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The surface area of the leaves of trees that perform photosynthesis is expressed by the leaf area index (LAI) for pine trees with different densities, using direct methods by collecting field data in 2022 from (30) samples, and measurements were taken of the diameter at breast height for each sample and the total height, crown center height, crown width, and number of trees. Through field data and laboratory analysis of the relationships between the structure of tree elements, it was found that the leaf area index showed an inverse relationship with the distances between trees and that increasing the distance between trees reduces the crown coverage of trees and thus is reflected in the leaf area index of the tree. At low densities, it decreases and increases with increasing tree density. This also applies to the relationship between the dry weight of leaves and the distances between trees, as an inverse relationship showed, and this was also clear for the relationship between the dry weight of leaves and the average diameter and height of the trees in that tree. A set of equations was reached that was tested using multiple statistical standards, and it was the equation of the dry weight of pine tree leaves per unit area, the equation of the surface area of pine tree leaves per unit area, as well as the leaf area index of pine trees (LAI).

The surface area of the leaves of trees that perform photosynthesis is expressed by the leaf area index (LAI) for pine trees with different densities, using direct methods by collecting field data in 2022 from (30) samples, and measurements were taken of the diameter at breast height for each sample and the total height, crown center height, crown width, and number of trees. Through field data and laboratory analysis of the relationships between the structure of tree elements, it was found that the leaf area index showed an inverse relationship with the distances between trees and that increasing the distance between trees reduces the crown coverage of trees and thus is reflected in the leaf area index of the tree. At low densities, it decreases and increases with increasing tree density. This also applies to the relationship between the dry weight of leaves and the distances between trees, as an inverse relationship showed, and this was also clear for the relationship between the dry weight of leaves and the average diameter and height of the trees in that tree. A set of equations was reached that was tested using multiple statistical standards, and it was the equation of the dry weight of pine tree leaves per unit area, the equation of the surface area of pine tree leaves per unit area, as well as the leaf area index of pine trees (LAI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraspecific variation in plant functional traits and ecological strategies is typically overlooked in most studies despite its pivotal role at the local scales and along short environmental gradients. While CSR theory has been used to classify ecological strategies (competitive C; stress‐tolerant, S; ruderal, R) in different plant species, its ability to explain intraspecific variation in ecological strategies remains uncertain. Here, we sought to investigate intraspecific variation in ecological strategies for Pinus massoniana, a pioneer conifer tree for ecological restoration in Changting County, southeast China. By measuring key leaf traits and canopy height of 252 individuals at different ontogenetic stages from three plots spanning distinctive stages along early ecological restoration and calculating their C, S, and R scores, we constructed an intraspecific CSR system. All individual strategies shifted across three restoration stages, with adults from higher S component to higher C component while juveniles from higher S component to higher R component. Our results suggest that while strategies of all P. massoniana individuals start with tolerance to environmental stress, as restoration proceeds, adult transition towards completion for light, whereas juveniles shift to an acquisitive resource use. The study reveals an intraspecific pattern of strategy variation during forest restoration, contributing to our understanding of how plants adapt to diverse environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study introduces a novel nature-inspired optimizer called the Pine Cone Optimization algorithm (PCOA) for solving science and engineering problems. PCOA is designed based on the different mechanisms of pine tree reproduction, including pollination and pine cone dispersal by gravity and animals. It employs new and powerful operators to simulate the mentioned mechanisms. The performance of PCOA is analyzed using classic benchmark functions, CEC017 and CEC2019 as mathematical problems and CEC2006 and CEC2011 as engineering design problems. In terms of accuracy, the results show the superiority of PCOA to well-known algorithms (PSO, DE, and WOA) and new algorithms (AVOA, RW_GWO, HHO, and GBO). The results of PCOA are competitive with state-of-the-art algorithms (LSHADE and EBOwithCMAR). In terms of convergence speed and time complexity, the results of PCOA are reasonable. According to the Friedman test, PCOA's rank is 1.68 and 9.42 percent better than EBOwithCMAR (second-best algorithm) and LSHADE (third-best algorithm), respectively. The authors recommend PCOA for science, engineering, and industrial societies for solving complex optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Flora Montibérica is the property of Flora Montiberica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Intraspecific variation in plant functional traits and ecological strategies is typically overlooked in most studies despite its pivotal role at the local scales and along short environmental gradients. While CSR theory has been used to classify ecological strategies (competitive C; stress‐tolerant, S; ruderal, R) in different plant species, its ability to explain intraspecific variation in ecological strategies remains uncertain. Here, we sought to investigate intraspecific variation in ecological strategies for Pinus massoniana, a pioneer conifer tree for ecological restoration in Changting County, southeast China. By measuring key leaf traits and canopy height of 252 individuals at different ontogenetic stages from three plots spanning distinctive stages along early ecological restoration and calculating their C, S, and R scores, we constructed an intraspecific CSR system. All individual strategies shifted across three restoration stages, with adults from higher S component to higher C component while juveniles from higher S component to higher R component. Our results suggest that while strategies of all P. massoniana individuals start with tolerance to environmental stress, as restoration proceeds, adult transition towards completion for light, whereas juveniles shift to an acquisitive resource use. The study reveals an intraspecific pattern of strategy variation during forest restoration, contributing to our understanding of how plants adapt to diverse environments.

Countries like Mexico make significant efforts to reforest, but the results are not good due to the low survival rates caused by drought and water stress. Therefore, the effect of applying hydrated phenolic foam at plantation moment, on the survival and growth in Pinus leiophylla and Pinus teocote was assessed. Two trials were established, one for each species, with five treatments of different volumes of hydrated phenolic foam. The variables measured were survival, growth in height and diameter. The analyzes showed that hydrated phenolic foam significantly increases survival and height growth in Pinus leiophylla, but not in Pinus teocote. No effect was shown on diameter for any of the species. The application of hydrated phenolic foam at planting moment increase the survival of pine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Heavy metals in urban air are major health threats and increase the risk of respiratory, cardiovascular, and cancers in humans. An efficient and low-cost method for monitoring these pollutants is using tree bark as a bioindicator. The purpose of this study was to measure the concentration of heavy metals by pine tree bark as a bioindicator in Neishabur, north-east of Iran and the ecological risk of these pollutants. Materials and methods: Twenty seven locations were determined on Neishabour map using GIS. Concentrations of heavy metals, including silver (Ag), arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), cesium (Cs), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) were measured using Inductivity Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Ecological risk potential index, total ecological risk, and Spearman correlation coefficient were examined. Results: In this study, Cr and Zn had the highest average concentrations (34.7 mg/kg and 10.2 mg/kg,respectively) and other heavy metals in the bark were in the following order: Mn>Cu>Co>Pb>As>Ag>Cd>Cs. The average ecological risk potential decreases as Cd>As>Pb>Zn>Cu>Cr. Ecological risk potential index for all heavy metals except As and Cd (medium risk) was found to be at low-risk levels. The total ecological risk index showed that the concentrations of the studied heavy metals are at low-risk levels. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Cs and As had the highest correlation among the elements and there is a considerable relationship between these heavy metals which indicates the same source of pollution. Cr and Cd also have a strong correlation and have the same source of contamination. Conclusion: The present study showed low risk of heavy metal pollution according to the average ecological risk potential in pine bark samples in Neishabour.

Root-knot nematode (RKN) is a soil-borne pathogen that severely damages Panaxnotoginseng. It has been recently shown that intercropping P.notoginseng in forests constitutes an innovative system that can promote P.notoginseng growth and suppress the spread of disease. However, there is little research on the interspecific interaction between pine trees and P.notoginseng. Here, 2 years of field experiments were designed to explore the effects of RKN infestation and P.notoginseng–pine tree intercropping on the growth and saponin synthesis of P.notoginseng. The results showed that RKN infestation could significantly reduce the root biomass, nutrient uptake and saponin accumulation of P.notoginseng seedlings. Interestingly, 2-year-old P.notoginseng plants grew normally (specifically, root biomass, saponin synthesis, nutrient uptake and root morphology were normal) under nematode infection, while the incidence of RKN disease was decreased compared with that of seedlings before transplantation, indicating that P.notoginseng has adult-plant resistance (APR) to RKN disease. Furthermore, P.notoginseng–pine tree intercropping could significantly reduce the incidence of RKN disease and increase the biomass, nutrient uptake and saponin synthesis of P.notoginseng under mild infection, and root architecture may play a key role. Above all, P.notoginseng showed APR to RKN disease, and P.notoginseng–pine tree intercropping represents a type of interspecific facilitation that can promote the growth and quality of P.notoginseng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Heavy metals in urban air are major health threats and increase the risk of respiratory, cardiovascular, and cancers in humans. An efficient and low-cost method for monitoring these pollutants is using tree bark as a bioindicator. The purpose of this study was to measure the concentration of heavy metals by pine tree bark as a bioindicator in Neishabur, north-east of Iran and the ecological risk of these pollutants. Materials and methods: Twenty seven locations were determined on Neishabour map using GIS. Concentrations of heavy metals, including silver (Ag), arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), cesium (Cs), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) were measured using Inductivity Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Ecological risk potential index, total ecological risk, and Spearman correlation coefficient were examined. Results: In this study, Cr and Zn had the highest average concentrations (34.7 mg/kg and 10.2 mg/kg,respectively)and other heavy metals in the bark were in the following order: Mn>Cu>Co>Pb>As>Ag>Cd>Cs. The average ecological risk potential decreases as Cd>As>Pb>Zn>Cu>Cr. Ecological risk potential index for all heavy metals except As and Cd (medium risk) was found to be at low-risk levels. The total ecological risk index showed that the concentrations of the studied heavy metals are at low-risk levels. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Cs and As had the highest correlation among the elements and there is a considerable relationship between these heavy metals which indicates the same source of pollution. Cr and Cd also have a strong correlation and have the same source of contamination. Conclusion: The present study showed low risk of heavy metal pollution according to the average ecological risk potential in pine bark samples in Neishabour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Pseudaphelenchus is considered an intermediate between tylenchids and Aphelenchoididae because it has both a tylench-like bursa and aphelench-like pharynx. Three nematode populations within this genus representing two new species, P. guangdongensis n. sp. and P. paraguangdongensis n. sp., were discovered from pine trees in Guangdong province, China. P. guangdongensis n. sp. most closely resembles P. vindai due to the possession of three lines in their lateral fields, whereas P. paraguangdongensis n. sp. is most like P. yukiae because they share a four-lined field. Morphological and morphometric differences of these two new species and similar species are discussed. Additionally, molecular phylogenetic trees inferred from rRNA small subunit and D2-D3 expansion domains of the rRNA large subunit revealed that P. guangdongensis n. sp. and P. paraguangdongensis n. sp. are separated from all known Pseudaphelenchus species; moreover, all Pseudaphelenchus species comprise a highly supported monophyletic clade, which is basal to the family Aphelenchoididae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study introduces a novel nature-inspired optimizer called the Pine Cone Optimization algorithm (PCOA) for solving science and engineering problems. PCOA is designed based on the different mechanisms of pine tree reproduction, including pollination and pine cone dispersal by gravity and animals. It employs new and powerful operators to simulate the mentioned mechanisms. The performance of PCOA is analyzed using classic benchmark functions, CEC017 and CEC2019 as mathematical problems and CEC2006 and CEC2011 as engineering design problems. In terms of accuracy, the results show the superiority of PCOA to well-known algorithms (PSO, DE, and WOA) and new algorithms (AVOA, RW_GWO, HHO, and GBO). The results of PCOA are competitive with state-of-the-art algorithms (LSHADE and EBOwithCMAR). In terms of convergence speed and time complexity, the results of PCOA are reasonable. According to the Friedman test, PCOA’s rank is 1.68 and 9.42 percent better than EBOwithCMAR (second-best algorithm) and LSHADE (third-best algorithm), respectively. The authors recommend PCOA for science, engineering, and industrial societies for solving complex optimization problems.

In recent years, studies have shown that pine essential oil which has antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, refreshing and other physiological functions is a good natural preservative and antioxidant with high security. However, there are many kinds of pine, and the essential oils of different species and different parts of the same pines have different chemical compositions, and their physiological functions are also significantly different. This paper summarizes the chemical components, structure and nature of different varieties and parts of pine essential oil in detail, and summarizes the mechanism of physiological functions of pine essential oil such as antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic activity, anticancer activity and so on, in order to provide reference for the development of pine resources and the application of pine essential oil in natural food additives.

Copyright of Logos: A Journal, of Religion, Philosophy Comparative Cultural Studies & Art (08687692) is the property of Logos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Palíndromo is the property of Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposites were fabricated via a green and simple route using pine tree leaves for the first time. No expensive reagent or hazardous solvent was used for synthesis of nanocomposites and only natural and eco-friendly materials were utilized. ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM and EDS. The adsorption performance of ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposites was studied for the efficient removal of Cu2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ metal ions. To achieve maximum adsorption capacity of metal ions, the influences of several operating conditions including pH value, ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposites dosage, initial concentration of metal ions and contact time were investigated. Also, equilibrium and kinetics models of metal ions to nanocomposites were studied. Adsorption process could be well defined by the Langmuir isotherm with R2 of 0.88, 0.94 and 0.94 for removal of Cu2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ ions; respectively. The kinetic data fitted the pseudo-second-order model with the R2 value of 0.99, 1 and 0.99 for removal of Cu2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ ions; respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major abiotic stress that adversely affects the growth and productivity of plants. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a substance produced by membrane lipids in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS), can be used as a drought indicator to evaluate the degree of plasma membrane damage and the ability of plants to drought stress tolerance. Still measuring MDA is usually a labor- and time-consuming task. In this study, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with partial least squares (PLS) was used to obtain rapid and high-throughput measurements of MDA, and the application of this technique to plant drought stress experiments was also investigated. Two exotic conifer tree species, namely, slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), were used as plant material exposed to drought stress; different types of spectral preprocessing methods and important feature-selection algorithms were applied to the PLS model to calibrate it and obtain the best MDA-predicting model. The results show that the best PLS model is established via the combined treatment of detrended variable–significant multivariate correlation algorithm (DET-sMC), where latent variables (LVs) were 6. This model has a respectable predictive capability, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.66, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.28%, and a residual prediction deviation (RPD) of 1.51, and it was successfully implemented in drought stress experiments as a reliable and non-destructive method to detect the MDA content in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomonitoring studies have enormous benefits providing a fruitful and cost-efficient means of measuring environmental exposure to toxic chemicals. This study collected ambient air and pine tree components, including needles and 1-year-old and 2-year-old branches, for one year. Concentrations, potential sources and temporal variations of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated. In general, lower concentration levels were observed in the warmer months. Ambient PAHs pose a serious public health threat and impose a need for calculating cancer risks. It was also intended to define the best tree component reflecting the ambient air PAHs. The consideration of the representative tree component minimizes the unnecessary laboratory processes and expenses in biomonitoring studies. The coefficient of divergence (COD), diagnostic ratio (DR) and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to specify the PAH sources. As a result of the DR and PCA evaluations, the effect of the industrial area has emerged, besides the dominance of the pollutants originating from traffic and combustion. The results have shown that pine needles and branches were mainly affected by similar sources, which also influenced air concentrations. Inhalation cancer risk values were also calculated and they varied between 1.64 × 10−6 and 3.02 × 10−5. A potential risk increases in the colder season depending on the ambient air PAH concentrations.

Helminth parasitic infections are common in small ruminants in Norway; infection is usually treated with anthelmintic drugs, but anthelmintic resistance is an increasing problem. It is necessary to identify strategies to reduce the use of anthelmintic drugs and mitigate the impact of anthelmintic resistance. Condensed tannin (CT)-rich forages have been shown to reduce the helminth burden in small ruminants, but these forages have limited cultivation potential in Scandinavia. A good source for CT in cold climatic regions may be the bark of several commercially utilized tree species. In the present study, we determined the content and characterized the type of CT in bark extracts of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), spruce (Picea abies L.), and birch (Betula pubescens). Extracts of selected bark samples were tested for their anthelmintic efficacy against the ovine infectious nematode Teladorsagia circumcincta. Total CT content was higher in the bark from younger (10–40 years old) pine and spruce trees; it decreased with tree age in pine, whereas it remained relatively stable in the bark of spruce and birch. Pine trees consisted of 100% procyanidins, whereas prodelphinins were present in most spruce (4–17%) and all birch samples (5–34%). Our studies clearly showed that there is variation in the anthelmintic activity of water and acetone extracts of bark samples collected from various sites around Norway, as this was measured with two independent in vitro assays, the egg hatch and larvae motility assays. The anthelmintic activity of some extracts was consistent between the two assays; for example, extracts from the three samples with the highest CT content showed very high activity in both assays, whereas the extract from the sample with the lowest CT content showed the lowest activity in both assays. For other extracts, activity was not consistent across the assays, which could be attributed to the susceptibility of the different stages of the parasitic life cycle. We demonstrated that bark extracts from commercially used trees in Scandinavia have the potential to be used as alternatives to anthelmintics. Further work should focus on refining the associations between bark extracts and anthelmintic activity to identify the best strategies to reduce the input of anthelmintic drugs in livestock production systems.

In this study, the change of freeze-thaw test result of unconfined compressive strength of clayey soils reinforced with pine tree sawdust and marble dust was investigated. Mixtures containing 5%, 10% and 15% marble dust and 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% pine tree sawdust were compressed by standard Proctor test with optimum moisture content. After curing the mixture samples for 1, 7 and 28 days at a working room temperature of +21°C, they were subjected to the freeze-thaw test at -21°C, +21°C for 12 hours and 12 cycles. In the test results of the unconfined compressive strength test applied to the samples, the highest strength increase was determined in clayey soil+%15 marble dust+1% pine tree sawdust mixtures before and after freezing thawing. The strength increases before and after freeze-thaw was 54.80% and 31.56%, respectively. According to SEM analyses, structural changes in clayey soil reinforced with pine tree sawdust and marble dust were examined before and after freeze-thaw. It has been determined that the mixture of pine tree sawdust and marble dust can be applied in the treatment of clayey soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinewood nematode [Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer, 1934)] is considered a significant threat to European forests. Functional monitoring of its vector, the longhorn beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1795), represents an efficient method of pinewood nematode detection and needs to be adopted across European countries. Hence, the effectiveness of M. galloprovincialis trapping under different attractants and trap heights above the ground was investigated at four forest study sites in the Czech Republic in 2015–2016. Additionally, the effects of the calendar week and meteorological variables were assessed. In total, 24 Teflon-coated cross-vane traps (Crosstrap® traps) captured 1524 M. galloprovincialis individuals and 36,896 nontarget insects. Traps placed in the canopy (18–24 m above the ground) captured sevenfold more M. galloprovincialis individuals than those installed 2 m above the ground, and the Spanish attractant Galloprotect Pack® resulted in three times more catches than the Austrian attractant Gallopro Pinowit®. The highest maximum daily temperature during trap exposure was also an important factor, with most catches occurring above 27 °C. The results showed that Teflon-coated cross-vane traps with Galloprotect Pack® attractant are efficient tools for M. galloprovincialis monitoring in Central European forests when installed in the tree canopy. Additionally, we suggest using traps with larger sieve mesh sizes at the bottom to enable the escape of small nontarget taxa. During the 2-year study, the pinewood nematode was not found. However, 38 specimens of M. galloprovincialis were shown to be vectors of Bursaphelenchus mucronatus (Mamiya & Enda, 1979) dauers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A fertilizer with diazotrophic bacteria and C. elegans was tested against B. xylophilus. • In control P. pinaster nematodes number increased 2.3-fold 24 days post inoculation. • P. pinea untreated plants showed no nematode increase during the experimental period. • P. pinaster treatment with biofertilizer decreased nematodes number up to 36.3-fold. • The biofertilizer prevented the decrease of photosynthetic pigments and water content. Abstract The pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus , is a devastating illness that mainly affects P. pinaster trees, and that poses great environmental and economic challenges. Current disease management involves the cut down of infected trees, tree fumigation, use of nematicides, or the control of the insect vector; however, these methodologies are expensive, labour-intensive and have limited success. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a biofertilizer enriched with diazotrophic bacteria and a chitosan-producing fungus, Cunninghamella elegans , in inducing P. pinaster and P. pinea resistance against the PWN. In non-inoculated (control) P. pinaster plants, PWN population significantly increased (ca. 2.3-fold) throughout the experimental period, whereas in plants treated with 7.5 and 15% of biofertilizer nematode numbers were up to 36.3-fold lower than in control plants. In P. pinea , nematode numbers decreased with time for all biofertilizer concentrations tested, and P. pinea had up to 27.3-fold lower nematode counts than P. pinaster. In addition, the biofertilizer prevented the decrease of photosynthetic pigments and the reduction of water content in infected P. pinaster plants. In P. pinea the biosynthesis of phenolics increased in PWN-inoculated plants, especially in the presence of the biofertilizer. The addition of this biofertilizer to soils forested by P. pinaster may improve plant defence and could be a potentially simple and inexpensive strategy for the control of the PWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests in low-latitude (0° N–30° N) regions are important for greenhouse gas sequestration. They harbor around 25% of vegetation carbon stocks. The productivity of these forests is expected to change as the global climate changes. They may absorb less greenhouse gasses, with negative effects on the global climate. However, little is known about how exactly these forests will respond to climate change. Here, we focus on the largest pine forests in low-latitude forests areas in southwest China. These forests have experienced rapid climate warming over the past 60 years. We collected tree-ring cores from two naturally occurring key afforestation pine tree species: Pinus yunnanensis Franch. and Pinus armandii Franch. in Baoshan and Lijiang of Yunnan. We used basal area increment (BAI) to examine the productivity trends of these two species over long-time scales, and Partial Least Squares regression analysis together with Pearson correlation analysis to identify the critical climate periods for the growth of these two species. We found that: (1) regional pine tree productivity began to decline at the beginning of this century. (2) The radial growth of both species had the strongest positive correlation with the spring Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and precipitation and the strongest negative correlation with spring temperatures. (3) Climate responses differ by species with higher positive correlations between tree-ring width, PDSI, and precipitation in P. armandii than in P. yunnanensis at similar locations. (4) Climate responses differ by location with higher positive correlations between tree-ring width and PDSI in Lijiang than in Baoshan for P. yunnanensis. Our results suggest that spring moisture availability is the main limiting factor for pine tree growth, especially for P. yunnanensis in Lijiang and P. armandii in Baoshan. Future regional warming and warm-induced drought conditions may have negative effects on the growth of pine trees. These results provide reference data for the sustainable management of pine forests in low-latitude regions of southwest China and may be useful in assessing the sustainable carbon sink ability of pine forests in this region under climate change.

Aphelenchoides kheirii n. sp. was isolated during a survey of nematodes associated with bark samples of pine trees (Pinus nigra) in West Azerbaijan province, north-western Iran. The new species has a body length of 500 (448-520) μ m in the female and 442 (402-480) μ m in the male. The cuticle is weakly annulated with four lateral lines and the lip region is offset. The stylet is 10.4 (10-11) μ m long with small basal swellings and the excretory pore located immediately posterior to base of metacorpus; hemizonid invisible. The post-vulval uterine sac length 37.7 (28-45) μ m. Spicules are relatively short (18-20 μ m in dorsal limb) and the end of the dorsal limb clearly curved ventrally like a hook. The male tail has usual three pairs of caudal papillae (2 + 2 + 2) and a well-developed mucron. The female tail is conical, terminating in a complicated step-like projection, usually with many tiny nodular protuberances. The new species belongs to the Group 2 category of Aphelenchoides species sensu Shahina in which ten known species among Groups 2 and 4 sensu Shahina, namely: A. arcticus , A. blastophthorus , A. fuchsi , A. parasaprophilus , A. paraxui , A. xui , A. dactylocercus , A. gynotylurus , A. iranicus and A. saprophilus are the most similar species. Phylogenetic analysis based on small subunit (SSU) and partial large subunit (LSU) sequences of rRNA supported the morphological results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest plantations can hold up to 90% of radioactive precipitation in the conditions of radiation accidents. As a result, plants can obtain high doses of both external and internal irradiation by ionizing radiation. It is established that conifers are much more active accumulate 137Cs and 90Sr than deciduous trees. Under these conditions pine trees which are characterized by high sensitivity to many unfavorable factors, including ionizing radiation, noted anomalies in the formation of meristems, the death of apical buds, the formation of a large number of side buds with disordered orientation, observed the formation of truncated shoots with short or a giant needles that were thickened or more elongated than conventional, the formation of teratomas. The reason for the appearance of such morphological changes was the elimination of the central cells of the apical stem meristems and cells of transitional zone, while a significant part of the bud was formed from cells of the peripheral zone. The result was the removal of apical dominance and the formation of low-growing trees with many morphological disturbances. There was a violation of the division of cells in meristem cells of such trees: an increase in the number of K-mitoses, cells with chromosomal aberrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus densiflora (Korean red pine) is widely distributed in East Asia and considered one of the most important species in Korea. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of P. densiflora was sequenced by combining the advantages of Oxford Nanopore MinION and Illumina MiSeq. The sequenced genome was then compared with that of a previously published conifer plastome. The chloroplast genome was found to be circular and comprised of a quadripartite structure, including 113 genes encoding 73 proteins, 36 tRNAs and 4 rRNAs. It had short inverted repeat regions and lacked ndh gene family genes, which is consistent with other Pinaceae species. The gene content of P. densiflora was found to be most similar to that of P. sylvestris. The newly attempted sequencing method could be considered an alternative method for obtaining accurate genetic information, and the chloroplast genome sequence of P. densiflora revealed in this study can be used in the phylogenetic analysis of Pinus species.

The paper analyses biometrical and anatomical traits of wood in a leaning stem of pine trees. For study purpose, five pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L.) with a visibly leaning stem were chosen. Wood samples were taken at three different stem heights, that is, below the stem curvature, at the curvature and above the curvature. Microscopic specimens were prepared and used for the following measurements: annual rings width, tracheids diameter and tracheids wall thickness. The measurements were performed for wood located on the lower side of the leaning stem and on the opposite side. Cytochemical staining was performed to identify the occurrence of laricinan. The results showed tracheids with a rounded shape and thick cell walls, helical cavities and intercellular spaces in wood located at curvature height on the lower side of the leaning stem. These traits indicate a severe compression wood that allowed pine trees to change their stem position in relation to the vector of gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The isolation and purification of polysaccharides extracted from the cones, bark, and needles ofPinus koraiensis(Korean pine) were studied. The amounts of polysaccharides were 42.7%, 53.4%, and 48.4% for cones, bark, and needles, respectively. All these samples contained uronic acid. The total protein and polyphenols were <4.5% for all three samples. With acid hydrolysis, seven polysaccharides were found in different molar ratios in each sample: D-ribose, L-rhamnose, L-arabinose, D-xylose, D-mannose, D-glucose, and D-galactose. The relationships between in vitro antioxidant properties (AOP) of polysaccharides extracted from different parts of the P. koraiensis tree are correlated with physicochemical properties (the amount of neutral sugars, uronic acid, and proteins). Moreover, the pinecone polysaccharides (PKCP) confirmed previously observed beneficial antioxidant capacity with an EC50of OH radical, ABTS radical scavenging, and reducing power of 6.54, 5.06, and 9.15 mg/mL, respectively. PKCP had the best antioxidant activity among the three samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Formatio Circumiectus is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rolniczego im. Hugona Kollataja w Krakowie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)