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This paper presents recently obtained palebotanical data regarding the evolution of Lake Paleolotos in the Middle Pleistocene. Its evolution was more complicated than the development of the adjacent lakes in the coast of Peter the Great Bay (the Sea of Japan). The Middle Pleistocene lacustrine sediments accumulated in the downstream of the Tumannaya River (the most southwestern area of Primorye, Russia Far East) were studied using diatom and pollen analytical methods. We found that the Lake Paleolotos arose during Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11) and disappeared during MIS 6. For more than half of its existence (MIS 11–8), it was a freshwater oligotrophic basin with a depth of at least 20 m, with clear waters and poor organic matter content. The lake occupied most of the modern accumulative plain on the left bank of the Tumannaya River, reaching a size of at least 10–12 km across. During MIS 7–6 Lake Paleolotos turned into a shallow-water basin (its depth most likely did not exceed 1–3 m) of a eutrophic type with turbid waters rich in organic matter. Palynological data suggest that during MIS 11, 9 and 7 the area adjacent to the Lake was covered with coniferous/broad-leaved forests with presence of some thermophilic plants of North China and North Korea Flora (Castanea, Celtis, Magnolia, Tsuga and Cupressaceae). This indicates that vegetation zones were displaced by about 500–700 km to the north relative to their present position. During periods of cooling they were replaced by coniferous/small-leaved forests with the participation of shrub species of birch and alder (MIS 10) and coniferous/small-leaved forests consisted of pine, birch, and spruce with the participation of elm and oak (MIS 8 and 6).

Common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is one of the most widespread undergrowth species in the forests of Russia. It has not only important silvicultural significance but is also widely used in economic activities. Numerous works of Russian and foreign authors are devoted to its study. The article shows the results of geobotanical and forest inventory studies of a unique area of pine plantation in the Kirillovskiy district of the Vologda region. In the second understorey of which tree-form common juniper grows. The stand was classified as high-density (relative fullness – 0.85) and low quality (quality class – V–IV). The total stock of trunk wood on the site is 280 m3/ha, including the stock of juniper wood – 28 m3/ha. The average diameter of juniper trunks is 14 cm, the average height is 11 m and the age is 180 yrs. This is several times higher than its usual parameters in other forests. A significant number of specimens of juniper (50 pcs/ha) are in the stage of drying out or have already died and represent dead wood of different years. The number of small and medium-sized juniper undergrowth is 1.5 ths pcs/ha or 62.5 % of the growing. Undergrowth of European spruce, downy birch and black alder is also found. The existing undergrowth is assessed as promising, but Scots pine undergrowth is missing. The ground cover is dominated by green and sphagnum mosses as well as shrubs of the Ericaceae and Vacciniaceae families. The study of such objects, extremely rare not only in the north of the European part of Russia, but also everywhere, is of great practical importance. It is also important for understanding the biology of the only representative of the Cupressaceae family that naturally grows here. The tree-form juniper in the pine plantation has survived and reached a size not typical for this species due to the inaccessibility of the site, the lack of fires and forest felling. Such forest areas should be identified, protected, and subjected to stationary research. For citation: Evdokimov I.V., Dobrynin A.P., Armeeva N.A. Tree Form of Juniper (Juniperus communis L.) in the Forests of the Vologda Region. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 5, pp. 201–209. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-5-201-209

Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. (Betulaceae) est une espèce clé dans certaines formations alluviales et riveraines du continent européen. Au Maroc, elle se trouve en limite méridionale de son aire de distribution où elle est représentée par des formations relictes dans les zones refuges où elle a migré pendant les phases glaciaires du Pléistocène. Malgré sa grande valeur patrimoniale, il y a très peu de données sur son aire de répartition et l’état des peuplements. Ce travail a permis de localiser et cartographier les principaux peuplements dans la zone d’occurrence de cette espèce dans le Rif au nord du Maroc. La typologie des peuplements a été réalisée dans douze sites de référence en déterminant leurs principales caractéristiques telles que la nature du régime forestier, la composition, la taille, le recouvrement et la densité. Les caractéristiques dendrométriques ont permis de renseigner la structure et la dynamique des peuplements. Les résultats obtenus constituent un apport important de données quantitatives géoréférencées sur la répartition actuelle et la dynamique des peuplements d’A. glutinosa au Maroc. Étant donné l’état de conservation des peuplements, la dégradation de l’habitat et la faible régénération, cette espèce peut être considérée comme menacée et doit bénéficier de mesures urgentes de protection.

Research Background: Black alder (Alnus glutinosa) forests are in severe decline across their area of distribution due to a disease caused by the soil-borne pathogenic Phytophthora alni species complex (class Oomycetes), “alder Phytopththora”. Mapping of the different types of damages caused by the disease is challenging in high density ecosystems in which spectral variability is high due to canopy heterogeneity. Data obtained by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may be particularly useful for such tasks due to the high resolution, flexibility of acquisition and cost efficiency of this type of data. In this study, A. glutinosa decline was assessed by considering four categories of tree health status in the field: asymptomatic, dead and defoliation above and below a 50% threshold. A combination of multispectral Parrot Sequoia and UAV unmanned aerial vehicles -red green blue (RGB) data were analysed using classical random forest (RF) and a simple and robust three-step logistic modelling approaches to identify the most important forest health indicators while adhering to the principle of parsimony. A total of 34 remote sensing variables were considered, including a set of vegetation indices, texture features from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a digital surface model (DSM), topographic and digital aerial photogrammetry-derived structural data from the DSM at crown level. Results: The four categories identified by the RF yielded an overall accuracy of 67%, while aggregation of the legend to three classes (asymptomatic, defoliated, dead) and to two classes (alive, dead) improved the overall accuracy to 72% and 91% respectively. On the other hand, the confusion matrix, computed from the three logistic models by using the leave-out cross-validation method yielded overall accuracies of 75%, 80% and 94% for four-, three- and two-level classifications, respectively. Discussion: The study findings provide forest managers with an alternative robust classification method for the rapid, effective assessment of areas affected and non-affected by the disease, thus enabling them to identify hotspots for conservation and plan control and restoration measures aimed at preserving black alder forests info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

To expand the raw material base of medicinal plant raw materials, a promising area of research is the study of additional types of raw materials that can be harvested from already used medicinal and food plants. Given the complexity of harvesting alder seeds, researchers are interested in the leaves of this plant, a wide range of biologically active substances that cause anti-inflammatory, astringent and antioxidant effects. The first stage of standardization of raw materials is the definition of morphologically significant features, based on the generalization of which the section "External features" is developed. The analysis of morphological features of freshly harvested, dried and frozen leaves of gray alder (Alnus incana Moench) and black alder (A. glutinosa Gaerth) harvested from wild plants in mixed forests of the Moscow region revealed diagnostically significant features and found that the method of conservation does not affect the occurrence of the identified features. Since it is planned to use both types of alder for the preparation of a new type of raw material "Alder leaves", a generalized formulation is proposed for raw materials that are a mixture of species.

La presencia de árboles en un ecosistema de pastoreo aumenta las poblaciones edáficas y, por ende, las relaciones simbióticas. En los ecosistemas altoandinos de la zona norte del Ecuador existen escasas investigaciones sobre esta temática. El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar el crecimiento poblacional de la fauna edáfica en los sistemas silvopastoriles, para este caso, el sistema silvopastoril tiene las siguientes combinaciones: aliso (Alnus acuminata) y mezcla forrajera, acacia (Acacia melanoxylon) y mezcla forrajera, y un testigo con mezcla forrajera. El conteo se realizó en dos épocas, julio y diciembre, en los años 2016, 2017 y 2018. Para el análisis estadístico se realizó un análisis de varianza y la prueba de Tukey, que permitieron mostrar probabilidades e identificar la mejor respuesta de crecimiento de especies en función del tratamiento silvopastoril. Los análisis estadísticos muestran la evolución del sistema en el primer año, en el cual no existen diferencias significativas, debido al trasplante y crecimiento de los árboles; a partir del segundo año ya existen cambios edáficos entre tratamientos por aumento de materia orgánica, lo que influye sobre las especies en el suelo. Los resultados estadísticos concluyen que el sistema silvopastoril con acacia tiene más población edáfica.

Lake-edge wetland types result from the influence of various hydrogeomorphological (HGM) predictors, such as water level, hydroperiod, and elevation. Climate and land-use changes could induce variations in lake water levels, and subsequently trigger changes in wetland type and area. This study aims to determine whether HGM predictors alone can be used to classify lake-edge wetlands. The resilience of these wetlands to different water level change scenarios was also evaluated. We sampled the plant communities of 37 lake-edge wetlands (peatland, ash and alder swamps) of a medium-size Canadian lake (12.9 km2), and computed 12 HGM predictors using a GIS software and commonly available landscape data. We used canonical redundancy analysis to evaluate the relationship between wetland types, plant communities, and HGM predictors. We then built a random forest model using these predictors to classify wetlands and to evaluate the impacts of small (± 0.5 m) and large (± 2 m) water level changes on wetland type and area. Our results show that elevation and slope were the two main HGM predictors of wetland plant communities and types. The random forest model was robust (89 % accuracy), but performed less well for swamps, likely because alder and ash swamps are similar systems, but at different successional stages. Finally, while small water level changes had minimal impacts on lake-edge wetland type and area (−0.6 %), larger changes triggered substantial gains (+ 13 %) or losses (−20 %) of tree-dominated wetlands. Considering that swamps harbour high species richness, landscape management should be carried out bearing in mind their greater vulnerability.

Preservatives and consolidants make it difficult or impossible to obtain accurate radiocarbon dates on many organic artefacts from museums or archaeological collections. Discovered in an Irish bog in the 1960s, the Cuillard Bowl is a triangular wooden (Alder - Alnus glutinosa) dish of special interest on account of its unique geometry and style. However, the persistence of preservative (polyethylene glycol, PEG) following conventional pre-treatment methods produced problematic radiocarbon dates. A new ramped pyroxidation (RPO) setup at the 14CHRONO Centre was applied to pretreated material from the Cuillard bowl to investigate if a preservative-free CO2 fraction could be isolated, taking advantage of the release of CO2 from wood cellulose at a lower decomposition temperature than CO2 is released from PEG. Radiocarbon dates on low temperature fractions (280–340 °C) produced statistically identical radiocarbon ages that calibrate from the mid-6th to mid-7th centuries AD, in agreement with stylistic dating of the bowl. The validity of these results is further supported by models of the radiocarbon ages from theoretical thermal decomposition curves of PEG-contaminated wood. Higher temperature fractions (> 350 °C) were statistically different and older due to the removal of CO2 derived from the PEG preservative. RPO and infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR) results on non-pretreated Cuillard bowl material, early medieval alder of known age (dendro-dated), and modern alder were used to identify PEG as the preservative and to provide references for the thermal behaviour of both clean and heavily contaminated wood in the RPO system. This work demonstrates the development of a new technique for radiocarbon dating of organic artefacts that are contaminated by PEG, offering a new avenue for the investigation of museum or archaeological collections previously considered too difficult date.

Mode for hot air drying of alder blanks that retain the colour acquired during the steaming process. The paper presents a hot-air mode for drying steamed alder in the form of blanks with dimensions: 38x100x800 mm from the initial moisture content W1 ≈ 50 % to the final moisture content W2 = 10%, while maintaining the colour of wood obtained in the process of steaming with saturated water steam. The drying process is divided into two parts: (I) evaporation of free water from wet wood at drying medium temperatures td = 35 - 40 °C and relative air humidity φ = 70 – 60%, when there are no chemical changes in the lignin-saccharide complex of alder wood manifested by a change in colour; (II) evaporation of bound water from alder wood below the hygroscopicity limit is performed at temperatures td = 60 - 80 °C. The color coordinates of steamed alder wood after drying by a given mode in the CIE L* a* b* colour space are: L* = 62.5 ± 1.7; a* = 13.1 ± 0.8; b* = 18.5 ± 0.9. Total colour difference ∆E = 1.6. According to the categorization of wood color changes in thermal processes of wood , this change belongs to small (insignificant) color changes.

The „Golczewskie Uroczysko” nature reserve was established on 5 May 2004 to protect the raised peat bog and the dystrophic Lake Żabie with its surrounding transitional bog and adjacent forest complexes containing valuable plants. In May, July and October 2006 the research of odonates (Odonata) fauna has been conducted in this area. A total of 575 odonates individuals belonging to 29 species (366 imagines, 152 larvae, 57 exuviae) were collected and among these 489 specimens belonging to 28 species were collected in Lake Żabie, 26 specimens belonging to 7 species on the beat boog, 52 specimens belonging to 3 species in flooded alder forest and 8 specimens belonging to 2 species were collected in ditches in the forest. The eurytopic species were dominated with substantial parts of tyrphobiontic and tyrphophilous species.

Past work shows a significant negative correlation between foliar oregonin concentration and western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum Packard) feeding on red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.). Above an oregonin threshold of 20% leaf dry weight, little feeding by caterpillars is observed. Concentrations of defensive chemicals are influenced by plant genotype, environmental conditions, insect feeding, and the interactions of these factors. Our objective was to measure the effects of nitrogen (N) availability and wounding on foliar oregonin and condensed tannin concentrations in red alder genotypes. One-year-old seedlings from 100 half-sib red alder families were treated with two levels of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) for two growing seasons in a common garden. In the second year, leaves from 50 families from the fertilization experiment were used in a bioassay feeding experiment to determine the effects of N fertilization and genotype on WTC damage, and to identify a subset of 20 families with a range of damage to analyze for phytochemical composition. In separate experiments, wound-induction treatments were conducted outdoors and, in a greenhouse using the N treated trees in their third and fourth year, respectively. Foliar condensed tannin, oregonin and N concentrations were measured and ranked among the plant genotypes, and between the two N treatments and two wounding treatments. Results showed that oregonin and condensed tannin concentrations varied among the alder genotypes. Leaf N concentration was negatively correlated with concentration of oregonin. Neither of the measured phenolic compounds responded to wounding. The results suggest that red alder foliar oregonin and condensed tannin are likely constitutive defenses that are largely determined by genotype, and that the negative correlation of defense compounds with plant internal N status holds in this N-fixing tree.

Pollen threshold values used in public warning systems are intended to inform people of the risk of developing allergy symptoms. However, there is no consensus about which pollen concentrations provoke allergy symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was the evaluation of studies investigating the relationship between pollen concentrations (alder, ash, birch, hazel, mugwort and ragweed) and the number of cases in which participants visited a doctor, drug consumption and allergy symptoms. This systematic literature review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019112369). A PubMed search was applied and enriched by consultation with experts and a snowball strategy. The included studies were checked for risk of bias (RoB), and extensive data were extracted and compared. Of 511 studies, 22 were eligible according to the previously established inclusion criteria, and 17 from these showed a low RoB. The strongest evidence was reported for ash (Fraxinus) pollen, where an increase of number of doctor’s visits at an interquartile range (IQR) of 18–28 grains/m3 was detected by three studies. Five studies about birch (Betula) pollen showed a threshold value of 45 grains/m3 for increased drug consumption. The evidence of a threshold value was limited for alder (Alnus), hazel (Corylus), mugwort (Artemisia) and ragweed (Ambrosia) pollen. The inconsistent results concerning all types of pollen, except ash pollen, can be the result of multiple factors, e.g., age, gender, allergen content of pollen and individual sensitivity. These influencing factors should be investigated more closely in future research.

The twig method in climate chambers has been shown to successfully work as a proxy for outdoor manipulations in various experimental setups. This study was conducted to further establish this method for the investigation of allergenic pollen from tree species (hazel, alder, and birch). Direct comparison under outdoor conditions revealed that the cut twigs compared to donor trees were similar in the timing of flowering and the amount of pollen produced. Cut twigs were able to flower in climate chambers and produced a sufficient amount of pollen for subsequent laboratory analysis. The addition of different plant or tissue fertilizers in the irrigation of the twigs did not have any influence; rather, the regular exchange of water and the usage of fungicide were sufficient for reaching the stage of flowering. In the experimental setup, the twigs were cut in different intervals before the actual flowering and were put under warming conditions in the climate chamber. An impact of warming on the timing of flowering/pollen characteristics could be seen for the investigated species. Therefore, the twig method is well applicable for experimental settings in pollen research simulating, e.g., accelerated warming under climate change.

Calla palustris is a circumboreal species native to wetland habitats of the Northern Hemisphere. Information about the complex distribution, vegetation and ecology of C. palustris in Slovakia is still missing and scattered in several local published sources and herbaria. Therefore, we decided to (i) characterise its distribution and ecological pattern, and (ii) provide a complex vegetation affiliation of the species in this territory. C. palustris has been reported from almost 30 localities concentrated in the northern part of Central Slovakia, especially in the Zapadne Beskydy Mts. The number of records rapidly decreases towards southern and eastern Slovakia. The species prefers nutrient-poor and acidic sites in regions with humid and relatively cold climates. A vegetation analysis of available phytosociological releves revealed the presence of C. palustris in the vegetation of mires (classes Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae, Oxycocco-Sphagnetea, Vaccinio-Piceetea), alder carrs (Alnetea glutinosae class) and marshes (Phragmito-Magnocaricetea class). The major environmental gradients responsible for the variation in species composition of the vegetation were analysed in Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) using Ellenberg indicator values for vascular plants. The first DCA axis corresponded to the amount of nutrients, soil reaction and temperature. Based on our study, the inclusion of C. palustris among vulnerable species within the Slovak Plant Red List is considered correct.

Red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) is a tree of high economic and ecological importance, yet is subject to severe defoliation during episodic outbreaks of tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.). We evaluated variation in western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum Packard, 1864) (WTC) resistance among and within red alder populations and clones and investigated potential defense mechanisms. Bioassay feeding trials were conducted with WTC on 20 red alder clones from 10 provenances (two clones per provenance). Phenology and quality of red alder leaves were analyzed to determine whether bud burst, leaf chemical content, water content, or physical traits are determinants of WTC preference. Alder clones differed in percent leaf area eaten by WTC and in leaf defense traits. The concentrations of total phenolics, condensed tannin, and the diarylheptanoid oregonin were negatively correlated with the percent leaf area eaten by caterpillars. In addition, a potential threshold was observed above which the concentration of each of the chemicals appeared to reduce WTC feeding. In particular, foliar concentrations of oregonin >20% of leaf dry mass were consistently associated with reduced feeding. The effects of oregonin concentration in red alder leaves on tent caterpillar feeding is a novel finding.

Plant–soil feedbacks regulate plant productivity and diversity, but potential mechanisms underpinning such feedbacks, such as the allocation of recent plant assimilate, remain largely untested especially for plants forming tripartite symbioses. We tested how soils from under alder Alnus glutinosa and beneath other species of the same and different families affected alder growth and nutrition, and colonization of roots by nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria and ectomycorrhizal fungi. We also measured how the soil environment affected carbon capture and allocation by pulse labelling seedlings with 13CO 2. We then tested for linkages between foliar nutrient stoichiometry and carbon capture and allocation and soil origin using statistical modelling approaches. Performance of alder and nitrogen nutrition were best on home and birch Betula pendula soils (both Betulaceae), whereas performance on Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii (Pinaceae) soil was poor. Plants growing in P. menziesii soil were virtually devoid of Frankia and ectomycorrhizas, and the natural abundance 15N signatures of leaves were more enriched indicating distinct nitrogen acquisition pathways. Seedlings in these soils also had smaller 13C fixation and root allocation rates, leading to smaller 13C respiration rates by microbes. Statistical models showed that the best predictors of foliar N concentration were 13C allocation rates to fine roots and net CO 2 exchange from the mesocosms. The best predictors for foliar phosphorus concentration were net CO 2 exchange from the mesocosms and soil origin; seedlings in home soils tended to have greater foliar phosphorus compared to birch soils while seedlings from Douglas fir soils were no different from the other treatments. Foliar phosphorus concentration was not correlated with plant available or total soil phosphorus for any of the soils. Home soils also resulted in distinct ectomycorrhizal communities on seedlings roots, which could be responsible for greater foliar phosphorus concentration. Our findings show how the association of alder with nitrogen-fixing Frankia relieved nitrogen limitation in the seedling triggering a performance feedback loop. We propose that relief of nitrogen limitation likely increases plant phosphorus demand, which may promote the formation of ectomycorrhizas in nutrient-deficient soils. The formation of tripartite symbioses therefore generates positive plant–soil feedbacks, which enables plants to acquire mineral nutrients otherwise inaccessible in trade for carbon. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Climate warming is driving tundra shrub expansion with implications for ecosystem function and regional climate. Understanding associations between shrub ecophysiological function, distribution and environment is necessary for predicting consequences of expansion. We evaluated the role of topographic gradients on upland shrub productivity to understand potential constraints on shrub expansion. At a low arctic tundra site near Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada, we measured sap flow, stem water potential and productivity-related functional traits in green alder, and environmental predictors (water and nutrient availability and seasonal thaw depth) across a toposequence in alder patches. Seasonal thaw reduced stem sap flow whereas topographic position predicted stem water potential and productivity-related functional traits. Upslope shrubs were more water-limited than those downslope. Shrubs in drainage channels had traits associated with greater productivity than those on the tops of slopes. The effect of thaw depth on sap flow has implications for seasonal water-use patterns and warming impacts on tundra ecohydrology. Topographic variation in functional traits corresponds with observed spatial patterns of tundra shrub expansion along floodplains and concave hillslopes rather than in upland areas. Green alder is expanding rapidly across the low arctic tundra in northwestern North America; thus, anticipating the implications of its expansion is essential for predicting tundra function.

Introduction Climate change leads to significant changes in biological productivity. The aim of the study was to model the potential productivity of forests in Ukraine under different climatic scenarios and compare the results with the actual productivity of forest-forming species in terms of forest-management zonation. Materials and Methods The CVP model of Paterson was used to calculate the potential forest productivity (PP) based on climate data (the baseline period 1961–1990; the current climate 1990–2010 and regional climate models of the EURO-CORDEX project (the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios). Potential forest productivity and actual forest productivity were studied within the forest-management zonation according to Gensiruk. By using Q-GIS maps, potential productivities were specified. An average growing stock change per year per hectare and average site index (bonitet) were estimated for seven forest tree species, namely Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), English oak (Quercus robur L.), common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) based on the ‘Forest Fund of Ukraine’ database. Statistical analysis, including correlation analysis, was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Results It was found out that in the baseline period the forest-management zones significantly differed in potential productivity (PP): with a maximum in the Carpathians and the minimum in the Southern Steppe (5.8 and 0.2 m3·ha-1·year-1, respectively), the average value for the country was about 4 m3·ha-1·year-1, which is equal to the average value of growing stock change. In the current climate (1991–2010), compared to the baseline, the average potential productivity increased by 0.3 m3·ha-1·year-1. In the Carpathians and Polissia, the potential productivity in 1961–1990 is higher than the value of the average growing stock change for all tree species (5.8 and 5.2 m3·ha-1 per year against 4.6 and 4.1 m3·ha-1 per year, respectively). For the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe these stock changes are close to PP value – 4.0 m3·ha-1 per year. In the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe, the actual stock change is less than PP (3.9 against 5.03 m3·ha-1 per year, respectively). Significant differences between the actual and potential productivities were observed for the Northern and Southern Steppes, where the average stock change (3.0 and 2.6 m3·ha-1 per year) is significantly higher than the PP (2.5 and 0.1 m3·ha-1 per year, respectively). In the middle of the century, PP values for Ukraine depending on the scenario will make 4.6 or 4.5 m3·ha-1·year-1; and at the end of the century – 4.5 or 5.4 m3·ha-1·year-1. The correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between the potential productivity for the period 1961–1990 with the weighted average site class of all studied tree species, except silver birch and Norway spruce, and a positive relationship with an average growing stock change of most species (except black alder and Norway spruce). The highest correlation coefficient with growing stock change was found for English oak of seed origin. Conclusions Compared to the period 1961–1990, at the current climate, the values of potential productivity have increased – on average by 0.3 m3·ha-1·year-1 (by 7.5%). In the future, under both climate change scenarios, by the middle of the century, the potential productivity will increase by 14.4% or 14.9% depending on scenario; at the end of the century, these changes will be 13.9% and 36.9%, respectively. The use of the Paterson index in the context of climate change allows predicting the dynamics of potential forest productivity in Ukraine due to climate change at the level of forest-management zones. However, to obtain more accurate results (e.g. for individual forestry enterprises), it is necessary to consider local edaphic and morphometric features. 1 Fig., 5 Tables, 19 Refs. Key words: EURO-CORDEX project, RCP 4.5 scenario, RCP 8.5 scenario, CVP model, average growing stock change; site index, main forest-forming species.

A review of literary sources on the diameter distribution of trees and marketability structure of black alder stands in the Slobozhanskyi forest typological district and the whole of Ukraine is carried out, the relevance of this study is established. Comparison of forest typological and forest management zoning is presented for a clearer identification of the study region, as a prerequisite for the creation of regional standards for forestry. The analysis of the distribution of black alder in the forest fund of the study region is carried out and the forestry and evaluation indicators of the alder forest stands are studied. The distribution of black alder stands of the region by origin, forest types, density of stocking and productivity has been evaluated. The evaluation indicators and marketability structure of black alder stands in the study region are considered. Models of the diameter variability of the modal stand, the ratio of the variability of the industrial timber part to the total dimensional variability of the stand, taking into account the minimum and maximum diameters in the modal stand, have been calculated. The relationship between the proportion of industrial timber and the age of modal alder stands of coppice origin has been established. The tables of the marketability structure dynamics of modal alder stands were created, taking into account the distribution of the volumes of industrial timber by dimensional classes, consistent with European approaches to round timber measurement. When compiling the standards, the previously developed yield tables of modal black alder stands of coppice origin of the Slobozhanskyi forest typological district, a comparative analysis of the dynamics of the output of industrial timber in modal black alder stands according to different standards is carried out. When comparing the standards developed for the Slobozhanskyi forest typological district with the standards developed for the whole of Ukraine, it was found that in the latter the output of industrial timber is significantly higher, which is primarily associated with the forest site conditions of the region and the coppice origin of forest stands.

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of plant species and year conditions on the biological diversity and number of insects – inhabitants of the crown layer of woody plants of the Rosaceae family in the conditions of the northern forest-steppe of the Ob region. The research was carried out in 2017–2018. During the flowering period of woody entomophilous plants, insects were collected by mowing with an entomological net in the crowns and undercrown space (25 strokes in four repetitions). In the crown of woody introduced plants Pyrus ussuriensis (Ussuri pear), Prunus maackii (Maak plum), Amelanchier alnifolia (alder irga), Spiraea betulifolia (spiraea birch leaf), Physocarpus opulifolius growing on the territory of arboretum of RAS in the northern forest-steppe of the Ob region, a total of 2597 insect specimens from 7 orders and more than 30 families were found. The largest number of insects belonged to the order Diptera (49.4 %). Representatives of the orders Thysanoptera (23.7%) and Hymenoptera (11.4%) made a significant contribution to the formation of the entomofauna. The entomofauna of different species of woody plants from the Rosaceae family differed in the taxonomic groups of insects and their numbers. A high degree of enomofauna similarity (Jaccard coefficient is 0.75) was found between Amelanchier alnifolia and Pyrus ussuriensis with similar flowering periods. A low degree of similarity was found between Amelanchier alnifolia and Spiraea betulifolia (0.32) and between Pyrus ussuriensis and Physocarpus opulifolius (0.33). The species of the plant (38.1 and 26.1%, respectively) had the greatest influence on the biological diversity and the number of entomocomplexes, which indicates the adaptation of insects to a woody plant of the Rosaceae family. The conditions of the year significantly (by 9.8%) influenced the biological diversity of insects during the flowering period.

In many watersheds, nitrogen (N)-fixing alder (Alnus spp.) provides key nutrient subsidies to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The importance of these subsidies may increase as alder cover expands under climate warming at high latitudes. We assessed how landscape features and meteorological conditions affect aquatic N and phosphorus (P) availability and stoichiometry in 26 streams across natural gradients of alder cover in southwestern Alaska over the spring and summer, covering 4 years. Analyses of resin lysimeter samples from select watersheds showed that annually, soils under alder leached almost three times more N, and two times more P than under non-alder vegetation. Stream NO3− concentrations displayed a non-linear relationship with alder cover; NO3− was low where alder cover was 30%. Watershed elevation was inversely related to alder cover, stream NO3− concentrations, and stream NO3− yields. Dissolved and particulate stream P were unrelated to alder cover, watershed elevation or discharge, highlighting decoupling of controls on P between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Snowmelt-associated nutrient pulses and hydrology likely resulted in greater stream N and P in the spring, compared to the summer. However, weather parameters only impacted stream N via their interaction with alder. Stream DIN:TP increased with alder cover and decreased with elevation, suggesting that alder intensified P-limitation. Hence, aquatic P-limitation may become increasingly pronounced as climate-induced alder expansion continues. These results demonstrate that the elevational gradient in watershed alder cover determined spatial patterns in stream N availability and nutrient limitation.

The article contains the results of studying a number of technological factors: bulk mass, bulk mass, specific gravity, porosity, free volume of the raw material layer, extractant absorption coefficients; as well as data on the analysis of some numerical quality indicators (humidity, total ash, ash insoluble in 10% solution of hydrochloric acid 10%) of gray and black alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench и A. Glutinosa (L.) Gaerth ) leaves harvested in the middle zone of the Russian Federation. The obtained data are planned to be taken into account in the technological process of production of extraction preparations from the leaves of gray and black alder.

Converting data from national forest inventories to carbon stocks for greenhouse gas reporting generally relies on biomass expansion factors (BEFs) that expand stem volumes to whole tree volumes. However, BEFs for trees outside forests like trees in hedgerows are not yet included in the IPCC reports. These are expected to be different from forest trees as hedgerow trees are exposed to more solar radiation and have more growing space. We present age-dependent BEF curves for hedgerow-grown pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), common alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). We scanned 73 trees in northern Belgium using terrestrial LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Via quantitative structure models, we estimated total volume and stem volume (diameter greater than 7 cm); we then calculated BEF as the ratio of total volume to stem volume. BEFs decreased exponentially with tree age, converging at 1.18, 1.9 and 1.92 for alder, birch and oak, respectively. For alder, this value is comparable to values of forest-grown alder; for birch and oak, these values are substantially higher, indicating a bigger part of the total volume is branch wood instead of stem wood. Total wood volume in hedgerows varied from 131.2 to 751.8 m3 per running kilometre, accounting for 30.0 to 222.8 Mg carbon stored, respectively. Only half of the produced wood in hedgerows was classified as stem wood, the other half as branch wood. Our findings show that hedgerow-specific BEFs should be used when applications for biobased economies are drafted. Also, hedgerows should be included in national carbon budgets as they represent non-negligible stocks.

Goal. To determine the most adapted wood breeds for plantation afforestation of different function in the conditions of drained peatlands of the Forest-Steppe. To study the peculiarities of growth and development of newly created forest crops in specific conditions of organogenic soils. To determine the influence of afforestation on the change of water-physical properties of drained organogenic soils. Methods. General scientific (hypotheses, inductions and deductions, analogies, generalizations) and special (field, laboratory, mathematical, statistical, computational) — for research and their generalization. Results. The best indicators of productivity in these conditions were shown by tree and bush willows, black poplar, sticky alder, and hybrids of Euro-American poplars. The optimal length of unrooted cuttings for the creation of energy plantations was 25 cm. For afforestation of black alder on drained organogenic soils, it is advisable to create forest crops with seedlings 1.0–1.2 m high according to the scheme 3.0×1.0 m, which ensures survival at the level of 98%. Over the last 52 years, the density of peat in the upper layer (0–30 cm) in the forest stand has not changed (the difference is 3%), while in the lower layers it has increased by 18–20%, but the soil density remains low (average 0.250 g/cm3) and high total moisture content (345%). The decrease in soil mineralization in forest stands compared to hayfields indicates a slowdown in the decomposition of peat organic matter under the forest, which is important for the preservation of peatlands. After the cycle of plantation afforestation, re-agricultural use of lands with improved water-physical properties of the soil is possible. Conclusions. The creation of forest plantations on drained organogenic soils is quite possible and expedient. With the use of different species composition and changes in planting density, you can create plantations of tree crops for different purposes. The highest indicators of productivity in these conditions had tree and bush willows, black poplar, alder sticky and hybrids of Euro-American poplars.

Tree species composition maps derived from hyperspectral data have been found to be accurate but it is still unclear whether an optimal time window exists to acquire the images. Trees in temperate forests are subject to phenological changes that are species-specific and can have an impact on species recognition. Our study examined the performance of a multitemporal hyperspectral dataset to classify tree species in the Polish part of the Białowieża Forest. We classified seven tree species including spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst), pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn.), oak (Quercus robur L.), birch (Betula pendula Roth), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) and linden (Tilia cordata Mill.), using Support Vector Machines. We compared the results for three data acquisitions—early and late summer (2–4 July and 24–27 August), and autumn (1–2 October) as well as a classification based on an image stack containing all three acquisitions. Furthermore, the sizes (height and crown diameter) of misclassified and correctly classified trees of the same species were compared. The early summer acquisition reached the highest accuracies with an Overall Accuracy (OA) of 83–94 per cent and Kappa (κ) of 0.80–0.92. The classification based on the stacked multitemporal dataset resulted in slightly higher accuracies (84–94 per cent OA and 0.81–0.92 κ). For some species, e.g. birch and oak, tree size differed notably for correctly and incorrectly classified trees. We conclude that implementing multitemporal hyperspectral data can improve the classification result as compared with a single acquisition. However, the obtained accuracy of the multitemporal image stack was in our case comparable to the best single-date classification and investing more time in identifying regionally optimal acquisition windows may be worthwhile as long hyperspectral acquisitions are still sparse.

Plants synthesize a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites to defend against pests and pathogens. Red alder (Alnus rubra) bark, root, and leaf extract have a long history of use in traditional medicine and hygiene. Diarylheptanoids, especially oregonin ((5S)-1,7-bis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-(β-D-xylopyranosyloxy)-heptan-3-one), have been identified as major bioactive constituents. Diarylheptanoids have become a focus of research following reports of their antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-cancer activities. Recent data suggest that high oregonin concentration is associated with resistance of red alder leaves to western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum) defoliation. Here we test effects of this compound directly on leaf-eating insects. Purified oregonin was examined in insect choice and toxicity tests using lepidopteran caterpillars. The compound exhibited significant anti-feedant activity against cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni), white-marked tussock moth (Orgyia leucostigma), fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), and M. californicum at concentrations corresponding to oregonin content of the most resistant alder clones in previous experiments. Toxicity tests were carried out with cabbage looper larvae only, but no contact or ingested toxicity was detected. Our results suggest that oregonin at levels found in red alder leaves early in the growing season may contribute to protecting red alder from leaf-eating insects.

Background In addition to known allergens, other proteins in pollen can aid the development of an immune response in allergic individuals. The contribution of the “unknown” protein allergens is apparent in phylogenetically related species where, despite of high homology of the lead allergens, the degree of allergenic potential can vary greatly. The aim of this study was to identify other potentially allergenic proteins in pollen of three common and highly related allergenic tree species: birch (Betula pendula), hazel (Corylus avellana) and alder (Alnus glutinosa). Methods For that purpose, we carried out a comprehensive, comparative proteomic screening of the pollen from the three species. In order to maximize protein recovery and coverage, different protein extraction and isolation strategies during sample preparation were employed. Results As a result, we report 2500–3000 identified proteins per each of the pollen species. Identified proteins were further used for a number of annotation steps, providing insight into differential distribution of peptidases, peptidase inhibitors and other potential allergenic proteins across the three species. Moreover, we carried out functional enrichment analyses that, interestingly, corroborated high species similarity in spite of their relatively distinct protein profiles. Conclusion We provide to our knowledge first insight into proteomes of two very important allergenic pollen types, hazel and alder, where not even transcriptomics data are available, and compared them to birch. Datasets from this study can be readily used as protein databases and as such serve as basis for further functional studies., This study aims to identify and annotate novel potentially allergenic proteins in the three highly related pollen species: birch, hazel, and alder. Immunoblotting of pollen protein extracts with serum from allergenic patients corroborates differential allergenic potential despite of the high similarity of the three species. Comprehensive proteomics analysis provides the first available protein database of pollens of alder and hazel and enables thorough annotation of proteases and allergens as well as comparative functional analysis of expressed proteins across the three pollens. Abbreviations: LC‐MS, liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry; SDS‐PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Phenology provides intimate insights into ongoing changes in nature and seasonality with respect to humans. In this study, the most complete volunteer observer phenological data set for the territory of Latvia from 1970 to 2018 was evaluated. The data set includes observations of 159 phases of eight taxonomical groups, as well as abiotic phenomena such as the first snow, last spring frost, and agrarian activities. With reducing dimensionality, a hierarchical cluster analysis was used to group the 66 phenological phases of most observations into 7 clusters. The largest changes were observed in the early spring phenological phases of the pioneer species such as the start of flowering of Corylus avellana (hazel), Alnus incana (grey alder) and Populus tremula (aspen), noted as -8 days/decade. The trend of the spring emergence of insects and spring migratory birds also showed a negative tendency. The phenology of crops and agrarian activities has not changed significantly. The trends of the autumn phases were heterogeneous-leaf colouration and fall for some species (Populus tremula) and (Acer platanoides, Norway maple) was recorded on average later; for other species, there was a slightly earlier trend (Betula pendula, silver birch; Tilia cordata, linden). Earlier onset of the spring phases affects the changes in the length of the growing season (for Acer platanoides + 7.7 days/decade; Betula pendula + 3.3 days/decade). Since 1990, it has been common that many phases have begun sooner (particularly spring phases), whilst abiotic autumn phases have been characterised by late years. This study has shown that significant seasonal changes have taken place across the Latvian landscape due to climate change.

Farming system is combination resources in farming, sustaining ecological balance and raising socio-economic status of the farming community. Jhum cultivation, WRTC and WTC, alder tree based and zabo system are traditional farming systems that are still dominant in Nagaland along with indigenous techniques and methods used by the farmers to meet the requirements of the population. With integration of livestock, crop production and fruit cultivation, creation of employment is adequate and income is generated at the same time, with secondary data collected a review of farming system is provided.

Formosan alder (Alnus formosana) is a fast-growing, adaptable, pioneer native tree species in Taiwan, and it is particularly suitable for reforestation. In this study, steam-exploded Formosan alder biomass was employed to investigate lactic acid production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) in the presence of different heavy metals. Impacts of added heavy metals on saccharification processing were investigated. In the presence of 1410 mg Cr6+/L, negative impacts were observed for SSF. The same level of Cr6+ adversely affected fermentation by Lactobacillus casei and L. acidophilus compared to the blank controls. Positive impacts for SSF by Cd2+ were demonstrated with 108 mg Cd2+/L, and the same conditions favored fermentation by L. casei and L. acidophilus. No impacts for SSF by Pb2+ up to 6830 mg Pb2+/L were found for both Lactobacillus strains. This study demonstrates that SSF for production of lactic acid from Formosan alder biomass was able to tolerate a wide range of heavy metal concentration regimes. Hence, this study provides an alternative use for biomass harvested from phytoremediation sites. Such biomass can be used as sustainable regenerative biomaterial, and thereby it can further enhance the benefits of environmental remediation.

Summary Background Globally, climate change is being observed. Pollen allergies have been increasing since the middle of the last century. Outdoors, sensitization against pollen allergens is responsible for the highest prevalence of allergies of eyes and airways. Hence, the following two questions arose: (1) How does climate change become manifest locally–regionally, and do temperatures and precipitation have to be considered exceptional in 2018? (2) How do changing meteorological conditions impact on pollination and pollen load? Methods Pollen data of the main allergenic plants—collected at the pollen monitoring station Linz, Upper Austria—were analysed; 2018 was compared to the years 1993–2017. By means of statistical methods, the impact of meteorological parameters on pollen seasons and pollen load were examined. Results Climate change was confirmed for the region. The regional climate has shifted from moderate to warmer and drier (semi-arid) conditions. Preseasonal cumulated meteorological parameters determined flowering and pollen seasons (PS). Start and duration of the pollination of hazel, alder, birch, and grass followed other rules than the seasonal pollen production, termed seasonal pollen integral (SPIn). By its hybrid character, the model-year 2018 offered the unique chance to generate and explain different scenarios of pollen emission and transmission. For the start of flowering of hazel (Corylus), alder (Alnus) and birch (Betula), the coincidence of cumulated mean daily warmth (MDWcumul) and a distinct threshold for the highest temperature of a day (HTD) is necessary and species-specific. In 2018, the earliest begin of the pollen season (PSB) was observed. Frost delayed the PSB. Preseasonal frost as well as cool temperatures caused SPIn of alder and birch to rise, whereas SPIn of hazel were increased by warmer temperatures. Warm weather prolonged pollen seasons of early flowering plants. Heat combined with drought shortened PS of birch in 2018. Cumulated relative humidity (RHcumul) correlated highly significant with the PSB of grasses. Warm and dry conditions in 2018 caused the earliest PSB of grass since 1993. Over the years, SPI and major pollen peaks of grasses have decreased, primarily due to dryness. Conclusion The assumption that climate warming in Linz over 26 years should have increased pollen concentrations of allergenic plants was not confirmed. On the contrary, trend analyses showed that the pollen load has decreased. Hence, the increase in sensitization to pollen allergens and of the prevalence of pollen allergies ask for other explanations.

Invasive alien plants cause major environmental and economic impacts and preventing the establishment and spread of emerging invaders is crucial. Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa) is well established as a widespread invader in a number of countries, notably the USA and New Zealand, and was recently detected invading riparian ecosystems in South Africa's Western Cape Province. We review the introduction history, current distribution and invasion potential (via species distribution and risk analysis) of Black Alder in South Africa, collate information on its biology, environmental impacts and options for management from its native and invaded range, assess its potential range and management attempts in South Africa, and provide guidelines for effective management. Furthermore, correlative modelling predicted areas of the southern and eastern part of South Africa to have suitable environments for Black Alder establishment. However, water availability will likely limit the species to riparian areas, and areas where the annual rainfall exceeds 500 mm per annum. We estimated control costs to be minimum R 82 000 per month, and the vigorous resprouting nature of Black Alder and its riparian zone preferences presents large management challenges. We propose that Black Alder should be listed as Category 1a under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) in South Africa. We advise that riparian areas in particular be monitored closely to prevent Black Alder from becoming a widespread invader.

Black Alder Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. is an important tree commonly growing in Poland. Alders are actinorhizal plants that play an important ecological role in riparian ecosystems through atmospheric nitrogen fixation, filtration and purification of waterlogged soils as well as providing a refuge for terrestrial and aquatic organisms thus helping to stabilize stream banks. Black alder used to be considered a very pest and disease resistant species but, the situation changed in 2000, when an unprecedented decline of Alders was observed in Poland. In the Białowieża Forest District, this decline has been observed on wet meadow habitats and along rivers or watercourses. Currently, there are several hypotheses explaining Alder dieback, among them climatic changes and Phytophthora infections. In terms of climate, Black Alder requires a high atmospheric humidity during all phases of its reproductive cycle. It tolerates neither long-term summer flooding nor a significant decrease in the groundwater level. In terms of pests, oomycete pathogens of the genus Phytophthora are the most destructive plant pathogens known and many of them are present in forests and nurseries all over Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health of Black Alder along the Narewka River in the Białowieża Forest District. Selected areas were monitored in 2012 and 2018, but no relationship between drought and alder health was found. A preliminary analysis of soil and water samples by real time PCR revealed the presence of two Phytophthora species: P. alni and P. cactorum. Further and more detailed research is required to elucidate the role of these pathogens in Alder dieback.

European riparian forests are in general susceptible to plant invasions compared to other natural forest habitats. Their descriptive vegetation overviews with phytosociological affiliation contain detail insight into species composition patterns at various geographical scales, but quantitative assessment of the relationship between non-native plant richness and measured environmental variables is still scarce. We used two vegetation datasets of alder-dominated forests to analyse plant invasion patterns in the Pannonian and the Carpathian region of Slovakia. A large dataset of 918 vegetation plots was used at the regional scale, whereas 40 vegetation plots completed by ecological (mainly soil, climatic) predictors were used at the local scale in order to determine how they shape non-native species richness. We found significant differences (P < 0.05) between the Pannonian and the Carpathian region in the number of non-native vascular plants at both scales, with altitude being the most important predictor. Generalized Linear Models accounted for 56.6% and 59.6% of alien species richness data in the Pannonian and Carpathian region, respectively. Alien richness was affected by altitude and soil pH in the Pannonian region, but only by altitude in the Carpathian region.

The physiological and biochemical parameters and elemental composition of Hypogymnia physodes lichen samples from various phytocenoses differing in lighting conditions and atmospheric humidity were studied. A significant increase in the chlorophyll a and nitrogen contents, the maximal pheophytinization coefficient, and the minimum content of phenolic compounds were observed in H. physodes thalli under severe shading conditions in a spruce forest. Most of these biochemical parameters reached their minimum values with high insolation in birch and pine forests except for the content of phenolic compounds, which reached the maximum value. ICP–AES analysis of H. physodes thalli detected 20 elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Pb, Sn, Sr, Tl, V, W, Zn) that were found in lichen samples from all studied natural phytocenoses except for Mo, which was absent in samples from a black alder forest. The maximum concentrations for almost half of the elements (Al, B, Fe, K, Mo, Na, Sn, Ti, V) were determined in samples from the spruce forest where the thalli were more often and consistently hydrated because of the high and more stable humidity level. A complex system of correlation relationships was established based on an analysis of cross-correlations of the physiological and biochemical parameters and the metal concentrations in the samples. The results indicated a high coordination of various physiological processes. Chlorophyll a played a crucial role in maintaining their consistency with changing environmental conditions. Its content was associated with a more significant number of different parameters and elemental concentrations.

Mapping the distribution of allergenic plants in urbanized landscapes is of high importance to evaluate its impact on human health. However, data is not always available for the allergy-relevant species such as alder, birch, hazel, especially within cities where systematic inventories are often missing or not readily available. This research presents an approach to produce high-resolution abundance maps of allergenic tree species using existing forest inventories and opportunistic open-access citizen science data. Following a two-step approach, we first built species distribution models (SDMs) to predict species habitat suitability, using environmental characteristics as predictors. Second, we used statistical regressions to model the relationships between abundance, the habitat suitability predicted by the SDMs, and additional vegetation cover covariates. The combination of forest inventory data with citizen science data improves the accuracy of abundance distribution models of allergenic tree species. This produces a continuous, 1-hectare resolution map of alder, birch, and hazel showing spatial variations of abundance distributions both within the urban fabric and along the urban–rural gradient. Species abundance modelling can offer a better understanding of the existing and potential future allergy risk posed by green spaces and pave the way for a wide variety of applications at fine-scale, which is indispensable for evidence-based urban green space policy and planning in support of public health. ispartof: Landscape And Urban Planning vol:218 status: Published online

The article presents data on the study of commodity indicators of black, gray and heart-leaved alder leaves harvested from wild plants. The moisture content was determined for all the studied samples. Common ash. Ash insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, organic and mineral impurities, parts of the plant that have lost their natural color. The complexometric titration method determined the content of tannins in the raw material, the content of which in the amount of 4.56 to 8.59%, allows considering this type of raw material as a promising additional source of phytopreparations.

Background Sensitization rates to aeroallergens are rising worldwide. The prevalence is increasing, especially in Western countries. We aimed to investigate (1) sensitization rates and (2) cross-sensitization patterns in skin prick tests (SPTs) for the most relevant inhaled allergens in central Germany over 20 years, adjusted for regional pollen counts. Patients and methods This monocentric study evaluated SPTs for tree pollen, grass pollen and house dust mites (HDMs) in 4,315 patients (including children) with suspected airway allergies, from 1998-2017. Results Sensitization rates to almost all aeroallergens have increased significantly over time, without relevant changes in regional pollen counts. Current sensitization rates in all our symptomatic patients were highest for grass (55.3 %) and rye pollen (59.6 %), with most pronounced increases in HDM sensitization over time (from 37.8 % to the current figure of 50.1 %). However, a low but consistent proportion of tree-sensitized patients (3.6-7.8 %) showed isolated positive SPTs to alder and/or hazel pollen without sensitization to birch pollen. Conclusions We demonstrate a significant rise in the total number of sensitized patients as well as increases in cross-sensitization between closely related allergens. Individuals with unusual mono-sensitization profiles to common inhaled allergens should be studied in more detail, since these patients are currently excluded from clinical trials for allergen immunotherapy.

With the aim of developing new approaches to the utilization of bark and the provision of more broad-spectrum of nutrients suggested and tested scheme of sequential extraction of the bark of black alder (Alnus glutinosa) industrial debarking. The study from the bark of the alder isolated and characterized by spectral and some extractive substances – triterpenoids (betulin, etc.), diarylheptanoid and pectin, anthocyanidin dyes. It is shown that the composition of water-ethanol extracts of alder bark includes phenolic compounds (flavonoids), tannins, diarylheptanoids, saponins. These substances have broad and proven biological activity and pharmacological value. Experimental data of the study of adsorption activity indicate that the bark subjected to successive extraction treatment to obtain biologically active substances is an effective sorbent that does not require additional activation. The results allow us to begin the development, creation and implementation of low-and waste-free technologies that allow the maximum and most fully extract valuable components of alder bark, turning them into useful products, also to eliminate or reduce the damage caused to the environment as a result of emissions of industrial waste into the air, water and soil.

Freshly cut 30-mm-thick wood disks of Scots pine, Caucasian elm, narrow-leafed ash, wild cherry, black walnut, and European alder with various natural grade defects were dried together in a radiofrequency-vacuum (RF/V) dryer. A mild four-step drying schedule at the maximum temperature of 45 degrees C and power density in the range of 1-2 kWm(-3)with an on-off control of RF radiation at the final step was used. The moisture content of the disks at the end of drying ranged from 10.6% to 13.4%. An almost uniform radial moisture gradient developed in the dried disks. The six wood species, however, exhibited variations in checking. The RF/V drying schedule used here was able to completely inhibit near-bark radial checking in all disks but pine and elm, whereas it failed to efficiently prevent V-cracking in pine and ash with a high mean tangential to radial shrinkage anisotropy (S-T/S-R). A strong positive correlation was also found between S-T/S(R)and the proportion of V-cracked disks. The occurrence of ring failure within the reaction wood-containing disks of walnut, pine, and elm was almost completely prevented by the drying schedule, but a significant correlation was observed between the pith eccentricity and V-crack length in the compression wood-containing disks of pine. All other natural defects, i.e., scar in cherry, bark pocket, double or triple pithing in walnut and elm, sound knots in pine, and roundness deviation, exhibited no statistically significant effect (p > 0.05) on check formation. College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at University of Tehran This work was financially supported by College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at University of Tehran. This study was carried out in Turkey during a research stay of the first author at Duzce University. We would like to thank Recep Sivrikaya Company in Duzce for allowing us to use the industrial RF/V kiln. WOS:000579695500001 2-s2.0-85092777335

Background: Pollen food Syndrome (PFS) to Rosaceae fruits and soybean, related to Bet v 1 homologue sensitization has been reported increasingly throughout Japan, possibly due to the wide distribution of alder. Methods: In 2015, we conducted a school-based questionnaire survey among two age groups; students in primary school (Years 1–2) and secondary school (Years 8–9) from each of the 47 prefectures of Japan. We analyzed the prevalence, demographic and clinical characteristics of children with oral symptoms to Rosaceae fruits/soybean; defined as oral symptoms occurring shortly after ingesting apple, peach, cherry or soybean. Additionally, we assessed the correlation between the prevalence and external data on alder sensitization rates by prefecture. Results: Responses from 41,264 primary and 35,302 secondary school students were analyzed. The prevalence of oral symptoms to Rosaceae fruits/soybean was 0.99%, 95%CI: 0.89–1.09% and 2.75%, 95%CI: 2.59–2.93% among each age group, respectively. Children with oral symptoms were more likely to have parental and personal history of allergic disease compared to those without symptoms. Oral symptoms were experienced more often in children with severe spring allergic rhinitis or have both allergic rhinitis and wheeze. There was a strong correlation between the prevalence of oral symptoms and alder sensitization rates by prefecture among both age groups (r = 0.63, p

Alders, as an N-fixing species, are widely used as a phytomelioration species at post-industrial sites. The paper presents the effects of litter decomposition of different alder species-black alder, gray alder, and green alder-on changes to the soil solution chemistry of Technosols developed from two types of substrates: lignite combustion waste and sandy substrates from a former sand quarry. Under controlled conditions, the 13-week experiment investigated pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and the chemical parameters-dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved nitrogen (DON), and macroelements S, Ca, Mg, K, and Na content-of filtrates in composites consisting of substrate and litter from alder species was investigated. Alder litter accelerated nutrient leaching processes from soil substrates and had the greatest impact on sandy substrates because fast leaching was possible at low absorption capacity characteristics. Higher leaching rates in sandy substrates were also observed, especially in the cases of DOC, DON, K, and P, in comparison to combustion waste substrates. In the first phase of the experiment in sandy soil substrates, the dominant process is the leaching of DOC from dead organic matter, while in the case of combustion waste, calcium leaching prevails in the first phase. Among the investigated species, black alder had the greatest impact on the chemistry of substrates and solutions, and the dynamic of these processes has a different path at various substrates.

A protocol has been developed for the propagation of Alnus glutinosa axillary shoots in liquid medium. The explants were cultured in Woody Plant Medium supplemented with 0.1 mg l− 1 benzyladenine and 0.5 mg l− 1 indole acetic acid. The effect of the bioreactor type (RITA® and Plantform™), frequency of the immersions, regulator concentrations, and volume of medium per explant was investigated. All the treatments with the temporal immersion systems (TIS) increased the proliferation rates. The best results were obtained on using the Plantform™ vessels and, unlike the shoots cultured in RITA® vessels, the culture in Plantform™ had very low hyperhydricity percentages. Shoots originating from the culture in semi-solid medium and in Plantform™ rooted in semi-solid medium with 0.1 mg/l indole butyric acid for 7 days. No significant differences were observed in the rooting or acclimatization percentages, with survival percentages greater than 85% being achieved. This is the first work on the use of TIS systems in alder propagation, with the results of this study providing new perspectives for its mass propagation., The authors would like to thank INLUDES (Diputación Provincial de Lugo) for the initial funding received for starting the works on alder micropropagation, as well as for the facilities provided to collect the material.

To test the influence of selected fertilisers and fungicides on the germination of black alder seeds and the initial phase of seedling growth, we conducted a laboratory experiment outlined in this paper. Six treatments were applied on petri dishes each containing 30 seeds. The substrate for germination was sterile filter paper wetted with an aqueous solution of either one of two fungicides, two organic fertilisers, a mineral fertiliser or distilled water (control). Fungicides and fertilisers were applied according to the manufacturers' recommendations. In order to keep genetic variability to a minimum, seeds originated from a single tree in a seed stand located in the Chotyłów Forest District, eastern Poland. Germination and growth took place at a temperature of 23°C ± 2°C with a 14 h/10 h day/night cycle. Seeds began to germinate as early as the second day after sowing, except for the mineral fertiliser treatment, in which the first sprouting was observed on day 3. Seedling length was measured daily from the day of germination of a given seed through to day 15. Germination was found to proceed most rapidly in the control, while the largest increments in length and dry mass occurred in the control and fertiliser treatment with the so-called N1 fertiliser (solely comprising growth stimulators in the form of humic acids, chitosan and silicon). The most limited growth was observed under the influence of the F1 fungicide (active compound Thiram) as well as the organic fertiliser N2 (a mixture of mineral components and organic growth stimulators). Roots were found to develop most rapidly in the control and in the treatment with N1 (no mineral components). These are also the only two treatments in which the roots were longer than the stems after 15 days. Fertiliser N2 was found to have the most unfavourable influence on both, germination and the first phase of seedling development. The fact that selected fertilizers and fungicides affected black alder seeds and seedlings under laboratory conditions does not mean that they will have an impact under field conditions or on other forest tree species. Therefore, this type of research will need to be conducted individually for each forest tree species.