Article
Ecology
Stephanie M. Freund, Beth A. Newingham, Jeanne C. Chambers, Alexandra K. Urza, Bruce A. Roundy, J. Hall Cushman
Summary: The expansion of woody plants is altering ecosystem structures globally, impacting fire regimes. Tree-reduction treatments are implemented to reduce fuel loads, increase ecological resilience, and improve habitat, but few studies examine long-term outcomes. The Sagebrush Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP) evaluated the effects of prescribed fire and cut-and-leave treatments on sagebrush communities, showing that treatment outcomes are influenced by tree dominance, soil climate, and time since treatment.
Article
Biology
Jakob Thyrring, Lloyd S. Peck
Summary: Global latitudinal diversity gradients in rocky intertidal alpha-diversity exist, but they are outweighed by local processes rather than global-scale drivers. Species richness of three functional groups declines with latitude, coinciding with an inverse gradient in algae distribution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Roland Britz, Norbert Barta, Andreas Schaumberger, Andreas Klingler, Alexander Bauer, Erich M. Poetsch, Andreas Gronauer, Viktoria Motsch
Summary: This study developed a systematic approach using hyperspectral imaging to analyze grassland vegetation, and trained machine learning models to identify different species groups and plant parts. The study found that proper data preprocessing can improve classification accuracy, while the influence of radiometric calibration is minimal. MLP models outperformed other models in species group and plant part classification.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jiachen Shen, Ge Qin, Rendong Yu, Yuxuan Zhao, Jiqiang Yang, Shuqing An, Run Liu, Xin Leng, Yun Wan
Summary: Increasing urbanization levels are associated with decreased diversity of zooplankton, while wetland water quality improves with higher levels of urbanization. Total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and ammonium nitrogen are the main factors influencing the spatial distribution pattern of zooplankton. Nutrient increase alters the structure of zooplankton functional groups, with rotifers exhibiting strong resistance to pollution.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Chenshuo Lin, Wen-Jing Li, Li-Juan Li, Roy Neilson, Xin-Li An, Yong-Guan Zhu
Summary: Protists, including consumers, phototrophs, and parasites, play crucial roles in microbiomes in soil-plant systems. However, the factors influencing community structure, assembly mechanisms, co-occurrence patterns, and the associations with human pathogens and different protistan trophic groups are not well understood.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Daijun Liu, Pi-Hui S. Chang, Sally A. Power, John N. B. Bell, Peter Manning
Summary: The study found that interactions between plant species may play a secondary role in driving the overall ecosystem functioning of heathlands, with species abundance and identity having a greater influence. The axes of variation in functional space are clearly linked to plant functional composition.
Article
Forestry
Ji-Zhong Wan, Chun-Jing Wang
Summary: Considering the legacy of historical woodland changes can help assess ecosystem functions and services under land cover changes. Historical woodland changes have a legacy effect on contemporary plant functional composition, depending on the time of woodland existence and biome type.
Article
Forestry
D. C. Alder, B. Edwards, A. Poore, J. Norrey, S. J. Marsden
Summary: Traditional coppice management has a significant impact on the structure and composition of plant communities. This study compares the effects of three different management treatments on habitat structure and flora richness in an ancient woodland in southern England. The results show that the introduction of irregular silviculture can help conserve ancient woodland and coppice plants associated with traditional coppicing practices.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Raiane S. Rabelo, Alan M. Tonin, Luz Boyero, Fernanda G. G. Miranda, Patricia P. Gomes, Paulino Bambi, Guilherme Sena, Jose F. Goncalves Junior
Summary: This study investigates the impact of litter loss from rare plant species on the decomposition of organic matter in tropical streams. The findings show that the loss of litter from rare plant species reduces functional diversity of litter mixtures and subsequently decreases decomposition, nitrogen loss, and fungal biomass production. Additionally, the presence of similar rare species leads to higher rates of these processes compared to the presence of dissimilar rare species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Caroline Stolter, David F. Joubert, Nekulilo Uunona, Elise Nghalipo, Vistorina Amputu, Annika M. Felton
Summary: Fire and herbivores are two important factors that drive changes in vegetation. However, little is known about the actual changes in plant chemistry following a fire. This study found that woody species have a consistent response to fire, while grass species show greater variability. Woody plants also maintain higher nutritional value after burning, which may attract herbivores.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Irfan Rashid, Shiekh Marifatul Haq, Jonas J. Lembrechts, Anzar A. Khuroo, Anibal Pauchard, Jeffrey S. Dukes
Summary: The study reveals significant changes in plant communities in the Kashmir Himalaya after the construction of railways, indicating a profound impact of human activities on ecosystems. Over time, both native and non-native species richness decreased while the abundance of non-native species significantly increased at higher elevations, suggesting the importance of migration and competition in plant community succession.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Peter Dietrich, Nico Eisenhauer, Christiane Roscher
Summary: Positive relationships between plant diversity and productivity are driven by complementary resource use via differences in functional traits. Changes in soil properties related to nutrient availability are influenced by plant diversity. This study shows that plant diversity-dependent soil changes, along with associated changes in functional traits, contribute to long-term positive diversity-productivity relationships.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yihua Xiao, Shirong Liu, Manyun Zhang, Fuchun Tong, Zhihong Xu, Rebecca Ford, Tianlin Zhang, Xin Shi, Zhongmin Wu, Tushou Luo
Summary: The study found that urbanization leads to adjustments in plant resource acquisition and defense mechanisms. Herb and shrub species showed higher starch and soluble sugar contents in urban areas compared to suburban areas, while canopy species had decreased photosynthetic rates and chlorophyll contents. Herb and shrub species in urban areas had lower nitrogen allocation and leaf delta N-15 values but higher heavy metal concentrations.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Andrea L. Magnano, Pablo A. Meglioli, Eugenia Vazquez Novoa, Veronica Chillo, Juan A. Alvarez, Leandro M. Alvarez, Carmen E. Sartor, Diego P. Vazquez, Cecilia C. Vega Riveros, Pablo E. Villagra
Summary: Forest ecosystems are crucial for providing various ecosystem services and are under threat from human development. Understanding the relationship between land use-intensity, biodiversity, and carbon storage is important for developing strategies to promote carbon sequestration.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shengen Liu, Pablo Garcia-Palacios, Leho Tedersoo, Emilio Guirado, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden, Cameron Wagg, Dima Chen, Qingkui Wang, Juntao Wang, Brajesh K. Singh, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
Summary: The diversity of soil fungi plays a critical role in ensuring stable plant production and buffering against extreme climate events in global terrestrial ecosystems.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ewa Stefanska-Krzaczek, Grzegorz Swacha, Jan Zarnowiec, Malgorzata W. Radula, Zygmunt Kacki, Monika Staniaszek-Kik
Summary: Bryophytes are good indicators of habitat conditions and their diversity and distribution in Central European forests were assessed in this study using vegetation records from the Polish Vegetation Database. The study found that bryophyte species number and cover were high in moist forest types with both deciduous and coniferous tree stands, and their composition and abundance depended on substrate moisture, fertility, pH, and tree species composition.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Jan M. Waga, Maria Fajer, Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: The Kozle Basin in Poland has been severely affected by explosions from World War II aerial bombs and unexploded ordnance, posing obstacles to spatial management of the land. This research program aims to identify and understand the distribution of post-military anthropogenic geohazards in the area and propose appropriate courses of action. Desk studies using aerial photographs and high-resolution shaded relief rasters derived from LiDAR scanning, along with field studies using classic geomorphological methods, provide valuable insights. The presence of a large number of unexploded ordnance in the ground highlights the need for systematic and accurate surveys using geophysical methods.
ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Urszula Myga-Piatek, Michal Sobala, Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: This paper examines whether national parks in Poland protect the most natural landscapes and evaluates the level of human impact. The findings reveal that the majority of national parks preserve landscapes with minimal human transformation, indicating the extent of anthropogenic landscape alteration.
JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oimahmad Rahmonov, Agnieszka Czajka, Adam Nadudvari, Maria Fajer, Tomasz Sporna, Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the development of soil under the influence of vegetation succession on coal heaps. The results showed that changes in vegetation development were closely related to the stages of coal-waste disposal. The pH and organic carbon content of the soil profiles varied, and certain profiles exhibited notable levels of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium. The formation of algal crusts played a key role in the initiation of succession.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Geography, Physical
Wojciech Dobinski, Joanna E. Szafraniec, Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: The Antarctic continent is crucial for determining the extent of permafrost on Earth. This study introduces a new method based on the thermal state of the lithosphere to determine the extent of permafrost in Antarctica. The study reveals that the entire surface of Antarctica is covered by permafrost, greatly impacting the global extent of permafrost.
PERMAFROST AND PERIGLACIAL PROCESSES
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Jan Maciej Waga, Bartlomiej Szypula, Maria Fajer
Summary: This article discusses the impact of aerial bombardment in Europe in 1944 on the area near Kedzierzyn-Kozle. Surrounded by former synthetic fuel production plants, the area contains craters from explosions and unexploded bombs. The research analyzes their distribution and morphology, and provides a research model for determining the likely locations of unexploded bombs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sandra Lubinska-Mielinska, Zygmunt Kacki, Dariusz Kaminski, Julien Petillon, Christiane Evers, Agnieszka Piernik
Summary: Inland salt marshes in Europe are unique and valuable habitats, but there is still a lack of understanding regarding their vegetation classification and environmental requirements. In order to investigate the relationship between vegetation and environmental factors, researchers collected a database of vegetation plots from various European countries and analyzed the data using statistical and multivariate methods. They identified nine classes of vegetation, including two typical salt-marsh vegetation classes, and found significant differences in species preferences and environmental factors among these classes. This information has direct implications for the sustainable management of salt marshes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: This article evaluates the mathematical accuracy of terrain models created without ground control points and finds that while the accuracy of UAV models is low, the topography is well reflected in the spatial images. It is proposed that UAV-based DEMs be rapidly georeferenced based on orthophotomaps to improve accuracy parameters.
Article
Plant Sciences
Edvinas Misiukevicius, Birute Frercks, Jurate Brone Siksnianiene, Zygmunt Kacki, Malgorzata Gebala, Paulina Akulyte, Emilija Trilikauskaite, Vidmantas Stanys
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the genetic diversity of daylily species, early hybrids, and cultivars using SSR markers and identify the origin of early hybrids. Samples from different types of daylilies were collected, and SSR primers developed for Citrus x citrofortunella were used. The most informative primer was SAU00097. Heterozygosity was highest in Lithuanian cultivars and lowest in species. Genetic relationships showed that fulvous daylilies formed a separate cluster. The highest variation among genotypes was observed in the species group, while modern cultivars had the least variation. The putative origin of early hybrids was analyzed, and triploid species were identified as ancestors of several modern cultivars.
Article
Environmental Studies
Jan M. Waga, Maria Fajer, Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: Wars bring both civilization and environmental disasters. The bomb craters in the Kozle Basin, southern Poland, are remnants of the air campaign conducted by the USAAF during World War II. These craters, numbering nearly 6,000, pose economic challenges due to their altered landscape. However, they also provide opportunities for protection, education, and conservation efforts. Similar historical sites have been established in other European countries.
ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michal Marciak, Daniel Sobczynski, Omri Abadi, Bartlomiej Szypula, Lior Schwimmer, Miroslava Cilova
Summary: This paper presents a unique case of utilizing remote sensing methods in the archaeological survey of ancient pre-Roman roads in the Southern Levant. The research project successfully combined remote sensing research and fieldwork to achieve the goals of discovering ancient roads and providing high-resolution capture of artifacts. The study highlights the importance of combining spatial analyses and remote sensing with archaeological fieldwork in order to accurately date and identify ancient road courses.
Article
Anthropology
Michal Marciak, Bartlomiej Szypula, Daniel Sobczynski
Summary: In recent years, there has been significant scientific interest in studying travel and mobility in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Although research on Late Antique Palestine has been extensive, the question of pre-Roman travel and mobility has received less attention. Recent archaeological discoveries in Jordan and Israel have challenged the previous belief that pre-Roman roads were not preserved, leading to new insights into the material remains of these ancient roads. This study aims to analyze the spatial and archaeological features of pre-Roman roads using different types of remote data as detection tools.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Agnieszka Czajka, Oimahmad Rahmonov, Bartlomiej Szypula
Summary: River channel regulation, land use and invasive plant species are the factors contributing to the transformation of plant cover and decline in species diversity in the Upper Odra Valley.
Article
Forestry
Rafal Krzaczek, Ewa Stefanska-Krzaczek
Summary: The study aims to assess the occurrence and distribution of Natura 2000 forest habitats in managed oak forests, as well as the age of the oak forests. The results show that Natura 2000 habitats occupy a significant portion of the managed oak forests, and older oak forests within SACs form larger and more compact forests.
Article
Art
Jan Maciej Waga, Bartlomiej Szypula, Maria Fajer
Summary: This article describes the morphological changes in the area near Kgdzierzyn-Kozle as a result of regional bombing, particularly focusing on the formation and transformation processes of bomb craters. By analyzing digital elevation models and shaded relief rasters, the study examines 282 bomb craters of various types in the area and suggests the protection of this region as a research site for studying the effects of WWII.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSERVATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sadadi Ojoatre, Jos Barlow, Suzanne R. Jacobs, Mariana C. Rufino
Summary: This study evaluates the changes in a forest complex in Kenya and finds that within 20 years of disturbance, there is rapid recovery of aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation, and the species diversity remains high in these previously disturbed fragments.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Astor Torano Caicoya, Peter Biber, Miren del Rio, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Catia Arcangeli, Robert Matthews, Hans Pretzsch
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of site and climate on the self-thinning line in Scots pine forests in Europe. The results showed that species tolerance, temperature, and precipitation influenced the slope of the self-thinning line. In terms of the intercept, latitude and radiation had compensating effects. Time did not show significant trends in the self-thinning line. The study highlights the need to adapt management strategies and models based on self-thinning to different latitudes. Climate change has not yet significantly impacted the self-thinning trajectory, but a continuous rise in temperature and high precipitation may accelerate the self-thinning process and result in increased biomass accumulation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Haonan Zhang, Jianing Xu, Weiqi Meng, Zhonglin Li, Yanyan Ni, Weijie Li, Hao Chen, Xingshuo Zhang, Huanhuan Yuan, Zhi Wang
Summary: Secondary forests play a crucial role in ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity recovery. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying secondary succession in a restored secondary forest and found that deciduous tree species transition from diversity accumulators to repellents as they progress through different life history stages, while evergreen tree species can act as accumulators or remain neutral. The study also revealed the effects of density dependence on the mortality and regeneration of different tree species, and highlighted the importance of early-arriving tree species in facilitating the establishment and diversity of late-arriving counterparts.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Yierxiati Abulaiti, Zijian Huang, Guojiao Xie, Xiaojuan Zou, Qin Luo, Minhuang Wang, Qiong Yang, Ping Hu, Shixiao Yu
Summary: In this study, the resistance to pest infestation of native and exotic mangrove species was compared based on their traits and spectral reflectance. The results showed that exotic species exhibited higher resistance to pest infestation compared to native species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Thomas Feiss, Vincent Robin, Delphine Aran, Joseph Levillain, Thierry Paul, Jean-Luc Dupouey
Summary: Fagus sylvatica L. is a competitive tree in European temperate deciduous forests, but often sporadic or absent in present-day stands where Quercus spp. are dominant. Through soil charcoal analysis in the Lorraine Plateau in France, the presence of Fagus and Quercus in mature Quercus stands was confirmed. Radiocarbon dating results indicated that historical forest management caused the replacement of Fagus by Quercus, starting from the Bronze Age.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Paula Halbig, Anne-Sophie Stelzer, Peter Baier, Josef Pennerstorfer, Horst Delb, Axel Schopf
Summary: The incidence of oak processionary moth in Central Europe has been increasing, posing severe threats to oak trees, humans, and animals. To address this issue, researchers have developed an online early warning system that provides phenological forecasts and decision support for the protection of oak trees and human health.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Jean-Baptiste Ndamiyehe Ncutirakiza, Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury, Philippe Lejeune, Xavier Bry, Catherine Trottier, Frederic Mortier, Adeline Fayolle, Francois Muhashy Habiyaremye, Leopold Ndjele Mianda-Bungi, Gauthier Ligot
Summary: This study examines the influence of canopy structure on tropical tree growth using data collected through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and field measurements. The results show that combining UAV and field data can improve the prediction of tree diameter increment. Diameter at breast height and crown area are complementary predictors, and crown-based competition indices significantly enhance prediction models. The calibrated model at one site can accurately predict growth at another site.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Abebe Damtew, Emiru Birhane, Christian Messier, Alain Paquette, Bart Muys
Summary: Restoring degraded dryland requires a diverse mixture of trees and shrubs. Shading and species diversity can improve seedling survival and vitality. Shaded conditions led to higher seedling survival, vitality, and chlorophyll content, while increasing species richness improved seedling vitality in non-shaded conditions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Francois Hebert, Isabelle Delisle, Marc Tremblay, Pascal Tremblay, Jean- Francois Boucher, Yan Boucher, Daniel Lord
Summary: Regeneration failures in the closed-crown boreal forest, resulting in the creation of open lichen woodlands, can be restored through clear-cutting, scarification, and natural seeding. Clear-cutting combined with scarification promotes seedling establishment, and scarification creates suitable microsites for germination. Seedling growth in lichen woodlands is higher when logging and scarification are combined, but lower compared to feather moss stands. Afforestation through natural seeding following scarification could be a cost-effective option for restoring lichen woodlands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bianca Wulansari Kassun, A. Maarit I. Kallio, Erik Tr Omborg, Meley Mekonen Rannestad
Summary: Mapping and analyzing forest ecosystem services in dry and mountain forests can provide valuable knowledge for sustainable forest management strategies.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Michael Premer, Eric Turnblom, Aaron Weiskittel
Summary: Managed forests serve as a natural climate change solution by sequestering carbon and storing it in harvested wood products, while also providing ecosystem services and wildlife habitat. This study focused on the stem sinuosity of juvenile coastal Douglas-fir and found that genetic improvement, silviculture practices, and local growing conditions can impact stem sinuosity. Factors such as tree spacing, vegetation control, and climate variables also affect the severity of stem sinuosity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bronwyn Lira Dyson, Rhea Herpel, Peter Karasch, Jorg Mueller, Dominik Thom, Claus Baessler
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of different forest management strategies, dead wood types, and microclimates on Fomes fomentarius. The results showed that the occupancy of Fomes fomentarius was lower in control stands, while the percent cover occupied on snags under a closed canopy was higher. Increasing the number of snags and maintaining dense forest canopies could enhance the presence of Fomes fomentarius as well as provide important microhabitats for various arthropods.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Di Liu, Chaofan Zhou, Xiao He, Xiangdong Lei, Huiru Zhang, Xianzhao Liu
Summary: Canopy structure plays a significant role in the distribution and growth of saplings. Traditional canopy metrics are inadequate in irregular stands. The innovative framework of canopy triangular units provides a comprehensive understanding of the canopy's three-dimensional attributes. Through this framework, we can analyze the differences in various triangular unit types and the spatial dispersion of saplings.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Amalia Valeria Ibanez Moro, Fabian Borghetti, Leonardo Galetto, Juan M. Cellini, Sandra J. Bravo
Summary: This study evaluated the size and persistence of soil seed banks (SSB) of six native woody species in dry subtropical forests of the western Argentine Chaco region. The results showed that SSB size was influenced by different sites and sampling years, and forest disturbances had varying effects on SSB.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Stephanie Landry, Marc-Andre Villard, Gaetan Pelletier, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: In many regions of the world, excessive browsing by ungulates has reached unsustainable levels, threatening biodiversity and forest regeneration. Moose, as ecological engineers, have severe impacts on forest structure and composition through overbrowsing. The distribution of forage and cover patches affects moose browsing pressure, and this relationship has been explored in conifer-dominated stands but not in hardwood-dominated landscapes.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)