Experimental restoration of coppice-with-standards: Response of understorey vegetation from the conservation perspective.

PubMed

Vild, Ondřej; Roleček, Jan; Hédl, Radim; Kopecký, Martin; Utinek, Dušan

2013-12-15

A substantial part of European lowland woodlands was managed as coppices or wood pastures for millennia. However, traditional management forms were almost completely abandoned in Central Europe by the middle of the 20th century. Combined with the effects of nitrogen deposition and herbivore pressure, shifts in management resulted in biodiversity loss affecting particularly light-demanding oligotrophic plant species. Experimental thinning was applied in a former oak coppice-with-standards in an attempt to restore vanishing understorey plant communities. Two levels of thinning intensity and zero management as control were used on 90 plots. Ten years after the treatment, significant changes in species composition and diversity were observed in heavily thinned plots, while moderate thinning had mostly insignificant effects. Light-demanding oligotrophic species significantly increased, indicating positive consequences of restoration. However, heavy thinning also brought about the expansion of native ruderal species. Alien species remained unchanged. We conclude that the restoration of coppice-with-standards can be an efficient tool to support vanishing light-demanding woodland species. Combined with biodiversity benefits, the increasing demand for biofuel may contribute to the renaissance of traditional management forms in forestry.

Effect of severing method and stump height on coppice growth

Treesearch

John B. Crist; James A. Mattson; Sharon A. Winsauer

1983-01-01

In this study we evaluated the effect of stem severing method and stump height on coppice growth in a short-rotation intensively cultured Populus plantation 1, 2, and 3 years after cutting. Initially, stumps 46 cm high had smaller and significantly more sprouts than either 8 or 15 cm high stumps. However, the dominant sprouts were not affected by the stump height....

Nutrient enhanced short rotation coppice for biomass in central Wales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hodson, R.W.; Slater, F.M.; Lynn, S.F.

1993-12-31

Two projects involving short rotation willow coppice are taking place on the eastern side of the Cambrian Mountains in central Wales. One project examines, as an alternative land use, the potential of short rotation willow coppice variously enhanced by combinations of lime, phosphorous and potassium fertilizers and also digested sewage sludge on an acidic upland site at an altitude of 260m. The first year results of this project are described in detail, showing the necessity for limestone additions and also demonstrating that of the four willow varieties established, Salix dasyclados is the only possible, profitable fuel crop. The other projectmore » involving willow in a filter bed system is outlined along with an additional project investigating the effect of sewage sludge additions on the Rubus fruticosus production in a birch dominated mixed deciduous woodland.« less

Rootstock mass of coppiced Platanus occidentalis as affected by spacing and rotation length

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinbeck, K.; Nwoboshi, L.C.

1980-01-01

The root mass per unit land area for Platanus occidentalis was determined 9 years after planting 1-0 seedlings. Trees had been planted at 0.3 X 1.2, 0.6 X 1.2 and 1.2 X 1.2 m spacings and coppiced after two growing seasons in the field. Rotations of 1, 2, and 7 years were then imposed. Rootstocks coppiced annually had significantly less rootstock mass (16.0 tons/ha) than those harvested on longer cycles. No significant difference was found between the 2- and 7-year rotations, which averaged 22.8 and 25.2 tons of dry rootstock mass per hectare, respectively. Spacing did not affect rootstock massmore » per unit land area. Rotations of 2 years or longer and relatively wide spacings are recommended for short rotation forestry.« less

Estimates of Nutrient Drain by Dormant-Season Harvests of Coppice American Sycamore

Treesearch

B.G. Blackmon

1979-01-01

Estimates of the amount of nutrients removed by dormant-season harvests of coppice American sycamore indicated that harvesting once (at age 4) or twice (at ages 2 and 4) removed 20-145 kg/ha of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg and small quantities of Mn, Zn, Fe, and Cu. Calculations of nutrient drain indicated that for N, gains through natural processes about equal losses, but...

Field note: comparative efficacy of a woody evapotranspiration landfill cover following the removal of aboveground biomass.

PubMed

Schnabel, William; Munk, Jens; Byrd, Amanda

2015-01-01

Woody vegetation cultivated for moisture management on evapotranspiration (ET) landfill covers could potentially serve a secondary function as a biomass crop. However, research is required to evaluate the extent to which trees could be harvested from ET covers without significantly impacting their moisture management function. This study investigated the drainage through a six-year-old, primarily poplar/cottonwood ET test cover for a period of one year following the harvest of all woody biomass exceeding a height of 30 cm above ground surface. Results were compared to previously reported drainage observed during the years leading up to the coppice event. In the first year following coppice, the ET cover was found to be 93% effective at redirecting moisture during the spring/summer season, and 95% effective during the subsequent fall/winter season. This was slightly lower than the 95% and 100% efficacy observed in the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons, respectively, during the final measured year prior to coppice. However, the post-coppice efficacy was higher than the efficacy observed during the first three years following establishment of the cover. While additional longer-term studies are recommended, this project demonstrated that woody ET covers could potentially produce harvestable biomass while still effectively managing aerial moisture.

Coppicing evaluation of short rotation coppice in the southeast of the U.S. to determine appropriate harvesting methods.

Treesearch

Rafael Santiago; Tom Gallagher; Matthew Smidt; Dana Mitchell

2016-01-01

Renewable fuels are being tested as an alternative for fossil fuels. For the Southeast U.S., the use of woody biomass has proven to be an excellent source of renewable energy in terms of cost benefit and availability. Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) are timber plantations with exclusive characteristics that can meet the intensive demand for wood due to their fast...

The population ecology of two tropical trees, Brachychiton diversifolius (Malvaceae) and Bombax ceiba (Bombaceae), harvested by Indigenous woodcarvers in Arnhem Land, Australia.

PubMed

Koenig, Jennifer; Griffiths, Anthony

2012-10-01

We describe the population ecology of two tropical deciduous trees, Bombax ceiba leiocarpum A. Robyns and Brachychiton diversifolius R. Br., which are in high demand for Indigenous sculpture production in Arnhem Land, Australia. We monitored tagged populations of both species at two locations for 2 years to examine their reproduction, growth, and survival rates and their response to harvest. Both species have similar life histories: they reproduce during the dry season (June-November) producing a high seed load, seed predation was high, seeds did not survive in the soil past the following wet season to form a seed bank, and germination rates were low and variable for both species. Average annual circumference growth rates were 1.07 cm year(-1) for B. ceiba and 0.98 cm year(-1) for B. diversifolius, with most of the growth occurring during the early wet season. Most (65-88 %) of the harvested B. ceiba and B. diversifolius stems coppiced. Coppice and stem size class were the main factors influencing tree growth rates with coppice stems growing up to six times faster than similar sized non-coppice stems. The survival of B. ceiba and B. diversifolius stems was size class dependent and affected by local site factors (e.g. fire and other disturbances) so that the smaller size classes had a low probability of survival. Given the resprouting potential of both species, their wild harvest is likely to have only minimal local impact on wild populations. However, further population modelling is required to determine whether the small and disjunct B. ceiba populations can sustain harvesting at current levels.

Stand-volume estimation from multi-source data for coppiced and high forest Eucalyptus spp. silvicultural systems in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dube, Timothy; Sibanda, Mbulisi; Shoko, Cletah; Mutanga, Onisimo

2017-10-01

Forest stand volume is one of the crucial stand parameters, which influences the ability of these forests to provide ecosystem goods and services. This study thus aimed at examining the potential of integrating multispectral SPOT 5 image, with ancillary data (forest age and rainfall metrics) in estimating stand volume between coppiced and planted Eucalyptus spp. in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. To achieve this objective, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) algorithm was used. The PLSR algorithm was implemented by applying three tier analysis stages: stage I: using ancillary data as an independent dataset, stage II: SPOT 5 spectral bands as an independent dataset and stage III: combined SPOT 5 spectral bands and ancillary data. The results of the study showed that the use of an independent ancillary dataset better explained the volume of Eucalyptus spp. growing from coppices (adjusted R2 (R2Adj) = 0.54, RMSEP = 44.08 m3/ha), when compared with those that were planted (R2Adj = 0.43, RMSEP = 53.29 m3/ha). Similar results were also observed when SPOT 5 spectral bands were applied as an independent dataset, whereas improved volume estimates were produced when using combined dataset. For instance, planted Eucalyptus spp. were better predicted adjusted R2 (R2Adj) = 0.77, adjusted R2Adj = 0.59, RMSEP = 36.02 m3/ha) when compared with those that grow from coppices (R2 = 0.76, R2Adj = 0.46, RMSEP = 40.63 m3/ha). Overall, the findings of this study demonstrated the relevance of multi-source data in ecosystems modelling.

Phytoremediation potential of cadmium-contaminated soil by Eucalyptus globulus under different coppice systems.

PubMed

Luo, Jie; Qi, Shihua; Peng, Li; Xie, Xianming

2015-03-01

The objective of this research was to determine the phytoremediation potential of Eucalyptus globulus in Cd contaminated soil through two different harvest methods. Although replanting is more expensive than coppicing and produces less aboveground biomass, more Cd can be removed from the soil with roots removal at each harvest as the E. globulus absorbs vast majority of heavy metals in non-metabolically active parts like roots. Despite the higher cost of replanting in a single harvest, when phytoremediation efficiency and total duration are considered as important factors, the replanting treatment should be recommended as an appropriate method which can decrease the phytoremediation time obviously.

Rangelands management in Spanish Natura 2000 sites.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernando Gallego, A.; Tejera Gimeno, R.; Velázquez Saornil, J.; Núñez Martí, V.; Grande Vega, M.

2009-04-01

Spanish open oak woodlands have had multiple land uses such as firewood extraction and grazing through centuries. Consequently, 20% of the Spanish forest is coppice forest. This particular agrosilvopastoral system is well widespread in the southern and western part of the Iberian Peninsula. As a result of the implementation of Natura 2000 in Spain, many of these habitats have been included in this network listed as "Dehesas" with evergreen Quercus spp. (Sclerophyllous grazed forests -dehesas-). The main goal of Natura 2000 is assuring "favourable conservation status" of natural habitats and species within these areas (Habitats Directive 92/43/ECC). This is the case of the study area, "Dehesa Boyal" (Ávila), which management plan has been carried out in a public forest land. The current situation is a degraded coppice forest, Quercus pyrenaica and Q.ilex, with a shrub encroachment due to previous firewood extraction. Besides, problems such as soil compaction and lack of sexual have been observed presumably related with livestock (180 horses, 1100 goats, 900 sheeps and 190 cows distributed in different seasons). Livestock feed on the acorns and hedge young sprouts making them sprouting again. The shrub encroachment is far from "conservation status" required in Natura 2000. Furthermore, the livestock cannot be removed because it is an important part of this agrosilvopastoral system not only for the landscape but also for its economic importance to local owners. Management plans should consider all of these circumstances and propose an integrated approach. To achieve this goal, the area was accurately classified in age classes by "stands" (oak shrubland, low pole stages, coppice tall shrub and sapling) in each habitat, using Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S), remote sensing techniques and detailed field work. Then, the "conservation status" of each stand is classified in A (Favourable), B (Inconvenient) and C (Unfavourable conservation status) considering some features such as vital functions, restoration, floral richness and structure. Finally, the implemented management plan proposes a sustainable solution to restore the habitat and maintain the livestock. Conversion by thinning on coppice forest to high forest is a popular recommendation by expert managers. It is proposed in high polewood (with B: inconvenient conservation status), sapling (A) and coppice tall shrubs (C) during the first fifteen years. Low-intensity thinning on sprouts, less than 35% of the basal area. Besides, the cattle will be led to these areas to control the sprouts. Low polewood (C) is left to grow with livestock and only the best trees will survive. Oak shrubland will be tested. The main purpose is avoiding the whole forest to become a coppice forest (C) without acorn regeneration. Therefore oak shrubland will be fenced and different measures tested (brush out, bulldozer scalping, intensive and medium thinning and no treatment) in order to choose the most suitable one for future management. In conclusion, the proposed selvicultural measures use the livestock as a part of the solution to ensure biodiversity.

The effect of chestnut coppice forests abandon on slope stability: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergani, Chiara; Bassanelli, Chiara; Rossi, Lorenzo; Chiaradia, Enrico Antonio; Battista Bischetti, Gian

2013-04-01

Sweet chestnut has been fundamental for Italian mountainous economies for many centuries. This kind of forest was traditionally managed by coppicing in shortly rotation (15-20 years) to rapidly produce wood biomass until half of XX century. In the last decades these forests were in large part abandoned due to change in economy which made coppiced forest management unprofitable, especially in steeper slopes and where forest viability is scarce. As a consequence most of them are over aged and very dense, leading to an observed increasing in localized slope instability, primary because of the uprooting of stools (Vogt et al., 2006). In this work the effect of the abandon of chestnut coppice on slope stability was analyzed, focusing on shallow landslides triggering. The mechanical contribution to soil shear strength of differently managed chestnut stand was estimated and compared in terms of additional root cohesion. The study area is located in the Valcuvia Valley (Lombardy Prealps - Northern Italy) at an elevation about 600 m a.s.l., where two different stands, one managed and the other abandoned (over 40 year aged), were chosen. The two sampling stands are on cohesionless slopes (quaternary moraine deposits) and are homogeneous with regard to the substrate, exposure and elevation. Slope steepness influences heavily forestry practices and steeper stands are more frequently abandoned than stands on gentler terrain: in fact in the abandoned coppice the slope was higher (35 degrees against 13 in the managed stand) and no stands completely homogeneous can be found. In each site the main characteristics of the stand were surveyed and a trench in each stand was excavated to analyze root diameter and number distribution with depth; root specimens were also collected for the tensile force determination through laboratory tensile tests. Root distribution and force were then used to estimate root cohesion values through a Fiber Boundle Model (Pollen and Simon, 2005). Results, as expected, show that management didn't affect root mechanical properties, whereas root distribution within the soil profile did. In terms of additional root cohesion, values are higher in the managed stand, and lower in the abandoned one, at least in the first 50 cm of soil. In the abandoned stand, in fact, roots reach deeper layers of soil (100 cm) than the managed one (50 cm), mainly because of an unexpected greater soil depth. To assess the implication of such results in terms of slope stability, a simple infinite slope model was applied to the two conditions. The results showed that the abandoned stand is prone to instability also with a low level of saturation. On the contrary, by applying the additional root cohesion profile obtained in the managed stand to the steeper slopes, stability should be guaranteed, except in the case of total saturation. In conclusion, although more investigations are required especially to extend the number of stands, coppicing practice seem to be fundamental to prevent shallow landsliding in sweet chestnut forests over cohesionless slopes.

Forest operations in coppice: Environmental assessment of two different logging methods.

PubMed

Laschi, Andrea; Marchi, Enrico; González-García, Sara

2016-08-15

Wood is a renewable resource and it actively contributes to enhance energy production under a sustainable perspective. However, harvesting, transport and use of wood imply several consequences and impacts on environment. There are different ways for managing forests dedicated to wood production and a sustainable approach is fundamental to preserve the resource. In this context, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a useful tool for estimating the environmental impacts related to renewable resources. Traditional coppice is a common approach for forest management in several areas, including southern Europe and, specifically, Italy, Spain and the Balkans. Due to different terrain conditions, different types of forest operations are considered for wood extraction from coppices, where the main product is firewood used in domestic heating. The aim of this work was to compare the main common systems for firewood production in two different terrain conditions ('flat/low steep' and 'steep/very steep' terrains), in a representative environment for Mediterranean area, located in central Italy, by means of LCA. Seven different impact categories were evaluated in a cradle-to-gate perspective taking into account all the operations carried out from the trees felling to the firewood storage at factory. Results showed that the extraction phase was the most important in terms of environmental burdens in firewood production and the use of heavy and high-power machines negatively influenced the emissions compared with manual operations. Finally, considering the general low-inputs involved in wood production in coppice, the transport of workers by car to the work site resulted on consistent contributions into environmental burdens. An additional analysis about the modifications of CH4 and N2O exchanges between soil and atmosphere, due to soil compaction in the extraction phase, was made and based on bibliographic information. Results showed a sensible difference between disturbed and undisturbed soil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Canopy Openness on Spider Communities: Implications for Conservation Management of Formerly Coppiced Oak Forests

PubMed Central

Košulič, Ondřej; Michalko, Radek; Hula, Vladimír

2016-01-01

Traditional woodland management created a mosaic of differently aged patches providing favorable conditions for a variety of arthropods. After abandonment of historical ownership patterns and traditional management and the deliberate transformation to high forest after World War II, large forest areas became darker and more homogeneous. This had significant negative consequences for biodiversity. An important question is whether even small-scale habitat structures maintained by different levels of canopy openness in abandoned coppiced forest may constitute conditions suitable for forest as well as open habitat specialists. We investigated the effect of canopy openness in former traditionally coppiced woodlands on the species richness, functional diversity, activity density, conservation value, and degree of rareness of epigeic spiders. In each of the eight studied locations, 60-m-long transect was established consisting of five pitfall traps placed at regular 15 m intervals along the gradient. Spiders were collected from May to July 2012. We recorded 90 spider species, including high proportions of xeric specialists (40%) and red-listed threatened species (26%). The peaks of conservation indicators, as well as spider community abundance, were shifted toward more open canopies. On the other hand, functional diversity peaked at more closed canopies followed by a rapid decrease with increasing canopy openness. Species richness was highest in the middle of the canopy openness gradient, suggesting an ecotone effect. Ordinations revealed that species of conservation concern tended to be associated with sparse and partly opened canopy. The results show that the various components of biodiversity peaked at different levels of canopy openness. Therefore, the restoration and suitable forest management of such conditions will retain important diversification of habitats in formerly coppiced oak forest stands. We indicate that permanent presence of small-scale improvements could be suitable conservation tools to prevent the general decline of woodland biodiversity in the intensified landscape of Central Europe. PMID:26845431

Merging nitrogen management and renewable energy needs.

PubMed

Wilson, E; Chapman, P J; McDonald, A

2001-11-22

The ARBRE (ARable Biomass Renewable Energy) project, the first large-scale wood-fueled electricity generating plant in the U.K., represents a significant development in realising British and European policy objectives on renewable energy. The plant is fueled by a mix of wood from short rotation coppice (SRC) and forest residues. Where feasible, composted/conditioned sewage sludge is applied to coppice sites to increase yields and improve soil structure. In the Yorkshire Water region, typical total N:P:K composition of composted/conditioned sludge is 2.9:3.8:0.3, respectively. Sludge application is calculated on the basis of total nitrogen (N) content to achieve 750 kg N ha(-1), for 3 years" requirement. Willow coppice forms a dense, widely spaced, root network, which, with its long growing season, makes it an effective user of nutrients. This, in combination with willow"s use as a nonfood, nonfodder crop, makes it an attractive route for the recycling of sewage sludge in the absence of sea disposal, banned under the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). Further work is required on the nutritional requirements of SRC in order to understand better the quantities of sludge that can be applied to SRC without having a detrimental impact on the environment. This paper suggests the source of N rerouting under the UWWTD and suggests the likely expansion of SRC as an alternative recycling pathway.

Detectability of landscape effects on recolonization increases with regional population density

PubMed Central

Liman, Anna-Sara; Dalin, Peter; Björkman, Christer

2015-01-01

Variation in population size over time can influence our ability to identify landscape-moderated differences in community assembly. To date, however, most studies at the landscape scale only cover snapshots in time, thereby overlooking the temporal dynamics of populations and communities. In this paper, we present data that illustrate how temporal variation in population density at a regional scale can influence landscape-moderated variation in recolonization and population buildup in disturbed habitat patches. Four common insect species, two omnivores and two herbivores, were monitored over 8 years in 10 willow short-rotation coppice bio-energy stands with a four-year disturbance regime (coppice cycle). The population densities in these regularly disturbed stands were compared to densities in 17 undisturbed natural Salix cinerea (grey willow) stands in the same region. A time series approach was used, utilizing the natural variation between years to statistically model recolonization as a function of landscape composition under two different levels of regional density. Landscape composition, i.e. relative amount of forest vs. open agricultural habitats, largely determined the density of re-colonizing populations following willow coppicing in three of the four species. However, the impact of landscape composition was not detectable in years with low regional density. Our results illustrate that landscape-moderated recolonization can change over time and that considering the temporal dynamics of populations may be crucial when designing and evaluating studies at landscape level. PMID:26257881

Clonal variation in heavy metal accumulation and biomass production in a poplar coppice culture. II. Vertical distribution and phytoextraction potential.

PubMed

Laureysens, I; De Temmerman, L; Hastir, T; Van Gysel, M; Ceulemans, R

2005-02-01

Short rotation coppice cultures (SRC) are intensively managed, high-density plantations of multi-shoot trees. In April 1996, an SRC field trial with 17 different poplar clones was established in Boom (Belgium) on a former waste disposal site. In December 1996 and January 2001, all shoots were cut back to a height of 5 cm to create a coppice culture. For six clones, wood and bark were sampled at the bottom, middle and top of a shoot in August and November 2002. No significant height effect of metal concentration was found, but for wood, metal concentrations generally increased toward the top of the shoot in August, and decreased toward the top of the shoot in November. Phytoextraction potential of a clone was primarily determined by metal concentration and by biomass production. Shoot size and number of shoots per stool were less important, as a high biomass production could be achieved by producing a few large shoots or many smaller shoots. Clone Fritzi Pauley accumulated 1.4 kg ha(-1) of Al over two years; Wolterson and Balsam Spire showed a relatively high accumulation of Cd and Zn, i.e. averaging, respectively 47 and 57 g ha(-1) for Cd and 2.4 and 2.0 kg ha(-1) for Zn over two years.

Detectability of landscape effects on recolonization increases with regional population density.

PubMed

Liman, Anna-Sara; Dalin, Peter; Björkman, Christer

2015-07-01

Variation in population size over time can influence our ability to identify landscape-moderated differences in community assembly. To date, however, most studies at the landscape scale only cover snapshots in time, thereby overlooking the temporal dynamics of populations and communities. In this paper, we present data that illustrate how temporal variation in population density at a regional scale can influence landscape-moderated variation in recolonization and population buildup in disturbed habitat patches. Four common insect species, two omnivores and two herbivores, were monitored over 8 years in 10 willow short-rotation coppice bio-energy stands with a four-year disturbance regime (coppice cycle). The population densities in these regularly disturbed stands were compared to densities in 17 undisturbed natural Salix cinerea (grey willow) stands in the same region. A time series approach was used, utilizing the natural variation between years to statistically model recolonization as a function of landscape composition under two different levels of regional density. Landscape composition, i.e. relative amount of forest vs. open agricultural habitats, largely determined the density of re-colonizing populations following willow coppicing in three of the four species. However, the impact of landscape composition was not detectable in years with low regional density. Our results illustrate that landscape-moderated recolonization can change over time and that considering the temporal dynamics of populations may be crucial when designing and evaluating studies at landscape level.

Middle School Science Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1982

1982-01-01

Presents procedures, demonstrations, activities, and teaching suggestions on topics appropriate for middle school science including a simple electrolysis cell, conversion factors, energy, solubilities of salts, condensers, and a worksheet for studying coppice woodlands. (DC)

Aeolian Shear Stress Ratio Measurements within Mesquite-Dominated Landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, James; Nickling, W. G.; Gilliles, J. A.

2006-01-01

A field study was conducted to ascertain the amount of protection that mesquite-dominated communities provide to the surface from wind erosion. The dynamics of the locally accelerated evolution of a mesquite/coppice dune landscape and the undetermined spatial dependence of potential erosion by wind from a shear stress partition model were investigated. Sediment transport and dust emission processes are governed by the amount of protection that can be provided by roughness elements. Although shear stress partition models exist that can describe this, their accuracy has only been tested against a limited dataset because instrumentation has previously been unable to provide the necessary measurements. This study combines the use of meteorological towers and surface shear stress measurements with Irwin sensors to measure the partition of shear stress in situ. The surface shear stress within preferentially aligned vegetation (within coppice dune development) exhibited highly skewed distributions, while a more homogenous surface stress was recorded at a site with less developed coppice dunes. Above the vegetation, the logarithmic velocity profile deduced roughness length (based on 10-min averages) exhibited a distinct correlation with compass direction for the site with vegetation preferentially aligned, while the site with more homogenously distributed vegetation showed very little variation in the roughness length. This distribution in roughness length within an area, defines a distribution of a resolved shear stress partitioning model based on these measurements, ultimately providing potential closure to a previously uncorrelated model parameter.

SRWC bioenergy productivity and economic feasibility on marginal lands.

PubMed

Ghezehei, Solomon B; Shifflett, Shawn D; Hazel, Dennis W; Nichols, Elizabeth Guthrie

2015-09-01

Evolving bioenergy markets necessitate consideration of marginal lands for woody biomass production worldwide particularly the southeastern U.S., a prominent wood pellet exporter to Europe. Growing short rotation woody crops (SRWCs) on marginal lands minimizes concerns about using croplands for bioenergy production and reinforces sustainability of wood supply to existing and growing global biomass markets. We estimated mean annual aboveground green biomass increments (MAIs) and assessed economic feasibility of various operationally established (0.5 ha-109 ha) SRWC stands on lands used to mitigate environmental liabilities of municipal wastewater, livestock wastewater and sludge, and subsurface contamination by petroleum and pesticides. MAIs (Mg ha(-1) yr(-1)) had no consistent relationship with stand density or age. Non-irrigated Populus, Plantanus occidentalis L. and Pinus taeda L. stands produced 2.4-12.4 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). Older, irrigated Taxodium distchum L., Fraxinus pennsylvanica L., and coppiced P. occidentalis stands had higher MAIs (10.6-21.3 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1)) than irrigated Liquidambar styraciflua L. and non-coppiced, irrigated P. occidentalis (8-18 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1)). Natural hardwood MAIs at 20-60 years were less than hardwood and P. taeda productivities at 5-20 years. Unlike weed control, irrigation and coppicing improved managed hardwood productivity. Rotation length affected economic outcomes although the returns were poor due to high establishment and maintenance costs, low productivities and low current stumpage values, which are expected to quickly change with development of robust global markets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aeolian shear stress ratio measurements within mesquite-dominated landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, James; Nickling, W. G.; Gillies, J. A.

2006-12-01

A field study was conducted to ascertain the amount of protection that mesquite-dominated communities provide to the surface from wind erosion. The dynamics of the locally accelerated evolution of a mesquite/coppice dune landscape and the undetermined spatial dependence of potential erosion by wind from a shear stress partition model were investigated. Sediment transport and dust emission processes are governed by the amount of protection that can be provided by roughness elements. Although shear stress partition models exist that can describe this, their accuracy has only been tested against a limited dataset because instrumentation has previously been unable to provide the necessary measurements. This study combines the use of meteorological towers and surface shear stress measurements with Irwin sensors to measure the partition of shear stress in situ. The surface shear stress within preferentially aligned vegetation (within coppice dune development) exhibited highly skewed distributions, while a more homogenous surface stress was recorded at a site with less developed coppice dunes. Above the vegetation, the logarithmic velocity profile deduced roughness length (based on 10-min averages) exhibited a distinct correlation with compass direction for the site with vegetation preferentially aligned, while the site with more homogenously distributed vegetation showed very little variation in the roughness length. This distribution in roughness length within an area, defines a distribution of a resolved shear stress partitioning model based on these measurements, ultimately providing potential closure to a previously uncorrelated model parameter.

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Canastota`

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrahamson, Lawrence P; Kopp, Richard F; Smart, Lawrence B

A distinct male cultivar of Salix sachalinensis.times.S. miyabeana named `Canastota`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 2.7-fold more woody biomass than its female parent (Salix sachalinensis `SX61`), 28% greater woody biomass yield than its male parent (Salix miyabeana `SX64`), and 20% greater woody biomass yield than a standard production cultivar, Salix dasyclados `SV1` when grown in the same field for the same length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y. `Canastota` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant.more » In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. `Canastota` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by willow sawfly.« less

Willow plant name 'Preble'

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.

A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.(Salix sachalinensis.times.Salix miyabeana) named `Preble`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing 29% more woody biomass than the average of three current production cultivars (Salix.times.dasyclados `SV1` (unpatented), Salix sachalinensis `SX61` (unpatented), and Salix miyabeana `SX64` (unpatented)) when grown in the same field for the same length of time (three growing seasons after coppice) in two different trials in Constableville, N.Y. and Middlebury, Vt. `Preble` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plantmore » will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested repeatedly after two to four years of growth. `Preble` displays a low incidence of rust disease and is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.« less

Effects of harvesting cypress swamps on water quality and quantity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ewel, K.C.

1985-09-01

The responses of cypress swamps to a spectrum of harvest techniques are being studied in the Withlacoochee State Forest, Hernando County, Florida. Among the 11 swamps in the study area, four contain plots that were harvested experimentally in 1984. Stand improvement cuts were made in plots in two large swamps. Measurements of tree biomass were made in all but two of the large swamps. The swamps were surveyed for cone production in the fall and regeneration in the spring. However, coppice was produced in all the harvested plots. These preliminary results suggest that coppice production may be a dependable regenerationmore » method, although it may not be desirable for stand improvement cuts and thinning. Evapotranspiration from three cypress swamps averaged 79 cm over a 3-year period. The purpose of this project was to determine specific impacts of harvesting on water quality and water loss rates in the study areas.« less

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Canastota`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.; Volk, Timothy A.

2007-05-15

A distinct male cultivar of Salix sachalinensis.times.S. miyabeana named `Canastota`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 2.7-fold more woody biomass than its female parent (Salix sachalinensis `SX61`), 28% greater woody biomass yield than its male parent (Salix miyabeana `SX64`), and 20% greater woody biomass yield than a standard production cultivar, Salix dasyclados `SV1` when grown in the same field for the same length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y. `Canastota` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. `Canastota` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by willow sawfly.

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Tully Champion`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.; Volk, Timothy A.

2007-08-28

A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.S. miyabeana named `Tully Champion`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 25% more woody biomass than two current production clones (Salix dasyclados `SV1` and Salix miyabeana `SX64`), more than 2.5-fold greater biomass than one of its parents (Salix miyabeana `SX67`), and nearly 3-fold more biomass than another production clone (Salix sacchalinensis, `SX61`) when grown in the same field for the same length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y. `Tully Champion` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested repeatedly after two to four years of growth. `Tully Champion` displays a low incidence of rust disease and is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.

Coppice Regeneration of Sweetgum

Treesearch

Robert L. Johnson

1964-01-01

Numerous thrifty sprouts developed when pole-sized sweetgums in Mississippi were cut to low stumps. At age 6 years, dominant sprouts averaged 16 feet tall on clay sites in a stream bottom and 22 feet on a moist silt loam in the uplands.

Diverse habitat use during two life stages of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi): community structure, foraging, and social interactions

PubMed Central

Hayes, William K.

2017-01-01

Our ability to prevent extinction in declining populations often depends on effective management of habitats that are disturbed through wildfire, logging, agriculture, or development. In these disturbed landscapes, the juxtaposition of multiple habitat types can be especially important to fledglings and young birds, which may leave breeding grounds in human-altered habitat for different habitats nearby that provide increased foraging opportunities, reduced competition, and higher protection from predators. In this study, we evaluated the importance of three habitat types to two life stages of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi), a synanthropic songbird endemic to Andros, The Bahamas. First, we determined the avian species composition and relative abundance of I. northropi among three major vegetation types on Andros: Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea) forest, coppice (broadleaf dry forest), and anthropogenic areas, dominated by nonnative vegetation (farmland and developed land). We then compared the foraging strategies and social interactions of two age classes of adult Bahama Orioles in relation to differential habitat use. Bird surveys late in the Bahama Oriole’s breeding season indicated the number of avian species and Bahama Oriole density were highest in coppice. Some bird species occurring in the coppice and pine forest were never observed in agricultural or residential areas, and may be at risk if human disturbance of pine forest and coppice increases, as is occurring at a rapid pace on Andros. During the breeding season, second-year (SY) adult Bahama Orioles foraged in all vegetation types, whereas after-second-year (ASY) adults were observed foraging only in anthropogenic areas, where the species nested largely in introduced coconut palms (Cocos nucifera). Additionally, SY adults foraging in anthropogenic areas were often observed with an ASY adult, suggesting divergent habitat use for younger, unpaired birds. Other aspects of foraging (vegetation features, food-gleaning behavior, and food items) were similar for the two age classes. Older Bahama Orioles exhibited relatively higher rates of social interactions (intraspecific and interspecific pooled) in anthropogenic areas, and won more interaction outcomes compared to younger adults. Our findings concur with those of other studies indicating dry broadleaf forest is vitally important to migrating, wintering, and resident birds, including the critically endangered Bahama Oriole, which appears to depend heavily on this vegetation type during certain life stages. PMID:28652943

Proceedings of the eighteenth southern forest tree improvement conference

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-01-01

This book contains 50 papers. Some of the titles are: Genetic Engineering in Forest Trees; Biotechnology and Forest Genetics: An Industry Perspective; Biomass Characteristics of Sycamore Coppice Influenced by Parentage and Type of Plant Stock; and Micropropagation of Eucalyptus viminalis.

Bio-Energy Retains Its Mitigation Potential Under Elevated CO2

PubMed Central

Bellassen, Valentin; Njakou Djomo, Sylvestre; Lukac, Martin; Calfapietra, Carlo; Janssens, Ivan A.; Hoosbeek, Marcel R.; Viovy, Nicolas; Churkina, Galina; Scarascia-Mugnozza, Giuseppe; Ceulemans, Reinhart

2010-01-01

Background If biofuels are to be a viable substitute for fossil fuels, it is essential that they retain their potential to mitigate climate change under future atmospheric conditions. Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration [CO2] stimulates plant biomass production; however, the beneficial effects of increased production may be offset by higher energy costs in crop management. Methodology/Main Findings We maintained full size poplar short rotation coppice (SRC) systems under both current ambient and future elevated [CO2] (550 ppm) and estimated their net energy and greenhouse gas balance. We show that a poplar SRC system is energy efficient and produces more energy than required for coppice management. Even more, elevated [CO2] will increase the net energy production and greenhouse gas balance of a SRC system with 18%. Managing the trees in shorter rotation cycles (i.e., 2 year cycles instead of 3 year cycles) will further enhance the benefits from elevated [CO2] on both the net energy and greenhouse gas balance. Conclusions/Significance Adapting coppice management to the future atmospheric [CO2] is necessary to fully benefit from the climate mitigation potential of bio-energy systems. Further, a future increase in potential biomass production due to elevated [CO2] outweighs the increased production costs resulting in a northward extension of the area where SRC is greenhouse gas neutral. Currently, the main part of the European terrestrial carbon sink is found in forest biomass and attributed to harvesting less than the annual growth in wood. Because SRC is intensively managed, with a higher turnover in wood production than conventional forest, northward expansion of SRC is likely to erode the European terrestrial carbon sink. PMID:20657833

Trait variations along a regenerative chronosequence in the herb layer of submediterranean forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catorci, Andrea; Vitanzi, Alessandra; Tardella, Federico Maria; Hršak, Vladimir

2012-08-01

The aim of this paper is to assess the functional shifts of the herb layer in the submediterranean Ostrya carpinifolia coppiced forests (central Italy) along a coppicing rotation cycle. More specifically, the following questions were addressed: i) is there a pattern in functional trait composition of the herb layer along a regeneration chronosequence?; ii) which traits states differentiate each regeneration stage?; iii) are patterns of trait state variation related to the change of the environmental conditions? Species cover percentage was recorded in 54 plots (20 m × 20 m) with homogeneous ecological conditions. Relevés, ordered on the basis of the time since the last coppicing event and grouped into three age classes, were analysed with regard to trait variation, based on species absolute and relative abundance. Differences in light, temperature, soil moisture, and nutrients bioindicator values between consecutive regeneration stages were tested using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. Multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) revealed statistically significant separation between young and intermediate-aged stands with regard to most traits. Indicator species analysis (ISA) highlighted indicator trait states, which were filtered, along the chronosequence, by changes in environmental conditions. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that light intensity had the greatest effect on traits states variation from the first to the second regeneration stage, while variation from the second to the third age classes was affected by temperature. Young stands were differentiated by short cycle species with acquisitive strategies that only propagated by sexual reproduction, with light seeds, summer green and overwintering green leaves, and a long flowering duration. Intermediate-aged and mature stands were characterized by traits associated with early leaf and flower production, high persistence in time, and showing retentive strategies aimed at resource storage (e.g., geophytes, spring green leaves, rhizomes, and mesomorphic/hygromorphic leaves).

DESERTIFICATION AND ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY IN THE DESERT GRASSLANDS OF NORTH AMERICA

EPA Science Inventory

Studies of breeding birds and small mammals were conducted at a series of sites that form a gradient of severity of desertification. Desert grassland sites represented the least changed landscape units and mesquite coppice dunes represented the most severe degradtion, an irrevers...

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Tully Champion`

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrahamson, Lawrence P; Kopp, Richard F; Smart, Lawrence B

2007-08-28

A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.S. miyabeana named `Tully Champion`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 25% more woody biomass than two current production clones (Salix dasyclados `SV1` and Salix miyabeana `SX64`), more than 2.5-fold greater biomass than one of its parents (Salix miyabeana `SX67`), and nearly 3-fold more biomass than another production clone (Salix sacchalinensis, `SX61`) when grown in the same field for the same length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y. `Tully Champion` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can bemore » harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested repeatedly after two to four years of growth. `Tully Champion` displays a low incidence of rust disease and is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.« less

Chemical composition, pretreatments and saccharification of Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby: An efficient biomass producing tree legume.

PubMed

Mund, Nitesh K; Dash, Debabrata; Barik, Chitta R; Goud, Vaibhav V; Sahoo, Lingaraj; Mishra, Prasannajit; Nayak, Nihar R

2016-05-01

Protocols were developed for efficient release of glucose from the biomass of Senna siamea, one of the highly efficient biomass producing tree legumes. Composition of mature, 1year and 2years coppice biomass were analysed. For the hydrolysis of the glucan, two pretreatments, cellulose solvent- and organic solvent-based lignocellulose fractionation (COSLIF) and alkali (sodium hydroxide) were used; COSLIF (85% phosphoric acid, 45min incubation at 50°C) pretreated mature biomass exhibited best result in which 88.90% glucose released after 72h of incubation with the use of 5 filter paper units (FPU) of cellulase and 10 international units (IU) of β-glucosidase per gram of glucan. Of the biomass of different particle sizes (40-200mesh) used for saccharification, 40-60mesh shown the maximum glucose release. COSLIF pretreated mature, 1year and 2years coppice biomass showed equivalent glucose release profiles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Response surface methodology to simplify calculation of wood energy potency from tropical short rotation coppice species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haqiqi, M. T.; Yuliansyah; Suwinarti, W.; Amirta, R.

2018-04-01

Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) system is an option to provide renewable and sustainable feedstock in generating electricity for rural area. Here in this study, we focussed on application of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to simplify calculation protocols to point out wood chip production and energy potency from some tropical SRC species identified as Bauhinia purpurea, Bridelia tomentosa, Calliandra calothyrsus, Fagraea racemosa, Gliricidia sepium, Melastoma malabathricum, Piper aduncum, Vernonia amygdalina, Vernonia arborea and Vitex pinnata. The result showed that the highest calorific value was obtained from V. pinnata wood (19.97 MJ kg-1) due to its high lignin content (29.84 %, w/w). Our findings also indicated that the use of RSM for estimating energy-electricity of SRC wood had significant term regarding to the quadratic model (R2 = 0.953), whereas the solid-chip ratio prediction was accurate (R2 = 1.000). In the near future, the simple formula will be promising to calculate energy production easily from woody biomass, especially from SRC species.

EFFECTS OF REPEATED DROUGHTS ON SOIL MICROARTHROPOD COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHERN CHIHUHUAN DESERT

EPA Science Inventory

Soil microarthropods were sampled in plots centered on creosotebushes(Larrea tridentata) and in plots centered on mesquite(Prosopis glandulosa) coppice dunes. Nine plots in each area were covered by rain-out shelters with greenhouse plastic roofs which excluded natural rainfall a...

Clonal propagation of eucalyptus in Brazilian nurseries

Treesearch

Ken McNabb; Natal Goncalves; Jose Goncalves

2002-01-01

Brazil has established extensive Eucalyptus plantations to support a growing forest products industry. During the past 25 years, the country has been a pioneer in developing clonal propagation systems to regenerate these highly productive plantations. Original clonal selections optimized disease resistance, coppicing ability, and volume growth, while recent priorities...

Managing Sandalwood for conservation in North Queensland, Australia

Treesearch

Grahame B. Applegate; Allan G. W. Davis; Peter Annable

1990-01-01

Santalum lanceolatum, the commercial species of sandalwood harvested in Queensland, was worth $4.2 million in export earnings in 1988. The ecology of the species in natural forests is summarized, and information on seedling regeneration and coppice and root suckering strategies is provided. Stand characteristics and size class distribution in two...

Growing Eucalypts in Florida for Industrial Wood Production

Treesearch

T.F. Geary; G.F. Meskimen; E.C. Franklin

1983-01-01

Eucalypt planting is practical on many sites in southern Florida, and strains resistant to freezes farther north are being bred. Methods have been developed for tree improvement, seed collection and handling, nursery management, plantation establishment and protection,and coppice regeneration.Guides to yields and utilization have been produced.

Background CH4 and N2O fluxes in low-input short rotation coppice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Görres, Carolyn-Monika; Zenone, Terenzio; Ceulemans, Reinhart

2016-04-01

Extensively managed short rotation coppice systems are characterized by low fluxes of CH4 and N2O. However due to the large global warming potential of these trace gases (GWP100: CH4: 34, N2O: 298), such background fluxes can still significantly contribute to offsetting the CO2 uptake of short rotation coppice systems. Recent technological advances in fast-response CH4 and N2O analysers have improved our capability to capture these background fluxes, but their quantification still remains a challenge. As an example, we present here CH4 and N2O fluxes from a short-rotation bioenergy plantation in Belgium. Poplars have been planted in a double-row system on a loamy sand in 2010 and coppiced in the beginning of 2012 and 2014 (two-year rotation system). In 2013 (June - November) and 2014 (April - August), the plantation's CH4 and N2O fluxes were measured in parallel with an eddy covariance tower (EC) and an automated chamber system (AC). The EC had a detection limit of 13.68 and 0.76 μmol m-2 h-1 for CH4 and N2O, respectively. The median detection limit of the AC was 0.38 and 0.08 μmol m-2 h-1 for CH4 and N2O, respectively. The EC picked up a few high CH4 emission events with daily averages >100 μmol m-2 h-1, but a large proportion of the measured fluxes were within the EC's detection limit. The same was true for the EC-derived N2O fluxes where the daily average flux was often close to the detection limit. Sporadically, some negative (uptake) fluxes of N2O were observed. On the basis of the EC data, no clear link was found between CH4 and N2O fluxes and environmental variables. The problem with fluxes within the EC detection limit is that a significant amount of the values can show the opposite sign, thus "mirroring" the true flux. Subsequently, environmental controls of background trace gas fluxes might be disguised in the analysis. As a next step, it will be tested if potential environmental drivers of background CH4 and N2O fluxes at the plantation can be uncovered by analysing the measurements of the AC. The majority of the fluxes captured by the AC ranged between -2 and 2 μmol m-2 h-1 for CH4, and -0.2 and 0.2 μmol m-2 h-1 for N2O, respectively. Understanding the environmental drivers of background CH4 and N2O fluxes is the basis for designing reasonable gap-filling strategies, and thus for a more accurate quantification of the contribution of these gases to the overall greenhouse gas balance of low-input short rotation coppice systems. Additionally, it is also an important contribution to the current debate whether soils can be significant N2O sinks. Funding support: ERC Advanced Grant agreement (# 233366) POPFULL under the EC 7th Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013), Flemish Hercules Foundation as Infrastructure contract # ZW09-06, and the Methusalem Program of the Flemish Government.

Response of Planted Royal Paulownia to Weed Control Treatments After Coppice

Treesearch

David O. Mitchem; James E. Johnson; Richard E. Kreh

2002-01-01

Today there is an increased interest in growing royal paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa) in the southeastern United States, but difficulties have been encountered in the Piedmont due to heavy clays and intense competition for moisture. Two royal paulownia plantations were established on the Virginia Piedmont to evaluate the effects that weedmats have on...

Determining the effects of felling method and season of year on the regeneration of short rotation coppice

Treesearch

Daniel P.L. de Souza; Tom Gallagher; Dana Mitchell; Tim McDonald; Mathew Smidt

2016-01-01

There is increasing interest in plantations with the objective of producing biomass for energy and fuel. These types of plantations are called Short Rotation Woody Crops (SRWC). Popular SRWC species are Eucalypt (Eucalyptus spp.), Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and Willow (Salix spp.). These species have in...

MODELING FLOW PATTERNS IN A SMALL VEGETATED AREA IN THE NORTHERN CHICHUAHUAN DESERT USING QUIC ( QUIC URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX )

EPA Science Inventory

Sandstorms are frequent in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico, an area characterized by open areas lacking vegetation, individual mesquite bushes, and mesquite coppice dunes. Field measurements of sand fluxes and wind velocities over a two year period provided a descri...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Labrecque, M.; Teodorescu, T.I.

Since 1989, short rotation and intensive culture (SRIC) techniques have been experimented to grow various fast growing species of trees and shrubs for energy plantation or environmental purposes. The objectives were to evaluate the biomass productivity with respect to (1) different weed control methods during the establishment phase; (2) drainage conditions and soil quality of the plantation site; and (3) frequency of coppicing. Native or introduced species of willows and various species of shrubs, such as honeysuckle and cornel, were grown in an experimental design in the nursery of the Montreal Botanical Garden on former agricultural land. Productivity, in tonsmore » of dry material per hectare, was evaluated and compared by harvesting shoot and branch samples at the end of each growing season. Weed control is essential to the establishment of trees in SRIC. When weed repression was applied during the two first growing seasons, biomass productivity was 4 to 5 times greater than the biomass produced on the control plot of the well drained site. With good weed control, willows can yield more than 20 tons of dry material on well drained site and near 15 tons on a poorly drained site, only two years after plantation. The growth potential of shrub species is also interesting. Some of them were able to produce up to 10 tons of dry biomass per hectare per year, which is appreciable considering that such species can be used on marginal lands and for the fixation of river banks. Frequency of coppicing also influences productivity. For willows, we determined that three-year rotation cycle allowed the highest biomass productivity. Shrubs should be coppiced each year to obtain the best results. Fast growing species and SRIC techniques are not only a good way of producing wood and alcohol for energy but they also represent a way of rapidly colonizing degraded or marginal sites and of fixing river banks.« less

Biochar mineralization and priming effect on SOM decomposition. Results from a field trial in a short rotation coppice in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventura, Maurizio; Alberti, Giorgio; Panzacchi, Pietro; Delle Vedove, Gemini; Miglietta, Franco; Tonon, Giustino

2016-04-01

Biochar application to soil has been proposed as a promising strategy for carbon (C) sequestration and climate change mitigation, helping at the same time to maintain soil fertility. However, most of the knowledge on biochar stability is based on short-term lab incubation experiments, as field studies are scarce. Therefore, little is known about the interactions between biochar and roots and the related effects on biochar stability in field conditions. The present study aimed to assess the stability of biochar, its effect on original soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition, and the effect of plant roots on biochar stability in field conditions in Northern Italy, for a three-year monitoring period within the EuroChar project. The experiment was conducted in a poplar short rotation coppice (SRC). Biochar produced from maize (δ13C = -13.8‰) silage pellets in a gasification plant was applied in a poplar short rotation coppice (SRC) plantation in Northern Italy. Root exclusion subplots were established using the trenching method to measure heterotrophic respiration. Total (Rtot) and heterotrophic (Rh) respiration were measured every 2 hours in control and biochar-treated soil, with a closed dynamic soil respiration system. δ13C of the soil-emited CO2 was periodically measured using the Keeling plot method. The percentage of biochar-derived soil respiration (fB), was calculated using an isotopic mass balance. Results showed that fB varied between 7% and 37% according to the sampling date, and was generally higher in the presence of roots than in trenched plots where the root growth was excluded. Without roots, only the 14% of the carbon originally added with biochar was decomposed. In the presence of roots, this percentage increased to 21%, suggesting a positive priming effect of roots on biochar decomposition. On the other hand, biochar decreased the decomposition of original SOM by about 17%, suggesting a protective effect of biochar on SOM.

Potential of two submontane broadleaved species (Acer opalus, Quercus pubescens) to reveal spatiotemporal patterns of rockfall activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favillier, Adrien; Lopez-Saez, Jérôme; Corona, Christophe; Trappmann, Daniel; Toe, David; Stoffel, Markus; Rovéra, Georges; Berger, Frédéric

2015-10-01

Long-term records of rockfalls have proven to be scarce and typically incomplete, especially in increasingly urbanized areas where inventories are largely absent and the risk associated with rockfall events rises proportionally with urbanization. On forested slopes, tree-ring analyses may help to fill this gap, as they have been demonstrated to provide annually-resolved data on past rockfall activity over long periods. Yet, the reconstruction of rockfall chronologies has been hampered in the past by the paucity of studies that include broadleaved tree species, which are, in fact, quite common in various rockfall-prone environments. In this study, we test the sensitivity of two common, yet unstudied, broadleaved species - Quercus pubescens Willd. (Qp) and Acer opalus Mill. (Ao) - to record rockfall impacts. The approach is based on a systematic mapping of trees and the counting of visible scars on the stem surface of both species. Data are presented from a site in the Vercors massif (French Alps) where rocks are frequently detached from Valanginian limestone and marl cliffs. We compare recurrence interval maps obtained from both species and from two different sets of tree structures (i.e., single trees vs. coppice stands) based on Cohen's k coefficient and the mean absolute error. A total of 1230 scars were observed on the stem surface of 847 A. opalus and Q. pubescens trees. Both methods yield comparable results on the spatial distribution of relative rockfall activity with similar downslope decreasing recurrence intervals. Yet recurrence intervals vary significantly according to tree species and tree structure. The recurrence interval observed on the stem surface of Q. pubescens exceeds that of A. opalus by > 20 years in the lower part of the studied plot. Similarly, the recurrence interval map derived from A. opalus coppice stands, dominant at the stand scale, does not exhibit a clear spatial pattern. Differences between species may be explained by the bark thickness of Q. pubescens, which has been demonstrated to grow at twice the rate of A. opalus, thus constituting a mechanical barrier that is able to buffer low energy rockfalls and thus can avoid damage to the underlying tissues. The reasons for differences between tree structures are related to the clustered coppice-specific spatial stem distribution in clumps that could result on one hand in bigger gaps between clumps, which in turn decreases the probability of tree impacts for traveling blocks. On the other hand, data also indicate that several scars on the bark of coppice stands may stem from the same impact and thus may lead to an overestimation of rockfall activity.

Natural flood retention in mountain areas by forests and forest like short rotation coppices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinhardt-Imjela, Christian; Schulte, Achim; Hartwich, Jens

2017-04-01

Natural water retention is an important element of flood risk management in flood generating headwater areas in the low mountain ranges of Central Europe. In this context forests are of particular interest because of the high infiltration capacities of the soils and to increase water retention reforestation of agricultural land would be worthwhile. However competing claims for land use in intensely cultivated regions in Central Europe impede reforestation plans so the potential for a significant increase of natural water retention in forests is strongly limited. Nevertheless the development of innovative forms of land use and crop types opens new perspectives for a combination of agricultural land use with the water retention potential of forests. Recently the increasing demand for renewable energy resources leads to the cultivation of fast growing poplar and willow hybrids on agricultural land in short rotation coppices (SRC). Harvested in cycles of three to six years the wood from the plantations can be used as wood chips for heat and electricity production in specialized power plants. With short rotation plantations a crop type is established on arable land which is similar to forests so that an improvement of water retention can be expected. To what extend SRC may contribute to flood attenuation in headwater areas is investigated for the Chemnitzbach watershed (48 km2) in the Eastern Ore Mountains (Free State of Saxony, Germany), a low mountain range which is an important source of flood runoff in the Elbe basin. The study is based on a rainfall-runoff model of flood events using the conceptual modelling system NASIM. First results reveal a significant reduction of the flood peaks after the implementation of short rotation coppices. However the effect strongly depends on two factors. The first factor is the availability of areas for the plantations. For a substantial impact on the watershed scale large areas are required and with decreasing percentages of SRC the water retention effect decreases. The second factor is the hydraulic behavior of soils. The initial properties of the SRC soils (pore volume, field capacity, hydraulic conductivity etc.) shortly after implementation of the plantation can be assumed to be similar to arable land if there is no prior conditioning such as deep tilling. However with increasing age of the plantation the properties are expected to converge to forest soils with their higher water retention capacities. Accordingly the infiltration potentials of the plantation strongly depends on the development of soil properties underneath. In general it can be concluded that short rotation coppices cannot solve flood problems in mountain areas solely. However together with other natural and distributed measures (e.g. retention basins, reforestation, conservation tillage etc.) they can be interesting elements of flood retention strategies in mountain areas.

Coppice Growth and Development of Three Bottomland Hardwoods Through Four Years

Treesearch

Harvey E. Kennedy; Roger M. Krinard

1988-01-01

World-wide demand for wood products is increasing, along with demand for recreational and watershed uses of forest lands. While these demands are increasing, large areas of prime hardwood and pine forest land$ are being cleared for agriculture, urban and industrial development,highways, and utility rights of way. Hardwood plantations, however, can provide great...

Acute O3 damage on first year coppice sprouts of aspen and maple sprouts in an open-air experiment

Treesearch

Joseph N.T. Darbah; Wendy S. Jones; Andrew J. Burton; John Nagy; Mark E. Kubiske

2011-01-01

We studied the effect of high ozone (O3) concentration (110-490 nmol mol-1) on regenerating aspen (Populus tremuloides) and maple (Acer saccharum) trees at an open-air O3 pollution experiment near Rhinelander WI USA. This study is the first of its kind to examine...

Oak stump-sprout vigor and Armillaria infection after clearcutting in southeastern Missouri, USA

Treesearch

Christopher A. Lee; Daniel C. Dey; Rose-Marie Muzika

2016-01-01

Armillaria spp. occur widely in Missouri mixed-oak ecosystems. In order to better understand the ecology and management of this pathogen and its effects on oak coppice, we observed a transect of 150 stumps after clearcutting in southeastern Missouri, noting Armillaria infection and oak sprout demography one year and seven years...

Development of a black willow improvement program for biomass production in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Randell J. Rousseau; Emile S. Gardiner; Theodor D. Leininger

2012-01-01

Black willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) has the potential to be a significant feedstock source for bioenergy and biofuels production in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV). This potential is based on a number of primary factors including rapid growth, ease of vegetative propagation, excellent rooting, and the ability to regenerate from coppice...

Increased leaf area dominates carbon flux response to elevated CO2 in stands of Populus deltoides (Bartr.)

Treesearch

Ramesh Murthy; Greg Barron-Gafford; Philip M. Dougherty; Victor c. Engels; Katie Grieve; Linda Handley; Christie Klimas; Mark J. Postosnaks; Stanley J. Zarnoch; Jianwei Zhang

2005-01-01

We examined the effects of atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture stress (SMS) on leaf- and stand-level CO2 exchange in model 3-year-old coppiced cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) plantations using the large-scale, controlled environments of the Biosphere 2 Laboratory. A short-term experiment was imposed...

Winter Avian Distribution and Relative Abundance in Six Terrestrial Habitats on Southern Eleuthera, The Bahamas

Treesearch

DAVE CURRIE; JOSEPH M. WUNDERLE JR.; DAVID N. EWERT; ANCILLENO DAVIS; ZEKO MCKENZIE

2005-01-01

We studied winter avian distribution and relative abundance in six common terrestrial broadleaf habitats, selected on a continuum of disturbance from recently disturbed (abandoned plantation) to mature vegetation (tall coppice), on the island of Eleuthera, The Bahamas. During 158-point counts conducted 22 January—10 March 2003, 1357 individuals were detected,...

Determining the impact of felling method and season of year on coppice regeneration

Treesearch

Daniel de Souza; Tom Gallagher; Dana Mitchell; Matthew Smidt; Tim McDonald; Jeff Wright

2014-01-01

There is an increasing interest in the establishment of plantations in the Southeast region with the objective of producing biomass for energy and fuel. Establishment of these plantations will require the development of a feasible way to harvest them. These types of plantations are called Short Rotation Woody Crops (SRWC). Popular SRWC species are Eucalypt (...

Harvesting short rotation woody crops with a shear

Treesearch

Wellington Cardoso; Dana Mitchell; Tom Gallagher; Daniel and de Souza

2014-01-01

A time and motion study was performed on a skid steer equipped with a 14-inch tree shear attachment. The machine was used to install initial coppice harvesting treatments on three stands across the south. The study included one willow and two cottonwood sites. The stands averaged from 2 to 4 years old. Approximately 200 trees were shear harvested from each of the...

Stump sprouting of northern pin oak on nutrient-poor sandy soils in central Wisconsin

Treesearch

Kevin M. Schwartz; Michael C. Demchik

2013-01-01

Coppice with two to three reserve trees per acre is the generally accepted practice (GAP) for rotating oak stands on nutrient-poor, sandy sites (colloquially called "scrub oak sites") in Wisconsin. The future stocking of the stand is therefore dependent predominantly on stump sprouts with varying levels of contribution from advance regeneration. Two groups of...

Co-milled silica and coppiced wood biochars improve elongation and toughness in styrene-butadiene elastomeric composites while replacing carbon black

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Carbon black is a petroleum byproduct with a million-ton market in the US tire industry. Finding renewable substitutes for carbon black reduces dependence on oil and alleviates global warming. Biochar is a renewable source of carbon that has been studied previously as a replacement for carbon black ...

Development of water tupelo coppice stands on the Mobile-Tensaw River delta for five years after precommercial thinning and cleaning

Treesearch

J.C.G. Goelz; J.S. Meadows; T.C. Fristoe

2001-01-01

Three 4-yr-old stands (or locations) were selected for treatment. Treatment consisted of two components: (1) thinning water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica L.) stump sprouts and (2) cutting all stems of Carolina ash (Fraxinus caroliniana Mill.) and black willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) (cleaning). Contrary to results in other...

Black willow tree improvement: development of a biomass species for marginal agricultural land in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley

Treesearch

Rochelle Brazas Bailey; Randall J. Rousseau; Emile Gardiner; Jason C. Mack

2014-01-01

Short rotation woody crops, such as willows (Salix spp.), continue to be examined as biomass species because of their fast growth, ease of vegetative propagation, and ability to be coppice regenerated. Black willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) fits well into a biomass program for the southern United States because of its ability to grow on...

A system dynamic model to estimate hydrological processes and water use in a eucalypt plantation

Treesearch

Ying Ouyang; Daping Xu; Ted Leininger; Ningnan Zhang

2016-01-01

Eucalypts have been identified as one of the best feedstocks for bioenergy production due to theirfast-growth rate and coppicing ability. However, their water use efficiency along with the adverse envi-ronmental impacts is still a controversial issue. In this study, a system dynamic model was developed toestimate the hydrological processes and water use in a eucalyptus...

Ability of LANDSAT-8 Oli Derived Texture Metrics in Estimating Aboveground Carbon Stocks of Coppice Oak Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safari, A.; Sohrabi, H.

2016-06-01

The role of forests as a reservoir for carbon has prompted the need for timely and reliable estimation of aboveground carbon stocks. Since measurement of aboveground carbon stocks of forests is a destructive, costly and time-consuming activity, aerial and satellite remote sensing techniques have gained many attentions in this field. Despite the fact that using aerial data for predicting aboveground carbon stocks has been proved as a highly accurate method, there are challenges related to high acquisition costs, small area coverage, and limited availability of these data. These challenges are more critical for non-commercial forests located in low-income countries. Landsat program provides repetitive acquisition of high-resolution multispectral data, which are freely available. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of multispectral Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) derived texture metrics in quantifying aboveground carbon stocks of coppice Oak forests in Zagros Mountains, Iran. We used four different window sizes (3×3, 5×5, 7×7, and 9×9), and four different offsets ([0,1], [1,1], [1,0], and [1,-1]) to derive nine texture metrics (angular second moment, contrast, correlation, dissimilar, entropy, homogeneity, inverse difference, mean, and variance) from four bands (blue, green, red, and infrared). Totally, 124 sample plots in two different forests were measured and carbon was calculated using species-specific allometric models. Stepwise regression analysis was applied to estimate biomass from derived metrics. Results showed that, in general, larger size of window for deriving texture metrics resulted models with better fitting parameters. In addition, the correlation of the spectral bands for deriving texture metrics in regression models was ranked as b4>b3>b2>b5. The best offset was [1,-1]. Amongst the different metrics, mean and entropy were entered in most of the regression models. Overall, different models based on derived texture metrics were able to explain about half of the variation in aboveground carbon stocks. These results demonstrated that Landsat 8 derived texture metrics can be applied for mapping aboveground carbon stocks of coppice Oak Forests in large areas.

Effect of drought on fine roots productivity in poplar-based short rotation coppice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mani Tripathi, Abhishek; Fischer, Milan; Berhongaray, Gonzalo; Orság, Matěj; Trnka, Miroslav

2015-04-01

Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) are alternative source of bioenergy, which apart from their 'carbon neutrality' have potential to store carbon (C) into soil and mitigate the increasing CO2 emission. Studies of below ground biomass of trees are divided into two types according to root diameter - analysis of fine roots (less than 2 mm) and coarse roots (more than 2 mm). Trees roots are spatially highly heterogeneous and it requires large number of samples to obtain a representative estimate of belowground biomass. For this study we used hybrid poplar clone J-105 (Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii) grown under short rotation coppice system in the region of Bohemian-Moravian Highland (49o32'N, 16o15'E and altitude 530 m a.s.l.) since April 2000. The plantation with planting density of 9,216 trees ha-1 was established on the former agricultural land and the length of the rotation cycle was set to 6-8 years. While mean annual rainfall was 609 mm with mean annual temperature 7.2oC during 1981-2013 significant increase of temperature and more frequent droughts are expected. In 2011, we established drought experiment based on throughfall exclusion system, reducing up to 70 % of throughfall precipitation. Thus 2 treatments with normal and lowered soil moisture levels were introduced. In January and February 2014, we cored 18 places including drought and control using root bipartite auger. The main goal of the study is to assess the response of fine roots productivity and fine roots vertical distribution on the reduced soil water availability. Results will be presented at the conference. Acknowledgements: This study was funded by research project IGA Mendel University 2014 "Study of below ground biomass in short rotation poplar coppice (J-105) in the Czech-Moravian Highlands", project PASED (KONTAKT II LH12037 ʺDevelopment of models for the assessment of abiotic stresses in selected energy woody plantsʺ and "Building up a multidisciplinary scientific team focused on drought" No. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0248.

Kirtland’s warblers in anthropogenically disturbed early-successional habitats on Eleuthera, The Bahamas

Treesearch

Joseph Wunderle; Dave Currie; Eileen H. Helmer; David N. Ewert; Jennifer D. White; Thomas S. Ruzycki; Bernard Parresol; Charles Kwit

2010-01-01

To characterize the nonbreeding habitat of Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) on Eleuthera, The Bahamas, we quantified the habitat at sites where we captured the warblers and compared these traits with those of random sites and sites of tall coppice. On the basis of a chronosequence of satellite imagery, 153 capture sites ranged in age from 3 to 28 years after...

Influence of Cutting Cycle and Spacing on Coppice Sycamore Yield

Treesearch

H. E. Kennedy

1975-01-01

Cutting cycle significantly affected total aboveground dry-weight yields, which were greater with the 2-, 3-, and 4-year cycles than with the I-year. For all cutting cycles, significantly higher yields were obtained with 2- by 5-foot spacings than with 4 by 5. Dry-weight yields ranged from 3,229 pounds per acre per year for the I-year cutting cycle spaced at 4 by 5...

The potential of using coppice growth as training trees in plantations for the production of high-quality oak boles

Treesearch

Wayne K. Clatterbuck

2016-01-01

Oaks (Quercus spp.) grown in monoculture plantations often do not develop high-grade boles because all the trees grow at similar rates and crown stratification does not occur resulting in persistent branches and poor bole quality. The use of trainer species in mixed species plantations could promote interspecific competition and crown...

Winter habitat of Kirtland's warbler: an endangered nearctic/neotropical migrant

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sykes, P.W.; Clench, M.H.

1998-01-01

Habitats of Kirtland?s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) on the wintering grounds in the Bahama Archipelago are presented based upon data from 29 specimens, two bandings, and 67 sightings of at least 61 individuals on 13 islands scattered through the region. Major emphasis is placed on a study site in central Eleuthera, with additional information on sites on Grand Turk, North Caicos, and Crooked Island. The warblers used upland habitats that have a low shrub/scrub component with a patchiness of small openings and openings within the vegetation at the ground level. Six broad habitats were identified as being used: Natural Shrub/Scrub, Secondary Shrub/Scrub, Low Coppice, Pineland Understory, Saline/Upland Ecotone, and Suburban; High Coppice is not used. The structure and floristic composition of the habitats are described. Observations (N=451) of a Kirtland?s Warbler male (uniquely color banded) and female over three months indicated the birds generally stayed on or near the ground, generally < 3 m (98% of observations), and used a territory of 8.3 ha. A crude estimate of potential winter habitat suggests that there is more than an adequate amount in the Bahama Archipelago for the currently small warbler population (733 singing males in 1997) and allows for a considerable population increase. No serious future threat to the amount of that habitat is foreseen.

Coppice Sycamore Yields Through 9 Years

Treesearch

Harvey E. Kennedy

1980-01-01

Cutting cycle and spacing did not significantly affect sycamore dry-weight yields from ages 5-9 years (1974-l 978). Longer cutting cycles usually did give higher yields. Dry-weight yields ranged from 2886 lb per acre (3233 kg/ha) per year in the 1 year, 4x5 ft (1.2 x 1.5 m) spacing to 4541 lb (5088 kg/ha) in the 4-year, 4x5 ft s,pacing. Survival averaged 67 percent...

Optimal management and productivity of Eucalyptus grandis on former phosphate mined and citrus lands in central and southern Florida: influence of genetics and spacing

Treesearch

Kyle W. Fabbro; Donald L. Rockwood

2016-01-01

Eucalyptus short rotation woody crops (SRWC) with superior genotypes are promising in central and south Florida due to their fast growth, freeze resilience, coppicing ability, and site tolerance. Four Eucalyptus grandis cultivars, E.nergy™ G1, G2, G3, and/or G5, were established in 2009 at varying planting densities on a...

Limitations for phytoextraction management on metal-polluted soils with poplar short rotation coppice-evidence from a 6-year field trial.

PubMed

Michels, E; Annicaerta, B; De Moor, S; Van Nevel, L; De Fraeye, M; Meiresonne, L; Vangronsveld, J; Tack, F M G; Ok, Y S; Meers, Erik

2018-01-02

Poplar clones were studied for their phytoextraction capacity in the second growth cycle (6-year growth) on a site in the Belgian Campine region, which is contaminated with Cd and Zn via historic atmospheric deposition of nearby zinc smelter activities. The field trial revealed regrowth problems for some clones that could not be predicted in the first growth cycle. Four allometric relations were assessed for their capacity to predict biomass yield in the second growth cycle. A power function based on the shoot diameter best estimates the biomass production of poplar with R 2 values between 0.94 and 0.98. The woody biomass yield ranged from 2.1 to 4.8 ton woody Dry Mass (DM) ha -1 y -1 . The primary goal was to reduce soil concentrations of metals caused by phytoextraction. Nevertheless, increased metal concentrations were determined in the topsoil. This increase can partially be explained by the input of metals from deeper soil layers in the top soil through litterfall. The phytoextraction option with poplar short rotation coppice in this setup did not lead to the intended soil remediation in a reasonable time span. Therefore, harvest of the leaf biomass is put forward as a crucial part of the strategy for soil remediation through Cd/Zn phytoextraction.

Woody species for biomass production in Florida: Final report, 1983-1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rockwood, D.L.; Dippon, D.R.; Lesney, M.S.

1988-02-01

From 1983 to 1988, this project's short rotation woody crop research enhanced the potential of Eucalyptus species in Florida. A fourth-generation E. grandis seed orchard could produce over 100 million seedlings annually for use in southern Florida. Seed from the 50 best trees in the orchard may double the average productivity in the preceding genetic base population. Three frost-resilient and rapid-growing E. grandis clones are being commercially propagated by tissue culture, and over 250 additional clonal candidates are under test. While rooted cuttings of selected clones could be mass produced in less than seven months, micropropagation may reduce the costmore » of vegetative propagation. Eucalyptus tereticornis and E. camaldulensis demonstrated vigor and frost-hardiness and may be suitable for sandhills sites in central Florida and wetter sites further south. For northern Florida, E. amplifolia had good frost-resilience and remained vigorous through four coppice rotations. Coppicing of other eucalypts, notably E. grandis, is very dependent on climatic factors. Biomass properties of the eucalypts vary due to genetics and age but appear suitable for certain fermentation and pulping processes. Economic analyses suggest that E. grandis and E. amplifolia may be profitably grown and that short rotation culture appears feasible for slash pine, but cannot yet be advised for sand pine. 126 refs., 24 figs., 67 tabs.« less

Bridging the gap between feedstock growers and users: the study of a coppice poplar-based biorefinery.

PubMed

Dou, Chang; Gustafson, Rick; Bura, Renata

2018-01-01

In the biofuel industry, land productivity is important to feedstock growers and conversion process product yield is important to the biorefinery. The crop productivity, however, may not positively correlate with bioconversion yield. Therefore, it is important to evaluate sugar yield and biomass productivity. In this study, 2-year-old poplar trees harvested in the first coppice cycle, including one low-productivity hybrid and one high-productivity hybrid, were collected from two poplar tree farms. Through steam pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, the bioconversion yields of low- and high-productivity poplar hybrids were compared for both sites. The low-productivity hybrids had 9-19% higher sugar yields than the high-productivity hybrids, although they have the similar chemical composition. Economic calculations show the impact on the plantation and biorefinery of using the two feedstocks. Growing a high-productivity hybrid means the land owner would use 11-26% less land (which could be used for other crops) or collect $2.53-$3.46 MM/year extra revenue from the surplus feedstock. On the other side, the biorefinery would receive 5-10% additional revenue using the low-productivity hybrid. We propose a business model based on the integration of the plantation and the biorefinery. In this model, different feedstocks are assessed using a metric of product tonnage per unit land per year. Use of this new economic metric bridges the gap between feedstock growers and users to maximize the overall production efficiency.

Woodland as working space: where is the restorative green idyll?

PubMed

Bingley, Amanda

2013-08-01

Much has been written on the beneficial, restorative qualities of 'natural' (non-built) rural or urban 'green' space, including woodland, in promoting mental and physical health when accessed for leisure, sport and education. In contrast, with the exception of rural health studies, there is relatively little debate about the health benefits of 'green space' as work place, especially in woodland and forests. In the developed world, this apparent gap in the literature may be partly due to an assumption of the forest work place as inherently healthy, and also the invisibility of a tiny percentage of the workforce now employed in forestry. However, in the UK and parts of Europe over recent years there has been a small, though significant, increase in opportunities to train and work in woodlands using traditional, sustainable management such as coppicing, and an exploration of health issues of woodland work is timely. This paper reports on findings from a secondary narrative analysis of oral history interviews selected from two phases of the Woodland Recollections Project and newsletters written by local people historically and currently engaged in coppicing and woodland work in North West England. Perceptions of healthy working in green space are examined by applying key concepts of Attention Restoration Theory (ART). Findings suggest that woodland work environments involve many counter-restorative factors that can render the 'green idyll' detrimental to health and wellbeing. To benefit from restorative elements requires drawing on a high level of specialist skills that empower individuals to manage and maintain healthy working practices in these diverse and challenging environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Robinia pseudoacacia short rotation coppice on soil physical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xavier, Morvan; Isabelle, Bertrand; Gwenaelle, Gibaud

2015-04-01

Human activities can lead to the degradation of soil physical properties. For instance, machinery traffic across the land can induce the development of compacted areas at the wheel tracks. It leads to a decrease in porosity which results in a decrease of the hydraulic conductivity, and therefore, prevents water infiltration and promotes surface runoff. Land use, soil management and soil cover also have a significant influence on soil physical properties (Kodesova et al., 2011). In the arable land, surface runoff and soil erosion are enhanced by the absence of soil cover for part of the year and by the decrease of aggregate stability due to a decline of soil organic matter. In that context, few studies focused on the effects of a Robinia pseudoacacia short rotation coppice (SRC) on soil physical properties. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of the conversion of a grassland in a SRC on soil physical properties. These properties have also been compared to those of arable land and natural forest. For that, in several plots of the experimental farm of Grignon (30 km west of Paris, France), different measurements were performed: i) soil water retention on a pressure plate apparatus for 7 water potential between 0 and 1500 kPa, ii) bulk density using the method for gravelly and rocky soil recommended by the USDA, iii) aggregate stability using the method described in Le Bissonnais (1996), and iv) soil hydraulic conductivity using a Guelph permeameter. All these measurements were performed on the same soil type and on different land uses: arable land (AL), grassland (GL), natural forest (NF) and short rotation coppice (SRC) of Robinia pseudoacacia planted 5 years ago. Soil water retention measurements are still under progress and will be presented in congress. Bulk density measurements of the AL, GL and SRC are not significantly different. They ranged from 1.32 to 1.42. Only the NF measurements are significantly lower than the other (0.97). Aggregate stability measurements showed that the SRC soil had the most stable aggregates compared to the other land uses. SRC also had the highest infiltration rates (656 mm.h-1) compared to NF (54 mm.h-1), GL (23 mm.h-1) and AL (8 mm.h-1). Analyses and explanation of these results are still under progress and will be presented in congress. Kodesova, R., Jirku, V., Kodes, V., Muhlhanselova, M., Nikodem, A., Žigová, A., 2011. Soil structure and soil hydraulic properties of Haplic Luvisol used as arable land and grassland. Soil and Tillage Research 111 (2), pp. 154-161. Le Bissonnais Y., 1996. Aggregate stability and assessment of soil crustability and erodibility: I theory and methodology. European Journal of Soil Science 47, 425-437.

Adaptive traits to fluvial systems of native tree European black Poplar (Populus nigra L.) population in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saulino, Luigi; Pasquino, Vittorio; Todaro, Luigi; Rita, Angelo; Villani, Paolo; Battista Chirico, Giovanni; Saracino, Antonio

2015-04-01

This work focuses on the morphological and biomechanical traits developed by the European black poplar (Populus nigra) to cope with the hydraulic force and prolonged submersion periods during floods. Two riverine environments of the Cilento sub-region (Southern Italy) have been selected for this experimental study. The two sites have the same climatic and hydrological regimes. The first site is located along the Ripiti stream, characterized by a braided channel with longitudinal and transverse bars and eroding banks. The second site is located along the Badolato stream, an entrenched meandering riffle/pool channel, with low gradients and high width/depth. P. nigra mixed with Salix alba and along the Badolato stream also Platanus orientalis, is the dominant wooden riparian vegetation in both sites. Cuttings from adult P. nigra trees originated by seeds were collected and planted in the 'Azienda Sperimentale Regionale Improsta' (Eboli-Salerno, Campania region). The experimental plantation was managed according to a multi-stem short rotation coppice with low external energy input and high disturbance regime generated by a 3 years rotation coppicing. The two sample stool sets exhibit statistically similar morphological traits, but different values of Young elasticity module of the shoots. A functional evaluation of the biomechanical differences was performed by measuring the bending of the individual stems under the hypothesis of complete submergence within a flow of different mean velocities, using a numerical model that predicts the bending of woody vegetation beams allowing for large deflections. The results suggest that plants with the same gene pool but coming from morphologically different riverine environments, may reflect different dominant biomechanical properties, which might be relevant for designing local sustainable management and restoration plans of rivers and riparian systems.

Reconstructing European forest management from 1600 to 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGrath, M. J.; Luyssaert, S.; Meyfroidt, P.; Kaplan, J. O.; Buergi, M.; Chen, Y.; Erb, K.; Gimmi, U.; McInerney, D.; Naudts, K.; Otto, J.; Pasztor, F.; Ryder, J.; Schelhaas, M.-J.; Valade, A.

2015-04-01

European forest use for fuel, timber and food dates back to pre-Roman times. Century-scale ecological processes and their legacy effects require accounting for forest management when studying today's forest carbon sink. Forest management reconstructions that are used to drive land surface models are one way to quantify the impact of both historical and today's large scale application of forest management on today's forest-related carbon sink and surface climate. In this study we reconstruct European forest management from 1600 to 2010 making use of diverse approaches, data sources and assumptions. Between 1600 and 1828, a demand-supply approach was used in which wood supply was reconstructed based on estimates of historical annual wood increment and land cover reconstructions. For the same period demand estimates accounted for the fuelwood needed in households, wood used in food processing, charcoal used in metal smelting and salt production, timber for construction and population estimates. Comparing estimated demand and supply resulted in a spatially explicit reconstruction of the share of forests under coppice, high stand management and forest left unmanaged. For the reconstruction between 1829 and 2010 a supply-driven back-casting method was used. The method used age reconstructions from the years 1950 to 2010 as its starting point. Our reconstruction reproduces the most important changes in forest management between 1600 and 2010: (1) an increase of 593 000 km2 in conifers at the expense of deciduous forest (decreasing by 538 000 km2), (2) a 612 000 km2 decrease in unmanaged forest, (3) a 152 000 km2 decrease in coppice management, (4) a 818 000 km2 increase in high stand management, and (5) the rise and fall of litter raking which at its peak in 1853 removed 50 Tg dry litter per year.

Short Rotation Woody Crops Program. Quarterly progress report, March 1-May 31, 1985. [Sycamore, alders, black locust, larch, poplars, saltbush

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wright, L.L.; Perlack, R.D.; Wenzel, C.R.

1985-08-01

This report covers the progress of the Short Rotation Woody Crops Program (SRWCP) during the third quarter of fiscal year 1985. This report summarizes ORNL management activities, technical activities at ORNL and subcontract institutions, and the technology transfer that is occurring as a result of subcontractor and ORNL activities. Third-year results of a nutrient utilization study confirmed that there were no benefits to quarterly fertilization with urea nitrogen. Testing of one prototype short-rotation intensive culture harvester was conducted on a sycamore plantation on Scott Paper Company land in southern Alabama. Coppice yields of European black alder reported by Iowa Statemore » University indicate potential productivity of about 7.2 dry Mg . ha/sup -1/ . year/sup -1/ if the best trees are selected. Coppice yields were more than double first-rotation yields. About 31,000 black locust and larch trees were established in 12 genetic tests at 4 sites in Michigan. Seedling rotation productivity rates of 4-year-old hybrid poplar, based on harvest data, were reported by Pennsylvania State University. Rates varied from 4.8 dry Mg . ha/sup -1/ . year/sup -1/ to 10.7 dry Mg . ha/sup -1/ . year/sup -1/, depending on site, management strategy, and planting year. An efficient method for in vitro micropropagation of elite genotypes of fourwing saltbush was developed by Plant Resources Institute. A new study to evaluate yield/density relationships was established by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. Dissertation research on the crown geometry of plantation-grown American sycamore was completed.« less

Water use of a multigenotype poplar short-rotation coppice from tree to stand scale.

PubMed

Bloemen, Jasper; Fichot, Régis; Horemans, Joanna A; Broeckx, Laura S; Verlinden, Melanie S; Zenone, Terenzio; Ceulemans, Reinhart

2017-02-01

Short-rotation coppice (SRC) has great potential for supplying biomass-based heat and energy, but little is known about SRC's ecological footprint, particularly its impact on the water cycle. To this end, we quantified the water use of a commercial scale poplar ( Populus ) SRC plantation in East Flanders (Belgium) at tree and stand level, focusing primarily on the transpiration component. First, we used the AquaCrop model and eddy covariance flux data to analyse the different components of the stand-level water balance for one entire growing season. Transpiration represented 59% of evapotranspiration (ET) at stand scale over the whole year. Measured ET and modelled ET were lower as compared to the ET of reference grassland, suggesting that the SRC only used a limited amount of water. Secondly, we compared leaf area scaled and sapwood area scaled sap flow ( F s ) measurements on individual plants vs. stand scale eddy covariance flux data during a 39-day intensive field campaign in late summer 2011. Daily stem diameter variation (∆ D ) was monitored simultaneously with F s to understand water use strategies for three poplar genotypes. Canopy transpiration based on sapwood area or leaf area scaling was 43.5 and 50.3 mm, respectively, and accounted for 74%, respectively, 86%, of total ecosystem ET measured during the intensive field campaign. Besides differences in growth, the significant intergenotypic differences in daily ∆ D (due to stem shrinkage and swelling) suggested different water use strategies among the three genotypes which were confirmed by the sap flow measurements. Future studies on the prediction of SRC water use, or efforts to enhance the biomass yield of SRC genotypes, should consider intergenotypic differences in transpiration water losses at tree level as well as the SRC water balance at stand level.

Conversion from cropland to short rotation coppice willow and poplar: Accumulation of soil organic carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgiadis, Petros; Stupak, Inge; Vesterdal, Lars; Raulund-Rasmussen, Karsten

2015-04-01

Increased demand for bioenergy has intensified the production of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow and poplar in temperate zones. We used a combined chronosequence and paired plot approach to study the potential of SRC willow and poplar stands to increase the soil carbon stock compared to stocks of the previous arable land-use. The study focused on well-drained soils. We sampled soil from 30 SRC stands in Denmark and southern Sweden including soils from their adjacent arable fields. The 18 willow and 12 poplar stands formed a chronosequence ranging between 4 and 29 years after conversion. The soil was sampled both with soil cores taken by fixed depths of 0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-25, and 25-40 cm and by genetic horizons from soil pits to 1m depth. The aim of the study was to estimate the difference and the ratio between soil carbon contents of the SRC and annual crop land and analyze the results as a chronosequence to examine the effect of age after conversion on the difference. Covariates such as soil type, fertilization type and harvest frequency were also taken into account. Preliminary results suggest an overall increase in carbon stocks over time with average accumulation rates ranging from 0.25 to 0.4 Mg ha-1 yr-1 in willow and poplar stands. Poplar stands had higher rates of C gain, probably due to less frequent harvesting. The differences in carbon between the SRC and the paired cropland were initially negative but changed to positive over time, implying loss of carbon after conversion and a later gain in soil carbon with stand age. Pairwise differences ranged from -25 Mg C ha-1 to 37 Mg C ha-1 for the top 40 cm. The carbon stock ratio of the SRC stand to the arable land was estimated to minimize the effect of site-related factors. The results of this analysis suggested that the ratio increased significantly with age after conversion for the top 10 cm of the soil, both for poplar and willow. A slight increase with age was also noticed at the deeper depths, but it was not significant. The increasing soil carbon stocks in SRC stands on former cropland can be attributed to the increased leaf and litter input from the perennial SRC plantations as well as less stimulation of organic matter decomposition after cessation of annual. Initial losses of soil carbon after the land use change have also been reported by other studies, but the soil carbon accumulation high rates suggest that SRC can act as sinks at least for some decades. Our results indicate that a steady state has not yet been reached after 29 years. Key words: Bioenergy,Land Use Change, poplar, Short Rotation Coppice, Soil Organic Carbon, willow,

Assessing management effects on Oak forests in Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautam, Sishir; Pietsch, Stephan A.; Hasenauer, Hubert

2010-05-01

Historic land use as well as silvicultural management practices have changed the structures and species composition of central European forests. Such changes have effects on the growth of forests and contribute to global warming. As insufficient information on historic forest management is available it is hard to explain the effect of management on forests growth and its possible consequences to the environment. In this situation, the BIOME-BGC model, which integrates the main physical, biological and physiological processes based on current understanding of ecophysiology is an option for assessing the management effects through tracking the cycling of energy, water, carbon and nutrients within a given ecosystems. Such models are increasingly employed to simulate current and future forest dynamics. This study first compares observed standing tree volume, carbon and nitrogen content in soil in the high forests and coppice with standards stands of Oak forests in Austria. Biome BGC is then used to assess the effects of management on forest growth and to explain the differences with measured parameters. Close positive correlations and unbiased results and statistically insignificant differences between predicted and observed volumes indicates the application of the model as a diagnostic tool to assess management effects in oak forests. The observed data in 2006 and 2009 was further compared with the results of respective model runs. Further analysis on simulated data shows that thinning leads to an increase in growth efficiency (GE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and water use efficiency (WUE), and to a decrease in the radiation use efficiency (RUE) in both forests. Among all studied growth parameters, only the difference in the NUE was statistically significant. This indicates that the difference in the yield of forests is mainly governed by the NUE difference in stands due to thinning. The coppice with standards system produces an equal amount of net primary production while consuming significantly less nitrogen compared to the high forests.

Global environmental change effects on plant community composition trajectories depend upon management legacies.

PubMed

Perring, Michael P; Bernhardt-Römermann, Markus; Baeten, Lander; Midolo, Gabriele; Blondeel, Haben; Depauw, Leen; Landuyt, Dries; Maes, Sybryn L; De Lombaerde, Emiel; Carón, Maria Mercedes; Vellend, Mark; Brunet, Jörg; Chudomelová, Markéta; Decocq, Guillaume; Diekmann, Martin; Dirnböck, Thomas; Dörfler, Inken; Durak, Tomasz; De Frenne, Pieter; Gilliam, Frank S; Hédl, Radim; Heinken, Thilo; Hommel, Patrick; Jaroszewicz, Bogdan; Kirby, Keith J; Kopecký, Martin; Lenoir, Jonathan; Li, Daijiang; Máliš, František; Mitchell, Fraser J G; Naaf, Tobias; Newman, Miles; Petřík, Petr; Reczyńska, Kamila; Schmidt, Wolfgang; Standovár, Tibor; Świerkosz, Krzysztof; Van Calster, Hans; Vild, Ondřej; Wagner, Eva Rosa; Wulf, Monika; Verheyen, Kris

2018-04-01

The contemporary state of functional traits and species richness in plant communities depends on legacy effects of past disturbances. Whether temporal responses of community properties to current environmental changes are altered by such legacies is, however, unknown. We expect global environmental changes to interact with land-use legacies given different community trajectories initiated by prior management, and subsequent responses to altered resources and conditions. We tested this expectation for species richness and functional traits using 1814 survey-resurvey plot pairs of understorey communities from 40 European temperate forest datasets, syntheses of management transitions since the year 1800, and a trait database. We also examined how plant community indicators of resources and conditions changed in response to management legacies and environmental change. Community trajectories were clearly influenced by interactions between management legacies from over 200 years ago and environmental change. Importantly, higher rates of nitrogen deposition led to increased species richness and plant height in forests managed less intensively in 1800 (i.e., high forests), and to decreases in forests with a more intensive historical management in 1800 (i.e., coppiced forests). There was evidence that these declines in community variables in formerly coppiced forests were ameliorated by increased rates of temperature change between surveys. Responses were generally apparent regardless of sites' contemporary management classifications, although sometimes the management transition itself, rather than historic or contemporary management types, better explained understorey responses. Main effects of environmental change were rare, although higher rates of precipitation change increased plant height, accompanied by increases in fertility indicator values. Analysis of indicator values suggested the importance of directly characterising resources and conditions to better understand legacy and environmental change effects. Accounting for legacies of past disturbance can reconcile contradictory literature results and appears crucial to anticipating future responses to global environmental change. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of composting on the Cd, Zn and Mn content and fractionation in feedstock mixtures with wood chips from a short-rotation coppice and bark.

PubMed

Vandecasteele, B; Willekens, K; Zwertvaegher, A; Degrande, L; Tack, F M G; Du Laing, G

2013-11-01

Micronutrient content and availability in composts may be affected by the addition of wood chips or tree bark as a bulking agent in the compost feedstock. In the first part of this study, micronutrient levels were assessed in bark and wood of poplar and willow clones in a short-rotation coppice. Large differences between species were observed in bark concentrations for Cd, Zn and Mn. In the second part of the study, we aimed to determine the effect of feedstock composition and composting on Cd, Zn and Mn concentrations and availability. By means of three composting experiments we examined the effect of (a) bark of different tree species, (b) the amount of bark, and (c) the use of bark versus wood chips. In general, compost characteristics such as pH, organic matter and nutrient content varied due to differences in feedstock mixture and composting process. During the composting process, the availability of Cd, Zn and Mn decreased, although the use of willow and poplar bark or wood chips resulted in elevated total Cd, Zn or Mn concentrations in the compost. Cd concentrations in some composts even exceeded legal criteria. Cd and Zn were mainly bound in the reducible fraction extracted with 0.5M NH2OH⋅HCl. A higher acid-extractable fraction for Mn than for Cd and Zn was found. Higher Cd concentrations in the compost due to the use of bark or wood chips did not result in higher risk of Cd leaching. The results of the pH-stat experiment with gradual acidification of composts illustrated that only a strong pH decline in the compost results in higher availability of Cd, Zn and Mn. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How drought severity constrains GPP and its partitioning among carbon pools in a Quercus ilex coppice?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rambal, S.; Lempereur, M.; Limousin, J. M.; Martin-StPaul, N. K.; Ourcival, J. M.; Rodríguez-Calcerrada, J.

2014-06-01

The partitioning of photosynthates toward biomass compartments has a crucial role in the carbon sink function of forests. Few studies have examined how carbon is allocated toward plant compartments in drought prone forests. We analyzed the fate of GPP in relation to yearly water deficit in an old evergreen Mediterranean Quercus ilex coppice severely affected by water limitations. Gross and net carbon fluxes between the ecosystem and the atmosphere were measured with an eddy-covariance flux tower running continuously since 2001. Discrete measurements of litterfall, stem growth and fAPAR allowed us to derive annual productions of leaves, wood, flowers and acorns and an isometric relationship between stem and belowground biomass has been used to estimate perennial belowground growth. By combining eddy-covariance fluxes with annual productions we managed to close a C budget and derive values of autotrophic and heterotrophic respirations, NPP and carbon use efficiency (CUE, the ratio between NPP and GPP). Average values of yearly NEP, GPP and Reco were 282, 1259 and 977 g C m-2. The corresponding ANPP components were 142.5, 26.4 and 69.6 g C m-2 for leaves, reproductive effort (flowers and fruits) and stems. Gross and net carbon exchange between the ecosystem and the atmosphere were affected by annual water deficit. Partitioning to the different plant compartments was also impacted by drought, with a hierarchy of responses going from the most affected, the stem growth, to the least affected, the leaf production. The average CUE was 0.40, which is well in the range for Mediterranean-type forest ecosystems. CUE tended to decrease more slightly in response to drought than GPP and NPP, probably due to drought-acclimation of autotrophic respiration. Overall, our results provide a baseline for modeling the inter-annual variations of carbon fluxes and allocation in this widespread Mediterranean ecosystem and highlight the value of maintaining continuous experimental measurements over the long term.

How drought severity constrains gross primary production(GPP) and its partitioning among carbon pools in a Quercus ilex coppice?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rambal, S.; Lempereur, M.; Limousin, J. M.; Martin-StPaul, N. K.; Ourcival, J. M.; Rodríguez-Calcerrada, J.

2014-12-01

The partitioning of photosynthates toward biomass compartments plays a crucial role in the carbon (C) sink function of forests. Few studies have examined how carbon is allocated toward plant compartments in drought-prone forests. We analyzed the fate of gross primary production (GPP) in relation to yearly water deficit in an old evergreen Mediterranean Quercus ilex coppice severely affected by water limitations. Carbon fluxes between the ecosystem and the atmosphere were measured with an eddy covariance flux tower running continuously since 2001. Discrete measurements of litterfall, stem growth and fAPAR allowed us to derive annual productions of leaves, wood, flowers and acorns, and an isometric relationship between stem and belowground biomass has been used to estimate perennial belowground growth. By combining eddy covariance fluxes with annual net primary productions (NPP), we managed to close a C budget and derive values of autotrophic, heterotrophic respirations and carbon-use efficiency (CUE; the ratio between NPP and GPP). Average values of yearly net ecosystem production (NEP), GPP and Reco were 282, 1259 and 977 g C m-2. The corresponding aboveground net primary production (ANPP) components were 142.5, 26.4 and 69.6 g C m-2 for leaves, reproductive effort (flowers and fruits) and stems, respectively. NEP, GPP and Reco were affected by annual water deficit. Partitioning to the different plant compartments was also impacted by drought, with a hierarchy of responses going from the most affected - the stem growth - to the least affected - the leaf production. The average CUE was 0.40, which is well in the range for Mediterranean-type forest ecosystems. CUE tended to decrease less drastically in response to drought than GPP and NPP did, probably due to drought acclimation of autotrophic respiration. Overall, our results provide a baseline for modeling the inter-annual variations of carbon fluxes and allocation in this widespread Mediterranean ecosystem, and they highlight the value of maintaining continuous experimental measurements over the long term.

Evaluation of Water Use Efficiency of Short Rotation Poplar Coppice at Bohemian-Moravian Highlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hlaváčová, Marcela; Fischer, Milan; Mani Tripathi, Abhishek; Orság, Matěj; Trnka, Miroslav

2015-04-01

The water availability of the locality constitutes one of the main constraint for short rotation coppices grown on arable land. As a convenient characteristic assessing how the water use is coupled with the biomass yields, so called water use efficiency (WUE) is proposed. One method of water use efficiency determination is presented within this study. The study was carried out at short rotation poplar coppice (poplar clone J-105) at the Test Station Domanínek, Ltd. at Bohemian-Moravian Highlands during the growing season 2013. Diameters at breast height (DBH) were measured for 16 sample trees where sap flow measuring systems (Granier's Thermal Dissipation Probe, TDP) were installed. TDP outputs are expressed as temperature differences (ΔT) between the heated and non-heated probes. Estimation of sap flux density (Fd) by the Granier method relies on the measurement of temperature difference (ΔT). Determination of maximum temperature difference (ΔTmax) is fundamental for sap flux density (Fd) calculation. Although ΔTmax can be theoretically defined as ΔT at Fd = 0, many factors may prevent the occurrence of the zero flow state, such as night-time water movement for new growth (vegetative or reproductive) or water loss from the canopy due to high vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Therefore, the VPD condition was established for determination of ΔTmax. VPD condition was established as follows: VPD reaching values 0.2 at least 6 hours during night (from 21 p. m. to 3 a. m. and when the condition was fullfilled, the value at 3 a. m. was taken) because it is a supposed time after that the tree has no transpiration. The programmable part of Mini 32 software (www.emsbrno.cz) was used for application of the script establishing ΔTmax values under this VPD condition. Nevertheless, another script was applied on ΔT data set to determination of ΔTmax values for every night at 3 a. m. (as this is when ΔT should be at its daily maximum) without VPD condition restriction for comparison of both approaches. Since application of the two mentioned scripts led to two sets of resulting values, calculations of Fd and consequent sap flow values were computed for both variants of ΔTmaxvalues. The sample trees were divided into 3 diameter classes according to DBH values at the beginning of regular measurements (April 24, 2013). Allometry was carried out on February 20, 2014 to calculation of aboveground woody biomass. The input data for calculations of WUE of aboveground woody biomass productivity was biomass increments and monthly totals of sap flow for 16 sample trees. The total WUE for 16 measured trees reached 4.93 g kg-1 (when calculated with data set without VPD condition) and 4.63 g kg-1 (when calculated with data set under VPD condition). This study was funded by project "Building up a multidisciplinary scientific team focused on drought" No. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0248 and LD130030 supporting COST Action ES1106.

Tree and stand water fluxes of hybrid poplar clone (Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii) in short rotation coppice culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, M.; Trnka, M.; Kucera, J.; Zalud, Z.

2010-09-01

This study reports on evapotranspiration and tree water use in short rotation coppice culture of hybrid poplar (Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii) for biomass energy in the Czech Republic. The high density poplar plantation (10 000 trees per ha) was established in 2003 on arable land in Czech-Moravian Highland (49°32´ N, 16°15´ E, 530 m a.s.l.) and has been coppiced in rotation period of 7 years. Firstly, evapotranspiration of the stand has been estimated by applying the Bowen ratio-energy budget method, which is considered as reliable, robust, quite simple and inexpensive technique with comparable results to eddy covariance and lysimeters. The gaps in evapotranspiration diurnal patterns caused by limitation of the bowen ratio method were filled with simple linear regression model based on relation between potential and actual evapotranspiration with regard to soil water availability and leaf area index and thus the daily, monthly and seasonal totals could be calculated. The amount of evapotranspiration during the growing season 2009 (1 March - 31 October) was 593 mm with highest monthly total 116 mm in June. Mean daily water loss over the season reached 2.43 mm per day. During the hot summer day, the maximal value 5.73 mm per day, which presented 89 % of potential evapotranspiration calculated by Penman equation, was recorded with a peak rate 0.94 mm per hour. Secondly, the transpiration was measured by sap flow tissue heat balance techniques on four individual trees with greatest stem diameters (11 - 12 cm d.b.h.) and height of 12 - 12.5 m. Relatively high transpiration values by the poplars were found during the measured part of growing season (18 June - 31 October), with maximum and mean daily transpiration of 44.41 dm3 and 16.69 dm3 per day, respectively. The seasonal transpiration of the most vigorous from the investigated individuals amounted 2542 dm3. Because in this study we didńt evaluate the transpiration of thinner trees (technical features of sap flow method dońt enable to assess trees smaller than 10 cm and bigger than 2 cm d.b.h.), scaling the transpiration to the whole stand through the relation between leaf area index, d.b.h. and the sap flow is under evaluation and results will be presented at the conference. The presentation will also include comparison between actual evapotranspiration over the reference grass surface in the immediate vicinity of the poplar plantation. The differences between the actual evapotranspiration and transpiration of the poplar stand and other special features of this bioenergy production system will be revealed in more detail. Acknowledgement: We gratefully acknowledge the support of the In-house Grant Agency at Mendel university in Brno no. IP 19/2010, In-house Grant Agency at Mendel university in Brno no. TP 11/2010 and the Research plan no. MSM6215648905 "Biological and technological aspects of sustainability of controlled ecosystems and their adaptability to climate change".

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Fish Creek`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.; Volk, Timothy A.

2007-05-08

A distinct male cultivar of Salix purpurea named `Fish Creek`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 30% more woody biomass than either of its parents (`94001` and `94006`) and 20% more biomass than a current production cultivar (`SV1`). `Fish Creek` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Fish Creek` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by beetles or sawflies.

CO 2 uptake is offset by CH 4 and N 2O emissions in a poplar short-rotation coppice

DOE PAGES

Zenone, Terenzio; Zona, Donatella; Gelfand, Ilya; ...

2015-04-18

The need for renewable energy sources will lead to a considerable expansion in the planting of dedicated fast-growing biomass crops across Europe. These are commonly cultivated as short-rotation coppice (SRC), and currently poplar ( Populus spp.) is the most widely planted. In this study, we report the greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO 2), methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2O) measured using eddy covariance technique in an SRC plantation for bioenergy production. Measurements were made during the period 2010–2013, that is, during the first two rotations of the SRC. The overall GHG balance of the 4more » years of the study was an emission of 1.90 (±1.37) Mg CO 2eq ha -1; this indicated that soil trace gas emissions offset the CO 2 uptake by the plantation. CH 4 and N 2O contributed almost equally to offset the CO 2 uptake of -5.28 (±0.67) Mg CO2eq ha -1 with an overall emission of 3.56 (±0.35) Mg CO 2eq ha -1 of N 2O and of 3.53 (±0.85) Mg CO 2eq ha-1 of CH 4. N 2O emissions mostly occurred during one single peak a few months after the site was converted to SRC; this peak comprised 44% of the total N 2O loss during the two rotations. Accurately capturing emission events proved to be critical for deriving correct estimates of the GHG balance. The nitrogen (N) content of the soil and the water table depth were the two drivers that best explained the variability in N 2O and CH 4, respectively. Here, this study underlines the importance of the ‘non-CO 2 GHGs’ on the overall balance. Further long-term investigations of soil trace gas emissions should monitor the N content and the mineralization rate of the soil, as well as the microbial community, as drivers of the trace gas emissions.« less

Assessing Regional-Scale Impacts of Short Rotation Coppices on Ecosystem Services by Modeling Land-Use Decisions.

PubMed

Schulze, Jule; Frank, Karin; Priess, Joerg A; Meyer, Markus A

2016-01-01

Meeting the world's growing energy demand through bioenergy production involves extensive land-use change which could have severe environmental and social impacts. Second generation bioenergy feedstocks offer a possible solution to this problem. They have the potential to reduce land-use conflicts between food and bioenergy production as they can be grown on low quality land not suitable for food production. However, a comprehensive impact assessment that considers multiple ecosystem services (ESS) and biodiversity is needed to identify the environmentally best feedstock option, as trade-offs are inherent. In this study, we simulate the spatial distribution of short rotation coppices (SRCs) in the landscape of the Mulde watershed in Central Germany by modeling profit-maximizing farmers under different economic and policy-driven scenarios using a spatially explicit economic simulation model. This allows to derive general insights and a mechanistic understanding of regional-scale impacts on multiple ESS in the absence of large-scale implementation. The modeled distribution of SRCs, required to meet the regional demand of combined heat and power (CHP) plants for solid biomass, had little or no effect on the provided ESS. In the policy-driven scenario, placing SRCs on low or high quality soils to provide ecological focus areas, as required within the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU, had little effect on ESS. Only a substantial increase in the SRC production area, beyond the regional demand of CHP plants, had a relevant effect, namely a negative impact on food production as well as a positive impact on biodiversity and regulating ESS. Beneficial impacts occurred for single ESS. However, the number of sites with balanced ESS supply hardly increased due to larger shares of SRCs in the landscape. Regression analyses showed that the occurrence of sites with balanced ESS supply was more strongly driven by biophysical factors than by the SRC share in the landscape. This indicates that SRCs negligibly affect trade-offs between individual ESS. Coupling spatially explicit economic simulation models with environmental and ESS assessment models can contribute to a comprehensive impact assessment of bioenergy feedstocks that have not yet been planted.

Soil carbon and belowground carbon balance of a short-rotation coppice: assessments from three different approaches.

PubMed

Berhongaray, Gonzalo; Verlinden, Melanie S; Broeckx, Laura S; Janssens, Ivan A; Ceulemans, Reinhart

2017-02-01

Uncertainty in soil carbon (C) fluxes across different land-use transitions is an issue that needs to be addressed for the further deployment of perennial bioenergy crops. A large-scale short-rotation coppice (SRC) site with poplar ( Populus ) and willow ( Salix ) was established to examine the land-use transitions of arable and pasture to bioenergy. Soil C pools, output fluxes of soil CO 2 , CH 4 , dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and volatile organic compounds, as well as input fluxes from litter fall and from roots, were measured over a 4-year period, along with environmental parameters. Three approaches were used to estimate changes in the soil C. The largest C pool in the soil was the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and increased after four years of SRC from 10.9 to 13.9 kg C m -2 . The belowground woody biomass (coarse roots) represented the second largest C pool, followed by the fine roots (Fr). The annual leaf fall represented the largest C input to the soil, followed by weeds and Fr. After the first harvest, we observed a very large C input into the soil from high Fr mortality. The weed inputs decreased as trees grew older and bigger. Soil respiration averaged 568.9 g C m -2  yr -1 . Leaching of DOC increased over the three years from 7.9 to 14.5 g C m -2 . The pool-based approach indicated an increase of 3360 g C m -2 in the SOC pool over the 4-year period, which was high when compared with the -27 g C m -2 estimated by the flux-based approach and the -956 g C m -2 of the combined eddy-covariance + biometric approach. High uncertainties were associated to the pool-based approach. Our results suggest using the C flux approach for the assessment of the short-/medium-term SOC balance at our site, while SOC pool changes can only be used for long-term C balance assessments.

Assessing Regional-Scale Impacts of Short Rotation Coppices on Ecosystem Services by Modeling Land-Use Decisions

PubMed Central

Schulze, Jule; Frank, Karin; Priess, Joerg A.; Meyer, Markus A.

2016-01-01

Meeting the world’s growing energy demand through bioenergy production involves extensive land-use change which could have severe environmental and social impacts. Second generation bioenergy feedstocks offer a possible solution to this problem. They have the potential to reduce land-use conflicts between food and bioenergy production as they can be grown on low quality land not suitable for food production. However, a comprehensive impact assessment that considers multiple ecosystem services (ESS) and biodiversity is needed to identify the environmentally best feedstock option, as trade-offs are inherent. In this study, we simulate the spatial distribution of short rotation coppices (SRCs) in the landscape of the Mulde watershed in Central Germany by modeling profit-maximizing farmers under different economic and policy-driven scenarios using a spatially explicit economic simulation model. This allows to derive general insights and a mechanistic understanding of regional-scale impacts on multiple ESS in the absence of large-scale implementation. The modeled distribution of SRCs, required to meet the regional demand of combined heat and power (CHP) plants for solid biomass, had little or no effect on the provided ESS. In the policy-driven scenario, placing SRCs on low or high quality soils to provide ecological focus areas, as required within the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU, had little effect on ESS. Only a substantial increase in the SRC production area, beyond the regional demand of CHP plants, had a relevant effect, namely a negative impact on food production as well as a positive impact on biodiversity and regulating ESS. Beneficial impacts occurred for single ESS. However, the number of sites with balanced ESS supply hardly increased due to larger shares of SRCs in the landscape. Regression analyses showed that the occurrence of sites with balanced ESS supply was more strongly driven by biophysical factors than by the SRC share in the landscape. This indicates that SRCs negligibly affect trade-offs between individual ESS. Coupling spatially explicit economic simulation models with environmental and ESS assessment models can contribute to a comprehensive impact assessment of bioenergy feedstocks that have not yet been planted. PMID:27082742

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Fish Creek`

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrahamson, Lawrence P; Kopp, Richard F; Smart, Lawrence B

2007-05-08

A distinct male cultivar of Salix purpurea named `Fish Creek`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 30% more woody biomass than either of its parents (`94001` and `94006`) and 20% more biomass than a current production cultivar (`SV1`). `Fish Creek` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. Themore » stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Fish Creek` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by beetles or sawflies.« less

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Oneida`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P [Marcellus, NY; Kopp, Richard F [Marietta, NY; Smart, Lawrence B [Geneva, NY; Volk, Timothy A [Syracuse, NY

2007-05-01

A distinct male cultivar of Salix purpurea.times.S. miyabeana named `Oneida`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing 2.7-times greater woody biomass than one of its parents (`SX67`) and greater than 36% more biomass than current production cultivars (`SV1` and `SX64`). `Oneida` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Oneida` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by beetles or sawflies.

Fast-growing shrub willow named `Owasco`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.; Volk, Timothy A.

2007-07-03

A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.Salix miyabeana named `Owasco`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 49% more woody biomass than one of its parents (`SX64`) and 39% more biomass than a current production cultivar (`SV1`). `Otisco` produced greater than 2.7-fold more stem biomass than two other current production cultivars, `SX67` and `SX61`. `Owasco` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Owasco` displays a low incidence of rust disease and is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Millbrook`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P [Marcellus, NY; Kopp, Richard F [Marietta, NY; Smart, Lawrence B [Geneva, NY; Volk, Timothy A [Syracuse, NY

2007-04-24

A distinct female cultivar of Salix purpurea.times.Salix miyabeana named `Millbrook`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing 9% more woody biomass than one of its parents (`SX64`) and 2% more biomass than a current production cultivar (`SV1`). `Millbrook` produced greater than 2-fold more stem biomass than two other current production cultivars, `SX67` and `SX61`. `Millbrook` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Millbrook` displays a low incidence of rust disease.

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Otisco`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.; Volk, Timothy A.

2007-09-11

A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.S. miyabeana named `Otisco`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 42% more woody biomass than one of its parents (`SX64`) and 33% more biomass than a current production cultivar (`SV1`). `Otisco` produced greater than 2.5-fold more stem biomass than two other current production cultivars, `SX67` and `SX61`. `Otisco` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Otisco` displays a low incidence of rust disease and is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.

Willow bioenergy plantation research in the Northeast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, E.H.; Abrahamson, L.P.; Kopp, R.F.

1993-12-31

Experiments were established in Central New York in the spring of 1987 to evaluate the potential of Salix for biomass production in bioenergy plantations. Emphasis of the research was on developing and refining establishment, tending and maintenance techniques, with complimentary study of breeding, coppice physiology, pests, nutrient use and bioconversion to energy products. Current yields utilizing salix clones developed in cooperation with the University of Toronto in short-rotation intensive culture bioenergy plantations in the Northeast approximate 8 oven dry tons per acre per year with annual harvesting. Successful clones have been identified and culture techniques refined. The results are nowmore » being integrated to establish a 100 acre Salix large-scale bioenergy farm to demonstrate current successful biomass production technology and to provide plantations of sufficient size to test harvesters; adequately assess economics of the systems; and provide large quantities of uniform biomass for pilot-scale conversion facilities.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrahamson, Lawrence P; Kopp, Richard F; Smart, Lawrence B

A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.S. miyabeana named `Otisco`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 42% more woody biomass than one of its parents (`SX64`) and 33% more biomass than a current production cultivar (`SV1`). `Otisco` produced greater than 2.5-fold more stem biomass than two other current production cultivars, `SX67` and `SX61`. `Otisco` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after twomore » to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or electricity. `Otisco` displays a low incidence of rust disease and is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.« less

Modelling supply and demand of bioenergy from short rotation coppice and Miscanthus in the UK.

PubMed

Bauen, A W; Dunnett, A J; Richter, G M; Dailey, A G; Aylott, M; Casella, E; Taylor, G

2010-11-01

Biomass from lignocellulosic energy crops can contribute to primary energy supply in the short term in heat and electricity applications and in the longer term in transport fuel applications. This paper estimates the optimal feedstock allocation of herbaceous and woody lignocellulosic energy crops for England and Wales based on empirical productivity models. Yield maps for Miscanthus, willow and poplar, constrained by climatic, soil and land use factors, are used to estimate the potential resource. An energy crop supply-cost curve is estimated based on the resource distribution and associated production costs. The spatial resource model is then used to inform the supply of biomass to geographically distributed demand centres, with co-firing plants used as an illustration. Finally, the potential contribution of energy crops to UK primary energy and renewable energy targets is discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospects for arable farm uptake of Short Rotation Coppice willow and miscanthus in England.

PubMed

Glithero, Neryssa J; Wilson, Paul; Ramsden, Stephen J

2013-07-01

Biomass will play a role in the UK meeting EU targets on renewable energy use. Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and miscanthus are potential biomass feedstocks; however, supply will rely on farmer willingness to grow these crops. Despite attractive crop establishment grants for dedicated energy crops (DECs) in the UK, uptake remains low. Drawing on results from an on-farm survey with 244 English arable farmers, 81.6% (87.7%) of farmers would not consider growing miscanthus (SRC), while respectively, 17.2% (11.9%) would consider growing and 1.2% (0.4%) were currently growing these crops. Farmer age, location, land ownership, farm type, farm size and farmer education level were not significant factors in determining acceptance of DECs. The main reasons cited for not growing DECs were impacts on land quality, lack of appropriate machinery, commitment of land for a long period of time, time to financial return and profitability. Reasons cited for willingness to grow DECs included land quality, ease of crop management, commitment of land for a long period of time, and profitability. Farmers cited a range of 'moral' (e.g. should not be using land for energy crops when there is a shortage of food), land quality, knowledge, profit and current farming practice comments as reasons for not growing DECs, while those willing to grow DECs cited interest in renewable energy, willingness to consider new crops, and low labour needs as rationale for their interest. Farm business objectives indicated that maximising profit and quality of life were most frequently cited as very important objectives. Previous research in the UK indicates that farmers in arable areas are unlikely to convert large areas of land to DECs, even where these farmers have an interest and willingness to grow them. Assuming that those farmers interested in growing DECs converted 9.29% (average percentage of arable land set-aside between 1996 and 2005) of their utilised agricultural area to these crops, 50,700 ha and 89,900 ha of SRC and miscanthus would, respectively, be grown on English arable farms. While farm business objectives were not identified as key determinants of DEC acceptance, enhanced information exchange through extension agents, providing market security and considering land reversion grants post-production are potential policy considerations.

OSL age and stratigraphy of the Strauss sand sheet in New Mexico, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Stephen A.; Goble, Ronald J.

2015-07-01

The Strauss sand sheet occurs in south-central New Mexico, USA, and northern Chihuahua, Mexico, covering an area of about 4740 km2. Its chronology is determined by 19 OSL ages. The sand sheet formed primarily during three phases of eolian deflation and deposition, each phase with a separate sand source and under different climatic and environmental circumstances. The first phase of eolian sedimentation occurred 45 to 15 ka with the deposition of unit 1. The sand source for the first phase was beach-related features along the eastern shoreline of pluvial Lake Palomas in Mexico. The glacial-age climate was cool, wet, and windy because of the southern path of the jet stream at that time. After 15 ka, with the onset of warmer conditions of the Bølling-Allerød, the shutting down of the Palomas sand source, and wet conditions of the Younger Dryas, the sand sheet stabilized with weak soil development in unit 1. By 11 ka, the climate shifted to Holocene drying conditions and the second phase of sand accumulation began, forming unit 2; the sand source was the local deflation of the previously deposited unit 1 sand. The sand sheet stabilized again by 1.9 ka with slightly wetter late Holocene climate; a weak soil formed in unit 2 sand. About A.D. 1500 and extending to about A.D. 1850 or later, an A horizon formed on the sand sheet, probably in response to a desert grassland vegetation during the period of wet climate of the Little Ice Age. In an anthropogenic third phase of eolian activity, after A.D. 1850, the vegetation was likely disturbed by overgrazing; and the unit 2 and A horizon (unit 3) sands were deflated, resulting in the deposition of a thin layer of massive eolian sand (unit 4) across the sand sheet. By about A.D. 1900 mesquite shrubs had increased in abundance; and deflated sand, largely from unit 2, began to accumulate around the shrubs, forming coppice dunes (unit 5). Mesquite coppice dunes continued to increase in number and volume during the twentieth century and at present dominate most of the sand sheet. This third phase of eolian deflation-deposition is ongoing today.

Modelling short-rotation coppice and tree planting for urban carbon management - a citywide analysis.

PubMed

McHugh, Nicola; Edmondson, Jill L; Gaston, Kevin J; Leake, Jonathan R; O'Sullivan, Odhran S

2015-10-01

The capacity of urban areas to deliver provisioning ecosystem services is commonly overlooked and underutilized. Urban populations have globally increased fivefold since 1950, and they disproportionately consume ecosystem services and contribute to carbon emissions, highlighting the need to increase urban sustainability and reduce environmental impacts of urban dwellers. Here, we investigated the potential for increasing carbon sequestration, and biomass fuel production, by planting trees and short-rotation coppice (SRC), respectively, in a mid-sized UK city as a contribution to meeting national commitments to reduce CO 2 emissions.Iterative GIS models were developed using high-resolution spatial data. The models were applied to patches of public and privately owned urban greenspace suitable for planting trees and SRC, across the 73 km 2 area of the city of Leicester. We modelled tree planting with a species mix based on the existing tree populations, and SRC with willow and poplar to calculate biomass production in new trees, and carbon sequestration into harvested biomass over 25 years.An area of 11 km 2 comprising 15% of the city met criteria for tree planting and had the potential over 25 years to sequester 4200 tonnes of carbon above-ground. Of this area, 5·8 km 2 also met criteria for SRC planting and over the same period this could yield 71 800 tonnes of carbon in harvested biomass.The harvested biomass could supply energy to over 1566 domestic homes or 30 municipal buildings, resulting in avoided carbon emissions of 29 236 tonnes of carbon over 25 years when compared to heating by natural gas. Together with the net carbon sequestration into trees, a total reduction of 33 419 tonnes of carbon in the atmosphere could be achieved in 25 years by combined SRC and tree planting across the city. Synthesis and applications . We demonstrate that urban greenspaces in a typical UK city are underutilized for provisioning ecosystem services by trees and especially SRC, which has high biomass production potential. For urban greenspace management, we recommend that planting SRC in urban areas can contribute to reducing food-fuel conflicts on agricultural land and produce renewable energy sources close to centres of population and demand.

Water requirements of short rotation poplar coppice: Experimental and modelling analyses across Europe

DOE PAGES

Fischer, Milan; Zenone, Terenzio; Trnka, Miroslav; ...

2017-12-26

Poplars are among the most widely used short rotation woody coppice (SRWC) species but due to their assumed high water use, concerns have been raised with respect to large-scale exploitation and potentially detrimental effects on water resources. Here we present a quantitative analysis of the water requirements of poplar SRWC using experimental data and a soil water balance modelling approach at three different sites across Europe. We used (i) eddy covariance (EC) measurements (2004–2006) at an irrigated SRWC grown on a previous rice paddy in northern Italy, (ii) Bowen ratio and energy balance (BREB) measurements (2008–2015) and EC (2011–2015) atmore » a SRWC in rain-fed uplands in the Czech Republic, and (iii) EC measurements (2010–2013) at a SRWC on a previous agricultural land with a shallow water table in Belgium. Without any calibration against water balance component measurements, simulations by the newly developed soil water balance model R-4ET were compared with evapotranspiration (ET) measurements by EC and BREB with a resulting mean root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.75 mm day -1. In general, there was better agreement between EC and the model (RMSE = 0.66 mm day -1) when EC data were adjusted for lack of energy balance closure. A comparison of the simulated and measured soil water content yielded a mean RMSE of 0.03 m 3 m -3. The mean annual crop coefficient, i.e. the ratio between actual and reference ET, was 0.82 (ranging from 0.65 to 0.95) while the monthly maxima reached 1.16. These values indicated that ET of poplar SRWC was significantly lower than ET of a well-watered grass cover at the annual time scale, but exceeded ET of the reference cover at shorter time scales during the growing season. We show that the model R-4ET is a simple, yet reliable tool for the assessment of water requirements of existing or planned SRWC. For very simple assessments on an annual basis, using a crop coefficient of 0.86 (adjusted to a sub-humid climate), representing an average value across the three sites in years with no evident drought stress, is supported by this analysis.« less

Prospects for arable farm uptake of Short Rotation Coppice willow and miscanthus in England

PubMed Central

Glithero, Neryssa J.; Wilson, Paul; Ramsden, Stephen J.

2013-01-01

Biomass will play a role in the UK meeting EU targets on renewable energy use. Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and miscanthus are potential biomass feedstocks; however, supply will rely on farmer willingness to grow these crops. Despite attractive crop establishment grants for dedicated energy crops (DECs) in the UK, uptake remains low. Drawing on results from an on-farm survey with 244 English arable farmers, 81.6% (87.7%) of farmers would not consider growing miscanthus (SRC), while respectively, 17.2% (11.9%) would consider growing and 1.2% (0.4%) were currently growing these crops. Farmer age, location, land ownership, farm type, farm size and farmer education level were not significant factors in determining acceptance of DECs. The main reasons cited for not growing DECs were impacts on land quality, lack of appropriate machinery, commitment of land for a long period of time, time to financial return and profitability. Reasons cited for willingness to grow DECs included land quality, ease of crop management, commitment of land for a long period of time, and profitability. Farmers cited a range of ‘moral’ (e.g. should not be using land for energy crops when there is a shortage of food), land quality, knowledge, profit and current farming practice comments as reasons for not growing DECs, while those willing to grow DECs cited interest in renewable energy, willingness to consider new crops, and low labour needs as rationale for their interest. Farm business objectives indicated that maximising profit and quality of life were most frequently cited as very important objectives. Previous research in the UK indicates that farmers in arable areas are unlikely to convert large areas of land to DECs, even where these farmers have an interest and willingness to grow them. Assuming that those farmers interested in growing DECs converted 9.29% (average percentage of arable land set-aside between 1996 and 2005) of their utilised agricultural area to these crops, 50,700 ha and 89,900 ha of SRC and miscanthus would, respectively, be grown on English arable farms. While farm business objectives were not identified as key determinants of DEC acceptance, enhanced information exchange through extension agents, providing market security and considering land reversion grants post-production are potential policy considerations. PMID:23825896

Water requirements of short rotation poplar coppice: Experimental and modelling analyses across Europe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fischer, Milan; Zenone, Terenzio; Trnka, Miroslav

Poplars are among the most widely used short rotation woody coppice (SRWC) species but due to their assumed high water use, concerns have been raised with respect to large-scale exploitation and potentially detrimental effects on water resources. Here we present a quantitative analysis of the water requirements of poplar SRWC using experimental data and a soil water balance modelling approach at three different sites across Europe. We used (i) eddy covariance (EC) measurements (2004–2006) at an irrigated SRWC grown on a previous rice paddy in northern Italy, (ii) Bowen ratio and energy balance (BREB) measurements (2008–2015) and EC (2011–2015) atmore » a SRWC in rain-fed uplands in the Czech Republic, and (iii) EC measurements (2010–2013) at a SRWC on a previous agricultural land with a shallow water table in Belgium. Without any calibration against water balance component measurements, simulations by the newly developed soil water balance model R-4ET were compared with evapotranspiration (ET) measurements by EC and BREB with a resulting mean root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.75 mm day -1. In general, there was better agreement between EC and the model (RMSE = 0.66 mm day -1) when EC data were adjusted for lack of energy balance closure. A comparison of the simulated and measured soil water content yielded a mean RMSE of 0.03 m 3 m -3. The mean annual crop coefficient, i.e. the ratio between actual and reference ET, was 0.82 (ranging from 0.65 to 0.95) while the monthly maxima reached 1.16. These values indicated that ET of poplar SRWC was significantly lower than ET of a well-watered grass cover at the annual time scale, but exceeded ET of the reference cover at shorter time scales during the growing season. We show that the model R-4ET is a simple, yet reliable tool for the assessment of water requirements of existing or planned SRWC. For very simple assessments on an annual basis, using a crop coefficient of 0.86 (adjusted to a sub-humid climate), representing an average value across the three sites in years with no evident drought stress, is supported by this analysis.« less

Modelling the perennial energy crop market: the role of spatial diffusion

PubMed Central

Alexander, Peter; Moran, Dominic; Rounsevell, Mark D. A.; Smith, Pete

2013-01-01

Biomass produced from energy crops, such as Miscanthus and short rotation coppice is expected to contribute to renewable energy targets, but the slower than anticipated development of the UK market implies the need for greater understanding of the factors that govern adoption. Here, we apply an agent-based model of the UK perennial energy crop market, including the contingent interaction of supply and demand, to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of energy crop adoption. Results indicate that perennial energy crop supply will be between six and nine times lower than previously published, because of time lags in adoption arising from a spatial diffusion process. The model simulates time lags of at least 20 years, which is supported empirically by the analogue of oilseed rape adoption in the UK from the 1970s. This implies the need to account for time lags arising from spatial diffusion in evaluating land-use change, climate change (mitigation or adaptation) or the adoption of novel technologies. PMID:24026474

A Novel DEM Approach to Simulate Block Propagation on Forested Slopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toe, David; Bourrier, Franck; Dorren, Luuk; Berger, Frédéric

2018-03-01

In order to model rockfall on forested slopes, we developed a trajectory rockfall model based on the discrete element method (DEM). This model is able to take the complex mechanical processes at work during an impact into account (large deformations, complex contact conditions) and can explicitly simulate block/soil, block/tree contacts as well as contacts between neighbouring trees. In this paper, we describe the DEM model developed and we use it to assess the protective effect of different types of forest. In addition, we compared it with a more classical rockfall simulation model. The results highlight that forests can significantly reduce rockfall hazard and that the spatial structure of coppice forests has to be taken into account in rockfall simulations in order to avoid overestimating the protective role of these forest structures against rockfall hazard. In addition, the protective role of the forests is mainly influenced by the basal area. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the DEM model were compared with classical rockfall modelling approaches.

‘Fire hardening’ spear wood does slightly harden it, but makes it much weaker and more brittle

PubMed Central

Chan, Tak Lok

2016-01-01

It is usually assumed that ‘fire hardening’ the tips of spears, as practised by hunter–gatherers and early Homo spp., makes them harder and better suited for hunting. This suggestion was tested by subjecting coppiced poles of hazel to a fire-hardening process and comparing their mechanical properties to those of naturally seasoned poles. A Shore D hardness test showed that fire treatment slightly increased the hardness of the wood, but flexural and impact tests showed that it reduced the strength and work of fracture by 30% and 36%, respectively. These results suggest that though potentially slightly sharper and more durable, fire-hardened tips would actually be more likely to break off when used, as may have been the case with the earliest known wooden tool, the Clacton spear. Fire might first have been used to help sharpen the tips of spears, and fire-hardening would have been a mostly negative side effect, not its primary purpose. PMID:27194289

A comparison of the suitability of different willow varieties to treat on-site wastewater effluent in an Irish climate.

PubMed

Curneen, S J; Gill, L W

2014-01-15

Short rotation coppiced willow trees can be used to treat on-site wastewater effluent with the advantage that, if planted in a sealed basin and sized correctly, they produce no effluent discharge. This paper has investigated the evapotranspiration rate of four different willow varieties while also monitoring the effects of three different effluent types on each variety. The willow varieties used are all cultivars of Salix viminalis. The effluents applied were primary (septic tank) effluent, secondary treated effluent and rain water (control). The results obtained showed that the addition of effluent had a positive effect on the evapotranspiration. The willows were also found to uptake a high proportion of the nitrogen and phosphorus from the primary and secondary treated effluents added during the first year. The effect of the different effluents on the evapotranspiration rate has been used to design ten full scale on-site treatment systems which are now being monitored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling the perennial energy crop market: the role of spatial diffusion.

PubMed

Alexander, Peter; Moran, Dominic; Rounsevell, Mark D A; Smith, Pete

2013-11-06

Biomass produced from energy crops, such as Miscanthus and short rotation coppice is expected to contribute to renewable energy targets, but the slower than anticipated development of the UK market implies the need for greater understanding of the factors that govern adoption. Here, we apply an agent-based model of the UK perennial energy crop market, including the contingent interaction of supply and demand, to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of energy crop adoption. Results indicate that perennial energy crop supply will be between six and nine times lower than previously published, because of time lags in adoption arising from a spatial diffusion process. The model simulates time lags of at least 20 years, which is supported empirically by the analogue of oilseed rape adoption in the UK from the 1970s. This implies the need to account for time lags arising from spatial diffusion in evaluating land-use change, climate change (mitigation or adaptation) or the adoption of novel technologies.

Dry Matter Losses and Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Outside Storage of Short Rotation Coppice Willow Chip.

PubMed

Whittaker, Carly; Yates, Nicola E; Powers, Stephen J; Misselbrook, Tom; Shield, Ian

This study examined the dry matter losses and the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations within two short rotation coppice (SRC) willow wood chip storage heaps. One heap was built on a grassland area (East Midlands) and the other (Rothamsted) on a concrete hard standing. A series of 1- and 3-m probes were embedded in the heaps in order to retrieve gas samples for analysis, and pre-weighed net bags were positioned in the core of the heap to detect dry matter losses. The bagged samples showed dry matter losses of 18 and 19 % in the East Midlands and Rothamsted heaps after 210 and 97 days storage, respectively. The Rothamsted heap showed a whole-heap dry matter loss of 21 %. During this time, the wood chips dried from 54 to 39 % moisture content in the East Midlands heap and 50 to 43 % at Rothamsted. The results from analysing the whole Rothamsted heap indicated an overall loss of 1.5 GJ per tonne stored, although measurements from bagged samples in the core suggested that the chips dried sufficiently to have a minimal energy loss from storage. The process of mixing the heap, however, led to incorporation of wet outer layers and hence the average moisture content was higher in an average sample of chip. After establishment of the heaps, the temperature rose rapidly and this correlated with a peak in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration within the heap. A peak in methane (CH 4 ) concentration was also detected in both heaps, though more noticeably in the East Midlands heap after around 55 days. In both instances, the peak CH 4 concentration occurred as CO 2 concentrations dropped, suggesting that after an active period of aerobic decomposition in the first 2 months of storage, the conditions in the heap became anaerobic. The results from this study suggest that outside wood chip storage is not an efficient method of storing biomass, though this may be location-specific as there are some studies showing lower dry matter losses. It is necessary to explore other methods of harvesting SRC to minimise losses and optimise land use efficiency. Further research is required to detect whether there are fugitive emissions of CH 4 from wood chip heaps, as this will compromise the net GHG savings from utilising the biomass stored in this way.

The impact of cattle and goats grazing on vegetation in oak stands of varying coppicing age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papachristou, Thomas G.; Platis, Panayiotis D.

2011-01-01

The effects of cattle and goats grazing on oak shoot growth and herbaceous vegetation in three oak forest stands with different coppicing age (1, 4 and 7 yrs after the clear cutting) were investigated. In April 1997, an experimental area was chosen with three forest stands, which were clear cut in 1996 (CL1996), 1993 (CL1993), and 1990 (CL1990). All stands were grazed by cattle and goats after they were clear cut. In each forest stand, five 10 m × 10 m paired plots were located, which represented grazed and protected patches. Herbage biomass within protected and grazed plots was measured four times each year (spring: May-June, summer: July-August, autumn: September-October, and winter: November-December). Behavioural observations on grazing animals were conducted in the same periods. In both protected and open plots the height and basal diameter of all oak shoots on 5 preselected stumps were measured at the end of five growing periods from 1997 to 2001. All forest stands carried a similar amount of available herbage (averaged over forest stands and growing season, 2614 kg/ha). Grazing animals removed on average 1057 kg/ha throughout the growing period. Cattle mainly consumed herbage (97% of bites) while goats consumed a mixture of oak browse (41% bites), herbaceous species (34% bites), and other woody species browse (25% bites). The height, diameter and volume of oak shoots were affected by grazing. The three forest stands had similar shoot heights in the protected plots in 2001 after 5 years of grazing protection. The volume of oak shoots of the grazed plots were 146.7 cm3 for CL1996, 232.9 cm3 for CL1993, and 239.1 cm3 for CL1990 in 2001 (i.e. 5, 8, and 11 years grazing after the clear cuttings, respectively). The protected plots carried greater volumes of oak shoots, CL1996: 496.0 cm3 (few months grazing before protection), CL1993: 690.0 cm3 (4 years grazing before protection), and CL1990: 344.0 cm3 (7 years grazing before protection). In conclusion, almost half of the herbaceous vegetation was removed through grazing but it had no positive effect on the growth rate of oak shoots. It seems that goats, which selected almost half of their diet from oak shoots, are responsible for that relative negative growth of shoots. However, cattle grazed only herbs and may therefore control herbaceous vegetation.

Radar-visible wind streaks in the Altiplano of Bolivia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, R.; Christensen, P.

1984-01-01

Isolated knobs that are erosional remnants of central volcanoes or of folded rocks occur in several areas of the Altiplano are visible on both optical and images. The optically visible streaks occur in the immediate lee of the knobs, whereas the radar visible streaks occur in the zone downwind between the knobs. Aerial reconnaissance and field studies showed that the optically visible streaks consist of a series of small ( 100 m wide) barchan and barchanoid dunes, intradune sand sheets, and sand hummocks (large shrub coppice dunes) up to 15 m across and 5 m high. On LANDSAT images these features are poorly resolved but combine to form a bright streak. On the radar image, this area also appears brighter than the zone of the radar dark streak; evidently, the dunes and hummocks serve as radar reflectors. The radar dark streak consists of a relatively flat, smooth sand sheet which lacks organized aerolian bedforms, other than occasional ripples. Wind velocity profiles show a greater U value in the optically bright streak zone than in the radar dark streak.

Five willow varieties cultivated across diverse field environments reveal stem density variation associated with high tension wood abundance

PubMed Central

Berthod, Nicolas; Brereton, Nicholas J. B.; Pitre, Frédéric E.; Labrecque, Michel

2015-01-01

Sustainable and inexpensive production of biomass is necessary to make biofuel production feasible, but represents a challenge. Five short rotation coppice willow cultivars, selected for high biomass yield, were cultivated on sites at four diverse regions of Quebec in contrasting environments. Wood composition and anatomical traits were characterized. Tree height and stem diameter were measured to evaluate growth performance of the cultivars according to the diverse pedoclimatic conditions. Each cultivar showed very specific responses to its environment. While no significant variation in lignin content was observed between sites, there was variation between cultivars. Surprisingly, the pattern of substantial genotype variability in stem density was maintained across all sites. However, wood anatomy did differ between sites in a cultivar (producing high and low density wood), suggesting a probable response to an abiotic stress. Furthermore, twice as many cellulose-rich G-fibers, comprising over 50% of secondary xylem, were also found in the high density wood, a finding with potential to bring higher value to the lignocellulosic bioethanol industry. PMID:26583024

Increasing the biomass production of short rotation coppice forests. Progress report. [Sycamore, sweet gum, alder, and locust

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinbeck, K.; Brown, C. L.

1979-03-01

Two biomass plantations, one in the Coastal Plain, the other in the Piedmont province of Georgia, have been established. Platanus occidentalis, Liquidambar styraciflua, Flnus glutinosa and Robinia pseudoacacia were planted in pure and mixed plots. Differences in the growth at the end of the first growing season were attributed mostly to weed competition in the Coastal Plain. Robinia grew remarkably well in the Piedmont, averaging more than 2.2 m tall in irrigated plots. A fungus tentatively identified as belonging to the genus Botryosphaeria is causing heavy Alnus mortality in the Coastal Plain. Progress in the genetic improvement phase of themore » project included a collection of Platanus seedlots from throughout Georgia to identify promising provenances and the production of Liquidambar and Robinia plantlets in tissue culture. Differences in the calorific content of young sprout material from nine hardwood species (unit oven dry weight basis) were found to be small. Other studies dealt with the effects of different harvesting cycles on the size and carbohydrate contents of sycamore rootstocks.« less

Advances in shrub-willow crops for bioenergy, renewable products, and environmental benefits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Volk, Timothy A.; Heavey, Justin P.; Eisenbies, Mark H.

Short-rotation coppice systems like shrub willow are projected to be an important source of biomass in the United States for the production of bioenergy, biofuels, and renewable bio-based products, with the potential for auxiliary environmental benefits and multifunctional systems. Almost three decades of research has focused on the development of shrub willow crops for biomass and ecosystem services. The current expansion of willow in New York State (about 500 ha) for the production of renewable power and heat has been possible because of incentive programs offered by the federal government, commitments by end users, the development of reliable harvesting systems,more » and extension services offered to growers. Improvements in the economics of the system are expected as willow production expands further, which should help lower establishment costs, enhance crop management options and increase efficiencies in harvesting and logistics. As a result, deploying willow in multifunctional value-added systems provides opportunities for both potential producers and end users to learn about the system and the quality of the biomass feedstock, which in turn will help overcome barriers to expansion.« less

Advances in shrub-willow crops for bioenergy, renewable products, and environmental benefits

DOE PAGES

Volk, Timothy A.; Heavey, Justin P.; Eisenbies, Mark H.

2016-05-02

Short-rotation coppice systems like shrub willow are projected to be an important source of biomass in the United States for the production of bioenergy, biofuels, and renewable bio-based products, with the potential for auxiliary environmental benefits and multifunctional systems. Almost three decades of research has focused on the development of shrub willow crops for biomass and ecosystem services. The current expansion of willow in New York State (about 500 ha) for the production of renewable power and heat has been possible because of incentive programs offered by the federal government, commitments by end users, the development of reliable harvesting systems,more » and extension services offered to growers. Improvements in the economics of the system are expected as willow production expands further, which should help lower establishment costs, enhance crop management options and increase efficiencies in harvesting and logistics. As a result, deploying willow in multifunctional value-added systems provides opportunities for both potential producers and end users to learn about the system and the quality of the biomass feedstock, which in turn will help overcome barriers to expansion.« less

Radiocaesium soil-to-wood transfer in commercial willow short rotation coppice on contaminated farm land.

PubMed

Gommers, A; Gäfvert, T; Smolders, E; Merckx, R; Vandenhove, H

2005-01-01

The feasibility of willow short rotation coppice (SRC) for energy production as a revaluation tool for severely radiocaesium-contaminated land was studied. The effects of crop age, clone and soil type on the radiocaesium levels in the wood were assessed following sampling in 14 existing willow SRC fields, planted on radiocaesium-contaminated land in Sweden following Chernobyl deposition. There was only one plot where willow stands of different maturity (R6S2 and R5S4: R, root age and S, shoot age) and clone (Rapp and L78183 both of age category R5S4) were sampled and no significant differences were found. The soils differed among others in clay fraction (3-34%), radiocaesium interception potential (515-6884 meq kg(-1)), soil solution K (0.09-0.95 mM), exchangeable K (0.58-5.77 meq kg(-1)) and cation exchange capacity (31-250 meq kg(-1)). The soil-to-wood transfer factor (TF) of radiocaesium differed significantly between soil types. The TF recorded was generally small (0.00086-0.016 kg kg(-1)), except for willows established on sandy soil (0.19-0.46 kg kg(-1)). Apart from the weak yet significant exponential correlation between the Cs-TF and the solid/liquid distribution coefficient (R2 = 0.54) or the radiocaesium interception potential, RIP (R2 = 0.66), no single significant correlations between soil characteristics and TF were found. The wood-soil solution 137Cs concentration factor (CF) was significantly related to the potassium concentration in the soil solution. A different relation was, however, found between the sandy Trödje soils (CF = 1078.8 x m(K)(-1.83), R2 = 0.99) and the other soils (CF = 35.75 x m(K)(-0.61), R2 =0.61). Differences in the ageing rate of radiocaesium in the soil (hypothesised fraction of bioavailable caesium subjected to fast ageing for Trödje soils only 1% compared to other soils), exchangeable soil K (0.8-1.8 meq kg(-1) for Trödje soils and 1.5-5.8 meq kg(-1) for the other soils) and the ammonium concentration in the soil solution (0.09-0.31 mM NH4+ for the Trödje soils compared to 0.003-0.11 mM NH4+ for the other soils) are put forward as potential factors explaining the higher CF and TF observed for the Trödje soils. Though from the dataset available it was not possible to unequivocally predict the Cs-soil-to-wood-transfer, the generally low TFs observed point to the particular suitability for establishment of SRC on radiocaesium-contaminated land.

Primary productivity and the prospects for biofuels in the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, G. J.; Callaghan, T. V.

1983-09-01

Estimates of land use and plant productivity are combined to predict total annual primary production in the UK as 252 million tonnes dry matter (10.5 t ha-1yr-1). Annual above ground production is predicted to be 165 Mt (6.9 t ha-1yr-1). Within these totals, intensive agriculture contributes 60%, productive woodland 8%, natural vegetation 26% and urban vegetation 5%. However, only 25% of total plant production is cropped by man and animals, and most of this is subsequently discarded as wastes and residues. 2112 PJ of organic material is available for fuel without reducing food or fibre production, but since much of this could not be economically collected, 859 PJ is calculated as a more realistic biofuel contribution by the year 2000. After deducting 50% conversion losses, this could save P1 billion (1979 prices) in oil imports. Short rotation energy plantations, forest residues, coppice woodlands, animal and crop wastes, industrial and domestic wastes, catch crops, natural vegetation and urban vegetation all have immediate or short term potential as biofuel sources. Sensitive planning is required to reduce environmental impact, but in some cases more diverse wildlife habitats may be created.

Ouragans et diversité biologique dans les forêts tropicales. L'exemple de la Guadeloupe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imbert, Daniel; Roustéau, Alain; Labbé, Patrick

1998-06-01

In this work, we consider the role played by hurricanes in the maintenance of high biodiversity, ,and we look at how biodiversity may influence the response of tropical forest ecosystems to hurricane disturbances. After hurricane Hugo struck Guadeloupe in 1989, we started a comparative study on the resistance and the resilience of the rain forest, the semi-deciduous forest and the mangrove forest. It appeared that the resistance of these forests was positively linked to their diversity, which was assessed both through flora richness and structure complexity (resultin from the variety of life forms). Examples of species specific resistance or vulnerability occur in the three forests; however, the higher the ecosystem diversity, the fewer and the weaker they are. Abundant species tend to be less vulnerable than others — at least in the rain forest and in the semi-deciduous forest. Forest recovery operates mainly through pre-existing individuals (surviving trees, coppicing stumps, saplings or seedlings). Pioneer species may slightly and temporarily benefit from large openings, especially in the rain forest. Strong recurrence of hurricanes may lead to the extinction of some rare, vulnerable, short-range disseminating, non pioneer species.

Responses of birds to the natural re-establishment of wilderness in montane beechwoods of North-western Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laiolo, Paola; Rolando, Antonio; Valsania, Valentina

2004-03-01

Habitat structure and its effect on bird communities in logged and abandoned montane beechwoods of North-western Italy were analysed to assess bird responses to natural regenerative aspects of succession. In the study area three seral and management types of beechwoods were identified: up to 15 years old beech coppices, 30-50 years old stands where small scale selective cutting still occurs, and natural regenerating 30-50 years old stands located in a wilderness preserve (Val Grande National Park). Bird species richness, abundance and diversity were significantly greater in naturally regenerating stands, whereas little differences existed between the two managed stands. This suggests that bird diversity of beechwoods younger than 50 years might depend on management-policy more than on the successional stages. Species-specific logistic regression models and canonical correspondence analysis indicated that micro-habitat features such as the amount of snags and the presence of edges were important predictors of bird community composition. In our study area, natural habitat recovery appears sufficiently robust to achieve 'passive' restoration of wilderness without intervention. Our results indicate that simple measures could be taken to improve biodiversity in the managed landscapes.

Phytoremediation of landfill leachate.

PubMed

Jones, D L; Williamson, K L; Owen, A G

2006-01-01

Leachate emissions from landfill sites are of concern, primarily due to their toxic impact when released unchecked into the environment, and the potential for landfill sites to generate leachate for many hundreds of years following closure. Consequently, economically and environmentally sustainable disposal options are a priority in waste management. One potential option is the use of soil-plant based remediation schemes. In many cases, using either trees (including short rotation coppice) or grassland, phytoremediation of leachate has been successful. However, there are a significant number of examples where phytoremediation has failed. Typically, this failure can be ascribed to excessive leachate application and poor management due to a fundamental lack of understanding of the plant-soil system. On balance, with careful management, phytoremediation can be viewed as a sustainable, cost effective and environmentally sound option which is capable of treating 250m(3)ha(-1)yr(-1). However, these schemes have a requirement for large land areas and must be capable of responding to changes in leachate quality and quantity, problems of scheme establishment and maintenance, continual environmental monitoring and seasonal patterns of plant growth. Although the fundamental underpinning science is well understood, further work is required to create long-term predictive remediation models, full environmental impact assessments, a complete life-cycle analysis and economic analyses for a wide range of landfill scenarios.

Phytoremediation of Metal Contaminated Soil Using Willow: Exploiting Plant-Associated Bacteria to Improve Biomass Production and Metal Uptake.

PubMed

Janssen, Jolien; Weyens, Nele; Croes, Sarah; Beckers, Bram; Meiresonne, Linda; Van Peteghem, Pierre; Carleer, Robert; Vangronsveld, Jaco

2015-01-01

Short rotation coppice (SRC) of willow and poplar is proposed for economic valorization and concurrently as remediation strategy for metal contaminated land in northeast-Belgium. However, metal phytoextraction appears insufficient to effectuate rapid reduction of soil metal contents. To increase both biomass production and metal accumulation of SRC, two strategies are proposed: (i) in situ selection of the best performing clones and (ii) bioaugmentation of these clones with beneficial plant-associated bacteria. Based on field data, two experimental willow clones, a Salix viminalis and a Salix alba x alba clone, were selected. Compared to the best performing commercial clones, considerable increases in stem metal extraction were achieved (up to 74% for Cd and 91% for Zn). From the selected clones, plant-associated bacteria were isolated and identified. All strains were subsequently screened for their plant growth-promoting and metal uptake enhancing traits. Five strains were selected for a greenhouse inoculation experiment with the selected clones planted in Cd-Zn-Pb contaminated soil. Extraction potential tended to increase after inoculation of S. viminalis plants with a Rahnella sp. strain due to a significantly increased twig biomass. However, although bacterial strains showing beneficial traits in vitro were used for inoculation, increments in extraction potential were not always observed.

Vegetation history of the English chalklands: a mid-Holocene pollen sequence from the Caburn, East Sussex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waller, Martyn P.; Hamilton, Sue

2000-03-01

A pollen diagram has been produced from the base of the Caburn (East Sussex) that provides a temporally and spatially precise record of vegetation change on the English chalklands during the mid-Holocene (ca. 7100 to ca. 3800 cal. yr BP). During this period the slopes above the site appear to have been well-wooded, with vegetation analogous to modern Fraxinus-Acer-Mercurialis communities in which Tilia was also a prominent constituent. However, scrub and grassland taxa such as Juniperus communis, Cornus sanguinea and Plantago lanceolata are also regularly recorded along with, from ca. 6000 cal. yr BP onwards, species specific to Chalk grassland (e.g. Sanguisorba minor). This supports suggestions that elements of Chalk grassland persisted in lowland England through the Holocene. Such communities are most likely to have occupied the steepest slopes, although the processes that maintained them are unclear. Human interference with vegetation close to the site may have begun as early as ca. 6350 cal. yr BP and initially involved a woodland management practice such as coppicing. From the primary Ulmus decline (ca. 5700 cal. yr BP) onwards, phases of limited clearance accompanied by cereal cultivation occurred. Taxus baccata was an important component of the woodland which regenerated between these phases.

Effect of light regime and provenance on leaf characteristics, growth and flavonoid accumulation in Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal) Iljinskaja coppices.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Qian, Chenyun; Ding, Sihui; Shang, Xulan; Yang, Wanxia; Fang, Shengzuo

2016-12-01

As a highly valued and multiple function tree species, Cyclocarya paliurus is planted and managed for timber production and medical use. However, limited information is available on its genotype selection and cultivation for growth and phytochemicals. Responses of growth and secondary metabolites to light regimes and genotypes are useful information to determine suitable habitat conditions for the cultivation of medicinal plants. Both light regime and provenance significantly affected the leaf characteristics, leaf flavonoid contents, biomass production and flavonoid accumulation per plant. Leaf thickness, length of palisade cells and chlorophyll a/b decreased significantly under shading conditions, while leaf areas and total chlorophyll content increased obviously. In the full light condition, leaf flavonoid contents showed a bimodal temporal variation pattern with the maximum observed in August and the second peak in October, while shading treatment not only reduced the leaf content of flavonoids but also delayed the peak appearing of the flavonoid contents in the leaves of C. paliurus. Strong correlations were found between leaf thickness, palisade length, monthly light intensity and measured flavonoid contents in the leaves of C. paliurus. Muchuan provenance with full light achieved the highest leaf biomass and flavonoid accumulation per plant. Cyclocarya paliurus genotypes show diverse responses to different light regimes in leaf characteristics, biomass production and flavonoid accumulation, highlighting the opportunity for extensive selection in the leaf flavonoid production.

Plants and ventifacts delineate late Holocene wind vectors in the Coachella Valley, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffiths, P.G.; Webb, R.H.; Fisher, M.; Muth, Allan

2009-01-01

Strong westerly winds that emanate from San Gorgonio Pass, the lowest point between Palm Springs and Los Angeles, California, dominate aeolian transport in the Coachella Valley of the western Sonoran Desert. These winds deposit sand in coppice dunes that are critical habitat for several species, including the state and federally listed threatened species Uma inornata, a lizard. Although wind directions are generally defined in this valley, the wind field has complex interactions with local topography and becomes more variable with distance from the pass. Local, dominant wind directions are preserved by growth patterns of Larrea tridentata (creosote bush), a shrub characteristic of the hot North American deserts, and ventifacts. Exceptionally long-lived, Larrea has the potential to preserve wind direction over centuries to millennia, shaped by the abrasive pruning of windward branches and the persistent training of leeward branches. Wind direction preserved in Larrea individuals and clones was mapped at 192 locations. Compared with wind data from three weather stations, Larrea vectors effectively reflect annual prevailing winds. Ventifacts measured at 24 locations record winds 10° more westerly than Larrea and appear to reflect the direction of the most erosive winds. Based on detailed mapping of local wind directions as preserved in Larrea, only the northern half of the Mission-Morongo Creek floodplain is likely to supply sand to protected U. inornata habitat in the Willow Hole ecological reserve.

High mercury accumulation in two subtropical evergreen forests in South China and potential determinants.

PubMed

Lu, Zhiyun; Wang, Xun; Zhang, Yiping; Zhang, Yong-Jiang; Luo, Kang; Sha, Liqing

2016-12-01

Forests play an important role in global mercury (Hg) cycling. To explain the high Hg accumulation in subtropical forest ecosystems, we studied temporal dynamics of Hg, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) in forest soil profiles, as well as litterfall flux and precipitation, in an old-growth moist evergreen broadleaf (EB) forest and a mossy coppice (MC) forest from South China over seven years. The mean soil Hg concentration was 257 ± 14 ng g -1 in the O-horizon and 248 ± 15 ng g -1 in the A-horizon for the EB forest, and 94 ± 27 ng g -1 in the O-horizon and 70 ± 11 ng g -1 in the A-horizon for the MC forest. Annual variations in Hg concentration were suggested to be associated with variations in precipitation and litterfall biomass. Significant vertical Hg transport was only observed in the MC forest, which was attributed to its lower organic matter content. Correlation and stoichiometry analyses further suggested that the dynamics in Hg concentration in the forest floor was also closely linked to the variation in S concentration. Additionally, the difference in the soil Hg pool between these two forests was attributed to different litterfall biomass fluxes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of groundwater depth on coastal dune development at sand flats close to inlets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Filipe Galiforni; Wijnberg, Kathelijne M.; de Groot, Alma V.; Hulscher, Suzanne J. M. H.

2018-05-01

A cellular automata model is used to analyze the effects of groundwater levels and sediment supply on aeolian dune development occurring on sand flats close to inlets. The model considers, in a schematized and probabilistic way, aeolian transport processes, groundwater influence, vegetation development, and combined effects of waves and tides that can both erode and accrete the sand flat. Next to three idealized cases, a sand flat adjoining the barrier island of Texel, the Netherlands, was chosen as a case study. Elevation data from 18 annual LIDAR surveys was used to characterize sand flat and dune development. Additionally, a field survey was carried out to map the spatial variation in capillary fringe depth across the sand flat. Results show that for high groundwater situations, sediment supply became limited inducing formation of Coppice-like dunes, even though aeolian losses were regularly replenished by marine import during sand flat flooding. Long dune rows developed for high sediment supply scenarios which occurred for deep groundwater levels. Furthermore, a threshold depth appears to exist at which the groundwater level starts to affect dune development on the inlet sand flat. The threshold can vary spatially depending on external conditions such as topography. On sand flats close to inlets, groundwater is capable of introducing spatial variability in dune growth, which is consistent with dune development patterns found on the Texel sand flat.

Pedological and geological relationships with soil lichen and moss distribution in the eastern Mojave Desert, CA, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belnap, Jayne; Miller, David M.; Bedford, David R.; Phillips, Susan L.

2014-01-01

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are ubiquitous in drylands globally. Lichens and mosses are essential biocrust components and provide a variety of ecosystem services, making their conservation and management of interest. Accordingly, understanding what factors are correlated with their distribution is important to land managers. We hypothesized that cover would be related to geologic and pedologic factors. We sampled 32 sites throughout the eastern Mojave Desert, stratifying by parent material and the age of the geomorphic surfaces. The cover of lichens and mosses on ‘available ground’ (L + Mav; available ground excludes ground covered by rocks or plant stems) was higher on limestone and quartzite-derived soils than granite-derived soils. Cover was also higher on moderately younger-aged geomorphic surfaces (Qya2, Qya3, Qya4) and cutbanks than on very young (Qya1), older-aged surfaces (Qia1, Qia2), or soils associated with coppice mounds or animal burrowing under Larrea tridentata. When all sites and parent materials were combined, soil texture was the most important factor predicting the occurrence of L + Mav, with cover positively associated with higher silt, very fine sand, and fine sand fractions and negatively associated with the very coarse sand fraction. When parent materials were examined separately, nutrients such as available potassium, iron, and calcium became the most important predictors of L + Mav cover.

[Ecological regulation services of Hainan Island ecosystem and their valuation].

PubMed

Ouyang, Zhiyun; Zhao, Tongqian; Zhao, Jingzhu; Xiao, Han; Wang, Xiaoke

2004-08-01

Ecosystem services imply the natural environmental conditions on which human life relies for existence, and their effectiveness formed and sustained by ecosystem and its ecological processes. In newly research reports, they were divided into four groups, i. e., provisioning services, regulation services, cultural services, and supporting services. To assess and valuate ecosystem services is the foundation of regional environmental reserve and development. Taking Hainan Island as an example and based on the structure and processes of natural ecosystem, this paper discussed the proper methods for regulation services assessment. The ecosystems were classified into 13 types including valley rain forest, mountainous rain forest, tropical monsoon forest, mountainous coppice forest, mountainous evergreen forest, tropical coniferous forest, shrubs, plantation, timber forest, windbreak forest, mangrove, savanna, and cropland, and then, the regulation services and their economic values of Hainan Island ecosystem were assessed and evaluated by terms of water-holding, soil conservancy, nutrient cycle, C fixation, and windbreak function. The economic value of the regulation services of Hainan Island ecosystem was estimated as 2035.88 x 10(8)-2153.39 x 10(8) RMB yuan, 8 times higher to its provisioning services (wood and agricultural products) which were estimated as only 254.06 x 10(8) RMB yuan. The result implied that ecosystem regulation services played an even more important role in the sustainable development of society and economy in Hainan Island.

Mitigating secondary aerosol generation potentials from biofuel use in the energy sector.

PubMed

Tiwary, Abhishek; Colls, Jeremy

2010-01-01

This paper demonstrates secondary aerosol generation potential of biofuel use in the energy sector from the photochemical interactions of precursor gases on a life cycle basis. The paper is divided into two parts-first, employing life cycle analysis (LCA) to evaluate the extent of the problem for a typical biofuel based electricity production system using five baseline scenarios; second, proposing adequate mitigation options to minimise the secondary aerosol generation potential on a life cycle basis. The baseline scenarios cover representative technologies for 2010 utilising energy crop (miscanthus), short rotation coppiced chips and residual/waste wood in different proportions. The proposed mitigation options include three approaches-biomass gasification prior to combustion, delaying the harvest of biomass, and increasing the geographical distance between the biomass plant and the harvest site (by importing the biofuels). Preliminary results indicate that the baseline scenarios (assuming all the biomass is sourced locally) bear significant secondary aerosol formation potential on a life cycle basis from photochemical neutralisation of acidic emissions (hydrogen chloride and sulphur dioxide) with ammonia. Our results suggest that gasification of miscanthus biomass would provide the best option by minimising the acidic emissions from the combustion plant whereas the other two options of delaying the harvest or importing biofuels from elsewhere would only lead to marginal reduction in the life cycle aerosol loadings of the systems.

Comparing net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange at adjacent commercial bioenergy and conventional cropping systems in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, Ross; Brooks, Milo; Evans, Jonathan; Finch, Jon; Rowe, Rebecca; Rylett, Daniel; McNamara, Niall

2016-04-01

The conversion of agricultural land to bioenergy plantations represents one option in the national and global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst meeting future energy demand. Despite an increase in the area of (e.g. perennial) bioenergy crops in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, the biophysical and biogeochemical impacts of large scale conversion of arable and other land cover types to bioenergy cropping systems remain poorly characterised and uncertain. Here, the results of four years of eddy covariance (EC) flux measurements of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) obtained at a commercial farm in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom (UK) are reported. CO2 flux measurements are presented and compared for arable crops (winter wheat, oilseed rape, spring barely) and plantations of the perennial biofuel crops Miscanthus x. giganteus (C4) and short rotation coppice (SRC) willow (Salix sp.,C3). Ecosystem light and temperature response functions were used to analyse and compare temporal trends and spatial variations in NEE across the three land covers. All three crops were net in situ sinks for atmospheric CO2 but were characterised by large temporal and between site variability in NEE. Environmental and biological controls driving the spatial and temporal variations in CO2 exchange processes, as well as the influences of land management, will be analysed and discussed.

Determining exhaust fumes exposure in chainsaw operations.

PubMed

Neri, F; Foderi, C; Laschi, A; Fabiano, F; Cambi, M; Sciarra, G; Aprea, M C; Cenni, A; Marchi, E

2016-11-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the inhalation exposure of forest operators to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and total xylenes) contained in the exhaust fumes released from chainsaws and to suggest possible countermeasures. The study was carried out in four silvicultural treatments (coppice clearcut, conifer thinning, conifer pruning, and sanitary cut), using three types of chainsaw fuel (normal two-stroke petrol mix and two alkylate fuels). Eighty personal air samples were collected; IOM samplers combined with Amberlite XAD-2 sorbent tubes were used for collecting PAHs and Radiello ® samplers were used for BTEX. Results indicate that none of the four silvicultural treatments significantly affected the PAHs and BTEX inhalation exposure of forest workers. On the other hand, statistically significant differences were recorded in the inhalation exposure to PAHs and BTEX when using different fuel types. In particular, the inhalation exposure to PAHs and BTEX was generally one order of magnitude lower when using modern alkylate fuels as compared to the traditional oil and lead-free petrol mixture. The small, non-statistically significant differences in inhalation exposure recorded between the two alkylate fuels suggests that the two fuels might be equivalent in terms of quality. Our study indicates that while forest workers are exposed to PAHs and BTEX, the maximum values are generally well below accepted occupational exposure limits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of environmental parameters on the chestnut gall wasp and its complex of indigenous parasitoids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonsignore, Carmelo Peter; Bernardo, Umberto

2018-04-01

The chestnut gall wasp (CGW), Dryocosmus kuriphilus, an invasive pest native to China, has caused severe yield and economic losses to chestnut production in Europe since its arrival in 2002. In Southern Italy, the complex of indigenous parasitoids colonizing CGW was monitored between 2013 and 2015, with the aim of estimating the composition of the indigenous parasitoid complex, its ability to control CGW populations, and the interactions of both factors with several measured environmental parameters. We compared results among three differently managed field types. Results showed an increase in the rate of parasitism both when the host population density was lower and in unmanaged chestnut stands with more natural conditions. The percentage of parasitism in galls was related to morphological traits of the galls and to higher seasonal temperatures, which reduced the parasitism intensity because CGW develops earlier under such conditions. The host-parasitoid mortality inside galls varied among sites and was associated mostly with rot fungi during wet spring and summer months. Parasitoid species richness was similar among the study sites, but the proportion of parasitoid species differed between orchards and unmanaged coppice stands. The timing of attack by parasitoids followed a species-specific successional sequence throughout the larva-to-adult life cycle of the CGW. These interactions should be considered in future research on trophic relationships and when modeling invasive scenarios for new pest species.

Acute O3 damage on first year coppice sprouts of aspen and maple sprouts in an open-air experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Darbah, J.N.; Nagy, J.; Jones, W. S.

2011-10-01

We studied the effect of high ozone (O{sub 3}) concentration (110-490 nmol mol{sup -1}) on regenerating aspen (Populus tremuloides) and maple (Acer saccharum) trees at an open-air O{sub 3} pollution experiment near Rhinelander WI USA. This study is the first of its kind to examine the effects of acute O{sub 3} exposure on aspen and maple sprouts after the parent trees, which were grown under elevated O{sub 3} and/or CO{sub 2} for 12 years, were harvested. Acute O{sub 3} damage was not uniform within the crowns of aspen suckers; it was most severe in the mature, fully expanded photosynthesizing leaves.more » Young expanding leaves showed no visible signs of acute O{sub 3} damage contrary to expectations. Stomatal conductance played a primary role in the severity of acute O{sub 3} damage as it directly controlled O{sub 3} uptake. Maple sprouts, which had lower stomatal conductance, smaller stomatal aperture, higher stomatal density and larger leaf surface area, were tolerant of acute O{sub 3} exposure. Moreover, elevated CO{sub 2} did not ameliorate the adverse effects of acute O{sub 3} dose on aspen and maple sprouts, in contrast to its ability to counteract the effects of long-term chronic exposure to lower O{sub 3} levels.« less

Air-quality and Climatic Consequences of Bioenergy Crop Cultivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, William Christian

Bioenergy is expected to play an increasingly significant role in the global energy budget. In addition to the use of liquid energy forms such as ethanol and biodiesel, electricity generation using processed energy crops as a partial or full coal alternative is expected to increase, requiring large-scale conversions of land for the cultivation of bioenergy feedstocks such as cane, grasses, or short rotation coppice. With land-use change identified as a major contributor to changes in the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), many of which are known contributors to the pollutants ozone (O 3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), careful review of crop emission profiles and local atmospheric chemistry will be necessary to mitigate any unintended air-quality consequences. In this work, the atmospheric consequences of bioenergy crop replacement are examined using both the high-resolution regional chemical transport model WRF/Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry) and the global climate model CESM (Community Earth System Model). Regional sensitivities to several representative crop types are analyzed, and the impacts of each crop on air quality and climate are compared. Overall, the high emitting crops (eucalyptus and giant reed) were found to produce climate and human health costs totaling up to 40% of the value of CO 2 emissions prevented, while the related costs of the lowest-emitting crop (switchgrass) were negligible.

Phytoremediation of landfill leachate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, D.L.; Williamson, K.L.; Owen, A.G.

Leachate emissions from landfill sites are of concern, primarily due to their toxic impact when released unchecked into the environment, and the potential for landfill sites to generate leachate for many hundreds of years following closure. Consequently, economically and environmentally sustainable disposal options are a priority in waste management. One potential option is the use of soil-plant based remediation schemes. In many cases, using either trees (including short rotation coppice) or grassland, phytoremediation of leachate has been successful. However, there are a significant number of examples where phytoremediation has failed. Typically, this failure can be ascribed to excessive leachate applicationmore » and poor management due to a fundamental lack of understanding of the plant-soil system. On balance, with careful management, phytoremediation can be viewed as a sustainable, cost effective and environmentally sound option which is capable of treating 250 m{sup 3} ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1}. However, these schemes have a requirement for large land areas and must be capable of responding to changes in leachate quality and quantity, problems of scheme establishment and maintenance, continual environmental monitoring and seasonal patterns of plant growth. Although the fundamental underpinning science is well understood, further work is required to create long-term predictive remediation models, full environmental impact assessments, a complete life-cycle analysis and economic analyses for a wide range of landfill scenarios.« less

Time-dependent phosphate dynamics in reclaimed lignite-mine soils under Robinia pseudoacacia L.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freese, Dirk; Slazak, Anna

2017-04-01

As a consequence of the opencast lignite mining activities in Lusatia/Germany, the cultivation of Short Rotation Coppice plantations (SRC) has been considered as a viable option for reclamation purposes. In this region an area of about 1000 km2 has been degraded. Owing to the unfavourable biotic and abiotic properties of the overburden mining substrate, the biogeochemical processes associated with the soil ecosystem development are in the initial phase. The substrate contains very low amount of nutrients, mainly very low total Phosphate (P) content nearly equal to zero. The lack of P is one of the main issues in reclamation of this marginal site. Therefore, the cultivation of perennial SRC with Robinia pseudoacacia L. is considered as a supporting measurement for effective soil reclamation. In this context, it is important to understand the dynamics of P in this "initial substrate" to describe the P availability and P sorption/desorption.. Iron/aluminium oxides and organic matter are the soil constituents most strongly affecting the reactions and rate of P sorption and desorption, also in post-mining soils. Therefore the interaction of these oxides and organic matter with P is essential with regard to developing effective nutrient management strategies for marginal sites. The study focused on P sorption and desorption with regard to different development stages of R. pseudoacacia L. established in a short rotation coppices on the post mining soils. to describe the P availability (Pav) in relation to total P mobility. The hypothesis is that SRC would cause significant changes in soil P dynamics over time in post lignite mining soils. The trees has been planted in between 1995 and 2007, which means that R. pseudoacacia L. was in a range of 2 to 20 years old at different sampling times. Soil was sampled in 2008 and 2015 at three depths of: 0-3cm, 3-10 cm and 10-30 cm. To characterize the P dynamics different P forms and P sorption/desorption kinetics were analysed. With increasing age of trees the ratio of available P to total P decreased in tendency for all soil layers. The total P content increased slightly over time in all soil layers. But the amount of Fe and Al oxides increased also over time and therefore the overall P sorption capacity increased, too. Hence, the ratio between available P and total P shifted more to the less available forms of P in soil. Within a period of 20 years, R. pseudoacacia L. cultivation on post mining sites increased the contents of available P and total P, repectively. The P sorption increased with time of soil development showing the maximum at the oldest site. Nevertheless, P sorption of these initial post mining soils is still rather low. The results suggest, that the SRC of R. pseudoacacia L. on post mining sites have a positive influence on the P dynamics. References Freese, D., Van Riemsdijk, W.H., Van Der Zee, S.E.A.T.M., 1995. Modelling phosphate-sorption kinetics in acid soils. European Journal of Soil Science 46(2), 239-245. Matos, E.S., Freese, D., Böhm, C., Quinkenstein, A., Hüttl, R.F., 2012. Organic Matter Dynamics in Reclaimed Lignite Mine Soils under Robinia pseudoacacia L. Plantations of Different Ages in Germany. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 43(5), 745-755.

Biodiversity of man-made open habitats in an underused country: a class of multispecies abundance models for count data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yamaura, Yuichi; Royle, J. Andrew; Shimada, Naoaki; Asanuma, Seigo; Sato, Tamotsu; Taki, Hisatomo; Makino, Shun'ichi

2012-01-01

Since the 1960s, Japan has become highly dependent on foreign countries for natural resources, and the amount of managed lands (e.g. coppice, grassland, and agricultural field) has declined. Due to infrequent natural and human disturbance, early-successional species are now declining in Japan. Here we surveyed bees, birds, and plants in four human-disturbed open habitats (pasture, meadow, young planted forest, and abandoned clear-cut) and two forest habitats (mature planted forest and natural old-growth). We extended a recently developed multispecies abundance model to accommodate count data, and used the resulting models to estimate species-, functional group-, and community-level state variables (abundance and species richness) at each site, and compared them among the six habitats. Estimated individual-level detection probability was quite low for bee species (mean across species = 0.003; 0.16 for birds). Thirty-two (95% credible interval: 13-64) and one (0-4) bee and bird species, respectively, were suggested to be undetected by the field survey. Although habitats in which community-level abundance and species richness was highest differed among taxa, species richness and abundance of early-successional species were similar in the four disturbed open habitats across taxa except for plants in the pasture habitat which was a good habitat only for several exotic species. Our results suggest that human disturbance, especially the revival of plantation forestry, may contribute to the restoration of early-successional species in Japan

Spatial distribution of arsenic and heavy metals in willow roots from a contaminated floodplain soil measured by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Zimmer, Dana; Kruse, Jens; Baum, Christel; Borca, Camelia; Laue, Michael; Hause, Gerd; Meissner, Ralph; Leinweber, Peter

2011-09-01

Under changing redox conditions some plants create plaques at their root surface, which may affect the mobility and uptake of As and heavy metals but it is unknown to what extent this also holds true for willows in contaminated floodplain soils. Therefore, willow roots were sampled from a phytoremediation trial in the contaminated floodplain of the river Elbe (Germany), cryofixed, freeze-dried, and cross sections were mapped for the distribution of As, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, S and Zn by synchrotron based X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The elements Ca, Cu, Ni, S and Zn were concentrated in the aerenchymatic tissue, and not associated with Fe and Mn. Mixed Fe-Mn plaques covered the surface of the willow roots and As was accumulated in these plaques. The observed association pattern between As and Fe was explained by the different sorption/desorption properties of As(III) and As(V). The Cu and Zn intensities were not associated with the intensity of Fe in the plaque, which seems to be a willow-specific difference compared to other wetland plants. These results suggested that willows are especially suited to stabilize low-phytoextractable elements like Cu and As in their roots and rhizosphere. Thus, short rotation coppicing of willows may be a practical approach to mitigate the adverse effects of floodplain soil contamination. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Canopy Density Mapping on Ultracam-D Aerial Imagery in Zagros Woodlands, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erfanifard, Y.; Khodaee, Z.

2013-09-01

Canopy density maps express different characteristics of forest stands, especially in woodlands. Obtaining such maps by field measurements is so expensive and time-consuming. It seems necessary to find suitable techniques to produce these maps to be used in sustainable management of woodland ecosystems. In this research, a robust procedure was suggested to obtain these maps by very high spatial resolution aerial imagery. It was aimed to produce canopy density maps by UltraCam-D aerial imagery, newly taken in Zagros woodlands by Iran National Geographic Organization (NGO), in this study. A 30 ha plot of Persian oak (Quercus persica) coppice trees was selected in Zagros woodlands, Iran. The very high spatial resolution aerial imagery of the plot purchased from NGO, was classified by kNN technique and the tree crowns were extracted precisely. The canopy density was determined in each cell of different meshes with different sizes overlaid on the study area map. The accuracy of the final maps was investigated by the ground truth obtained by complete field measurements. The results showed that the proposed method of obtaining canopy density maps was efficient enough in the study area. The final canopy density map obtained by a mesh with 30 Ar (3000 m2) cell size had 80% overall accuracy and 0.61 KHAT coefficient of agreement which shows a great agreement with the observed samples. This method can also be tested in other case studies to reveal its capability in canopy density map production in woodlands.

Did 250 years of forest management in Europe cool the climate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naudts, Kim; Chen, Yiying; McGrath, Matthew; Ryder, James; Valade, Aude; Otto, Juliane; Luyssaert, Sebastiaan

2016-04-01

Over the past two centuries European forest has evolved from being an over-exploited source of timber to a sustainably managed provider of diverse ecosystem services. Although this transition is often perceived as exemplary in resources management, the loss of unmanaged forest, the progressive shift from traditional coppice forestry to the current production-oriented management and the massive conversion of broadleaved to coniferous species are typically overlooked when assessing the impact of land-use change on climate. Here we present a study that addressed this gap by: (1) developing and reparameterizing the ORCHIDEE land surface model to simulate the biogeochemical and biophysical effects of forest management, (2) reconstructing the land-use history of Europe, accounting for changes in forest management and land cover. The model was coupled to the atmospheric model LMDz in a factorial simulation experiment to attribute climate change to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission and European land-use change since 1750 (i.e., afforestation, wood extraction and species conversion). We find that, despite considerable afforestation, Europe's forests failed to realize a net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere due to wood extraction. Moreover, biophysical changes due to the conversion of deciduous forest into coniferous forest have offset mitigation through the carbon cycle. Thus, two and a half centuries of forest management in Europe did not mitigate climate warming (Naudts et al., 2016). Naudts, K., Chen, Y., McGrath, M.J., Ryder, J., Valade, A., Otto, J., Luyssaert, S, Europe's forest management did not mitigate climate warming, Science, Accepted.

Mixed, short rotation culture of red alder and black cottonwood: growth, coppicing, nitrogen fixation, and allelopathy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heilman, P.; Stettler, R.F.

1985-01-01

Alnus rubra seedlings were grown in a 1:1 mixture at a spacing of 1.2 x 1.2 m with 28 Populus clones (25 clones pf P. trichocarpa, 2 of P. deltoides x P. trichocarpa, and one P. deltoides x P. nigra) in a study established in W. Washington in March 1979. Trees were harvested at 4 yr old. At harvest, average heights were: pure Populus, 10.2 m; Populus in the mixed stand 11.0 m; and alder 8.4 m. Most Populus sprouted satisfactorily after harvest (6.6 shoots/plant when pure, 7.6 shoots/plant in the mixture), but alder sprouted poorly (3.6 shoots/plant). Above-ground biomassmore » at harvest was 15.9 t/ha p.a. for the mixture and 16.7 t/ha p.a. for pure Populus, although the mixture had been more productive at 2 yr. Nitrogenase activity (nitrogen fixation as measured by acetylene reduction) of alder declines in the 4th season; competition was the most important factor influencing this decline. Soil N content had no effect on fixation. A pot study showed that ground Populus leaf and litter material inhibited the growth of red alder seedlings, although soil collected from Populus plots had no effect. Results indicated that allelopathy is probably a minor factor under field conditions, at most, and that growing mixed stands may, on balance, be beneficial. 20 references.« less

Exceptionally well preserved late Quaternary plant and vertebrate fossils from a blue hole on Abaco, The Bahamas.

PubMed

Steadman, David W; Franz, Richard; Morgan, Gary S; Albury, Nancy A; Kakuk, Brian; Broad, Kenneth; Franz, Shelley E; Tinker, Keith; Pateman, Michael P; Lott, Terry A; Jarzen, David M; Dilcher, David L

2007-12-11

We report Quaternary vertebrate and plant fossils from Sawmill Sink, a "blue hole" (a water-filled sinkhole) on Great Abaco Island, The Bahamas. The fossils are well preserved because of deposition in anoxic salt water. Vertebrate fossils from peat on the talus cone are radiocarbon-dated from approximately 4,200 to 1,000 cal BP (Late Holocene). The peat produced skeletons of two extinct species (tortoise Chelonoidis undescribed sp. and Caracara Caracara creightoni) and two extant species no longer in The Bahamas (Cuban crocodile, Crocodylus rhombifer; and Cooper's or Gundlach's Hawk, Accipiter cooperii or Accipiter gundlachii). A different, inorganic bone deposit on a limestone ledge in Sawmill Sink is a Late Pleistocene owl roost that features lizards (one species), snakes (three species), birds (25 species), and bats (four species). The owl roost fauna includes Rallus undescribed sp. (extinct; the first Bahamian flightless rail) and four other locally extinct species of birds (Cooper's/Gundlach's Hawk, A. cooperii/gundlachii; flicker Colaptes sp.; Cave Swallow, Petrochelidon fulva; and Eastern Meadowlark, Sturnella magna) and mammals (Bahamian hutia, Geocapromys ingrahami; and a bat, Myotis sp.). The exquisitely preserved fossils from Sawmill Sink suggest a grassy pineland as the dominant plant community on Abaco in the Late Pleistocene, with a heavier component of coppice (tropical dry evergreen forest) in the Late Holocene. Important in its own right, this information also will help biologists and government planners to develop conservation programs in The Bahamas that consider long-term ecological and cultural processes.

Human impacts affect tree community features of 20 forest fragments of a vanishing neotropical hotspot.

PubMed

Pereira, José Aldo Alves; de Oliveira-Filho, Ary Teixeira; Eisenlohr, Pedro V; Miranda, Pedro L S; de Lemos Filho, José Pires

2015-02-01

The loss in forest area due to human occupancy is not the only threat to the remaining biodiversity: forest fragments are susceptible to additional human impact. Our aim was to investigate the effect of human impact on tree community features (species composition and abundance, and structural descriptors) and check if there was a decrease in the number of slender trees, an increase in the amount of large trees, and also a reduction in the number of tree species that occur in 20 fragments of Atlantic montane semideciduous forest in southeastern Brazil. We produced digital maps of each forest fragment using Landsat 7 satellite images and processed the maps to obtain morphometric variables. We used investigative questionnaires and field observations to survey the history of human impact. We then converted the information into scores given to the extent, severity, and duration of each impact, including proportional border area, fire, trails, coppicing, logging, and cattle, and converted these scores into categorical levels. We used linear models to assess the effect of impacts on tree species abundance distribution and stand structural descriptors. Part of the variation in floristic patterns was significantly correlated to the impacts of fire, logging, and proportional border area. Structural descriptors were influenced by cattle and outer roads. Our results provided, for the first time, strong evidence that tree species occurrence and abundance, and forest structure of Atlantic seasonal forest fragments respond differently to various modes of disturbance by humans.

Using Long-Term Volunteer Records to Examine Dormouse (Muscardinusavellanarius) Nestbox Selection.

PubMed

Williams, Rachel L; Goodenough, Anne E; Hart, Adam G; Stafford, Richard

2013-01-01

Within ecology, there are unanswered questions about species-habitat interactions, which could potentially be resolved by a pragmatic analysis of a long-term volunteer-collected dataset. Here, we analysed 18 years of volunteer-collected data from a UK dormouse nestbox monitoring programme to determine the influence of habitat variables on nestbox choice by common dormice (Muscardinusavellanarius). We measured a range of habitat variables in a coppiced woodland in Gloucestershire, UK, and analysed these in relation to dormouse nestbox occupancy records (by dormice, other small mammals, and birds) collected by volunteers. While some characteristics of the woodland had changed over 18 years, simple transformation of the data and interpretation of the results indicated that the dataset was informative. Using stepwise regressions, multiple environmental and ecological factors were found to determine nestbox selection. Distance from the edge of the wood was the most influential (this did not change over 18 years), with boxes in the woodland interior being selected preferentially. There was a significant negative relationship with the presence of ferns (indicative of damp shady conditions). The presence of oak (a long-lived species), and the clumped structural complexity of the canopy were also important factors in the final model. There was no evidence of competition between dormice and birds or other mammals. The results provide greater understanding of artificial dormouse nest-site requirements and indicate that, in terms of habitat selection, long-term volunteer-collected datasets contribute usefully to understanding the requirements of species with an important conservation status.

Growth duration is a better predictor of stem increment than carbon supply in a Mediterranean oak forest: implications for assessing forest productivity under climate change.

PubMed

Lempereur, Morine; Martin-StPaul, Nicolas K; Damesin, Claire; Joffre, Richard; Ourcival, Jean-Marc; Rocheteau, Alain; Rambal, Serge

2015-08-01

Understanding whether tree growth is limited by carbon gain (source limitation) or by the direct effect of environmental factors such as water deficit or temperature (sink limitation) is crucial for improving projections of the effects of climate change on forest productivity. We studied the relationships between tree basal area (BA) variations, eddy covariance carbon fluxes, predawn water potential (Ψpd ) and temperature at different timescales using an 8-yr dataset and a rainfall exclusion experiment in a Quercus ilex Mediterranean coppice. At the daily timescale, during periods of low temperature (< 5°C) and high water deficit (< -1.1 MPa), gross primary productivity and net ecosystem productivity remained positive whereas the stem increment was nil. Thus, stem increment appeared limited by drought and temperature rather than by carbon input. Annual growth was accurately predicted by the duration of BA increment during spring (Δtt0-t1 ). The onset of growth (t0 ) was related to winter temperatures and the summer interruption of growth (t1 ) to a threshold Ψpd value of -1.1 MPa. We suggest that using environmental drivers (i.e. drought and temperature) to predict stem growth phenology can contribute to an improvement in vegetation models and may change the current projections of Mediterranean forest productivity under climate change scenarios. © 2015 CNRS-ADEME New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Saprophytic Activity and Sporulation of Cryphonectria parasitica on Dead Chestnut Wood in Forests with Naturally Established Hypovirulence.

PubMed

Prospero, S; Conedera, M; Heiniger, U; Rigling, D

2006-12-01

ABSTRACT Sustainable biological control of the chestnut blight fungus Crypho-nectria parasitica with hypovirulence depends on the production and dissemination of hypovirus-infected propagules of the pathogen. We investigated the ability of C. parasitica to sporulate and produce hypo-virus-infected spores on recently dead chestnut wood in coppice stands in southern Switzerland where hypovirulence has been naturally established. The number and type (active, inactive, or none) of cankers was assessed on experimentally cut and stacked stems, firewood stacks, and natural dead wood. Hypovirus-free and hypovirus-infected strains readily survived for more than 1 year in the chestnut blight cankers of the stacked stems. Sporulation of C. parasitica was observed on the surface of preexisting inactive and active cankers, as well as on newly colonized bark areas and was significantly more abundant than on comparable cankers on living stems. On all types of dead wood, we observed more stromata with perithecia than with pycnidia; however, a large proportion of the stromata was not differentiated. All perithecia examined yielded only hypovirus-free ascospores. The incidence of pycnidia that produced hypovirus-infected conidia ranged from 5% on natural dead wood to 41% on the experimental stacks. The mean virus transmission rate into conidia was 69%. Our study demonstrates a considerable saprophytic activity of C. parasitica on recently dead chestnut wood and supports the hypothesis of a role of this saprophytic phase in the epidemiology of hypovirulence.

Insights into nitrogen allocation and recycling from nitrogen elemental analysis and 15N isotope labelling in 14 genotypes of willow.

PubMed

Brereton, Nicholas J B; Pitre, Frederic E; Shield, Ian; Hanley, Steven J; Ray, Michael J; Murphy, Richard J; Karp, Angela

2014-11-01

Minimizing nitrogen (N) fertilization inputs during cultivation is essential for sustainable production of bioenergy and biofuels. The biomass crop willow (Salix spp.) is considered to have low N fertilizer requirements due to efficient recycling of nutrients during the perennial cycle. To investigate how successfully different willow genotypes assimilate and allocate N during growth, and remobilize and consequently recycle N before the onset of winter dormancy, N allocation and N remobilization (to and between different organs) were examined in 14 genotypes of a genetic family using elemental analysis and (15)N as a label. Cuttings were established in pots in April and sampled in June, August and at onset of senescence in October. Biomass yield of the trees correlated well with yields recorded in the field. Genotype-specific variation was observed for all traits measured and general trends spanning these sampling points were identified when trees were grouped by biomass yield. Nitrogen reserves in the cutting fuelled the entirety of the canopy establishment, yet earlier cessation of this dependency was linked to higher biomass yields. The stem was found to be the major N reserve by autumn, which constitutes a major source of N loss at harvest, typically every 2-3 years. These data contribute to understanding N remobilization in short rotation coppice willow and to the identification of traits that could potentially be selected for in breeding programmes to further improve the sustainability of biomass production. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press.

Distribution of P, K, Ca, Mg, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn in wood and bark age classes of willows and poplars used for phytoextraction on soils contaminated by risk elements.

PubMed

Zárubová, Pavla; Hejcman, Michal; Vondráčková, Stanislava; Mrnka, Libor; Száková, Jiřina; Tlustoš, Pavel

2015-12-01

Fast-growing clones of Salix and Populus have been studied for remediation of soils contaminated by risk elements (RE) using short-rotation coppice plantations. Our aim was to assess biomass yield and distributions of elements in wood and bark of highly productive willow (S1--[Salix schwerinii × Salix viminalis] × S. viminalis, S2--Salix × smithiana clone S-218) and poplar (P1--Populus maximowiczii × Populus nigra, P2--P. nigra) clones with respect to aging. The field experiment was established in April 2008 on moderately Cd-, Pb- and Zn- contaminated soil. Shoots were harvested after four seasons (February 2012) and separated into annual classes of wood and bark. All tested clones grew on contaminated soils, with highest biomass production and lowest mortality exhibited by P1 and S2. Concentrations of elements, with exception of Ca and Pb, decreased with age and were higher in bark than in wood. The Salix clones were characterised by higher removal of Cd, Mn and Zn compared to the Populus clones. Despite generally higher RE content in young shoots, partly due to lower wood/bark ratios and higher RE concentrations in bark, the overall removal of RE was higher in older wood classes due to higher biomass yield. Thus, longer rotations seem to be more effective when phytoextraction strategy is considered. Of the four selected clones, S1 exhibited the best removal of Cd and Zn and is a good candidate for phytoextraction.

High yielding biomass genotypes of willow (Salix spp.) show differences in below ground biomass allocation

PubMed Central

Cunniff, Jennifer; Purdy, Sarah J.; Barraclough, Tim J.P.; Castle, March; Maddison, Anne L.; Jones, Laurence E.; Shield, Ian F.; Gregory, Andrew S.; Karp, Angela

2015-01-01

Willows (Salix spp.) grown as short rotation coppice (SRC) are viewed as a sustainable source of biomass with a positive greenhouse gas (GHG) balance due to their potential to fix and accumulate carbon (C) below ground. However, exploiting this potential has been limited by the paucity of data available on below ground biomass allocation and the extent to which it varies between genotypes. Furthermore, it is likely that allocation can be altered considerably by environment. To investigate the role of genotype and environment on allocation, four willow genotypes were grown at two replicated field sites in southeast England and west Wales, UK. Above and below ground biomass was intensively measured over two two-year rotations. Significant genotypic differences in biomass allocation were identified, with below ground allocation differing by up to 10% between genotypes. Importantly, the genotype with the highest below ground biomass also had the highest above ground yield. Furthermore, leaf area was found to be a good predictor of below ground biomass. Growth environment significantly impacted allocation; the willow genotypes grown in west Wales had up to 94% more biomass below ground by the end of the second rotation. A single investigation into fine roots showed the same pattern with double the volume of fine roots present. This greater below ground allocation may be attributed primarily to higher wind speeds, plus differences in humidity and soil characteristics. These results demonstrate that the capacity exists to breed plants with both high yields and high potential for C accumulation. PMID:26339128

Crop cover the principal influence on non-crop ground beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) activity and assemblages at the farm scale in a long-term assessment.

PubMed

Eyre, M D; Sanderson, R A; McMillan, S D; Critchley, C N R

2016-04-01

Ground beetle data were generated using pitfall traps in the 17-year period from 1993 to 2009 and used to investigate the effects of changes in surrounding crop cover on beetle activity and assemblages, together with the effects of weather variability. Beetles were recorded from non-crop field margins (overgrown hedges). Crop cover changes explained far more variation in the beetle assemblages recorded than did temperature and rainfall variation. A reduction in management intensity and disturbance in the crops surrounding the traps, especially the introduction and development of willow coppice, was concomitant with changes in individual species activity and assemblage composition of beetles trapped in non-crop habitat. There were no consistent patterns in either overall beetle activity or in the number of species recorded over the 17-year period, but there was a clear change from assemblages dominated by smaller species with higher dispersal capability to ones with larger beetles with less dispersal potential and a preference for less disturbed agroecosystems. The influence of surrounding crops on ground beetle activity in non-crop habitat has implications for ecosystem service provision by ground beetles as pest predators. These results are contrary to conventional assumptions and interpretations, which suggest activity of pest predators in crops is influenced primarily by adjacent non-crop habitat. The long-term nature of the assessment was important in elucidation of patterns and trends, and indicated that policies such as agri-environment schemes should take cropping patterns into account when promoting management options that are intended to enhance natural pest control.

Firewood, food and human niche construction: the potential role of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in actively structuring Scotland's woodlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, Rosie R.; Church, Mike J.; Rowley-Conwy, Peter A.

2015-01-01

Over the past few decades the potential role of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in actively constructing their own niches, through the management of wild plants, has frequently been discussed. It is probable that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers systematically exploited specific woodland resources for food and fuel and influenced the 'natural' abundance or distribution of particular species within Mesolithic environments. Though there has been considerable discussion of the pollen evidence for potential small-scale human-woodland manipulation in Mesolithic Scotland, the archaeobotanical evidence for anthropogenic firewood and food selection has not been discussed in this context. This paper assesses the evidence for the active role of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer communities in systematically exploiting and managing woodlands for food and fuel in Scotland. While taphonomic factors may have impacted on the frequency of specific species in archaeobotanical assemblages, it is suggested that hunter-gatherers in Mesolithic Scotland were systematically using woodland plants, and in particular hazel and oak, for food and fuel. It is argued that the pollen evidence for woodland management is equivocal, but hints at the role of hunter-gatherers in shaping the structure of their environments, through the maintenance or creation of woodland clearings for settlement or as part of vegetation management strategies. It is proposed that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers may have actively contributed to niche construction and that the systematic use of hazel and oak as a fuel may reflect the deliberate pruning of hazel trees to increase nut-yields and the inadvertent - or perhaps deliberate - coppicing of hazel and oak during greenwood collection.

Water consumption and biomass production of protoplast fusion lines of poplar hybrids under drought stress

PubMed Central

Hennig, Anne; Kleinschmit, Jörg R. G.; Schoneberg, Sebastian; Löffler, Sonja; Janßen, Alwin; Polle, Andrea

2015-01-01

Woody crops such as poplars (Populus) can contribute to meet the increasing energy demand of a growing human population and can therefore enhance the security of energy supply. Using energy from biomass increases ecological sustainability as biomass is considered to play a pivotal role in abating climate change. Because areas for establishing poplar plantations are often confined to marginal sites drought tolerance is one important trait for poplar genotypes cultivated in short rotation coppice. We tested 9-month-old plants of four tetraploid Populus tremula (L.) × P. tremuloides (Michx.) lines that were generated by protoplast fusion and their diploid counterpart for water consumption and drought stress responses in a greenhouse experiment. The fusion lines showed equivalent or decreased height growth, stem biomass and total leaf area compared to the diploid line. The relative height increment of the fusion lines was not reduced compared to the diploid line when the plants were exposed to drought. The fusion lines were distinguished from the diploid counterpart by stomatal characteristics such as increased size and lower density. The changes in the stomatal apparatus did not affect the stomatal conductance. When exposed to drought the carbohydrate concentrations increased more strongly in the fusion lines than in the diploid line. Two fusion lines consumed significantly less water with regard to height growth, producing equivalent or increased relative stem biomass under drought compared to their diploid relative. Therefore, these tetraploid fusion lines are interesting candidates for short rotation biomass plantation on dry sites. PMID:26042130

Drier climate and productivity of operational poplar plantation - four years of throughfall exclusion experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orsag, M.; Fischer, M.; Trnka, M.

2016-12-01

The production of woody biomass in short rotation woody coppice (SRWC) is considered as a suitable source of renewable energy for climate conditions prevailing in central European countries. The productivity of SRWC is largely dependent on the environmental conditions and the biomass yield can be severely compromised when water supply is limited. One of the climate change consequences predicted for Central Europe is the increasing frequency and duration of drought spells as a result of increased air temperature and temporally uneven distribution of precipitation. Therefore, a small-scale rain-throughfall exclusion experiment was established in 2011 in an operational SRWC plantation (hybrid poplar NM6) in the Bohemian-Moravian highlands (Czech Republic). Three times replicated experimental block comprised a treatment with 70 % rain-throughfall exclusion (R) and an adjacent control treatment (C) of the same size (25 m2). Above-ground biomass productivity (ABP) and soil moisture patterns were measured and evaluated during growing seasons 2011-2015. We observed high heterogeneity of soil moisture among blocks, resulting in high variability in ABP. The treatment effect was more pronounced with increasing seasonal precipitation. Generally, the R treatments showed lower ABP by 8.4 %, higher mortality by 6.7 % and strong competitive relationships among neighboring trees, which led to formation of few dominant trees, comprising 30 % of the total biomass at particular plot, accounting for 50 % of the annual ABP per 25 m2 plot. Our results suggests considerable resilience of hybrid poplar NM6 to decreased soil-water availability over long-term, while keeping minimal annual ABP of about 4.5 ton hectare (dry matter).

Dry matter losses and quality changes during short rotation coppice willow storage in chip or rod form.

PubMed

Whittaker, Carly; Yates, Nicola E; Powers, Stephen J; Misselbrook, Tom; Shield, Ian

2018-05-01

This study compares dry matter losses and quality changes during the storage of SRC willow as chips and as rods. A wood chip stack consisting of approximately 74 tonnes of fresh biomass, or 31 tonnes dry matter (DM) was built after harvesting in the spring. Three weeks later, four smaller stacks of rods with an average weight of 0.8 tonnes, or 0.4 tonnes DM were built. During the course of the experiment temperature recorders placed in the stacks found that the wood chip pile reached 60 °C within 10 days of construction, but the piles of rods remained mostly at ambient temperatures. Dry matter losses were calculated by using pre-weighed independent samples within the stacks and by weighing the whole stack before and after storage. After 6 months the wood chip stack showed a DM loss of between 19.8 and 22.6%, and mean losses of 23.1% were measured from the 17 independent samples. In comparison, the rod stacks showed an average stack DM loss of between 0 and 9%, and between 1.4% and 10.6% loss from the independent samples. Analysis of the stored material suggests that storing willow in small piles of rods produces a higher quality fuel in terms of lower moisture and ash content; however, it has a higher fine content compared to storage in chip form. Therefore, according to the two storage methods tested here, there may be a compromise between maximising the net dry matter yield from SRC willow and the final fine content of the fuel.

Assessment of soil erosion sensitivity and post-timber-harvesting erosion response in a mountain environment of Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrelli, Pasquale; Schütt, Brigitta

2014-01-01

This study aimed to assess the effects of forest management on the occurrence of accelerated soil erosion by water. The study site is located in a mountainous area of the Italian Central Apennines. Here, forest harvesting is a widespread forestry activity and is mainly performed on the moderate to steep slopes of the highlands. Through modeling operations based on data on soil properties and direct monitoring of changes in the post-forest-harvesting soil surface level at the hillslope scale, we show that the observed site became prone to soil erosion after human intervention. Indeed, the measured mean soil erosion rate of 49 t ha- 1 yr- 1 for the harvested watershed is about 21 times higher than the rate measured in its neighboring undisturbed forested watershed (2.3 t ha- 1 yr- 1). The erosive response is greatly aggravated by exposing the just-harvested forest, with very limited herbaceous plant cover, to the aggressive attack of the heaviest annual rainfall without adopting any conservation practices. The erosivity of the storms during the first four months of field measurements was 1571 MJ mm h- 1 ha- 1 in total (i.e., from September to December 2008). At the end of the experiment (16 months), 18.8%, 26.1% and 55.1% of the erosion monitoring sites in the harvested watershed recorded variations equal or greater than 0-5, 5-10 and > 10 mm, respectively. This study also provides a quantification of Italian forestland surfaces with the same pedo-lithological characteristics exploited for wood supply. Within a period of ten years (2002-2011), about 9891 ha of coppice forest changes were identified and their potential soil erosion rates modeled.

Reconstructing European forest management from 1600 to 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGrath, M. J.; Luyssaert, S.; Meyfroidt, P.; Kaplan, J. O.; Bürgi, M.; Chen, Y.; Erb, K.; Gimmi, U.; McInerney, D.; Naudts, K.; Otto, J.; Pasztor, F.; Ryder, J.; Schelhaas, M.-J.; Valade, A.

2015-07-01

Because of the slow accumulation and long residence time of carbon in biomass and soils, the present state and future dynamics of temperate forests are influenced by management that took place centuries to millennia ago. Humans have exploited the forests of Europe for fuel, construction materials and fodder for the entire Holocene. In recent centuries, economic and demographic trends led to increases in both forest area and management intensity across much of Europe. In order to quantify the effects of these changes in forests and to provide a baseline for studies on future land-cover-climate interactions and biogeochemical cycling, we created a temporally and spatially resolved reconstruction of European forest management from 1600 to 2010. For the period 1600-1828, we took a supply-demand approach, in which supply was estimated on the basis of historical annual wood increment and land cover reconstructions. We made demand estimates by multiplying population with consumption factors for construction materials, household fuelwood, industrial food processing and brewing, metallurgy, and salt production. For the period 1829-2010, we used a supply-driven backcasting method based on national and regional statistics of forest age structure from the second half of the 20th century. Our reconstruction reproduces the most important changes in forest management between 1600 and 2010: (1) an increase of 593 000 km2 in conifers at the expense of deciduous forest (decreasing by 538 000 km2); (2) a 612 000 km2 decrease in unmanaged forest; (3) a 152 000 km2 decrease in coppice management; (4) a 818 000 km2 increase in high-stand management; and (5) the rise and fall of litter raking, which at its peak in 1853 resulted in the removal of 50 Tg dry litter per year.

Biomass power for rural development. Technical progress report, May 1, 1996--December 31, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, E.

Developing commercial energy crops for power generation by the year 2000 is the focus of the DOE/USDA sponsored Biomass Power for Rural Development project. The New York based Salix Consortium project is a multi-partner endeavor, implemented in three stages. Phase-I, Final Design and Project Development, will conclude with the preparation of construction and/or operating permits, feedstock production plans, and contracts ready for signature. Field trials of willow (Salix) have been initiated at several locations in New York (Tully, Lockport, King Ferry, La Facette, Massena, and Himrod) and co-firing tests are underway at Greenidge Station (NYSEG). Phase-II of the project willmore » focus on scale-up of willow crop acreage, construction of co-firing facilities at Dunkirk Station (NMPC), and final modifications for Greenidge Station. There will be testing of the energy crop as part of the gasification trials expected to occur at BED`s McNeill power station and potentially at one of GPU`s facilities. Phase-III will represent full-scale commercialization of the energy crop and power generation on a sustainable basis. Willow has been selected as the energy crop of choice for many reasons. Willow is well suited to the climate of the Northeastern United States, and initial field trials have demonstrated that the yields required for the success of the project are obtainable. Like other energy crops, willow has rural development benefits and could serve to diversify local crop production, provide new sources of income for participating growers, and create new jobs. Willow could be used to put a large base of idle acreage back into crop production. Additionally, the willow coppicing system integrates well with current farm operations and utilizes agricultural practices that are already familiar to farmers.« less

Natural and human controls of the Holocene evolution of the beach, aeolian sand and dunes of Caesarea (Israel)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roskin, J.; Sivan, D.; Shtienberg, G.; Roskin, E.; Porat, N.; Bookman, R.

2015-12-01

The study focuses on the Holocene appearance, chronology and drivers of beach sand deposition and inland aeolian sand transport around the Roman-Byzantine ruins of Caesarea, Israel. Beach sand, sand sheets, nebkha, linear and transverse dunes as well as parabolic and transverse interdunes along two transects were sampled in the current study down to their substrate. Sixteen new optically stimulated luminescence ages cluster at ∼5.9-3.3 ka, ∼1.2-1.1 ka (800-900 AD) and ∼190-120 years ago (1825-1895 AD) indicating times of middle and late Holocene sand sheet depositions and historical dune stabilization. The first age cluster indicates that beach sand accumulated when rates of global sea level rise declined around 6-5 ka. Until ∼4 ka sand sheets encroached up to 2.5 km inland. Historical and archaeological evidence points to sand mobilization since the first century AD. Sand sheets dating to 1.2-1.1 ka, coevally found throughout the dunefield represent sand stabilization due to vegetation reestablishment attributed to gradual and fluctuating decline in human activity from the middle Early Islamic period until the 10th century. Historical and chronological evidence of the existence of transverse and coppice dunes from the 19th century suggest that dunes only formed in the last few centuries. The study illustrates the initial role of natural processes, in this case decline in global sea level rise and the primary and later role of fluctuating human activity upon coastal sand mobility. The study distinguishes between sand sheets and dunes and portrays them as sensors of environmental changes.

Biodiversity, greenhouse gas and economic trade-offs from biochar use: a 20 year model of biochar use in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gathorne-Hardy, A.

2014-12-01

Biochar is promoted for its carbon storage and soil amendment properties, but there remains a research gap into wider sustainability implications of biochar use. Without these there is a risk that biochar use could deliver negative unforeseen consequences. Key to biochar sustainability is the feedstock sustainability, which in developed nations can be novel due to the ability to process biomass locally. Using field trial data and primary biodiversity assessments we modelled different sustainability indicators (local GHG balance, global GHG balance, local biodiversity, global biodiversity and local economic return) associated with four different biochar feedstocks (woodlands, hedgerows, Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and straw) over 20 years for UK arable agriculture. Global measures included Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC). Our results showed that trade-offs are inherent. Local GHG emissions are reduced by use of straw and SRC, and increased through the use of woodlands. In contrast all feedstocks reduced the global GHG emissions. Local biodiversity was increased through use of hedgerows, woodlands, SRC and low fertiliser rates. Global biodiversity was maximised through high fertiliser rates and use of all feedstocks. Critically economic return was maximised through high use of woodland and straw, and substantially reduced when hedgerows or SRC is used as feedstock. The introduction of high (£52 t-1 CO2) and low (£11.44 t-1 CO2) carbon prices were never enough to shift a system between loss and profit. This research demonstrates that the sustainability of biochar varies substantially depending on the scale (local or global) and the breadth of indicators included. Ultimately biochar is designed to have a role in solving global problems, but the decisions determining use will be made locally. Regulation to ensure biochar is used appropriately may be necessary.

A critical analysis of species selection and high vs. low-input silviculture on establishment success and early productivity of model short-rotation wood-energy cropping systems

DOE PAGES

Fischer, M.; Kelley, A. M.; Ward, E. J.; ...

2017-02-03

Most research on bioenergy short rotation woody crops (SRWC) has been dedicated to the genera Populus and Salix. These species generally require relatively high-input culture, including intensive weed competition control, which increases costs and environmental externalities. Widespread native early successional species, characterized by high productivity and good coppicing ability, may be better adapted to local environmental stresses and therefore could offer alternative low-input bioenergy production systems. In order to test this concept, we established a three-year experiment comparing a widely-used hybrid poplar (Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii, clone ‘NM6’) to two native species, American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) and tuliptreemore » (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) grown under contrasting weed and pest control at a coastal plain site in eastern North Carolina, USA. Mean cumulative aboveground wood production was significantly greater in sycamore, with yields of 46.6 Mg ha -11 under high-inputs and 32.7 Mg ha -1 under low-input culture, which rivaled the high-input NM6 yield of 32.9 Mg ha -1. NM6 under low-input management provided noncompetitive yield of 6.2 Mg ha -1. We also found that sycamore showed superiority in survival, biomass increment, weed resistance, treatment convergence, and within-stand uniformity. All are important characteristics for a bioenergy feedstock crop species, leading to reliable establishment and efficient biomass production. Poor performance in all traits was found for tuliptree, with a maximum yield of 1.2 Mg ha -1, suggesting this native species is a poor choice for SRWC. We then conclude that careful species selection beyond the conventionally used genera may enhance reliability and decrease negative environmental impacts of the bioenergy biomass production sector.« less

A critical analysis of species selection and high vs. low-input silviculture on establishment success and early productivity of model short-rotation wood-energy cropping systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fischer, M.; Kelley, A. M.; Ward, E. J.

Most research on bioenergy short rotation woody crops (SRWC) has been dedicated to the genera Populus and Salix. These species generally require relatively high-input culture, including intensive weed competition control, which increases costs and environmental externalities. Widespread native early successional species, characterized by high productivity and good coppicing ability, may be better adapted to local environmental stresses and therefore could offer alternative low-input bioenergy production systems. In order to test this concept, we established a three-year experiment comparing a widely-used hybrid poplar (Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii, clone ‘NM6’) to two native species, American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) and tuliptreemore » (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) grown under contrasting weed and pest control at a coastal plain site in eastern North Carolina, USA. Mean cumulative aboveground wood production was significantly greater in sycamore, with yields of 46.6 Mg ha -11 under high-inputs and 32.7 Mg ha -1 under low-input culture, which rivaled the high-input NM6 yield of 32.9 Mg ha -1. NM6 under low-input management provided noncompetitive yield of 6.2 Mg ha -1. We also found that sycamore showed superiority in survival, biomass increment, weed resistance, treatment convergence, and within-stand uniformity. All are important characteristics for a bioenergy feedstock crop species, leading to reliable establishment and efficient biomass production. Poor performance in all traits was found for tuliptree, with a maximum yield of 1.2 Mg ha -1, suggesting this native species is a poor choice for SRWC. We then conclude that careful species selection beyond the conventionally used genera may enhance reliability and decrease negative environmental impacts of the bioenergy biomass production sector.« less

Changes in understory species occurrence of a secondary broadleaved forest after mass mortality of oak trees under deer foraging pressure

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The epidemic of mass mortality of oak trees by Japanese oak wilt has affected secondary deciduous broadleaved forests that have been used as coppices in Japan. The dieback of oak trees formed gaps in the crown that would be expected to enhance the regeneration of shade-intolerant pioneer species. However, foraging by sika deer Cervus nippon has also affected forest vegetation, and the compound effects of both on forest regeneration should be considered when they simultaneously occur. A field study was conducted in Kyôto City, Japan to investigate how these compound effects affected the vegetation of the understory layer of these forests. The presence/absence of seedlings and saplings was observed for 200 quadrats sized 5 m ×5 m for each species in 1992, before the mass mortality and deer encroachment, and in 2014 after these effects. A hierarchical Bayesian model was constructed to explain the occurrence, survival, and colonization of each species with their responses to the gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of Quercus serrata trees. The species that occurred most frequently in 1992, Eurya japonica, Quercus glauca, and Cleyera japonica, also had the highest survival probabilities. Deer-unpalatable species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera had higher colonization rates in the gaps, while the deer-palatable species Aucuba japonica had the smallest survival probability. The gaps thus promoted the colonization of deer-unpalatable plant species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera. In the future, such deer-unpalatable species may dominate gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of oak trees. PMID:28028480

Changes in understory species occurrence of a secondary broadleaved forest after mass mortality of oak trees under deer foraging pressure.

PubMed

Itô, Hiroki

2016-01-01

The epidemic of mass mortality of oak trees by Japanese oak wilt has affected secondary deciduous broadleaved forests that have been used as coppices in Japan. The dieback of oak trees formed gaps in the crown that would be expected to enhance the regeneration of shade-intolerant pioneer species. However, foraging by sika deer Cervus nippon has also affected forest vegetation, and the compound effects of both on forest regeneration should be considered when they simultaneously occur. A field study was conducted in Kyôto City, Japan to investigate how these compound effects affected the vegetation of the understory layer of these forests. The presence/absence of seedlings and saplings was observed for 200 quadrats sized 5 m ×5 m for each species in 1992, before the mass mortality and deer encroachment, and in 2014 after these effects. A hierarchical Bayesian model was constructed to explain the occurrence, survival, and colonization of each species with their responses to the gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of Quercus serrata trees. The species that occurred most frequently in 1992, Eurya japonica , Quercus glauca , and Cleyera japonica , also had the highest survival probabilities. Deer-unpalatable species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera had higher colonization rates in the gaps, while the deer-palatable species Aucuba japonica had the smallest survival probability. The gaps thus promoted the colonization of deer-unpalatable plant species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera . In the future, such deer-unpalatable species may dominate gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of oak trees.

Temporal and spatial patterns of internal and external stem CO2 fluxes in a sub-Mediterranean oak.

PubMed

Salomón, Roberto L; Valbuena-Carabaña, María; Gil, Luis; McGuire, Mary Anne; Teskey, Robert O; Aubrey, Doug P; González-Doncel, Inés; Rodríguez-Calcerrada, Jesús

2016-11-01

To accurately estimate stem respiration (R S ), measurements of both carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) efflux to the atmosphere (E A ) and internal CO 2 flux through xylem (F T ) are needed because xylem sap transports respired CO 2 upward. However, reports of seasonal dynamics of F T and E A are scarce and no studies exist in Mediterranean species under drought stress conditions. Internal and external CO 2 fluxes at three stem heights, together with radial stem growth, temperature, sap flow and shoot water potential, were measured in Quercus pyrenaica Willd. in four measurement campaigns during one growing season. Substantial daytime depressions in temperature-normalized E A were observed throughout the experiment, including prior to budburst, indicating that diel hysteresis between stem temperature and E A cannot be uniquely ascribed to diversion of CO 2 in the transpiration stream. Low internal [CO 2 ] (<0.5%) resulted in low contributions of F T to R S throughout the growing season, and R S was mainly explained by E A (>90%). Internal [CO 2 ] was found to vary vertically along the stems. Seasonality in resistance to radial CO 2 diffusion was related to shoot water potential. The low internal [CO 2 ] and F T observed in our study may result from the downregulation of xylem respiration in response to a legacy of coppicing as well as high radial diffusion of CO 2 through cambium, phloem and bark tissues, which was related to low water content of stems. Long-term studies analyzing temporal and spatial variation in internal and external CO 2 fluxes and their interactions are needed to mechanistically understand and model respiration of woody tissues. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Late Mesolithic and early Neolithic forest disturbance: a high resolution palaeoecological test of human impact hypotheses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Innes, James B.; Blackford, Jeffrey J.; Rowley-Conwy, Peter A.

2013-10-01

The transition in north-west Europe from the hunter-gatherer societies of the Late Mesolithic to the pioneer farming societies of the early Neolithic is not well understood, either culturally or palaeoecologically. In Britain the final transition was rapid but it is unclear whether novel Neolithic attributes were introduced by immigrants who supplanted the native hunter-gatherers, or whether the latest Mesolithic foragers gradually adopted elements of the Neolithic economic package. In this study, relatively coarse- (10 mm interval) and fine-resolution (2 mm), multi-proxy palaeoecological data including pollen, charcoal and NPPs including fungi, have been used to investigate two phases of vegetation disturbance of (a) distinctly Late Mesolithic and (b) early Neolithic age, at an upland site in northern England in a region with both a Neolithic and a Late Mesolithic archaeological presence. We identify and define the palaeoecological characteristics of these two disturbance phases, about a millennium apart, in order to investigate whether differing land-use techniques can be identified and categorised as of either foraging or early farming cultures. The Late Mesolithic phase is defined by the repetitive application of fire to the woodland to encourage a mosaic of productive vegetation regeneration patches, consistent with the promotion of Corylus and to aid hunting. In this phase, weed species including Plantago lanceolata, Rumex and Chenopodiaceae are frequent, taxa which are normally associated with the first farmers. The early Neolithic phase, including an Ulmus decline, has characteristics consistent with 'forest farming', possibly mainly for domestic livestock, with an inferred succession of tree girdling, fire-prepared cultivation, and coppice-woodland management. Such fine-resolution, potentially diagnostic land-use signatures may in future be used to recognise the cultural complexion of otherwise enigmatic woodland disturbance phases during the centuries of the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition.

Impacts of near-future cultivation of biofuel feedstocks on atmospheric composition and local air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashworth, K.; Folberth, G.; Hewitt, C. N.; Wild, O.

2012-01-01

Large-scale production of feedstock crops for biofuels will lead to land use changes. We quantify the effects of realistic land use change scenarios for biofuel feedstock production on isoprene emissions and hence atmospheric composition and chemistry using the HadGEM2 model. Two feedstocks are considered: oil palm for biodiesel in the tropics and short rotation coppice (SRC) in the mid-latitudes. In total, 69 Mha of oil palm and 9 Mha of SRC are planted, each sufficient to replace just over 1% of projected global fossil fuel demand in 2020. Both planting scenarios result in increases in total global annual isoprene emissions of about 1%. In each case, changes in surface concentrations of ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosol (bSOA) are substantial at the regional scale, with implications for air quality standards. However, the changes in tropospheric burden of ozone and the OH radical, and hence effects on global climate, are negligible. Over SE Asia, one region of oil palm planting, increases in annual mean surface ozone and bSOA concentrations reach over 3 ppbv (+11%) and 0.4 μg m-3 (+10%) respectively for parts of Borneo, with monthly mean increases of up to 6.5 ppbv (+25%) and 0.5 μg m-3 (+12%). Under the SRC scenario, Europe experiences monthly mean changes of over 0.6 ppbv (+1%) and 0.1 μg m-3 (+5%) in June and July, with peak increases of over 2 ppbv (+3%) and 0.5 μg m-3 (+8 %). That appreciable regional atmospheric impacts result from low level planting scenarios demonstrates the need to include changes in emissions of reactive trace gases such as isoprene in life cycle assessments performed on potential biofuel feedstocks.

Seasonal and interannual variability of canopy transpiration of a hedgerow in southern England.

PubMed

Herbst, Mathias; Roberts, John M; Rosier, Paul T W; Gowing, David J

2007-03-01

Transpiration from a hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna L.) dominated hedgerow in southern England was measured continuously over two growing seasons by the sap flow technique. Accompanying measurements of structural parameters, microclimate and leaf stomatal and boundary layer conductances were used to establish the driving factors of hedgerow transpiration. Observed transpiration rates, reaching peak values of around 8 mm day(-1) and a seasonal mean of about 3.5 mm day(-1), were higher than those reported for most other temperate deciduous woodlands, except short-rotation coppice and wet woodlands. The high rates were caused by the structural and physiological characteristics of hawthorn leaves, which exhibited much higher stomatal and boundary-layer conductances than those of the second-most abundant woody species in the hedgerow, field maple (Acer campestre L.). Only in the hot summer of 2003 did stomatal conductance, and thus transpiration, decrease substantially. The hedgerow canopy was always closely coupled to the atmosphere. Hedgerow transpiration equaled potential evaporation (calculated by the Priestley-Taylor formula) in 2003 and exceeded it in 2004, which meant that a substantial fraction of the energy (21% in 2003 and more than 37% in 2004) came from advection. Hedgerow canopy conductance (g(c)), as inferred from the sap flow data by inverting the Penman-Monteith equation, responded to solar radiation (R(G)) and vapor pressure deficit (D). Although the response to R(G) showed no systematic temporal variation, the response to D, described as g(c)(D) = g(cref) - mln(D), changed seasonally. The reference g(c) depended on leaf area index and the ratio of -m/g(cref) on long-term mean daytime D. A model is proposed based on these observations that predicts canopy conductance for the hawthorn hedge from standard weather data.

Hydraulic efficiency and coordination with xylem resistance to cavitation, leaf function, and growth performance among eight unrelated Populus deltoidesxPopulus nigra hybrids.

PubMed

Fichot, Régis; Chamaillard, Sylvain; Depardieu, Claire; Le Thiec, Didier; Cochard, Hervé; Barigah, Têtè S; Brignolas, Franck

2011-03-01

Tests were carried out to determine whether variations in the hydraulic architecture of eight Populus deltoides×Populus nigra genotypes could be related to variations in leaf function and growth performance. Measurements were performed in a coppice plantation on 1-year-old shoots under optimal irrigation. Hydraulic architecture was characterized through estimates of hydraulic efficiency (the ratio of conducting sapwood area to leaf area, A(X):A(L); leaf- and xylem-specific hydraulic conductance of defoliated shoots, k(SL) and k(SS), respectively; apparent whole-plant leaf-specific hydraulic conductance, k(plant)) and xylem safety (water potential inducing 50% loss in hydraulic conductance). The eight genotypes spanned a significant range of k(SL) from 2.63  kg s(-1) m(-2) MPa(-1) to 4.18  kg s(-1) m(-2) MPa(-1), variations being mostly driven by k(SS) rather than A(X):A(L). There was a strong trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and xylem safety. Values of k(SL) correlated positively with k(plant), indicating that high-pressure flowmeter (HPFM) measurements of stem hydraulic efficiency accurately reflected whole-plant water transport efficiency of field-grown plants at maximum transpiration rate. No clear relationship could be found between hydraulic efficiency and either net CO(2) assimilation rates, water-use efficiency estimates (intrinsic water-use efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination against (13)C), or stomatal characteristics (stomatal density and stomatal pore area index). Estimates of hydraulic efficiency were negatively associated with relative growth rate. This unusual pattern, combined with the trade-off observed between hydraulic efficiency and xylem safety, provides the rationale for the positive link already reported between relative growth rate and xylem safety among the same eight P. deltoides×P. nigra genotypes.

N2O release from agro-biofuel production negates global warming reduction by replacing fossil fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crutzen, P. J.; Mosier, A. R.; Smith, K. A.; Winiwarter, W.

2007-08-01

The relationship, on a global basis, between the amount of N fixed by chemical, biological or atmospheric processes entering the terrestrial biosphere, and the total emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), has been re-examined, using known global atmospheric removal rates and concentration growth of N2O as a proxy for overall emissions. The relationship, in both the pre-industrial period and in recent times, after taking into account the large-scale changes in synthetic N fertiliser production and deforestation, is consistent, showing an overall conversion factor of 3-5%. This factor is covered only in part by the ~1% of "direct" emissions from agricultural crop lands estimated by IPCC (2006), or the "indirect" emissions cited therein. This means that the extra N2O entering the atmosphere as a result of using N to produce crops for biofuels will also be correspondingly greater than that estimated just on the basis of IPCC (2006). When the extra N2O emission from biofuel production is calculated in "CO2-equivalent" global warming terms, and compared with the quasi-cooling effect of "saving" emissions of fossil fuel derived CO2, the outcome is that the production of commonly used biofuels, such as biodiesel from rapeseed and bioethanol from corn (maize), can contribute as much or more to global warming by N2O emissions than cooling by fossil fuel savings. Crops with less N demand, such as grasses and woody coppice species have more favourable climate impacts. This analysis only considers the conversion of biomass to biofuel. It does not take into account the use of fossil fuel on the farms and for fertilizer and pesticide production, but it also neglects the production of useful co-products. Both factors partially compensate each other. This needs to be analyzed in a full life cycle assessment.

Modelling impacts of second generation bioenergy production on Ecosystem Services in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henner, D. N.; Smith, P.; Davies, C.; McNamara, N. P.

2016-12-01

Bioenergy crops are an important source of renewable energy and likely to play a major role in transitioning to a lower CO2 energy system. There is, however, uncertainty about the impacts of the growth of bioenergy crops on broader sustainability encompassed by ecosystem services, further enhanced by ongoing climate change. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive model that covers ecosystem services at a continental scale including biodiversity and pollination, water and air security, erosion control and soil security, GHG emissions, soil C and cultural services like tourism value. The technical distribution potential and likely yield of second generation energy crops, such as Miscanthus, Short Rotation Coppice (SRC; willow and poplar) was modelled using ECOSSE, DayCent, SalixFor and MiscanFor models. In addition, methods like water footprint tools, tourism value maps and ecosystem valuation tools and models are utilised. We will present results for synergies and trade-offs between land use change and ecosystem services, impact on food security and land management. Further, we will show modelled yield maps for different cultivars of Miscanthus, willow and poplar in Europe and constraint/opportunity maps based on projected yield and other factors e.g. total economic value, technical potential, current land use, climate change and trade-offs and synergies. It will be essential to include multiple ecosystem services when assessing the potential for bioenergy production/expansion that does not impact other land uses or provisioning services. Considering that the soil GHG balance is dominated by change in soil organic carbon (SOC) and the difference among Miscanthus and SRC is largely determined by yield, an important target for management of perennial energy crops is to achieve the best possible yield using the most appropriate energy crop and cultivar for the local situation. This research could inform future policy decisions on bioenergy crops in Europe.

Is Active Management the Key to the Conservation of Saproxylic Biodiversity? Pollarding Promotes the Formation of Tree Hollows

PubMed Central

Sebek, Pavel; Altman, Jan; Platek, Michal; Cizek, Lukas

2013-01-01

Trees with hollows are key features sustaining biodiversity in wooded landscapes. They host rich assemblages of often highly specialised organisms. Hollow trees, however, have become rare and localised in Europe. Many of the associated biota is thus declining or endangered. The challenge of its conservation, therefore, is to safeguard the presence of hollow trees in sufficient numbers. Populations of numerous species associated with tree hollows and dead wood are often found in habitats that were formed by formerly common traditional silvicultural practices such as coppicing, pollarding or pasture. Although it has been occasionally mentioned that such practices increase the formation of hollows and the availability of often sun-exposed dead wood, their effect has never been quantified. Our study examined the hollow incidence in pollard and non-pollard (unmanaged) willows and the effect of pollarding on incremental growth rate by tree ring analysis. The probability of hollow occurrence was substantially higher in pollard than in non-pollard trees. Young pollards, especially, form hollows much more often than non-pollards; for instance, in trees of 50 cm DBH, the probability of hollow ocurrence was ∼0.75 in pollards, but only ∼0.3 in non-pollards. No difference in growth rate was found. Pollarding thus leads to the rapid formation of tree hollows, a habitat usually associated with old trees. It is therefore potentially a very important tool in the restoration of saproxylic habitats and conservation of hollow-dependent fauna. If applied along e.g. roads and watercourses, pollarding could also be used to increase landscape connectivity for saproxylic organisms. In reserves where pollarding was formerly practiced, its restoration would be necessary to prevent loss of saproxylic biodiversity. Our results point to the importance of active management measures for maintaining availability, and spatial and temporal continuity of deadwood microhabitats. PMID:23544142

Is active management the key to the conservation of saproxylic biodiversity? Pollarding promotes the formation of tree hollows.

PubMed

Sebek, Pavel; Altman, Jan; Platek, Michal; Cizek, Lukas

2013-01-01

Trees with hollows are key features sustaining biodiversity in wooded landscapes. They host rich assemblages of often highly specialised organisms. Hollow trees, however, have become rare and localised in Europe. Many of the associated biota is thus declining or endangered. The challenge of its conservation, therefore, is to safeguard the presence of hollow trees in sufficient numbers. Populations of numerous species associated with tree hollows and dead wood are often found in habitats that were formed by formerly common traditional silvicultural practices such as coppicing, pollarding or pasture. Although it has been occasionally mentioned that such practices increase the formation of hollows and the availability of often sun-exposed dead wood, their effect has never been quantified. Our study examined the hollow incidence in pollard and non-pollard (unmanaged) willows and the effect of pollarding on incremental growth rate by tree ring analysis. The probability of hollow occurrence was substantially higher in pollard than in non-pollard trees. Young pollards, especially, form hollows much more often than non-pollards; for instance, in trees of 50 cm DBH, the probability of hollow ocurrence was ∼0.75 in pollards, but only ∼0.3 in non-pollards. No difference in growth rate was found. Pollarding thus leads to the rapid formation of tree hollows, a habitat usually associated with old trees. It is therefore potentially a very important tool in the restoration of saproxylic habitats and conservation of hollow-dependent fauna. If applied along e.g. roads and watercourses, pollarding could also be used to increase landscape connectivity for saproxylic organisms. In reserves where pollarding was formerly practiced, its restoration would be necessary to prevent loss of saproxylic biodiversity. Our results point to the importance of active management measures for maintaining availability, and spatial and temporal continuity of deadwood microhabitats.

Modelling impacts of second generation bioenergy production on Ecosystem Services in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henner, Dagmar N.; Smith, Pete; Davies, Christian; McNamara, Niall P.

2015-04-01

Bioenergy crops are an important source of renewable energy and are a possible mechanism to mitigate global climate warming, by replacing fossil fuel energy with higher greenhouse gas emissions. There is, however, uncertainty about the impacts of the growth of bioenergy crops on ecosystem services. This uncertainty is further enhanced by the unpredictable climate change currently going on. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive model that covers as many ecosystem services as possible at a Continental level including biodiversity, water, GHG emissions, soil, and cultural services. The distribution and production of second generation energy crops, such as Miscanthus, Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and Short Rotation Forestry (SRF), is currently being modelled, and ecosystem models will be used to examine the impacts of these crops on ecosystem services. The project builds on models of energy crop production, biodiversity, soil impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and other ecosystem services, and on work undertaken in the UK on the ETI-funded ELUM project (www.elum.ac.uk). In addition, methods like water footprint tools, tourism value maps and ecosystem valuation tools and models (e.g. InVest, TEEB database, GREET LCA Model, World Business Council for Sustainable Development corporate ecosystem valuation, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Ecosystem Services Framework) will be utilised. Research will focus on optimisation of land use change feedbacks on ecosystem services and biodiversity, and weighting of the importance of the individual ecosystem services. Energy crops will be modelled using low, medium and high climate change scenarios for the years between 2015 and 2050. We will present first results for GHG emissions and soil organic carbon change after different land use change scenarios (e.g. arable to Miscanthus, forest to SRF), and with different climate warming scenarios. All this will be complemented by the presentation of a matrix including all the factors and ecosystem services influenced by land use change to bioenergy crop production under different climate change scenarios.

Sex Distribution of Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) in the Pacific

PubMed Central

Peñailillo, Johany; Olivares, Gabriela; Moncada, Ximena; Payacán, Claudia; Chang, Chi-Shan; Chung, Kuo-Fang; Matthews, Peter J.; Seelenfreund, Andrea; Seelenfreund, Daniela

2016-01-01

Background Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent) is a dioecious tree native to East Asia and mainland Southeast-Asia, introduced prehistorically to Polynesia as a source of bark fiber by Austronesian-speaking voyagers. In Oceania, trees are coppiced and harvested for production of bark-cloth, so flowering is generally unknown. A survey of botanical records of paper mulberry revealed a distributional disjunction: the tree is apparently absent in Borneo and the Philippines. A subsequent study of chloroplast haplotypes linked paper mulberry of Remote Oceania directly to a population in southern Taiwan, distinct from known populations in mainland Southeast-Asia. Methodology We describe the optimization and use of a DNA marker designed to identify sex in paper mulberry. We used this marker to determine the sex distribution in selected localities across Asia, Near and Remote Oceania. We also characterized all samples using the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS) in order to relate results to a previous survey of ITS diversity. Results In Near and Remote Oceania, contemporary paper mulberry plants are all female with the exception of Hawaii, where plants of both sexes are found. In its natural range in Asia, male and female plants are found, as expected. Male plants in Hawaii display an East Asian ITS genotype, consistent with modern introduction, while females in Remote Oceania share a distinctive variant. Conclusions Most paper mulberry plants now present in the Pacific appear to be descended from female clones introduced prehistorically. In Hawaii, the presence of male and female plants is thought to reflect a dual origin, one a prehistoric female introduction and the other a modern male introduction by Japanese/Chinese immigrants. If only female clones were dispersed from a source-region in Taiwan, this may explain the absence of botanical records and breeding populations in the Philippines and Borneo, and Remote Oceania. PMID:27529483

Setting priorities for land management to mitigate climate change

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background No consensus has been reached how to measure the effectiveness of climate change mitigation in the land-use sector and how to prioritize land use accordingly. We used the long-term cumulative and average sectorial C stocks in biomass, soil and products, C stock changes, the substitution of fossil energy and of energy-intensive products, and net present value (NPV) as evaluation criteria for the effectiveness of a hectare of productive land to mitigate climate change and produce economic returns. We evaluated land management options using real-life data of Thuringia, a region representative for central-western European conditions, and input from life cycle assessment, with a carbon-tracking model. We focused on solid biomass use for energy production. Results In forestry, the traditional timber production was most economically viable and most climate-friendly due to an assumed recycling rate of 80% of wood products for bioenergy. Intensification towards "pure bioenergy production" would reduce the average sectorial C stocks and the C substitution and would turn NPV negative. In the forest conservation (non-use) option, the sectorial C stocks increased by 52% against timber production, which was not compensated by foregone wood products and C substitution. Among the cropland options wheat for food with straw use for energy, whole cereals for energy, and short rotation coppice for bioenergy the latter was most climate-friendly. However, specific subsidies or incentives for perennials would be needed to favour this option. Conclusions When using the harvested products as materials prior to energy use there is no climate argument to support intensification by switching from sawn-wood timber production towards energy-wood in forestry systems. A legal framework would be needed to ensure that harvested products are first used for raw materials prior to energy use. Only an effective recycling of biomaterials frees land for long-term sustained C sequestration by conservation. Reuse cascades avoid additional emissions from shifting production or intensification. PMID:22423646

Melampsora rust species on biomass willows in central and north-eastern Germany.

PubMed

Bubner, Ben; Wunder, Sebastian; Zaspel, Irmtraut; Zander, Matthias; Gloger, Jan; Fehrenz, Steffen; Ulrichs, Christian

2014-11-01

Melampsora willow rusts are the most important fungal pathogens in short rotation coppices of biomass willows. In the past, breeding programmes for rust resistant biomass willows concentrated on the distinction of races within the forma specialis Melampsora larici-epitea f. sp. larici-epitea typica that colonized Salix viminalis and related clones. In a new breeding program that is based on a wider range of willow species it is necessary to identify further Melampsora species and formae specialis that are pathogens of willow species other than S. viminalis. Therefore, three stock collections with Salix daphnoides, Salix purpurea, and other shrub willow species (including S. viminalis) species were sampled in north-eastern Germany. A fourth stock collection in central Germany contributed rusts of tree willows (Salix fragilis and Salix alba) and the large shrub Salix caprea. Out of 156 rust samples, 149 were successfully sequenced for ITS rDNA. A phylogenetic analysis combining Neighbour-Joining, Maximum-Likelihood and Bayesian analysis revealed six species: Melampsora ribesii-purpureae, Melampsora allii-salicis-albae, Melampsora sp. aff. allii-fragilis, Melampsora larici-pentandrae, Melampsora larici-caprearum, and Melampsora larici-epitea. The first four species were found exclusively on the expected hosts. Melampsora larici-caprearum had a wider host range comprising S. caprea and S. viminalis hybrids. Melampsora larici-epitea can be further differentiated into two formae speciales. The forma specialis larici-epitea typica (59 samples) colonized Salix viminalis clones, Salix purpurea, Salix×dasyclados, and Salix×aquatica. In contrast to this relatively broad host range, f. sp. larici-daphnoides (65 samples) was found exclusively on Salix daphnoides. With the distinction and identification of the rust species/formae speciales it is now possible to test for race-specific resistances in a more targeted manner within the determined pairings of rust and willow species. Copyright © 2014 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Late Quaternary sedimentation on the Leidy Creek fan, Nevada-California: Geomorphic responses to climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reheis, M.C.; Slate, J.L.; Throckmorton, C.K.; McGeehin, J.P.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A. M.; Dengler, L.

1996-01-01

Well-dated surface and subsurface deposits in semiarid Fish Lake Valley, Nevada and California, demonstrate that alluvial-fan deposition is strongly associated with the warm dry climate of the last two interglacial intervals, and that fans were stable and (or) incised during the last glaciation. Fan deposition was probably triggered by a change from relatively moist to arid conditions causing a decrease in vegetation cover and increases in flash floods and sediment yield. We think that this scenario applies to most of the other valleys in the southern Basin and Range. Radiocarbon, tephra, and a few thermoluminescence and cosmogenic ages from outcrops throughout Fish Lake Valley and from cores on the Leidy Creek fan yield ages of > 100-50 ka and 11-0 ka for the last two periods of alluvial-fan deposition. Mapping, coring and shallow seismic profiling indicate that these periods were synchronous throughout the valley and on the proximal and distal parts of the fans. From 50 to 11 ka, fan deposition ceased, a soil formed on the older alluvium and the axial drainage became active as runoff and stream competence increased. Slow deposition due to sheet flow or aeolian processes locally continued during this interval, producing cumulic soil profiles. The soil was buried by debris-flow sediment beginning at about 11 ka, coincident with the onset of relatively dry and warm conditions in the region. However, ground-water discharge maintained a large freshwater marsh on the valley floor throughout the Holocene. Pulses of deposition during the Holocene are recorded in the marsh and fan deposits; some pulses coincided with periods of or transitions to warm, dry climate indicated by proxy climate records, whereas others may reflect local disturbances associated with volcanism and fires. Within the marsh deposits, much of the clastic material is probably desert loess. In addition, the deposition of coppice dunes within the fan deposits coincides with two dry periods during the late Holocene.

Holocene semi-arid oak woodlands in the Irano-Anatolian region of Southwest Asia: natural or anthropogenic?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asouti, Eleni; Kabukcu, Ceren

2014-04-01

It is commonly accepted that, following the end of the Pleistocene, semi-arid deciduous oak woodlands did not spread in the Irano-Anatolian region of Southwest Asia as quickly as they did in the Levantine Mediterranean littoral, despite the fact that climatic improvement occurred broadly at the same time in both regions. Prehistoric impacts on woodland vegetation (such as woodcutting, burning and clearance for cultivation), the harsh continental climate of inland Southwest Asia and its distance from late Pleistocene arboreal refugia have all been discussed in the literature as likely causes of the delay. In this paper we argue that semi-arid deciduous oak woodlands should not be viewed as part of the “natural” vegetation of the Irano-Anatolian region that has been progressively destroyed by millennia of human activities since the Neolithic. They represent instead one of the earliest anthropogenic vegetation types in Southwest Asia, one that owes its very existence to prehistoric landscape practices other scholars commonly label as “destructive”. Drawing on anthracological, pollen and modern vegetation data from central Anatolia we describe how the post-Pleistocene species-rich and structurally diverse temperate semi-arid savanna grasslands were gradually substituted by low-diversity, even-aged Quercus-dominated parklands and wood pastures in the course of the early Holocene. Economic strategies that encouraged the establishment and spread of deciduous oaks included sheep herding that impacted on grass and forb vegetation, the controlling of competing arboreal vegetation through woodcutting, and woodland management practices such as coppicing, pollarding and shredding that enhanced Quercus vegetative propagation, crown and stem growth. Understanding the origin and evolution of the Irano-Anatolian semi-arid oak woodlands of Southwest Asia is of critical importance for reconstructing the changing ecologies and geographical distributions of the progenitors of domesticated crop species, and the nature and scale of early agricultural impacts on the landscape.

Sex Distribution of Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) in the Pacific.

PubMed

Peñailillo, Johany; Olivares, Gabriela; Moncada, Ximena; Payacán, Claudia; Chang, Chi-Shan; Chung, Kuo-Fang; Matthews, Peter J; Seelenfreund, Andrea; Seelenfreund, Daniela

2016-01-01

Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent) is a dioecious tree native to East Asia and mainland Southeast-Asia, introduced prehistorically to Polynesia as a source of bark fiber by Austronesian-speaking voyagers. In Oceania, trees are coppiced and harvested for production of bark-cloth, so flowering is generally unknown. A survey of botanical records of paper mulberry revealed a distributional disjunction: the tree is apparently absent in Borneo and the Philippines. A subsequent study of chloroplast haplotypes linked paper mulberry of Remote Oceania directly to a population in southern Taiwan, distinct from known populations in mainland Southeast-Asia. We describe the optimization and use of a DNA marker designed to identify sex in paper mulberry. We used this marker to determine the sex distribution in selected localities across Asia, Near and Remote Oceania. We also characterized all samples using the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS) in order to relate results to a previous survey of ITS diversity. In Near and Remote Oceania, contemporary paper mulberry plants are all female with the exception of Hawaii, where plants of both sexes are found. In its natural range in Asia, male and female plants are found, as expected. Male plants in Hawaii display an East Asian ITS genotype, consistent with modern introduction, while females in Remote Oceania share a distinctive variant. Most paper mulberry plants now present in the Pacific appear to be descended from female clones introduced prehistorically. In Hawaii, the presence of male and female plants is thought to reflect a dual origin, one a prehistoric female introduction and the other a modern male introduction by Japanese/Chinese immigrants. If only female clones were dispersed from a source-region in Taiwan, this may explain the absence of botanical records and breeding populations in the Philippines and Borneo, and Remote Oceania.

Ozone concentrations and damage for realistic future European climate and air quality scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendriks, Carlijn; Forsell, Nicklas; Kiesewetter, Gregor; Schaap, Martijn; Schöpp, Wolfgang

2016-11-01

Ground level ozone poses a significant threat to human health from air pollution in the European Union. While anthropogenic emissions of precursor substances (NOx, NMVOC, CH4) are regulated by EU air quality legislation and will decrease further in the future, the emissions of biogenic NMVOC (mainly isoprene) may increase significantly in the coming decades if short-rotation coppice plantations are expanded strongly to meet the increased biofuel demand resulting from the EU decarbonisation targets. This study investigates the competing effects of anticipated trends in land use change, anthropogenic ozone precursor emissions and climate change on European ground level ozone concentrations and related health and environmental impacts until 2050. The work is based on a consistent set of energy consumption scenarios that underlie current EU climate and air quality policy proposals: a current legislation case, and an ambitious decarbonisation case. The Greenhouse Gas-Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) integrated assessment model was used to calculate air pollutant emissions for these scenarios, while land use change because of bioenergy demand was calculated by the Global Biosphere Model (GLOBIOM). These datasets were fed into the chemistry transport model LOTOS-EUROS to calculate the impact on ground level ozone concentrations. Health damage because of high ground level ozone concentrations is projected to decline significantly towards 2030 and 2050 under current climate conditions for both energy scenarios. Damage to plants is also expected to decrease but to a smaller extent. The projected change in anthropogenic ozone precursor emissions is found to have a larger impact on ozone damage than land use change. The increasing effect of a warming climate (+2-5 °C across Europe in summer) on ozone concentrations and associated health damage, however, might be higher than the reduction achieved by cutting back European ozone precursor emissions. Global action to reduce air pollutant emissions is needed to make sure that ozone damage in Europe decreases towards the middle of this century.

Land-use history as a major driver for long-term forest dynamics in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (central Spain) during the last millennia: implications for forest conservation and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales-Molino, César; Colombaroli, Daniele; Valbuena-Carabaña, María; Tinner, Willy; Salomón, Roberto L.; Carrión, José S.; Gil, Luis

2017-05-01

In the Mediterranean Basin, long-lasting human activities have largely resulted in forest degradation or destruction. Consequently, conservation efforts aimed at preserving and restoring Mediterranean forests often lack well-defined targets when using current forest composition and structure as a reference. In the Iberian mountains, the still widespread Pinus sylvestris and Quercus pyrenaica woodlands have been heavily impacted by land-use. To assess future developments and as a baseline for planning, forest managers are interested in understanding the origins of present ecosystems to disclose effects on forest composition that may influence future vegetation trajectories. Quantification of land-use change is particularly interesting to understand vegetation responses. Here we use three well-dated multi-proxy palaeoecological sequences from the Guadarrama Mountains (central Spain) to quantitatively reconstruct changes occurred in P. sylvestris forests and the P. sylvestris-Q. pyrenaica ecotone at multi-decadal to millennial timescales, and assess the driving factors. Our results show millennial stability of P. sylvestris forests under varying fire and climate conditions, with few transient declines caused by the combined effects of fire and grazing. The high value of pine timber in the past would account for long-lasting pine forest preservation and partly for the degradation of native riparian vegetation (mostly composed of Betula and Corylus). Pine forests further spread after planned forest management started at 1890 CE. In contrast, intensive coppicing and grazing caused Q. pyrenaica decline some centuries ago (ca. 1500-1650 CE), with unprecedented grazing during the last decades seriously compromising today's oak regeneration. Thus, land-use history played a major role in determining vegetation changes. Finally, we must highlight that the involvement of forest managers in this work has guaranteed a practical use of palaeoecological data in conservation and management practice.

Enhancing methane production from food waste fermentate using biochar: the added value of electrochemical testing in pre-selecting the most effective type of biochar.

PubMed

Cruz Viggi, Carolina; Simonetti, Serena; Palma, Enza; Pagliaccia, Pamela; Braguglia, Camilla; Fazi, Stefano; Baronti, Silvia; Navarra, Maria Assunta; Pettiti, Ida; Koch, Christin; Harnisch, Falk; Aulenta, Federico

2017-01-01

Recent studies have suggested that addition of electrically conductive biochar particles is an effective strategy to improve the methanogenic conversion of waste organic substrates, by promoting syntrophic associations between acetogenic and methanogenic organisms based on interspecies electron transfer processes. However, the underlying fundamentals of the process are still largely speculative and, therefore, a priori identification, screening, and even design of suitable biochar materials for a given biotechnological process are not yet possible. Here, three charcoal-like products (i.e., biochars) obtained from the pyrolysis of different lignocellulosic materials, (i.e., wheat bran pellets, coppiced woodlands, and orchard pruning) were tested for their capacity to enhance methane production from a food waste fermentate. In all biochar-supplemented (25 g/L) batch experiments, the complete methanogenic conversion of fermentate volatile fatty acids proceeded at a rate that was up to 5 times higher than that observed in the unamended (or sand-supplemented) controls. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed an intimate association between archaea and bacteria around the biochar particles and provided a clear indication that biochar also shaped the composition of the microbial consortium. Based on the application of a suite of physico-chemical and electrochemical characterization techniques, we demonstrated that the positive effect of biochar is directly related to the electron-donating capacity (EDC) of the material, but is independent of its bulk electrical conductivity and specific surface area. The latter properties were all previously hypothesized to play a major role in the biochar-mediated interspecies electron transfer process in methanogenic consortia. Collectively, these results of this study suggest that for biochar addition in anaerobic digester operation, the screening and identification of the most suitable biochar material should be based on EDC determination, via simple electrochemical tests.

The macroalgal carbonate factory at a cool-to-warm temperate marine transition, Southern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Noel P.; Reid, Catherine M.; Bone, Yvonne; Levings, Andrew; Malcolm, Isabelle

2013-06-01

The shallow neritic seafloor to depths of ~ 30 m along the coast of southwestern Victoria Australia, is the site of rocky reefs on volcanic and aeolianite bathymetric highs. The region, located near the warm- to cool-temperate environmental transition, is a site of prolific macroalgae (kelp) growth. Kelps are most prolific and diverse in high-energy, open-ocean environments whereas broad-leafed seagrasses, at their cold-water eastern limit, are restricted to local protected embayments. The seagrasses are reduced to one species of Amphibolis whereas the kelps are diverse and include the large intertidal bull kelp (Durvillaea), not present in warmer waters. The macroalgal forest extends from the intertidal to ~ 30 mwd (metres water depth) as a series of distinct biomes; 1) the Peritidal, 2) the Phaeophyte Forest (0-17 mwd), 3) the Rhodophyte Thicket (17-15 mwd), and 4) the Invertebrate Coppice (> 25 mwd). The Phaeophyte Forest is partitioned into a Durvillaea zone (0-2 mwd), a Phyllospora zone (2-10 mwd) and an Ecklonia zone (10-17mwd). The two major habitats within each biome comprise 1) an upward facing illuminated surface that supports a macroalgal canopy over an understorey of coralline algae and herbivorous gastropods, and 2) a separate, cryptic, shaded habitat dominated by a diverse community of filter-feeding invertebrates. These communities produce two different sediments; 1) geniculate and encrusting corallines and diverse gastropods from the upper surface, and 2) bryozoans, molluscs, barnacles, chitons, serpulids, and benthic foraminifers from the shaded, cryptic habitats. These particles are blended together with the latter becoming proportionally more abundant with increasing depth. Results of this study, when integrated with recent investigations in warm-temperate (South Australia) and cool-temperate (New Zealand) environments now define carbonate sedimentology of the macroalgal reef depositional system in this part of the northern Southern Ocean.

Modeling Mediterranean forest structure using airborne laser scanning data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottalico, Francesca; Chirici, Gherardo; Giannini, Raffaello; Mele, Salvatore; Mura, Matteo; Puxeddu, Michele; McRoberts, Ronald E.; Valbuena, Ruben; Travaglini, Davide

2017-05-01

The conservation of biological diversity is recognized as a fundamental component of sustainable development, and forests contribute greatly to its preservation. Structural complexity increases the potential biological diversity of a forest by creating multiple niches that can host a wide variety of species. To facilitate greater understanding of the contributions of forest structure to forest biological diversity, we modeled relationships between 14 forest structure variables and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data for two Italian study areas representing two common Mediterranean forests, conifer plantations and coppice oaks subjected to irregular intervals of unplanned and non-standard silvicultural interventions. The objectives were twofold: (i) to compare model prediction accuracies when using two types of ALS metrics, echo-based metrics and canopy height model (CHM)-based metrics, and (ii) to construct inferences in the form of confidence intervals for large area structural complexity parameters. Our results showed that the effects of the two study areas on accuracies were greater than the effects of the two types of ALS metrics. In particular, accuracies were less for the more complex study area in terms of species composition and forest structure. However, accuracies achieved using the echo-based metrics were only slightly greater than when using the CHM-based metrics, thus demonstrating that both options yield reliable and comparable results. Accuracies were greatest for dominant height (Hd) (R2 = 0.91; RMSE% = 8.2%) and mean height weighted by basal area (R2 = 0.83; RMSE% = 10.5%) when using the echo-based metrics, 99th percentile of the echo height distribution and interquantile distance. For the forested area, the generalized regression (GREG) estimate of mean Hd was similar to the simple random sampling (SRS) estimate, 15.5 m for GREG and 16.2 m SRS. Further, the GREG estimator with standard error of 0.10 m was considerable more precise than the SRS estimator with standard error of 0.69 m.

Impacts of near-future cultivation of biofuel feedstocks on atmospheric composition and local air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashworth, K.; Folberth, G.; Hewitt, C. N.; Wild, O.

2011-09-01

Large-scale production of feedstock crops for biofuels will lead to land-use changes. We quantify the effects of realistic land use change scenarios for biofuel feedstock production on isoprene emissions and hence atmospheric composition and chemistry using the HadGEM2 model. Two feedstocks are considered: oil palm for biodiesel in the tropics and short rotation coppice (SRC) in the mid-latitudes. In total, 69 Mha of oil palm and 92 Mha of SRC are planted, each sufficient to replace just over 1 % of projected global fossil fuel demand in 2020. Both planting scenarios result in increases in total global annual isoprene emissions of about 1 %. In each case, changes in surface concentrations of ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosol (bSOA) are significant at the regional scale and are detectable even at a global scale with implications for air quality standards. However, the changes in tropospheric burden of ozone and the OH radical, and hence effects on global climate, are negligible. The oil palm plantations and processing plants result in global average annual mean increases in ozone and bSOA of 38 pptv and 2 ng m-3 respectively. Over SE Asia, one region of planting, increases reach over 2 ppbv and 300 ng m-3 for large parts of Borneo. Planting of SRC causes global annual mean changes of 46 pptv and 3 ng m-3. Europe experiences peak monthly mean changes of almost 0.6 ppbv and 90 ng m-3 in June and July. Large areas of Central and Eastern Europe see changes of over 1.5 ppbv and 200 ng m-3 in the summer. That such significant atmospheric impacts from low level planting scenarios are discernible globally clearly demonstrates the need to include changes in emissions of reactive trace gases such as isoprene in life cycle assessments performed on potential biofuel feedstocks.

Genetics of phenotypic plasticity and biomass traits in hybrid willows across contrasting environments and years.

PubMed

Berlin, Sofia; Hallingbäck, Henrik R; Beyer, Friderike; Nordh, Nils-Erik; Weih, Martin; Rönnberg-Wästljung, Ann-Christin

2017-07-01

Phenotypic plasticity can affect the geographical distribution of taxa and greatly impact the productivity of crops across contrasting and variable environments. The main objectives of this study were to identify genotype-phenotype associations in key biomass and phenology traits and the strength of phenotypic plasticity of these traits in a short-rotation coppice willow population across multiple years and contrasting environments to facilitate marker-assisted selection for these traits. A hybrid Salix viminalis  × ( S. viminalis × Salix schwerinii ) population with 463 individuals was clonally propagated and planted in three common garden experiments comprising one climatic contrast between Sweden and Italy and one water availability contrast in Italy. Several key phenotypic traits were measured and phenotypic plasticity was estimated as the trait value difference between experiments. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping analyses were conducted using a dense linkage map and phenotypic effects of S. schwerinii haplotypes derived from detected QTL were assessed. Across the climatic contrast, clone predictor correlations for biomass traits were low and few common biomass QTL were detected. This indicates that the genetic regulation of biomass traits was sensitive to environmental variation. Biomass QTL were, however, frequently shared across years and across the water availability contrast. Phenology QTL were generally shared between all experiments. Substantial phenotypic plasticity was found among the hybrid offspring, that to a large extent had a genetic origin. Individuals carrying influential S. schwerinii haplotypes generally performed well in Sweden but less well in Italy in terms of biomass production. The results indicate that specific genetic elements of S. schwerinii are more suited to Swedish conditions than to those of Italy. Therefore, selection should preferably be conducted separately for such environments in order to maximize biomass production in admixed S. viminalis × S. schwerinii populations. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Interaction between isoprene and ozone fluxes at ecosystem level in a poplar plantation and its impact at European level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zenone, T.; Hendriks, C.; Brilli, F.; Gioli, B.; Portillo Estrada, M.; Schaap, M.; Ceulemans, R.

2015-12-01

The emissions of Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) from vegetation, mainly in form of isoprenoids, play an important role in the tropospheric ozone (O3) formation. The potential large expansion of isoprene emitter species (e.g. poplar) as biofuels feedstock might impact the ground level O3 formation. Here we report the simultaneous observations, using the eddy covariance (EC) technique, of isoprene, O3 and CO2 fluxes in a short rotation coppice (SRC) of poplar. The impact of current poplar plantations and associated isoprene emissions on ground level ozone concentrations for Europe was evaluated using a chemistry transport model (CTM) LOTOS-EUROS. The isoprene fluxes showed a well-defined seasonal and daily cycle that mirrored with the stomata O3 uptake. The isoprene emission and the stomata O3 uptake showed significant statistical relationship especially at elevated temperature. Isoprene was characterized by a remarkable peak of emissions (e.g. 38 nmol m-2s-1) occurring for few days as a consequence of the rapid variation of the air and surface temperature. During these days the photosynthetic apparatus (i.e. the CO2 fluxes) and transpiration rates did not show significant variation while we did observe a variation of the energy exchange and a reduction of the bowen ratio. The response of isoprene emissions to ambient O3 concentration follows the common form of the hormetic dose-response curve with a considerable reduction of the isoprene emissions at [O3] > 80 ppbv indicating a potential damping effect of the O3 levels on isoprene. Under the current condition the impact of SRC plantations on ozone concentrations / formation is very limited in Europe. Our findings indicate that, even with future scenarios with more SRC, or conventional poplar plantations, the impact on Ozone formation is negligible.

Economic assessment of flash co-pyrolysis of short rotation coppice and biopolymer waste streams.

PubMed

Kuppens, T; Cornelissen, T; Carleer, R; Yperman, J; Schreurs, S; Jans, M; Thewys, T

2010-12-01

The disposal problem associated with phytoextraction of farmland polluted with heavy metals by means of willow requires a biomass conversion technique which meets both ecological and economical needs. Combustion and gasification of willow require special and costly flue gas treatment to avoid re-emission of the metals in the atmosphere, whereas flash pyrolysis mainly results in the production of (almost) metal free bio-oil with a relatively high water content. Flash co-pyrolysis of biomass and waste of biopolymers synergistically improves the characteristics of the pyrolysis process: e.g. reduction of the water content of the bio-oil, more bio-oil and less char production and an increase of the HHV of the oil. This research paper investigates the economic consequences of the synergistic effects of flash co-pyrolysis of 1:1 w/w ratio blends of willow and different biopolymer waste streams via cost-benefit analysis and Monte Carlo simulations taking into account uncertainties. In all cases economic opportunities of flash co-pyrolysis of biomass with biopolymer waste are improved compared to flash pyrolysis of pure willow. Of all the biopolymers under investigation, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most promising, followed by Eastar, Biopearls, potato starch, polylactic acid (PLA), corn starch and Solanyl in order of decreasing profits. Taking into account uncertainties, flash co-pyrolysis is expected to be cheaper than composting biopolymer waste streams, except for corn starch. If uncertainty increases, composting also becomes more interesting than flash co-pyrolysis for waste of Solanyl. If the investment expenditure is 15% higher in practice than estimated, the preference for flash co-pyrolysis compared to composting biopolymer waste becomes less clear. Only when the system of green current certificates is dismissed, composting clearly is a much cheaper processing technique for disposing of biopolymer waste. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon cycling and net ecosystem production at an early stage of secondary succession in an abandoned coppice forest.

PubMed

Ohtsuka, Toshiyuki; Shizu, Yoko; Nishiwaki, Ai; Yashiro, Yuichiro; Koizumi, Hiroshi

2010-07-01

Secondary mixed forests are one of the dominant forest cover types in human-dominated temperate regions. However, our understanding of how secondary succession affects carbon cycling and carbon sequestration in these ecosystems is limited. We studied carbon cycling and net ecosystem production (NEP) over 4 years (2004-2008) in a cool-temperate deciduous forest at an early stage of secondary succession (18 years after clear-cutting). Net primary production of the 18-year-old forest in this study was 5.2 tC ha(-1 )year(-1), including below-ground coarse roots; this was partitioned into 2.5 tC ha(-1 )year(-1) biomass increment, 1.6 tC ha(-1 )year(-1) foliage litter, and 1.0 tC ha(-1 )year(-1) other woody detritus. The total amount of annual soil surface CO(2) efflux was 6.8 tC ha(-1 )year(-1), which included root respiration (1.9 tC ha(-1 )year(-1)) and heterotrophic respiration (RH) from soils (4.9 tC ha(-1 )year(-1)). The 18-year forest at this study site exhibited a great increase in biomass pool as a result of considerable total tree growth and low mortality of tree stems. In contrast, the soil organic matter (SOM) pool decreased markedly (-1.6 tC ha(-1 )year(-1)), although further study of below-ground detritus production and RH of SOM decomposition is needed. This young 18-year forest was a weak carbon sink (0.9 tC ha(-1 )year(-1)) at this stage of secondary succession. The NEP of this 18-year forest is likely to increase gradually because biomass increases with tree growth and with the improvement of the SOM pool through increasing litter and dead wood production with stand development.

Bioethanol from poplar: a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuel in the European Union.

PubMed

Littlewood, Jade; Guo, Miao; Boerjan, Wout; Murphy, Richard J

2014-01-01

The European Union has made it a strategic objective to develop its biofuels market in order to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to help mitigate climate change and to address energy insecurity within the transport sector. Despite targets set at national and supranational levels, lignocellulosic bioethanol production has yet to be widely commercialized in the European Union. Here, we use techno-economic modeling to compare the price of bioethanol produced from short rotation coppice (SRC) poplar feedstocks under two leading processing technologies in five European countries. Our evaluation shows that the type of processing technology and varying national costs between countries results in a wide range of bioethanol production prices (€0.275 to 0.727/l). The lowest production prices for bioethanol were found in countries that had cheap feedstock costs and high prices for renewable electricity. Taxes and other costs had a significant influence on fuel prices at the petrol station, and therefore the presence and amount of government support for bioethanol was a major factor determining the competitiveness of bioethanol with conventional fuel. In a forward-looking scenario, genetically engineering poplar with a reduced lignin content showed potential to enhance the competitiveness of bioethanol with conventional fuel by reducing overall costs by approximately 41% in four out of the five countries modeled. However, the possible wider phenotypic traits of advanced poplars needs to be fully investigated to ensure that these do not unintentionally negate the cost savings indicated. Through these evaluations, we highlight the key bottlenecks within the bioethanol supply chain from the standpoint of various stakeholders. For producers, technologies that are best suited to the specific feedstock composition and national policies should be optimized. For policymakers, support schemes that benefit emerging bioethanol producers and allow renewable fuel to be economically competitive with petrol should be established. Finally, for researchers, better control over plant genetic engineering and advanced breeding and its consequential economic impact would bring valuable contributions towards developing an economically sustainable bioethanol market within the European Union.

N2O release from agro-biofuel production negates global warming reduction by replacing fossil fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crutzen, P. J.; Mosier, A. R.; Smith, K. A.; Winiwarter, W.

2008-01-01

The relationship, on a global basis, between the amount of N fixed by chemical, biological or atmospheric processes entering the terrestrial biosphere, and the total emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), has been re-examined, using known global atmospheric removal rates and concentration growth of N2O as a proxy for overall emissions. For both the pre-industrial period and in recent times, after taking into account the large-scale changes in synthetic N fertiliser production, we find an overall conversion factor of 3-5% from newly fixed N to N2O-N. We assume the same factor to be valid for biofuel production systems. It is covered only in part by the default conversion factor for "direct" emissions from agricultural crop lands (1%) estimated by IPCC (2006), and the default factors for the "indirect" emissions (following volatilization/deposition and leaching/runoff of N: 0.35-0.45%) cited therein. However, as we show in the paper, when additional emissions included in the IPCC methodology, e.g. those from livestock production, are included, the total may not be inconsistent with that given by our "top-down" method. When the extra N2O emission from biofuel production is calculated in "CO2-equivalent" global warming terms, and compared with the quasi-cooling effect of "saving" emissions of fossil fuel derived CO2, the outcome is that the production of commonly used biofuels, such as biodiesel from rapeseed and bioethanol from corn (maize), depending on N fertilizer uptake efficiency by the plants, can contribute as much or more to global warming by N2O emissions than cooling by fossil fuel savings. Crops with less N demand, such as grasses and woody coppice species, have more favourable climate impacts. This analysis only considers the conversion of biomass to biofuel. It does not take into account the use of fossil fuel on the farms and for fertilizer and pesticide production, but it also neglects the production of useful co-products. Both factors partially compensate each other. This needs to be analyzed in a full life cycle assessment.

Bioethanol from poplar clone Imola: an environmentally viable alternative to fossil fuel?

PubMed

Guo, Miao; Li, Changsheng; Facciotto, Gianni; Bergante, Sara; Bhatia, Rakesh; Comolli, Roberto; Ferré, Chiara; Murphy, Richard

2015-01-01

Environmental issues, e.g. climate change, fossil resource depletion have triggered ambitious national/regional policies to develop biofuel and bioenergy roles within the overall energy portfolio to achieve decarbonising the global economy and increase energy security. With the 10 % binding target for the transport sector, the Renewable Energy Directive confirms the EU's commitment to renewable transport fuels especially advanced biofuels. Imola is an elite poplar clone crossed from Populus deltoides Bartr. and Populus nigra L. by Research Units for Intensive Wood Production, Agriculture Research Council in Italy. This study examines its suitability for plantation cultivation under short or very short rotation coppice regimes as a potential lignocellulosic feedstock for the production of ethanol as a transport biofuel. A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used to model the cradle-to-gate environmental profile of Imola-derived biofuel benchmarked against conventional fossil gasoline. Specific attention was given to analysing the agroecosystem fluxes of carbon and nitrogen occurring in the cultivation of the Imola biomass in the biofuel life cycle using a process-oriented biogeochemistry model (DeNitrification-DeComposition) specifically modified for application to 2G perennial bioenergy crops and carbon and nitrogen cycling. Our results demonstrate that carbon and nitrogen cycling in perennial crop-soil ecosystems such as this example can be expected to have significant effects on the overall environmental profiles of 2G biofuels. In particular, soil carbon accumulation in perennial biomass plantations is likely to be a significant component in the overall greenhouse gas balance of future biofuel and other biorefinery products and warrants ongoing research and data collection for LCA models. We conclude that bioethanol produced from Imola represents a promising alternative transport fuel offering some savings ranging from 35 to 100 % over petrol in global warming potential, ozone depletion and photochemical oxidation impact categories. Via comparative analyses for Imola-derived bioethanol across potential supply chains, we highlight priority issues for potential improvement in 2G biofuel profiling. Advanced clones of poplar such as Imola for 2G biofuel production in Italy as modelled here show potential to deliver an environmentally sustainable lignocellulosic biorefinery industry and accelerate advanced biofuel penetration in the transport sector.

Plant Uptake of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances at a Contaminated Fire Training Facility to Evaluate the Phytoremediation Potential of Various Plant Species.

PubMed

Gobelius, Laura; Lewis, Jeffrey; Ahrens, Lutz

2017-11-07

Fire training facilities and other areas suffer from serious per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in soil, surface water, and groundwater due to regular practices with PFAS-containing aqueous firefighting foams (AFFFs). Therefore, the uptake of 26 PFASs in plants and the contamination of soil and groundwater has been investigated at a fire training site at Stockholm Arlanda airport, Stockholm (Sweden) in 2016. Elevated ∑ 26 PFAS levels were detected in soil and groundwater ranging from 16 to 160 ng g -1 dry weight (dw) and 1200-34 000 ng L -1 , respectively. Samples from different plant species and tissues (i.e., roots, trunk/cores, twigs, leaves/needles) of the local plant community were taken, namely silver birch (Betula pendula), Norway spruce (Picea abies), bird cherry (Prunus padus), mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia), ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), long beechfern (Phegopteris connectilis), and wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca). The plants showed a high variability of concentrations with highest ∑ 26 PFAS concentrations in vegetative compartments with up to 97 ng g -1 wet weight (ww) and 94 ng g -1 ww in birch leaves and spruce needles, respectively. Annual ground cover plants such as long beechfern and ground elder, and bushes like bird cherry showed concentrations up to 6.9, 23, and 21 ng g -1 ww, respectively. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs; plant/soil ratios) were highest in foliage, while the total tree burden of ∑ 26 PFASs per tree was up to 11 mg for birch and 1.8 mg for spruce. Considering a shelterwood system with mixed stands of silver birch and spruce in combination with regular harvest of leaves and birch sap and an understory of ground elder, it is potentially feasible to remove 1.4 g of ∑ 26 PFASs per year and hectare from (heavily) contaminated sites. An alternative approach is the coppicing of birch trees in combination with an understory of ground elder, potentially removing 0.65 g yr -1 ha -1 of ∑ 26 PFASs, while a simple meadow with ground elder can remove 0.55 g yr -1 ha -1 ∑ 26 PFASs.

Leaf responsiveness of Populus tremula and Salix viminalis to soil contaminated with heavy metals and acidic rainwater.

PubMed

Hermle, Sandra; Vollenweider, Pierre; Günthardt-Goerg, Madeleine S; McQuattie, Carolyn J; Matyssek, Rainer

2007-11-01

Fast-growing trees such as Salix viminalis L. and Populus tremula L. are well suited to phytoremediate heavy metal contaminated soils. However, information on tree performance, particularly leaf function, under conditions of heavy metal contamination is scarce. We used yearly coppiced saplings of S. viminalis and P. tremula growing in model ecosytems to test four hypotheses: (1) heavy metal contamination impairs photosynthesis by injuring leaf structure; (2) the effects of heavy metal contamination are enhanced by acidified rainwater and low soil pH; (3) heavy metal contamination increases dark respiration and, thus, repair processes; and (4) heavy metal contamination is tolerated and remediated better by S. viminalis than by P. tremula. We investigated heavy metal accumulation, tissue injury and gas exchange in leaves of plants subjected to controlled soil contamination with heavy metal dust. Additional treatments included acidic and calcareous natural forest subsoils in combination with irrigation with rainwater at pH 5.5 or 3.5. In both provenances of P. tremula that were studied, but not in S. viminalis, heavy metal treatment reduced photosynthesis and transpiration by varying amounts, except in the hot and dry summer of 2003, but had no effect on dark respiration. At light saturation, net CO(2) uptake and water-use efficiency were reduced by heavy metal contamination, whereas the CO(2) concentration in the leaf intercellular air space was increased. Rainwater pH and subsoil pH only slightly modified the effects of the heavy metal treatment on P. tremula. Gas exchange responses of P. tremula to heavy metals were attributed to leaf structural and ultrastructural changes resulting from hypersensitive-response-like processes and accelerated mesophyll cell senescence and necroses in the lower epidermis, especially along the transport pathways of heavy metals in the leaf lamina. Overall, the effects of heavy metals on P. tremula corroborated Hypothesis 1, but refuted Hypotheses 2 and 3, and were inconclusive for Hypothesis 4. Both P. tremula and S. viminalis showed appreciable potential for storing heavy metals in aging foliage.

Hydropyrolysis of biomass to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Report on Energy Tree Farm Workshop No. 2, Hilo, Hawaii, June 1982

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Troy, M.

1982-11-01

Results of the workshop show that a eucalyptus tree plantation, including a small nursery to produce the seedlings not available from the Waimea State Tree Nursery, could be established on 12,000 acres of Puna Sugar Company land. At approximately six years of age, the trees could be harvested, chipped, and burned in the renovated Puna Sugar Company's bagasse boiler to generate electricity. The cost of a bone dry ton of chips would be $37 if a real money rate of 3% is assumed, and $50 at a real money rate of 8%. Electricity could be produced at 7.7 cents permore » kWh assuming a 3% real money rate, and at 9.8 cents per kWh at an 8% rate. This workshop included an evaluation of soils at the selected Keeau site. Tree crop requirements were matched with soil and other environmental characteristics such as rainfall, altitude, and temperature. Leucaena Leucocephala, L. diversifolia, Eucalyptus saligna, E. grandis, and E. robusta were among the primary species considered, and based upon known environmental requirements and previous experience, E. grandis was selected. A conservative yield estimate for E. grandis at the specified site is 10 bone dry tons (20 green tons)/acre/year of total biomass. The 12,000 acre area would be planted continuously over period of six years at an annual production rate of 2000 acres per year. Spacing would be 6x6, or 1210 trees per acre, which, including a 10% seedling discard rate, would bring the total number of seedlings required to 2.7 million/year. Harvesting operations would begin in the 7th year, and three coppice crops would be harvested before replanting became necessary again. For the production of 120,000 bone dry tons (240,000 green tons) per year, four separate harvesting systems would be needed. Each would consist of 1 mobile whole tree chipper, 2 tracked feller-bunchers, 3 rubber-tired and tracked grapple skidders, 2 truck trailers, 3 chip vans, and 1 D-4 dozer. 10 figures, 31 tables.« less

Modelling impacts of second generation bioenergy production on Ecosystem Services in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henner, Dagmar; Smith, Pete; Davies, Christian; McNamara, Niall

2016-04-01

Bioenergy crops are an important source of renewable energy and are a possible mechanism to mitigate global climate warming, by replacing fossil fuel energy with higher greenhouse gas emissions. There is, however, uncertainty about the impacts of the growth of bioenergy crops on ecosystem services. This uncertainty is further enhanced by the unpredictable climate change currently going on. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive model that covers high impact, policy relevant ecosystem services at a Continental scale including biodiversity and pollination, water and air security, erosion control and soil security, GHG emissions, soil C and cultural services like tourism value. The technical distribution potential and likely yield of second generation energy crops, such as Miscanthus, Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) with willow, poplar, eucalyptus and other broadleaf species and Short Rotation Forestry (SRF), is currently being modelled using ECOSSE, DayCent, SalixFor and MiscanFor, and ecosystem models will be used to examine the impacts of these crops on ecosystem services. The project builds on models of energy crop production, biodiversity, soil impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and other ecosystem services, and on work undertaken in the UK on the ETI-funded ELUM project (www.elum.ac.uk). In addition, methods like water footprint tools, tourism value maps and ecosystem valuation tools and models (e.g. InVest, TEEB database, GREET LCA Model, World Business Council for Sustainable Development corporate ecosystem valuation, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Ecosystem Services Framework) will be utilised. Research will focus on optimisation of land use change feedbacks on above named ecosystem services, impact on food security, land management practices and impacts from climate change. We will present results for GHG emissions and soil organic carbon change after different land use change scenarios (e.g. arable to Miscanthus, forest to SRF), and with different climate warming scenarios. Further, we will show modelled yield maps for Miscanthus, Salix and Poplar in Europe and will present constraint/opportunity maps for Europe based on yield modelled and other factors e.g. total economic value, technical potential, current land use, trade off and synergies, and so on. All this will be complemented by the presentation of a matrix including the factors and ecosystem services influenced by land use change to bioenergy crop production under different climate change scenarios.

Aeolian responses to climate variability during the past century on Mesquite Lake Playa, Mojave Desert

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitney, John W.; Breit, George N.; Buckingham, S.E.; Reynolds, Richard L.; Bogle, Rian C.; Luo, Lifeng; Goldstein, Harland L.; Vogel, John M.

2015-01-01

The erosion and deposition of sediments by wind from 1901 to 2013 have created large changes in surface features of Mesquite Lake playa in the Mojave Desert. The decadal scale recurrence of sand-sheet development, migration, and merging with older dunes appears related to decadal climatic changes of drought and wetness as recorded in the precipitation history of the Mojave Desert, complemented by modeled soil-moisture index values. Historical aerial photographs, repeat land photographs, and satellite images document the presence and northward migration of a mid-20th century sand sheet that formed during a severe regional drought that coincided with a multi-decadal cool phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The sand sheet slowly eroded during the wetter conditions of the subsequent PDO warm phase (1977–1998) due to a lack of added sediment. Sand cohesion gradually increased in the sand sheet by seasonal additions of salt and clay and by re-precipitation of gypsum, which resulted in the wind-carving of yardangs in the receding sand sheet. Smaller yardangs were aerodynamically shaped from coppice dunes with salt-clay crusts, and larger yardangs were carved along the walls and floor of trough blowouts. Evidence of a 19th century cycle of sand-sheet formation and erosion is indicated by remnants of yardangs, photographed in 1901 and 1916, that were found buried in the mid-20th century sand sheet. Three years of erosion measurements on the playa, yardangs, and sand sheets document relatively rapid wind erosion. The playa has lowered 20 to 40 cm since the mid-20th century and a shallow deflation basin has developed since 1999. Annually, 5–10 cm of surface sediment was removed from yardang flanks by a combination of wind abrasion, deflation, and mass movement. The most effective erosional processes are wind stripping of thin crusts that form on the yardang surfaces after rain events and the slumping of sediment blocks from yardang flanks. These wind-eroded landforms persist several decades to a century before eroding away or being buried by younger sands. On Mesquite Lake playa the climatic history of alternating PDO phases of multi-decadal drought and wetness is recorded twice by the presence of yardangs formed nearly a century apart.

Detecting local establishment strategies of wild cherry (Prunus avium L.).

PubMed

Höltken, Aki M; Gregorius, Hans-Rolf

2006-10-04

P. avium, a pioneer tree species that colonizes early forest successional stages, is assumed to require an effective strategy allowing stably repeatable rounds of local establishment, dispersal and local extinction. Consequently, the early replacement of cherry by climax tree species makes the establishment of several local generations very unlikely, especially in central European continuous cover forests. This has to be seen in connection with the mixed reproduction system involving asexual reproduction as a complementary adaptational strategy. Tests of the local establishment of wild cherry must therefore consider the possibility of first generation establishment via seedling recruitment potentially followed by an asexual generation (root suckering). Successful establishment can therefore be determined only among adult individuals with the option of detecting vegetative reproduction at these stages. To test the implied suggestion about local establishment strategies of wild cherry, nuclear microsatellites were used to analyse patterns of asexual propagation among adult stages that have been subjected to one of two major types of forest management. These management types, the historical "coppice with standards system" (CWS) and the "high forest system" (HFS), can be reasonably assumed to have affected the reproduction system of P. avium. Clear differences were found in the reproduction pattern between two stands representing the two forest management types: 1) Clonal propagation is observed in both management systems, but with a distinctly higher frequency in the CWS. Hence, sexual recruitment as a first local generation is followed by a second asexual generation in both, whereas in the CWS there is evidence for an additional clonal generation. 2) The estimation of amounts of clonal reproduction critically depends on the assumptions about multilocus gene associations. This is revealed by the application of newly developed methods of quantifying gene associations. 3) Haplotype diversities are higher in the CWS and found to be associated with a large degree of heterozygosity for the second largest clonal group. 4) Seed set was sparse over the last eight years of observation in the CWS stand. This study provides useful guidelines for more comprehensive investigations, particularly on the interrelationships between degrees of cloning and capacity of sexual reproduction, amounts of multilocus gene associations, effects of heterozygosity on cloning success, and sustainability of different forest management types.

Effects of free-range access on production parameters and meat quality, composition and taste in slow-growing broiler chickens.

PubMed

Stadig, Lisanne M; Rodenburg, T Bas; Reubens, Bert; Aerts, Johan; Duquenne, Barbara; Tuyttens, Frank A M

2016-12-01

Demand for meat from free-range broiler chickens is increasing in several countries. Consumers are motivated by better animal welfare and other product attributes such as quality and taste. However, scientific literature is not unanimous about whether free-range access influences quality, composition, and taste of the meat. Because chickens normally do not use free-range areas optimally, it is possible that provision of more suitable shelter will lead to more pronounced differences between chickens raised indoors and outdoors. In this study, an experiment with 2 production rounds of 600 slow-growing broilers each was performed. In each round, 200 chickens were raised indoors (IN), 200 had free-range access to grassland with artificial shelter (AS), and 200 had free-range access to short-rotation coppice with willow (SRC). Free-range use, feed intake, and growth were monitored, and after slaughter (d72) meat quality, composition, and taste were assessed. Free-range use was higher in SRC than in AS chickens (42.8 vs. 35.1%, P < 0.001). IN chickens were heavier at d70 than AS and SRC chickens (2.79 vs. 2.66 and 2.68 kg, P = 0.005). However, feed intake and conversion did not differ. Breast meat of chickens with free-range access was darker (P = 0.021) and yellower (P = 0.001) than that of IN chickens. Ultimate pH was lower (5.73 vs. 5.79; P = 0.006) and drip loss higher (1.29 vs. 1.09%; P = 0.05) in IN versus AS chickens. The percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids was higher in AS than in IN meat (35.84 vs. 34.59%; P = 0.021). The taste panel judged breast meat of SRC chickens to be more tender (P = 0.003) and less fibrous (P = 0.013) compared to that of AS and IN chickens, and juicier compared to the IN chickens (P = 0.017). Overall, free-range access negatively affected slaughter weight, but positively affected meat quality, taste, and composition. Only a few differences between AS and SRC were found, possibly due to limited differences in free-range use. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Fast Growing Plantations for Wood Production - Integration of Ecological Effects and Economic Perspectives.

PubMed

Bredemeier, Michael; Busch, Gerald; Hartmann, Linda; Jansen, Martin; Richter, Falk; Lamersdorf, Norbert P

2015-01-01

Biomass crops are perceived as a feasible means to substitute sizeable amounts of fossil fuel in the future. A prospect of CO2 reduction (resp. CO2 neutrality) is credited to biomass fuels, and thus a potential contribution to mitigate climate change. Short rotation coppices (SRCs) with fast growing poplar and willow trees are an option for producing high yields of woody biomass, which is suitable for both energetic and material use. One negative effect that comes along with the establishment of SRC may be a decrease in groundwater recharge, because high rates of transpiration and interception are anticipated. Therefore, it is important to measure, analyze, and model the effects of SRC-planting on landscape water budgets. To analyze the effects on the water budget, a poplar SRC plot was studied by measuring hydrological parameters to be used in the hydrological model WaSim. Results reveal very low or even missing ground water recharge for SRC compared to agricultural land use or grassland, especially succeeding dry years. However, this strong effect on plot level is moderated on the larger spatial scale of catchment level, for which the modeling was also performed. In addition to water, nutrient fluxes and budgets were studied. Nitrogen is still a crucial issue in today's agriculture. Intensive fertilization or increased applications of manure from concentrated livestock breeding are often leading to high loads of nitrate leaching, or enhanced N2O emissions to the atmosphere on arable crop fields. SRC or agroforestry systems on former crop land may offer an option to decrease such N losses, while simultaneously producing woody biomass. This is mainly due to the generally smaller N requirements of woody vegetation, which usually entail no need for any fertilization. The trees supply deep and permanent rooting systems, which can be regarded as a "safety net" to prevent nutrient leaching. Thus, SRC altogether can help to diminish N eutrophication. It is important to offer viable and attractive economic perspectives to farmers and other land managers besides of the potential ecological benefits of SRCs. For this reason, an integrated tool for scenario analysis was developed within the BEST project ("BEAST - Bio-Energy Allocation and Scenario Tool"). It combines ecological assessments with calculations of economic revenue as a basis for a participative regional dialog on sustainable land use and climate protection goals. Results show a substantial capacity for providing renewable energy from economically competitive arable SRC sites while generating ecological synergies.

Bioenergy and biodiversity: Intensified biomass extraction from hedges impairs habitat conditions for birds.

PubMed

Sauerbrei, Ralf; Aue, Birgit; Krippes, Christian; Diehl, Eva; Wolters, Volkmar

2017-02-01

Biomass is increasingly used as an alternative source for energy in Europe. Woody material cut from hedges is considered to provide a suitable complement to maize and oilseed rape, which are currently the dominant biomass sources. Since shrubs and trees are also important habitats for birds, however, coppicing of hedges at the landscape scale may adversely affect the diversity of the avifauna. To evaluate this risk, we estimated the response of hedge birds to three management scenarios differing in cutting intensity and hedge selection. The analysis was done using hedge data of the Lautertal municipality (n = 339 hedges; Vogelsberg area, Hesse, Germany). It focused on 25 bird species, which are all listed in the hedge programme of the German Ornithological Stations. Information on the preferences of these birds for certain hedge features such as height or width was gathered by an extensive literature review. A cluster analysis on the consolidated literature data allowed us to identify three groups of birds according to their preference for certain hedge attributes. Two groups, which included Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella L.) (i) and Blackbird (Turdus merula L.) (ii), favoured trees located in hedges, but differed in their preference for hedge shape, with (i) being attracted by long and broad hedges and (ii) by high hedges. The third group, which included the Whitethroat (Sylvia communis L.), preferred small hedges with gaps and medium vegetation density. Spatially explicit suitability models based on these data allowed us to predict the status quo of hedge suitability for these species groups. Field surveys proved the accuracy of the predictions to be sufficient, since the hedge suitability predicted was significantly and positively correlated to the occurrence of 9 out of the 12 testable focal species. Our models predicted biomass extraction to almost always reduce hedge suitability for the three bird groups. Concerning the Yellowhammer and the Blackbird group, a high level of biomass extraction reduced hedge suitability by approximately 20%. We thus conclude that intensively extracting biomass can significantly reduce hedge suitability for birds, despite considerable differences in habitat requirements. Considering the variable response of the bird groups to our scenarios as well as the variation in habitat occupancy by birds, however, cutting woody material from hedges nevertheless provides an option to reduce adverse effects of bioenergy production on biodiversity at the landscape scale, as long as hedge management is based on the best knowledge available. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of shelter type, early environmental enrichment and weather conditions on free-range behaviour of slow-growing broiler chickens.

PubMed

Stadig, L M; Rodenburg, T B; Ampe, B; Reubens, B; Tuyttens, F A M

2017-06-01

Free-range use by broiler chickens is often limited, whereas better use of the free-range area could benefit animal welfare. Use of free-range areas could be stimulated by more appropriate shelter or environmental enrichment (by decreasing birds' fearfulness). This study aimed to assess the effects of shelter type, early environmental enrichment and weather conditions on free-range use. Three production rounds with 440 slow-growing broiler chickens (Sasso T451) were carried out. Birds were housed indoors in four groups (two with males, two with females) from days 0 to 25, during which two of the groups received environmental enrichment. At day 23 birds' fearfulness was assessed with a tonic immobility (TI) test (n=100). At day 25 all birds were moved (in mixed-sex groups) to mobile houses, and provided with free-range access from day 28 onwards. Each group could access a range consisting for 50% of grassland with 21 artificial shelters (ASs, wooden A-frames) and for 50% of short rotation coppice (SRC) with willow (dense vegetation). Free-range use was recorded by live observations at 0900, 1300 and 1700 h for 15 to 21 days between days 28 and 63. For each bird observed outside the shelter type (AS or SRC), distance from the house (0 to 2, 2 to 5, >5 m) and its behaviour (only rounds 2 and 3) were recorded. Weather conditions were recorded by four weather stations. On average, 27.1% of the birds were observed outside at any given moment of observation. Early environmental enrichment did not decrease fearfulness as measured by the TI test. It only had a minor effect on the percentage of birds outside (0.4% more birds outside). At all distances from the house, SRC was preferred over AS. In AS, areas closer to the house were preferred over farther ones, in SRC this was less pronounced. Free-range use increased with age and temperature and decreased with wind speed. In AS, rainfall and decreasing solar radiation were related to finding more birds outside, whereas the opposite was true in SRC. Behaviour of the birds depended on shelter type, distance from the house, early environmental enrichment, time of day and age. Chickens ranged more and farther in SRC, possibly because this provided a greater sense of safety because of the amount of cover and/or better protection against adverse weather conditions. These results indicate that SRC with willow is a more appropriate shelter for slow-growing broiler chickens than A-frames.

Mineral Types and Tree Species Determine the Functional and Taxonomic Structures of Forest Soil Bacterial Communities.

PubMed

Colin, Y; Nicolitch, O; Turpault, M-P; Uroz, S

2017-03-01

Although minerals represent important soil constituents, their impact on the diversity and structure of soil microbial communities remains poorly documented. In this study, pure mineral particles with various chemistries (i.e., obsidian, apatite, and calcite) were considered. Each mineral type was conditioned in mesh bags and incubated in soil below different tree stands (beech, coppice with standards, and Corsican pine) for 2.5 years to determine the relative impacts of mineralogy and mineral weatherability on the taxonomic and functional diversities of mineral-associated bacterial communities. After this incubation period, the minerals and the surrounding bulk soil were collected to determine mass loss and to perform soil analyses, enzymatic assays, and cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Notably, our 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analyses revealed that after the 2.5-year incubation period, the mineral-associated bacterial communities strongly differed from those of the surrounding bulk soil for all tree stands considered. When focusing only on minerals, our analyses showed that the bacterial communities associated with calcite, the less recalcitrant mineral type, significantly differed from those that colonized obsidian and apatite minerals. The cultivation-dependent analysis revealed significantly higher abundances of effective mineral-weathering bacteria on the most recalcitrant minerals (i.e., apatite and obsidian). Together, our data showed an enrichment of Betaproteobacteria and effective mineral-weathering bacteria related to the Burkholderia and Collimonas genera on the minerals, suggesting a key role for these taxa in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Forests are usually developed on nutrient-poor and rocky soils, while nutrient-rich soils have been dedicated to agriculture. In this context, nutrient recycling and nutrient access are key processes in such environments. Deciphering how soil mineralogy influences the diversity, structure, and function of soil bacterial communities in relation to the soil conditions is crucial to better understanding the relative role of the soil bacterial communities in nutrient cycling and plant nutrition in nutrient-poor environments. The present study determined in detail the diversity and structure of bacterial communities associated with different mineral types incubated for 2.5 years in the soil under different tree species using cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Our data showed an enrichment of specific bacterial taxa on the minerals, specifically on the most weathered minerals, suggesting that they play key roles in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Mineral Types and Tree Species Determine the Functional and Taxonomic Structures of Forest Soil Bacterial Communities

PubMed Central

Colin, Y.; Nicolitch, O.; Turpault, M.-P.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Although minerals represent important soil constituents, their impact on the diversity and structure of soil microbial communities remains poorly documented. In this study, pure mineral particles with various chemistries (i.e., obsidian, apatite, and calcite) were considered. Each mineral type was conditioned in mesh bags and incubated in soil below different tree stands (beech, coppice with standards, and Corsican pine) for 2.5 years to determine the relative impacts of mineralogy and mineral weatherability on the taxonomic and functional diversities of mineral-associated bacterial communities. After this incubation period, the minerals and the surrounding bulk soil were collected to determine mass loss and to perform soil analyses, enzymatic assays, and cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Notably, our 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analyses revealed that after the 2.5-year incubation period, the mineral-associated bacterial communities strongly differed from those of the surrounding bulk soil for all tree stands considered. When focusing only on minerals, our analyses showed that the bacterial communities associated with calcite, the less recalcitrant mineral type, significantly differed from those that colonized obsidian and apatite minerals. The cultivation-dependent analysis revealed significantly higher abundances of effective mineral-weathering bacteria on the most recalcitrant minerals (i.e., apatite and obsidian). Together, our data showed an enrichment of Betaproteobacteria and effective mineral-weathering bacteria related to the Burkholderia and Collimonas genera on the minerals, suggesting a key role for these taxa in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Forests are usually developed on nutrient-poor and rocky soils, while nutrient-rich soils have been dedicated to agriculture. In this context, nutrient recycling and nutrient access are key processes in such environments. Deciphering how soil mineralogy influences the diversity, structure, and function of soil bacterial communities in relation to the soil conditions is crucial to better understanding the relative role of the soil bacterial communities in nutrient cycling and plant nutrition in nutrient-poor environments. The present study determined in detail the diversity and structure of bacterial communities associated with different mineral types incubated for 2.5 years in the soil under different tree species using cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Our data showed an enrichment of specific bacterial taxa on the minerals, specifically on the most weathered minerals, suggesting that they play key roles in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. PMID:28003192

Climate change versus land management in the Po Plain (Northern Italy) during the Bronze Age: New insights from the VP/VG sequence of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Pizzi, Chiara; Marchesini, Marco; Zerboni, Andrea

2016-03-01

The sedimentary infilling of the moat surrounding the Villaggio Piccolo of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio was analysed in order to obtain palaeoenvironmental inferences from sediments and pollen assemblage. The high-resolution stratigraphic sequence preserves evidence of the environmental changes that occurred in the Po Plain, in Northern Italy, during the Late Holocene. Our interdisciplinary approach permitted to study climatic and anthropic contributions to the environmental changes in this region. The relationships between these changes and land-use changes were investigated focussing on adaptive strategies of the Terramare people during the Middle and Recent Bronze ages (1550-1170 yr BC). The Terramare are archaeological remains of banked and moated villages, located in the central alluvial plain of the Po river. The Terramara of Santa Rosa consists of two adjoining settlements (Villaggio Grande and Villaggio Piccolo); the moat that separates the two parts of the site is c. 23 m large and reaches a maximum depth of 4 m from the extant ground level. The stratigraphic sequence VP/VG exposed by archaeological excavation inside the moat was sampled for pedosedimentary, thin section, and pollen analyses. Chronology is based on archaeological evidence, stratigraphic correlations and radiocarbon dating. Pedosedimentary features and biological records (pollen of aquatics and algal remains) demonstrate that shallow water, probably subjected to seasonal water-level oscillations, has always been present in the moat. In the lower units of the sequence, the laminations indicate standing water, while occurrence of reworked pollen testified the supply of sediments to the plain from catchment zones located in the Apennine. Open vegetation was widespread; economy was based on wood management, fruit collection on the wild or from cultivated woody plants, crop fields with a fairly diversified set of cereals especially increasing in variety during dryness or phases of water crisis. Probably, grapevines were cultivated near the moat, where the wet habitat was favourable to the growing of wild plants. The extraordinary high-resolution of this sequence makes visible the management of woods (including coppicing) at the Middle Bronze and early Recent Bronze ages. The economy of Santa Rosa di Poviglio should have been probably less based on animal breeding than it was in the other Terramare villages already studied for pollen. This research also confirms the chronological correspondence between an environment stressed by dry conditions and the collapse of the Terramare civilization.

Effects of dark brooders and overhangs on free-range use and behaviour of slow-growing broilers.

PubMed

Stadig, L M; Rodenburg, T B; Reubens, B; Ampe, B; Tuyttens, F A M

2017-12-04

Broiler chickens often make limited use of the free-range area. Range use is influenced by type of shelter available. Range use may possibly be improved by a more gradual transition from the house to the range and by using dark brooders (secluded warm, dark areas in the home pen) that mimic aspects of a broody hen and possibly reduce fearfulness. The aim of this study was to assess effects of dark brooders on fearfulness, free-range use and behaviour later in life. Another aim was to test the chickens' preference for shelter type and the effects of overhangs outside of the pop holes to provide a gradual transition to the range. Three production rounds, each with 440 Sasso broiler chickens (110/group), were completed. Chicks were housed indoors from days 0 to 25; per round, two groups had access to a dark brooder, whereas the other two groups had conventional IR lamps. Fearfulness was assessed by the open field (OF) and tonic immobility (TI) tests on days 22 to 24 on 25 chicks/group per round. Birds were then moved to four mobile houses from which they could access both grassland with artificial shelter (AS) and short rotation coppice (SRC). Two of the houses had overhangs extending from the pop holes; these were switched between the four houses weekly. Free-range use and behaviour were observed three times daily from Monday to Friday. Dark brooders did not affect results from the OF or TI test, except for jumps in the OF test which tended to occur less often in brooded chicks. Neither dark brooders (34.9% without v. 31.7% with brooder) nor overhangs (32.5% without v. 34.1% with overhangs) influenced the percentage of chickens outside. Chickens showed a clear preference for SRC, range use increased over time in SRC, and more birds ranged farther from the house in SRC. Behaviours of chickens observed outside were mainly influenced by shelter type, age of the birds and distance from the house. Locomotion tended to occur more in the presence of overhangs. Overall, these results could not confirm the hypothesis that dark brooders would decrease fearfulness and thereby increase free-range use. Overhangs also did not improve free-range use, and neither brooders nor overhangs had considerable impact on behaviour of chickens outside. Chickens clearly preferred dense natural vegetation over AS and ranged farther in it, indicating that this type of shelter is more suitable for slow-growing free-range broilers.

Fast Growing Plantations for Wood Production – Integration of Ecological Effects and Economic Perspectives

PubMed Central

Bredemeier, Michael; Busch, Gerald; Hartmann, Linda; Jansen, Martin; Richter, Falk; Lamersdorf, Norbert P.

2015-01-01

Biomass crops are perceived as a feasible means to substitute sizeable amounts of fossil fuel in the future. A prospect of CO2 reduction (resp. CO2 neutrality) is credited to biomass fuels, and thus a potential contribution to mitigate climate change. Short rotation coppices (SRCs) with fast growing poplar and willow trees are an option for producing high yields of woody biomass, which is suitable for both energetic and material use. One negative effect that comes along with the establishment of SRC may be a decrease in groundwater recharge, because high rates of transpiration and interception are anticipated. Therefore, it is important to measure, analyze, and model the effects of SRC-planting on landscape water budgets. To analyze the effects on the water budget, a poplar SRC plot was studied by measuring hydrological parameters to be used in the hydrological model WaSim. Results reveal very low or even missing ground water recharge for SRC compared to agricultural land use or grassland, especially succeeding dry years. However, this strong effect on plot level is moderated on the larger spatial scale of catchment level, for which the modeling was also performed. In addition to water, nutrient fluxes and budgets were studied. Nitrogen is still a crucial issue in today’s agriculture. Intensive fertilization or increased applications of manure from concentrated livestock breeding are often leading to high loads of nitrate leaching, or enhanced N2O emissions to the atmosphere on arable crop fields. SRC or agroforestry systems on former crop land may offer an option to decrease such N losses, while simultaneously producing woody biomass. This is mainly due to the generally smaller N requirements of woody vegetation, which usually entail no need for any fertilization. The trees supply deep and permanent rooting systems, which can be regarded as a “safety net” to prevent nutrient leaching. Thus, SRC altogether can help to diminish N eutrophication. It is important to offer viable and attractive economic perspectives to farmers and other land managers besides of the potential ecological benefits of SRCs. For this reason, an integrated tool for scenario analysis was developed within the BEST project (“BEAST – Bio-Energy Allocation and Scenario Tool”). It combines ecological assessments with calculations of economic revenue as a basis for a participative regional dialog on sustainable land use and climate protection goals. Results show a substantial capacity for providing renewable energy from economically competitive arable SRC sites while generating ecological synergies. PMID:26106595

Soil CO2, CH4 and N2O effluxes and concentrations in soil profiles down to 15.5m depth in eucalypt plantations under contrasted rainfall regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Germon, A.; Nouvellon, Y.; Christophe, J.; Chapuis-Lardy, L.; Robin, A.; Rosolem, C. A.; Gonçalves, J. L. D. M.; Guerrini, I. A.; Laclau, J. P.

2017-12-01

Silvicultural practices in planted forests affect the fluxes of greenhouse gases at the soil surface and the major factors driving greenhouse gas production in forest soils (substrate supply, temperature, water content,…) vary with soil depth. Our study aimed to assess the consequences of drought on the temporal variability of CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes throughout very deep soil profiles in Eucalyptus grandis plantations 3 months before the harvest then in coppice, the first 18 months after clear-cutting. Two treatments were compared: one with 37% of throughfall excluded by plastic sheets (TE), and one without rainfall exclusion (WE). Measurements of soil CO2 efflux were made every two weeks for 30 months using a closed-path Li8100 system in both treatment. Every two weeks for 21 months, CO2, CH4 and N2O surface effluxes were measured using the closed-chamber method and concentrations in the soil were measured at 7 depths down to 15.5 m in both TE and WE. At most measurement dates, soil CO2 efflux were significantly higher in TE than in WE. Across the two treatments and the measurement dates, CO2 concentrations increased from 4446 ± 2188 ppm at 10 cm deep to 15622 ± 3523 ppm at 15.5 m, CH4 concentrations increased from 0.41 ± 0.17 ppm at 10 cm deep to 0.77 ± 0.24 ppm at 15.5 m and N2O concentrations remained roughly constant and were on average 478 ± 55 ppb between soil surface and 15.5 m deep. CO2 and N2O concentrations were on average 20.7 and 7.6% lower in TE than in WE, respectively, across the sampling depths. However, CH4 concentrations in TE were on average 44.4% higher than in WE, throughout the soil profile. Those results suggest that extended drought periods might reduce the production of CO2 and N2O but increase the accumulation of CH4 in eucalypt plantations established in deep tropical soils. Very deep tropical soils cover huge areas worldwide and improving our understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of gas concentrations in deep soil layers is essential to: i) quantify more accurately C source/sink fluxes as part of the global carbon budget, ii) improve the current biogeochemical models predicting the effect of drought periods on greenhouse gas effluxes, and iii) identify more sustainable silvicultural practices for tropical planted forests in a context of climate change.

Measuring Evapotranspiration of five Alley Cropping systems in Germany using the Eddy-Covariance- and Bowen-Ratio Energy-Balance methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markwitz, Christian; Knohl, Alexander; Siebicke, Lukas

2017-04-01

The inclusion of trees into the agricultural landscape of Europe is gaining popularity as a source for energy production. Fast growing tree species such as poplar or willow are included as short rotation coppice or alley cropping systems, which consist of tree alleys interleaved by annual rotating crops or perennial grasslands. Estimating turbulent fluxes of those systems using the eddy-covariance- (ECEB) and bowen-ratio energy-balance (BREB) method is challenging due to the methods limitation to horizontally homogeneous terrain and steady state conditions. As the conditions are not fulfilled for those systems the energy-balance is commonly not fully closed, with the non-closure being site specific. An underestimation of measured heat fluxes leads to an overestimation of the latent heat fluxes inferred from the ECEB method. The aim of our study is to 1) quantify the site specific non-closure of the energy-balance and 2) characterize the performance of both methods, compared to direct eddy-covariance measurements using a high frequency infra-red gas analyzer (LI-7200, Licor Inc.). To assess continuous evapotranspiration (ET) rates on a 30-minute time scale we installed a combined ECEB and BREB system at five alley cropping and five agricultural reference sites across Germany. For time periods of four weeks we performed direct eddy covariance flux measurements for H2O and CO2 over one crop- and one grassland alley cropping- and their respective reference systems during the growing season of 2016. We found a non-closure between 21 and 26 % for all sites, considering all day- and night-time data. The residual energy was highest during the morning and lowest in the afternoon. Related to that the energy-balance ratio (EBR), i.e. the ratio between the turbulent heat fluxes and available energy, was below one in the morning hours and increased slightly during the day up to 1.8, until the EBR decreased sharply after sunset. The EBR correlated to the daily cycle of solar radiation, the main driver of turbulent fluxes. Corresponding, we found an increasing EBR with increasing friction velocity, indicating, that under turbulent condition the energy-balance closure improves. Further, we found that the turbulent fluxes estimated by the BREB method compared well with direct eddy-covariance measurements and that the accuracy improved with increasing sensor distance. We conclude, when calculating ET rates on a 30-minute time scale using the ECEB method the site specific non-closure should be assessed beforehand by eddy-covariance. In the current study, ignoring the non-closure would have lead to an overestimation of the latent heat flux of about 25 % for the ECEB method. For a longer averaging period of one day the overestimation was reduced to less than 5 %.

Nest survival of forest birds in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, D.J.; Wilson, R.R.; Henne-Kerr, J.L.; Hamilton, R.B.

2001-01-01

In the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, flood control has led to a drastic reduction in the area of forest habitat and altered the patchwork of forest cover types. Silvicultural management of the remaining fragmented forests has changed to reflect the altered hydrology of the forests, current economic conditions of the area, and demand for forest products. Because forest type and silvicultural management impact forest birds, differences in avian productivity within these forests directly impact bird conservation. To assist in conservation planning, we evaluated daily nest survival, nest predation rates, and brood parasitism rates of forest birds in relation to different forest cover types and silvicultural management strategies within this floodplain. Within bottomland hardwood forests, nest success of blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea, 13%), eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus, 28%), indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea, 18%), northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis, 22%), and yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus, 18%) did not differ from that within intensively managed cottonwood plantations. However, average daily survival of 542 open-cup nests of 19 bird species in bottomland hardwoods (0.9516 + 0.0028, -27% nest success) was greater than that of 543 nests of 18 species in cotlonwood plantations (0.9298 + 0.0035, -15% nest success). Differences in daily nest survival rates likely resulted from a combination of differences in the predator community--particularly fire ants (Solenopsis invicta)--and a marked difference in species composition of birds breeding within these 2 forest types. At least 39% of nests in bottomland hardwood forests and 65% of nests in cottonwood plantations were depredated. Rates of parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) were greater in managed cottonwoods (24%) than in bottomland hardwoods (9%). Nest success in planted cottonwood plantations for 18 species combined (-14%), and for yellow-breasted chat (Icteria vimns, 7%), eastern towhee (14%), indigo bunting (14%), and northern cardinal (17%) did not differ from nest success in cottonwood plantations that were coppiced from root sprouts following pulpwood harvest. Within bottomland hardwood forests, uneven-aged group-selection timber harvest reduced the combined daily nest survival of all species from 0.958 to 0.938, which reduced nest success by about 14%. Specifically, timber harvest reduced nest success of species that nest in the forest midstory and canopy, such as Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)--from 32% before harvest to 14% after harvest. Conversely, those species that nest primarily in the shrubby understory--such as northern cardinal--were not affected by timber harvest and maintained an overall nest success of about 33%. Thus, birds nesting in the understory of bottomland hardwood forests are not adversely impacted by selective timber harvest, but there is a short-term reduction in nest success for birds that nest in the canopy and midstory.

Biomass energy: Sustainable solution for greenhouse gas emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadrul Islam, A. K. M.; Ahiduzzaman, M.

2012-06-01

Biomass is part of the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide is produced after combustion of biomass. Over a relatively short timescale, carbon dioxide is renewed from atmosphere during next generation of new growth of green vegetation. Contribution of renewable energy including hydropower, solar, biomass and biofuel in total primary energy consumption in world is about 19%. Traditional biomass alone contributes about 13% of total primary energy consumption in the world. The number of traditional biomass energy users expected to rise from 2.5 billion in 2004 to 2.6 billion in 2015 and to 2.7 billion in 2030 for cooking in developing countries. Residential biomass demand in developing countries is projected to rise from 771 Mtoe in 2004 to 818 Mtoe in 2030. The main sources of biomass are wood residues, bagasse, rice husk, agro-residues, animal manure, municipal and industrial waste etc. Dedicated energy crops such as short-rotation coppice, grasses, sugar crops, starch crops and oil crops are gaining importance and market share as source of biomass energy. Global trade in biomass feedstocks and processed bioenergy carriers are growing rapidly. There are some drawbacks of biomass energy utilization compared to fossil fuels viz: heterogeneous and uneven composition, lower calorific value and quality deterioration due to uncontrolled biodegradation. Loose biomass also is not viable for transportation. Pelletization, briquetting, liquefaction and gasification of biomass energy are some options to solve these problems. Wood fuel production is very much steady and little bit increase in trend, however, the forest land is decreasing, means the deforestation is progressive. There is a big challenge for sustainability of biomass resource and environment. Biomass energy can be used to reduce greenhouse emissions. Woody biomass such as briquette and pellet from un-organized biomass waste and residues could be used for alternative to wood fuel, as a result, forest will be saved and sustainable carbon sink will be developed. Clean energy production from biomass (such as ethanol, biodiesel, producer gas, bio-methane) could be viable option to reduce fossil fuel consumption. Electricity generation from biomass is increasing throughout the world. Co-firing of biomass with coal and biomass combustion in power plant and CHP would be a viable option for clean energy development. Biomass can produce less emission in the range of 14% to 90% compared to emission from fossil for electricity generation. Therefore, biomass could play a vital role for generation of clean energy by reducing fossil energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The main barriers to expansion of power generation from biomass are cost, low conversion efficiency and availability of feedstock. Internationalization of external cost in power generation and effective policies to improve energy security and carbon dioxide reduction is important to boost up the bio-power. In the long run, bio-power will depend on technological development and on competition for feedstock with food production and arable land use.

Participatory approach used to develop a sustainability assessment tool for wood-based bioenergy industry in upper Michigan, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaidya, Ashma; Mayer, Audrey

2015-04-01

Biofuel production has grown significantly in the past few decades as a result of global concern over energy security, climate change implications and unsustainable attributes of fossil fuels. Currently, biofuels produced from food crops (such as corn, sugarcane, soy, etc.) constitute the bulk of global biofuel production. However, purported adverse impacts of direct and indirect land-use changes (such as increased food prices, competition for agricultural land and water, and carbon emissions from land-use change) resulting from large-scale expansion of the crop-based biofuel industry have motivated many nations to further shift their attention to second-generation (non crop-based) biofuel production. Current R&D on second-generation biofuel production is largely focused on exploring prospects of using abandoned/fallow land for growing feedstock (such as Jatropha, short rotation woody coppice, Willow/Poplar species, Micanthus etc.), and on producing fuel that is cost-effective and compatible with existing infrastructures. The bulk of existing research on second-generation biofuel production concentrates on enhancing its technical feasibility and compatibility with existing infrastructure; very few have attempted to qualitatively determine and understand stakeholders' concerns and perception regarding this emergent industry. Stakeholders' decisions regarding land and resource use will play a crucial role in ensuring the social sustainability of any industry. Our research is focused on understanding stakeholders' concerns and perceptions regarding biofuel production in the upper Michigan region, where wood-based bioenergy development is being planned and researched by businesses, government agencies, and the local university. Over a century ago, the region's economy was dependent upon mining and clear-cut logging industries, which left the area once the resources were depleted. Since that time, the region has lost significant population due to the lack of economic opportunities, but the forests have recovered to volumes prior to the logging boom. Interest in a wood-based bioenergy production industry is growing, yet whether this industry can be developed sustainably is a concern. The main goal of our research is to incorporate stakeholders' concerns and knowledge into an expert-assisted sustainability assessment tool for a regional wood-based biofuel industry. Key stakeholders involved in the research include landowners, farmers, land management companies, bioenergy users, venture capitalists, interest groups, government organizations and NGOs. We used interviews, focus group meetings and a workshop to collect information from these stakeholders, which were then translated into social sustainability criteria. Multiple criteria analysis methods, Bayesian Belief Network and information collected from other studies were used to develop a final set of sustainability criteria and indicators. Our results provide a platform for experts and stakeholders to understand the local context relevant to sustainability, the state of the science, and will bridge the gap between scientific and non-scientific knowledge in the region. This sustainability assessment tool is intended to facilitate inclusive and sustainability-oriented decision-making for a wood-based bioenergy industry.

Bioengineering applied to erosion and stability control in the North Apennines (Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy): a check about critical aspects of the works.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selli, Lavinia; Cavazza, Claudio; Pavanelli, Donatella

2013-04-01

Because of its geological structure, in the Emilia-Romagna Region over 32,000 landslides have been identified. Several works have been made in order to control mass movement's dynamics and to secure of Reno and Lamone Mountain Basin Rivers, the road network and near by villages and towns. Most of the control works dealt with bioengineering practices: palisades piles, geotextiles, seedings, surface flow control works, dikes within main drainage ditches. In order to check about critical aspects related to the use of these techniques in the Apennines, a survey in this basins was designed with specific interest in the several kinds of works realised, in which plant species were mostly used and in the factors that affected the success or failure of the works. Territory encompasses steep slopes covered with woods to low reliefs covered with grasslands. It is characterized by prevailing clays, inducing instability, and arenaceous lithology with impermeable soils; drainage density is quite high and hillsides suffer extensive and severe erosion and slope stability problems. Chestnut woods mainly represent land use at higher altitudes, while coppice, pastures and crops are present on milder hillsides. The remaining part of the basin is covered by vineyards, orchards, ponds and urban areas, which are basically located in the valley floor. Precipitation events mainly consist of rainfall ranging between 950-1015 mm per year; few snowfalls occur during winter and a long dry season lasts from June until September. We have analyzed 187 works designed mainly for the consolidation of slope instabilities through a widespread enhancement of the vegetation cover. The surveyed works are classified as a function of their building features: it can be seen that cribwalls and palisades are by far the most common types, being the 24% and the 34% respectively of the works. As far as the most adopted plant species, they were silver willow (Salix alba), Spanish Broom (Spartium Junceum) and purple willow (Salix purpurea). Only the 25% of the interventions was accomplished by the use of secondary plant species, as tamarisk (Tamarix spp.,) blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) , whitethorn (Crataegus spp.), sea-buckthorn (Hipphopae rhamnoides), wild pear (Pyrus pyraster), cottonwood (Populus nigra), eglantine (Rosa spp.), goat-willow (Salix caprea) and cornel (Cornus sanguinea). Better results were achieved with Spanish Broom, a very rural plant that can effectively colonise even poor soils like badlands; as a matter of fact, more than the 75% of the interventions had positive outcomes The efficacy of the consolidation work by the presence of living structures point out an increase of the stability of those interventions older than 4 years, with taking root species present from 54% to 78%. So far, the construction and the reliability of the works have been monitored, in order to capture critical aspects for the success of works and to build a geo-referenced data base of the existing works and their status.

Leaf ontogeny dominates the seasonal exchange of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in a SRC-poplar plantation during an entire growing season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brilli, Federico; Gioli, Beniamino; Fares, Silvano; Zenone, Terenzio; Zona, Donatella; Gielen, Bert; Loreto, Francesco; Janssens, Ivan; Ceulemans, Reinhart

2015-04-01

The declining cost of many renewable energy technologies and changes in the prices of fossil fuels have recently encouraged governments policies to subsidize the use of biomass as a sustainable source of energy. Deciduous poplars (Populus spp.) trees are often selected for biomass production in short rotation coppiced (SRC) for their high CO2 photosynthetic assimilation rates and their capacity to develop dense canopies with high values of leaf area index (LAI). So far, observations and projections of seasonal variations of many VOC fluxes has been limited to strong isoprenoids emitting evergreen ecosystems such tropical and Mediterranean forests as well as Citrus and oil palm plantation, all having constant values of LAI. We run a long-term field campaign where the exchange of VOC, together with CO2 and water vapor was monitored during an entire growing season (June - November, 2012) above a SRC-based poplar plantation. Our results confirmed that isoprene and methanol were the most abundant fluxes emitted, accounting for more than 90% of the total carbon released in form of VOC. However, Northern climates characterized by fresh summertime temperatures and recurring precipitations favored poplar growth while inhibiting the development of isoprene emission that resulted in only 0.7% of the net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE). Besides, measurements of a multitude of VOC fluxes by PTR-TOF-MS showed bi-directional exchange of oxygenated-VOC (OVOC) such as: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, isoprene oxidation products (iox, namely MVK, MAC and MEK) as well as ethanol and formic acid. The application of Self Organizing Maps to visualize the relationship between the full time-series of many VOC fluxes and the observed seasonal variations of environmental, physiological and structural parameters proved the most abundant isoprene ad methanol fluxes to occur mainly on the hottest days under mid-high light intensities when also NEE and evapotraspiration reached the highest rates. However, the seasonal pattern of methanol emission was also highly correlated with high VPD and NEE, whereas the highest isoprene emissions were mostly associated with the highest values of LAI. During the hottest and sunniest days we observed iox production triggered by photochemical reactions and deposition to the canopies. Nevertheless, peaks in formaldehyde deposition did not match with those of iox and isoprene emission. The emission of other OVOC species was mainly related to low values of LAI, most likely as a result of leaf senescence. We have compared the observed time-series of isoprene and methanol fluxes with the simulated seasonal patterns obtained from the canopy-scale model of emissions of gases and aerosols from nature (MEGAN). The model accuracy increased when a dynamic function to predict seasonal changes in the basal emission factor was applied. However, the simulated cumulative carbon emitted in form of isoprene underestimated the observed amount by 30% on a seasonal basis, whereas good agreement was found between observed and prediceted methanol emissions. Current research is aimed at improving process-based models that account for the ontogeny of leaves in order to predict the impact of VOC emitted from deciduous SRC-poplar plantations on air chemistry and quality.

137Cs Results and Interpretation of Cesium Soil Data on the Upper Fortymile Wash Alluvial Fan, Amargosa Valley, Nevada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, C.

2004-12-01

Studies using 137Cs were used to produce soil Cs profiles and to use them to determine erosion rates on interchannel divides of the Fortymile Wash alluvial fan over the last 50 years. Sample locations whose 137Cs profiles most resemble the reference-sample (stable surface) profiles are located on interchannel divide areas between distributary channels. These profiles are similar to the reference profiles that have low 137Cs values (in the range of 0.02 to 0.08 pCi/g) in the 3 to 6 cm layers. However, the surface layers (1-3 cm depth) typically have values much less than the reference samples from equivalent depths (range from 0.251 to 0.421 pCi/g). The data indicate that many of these interchannel divide areas have had part of the upper layer removed. Interchannel divide areas have the least likelihood of having been submerged during floods over the last fifty years. Thus, the loss of material from these otherwise stable surfaces appears to be due to eolian processes. Erosion of an interchannel divide area with little evidence of recent water movement is most easily explained by eolian removal. Evidence for wind erosion as the predominant process on the interchannel divide areas includes the lack of new or developing stream channels and the presence of modern coppice dunes near channels on interchannel divides. The presence of nearby Big Dune and other eolian deposits provides strong support for eolian erosion and transport. The amount of material removed from the interchannel divide areas was estimated by comparing the 137Cs value of the upper 3 cm layer to that of the reference value and calculating the thickness of the layer that would have to be removed to obtain the lower value. Applying this method across the interchannel divide sample locations indicates 1 to 2 cm of material has been removed from the interchannel divide surfaces in the last 50 years. This results in erosion rates that range from 0.02 to 0.04 cm/yr. These rates are similar to erosion rates of: (a) 0.019 cm/yr predicted to occur on farmland in Amargosa Valley (obtained from BSC 2004 [DIRS 169459], Section 6.4.2 by converting 0.19 kg/m2-yr using ash bulk density of 1 g/cm3; (b) 0.02 cm/yr estimated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to have occurred on non-cultivated cropland and pastureland in Nevada (obtained from USDA 2000 [160548], Table 11 and calculated using 1 ton/acre-yr x 907 kg/ton x 2.47 x 10-4 acre/m x 0.001 m3/kg [bulk density] x 100 cm/m = 0.02 cm/yr). Overbank deposits on the interchannel divide areas indicative of periodic flooding are uncommon and restricted to narrow strips along the channel banks. The overbank and channel deposit samples have similar 137Cs signatures (the 3 to 6 cm layers and the 6 to 9 cm layers have nearly the same values in the 0.100-0.200 pCi/g range), indicating that the material from each environ was mixed during transport and deposited as a homogeneous sediment. The absence of many overbank deposits along the channel margins today indicates that flows sufficient to form extensive overbank flooding down Fortymile Wash and its distributary channels have not occurred in more than 50 years. Therefore, the channels currently transport most of their sediment load across the fan until it reaches the toe of the fan, where deposition occurs on the broad flats to the south or into the channel of the Amargosa River.

A baseline analysis of the distribution, host-range, and severity of the rust Puccinia Psidii in the Hawaiian islands, 2005-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Robert C.

2012-01-01

Puccinia psidii was first described by Winter (1884) on guava (Psidium guajava L.) in Brazil. The rust is still a major pest of native guava in Brazil and is often referred to as “guava rust” internationally. It is unusual among rust fungi because of its broad and ever-expanding host-range within the Myrtaceae plant family (Simpson et al. 2006). The pathogen is regarded as a major threat to Eucalyptus plantations and other Myrtaceae worldwide (Coutinho et al. 1998, Grgurinovic et al. 2006, Glen et al. 2007). Infections of leaves and meristems are particularly severe on susceptible seedlings, cuttings, young trees, and coppice, causing plants to be stunted and multi-branched, inhibiting normal growth and development, and sometimes causing death to young seedlings (Booth et al. 2000, Rayachhetry et al. 2001). The fungus has expanded its host-range in Brazil, affecting both native and introduced Myrtaceae (Coutinho et al. 1998).

Since its discovery in 1884, P. psidii has continually been discovered to have an expanding host-range within the Myrtaceae, affecting hosts throughout much of South and Central America and the Caribbean. Spreading out originally from Brazil in 1884, the fungus has been reported on hosts in the following countries (first record in parentheses): Paraguay (1884), Uruguay (1889), Ecuador (1891), Colombia (1913), Puerto Rico (1913), Cuba (1926), Dominican Republic (1933), Venezuela (1934), Jamaica (1936), Argentina (1946), Dominica (1948), Trinidad and Tobago (1951), Guatemala (1968), United States (Florida; 1977), Mexico (1981), El Salvador (1987), and Costa Rica (1998) (Simpson et al. 2006). It is possible that P. psidii was present in El Salvador and Costa Rica prior to 1980, but was not reported until 1987 and 1998, respectively.

Until recently, Puccinia psidii was restricted to the Neotropics, Mexico, and the state of Florida in the United States. While the rust has been present in Florida for over 30 years, only recently has it spread westward. Although possibly present earlier, P. psidii was found in California in November 2005 in a nursery in San Diego County on Myrtus communis and documented by a report in a nursery newsletter (Mellano 2006). Puccinia psidii was first found in Hawai`i on a young plant of `ōhi`a (Metrosideros polymorpha) in April 2005, in a nursery on the island of O`ahu (Killgore and Heu 2005; Uchida et al. 2006). The fungus subsequently spread to most islands of the Hawaiian chain, infecting `ōhi`a and other myrtaceous hosts (Hauff 2006, Anderson et al. 2007). P. psidii was first found in Japan in May 2007 on cultivated `ōhi`a (Kawanishi et al. 2009).

Most recently, a rust identified as Uredo rangelii was discovered in April 2010 in New South Wales, Australia (Carnegie et al. 2010). This rust is closely related to Puccinia psidii and is part of the guava rust complex described by Simpson et al. (2006). Although treated as a separate species by Simpson et al. (2006), many authors now consider U. rangelii a synonym for U. psidii, which is the anamorph (asexual stage) of P. psidii, and therefore, the same species (Glen et al. 2007, Carnegie et al. 2010). Because of the large diversity of native Myrtaceae present in Australia, the number of Myrtaceae hosts attacked by species of the guava rust complex will likely grow now that U. rangelii has arrived and is spreading in the country. As of this writing (June 2011), 94 species of Myrtaceae have been identified as hosts of U. rangelii in the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Damage is severe on nearly one-third of the species affected, and 16 of these species are threatened or endangered native species (Secretary of Australia, May 2011).

The presence of Puccinia psidii in Hawai`i is particularly alarming for at least two reasons: (1) M. polymorpha is the dominant overstory tree of the native forest, and (2) P. psidii is now established in the Pacific region, where numerous Myrtaceae species are native. Native ecosystems in Hawai`i and the Pacific could be seriously affected by the spread of P. psidii, as both native and introduced Myrtaceae are significant components of many different plant communities throughout the region (Glen et al. 2007). Because the guava rust complex (i.e., P. psidii and U. rangelii) now attacks well over 100 species of Myrtaceae worldwide, it is currently a priority for international quarantine and import restrictions in an effort to prevent further spread among Australasian and Pacific Myrtaceae.

Several different studies have been done to determine what degree of genetic variation exists between isolates of Puccinia psidii from many different host plants and many different locations (Langrell et al. 2008, Kawanishi et al. 2009, Kadooka 2010, Graça et al. 2011). So far, all of these studies have shown that all of the Hawaiian samples tested so far have had the same genetic composition. Given that the P. psidii strain in Hawai`i has continually been shown for over five years to lack genetic variation at microsatellite marker sites (which are believed to undergo relatively rapid genetic change), a baseline evaluation of incidence and severity should be especially valuable to provide comparisons with future conditions.

Worldwide, 23 Neotropical species in 11 genera and 59 Australasian and Pacific species in 13 genera had been recorded as hosts of Puccinia psidii before 2010 (Simpson et al. 2006, Anderson et al. 2007). Of those 82 species known to be hosts elsewhere, 42 are cultivated or naturalized in Hawai`i. Because of its wide host-range and aggressive pathogenicity, rust disease caused by P. psidii poses a considerable disease threat to many native and cultivated Myrtaceae throughout the world (Coutinho et al. 1998, Booth et al. 2000, Simpson et al. 2006). However, there are few reports comparing the severity of rust infection on native, introduced, and cultivated Myrtaceae (Rayachhetry et al. 2001, Perez et al. 2010). Since government agencies and the public are concerned about the extent of the rust movement within and to Hawai`i (Loope and La Rosa 2008, Loope 2010), there is a need to better understand the incidence, severity, and distribution of P. psidii in Hawai`i. To address that need, this research project was initiated to survey forests, surrounding plant communities, botanical gardens, and commercial nurseries to detect the presence and severity of P. psidii rust infections throughout Hawai`i on plants in the Myrtaceae family. This study provides a baseline on the host distribution and severity to compare current and future impacts of rust infections caused by P. psidii on native, naturalized, and cultivated Myrtaceae in Hawai`i.