Using airborne laser scanning data for detecting canopy gaps and their understory type in mature boreal forest

• Introduction   

Canopy gap dynamics in old-growth boreal forests is a result of tree mortality caused by insects, diseases, or meteorological phenomena. Canopy gaps improve the possibilities of natural regeneration, and concentrations of decomposed deadwood are often found in these natural openings, which provide specific habitats for many deadwood-dependent species and organisms.     

Variation in the Ratio of Oat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Avena</Emphasis>) Protein Fractions of Interest in Coeliac Grain Diets

The previously found wide range in the ratios of avenin or methanol-precipitated fractions to residual proteins was revisited by studying 75 oat varieties, mainly representing landraces from Finland, and included old varieties or selections, cv. Kytö, synthetic hexaploid oats and an Avena strigosa line (HA 71–87). The means of the fraction ratios ranged from 4.17 to 6.46 with significant differences. Samples of 10 narrow-ratio and 10 wide-ratio oats were compared more closely. The wide-ratio sample had significantly higher total protein content and significantly lower content of the methanol-precipitated protein fraction. Therefore, both fractions in general appear to contribute to the ratio of the protein fractions. The wide-ratio sample had significantly lower grain mass and husk-free karyopsis mass. Samples of the extreme ends in the ratios of the protein fractions showed different electrophoretic protein patterns, which was also seen in samples representing the same population of origin. It is evident that polymorphisms in the protein fractions would allow breeding of oat cultivars showing further lowering of proteins putatively toxic to coeliacs assuming oats contain these toxic proteins.     

Biodegradability Studies of Certain Wood Preservatives in Groundwater as Determined by the Respirometric Bod Oxitop Method

This study focuses on the biodegradability measurements of tall oil-based wood preservatives and their raw materials in groundwater as determined by the respirometric BOD OxiTop method. Certain substances were also analyzed in standard conditions described by OECD 301 F. Results show that creosote oil, a traditional wood preservative, does not biodegrade at all in groundwater over a period of 28 days, while tall oil and linseed oil biodegrade to some degree (13.4% and 14.8%, respectively). On the other hand, degrees of biodegradation of linseed oil, tall oil and creosote oil in the extra mineral and microbe including conditions described by OECD 301 F were 72.9%, 54.3% and 24.9% after 28 days, respectively. Studied raw materials of tall oil-based wood preservative production biodegrade to some degree in groundwater (variability from 11.9% to 18%) and quite effectively in OECD 301 F test (variability from 39% to 71.7%) over a period of 28 days. Abiotic degradation may also be significant with the studied substances.     

Predicting species-specific basal areas in urban forests using airborne laser scanning and existing stand register data

The aim of this work was to examine how well species-specific stand attributes can be predicted using a combination of airborne laser scanning (ALS) and existing stand register data in urban forests. In this context, the ability of three data combinations: ALS data and stand register data, ALS data and digital aerial images and all of these combined, was tested in the prediction of species-specific basal areas. We divided tree species into seven and three different tree species strata and applied two prediction methods: (1) regression method, in which the predicted total basal area was divided into tree species based on tree species proportions from stand register data, and (2) the nearest neighbour (NN) method, in which tree species proportions were used as predictor variables for species-specific basal areas. Prediction models were built based on training data of 205 field plots, and the accuracy of the models was tested based on validation data of 52 forests stands. Our results showed that species-specific predictions of seven tree species were more accurate when tree species proportions from stand register data were used in the prediction. Both the regression and the NN method provided reasonable accuracy. This study showed that tree species information from existing stand register data could be used as an alternative for aerial images in ALS-based forests inventories. The use of ALS data together with stand register data and small field data could also be economically beneficial in an inventory of urban forests.     

Relationships of Selected Physical,Chemical, and Sensory Parameters in Oat Grain,Rolled Oats,and Cooked Oatmeal—A Three‐Year Study with Eight Cultivars

Eight Scandinavian oat cultivars were studied as grains, groats before and after kiln drying, rolled oats, and oatmeal for 62 physical, chemical, and sensory parameters over three consecutive crop years. The objectives were to study cultivar and year differences, and the relationships between parameters to find out the cultivars most suitable for rolled oats production and to understand how grain parameters are reflected on groat, rolled oat, and oatmeal characteristics. The cultivars and crop years differed (P < 0.05) in most of the parameters. In addition, many groat, rolled oats, and oatmeal variables showed a significant year by crop interaction. Several grain variables were significantly interrelated but only two, moisture and amount of dark and damaged grains, had a strong correlation (r > 0.70) to rolled oat parameters, the former correlating negatively to crude fat and the latter positively with maximum viscosity value. However, some weaker (r < 0.70) negative associations were found such as those between kernel size value and β‐glucan content and water binding capacity of rolled oats. In general, the variables analyzed at different processing stages correlated strongly, indicating good retention of groat properties during processing. Various associations were found between the physicochemical parameters of rolled oats and sensory properties of oatmeal. In principal component analysis, factor 1 mostly represented rolled oat parameters such as crude fat, color values L and a, and oatmeal parameters such as toasted aromatics, coarseness, and size of swollen particles. Factor 2 represented properties that pertain to structure and water and rolled oats interactions. The cultivars were also grouped according to these properties. The results suggest that the rolled oat process deserves optimization on a cultivar basis, particularly when specific product properties such as good water binding capacity are required.     

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal propagules on the growth of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) under Mn toxicity in ex situ experiments

The role of intact extraradical mycelium (ERM) as the most effective fungal propagule in the formation of the tripartite symbiosis between indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), rhizobia and subterranean clover was investigated under conditions of Mn toxicity. ERM was previously developed in 8 L pots under greenhouse conditions by growing plants, which exhibited various levels of mycotrophicity and were tolerant to the levels of Mn in the soil used in the experiment (Silene gallica L, Lolium rigidum L, Ornithopus compressus L. and Rumex bucephalophorus L). Contrasting conditions of the integrity of the ERM at the planting of subterranean clover were created by soil disturbance (ERM fragmented – soil disturbed; ERM intact – soil undisturbed). Where an intact ERM was present at the time of planting, growth of subterranean clover was 2.5 times greater after 21 days and 3.9 times after 42 days relative to other forms of AMF propagule. This enhanced growth was associated with a reduction in the Mn concentration of roots due to a greater AMF colonization at 21 days after planting. The protection granted by an enhanced AMF root colonization allowed a greater root nodule development, leading to more N acquisition and plant growth. The ERM can be developed in the soil by mycotrophic plants tolerant to the stressing agent and kept intact at the seeding of the crop to be protected by adopting appropriate tillage techniques.     

Carbon budget for Scots pine trees: effects of size, competition and site fertility on growth allocation and production

Time series of carbon fluxes in individual Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees were constructed based on biomass measurements and information about component-specific turnover and respiration rates. Foliage, branch, stem sapwood, heartwood and bark components of aboveground biomass were measured in 117 trees sampled from 17 stands varying in age, density and site fertility. A subsample of 32 trees was measured for belowground biomass excluding fine roots. Biomass of fine roots was estimated from the results of an earlier study. Statistical models were constructed to predict dry mass (DW) of components from tree height and basal area, and time derivatives of these models were used to estimate biomass increments from height growth and basal area growth. Biomass growth (G) was estimated by adding estimated biomass turnover rates to increments, and gross photosynthetic production (P) was estimated by adding estimated component respiration rates to growth. The method, which predicts the time course of G, P and biomass increment in individual trees as functions of height growth and basal area growth, was applied to eight example trees representing different dominance positions and site fertilities. Estimated G and P of the example trees varied with competition, site fertility and tree height, reaching maximum values of 22 and 43 kg(DW) year(-1), respectively. The site types did not show marked differences in productivity of trees of the same height, although height growth was greater on the fertile site. The G:P ratio decreased with tree height from 65 to 45%. Growth allocation to needles and branches increased with increasing dominance, whereas growth allocation to the stem decreased. Growth allocation to branches decreased and growth allocation to coarse roots increased with increasing tree size. Trees at the poor site allocated 49% more to fine roots than trees at the fertile site. The belowground parts accounted for 25 to 55% of annual G, increasing with tree size and decreasing with site fertility. Annual G and P per unit needle mass varied over the ranges 1.9-2.4 and 3.5-4.0 kg(DW) kg(-1), respectively. The relationship between P and needle mass in the example trees was linear and relatively independent of competition, site fertility and age.     

Diazepam-binding inhibitor: a neuropeptide located in selected neuronal populations of rat brain

An endogenous polypeptide of rat brain has been identified that is capable of displacing 1,4-benzodiazepines and the esters of the 3-carboxylic acid derivatives of beta-carbolines from their specific synaptic binding sites. This polypeptide was termed diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI). Previous studies have shown that DBI injected intraventricularly in rodents elicits "proconflict" responses and antagonizes the "anticonflict" action of benzodiazepines. An antiserum to this peptide, directed toward an immunodeterminant near its amino terminus, makes it possible to detect, measure, and study the neuronal location of this peptide in rat brain. In the rat cerebral cortex, DBI immunoreactivity is located in neurons that are not GABAergic (GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid); in the cerebellum and hippocampus, however, it might be present also in GABAergic neurons.