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Urban natural area forests provide cities with crucial ecosystem services, including carbon storage and sequestration. Although previous work from a single city has suggested that urban natural area forests may be carbon‐rich and dominated by native species, it is unclear if that pattern is widespread. Indeed, little is known about the species composition and carbon storage in these green spaces, or how urban natural area forests compared with similar rural forests. Here, we use data collected by the Forests in Cities network to quantify carbon stored in urban natural area forests across 1852 plots in eight of the most populous US cities and examine patterns in woody vegetation carbon storage by tree species composition and size class. We also compare the carbon storage in these urban natural area forests to similar rural forests using USDA FS Forest Inventory and Analysis data. We found that urban natural area forests store between 214 and 267 Mg C ha−1, with the majority (on average 55%) in the above‐ground portion of live trees and shrubs. This carbon was primarily stored by native trees and increased with the proportion of native species, as native trees tended to be larger. The proportion of non‐native species was higher in smaller size classes. Overall, the woody vegetation carbon density in urban natural area forests was higher than similar forest types in rural settings, a phenomenon driven by the presence of more large trees. Synthesis and applications: Together these results demonstrate the importance of urban natural area forests as carbon‐dense ecosystems and havens for native tree species. However, because of the greater number of non‐native species in smaller size classes, these forests may also be at risk of transitioning away from native‐dominated systems. Therefore, greater monitoring efforts and increased management activities such as non‐native species removal will be crucial to maintaining the high carbon storage and health of these ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear‐fell harvesting of non‐native plantation forests in the southern hemisphere creates large amounts of woody debris that is used for breeding by non‐native bark beetles and wood borers. Limited competition and a shortage of natural enemies allow some invasive pine bark beetles and wood borers to become highly abundant and cause phytosanitary issues. Replicated transects (550–750 m long) of funnel traps baited with alpha‐pinene and ethanol spanning even‐aged Pinus radiata stands were established in New Zealand's largest plantation forest and monitored from pre‐harvest until up to 5 years post‐harvesting to test the effects of harvesting residue resource pulses on the spatio‐temporal population dynamics of Hylurgus ligniperda, Hylastes ater and Arhopalus ferus. Generalised additive mixed model analyses of trap captures of >687,000 H. ligniperda, >7600 H. ater and >5000 A. ferus individuals showed greatly elevated populations for the first 2–3 years post‐harvest. Subsequently, populations returned to very low levels once the resource pulse was exhausted. Spatial patterns of captures reflecting beetle dispersal from breeding material showed a curvilinear decline along the breeding resource gradient by up to 95% from the interior of a recently harvested stand into an adjacent, previously harvested stand with exploited resources. Synthesis and applications. The results show that forest management characterised by ongoing harvesting of neighbouring stands facilitates the build‐up of large populations of bark beetles and wood borers of phytosanitary concern. This is due to recurrent resource pulses caused by the supply of substantial amounts of breeding material from tree felling. Our findings can inform forest planning aimed at avoiding such harvesting patterns, by assisting with the development and implementation of strategies for the management of beetle populations across the landscape. Most beetles dispersed <400 m beyond the source stand edge, although some beetles are likely to have dispersed further. Keeping a distance of 1–2 km between recently felled stands and those scheduled for felling would be expected to reduce rapid population growth. This knowledge can also be used to reduce seedling attack, minimise infestation of logs, and ultimately, mitigate pathway and biosecurity risks, with important implications for forest product exports and quarantine measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing forests for timber yields reduces the amounts of old trees and deadwood, which has profound effects on species that are dependent on them. Retention forestry, where some trees are permanently left unharvested on clear‐cut sites, may enable the formation of deadwood and old trees in managed forests, but it is unresolved how well these practices facilitate the occurrence of species in managed forests, especially in the long term.We studied the capacity of tree retention practices to support the diversity of epiphytic lichens, a key group among threatened forest species. We compared lichen assemblages on retained trees in harvested sites to those on trees in unharvested control sites. The data were collected 21‐year post‐harvest and included living trees, snags (standing dead trees) and logs (fallen trees) of Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine).Living trees, snags and logs each hosted distinct lichen communities. The highest lichen diversity was found on snags.On living trees, species richness was similar in harvested and unharvested sites, but there was slight species turnover. In contrast, deadwood in unharvested sites hosted higher species richness and distinct species assemblages compared to deadwood in harvested sites. These differences were most pronounced on snags. Specifically, unharvested sites contained high‐longevity snags (kelo trees), which hosted unique lichen communities with higher lichen richness than any other studied substrate, including the highest numbers of red‐listed and deadwood‐dependent species.Synthesis and applications. Retention forestry can support lichen assemblages associated with living Pinus sylvestris. However, maintaining deadwood‐associated lichen diversity through retention practices entails significant challenges. Deadwood‐associated lichen diversity relies on high‐longevity snags and is not sustained by the habitats provided in retention forestry. Biodiversity maintenance in forest management requires comprehensive provision of the habitat features of unmanaged forests, such as a qualitatively representative deadwood profile, which can prove difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendroctonus valens is one of the main invasive pests in China, causing serious economic and ecological damage. Early detection and control of D. valens can help prevent further outbreaks. Based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) thermal infrared and hyperspectral data, we compared the spectral characteristics of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in three states (healthy, early-infested, and dead), and constructed a classification model based on the random forest algorithm using four spectral datasets (reflectance, first derivative, second derivative, and spectral vegetation index) and one temperature parameter dataset. Our results indicated that the spectral differences between healthy and early-infested trees mainly occur in the near-infrared region, with dead trees showing different characteristics. While it was effective to distinguish healthy from early-infested trees using spectral data alone, the addition of a temperature parameter further improved classification accuracy across all datasets. The combination of the spectral vegetation index and temperature parameter achieved the highest accuracy at 93.75%, which is 3.13% higher than using the spectral vegetation index alone. This combination also significantly improved early detection precision by 13.89%. Our findings demonstrated the applicability of UAV-based thermal infrared and combined hyperspectral datasets in monitoring D. valens early-infested trees, providing important technical support for the scientific prevention and control of D. valens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veteran and ancient trees are key structures sustaining biodiversity in wooded landscapes. Their value depends on tree‐related microhabitats (TreMs) such as hollows, cracks and other structures related to wounds and wood decay. Decline and loss of veteran trees results in the loss of TreMs thus threatening the biodiversity associated with them. Veteranisation, that is, interventions aimed at creating or accelerating formation of rare TreMs in live trees, are thus increasingly applied to bridge gaps in habitat continuity and sustain the biodiversity associated with veteran trees. Several studies investigated the use of artificially created TreMs by various organisms. No study has, however, investigated saproxylic beetles attracted to freshly veteranised trees, and how different veteranisation techniques affect attractivity of veteranised trees to saproxylic beetles. We veteranised 48 sessile oaks using two types of deep and two types of shallow cuts and trapped saproxylic beetles on the veteranised and control trees in the first season after the intervention. The sampling yielded 280 species (6171 individuals) of saproxylic beetles, including 64 that are threatened. Veteranised trees attracted more abundant and diverse communities than control trees. Community composition differed between shallow and deep cuts and between the two types of deep cuts. Freshly veteranised trees thus attract diverse and abundant communities of saproxylic beetles consisting mainly of species potentially exploiting the wounds. The high proportion of threatened species, often associated with old oaks, suggests that veteranised trees benefit even some threatened saproxylic biodiversity already during the first year after the veteranisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In subalpine fir wave forests, strips of dead and weakened trees occur perpendicular to the slope next to strips of healthy trees. To reveal the transpiration by weakened Abies veitchii trees exposed to increased atmospheric evaporative demand, we investigated the ecophysiological traits closely related to the growth and transpiration, comparing them with those of the healthy trees and saplings in the fir wave of Mt. Shimagare in central Japan. The transpiration rate (E) was investigated using sap flux sensors to measure heat pulse velocity and compared with the surrogate for the needle water demand, which was computed using a multilayered gas and energy transfer model (modeled E, Emod). Weakened trees exhibited smaller diameter growth and narrower sapwood than healthy trees, as well as lower heat pulse velocity compared with healthy saplings. However, needle‐level traits did not differ significantly between weakened and healthy trees. Needle water potential at midday was as negative as the needle turgor loss point, and the measured heat pulse velocity increased linearly with Emod but leveled off above a certain Emod value in weakened trees and healthy saplings, suggesting that trees restricted E to balance the needle water budget. Heat pulse velocity of weakened trees leveled off at Emod lower than that of healthy saplings, probably due to lower capacity for water supply to the needles. Restriction of E would occur less frequently but be necessary for both weakened and healthy A. veitchii on Mt. Shimagare to avoid hydraulic failure, sacrificing photosynthetic carbon assimilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural forest ecosystems of South Florida, USA, support a high biodiversity of plant and animal species and provide valuable ecosystem services. However, these ecosystems remain poorly represented in global studies, primarily due to a paucity of standardized data. Here, we present previously unpublished data from 332 censuses of 54 permanent 1‐ha tree inventory plots in the Racoon Point area of Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, USA, including a total of nearly 100,000 measurements (diameter or height) of > 17,000 individual living trees and palms (with additional measurements of nearly 6000 dead pine snags) collected sporadically over a 19‐year period (1993–2012). These data, which were originally collected as part of a project to investigate tree responses to different experimental burning regimes, provide unique insight into the diversity, composition, structure, and dynamics of South Florida's unique and endangered pine forest ecosystems. Data files include the species identity, size (dbh = diameter at breast height), and location of all trees ≥ 5 cm dbh in 54 individual tree plots. Additional data are provided about heights of palm trees, and the location and burn history of each plot. These data are freely available for noncommercial scientific use under a Creative Commons license; users are encouraged to cite this paper when using the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exotic vines threaten biodiversity causing damage to forest structure. We investigated the distribution of exotic vines across different patchily distributed plant communities. We surveyed patches of 12 threatened, mesic forest communities along the coastal plain in New South Wales, Australia to determine how exotic and native vine distribution and density were influenced by characteristics of forest patches and neighbouring land use. Vine density and stem widths were measured in quadrats in the edge and interior of patches. Canopy cover, number of dead trees, area to perimeter ratio and surrounding land use were recorded for each patch. Our results show that exotic vine assemblages were influenced by anthropogenic land use surrounding patches but not influenced by community type. Most exotic vine species were present across the whole region where surveys were undertaken. Exotic vines species were sometimes at high densities but had smaller stem widths than native species and there was no change in density from the edges into the interior. Araujia sericifera and Ipomoea cairica were the most prevalent exotic species and together with the fast edge growing Anredera cordifolia are of key concern. In contrast, native vine assemblages were species rich, with some individuals having large stem widths suggesting greater age and we found species composition varied with plant community type. Native vines showed continual recruitment and appeared more specialized to the attributes of each plant community. Surrounding anthropogenic land uses (residential, agricultural and industrial) were the most important factors predicting invasion of exotic vines and were more important than the length of edges. This suggests that the surrounding matrix characteristics were influencing degradation of the interior of these patches, rather than exotic vines invading along an invasion front from the edge. Exotic vines need to be controlled across the entirety of patches, rather than a focus on edge control practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European ash populations face a significant threat from the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, leading to ash dieback disease. The absence of resistant individuals and restrictions on biotechnological solutions hinder the ability to combat this widespread illness in the near term. Priming strategies offer an alternative approach to boost stress tolerance not only in this scenario but also in other endangered tree species by triggering plant defense mechanisms. The non-proteinogenic amino acid β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) has demonstrated potential in enhancing resistance to diverse stressors in plants. Despite limited research on forest tree species, the current study evaluated BABA's effectiveness in mitigating ash dieback disease severity and explored potential correlations between priming treatments and epigenetic modifications. The results indicated that BABA enhanced stress tolerance in ash seedlings following inoculation with Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. BABA effectively decreased the development of necrosis associated with ash dieback disease in seedlings five months post-inoculation. Additionally, treatments involving BABA were linked to observed epigenetic alterations. Elevated levels of the non-canonical deoxynucleosides 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2'-deoxycytidine (5-hmdC) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (5-hmdU) were confirmed subsequent to the treatments. This study highlights the potential of BABA and other priming strategies in enhancing disease tolerance in forest tree species like European ash. Short-term improved stress tolerance and epigenetic changes were confirmed. Yet, the exact priming conditions for inducing long-term effects in plants, including long-living forest trees, remain unknown, posing a challenge for applying priming strategies to manage ash dieback and protect many other endangered tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistence of standing dead trees (snags) is an important determinant for their role for biodiversity and dead wood associated carbon fluxes. How fast snags fall varies widely among species and regions and is further influenced by a variety of stand‐ and tree‐level factors. However, our understanding of this variation is fragmentary at best, partly due to lack of empirical data.Here, we took advantage of the accruing time series of snag observations in the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish National Forest Inventories that have been followed in these programs since the mid‐1990s. We first harmonized observations from slightly different inventory protocols and then, using this harmonized dataset of ca. 43,000 observations that had a consistent 5‐year census interval, we modelled the probability of snags of the main boreal tree species Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies and Betula spp. falling, as a function of tree‐ and stand‐level variables, using Bayesian logistic regression modelling.The models were moderately good at predicting snags remaining standing or falling, with a correct classification rate ranging from 68% to 75% among species.In general, snag persistence increased with tree size and climatic wetness, and decreased with temperature sum, advancing stage of decay, site productivity and disturbance intensity (mainly harvesting).Synthesis and applications: The effect of harvesting demonstrates that an efficient avenue to increase the amount of snags in managed forests is protecting them during silvicultural operations. In the warmer future, negative relationship between snag persistence and temperature suggests decreasing the time snags remain standing and hence decreasing habitat availability for associated species. As decomposition rates generally increase after fall, decreasing snag persistence also implies substantially faster release of carbon from dead wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skeletal material from Sarmatian cemeteries in the Pannonian Plain (Hungary, Romania, Serbia), dating from the first to the fifth century ce, has exhibited poor preservation. This has been attributed to historical grave robbery, although no analysis of the skeletal remains or taphonomic processes has been conducted. A recent study focused on statistically assessing skeletal preservation and taphonomic examinations of skeletal remains from 152 graves in the Vojvodina territory (Serbia), utilizing interdisciplinary methodologies. The study found that grave reopening in the past contributed to bone fragmentation in two ways: first, by directly damaging and scattering the bones and, second, by leaving the skeletal material exposed to surface and weathering conditions for an extended period. Additionally, the Sarmatian burial practice of placing the dead in solid tree trunk coffins has also resulted in poor skeletal preservation, as indicated by coffin wear modifications on the bones. This research has provided new insights into the various anthropogenic and natural processes that affect skeletal remains from reopened graves, thereby supporting the reconstruction of Sarmatian funerary archeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) have been recognized as powerful tools for providing monitoring data supporting mitigating and adapting to various abiotic and biotic forest disturbances. However, their suitability and commercial viability have been significantly limited by the necessity for operation primarily within visual line of sight (VLOS). Efforts are currently ongoing to establish frameworks for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAS operation. This study represents the first successful application of hydrogen-powered BVLOS airship UAS technology for monitoring forest disturbances. The test area covered 1.3 km2 of conserved forest area in North Karelia, Finland, seriously affected by bark beetles and other disturbance agents. Monitoring flights were conducted in spring, summer, and autumn in BVLOS setting operated from a command centre situated approximately 75 km distance from the test area. Deep learning models were applied to study the tree health in the disturbance area, with the special focus on examining the scalability of machine learning models. Multispectral imagery outperformed RGB imagery in classifying trees as healthy, infested, and dead spruce trees, as well as non-spruce tree classes. With multispectral imagery, the F1-scores were 0.88–0.94, 0.80, 0.92–0.96, and 0.75–0.82 for healthy, infested, and dead spruce trees, and non-spruces, respectively. Transfer learning and fine-tuning, which adapted previously trained models to new study areas, improved results compared to training models from scratch and thus contributed to the development of scalable UAS remote sensing methods in mitigating forest disturbances on a larger scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological zonation in coastal forests is driven by sea level rise and storm‐surge events. Mature trees that can survive moderately saline conditions show signs of stress when soil salinity increases above its tolerance levels. As leaf burn, foliar damage, and defoliation reduce tree canopy cover, light gaps form within the crown. At the forest‐marsh edge, canopy cover loss is most severe; trunks of dead trees without canopies form "ghost forests." Canopy thinning and light from the edge alter conditions for understory vegetation, promoting the growth of shrubs and facilitating establishment and spread of invasive species that were previously limited by light competition. In this research, we present an analysis of illuminance and temperature in a coastal forest transitioning to a salt marsh. Light sensors above the ground surface were used to measure light attenuation of trees and understory vegetation and to observe the effect of reduced canopies at the forest‐marsh edge. Farther from the marsh, where salinity is lower and trees are healthy, dense canopies attenuate light. We estimate that during the growing season, tree canopies intercept 50% of illuminance on average. Closer to the marsh, canopy thinning, and tree death allow greater light penetration from above, as well as from the adjacent marsh. These illuminance values are further increased by light penetration from the forest‐marsh edge (edge effect). Here, higher illuminance may permit Phragmites australis expansion. At intermediate locations, trees intercept between 32% and 49% of light and the understory shrub Morella cerifera intercepts a further 45% of penetrating light based on comparisons of illuminance above and below shrub canopies. Light penetration from the edge can also be felt. The presence of M. cerifera reduces the air temperature close to the soil surface, creating a cooler summer microclimate. The tree health state is reflected in the canopy size. The canopy patterns and the edge effect are responsible for light availability distribution along forest‐marsh gradients, consequently affecting the understory vegetation biomass. We conclude that during forest retreat driven by sea level rise, tree dieback increases light availability favoring the temporary encroachment of Ph. australis and M. cerifera in the understory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many fires in north Australian savannas are severe enough to cause canopy scorch, tree death and removal of stags. Better fire management may increase carbon sequestration in trees, perhaps including stags. Aims: To describe and analyse dynamics of stags in tropical savannas (600–1000 mm annual rainfall) in relation to fire and better understand their role in biomass sequestration. Methods: We monitored marked populations of live and dead trees over 12 years. Statistical models describing influences on stag creation and loss are applied in stag dynamics simulations. Key results: Immediately following severe fire, stag biomass increases acutely because many more live trees are killed than stags removed. Between severe fires, stag losses exceed tree deaths, so peaks are quite short. Many 'new' stags are lost (fallen or consumed) quickly. Conclusions: Between fires, stags comprise ~7.5–8.9% of standing above-ground biomass, more under dry conditions and during recovery from severe fire or other drivers of increased tree mortality. Fire management is unlikely to increase proportions of total woody biomass in stags unless it also reduces live biomass. Implications: Reducing frequency of severe fires can increase total carbon sequestration in dry tropical savannas. Prediction uncertainties and management risks around sequestration present daunting challenges for policy-makers and fire management practitioners. Fire creates stags by killing trees and also removes them. Proportions of stags lost usually exceed per capita mortality rates except after severe fire, when tree deaths greatly outnumber stag losses. Fire management is unlikely to increase the proportion of biomass in stags unless live biomass declines. This article belongs to the Collection Savanna Burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest ecosystems are long-term exposed to dry periods in Europe, which leads to a significant loss of vitality and higher mortality, especially in coniferous forests. Identifying stress in the early stages when measures can be taken to protect the forest and living trees is crucial. Current detection methods are based on field surveys by forest workers or remote sensing methods to cover larger areas, which use changes in spectral reflectance of the forest canopy. In some cases, the attacked trees do not change their appearance, and based on calculations of vegetation indices from remote sensing data, the attack cannot be mapped. We present an innovative methodology based on non-optical analysis, namely identifying a group of volatile compounds and microclimate signs in forest stands that indicate stress factors in forest stands. An attacked tree by a bark beetle produces increased amounts of biogenic volatile organic compounds associated with defense, and the microclimate changes due to interrupted transpiration. In addition, the bark beetle uses the aggregation pheromone to attract more individuals and to attack the tree massively. In this study, we tested three electronic noses (Miniature Bosch sensor device with 25,419 samples, Sensory device for environmental applications with 193 samples, Handheld VOC Detector Tiger with 170 samples) in a freshly infested spruce stand. The measurement was conducted at ground level with the help of a human operator and was repeated six times to verify the detection capability of the electronic noses. To verify the capability of electronic noses to predict tree infestation, we used machine learning Random Forest. The results demonstrated that electronic noses can detect bark beetle infestation start (within 1 week of the first attack). The Miniature Bosch sensor device achieved the highest accuracy with a value of 95%, in distinguishing forest sections that are healthy and infested; the second most accurate electronic nose is the Sensory device for environmental applications, with an accuracy of 89%. Our proposed methodology could be used to detect bark beetle presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal traits can provide a mechanistic understanding of how wood‐inhabiting fungi interact with their environment and how that influences community assembly in deadwood. However, fungal trait exploration is relatively new and almost no studies measure fungal traits in their environment.In this study we tested species‐ and trait‐environment relationships in reproducing fungal communities inhabiting 571 Norway spruce (Picea abies) logs in 55 isolated forest patches (0.1–9.9 ha) of different naturalness types, located in Northern boreal Sweden. The studied patches were (1) semi‐natural set‐aside patches within highly managed landscapes, or (2) old‐growth natural patches located in an unmanaged landscape. We tested species and trait relationships to deadwood substrate and forest patch variables. We measured mean fruit body size and density for each of the 19 species within communities.Traits assembled in relation to log decay stage and forest patch naturalness, illustrating the important role of deterministic environmental filtering in shaping reproducing wood‐inhabiting fungal communities. Early decay stage communities had larger, less dense, annual fruiting bodies of half‐resupinate type and were more often white‐rot fungi. Species rich mid‐decay stage communities had mixed trait assemblages with more long lived perennial fruit bodies of intermediate size, and both brown‐ and white‐rot fungi equally represented. Finally, late decay stage communities had smaller, denser and perennial fruit bodies, more often of the brown‐rot type.The relationships between the studied traits and decay stages were similar in both set‐aside and natural patches. However, set‐aside semi‐natural patches in highly managed landscapes more frequently supported species with smaller, perennial and resupinate fruit bodies compared to natural patches in an unmanaged landscape.Synthesis. We found that log decay stage was the primary driver of fungal community assembly of species and traits in isolated forest patches. Our results suggest that decay stage filters four reproduction traits (fruit body density, size, lifespan and type) and one resource‐use trait (white or brown rot). Our results highlights, for the first time, that communities with diverse fungal reproductive traits are maintained foremost across all deadwood decay stages under different forest naturalness conditions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a group pest categorisation for the EU territory of non‐EU Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on non‐coniferous hosts, which total 6495 known species. Most species attack apparently healthy, weakened or dead trees, either feeding on the phloem ('bark beetles' subgroup) or on fungi inoculated into the sapwood ('ambrosia beetles' subgroup). Smaller subgroups feed and reproduce in seeds and fruits, or in herbaceous plants. Some species are polygynous, the males initiate a gallery or a chamber on or in a new host and attract females. Others are monogamous, and the females initiate the new galleries. Many species respond to primary volatile attractants emitted by the hosts, and some produce aggregation pheromones that attract conspecifics of both sexes. The species attacking living hosts are often associated with fungi that contribute to weakening the host defences and provide nutrients to the insects. Some are inbreeding; the males in the offspring mate with their sisters and rarely leave their natal tree. The larvae of all species develop and pupate within their hosts. Based on catalogues and other published data, a database was constructed providing information on hosts, feeding and reproductive habits, geographic distribution and the Köppen–Geiger climate types in countries where species occur. The Scolytinae were screened to exclude species in the following categories: (i) 708 species attacking conifers; (ii) 127 species present in at least four EU Member States and (iii) 440 species occurring in areas with climatic conditions not occurring in the EU. Among the remaining 5220 species, 88 species known for their mobility, occupying at least two landmasses separated by geographical barriers and some of which had impact levels documented in literature, were extracted. They were grouped into four subcategories: (i) 12 species with high impact on plant health; (ii) 16 species with low or doubtful impact; (iii) 48 species with no impact; (iv) 12 species with no impact and which had never been recorded as 'introduced' in the consulted catalogues but occurring on at least two landmasses. All 88 species could enter the EU with wood or wood products, or with plants for planting, and could establish because host plants are available, and climate is suitable in parts of the EU. Control measures to inhibit introduction are available. There is considerable uncertainty regarding the potential impact of many species. Methods for the reliable identification of many species are lacking. For some species of non‐EU Scolytinae on non‐coniferous hosts, all criteria assessed by EFSA for consideration as potential quarantine pest are met. Nevertheless, the Panel was not able to develop a method to discriminate confidently between species that clearly meet the criteria for potential quarantine pest status and those that do not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) mortality has reached alarming proportions in the last decades, exacerbated by climate change. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial in finding mitigation or adaptation strategies. This study conducts a diachronic analysis of cork oak mortality over 10 years using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) tools, focusing on Portugal's Tagus Lezíria region. Topographic, edaphic and climatic variables were employed to create maps of edaphoclimatic aptitude for cork oaks. Dead trees were identified using remote sensing techniques and crown coverage was determined to calculate the trees' mortality index. The diachronic analysis aimed the exploration of climate change effects on cork oak mortality. A decrease in precipitation was observed, significantly impacting stands with canopy cover below 40%. Furthermore, a negative effect of solar radiation identified only in stands with canopy cover of 40% suggested its role in cork oak decline. This study introduces a novel perspective, highlighting the protective effect of denser canopy cover against excessive solar radiation and the impact of reduced precipitation. The integrated and diachronic approach provides valuable information for adapting management strategies to climate change challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplar (Populus species and their hybrids) plantations can produce large amounts of biomass on agricultural land during the first rotation. However, there is limited knowledge regarding plantation re-establishment through re-sprouting (second rotation) after harvest, stand management options for such plantations, and biomass production during rotation length up to 20 years. In this study, we analysed biomass production responses to thinning treatments in an 18-year-old second rotation poplar plantation in Southern Sweden. The first rotation plantation was established with clone OP42 (Populus maximowiczii A. Henry × P. trichocarpa Torr. and Gray). The thinning experiment was conducted seven years after the first rotation harvest, comprising four treatments: unthinned – 6000 stems ha−1, light thinning – 3000 stems ha−1, medium thinning – 1100 stems ha−1, and heavy thinning – 550 stems ha−1. Eleven years after thinning, standing volume/biomass reached 484 m3 ha−1 (162 Mg DM ha−1) in the unthinned and medium thinning plots, 443 m3 ha−1 (148 Mg DM ha−1) in lightly and 338 m3 ha−1 (113 Mg DM ha−1) in heavily thinned plots. The mean annual increment was not different among the unthinned, light, and medium thinnings, 26 m3 ha−1 yr−1 (9 Mg DM ha−1 yr−1). The total production, including living, dead and removed trees, was highest following the medium thinning, 695 m3 ha−1 (233 Mg DM ha−1). Gradual self-thinning in the unthinned and lightly thinned plots was increased by a drought period. Overall, this study suggests that the second rotation of poplar plantations has high biomass production and provides an alternative to planting after harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris jams contribute to bridge pier failures. Previous investigations showed that a debris jam can constrict the flow cross section, enhance flow intensity, and result in significant scour. Physical modeling was conducted to investigate the influence of debris jams on scour depth. Instead of using a static block to represent a debris jam, dynamic debris jams composed of real tree seedlings were investigated to represent jams forming of woody debris with roots and branches. The dynamic jam was achieved by continuously releasing individual seedlings from upstream. The resulting seedling jams had a typical half-cone shape and generally grew continuously over time, with observed scour increasing with the size of the debris jam. The scour in the presence of a dynamic debris jam could have depth up to twice and volume up to eight times that of a pier without a debris jam. In addition, the dynamic debris jam also induced additional hydraulic head across the cylinder pier, which correlated with the size of debris jam and Froude number. Practical Applications: Scour around a bridge pier is the removal of sediment from the pier foundation by the surrounding flow. This can destabilize the bridge infrastructure, leading to potential failure. The accumulation of wood debris on a bridge pier leads to the formation of a debris jam that can increase scour. Most previous studies measured scour induced by a fixed debris jam geometry of constant size, with no temporal variation. However, in real situations, debris will gradually and often rapidly, especially during floods, accumulate over time around a bridge pier, and the associated scour increases as the debris jam increases in size. This paper presents an experimental study of the temporal evolution of debris accumulation on the model of a bridge pier and the associated progress of scour as a debris jam develops. In contrast to most previous studies that used wooden dowels, the debris is modeled using real seedling trees, which have roughness characteristics more akin to real-world debris. The resulting debris jams are relatively stable due to the interlocking of debris pieces. It was found that the instantaneous scour depth increased in the presence of the developing debris jam and that it was proportional to how much the debris jam blocked the flow. Interestingly, the plan area of the scour hole increased more than that occurring in the absence of the debris; the scour hole volume is hence much greater when a debris jam is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the impacts of climate change on four national parks in the United States: Everglades, Mesa Verde, Joshua Tree, and Mount Rainier. It emphasizes the importance of visible climate impacts in these parks as a way to engage the public in understanding and addressing climate change. The article provides visual examples of these impacts, such as rising sea levels in Everglades National Park and the retreat of glaciers in Mount Rainier National Park. The goal is to use the power of national parks to inspire the American public to take action on climate change. [Extracted from the article]

Widespread forest dieback following a series of exceptionally dry seasons has made restoration by relic heliophilous tree-species uncertain. Using logistic regression, we identified conditions suitable for relic Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), birches (Betula sp.), poplars (Populus sp.) and willows (Salix sp.) by comparing the relief and bedrock under stands that died abruptly between 2018 and 2020 at temperate zone after periglacial habitats of the Czech Republic. Extent of forest dieback was determined through automated object analysis on the basis of vectorised Planet Scope and Sentinel-2 satellite images. The object analysis consisted of mainly spruce stands and dieback indicated by a deep inter-year decrease in the vegetation indices. The overall occurrence of tree-species in pure or mixed stands was determined from a polygon geodatabase of forest management plans, while growth condition types were determined by overlaying biogeographically subdivided polygons. Dead forests provided suitable conditions for mixed conifer, birch, and poplar stands on 64.4 % of the greywackes, acid metamorphites, and waterlogged sediments on broken plateaus, depressions, and slopes. In comparison, pure stands of relic tree-species can cover 35.6 % of dead forest area. Restoration of mixed forests differenting over a range of growth conditions seems to be suitable for adaptation to climate change impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stumps and coarse roots are the most important coarse woody debris component in managed forests. However, their decomposition is still poorly understood, especially the influence of the characteristics of the microbial communities on wood decomposition. In this study, we investigated decaying larch (Larix olgensis Henry) stumps and coarse roots in reforestations of birch (Betula pendula Roth.), ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.), pine (Pinus sylvestris var. Mongolica), and larch in the northeast of China. We measured wood density loss, cellulose, and lignin concentrations, analyzed microbial community composition, and assessed the physical and chemical properties of woodland soils. Our findings reveal that larch stumps and coarse roots experienced the most rapid decomposition within birch reforestation areas, exhibiting significant density loss in stumps (33.84%) and coarse roots (43.68%). Bacterial diversity on larch stumps and coarse roots was highest in birch reforestation, with dominant phyla including Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Bacteroidota. Fungal diversity was also highest in birch reforestation, with Ascomycota as the dominant phylum in larch stumps and coarse roots. Furthermore, a mantel test analysis indicated that soil pH and temperature were significant factors in wood decomposition which affected microbial communities. This suggests that the choice of the reforestation tree species affects the decomposition of stumps and coarse roots by affecting soil properties and wood microbial communities. Understanding this process is vital for refining carbon balance evaluations, and enhancing ecosystem-level carbon modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Electrical transmission rights-of-way are ubiquitous and critical infrastructure across the landscape. Active vegetation management of these rights-of-way, a necessity to deliver electricity more safely, maintains these landscape features as stages of early successional habitat, a rarity in many regions, making these areas viable movement corridors for many taxa. The goals of this study were to (i) evaluate the effects of different electrical transmission landscape management practices on flowering plant and flower-visiting insect diversity parameters and (ii) generate conservation management inferences for these landscapes. In this study we tested the impact of three vegetation management levels across 18 electrical transmission sites. We evaluated the effects of treatment on bloom abundance and species richness as well as flower-visiting insect abundance and family richness. We identified 76541 flowers/inflorescences across 456 transects, including 188 species in 56 plant families. Additionally, we obtained data on 11361 flower-visitoring insects representing 33 families from 2376 pan trap sets. High vegetation management favored the reduction of coarse woody debris in the sites and harbored the highest level of abundance and richness of both floral resources and flower-visiting insects. We discuss that we can align social and ecological values of rights-of-way, ensuring their sustainability by applying regular and targeted integrated vegetation management. Thus, we can use rights-of-way landscapes not only as an effective management strategy for the delivery of essential human services, but also to provide conservation benefits for wild pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered fire regimes, combined with a warmer and drier climate, have been eroding the resilience of temperate rainforests and peatlands worldwide and leading to alternative post-fire vegetation communities. Chronic anthropogenic burning of temperate rainforests at the forest-peatland ecotone in western Patagonia appears to have shifted vegetation communities in poorly-drained sites from forests dominated by the threatened conifer, Pilgerodendron uviferum, to peat-accumulating wetlands covered by Sphagnum mosses. We collected and modeled post-reburn field data using ordinations and hierarchical Bayesian regressions to examine mechanisms through which P. uviferum forests may recover following fire or become locked into alternative development pathways by comparing biophysical factors of a reburned ecotone to those of an unburned (control) ecotone. We found that, (1) the significantly higher densities of P. uviferum trees and seedlings in the forested patches at both the reburned and control sites were associated with significantly lower seasonal water tables, lower cover of Sphagnum mosses and higher cover of other mosses (i.e., not in the Sphagnum or Dicranaloma genera); (2) despite abrupt boundaries in vegetation at both sites, successive fires homogenized the environment at the reburned site; and (3) the distinct life forms and individual species that characterized the understory plant communities across the ecotones affected seedling abundance by shaping microtopography and the substrates available for establishment. Together, our results suggest that fire can push edaphically wet P. uviferum-dominated sites towards a non-forested state by reducing the diversity of microsite structure and composition, thereby placing P. uviferum seedlings in direct competition with Sphagnum mosses and potentially limiting the availability of microsites that are protected from both seasonal inundation and seasonal drought. If wildfires continue under increasingly warmer and drier conditions, the forestpeatland ecotone of western Patagonia may be susceptible to large-scale transformation towards a non-forested state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Central Europe, the extent of bark beetle infestation in spruce stands due to prolonged high temperatures and drought has created large areas of dead trees, which are difficult to monitor by ground surveys. Remote sensing is the only possibility for the assessment of the extent of the dead tree areas. Several options exist for mapping individual dead trees, including different sources and different processing techniques. Satellite images, aerial images, and images from UAVs can be used as sources. Machine and deep learning techniques are included in the processing techniques, although models are often presented without proper realistic validation.This paper compares methods of monitoring dead tree areas using three data sources: multispectral aerial imagery, multispectral PlanetScope satellite imagery, and multispectral Sentinel-2 imagery, as well as two processing methods. The classification methods used are Random Forest (RF) and neural network (NN) in two modalities: pixel- and object-based. In total, 12 combinations are presented. The results were evaluated using two types of reference data: accuracy of model on validation data and accuracy on vector-format semi-automatic classification polygons created by a human evaluator, referred to as real Ground Truth. The aerial imagery was found to have the highest model accuracy, with the CNN model achieving up to 98% with object classification. A higher classification accuracy for satellite imagery was achieved by combining pixel classification and the RF model (87% accuracy for Sentinel-2). For PlanetScope Imagery, the best result was 89%, using a combination of CNN and object-based classifications. A comparison with the Ground Truth showed a decrease in the classification accuracy of the aerial imagery to 89% and the classification accuracy of the satellite imagery to around 70%. In conclusion, aerial imagery is the most effective tool for monitoring bark beetle calamity in terms of precision and accuracy, but satellite imagery has the advantage of fast availability and shorter data processing time, together with larger coverage areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With climate warming and drying, fire activity is increasing in Cajander larch (Larix cajanderi Mayr.) forests underlain by continuous permafrost in northeastern Siberia, and initial post-fire tree demographic processes could unfold to determine long-term forest carbon (C) dynamics through impacts on tree density. Here, we evaluated above- and belowground C pools across 25 even-aged larch stands of varying tree densities that established following a wildfire in ~ 1940 near Cherskiy, Russia. Total C pools increased with increased larch tree density, from ~ 9,000 g C m−2 in low-density stands to ~ 11,000 g C m−2 in high and very high-density stands, with increases most pronounced at tree densities < 1 stem m−2 and driven by increased above- and belowground (that is, coarse roots) and live and dead (that is, woody debris and snags) larch biomass. Total understory vegetation and non-larch coarse root C pools declined with increased tree density due to decreased shrub C pools, but these pools were relatively small compared to larch biomass. Fine root, soil organic matter (OM), and near surface (0–30 cm) mineral soil (MS) C pools varied little with tree density, although soil C pools held most (18–28% in OM and 44–51% in MS) C stored in these stands. Thus, if changing fire regimes promote denser stands, C storage will likely increase, but whether this increase offsets C lost during fires remains unknown. Our findings highlight how post-fire tree demographic processes impact C pool distribution and stability in larch forests of Siberian permafrost regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree regeneration shapes forest carbon dynamics by determining long‐term forest composition and structure, which suggests that threats to natural regeneration may diminish the capacity of forests to replace live tree carbon transferred to the atmosphere or other pools through tree mortality. Yet, the potential implications of tree regeneration patterns for future carbon dynamics have been sparsely studied. We used forest inventory plots to investigate whether the composition of existing tree regeneration is consistent with aboveground carbon stock loss, replacement, or gain for forests across the northeastern and midwestern USA, leveraging a recently developed method to predict the likelihood of sapling recruitment from seedling abundance tallied within six seedling height classes. A comparison of carbon stock predictions from tree and seedling composition suggested that 29% of plots were poised to lose carbon based on seedling composition, 55% were poised for replacement of carbon stocks (<5 Mg ha−1 difference) and 16% were poised to gain carbon. Forests predicted to lose carbon tended to be on steeper slopes, at lower latitudes, and in rolling upland environments. Although plots predicted to gain and lose carbon had similar stand ages, carbon loss plots had greater current carbon stocks. Synthesis and applications. Our results demonstrate the utility of considering tree regeneration through the lens of carbon replacement to develop effective management strategies to secure long‐term carbon storage and resilience in the context of global change. Forests poised to lose C due to climate change and other stressors could be prioritized for regeneration strategies that enhance long‐term carbon resilience and stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document serves as a diagnostic protocol for Aromia bungii, commonly known as the red necked longhorn beetle. The beetle is originally from East Asia but has been introduced to Japan and Europe. It primarily infests Prunus species and is identified through signs such as larval frass accumulation, exit holes, and the presence of adults. Molecular tests are recommended for identification, especially when morphological examination is not possible. The document also provides a description and identification guide for Aromia bungii, including information on other similar species and details on larvae differentiation. It emphasizes the use of molecular methods for confirmation, particularly in new outbreaks, and offers guidelines for reporting and documentation. The document acknowledges the contributions of various individuals and organizations in its development and provides reference material and sequences for further research. [Extracted from the article]

By selecting appropriate microhabitats, animals gain various benefits. For amphibians, which are ectothermic, appropriate microhabitat selection is directly related to their survival. This study aims to characterize the microhabitat type selected by Bufo gargarizans in South Korea, which has not yet been examined, using radiotelemetry. We analyzed the percent cover of different microhabitat features at sites where B. gargarizans was found. The microhabitat was categorized into eight types: stacked dry leaves litter or hay, grass, naked field, stones/pebbles, fallen branches, alive or dead trees/shrubs, wetland, and other. We collected a total of 60 location data, all of which had closed cover. From these, nine hibernation sites and six post-breeding dormancy sites were identified. Dry leaf litter was found to be the most frequently selected microhabitat type. We also found significant differences in microhabitat type between the hibernation period and the post-breeding dormancy period. We considered that these differences can be explained by the ecological characteristics of B. gargarizans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpula himantioides is a globally distributed wood decay fungus that causes heartwood decay in several tree species. We investigated the occurrence of S. himantioides fruiting bodies in Japan for two years and six months to characterize their biology. The fruiting bodies matured in autumn and occurred on living Chamaecyparis pisifera, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Larix kaempferi, and Cryptomeria japonica trees, as well as on dead trees and soil. Assessing three circular plots, the incidence of living trees with S. himantioides fruiting bodies was lowest in the plot with the most advanced heartwood decay. Furthermore, fruiting bodies occurred more frequently in the lower slope direction of the trunk. Analysis using the pair correlation function suggested that the spatial distribution pattern of living trees with fruiting bodies may change from intensive to random with heartwood decay progress. Finally, according to generalized linear and generalized linear mixed models, which were used to investigate the factors affecting the development of fruiting bodies in C. pisifera, C. obtusa, and L. kaempferi, no clear relationship was found between the presence or absence of fruiting bodies and heartwood decay. Thus, we suggest that fruiting bodies can occur in healthy living trees as well as in living trees in the early stages of heartwood decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of invertebrates like termites and beetle larvae on dead wood could be time-dependent due to changes in wood traits and invertebrate species composition over time. This study assessed changes in the impact of termites and beetle larvae on dead wood decomposition in two tree species, Pinus densiflora and Quercus acutissima, in South Korea over a 6-year period (2016–2022). Wood samples were prepared, with half of them encased in a stainless-steel mesh to prevent access by invertebrates larger than 0.26 mm. These samples were placed in three regions representative of different environments in South Korea (southern, eastern, and western). Significant variations in the mass loss of dead wood were observed based on the tree species, region, and time (p < 0.05). The mean standardized invertebrate effect, assessed with Hedges' d and a 95% confidence interval, was 0.83 ± 2.19 for P. densiflora and 1.08 ± 2.26 for Q. acutissima. Termites were found in the southern and western regions, with the highest invertebrate effect after two years. Our results indicate that the influence of invertebrates, especially termites, on dead wood decomposition could be most significant during the initial decomposition stages, as noted in the southern region of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remotely sensed measures of vegetation structure have been shown to explain patterns in the occurrence and diversity of several animal taxa, including birds, mammals, and invertebrates. However, very little research in this area has focused on reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna). Moreover, most remote sensing studies on animal–habitat associations have relied on airborne or satellite data that provide coverage over relatively large areas but may not have the resolution or viewing angle necessary to measure vegetation features at scales that are meaningful to herpetofauna. Here, we combined terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), unmanned aerial vehicle laser scanning (ULS), and fused (FLS) data to provide the first test of whether vegetation structural attributes can help explain variation in herpetofauna abundance, species richness, and diversity across a woodland landscape. We identified relationships between the abundance and diversity of herpetofauna and several vegetation metrics, including canopy height, skewedness, vertical complexity, volume of vegetation, and coarse woody debris. These relationships varied across species, groups, and sensors. ULS models tended to perform as well or better than TLS or FLS models based on the methods we used in this study. In open woodland landscapes, ULS data may have some benefits over TLS data for modeling relationships between herpetofauna and vegetation structure, which we discuss. However, for some species, only TLS data identified significant predictor variables among the LiDAR‐derived structural metrics. While the overall predictive power of models was relatively low (i.e., at most R2 = 0.32 for ULS overall abundance and R2 = 0.32 for abundance at the individual species level [three‐toed skink (Chalcides striatus)]), the ability to identify relationships between specific LiDAR structural metrics and the abundance and diversity of herpetofauna could be useful for understanding their habitat associations and managing reptile and amphibian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is exacerbating the vulnerability of temperate forests to severe disturbances, potentially increasing tree mortality rates. Despite the significance of this issue, there has been a lack of comprehensive research on tree survival across extensive forest areas under the background of global climate change. To fill this gap, we conducted a detailed analysis of tree survival within a canopy nitrogen and water addition experimental platform in central China, utilizing data from two censuses and evaluating contributing factors. Our findings revealed 283 dead trees within the plots, predominantly of very small diameters (1–10 cm). The distribution of these dead trees varied among subplots, influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. Notably, three dominant tree species were responsible for 64.8% of the deadwood biomass. The study determined that both the breast diameter and the quantity of dead trees, affected by surrounding trees and environmental conditions, played a critical role in deadwood biomass accumulation. This research offers an in-depth examination of deadwood biomass patterns in a temperate forest, highlighting the need to consider both experiment treatments and abiotic elements like topography in studies of forest ecosystem carbon. The insights gained from this study enhance our understanding of warm temperate forests' role in the global carbon cycle and offer valuable guidance for forest conservation and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the drivers of drought-induced tree mortality remains a significant scientific challenge. Here, we investigated an unexpected mortality event of Nothofagus dombeyi (Mirb.) Oerst. following the 2014–15 drought in a Valdivian rainforest, Argentina. Our focus was on long-term growth trend differences between vital and dead trees, and how the mixing of species in tree neighbourhoods drives tree growth during drought. The inter-annual variation of basal area increments of vital and 2014–15-dead N. dombeyi trees showed a similar pattern through the 1930–2015 period, while the climate–growth relationships indicated that precipitation during the growing season promoted growth in both vitality classes, regardless of whether they were in the wettest location. For the period 1990–2015, both vitality classes showed similar estimated growth regardless of competition level, whereas species mingling in the neighbourhood significantly affected the dead tree growth. Network analysis revealed that drought performance covaried positively with a neighbourhood dominated by species functionally different from the focal species only in vital trees. These findings suggest a nuanced response of N. dombeyi to drought, shaped by multifaceted interactions at both the individual tree and neighbourhood levels. This research underscores that species-specific relationships under different mixtures imply different tree responses within a stand, and add complexity to understanding drought response at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris is the most widespread tree species in forests of lowland parts of Central and Eastern Europe. In Polish forests, stands dominated by the Scots pine cover almost 60% of the forest area. We analysed the relationship between forest birds and pine trees in an extensive forest complex in north-eastern (NE) Poland. Based on the 20-year-long study, we considered the percentage of broods established on pine trees and the percentage of Scots pine in stands on grouse leks and territory. A total number of over 20 bird species are dependent on the Scots pine trees or stands to locate their nests. Among this group, 11 bird species strongly associated with pine trees were confirmed, and they located at least 90% of broods or nests on pines. The Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius selects the Scots pine to excavate cavities. Its cavities were regularly used by some species of secondary cavity nesters. In turn, the Common Raven Corvus corax nests were occupied by selected birds of prey. The importance of Scots pine for birds increased with the age of the trees. Old Scots pine trees were chosen by birds that built large nests, placed nests in the tree top, and excavated large cavities. Populations of pine-specialized bird species may be in danger due to the possibility of the Scots pine range moving to the north, which results from global warming. The maintenance of the Scots pine with the modification of the methods of forest regeneration should be included in the Polish forestry's strategies and plans as a critical factor for the care of the population of rare breeding bird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predation of aphid hunting wasp, Carinostigmus sp. on fennel aphid, Hyadaphis coriandri is reported from India. The solitary wasp was molecularly identified as Carinostigmus costatus (NCBI Accession No. OQ913733.1). The wasp constructed its nest in the pithy stems of Ceasalpinia pulcherrima (peacock flower) provisioning fennel aphid, H. coriandri. There was a decrease in the population of the fennel aphid, H. coriandri with an increase in the nesting activity of the solitary wasp, C. costatus. Our study indicated that the solitary wasp, C. costatus could be easily conserved by providing pithy stems of C. pulcherrima as nesting habitats around the field borders for natural regulation of aphid infesting fennel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWe evaluate the effect of some variables related to fruit morphology, tree structure, and forest cover on fruit consumption by birds in the tree species Conostegia xalapensis (Melastomataceae) and Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae), in a semi-humid forest of southern Mexico. Foraging observations were made in 20 trees per species from November 2020 to June 2021. We recorded a total of 18 and 22 bird species consuming the fruits of B. simaruba and C. xalapensis, respectively. Flycatchers preferred fruits of B. simaruba, while thrushes largely consumed fruits of C. xalapensis. For large birds, crop size and foliar height diversity were the most influential variables in the removal of B. simaruba fruits, while small birds were positively correlated with the foliar coverage. For C. xalapensis, forest cover negatively influenced fruit consumption by large birds, while the fruit polar diameter had a positive effect on fruit consumption by small birds. Fruit consumption of C. xalapensis by specialist birds showed a positive relationship with forest cover, while the generalists showed a negative relationship. Decreased fruit removal was observed for B. simaruba by both specialist and generalist birds in forest landscapes. Our results can help understand the drivers of the frugivore-plant relationship in semi-humid tropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]