Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Douglas B. Booher, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Matthew P. Nelsen, Leo Ohyama, Mark Deyrup, Corrie S. Moreau, Andrew V. Suarez
Summary: There is a growing environmental crisis with declining global biodiversity and the increasing introduction of species. This study investigates the impact of invasive species on litter ant communities in natural ecosystems using a dataset spanning 54 years in Florida, USA. The results show a decline in native species and an increase in introduced species, leading to changes in the composition of rare and common species. The study also reveals that introduced species are more likely to be polygynous and form supercolonies, which correlate with their increasing abundance over time. If current trends continue, over half of the litter ant communities in Florida will be dominated by introduced species in the next 50 years.
Article
Forestry
Tara L. Keyser, David L. Loftis
Summary: High-elevation Quercus rubra forests in the Appalachian Mountains serve as a transition zone between different forest types. The study examined the effects of different regeneration methods on the development of the regeneration layer in these forests over a 22-year period. The results showed that the density of Quercus rubra saplings was significantly higher in group selection harvests and shelterwood treatments compared to undisturbed control, while shade-tolerant species had higher density in shelterwood treatments.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ersel Yilmaz, Emrah Ozdemir, Ender Makineci
Summary: The research conducted in northwest Turkey aimed to predict bark thickness of oak trees based on tree variables, finding species-specific results in Quercus petraea, Quercus frainetto, and Turkey oak. Models based on tree diameter at breast height were found to be accurate in predicting bark thickness.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Sergio Henrique Borges, Tarcisio do R. S. Tavares, Nicholas M. A. Crouch, Fabricio Baccaro
Summary: The study found that total species richness and evenness were similar between secondary and old growth forests, but there were more bird species and disturbance-vulnerable species in the controls of old growth forests. Additionally, bird abundance with distinct functional traits differed between secondary forest age categories, and phylogenetic diversity was higher compared to old growth forests, suggesting a positive conservation value of secondary forests for bird diversity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Pablo M. Vergara, Andres Fierro, Mario A. Carvajal, Alberto J. Alaniz, Francisco Zorondo-Rodriguez, Maria C. Cifuentes, Sergio A. Castro
Summary: Native and introduced species can coexist in less competitive ecosystems, but native species may be excluded from suitable habitats with high abundance of introduced species. The study investigated the co-occurrence and dominance probabilities of introduced and native bees in forested landscapes. The results showed that the response of bees to environmental conditions varied, with only six variables affecting their co-occurrence and dominance probabilities. High maximum temperature was associated with decreased co-occurrence and increased dominance of introduced bumblebees.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Felipe Rossetti de Paula, Cecilia Gontijo Leal, Rafael Pereira Leitao, Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz, Paulo Santos Pompeu, Jansen Alfredo Sampaio Zuanon, Robert M. Hughes
Summary: Riparian deforestation negatively impacts stream habitats and fish assemblages, but secondary riparian forests can help recover some aspects of fish communities. However, streams bordered by these secondary forests may have reduced fish diversity due to the delayed return of sensitive species. Avoiding riparian deforestation is crucial for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning in tropical agricultural landscapes.
Article
Agronomy
Ben R. Lockwood, Justin T. Maxwell, Sander O. Denham, Scott M. Robeson, David C. LeBlanc, Neil Pederson, Kimberly A. Novick, Tsun Fung Au
Summary: Quercus is undergoing a decrease in abundance and dominance in North American forests. Eastern white oak has experienced a greater decline in dominance compared to northern red oak. Understanding the growth-climate relationships of these species is important for comprehending the changes in Quercus demographics under shifting climatic regimes.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Pouriya Azimi, Naser Safaie, Seyedeh Masoomeh Zamani, Shideh Mojerlou, Mehrdad Alizadeh
Summary: An epidemiological approach was used to investigate oak die-back in unexplored Zagros forests of western Iran. The pathogenic agent was identified and disease severity was measured. High-risk zones were mapped and remote sensing analysis was conducted to evaluate the role of precipitation in oak regeneration. The study concluded that the oak decline syndrome in the Zagros regions is primarily caused by drought.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Bram van den Bor, Pilar Castro-Diez, Alvaro Alonso
Summary: Promoting nature-based carbon sinks can help minimize global warming. Native Quercus forests in central Spain have a higher carbon stock compared to Pinus plantations, with the carbon primarily stored in roots and soil.
Article
Forestry
Peter Nosko, Kerri Moreau, Christian Kuehne, Kelly C. Major, Jurgen Bauhus
Summary: In the introduced range, Quercus rubra seedlings exhibit greater shade tolerance, faster growth and development, and better survival under closed canopies compared to the native range. This suggests that natural regeneration of Quercus rubra is less limited by shade in the introduced range, potentially explaining the differences in regeneration success between native and introduced ecosystems. Future research should further investigate these differences and their underlying genetic and environmental factors across a broader geographical range.
JOURNAL OF FORESTRY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Anna Jankowiak, Bartlomiej Goldyn, Mateusz Rawlik, Rafal Bernard
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of introducing Scots Pine on the mesofauna of the forest floor in Central European oak-hornbeam forests, particularly focusing on terrestrial gastropods. The presence of pine trees was found to significantly reduce the abundance and diversity of gastropods, leading to an overall negative effect on the gastropod assemblage in the long term. A multifactorial combination of habitat factors, including herb layer cover, moisture, fertility, calcium content in the soil, and insolation, was identified as significant in shaping the gastropod community structure. This highlights the importance of considering both macro- and micro-level environmental factors for biodiversity management in forests.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mirelli B. Medeiros, Juni Cordeiro, Samuel Lourenco L. Silva, Ione H. Salim, Andre Reis, Tomas Jansen Lacerda, Euler A. Lobo Seabra, Mateus F. Oliveira, Sarah P. Moura, Izabel N. R. Santos, Laura Bessa, Maria Thereza Fonseca, Juan David Mendez-Quintero, Marcelo Antonio Nero, Adaises S. Maciel-Silva, Maria Rita Scotti
Summary: The quartzite rock outcrops and native vegetation in Brazil have been severely damaged by extreme sports activities. This study explored the erosion rates and attempted to restore the degraded sites using native species and mycorrhizal fungi. The results showed a successful rehabilitation of the vegetation and improvement of soil fertility.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Tanay Bose, Michael J. Wingfield, Jolanda Roux, Maria Vivas, Treena Burgess
Summary: Roots act as a biological filter allowing only a portion of soil-associated microbial diversity to infect plants, including both beneficial and detrimental organisms. The diversity and richness of Phytophthora species associated with roots were influenced by the soil origin and the root-soil interaction. Results showed a previously undetected diversity of Phytophthora species from South Africa, with significantly different species richness and composition between field root and soil samples.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jan Zarnowiec, Monika Staniaszek-Kik, Damian Chmura
Summary: This study focused on the plant traits of epixylic bryophytes in Central Europe and their associations with environmental factors, revealing significant correlations between certain species and specific environmental conditions. Three guilds of epixylic bryophytes were identified, each with distinct characteristics related to their habitat preferences and plant traits. Further research is needed to verify these findings on a larger scale.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Tae-Lim Kim, Hyemin Lim, Michael Immanuel Jesse Denison, Sathishkumar Natarajan, Changyoung Oh
Summary: This study investigated the distribution and roles of PFK family members in Q. rubra through a systematic study, including phylogenetic relationships, molecular characteristics, motifs, chromosomal and subcellular locations, and cis-elements of QrPFKs. Fourteen QrPFK genes were identified, belonging to PFK and PFP groups. The expression profiles of these genes showed consistency in leaves, but differences in stems and roots.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Monika Staniaszek-Kik, Jan Zarnowiec, Ewa Stefanska-Krzaczek
Summary: The size of structural components in root-pit-mound complexes is crucial for moss species richness, with species composition being mainly determined by forest type. Uprooted trees can be colonized by different terricolous mosses and have important conservation value in forest communities. Moss species richness is influenced by forest type, while species composition is affected by the type of forest and the size of components within the root-pit-mound complex.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jan Zarnowiec, Monika Staniaszek-Kik, Damian Chmura
Summary: This study focused on the plant traits of epixylic bryophytes in Central Europe and their associations with environmental factors, revealing significant correlations between certain species and specific environmental conditions. Three guilds of epixylic bryophytes were identified, each with distinct characteristics related to their habitat preferences and plant traits. Further research is needed to verify these findings on a larger scale.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Beata Woziwoda, Marcin K. Dyderski, Agnieszka Parzych, Jerzy Jonczak, Andrzej M. Jagodzinski
Summary: The study reveals that the introduction of North-American northern red oak can have a negative impact on the macronutrient pools of understory plants in pine forests, specifically reducing the concentrations in bilberry and lingonberry. Therefore, it is recommended to limit the planting of alien Q. rubra in sites with abundant occurrence of Vaccinium myrtillus and/or V. vitis-idaea.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Damian Chmura, Jan Zarnowiec, Monika Staniaszek-Kik
Summary: Preserving the continuity of epiphytic and epixylic cryptogamic flora requires maintaining the natural characteristics of forest communities and implementing sustainable forest management. There is a correlation between altitude and species' environmental requirements, as well as between decomposition stage of deadwood and species' nutrient and moisture requirements. There are significant differences in habitat requirements among different species groups.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(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
Biodiversity Conservation
Katarzyna M. Zielinska, Marcin Kiedrzynski, Przemyslaw P. Tomczyk, Anastazja Greda, Monika Staniaszek-Kik, Zuzanna Mrowinska
Summary: Fine-grain species niche modelling was conducted in a topographically diverse area to study the factors enabling species' survival and understand current species distribution. The study focused on the niches of Cotoneaster integerrimus and Valeriana tripteris in a limestone hill area called G acute accent ora Zbor acute accent ow. The results revealed the importance of environmental differentiation and species coexistence in this area.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Anastazja Greda, Beata Woziwoda, Marcin K. Dyderski, Andrzej M. Jagodzinski, Lee E. Frelich
Summary: Recognition of seed crop size and periodicity is crucial for managing introduced tree species like the northern red oak. A study in Poland showed significant variations in acorn yields among stands, with weather having a stronger impact on masting than forest site. The size of seed crop is shaped by highly-productive trees within stands, which is essential for effective management and control.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Beata Woziwoda, Anastazja Greda, Lee E. Frelich
Summary: This study investigated the size, mass, and viability of acorns of the northern red oak (Quercus rubra) in central Poland. The size and mass of acorns were influenced by stand age and forest site type, with larger acorns produced in older stands and in mixed and deciduous forests. Acorn size and viability also varied between years, with larger and more viable acorns observed in 2018 compared to 2019. These findings have important implications for the spread and regeneration of this invasive oak species in European forests.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Staniaszek-Kik, J. Zarnowiec, D. Chmura, E. Stefanska-Krzaczek
Summary: Windthrows create unique land microtopography and provide new habitats for species. This study analyzed lichens, liverworts, mosses, and vascular plants in root plate-pit-mound (RPM) complexes across different vegetation types. The research found that the species composition, richness, and abundance were mainly influenced by the species of uprooted trees and the vegetation type. The presence of uprooted trees with diverse features was crucial for the biodiversity of mountain forests. It is recommended to allow natural colonization of uprooted trees, especially large objects, and to support a mosaic of forest communities in managed forests.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Radoslaw Puchalka, Sonia Paz-Dyderska, Beata Woziwoda, Marcin K. Dyderski
Summary: This study predicted the climate niche shifts and threat levels for Vaccinium myrtillus L. and V. vitis-idaea L. under various climate change scenarios. The precipitation of the warmest quarter was found to be the most important factor in shaping their climatic niches. The most pessimistic scenario predicted significant range losses for both species, mainly in Western Europe. Under the most optimistic scenario, both species would lose 39% of their climatic niche for both periods. In the worst-case scenario for 2061-2080, climatic niche contraction would cover 47% and 39% of the current climatic niche for V. myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea, respectively.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
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
Plant Sciences
Adam Stebel, Monika Staniaszek-Kik, Stanislaw Rosadzinski, Mariusz Wierzgon, Barbara Fojcik, Michal Smoczyk, Grzegorz Voncina
Summary: In Poland, the epiphytic moss species, Hedwigia ciliata, traditionally found on rocks, has been recently observed growing on tree bark at 25 identified sites. The paper provides a possible explanation for this phenomenon.
ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Beata Woziwoda, Marcin K. Dyderski, Andrzej M. Jagodzinski
Summary: The study shows that lingonberry has higher cover, biomass, and fruit production in ancient pine forests and areas without Northern red oak introduction. However, in forests with Northern red oak, lingonberry's fruit production is only 2% of that in ancient pine forests, and its biomass and carbon sequestration decrease by 75%. The introduction of alien tree species disrupts ecosystem services provided by lingonberry, highlighting the importance of limiting such introductions to maintain valuable native species and ecosystem services.