Article
Forestry
Petra D'Odorico, Meredith C. Schuman, Mirjam Kurz, Katalin Csillery
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of leaf spectroscopy for discriminating and characterizing different subspecies of beech trees. By measuring leaf spectral reflectance, morphological and biochemical traits, the researchers found that Oriental beech has higher lignin and nitrogen content compared to European beech. The model based on short-wave infrared region spectra showed the highest accuracy in distinguishing Oriental from European beech.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Markus Pfenninger, Friederike Reuss, Angelika Kiebler, Philipp Schoennenbeck, Cosima Caliendo, Susanne Gerber, Berardino Cocchiararo, Sabrina Reuter, Nico Bluethgen, Karsten Mody, Bagdevi Mishra, Miklos Balint, Marco Thines, Barbara Feldmeyer
Summary: In the face of increasing drought conditions in Central Europe due to global climate change, a study on European beeches found that drought resistance is influenced by genotype rather than environment, with specific genetic markers identified through SNP detection. This indicates that drought resistance in European beech is a moderately polygenic trait that can be enhanced through natural selection, management, and breeding.
Article
Agronomy
Anna Neycken, Michel Scheggia, Christof Bigler, Mathieu Levesque
Summary: European beech trees have been severely affected by the exceptional 2018 drought and subsequent dry years. Some trees showed severe signs of crown dieback or died, while others showed no or minor damage. The reasons for this variation in vulnerability are not well understood. This study analyzed the long-term growth trends, neighborhood composition, early-warning signals, and growth responses to past severe droughts of co-occurring healthy and declining beech trees in Switzerland. The findings suggest that declining trees had lower growth rates even before the dieback occurred, indicating predisposing signs for crown dieback.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Robert Jandl, Cecilie Birgitte Foldal, Thomas Ledermann, Georg Kindermann
Summary: This study evaluates the role and habitat expansion of European beech in Central Europe under climate change. The results show that the habitat of beech may significantly increase in the next 60 years, but vulnerability to drought and pathogens are limiting factors. The future habitat will depend on factors such as forest resilience, market opportunities, and adaptive forest management.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Giorgi Mamadashvili, Antoine Brin, Claus Baessler, Vasyl Chumak, Maksym Chumak, Valeriia Deidus, Lars Droessler, Celine Emberger, Kostadin B. Georgiev, Tigran Ghrejyan, Martin M. Gossner, Ruslan Hleb, Razieh Rafiei-Jahed, Mark Kalashian, Ivan Kambarov, Gayane Karagyan, Joni Kevlishvili, Zviad Khutsishvili, Daniel Kraus, Thibault Lachat, Ludwig Lettenmaier, Meri Mazmanyan, Oliver Mitesser, Peter I. Petrov, Nicolas Roth, Levan Tabunidze, Laurent Larrieu, Joerg Mueller
Summary: A systematic analysis was conducted on tree-related microhabitats in beech forests, revealing the influences of tree species and elevation on microhabitat composition. The study highlights the importance of conserving old-growth forests due to their higher microhabitat diversity.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Gitta Jutta Langer, Johanna Busskamp
Summary: This study examined filamentous fungi associated with woody tissues of European Beech and their impact on tree health. Various fungal strains were found to potentially harm the health of beech trees, with Botryosphaeria corticola identified as a particularly virulent pathogen. The research suggests that under conditions of climate change, Botryosphaeriaceae fungi could play a significant role in the disease progression of Vitality loss of Beech.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andrey Lessa Derci Augustynczik, Rasoul Yousefpour
Summary: The study indicates that mature European beech forests can store a significant amount of carbon and contribute to climate mitigation actions. Optimal management solutions vary by region, focusing on wood production or simultaneously promoting carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. Overall, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration act synergistically, while wood production may have trade-offs with other ecosystem services.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Andreas Rais, Enno Uhl, Jan-Willem G. van de Kuilen, Hans Pretzsch
Summary: This study analyzed the short-term allocation pattern of a tree under varying weather conditions, finding that rainfall significantly influenced annual taper change. The findings suggest that precipitation during the vegetation period can accelerate bole taper, highlighting the importance of considering weather conditions in understanding tree allometry.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Robert Jankowiak, Hanna Stepniewska, Piotr Bilanski, Stephen Joshua Taerum
Summary: This study aimed to isolate Phytophthora species and investigate their role in the decline of beech seedlings in Poland. A total of 1192 Phytophthora isolates were obtained from 300 symptomatic beech seedlings, and six species were identified. The most frequently isolated species were Phytophthora cactorum, P. x cambivora, P. europaea, and P. plurivora. The results demonstrate that Phytophthora may play an important role in the reduction of naturally regenerated European beech seedlings.
Article
Plant Sciences
Domen Arni, Jozica Gricar, Jernej Jevsenak, Gregor Bozic, Georg von Arx, Peter Prislan
Summary: The study found significant differences in tree-ring width (TRW), vessel density (VD), and relative conductive area (RCTA) among different sites. Precipitation and maximum temperature were identified as key climatic factors influencing TRW and vessel characteristics. Differences in climate-growth relationships were confirmed between sites, with late-flushing beech population showing the least pronounced response to climate. Mean vessel area (MVA) had no relationship with TRW or other vessel features. Wet and dry years resulted in reduced TRW and changes in vessel area for beech across all sites. The findings suggest that predicted changes in temperature and precipitation regimes due to climate change will impact tree-ring increments and wood structure in beech, but responses may vary between sites or populations.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marialuisa Formato, Friederike Scharenberg, Severina Pacifico, Christian Zidorn
Summary: The study investigated the seasonal variations in phenolic natural products in the leaves of six Fagus sylvatica trees in a beech forest in Germany. The content of phenolic compounds showed clear trends, with a sharp decline from mid-April to the end of May and stable levels during the summer months. The values for individual trees varied more in spring but converged during the growing period. These trends were consistent in three consecutive growing seasons.
Article
Biology
Edurne Martinez del Castillo, Christian S. Zang, Allan Buras, Andrew Hacket-Pain, Jan Esper, Roberto Serrano-Notivoli, Claudia Hartl, Robert Weigel, Stefan Klesse, Victor Resco de Dios, Tobias Scharnweber, Isabel Dorado-Linan, Marieke Van der Maaten-Theunissen, Ernst van der Maaten, Alistair Jump, Sjepan Mikac, Bat-Enerel Banzragch, Wolfgang Beck, Liam Cavin, Hugues Claessens, Vojtech Cada, Katarina Cufar, Choimaa Dulamsuren, Jozica Gricar, Eustaquio Gil-Pelegrin, Pavel Janda, Marko Kazimirovic, Juergen Kreyling, Nicolas Latte, Christoph Leuschner, Luis Alberto Longares, Annette Menzel, Maks Merela, Renzo Motta, Lena Muffler, Paola Nola, Any Mary Petritan, Ion Catalin Petritan, Peter Prislan, Alvaro Rubio-Cuadrado, Milos Rydval, Branko Stajic, Miroslav Svoboda, Elvin Toromani, Volodymyr Trotsiuk, Martin Wilmking, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Martin de Luis
Summary: The growth of past, present, and future forests is affected by climate variability. While regional studies have assessed this relationship, large-scale analyses are lacking. This study estimates recent changes in growth of beech trees and predicts severe future growth declines across Europe. The findings indicate serious ecological and economic consequences that require immediate forest adaptation.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Enrico Tonelli, Alessandro Vitali, Francesco Malandra, J. Julio Camarero, Michele Colangelo, Angelo Nole, Francesco Ripullone, Marco Carrer, Carlo Urbinati
Summary: Late spring frosts have a negative impact on the productivity and growth of temperate beech forests. This study investigated the effects of late spring frosts on forest cover and radial growth of European beech populations at different elevations. The results showed that the growth reduction caused by late spring frosts ranged from 36% to 84%, but recovery occurred within 1-2 years after the event. There was no clear relationship between beech forest elevation and occurrence of late spring frosts defoliations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Geraud de Streel, Christian Ammer, Peter Annighoefer, Ignacio Barbeito, Kamil Bielak, Andres Bravo-Oviedo, Gediminas Brazaitis, Wlodzimierz Buraczyk, Catherine Collet, Vaclav Hurt, Viktor Kurylyak, Jan den Ouden, Maciej Pach, Hans Pretzsch, Jerzy Skrzyszewski, Vit Sramek, Jolanta Stankeviciute, Katarina Strelcova, Miroslav Svoboda, Kris Verheyen, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Quentin Ponette
Summary: Mixing different tree species has a positive effect on increasing the foliar nutrient content of trees, especially on nutrient-poor sites. The mixing effects on nutrients and balances varied between species, but were not consistently related to contrasting nutrient compositions. The site nutritional status influenced the mixing effect, with larger differences observed in rich soils rather than nutrient-poor soils.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Review
Forestry
Serena Antonucci, Giovanni Santopuoli, Marco Marchetti, Roberto Tognetti, Ugo Chiavetta, Vittorio Garfi
Summary: This paper reviews the most significant management strategies adopted in European beech forests over the past 25 years, emphasizing the importance of understanding the effects of climate change on these forests and proposing climate-smart measures to help them adapt. Long-term monitoring plots are highlighted as crucial for assessing the stability of European beech forests in the face of climate change.
CURRENT FORESTRY REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Jerzy Majka, Maciej Sydor, Marta Pedzik, Petar Antov, L'ubos Krist'ak, Richard Kminiak, Martin Kucerka, Tomasz Rogozinski
Summary: This article examines the fractionation of wood dust after sanding, comparing untreated wood dust to thermally modified wood dust. The results show that both types of wood dust have similar particle size distributions and that all fractions contain the finest particles that are suspendable in the air.
Article
Forestry
Jerzy Majka, Tomasz Rogozinski, Wieslaw Olek
Summary: The study showed that wood dust from thermally modified material had lower equilibrium moisture content, and thermal modification and size of wood dust particles did not affect the binding energy of water molecules to secondary sorption sites. Water diffusivity decreased with increasing moisture content, but only for monolayer sorption.
WOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lukasz Czajkowski, Robert Kocewicz, Jerzy Weres, Wieslaw Olek
Summary: This study aims to determine and validate the thermal properties of insulating panels made of cereal straw, including specific heat and thermal conductivity. The results demonstrate that the properties measured with the calorimetric method have high accuracy, and precise heat transfer modeling can be achieved using inverse modeling.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Dawid Wojcieszak, Jacek Przybyl, Lukasz Czajkowski, Jerzy Majka, Artur Pawlowski
Summary: In recent years, there has been growing interest in using biomass as a raw material for biofuel production. However, the extensive use of biomass may lead to competition for arable land, water, and food resources. This study focused on the effects of different parts of maize crop residue on the chemical and energetic properties of corn cob cores. The results showed that the heat of combustion and calorific value of fresh and seasoned corn cob cores varied depending on the maize cultivars with distinct FAO earliness classifications.
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Jerzy Majka, Maciej Sydor, Jakub Prentki, Magdalena Zborowska
Summary: This research aimed to obtain empirical data on the initial desorption in reaction wood from the cross-section of green beech logs. The study analyzed the chemical composition and structure of tension wood and opposite wood tissue, and measured the Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) during the initial desorption. The results showed differences in hygroscopic properties between tension wood and opposite wood, and the dependence of EMC value on temperature. Additionally, a polynomial model for the initial desorption of reaction beech wood was proposed.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wladyslaw Kusiak, Jerzy Majka, Magdalena Zborowska, Izabela Ratajczak
Summary: This study investigated the sensitivity of Tilia cordata Mill. trees to environmental stress, as well as the properties necessary to control their growth and utilization. The results showed that growth conditions affected the range of chemical components and elements in the bark, and also influenced the hygroscopic properties of the wood and bark.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maciej Sydor, Jerzy Majka, Michal Rychlik, Wojciech Turbanski
Summary: This study describes a new method to measure the moisture-induced shape instability of mounting holes and verifies it using three sets of twin samples made of Scots pinewood. The results show that swelling and shrinkage have an impact on the shape and size of the holes, but shrinkage has a greater effect on the effective diameter of the holes compared to swelling.
Article
Forestry
Jerzy Majka, Waldemar Perdoch, Lukasz Czajkowski, Bartlomiej Mazela, Wieslaw Olek
Summary: The sorption properties of paper products are crucial for their use as packaging materials. Hydrophobicity, which refers to reduced affinity of paper surface to liquid water, has a direct impact on the packed goods. However, the hygroscopicity of the material is important during storage. This study analyzed the changes in hygroscopic properties of paper products treated with silane modified starch, and evaluated different sorption isotherm models to quantify the hygroscopic properties.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WOOD AND WOOD PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Karolina Stefanowska, Magdalena Wozniak, Jerzy Majka, Anna Sip, Lucyna Mrowcznska, Agnieszka Waskiewicz, Wojciech Kozak, Renata Dobrucka, Izabela Ratajczak
Summary: The study aimed to characterize films made from chitosan and kombucha solutions obtained from coffee and three types of tea. Kombucha solutions were used as a natural solvent for the preparation of chitosan films, which is a new approach. The results showed that the type of kombucha used affected the properties of the chitosan-kombucha films.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Karolina Stefanowska, Magdalena Wozniak, Anna Sip, Lucyna Mrowczynska, Jerzy Majka, Wojciech Kozak, Renata Dobrucka, Izabela Ratajczak
Summary: This study focused on the production of chitosan-based materials for medical applications. Caffeine and ethanolic propolis extract (EEP) were added to chitosan to enhance the bioactivity of the obtained films. Citric acid and acetic acid were used as solvents. The results demonstrated that the chitosan-based films with caffeine and EEP exhibited excellent antiradical and antibacterial activities.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL BIOMATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Hanincova Ludka, Pedzik Marta, Majka Jerzy, Sydor Maciej, Rogozinski Tomasz
Summary: The study aimed to assess the particle-size distribution of the finest dust produced during sanding of unmodified and thermally modified pine wood and formulate an empirical model. The results showed that sanding of thermally modified wood generated more fine dust, with lower feed speeds and larger grit sizes resulting in higher fine dust content. The mass share of dust produced during sanding was significantly higher for thermally modified wood compared to unmodified wood.
WOOD MATERIAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
