus and nitrogen of two plant species: Juniperus phoenicea and Retama monosperma, endemic to Essaouira sand dunes forest, were followed through three years. The findings were tested for statistical significance and correlated among each and to some meteorological variables: temperatures, precipitations, and humidity. Results showed that mycorrhization frequencies and intensities and spores densities changed seasonally. They had their peak at late winter-early spring and their low at summer. Phosphorus and nitrogen evolved significantly following seasons. Significant negative correlation was noted between phosphorus and mycorrhizal attributes evolution. Nitrogen correlated positively and significantly though weakly with R. monosperma mycorrhizal attributes. The correlations between mycorrhizal attributes and meteorological variables were not all evident except for temperatures and temperatures-precipitations combination, which had a direct negative impact on mycorrhizal attributes.