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Wood-rotting fungi are organisms that can decompose wood substrates and extract nutrients from them to support their growth. They play a crucial role in the material cycle of forest ecosystems. The genus Pluteus plays a significant role in wood decomposition. In this study, the morphology and molecular systematics of the sect. Celluloderma of the genus Pluteus were carried out. Pluteus brunneodiscus was identified as a new species, along with the discovery of two new records, P. cystidiosus and P. chrysophlebius, and a common species, P. romellii. Pluteus brunneodiscus is characterized by the brown center of the pileus that transitions to white towards the margins, with the surface cracking to form irregular granules. It is typically found in Populus forests growing on decomposing twigs or wood chips. Line drawings, color photographs, and phylogenetic analyses of related species within the genus Pluteus accompany the descriptions of these four species. The analyses are based on ITS + TEF1-α sequence data. Finally, a key for the twenty species within the sect. Celluloderma of the genus Pluteus, which has been documented in China, is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Permian-Triassic transition saw extreme climatic changes that severely impacted the terrestrial ecosystem. Fossil plants, particularly fossil woods, are sensitive to climatic changes, and they, therefore, are unique materials revealing extreme environmental and climatic changes on land at that time. Abundant conifer woods were discovered in the Lopingian (Late Permian) strata of the Sunjiagou Formation in Shanxi Province, North China. The newly finding permineralized woods record the unique landscape of Lopingian North China. They represent a new conifer genus and species: Shanxiopitys zhangziensis gen. et sp. nov. Analyses of growth pattern and anatomical characteristics of the fossil woods indicate these trees grew under optimal growing conditions, and without seasonal growth cessation. However, climate signals from leaf fossils, vertebrate fossils and sedimentary evidences indicate a strongly seasonal climate in North China during the Lopingian. Thus, it is speculated that these trees likely lived in the gallery forests, which were distributed along the paleo-rivers within a seasonal landscape in the central North China block during the Lopingian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater fungi are highly diverse in China and frequently reported from submerged wood, freshwater insects, herbaceous substrates, sediments, leaves, foams, and living plants. In this study, we investigated two freshwater species that were collected from Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in China. Detailed morphological analysis complemented by multi-gene phylogenetic analyses based on LSU, SSU, ITS, RPB2 and TEF1-a sequences data revealed them to be two new saprobic species, namely Acrogenospora alangii sp. nov. and Conioscypha yunnanensis sp. nov. in their asexual morphs. Additionally, Acrogenospora alangii sp. nov. is reported for the first time as a freshwater ascomycete associated with the medicinal plant Alangium chinense (Alangiaceae). Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations and updated phylogenetic relationships of the new taxa are provided herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional wood–polymer composite (WPC) based on the in situ polymerization of ethylene unsaturated monomers in the cellular cavity of wood is significant for the high-value-added utilization of low-quality wood. However, this type of WPC has the problems of volatile monomers, low conversion rates, odor residue, and poor compatibility between the polymer and wood interface, which hinder its promotion and application. In this study, a two-step process of cell wall bulking in combination with cell lumen filling was prepared to modify wood using Maleic anhydride (MAN) as the bulking agent and GMA-EGDMA (molar ratio 2:1) as the active monomer system. The results indicate that the modulus of rupture (MOR) (125.19 ± 8.41 MPa), compressive strength (116.38 ± 7.69 MPa), impact toughness (55.4 ± 2.95 KJ m−2), and hardness (6187 ± 273 N) of the bulking–filling wood composite materials were improved by 54%, 56%, 36%, and 66%, respectively, compared with those of poplar wood. These properties were superior to those of the traditional styrene (PSt)-WPC and even exceeded the performance of Xylosma congesta (Lour.) Merr, a high-quality wood from northeast China. Meanwhile, the mass loss of wood composite materials with bulking–filling treatment was only 2.35 ± 0.05%, and the internal structure remained intact, presenting excellent decay resistance. Additionally, the treatment also significantly improved the thermal and dimensional stability of the wood composites. This study provides a theoretical basis and guidance for realizing the high-value-added application of low-quality wood and the preparation of highly durable wood-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Erythrophleum is a genus in the Fabaceae family. The genus contains only about 10 species, and it is best known for its hardwood and medical properties worldwide. Erythrophleum fordii Oliv. is the only species of this genus distributed in China. It has superior wood and can be used in folk medicine, which leads to its overexploitation in the wild. For its effective conservation and elucidation of the distinctive genetic traits of wood formation and medical components, we present its first genome assembly. Data description: This work generated ~ 160.8 Gb raw Nanopore whole genome sequencing (WGS) long reads, ~ 126.0 Gb raw MGI WGS short reads and ~ 29.0 Gb raw RNA-seq reads using E. fordii leaf tissues. The de novo assembly contained 864,825,911 bp in the E. fordii genome, with 59 contigs and a contig N50 of 30,830,834 bp. Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) revealed 98.7% completeness of the assembly. The assembly contained 471,006,885 bp (54.4%) repetitive sequences and 28,761 genes that coded for 33,803 proteins. The protein sequences were functionally annotated against multiple databases, facilitating comparative genomic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvested wood/bamboo products (HWP/HBP) constitute a large global carbon stock. However, the contribution of HBP to carbon stocks has been neglected in mixed wood and bamboo data, especially in China. Therefore, the production approach and the first-order decay method were used to estimate the spatiotemporal carbon stock change in HWP/HBP based on provincial production data from the China Forestry Statistical Yearbooks for 1987–2020. The results showed that China's total carbon stocks of HWP and HBP were 328.7 teragram carbon (TgC) and 129.7 TgC between 1987 and 2020. Of this, the HWP carbon stock was mainly sourced from three provinces across the north and south: Guangxi (60.8 TgC), Heilongjiang (37.2 TgC), and Fujian (24.2 TgC), and HBP carbon stock was mainly sourced from three southern provinces: Fujian (33.4 TgC), Guangxi (20.3 TgC), and Zhejiang (13.7 TgC). The proportion of the HBP carbon stock in the total carbon stock increased from 20% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, indicating that bamboo products play an important role in the accumulation of carbon stocks in China. The differences in contributions to spatiotemporal trends between the provinces provide more specific information to make precise decisions about forest management and carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gleditsia sinensis is a species endemic to China, an ecologically economic multipurpose tree with great development potential, which could be used as medicine, food, industrial materials and wood. It is well known that the standardized description of plant development stages according to their phenological characteristics not only is crucial for conduct of various agronomic practices, but also facilitates the exchange of new findings based on the same understanding of the plant. However, a uniform phenology scale of G. sinensis has rarely been reported, despite its expanding plant area and rapid development of this industry over the past few years. Thus, phenological events of G. sinensis were monitored based on the BBCH scale during two consecutive years in this study. Eight of the 10 BBCH stages described in detail by combining numbers and letters based on its species characteristic were accurately recorded, including bud development (0), leaf development (1), shoot development (3), inflorescence emergence (5), flowering (6), pod development (7), maturity of pod (8) and senescence (9). As far as we know, it is the first time that a special phenological rhythm for G. sinensis has been developed using an extended BBCH scale, which not only provides the basis for other basic research, but also assists growers in conducting planting management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo is a highly renewable biomass resource with outstanding ecological, economic and social benefits. However, its lengthy vegetative growth stage and uncertain flowering period have hindered the application of traditional breeding methods. In recent years, significant progress has been made in bamboo breeding. While technical advances in bamboo breeding have been impressive, it is essential to also consider the broader implications we can learn from bamboo's extraordinary features for sustainable development. This review provides an overview of the current status of bamboo breeding technology, including a detailed history of bamboo breeding divided into four eras, a comprehensive map of bamboo germplasm gardens worldwide, with a focus on China, and a summary of available transgenic technologies for gene function verification and genetic improvement. As the demand for bamboo as a sustainable and renewable resource increases continuously, breeding objectives should be focused on enhancing yield, wood properties and adaptability to diverse environmental conditions. In particular, priority should be given to improving fiber length, internode length and wall thickness, as well as regulating lignin and cellulose content for papermaking, substitute for plastic and other applications. Furthermore, we highlight the challenges and opportunities for future research and development in bamboo breeding, including the application of omics technologies, artificial intelligence and the development of new breeding methods. Finally, by integrating the technical advances in bamboo breeding with a discussion of its broader implications for sustainable development, this review provides a comprehensive framework for the development of bamboo industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvested wood/bamboo products (HWP/HBP) constitute a large global carbon stock. However, the contribution of HBP to carbon stocks has been neglected in mixed wood and bamboo data, especially in China. Therefore, the production approach and the first-order decay method were used to estimate the spatiotemporal carbon stock change in HWP/HBP based on provincial production data from the China Forestry Statistical Yearbooks for 1987–2020. The results showed that China's total carbon stocks of HWP and HBP were 328.7 teragram carbon (TgC) and 129.7 TgC between 1987 and 2020. Of this, the HWP carbon stock was mainly sourced from three provinces across the north and south: Guangxi (60.8 TgC), Heilongjiang (37.2 TgC), and Fujian (24.2 TgC), and HBP carbon stock was mainly sourced from three southern provinces: Fujian (33.4 TgC), Guangxi (20.3 TgC), and Zhejiang (13.7 TgC). The proportion of the HBP carbon stock in the total carbon stock increased from 20% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, indicating that bamboo products play an important role in the accumulation of carbon stocks in China. The differences in contributions to spatiotemporal trends between the provinces provide more specific information to make precise decisions about forest management and carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we analyzed seven wooden bows and 13 arrows excavated from the cemeteries of Subeixi Culture (13th century BCE–AD second century) in the Turpan Basin, northwest China. A total of six taxa, viz. Morus sp., Salix sp., Picea sp., Lonicera sp., Betula sp., and Tamarix sp. were identified. Some of these taxa have been generally accepted to be suitable for bow‐and‐arrow production. All these taxa were local in origin but distributed in different ecotonal zones, including oases, saline‐alkali lands, and mountain areas. Previous archaeological studies have confirmed that the Subeixi populations lived an agro‐pastoral life. By analyzing the possible provenance of these wood samples, it can be hypothesized that these ancient agro‐pastoralists moved between the Turpan Basin and the Tianshan Mountains on a seasonal basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three helicosporous hyphomycete collections representing two species were obtained from rotting wood found in freshwater and terrestrial habitats in the Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, China. A new genus Pseudotubeufia (Tubeufiaceae, Tubeufiales), comprising Ps. hyalospora sp. nov. and Ps. laxispora sp. nov., was introduced with morphological characteristic and molecular data. In addition, the molecular evidence showed that Helicomyces sp. (G.M. 2020-09-19.1), H. roseus (CBS: 102.76), and the new genus Pseudotubeufia clustered together with high support based on a multi-gene (LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2) phylogenetic analysis. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and notes of the three new collections are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Copper cations of bronze corrosion products were concentrated into the middle lamella (ML) of cell walls, and intensively fixed on the surface of cell lumen. • Cellulose was well-preserved in archaeological wood contaminated by copper corrosion, but lignin was severely degraded. • Iron underwent an intense Fenton reaction and produced hydroxyl radicals, resulting in wood polymer degradation accelerating. The deterioration mechanism of wooden archaeological artifacts inside the bronze of excavated chariots is not understood because it is unknown how bronze corrosion products affect the degradation of archaeological wood. In this paper, several microtopography and chemical analysis methods were used to characterize changes in the hierarchical structures and analyze the deterioration mechanisms of archaeological wood inside the bronze parts of chariots. The results indicated that some important components of chariots in ancient China mainly were made of Ulmus spp. and Pteroceltis tatarinowii woods due to their higher strength and good wear resistance in ancient traditional timber tree species. Furthermore, cellulose was well-preserved in archaeological wood contaminated by copper corrosion, especially crystalline cellulose, but lignin and hemicelluloses were severely degraded. The crystallite thickness and crystallinity of cellulose were also higher than those of more recent wood, but the arrangement of cellulose was disoriented. Copper cations of bronze corrosion products were concentrated into the middle lamella (ML) of cell walls and fixed on the inner surface of cell lumen. The micro-distributions of copper and lignin were correlated. However, iron components embedded in bronze underwent an intense Fenton reaction and produced hydroxyl radicals that penetrated the wood and accelerated wood polymer degradation. With an understanding of this deterioration mechanism, it is possible to determine possible conservation and preservation methods, including the development of copper preservatives and the desalination of iron compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nantong Ancient Ship refers to an ancient Chinese wooden ship of the late Ming Dynasty excavated in Nantong city in December 2022. This paper identifies the wood and discusses its related analysis. Wood samples extracted from the Nantong Ancient Ship were studied from the viewpoints of anatomy, physics, and chemistry. Microscopic identification results concluded that willow and Chinese fir were the main wood species used to make this ship. The content of holocellulose in the ancient wood was only 37.9 to 38.9%, while the content of lignin was 55.2 to 56.4%. The cellulose crystallinity of ancient wood was 39 to 42% lower than that of healthy recent wood. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra revealed that the deterioration of ancient wood caused cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, but no apparent lignin alteration. The results could provide a basis for drawing up a conservation plan for the Nantong Ancient Ship. They could also provide a reference for the research and conservation of other archaeological shipwrecks in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate warming may induce growth decline in warm-temperate areas subjected to seasonal soil moisture deficit, whereas increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration (Ca) is expected to enhance tree growth. An accurate understanding of tree growth and physiological processes responding to climate warming and increasing Ca is critical. Here, we analyzed tree-ring stable carbon isotope and wood anatomical traits of Pinus tabuliformis from Qinling Mountains in China to understand how lumen diameter (LD) determining potential hydraulic conductivity and cell-wall thickness (CWT) determining carbon storage responded to climate and Ca. The effects of climate and Ca on intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) were isolated, and iWUE values due to only-climate (iWUEClim) and only-CO2 effects (iWUECO2) were obtained. During a low-iWUE period, the influences of climate on earlywood (EW) LD and latewood (LW) CWT prevailed. During a high-iWUE period, CO2 fertilization promoted cell enlargement and carbon storage but this was counteracted by a negative influence of climate warming. The limiting direct effects of iWUEClim and indirect effects of climate on EW LD were greater than on LW CWT. P. tabuliformis in temperate forests will face a decline of growth and carbon fixation, but will produce embolism-resistant tracheids with narrow lumen responding to future hotter droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Decomposition of leaf and root litter contributes large amounts of phosphorus (P) to soil and is strongly determined by litter quality, morphology, and microbial activity, but the individual and interactive roles of these factors remain underexplored. Methods: To fill this gap, field litter decomposition experiment was conducted by collecting leaf and fine root litters (< 2 mm) of crop (from cropland), shrub (from shrubland) and wood (from woodland) and placing the litters into woodland soil for 2 years in subtropical China, in order to evaluate effects of the above factors on leaf and fine root litter P loss of three species among different decomposition stages. Results: Leaf litter P loss was positively correlated with root P loss, and both were primarily controlled by microbes. Leaf litter P loss was more affected by litter quality, while root litter P loss was more affected by morphology during whole decomposition. However, morphology and litter quality were also important controls of leaf P loss at mid-to-late stages and of root P loss at early-to-mid stages. Conclusion: Our results highlighted that microbes exerted dominant controls with different importance of litter morphology and litter quality during different decomposition, which weakened the coordination between leaf and root decomposition. Overall, different regulation processes of leaf and root litter P loss and associated drivers at different decomposition stages provided novel insight into accurately predicting litter decomposition related to nutrient cycling under future afforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannin is a chemical compound found in plants such as tea, with yellow or brown as a characteristic color. Tannin is present in any plant species' wood, stems, barks, leaves, roots, and fruits. However, the tannin contents in those plants are not the same and plants rich in tannin are the most used raw material for industrial‐level tannin extraction, such as chestnut. The central purpose of this article was to identify the tannin content of vegetables. In this study, tannins were extracted from 72 plants in China. The contents and purities of tannins, non‐tannins and insoluble substances in those studied plants were determined. A gravimetric approach, using hider powder as a precipitate to bind tannins, has been developed to quantify total tannins in plants. The results showed that high contents of tannins (>20%) were found in Pltycarya strobilacea fruit, Quercus acutissima shell, Quercus variabilis shell, Acacia mearnsii bark, Albizia kalkora bark, Camellia oleifera wood, Rosa cymosa root, Rosa laevigata root, Rhus chinensis gallnut, Bruguiera sexangular bark, Kandelia candel bark, Ceriops tagal bark, Lumnitzera racemose bark and Dioscorea cirrhosa tuber. The purity of tannins was more than 70% in some plants: Larix gmelimi bark, Causuarina equisetifolia bark, P. strobilacea fruit, Castanopsis tibetana wood, Quercus aliena shell, Quercus chenii shell and bark, A. mearnsii bark, A. kalkora bark, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza bark, C. tagal bark, K. candel bark and D. cirrhosa tubers. These plants are excellent resources for vegetable tannins in China. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The study aims to provide the morphological and molecular characterisation of two newly discovered Cryptaphelenchus species, namely: C. curvatum n. sp. and C. tumidus n. sp. Morphologically both species are minute nematodes, possess medium-sized stylets with basal knobs laterally directed, and short post-uterine sacs (PUS). Cryptaphelenchus curvatum n. sp. was detected from the local Pinus branch samples and is characterised by having an equal proportion of adult males and females, medium-sized body lengths of females 353 (320-388) μ m and males 277 (256-293) μ m, lateral fields with four lateral lines, 8-10 μ m long stylet, PUS about one vulva body width long and conical posterior body end with a blunt pointed tip. Cryptaphelenchus tumidus n. sp. was detected in a packaging wood sample from Japan and is characterised by having rare male, short body lengths of females 236 (217-270) μ m and males 180 μ m, obscure lateral fields, stylet 6.8 (6.0-7.5) μ m, PUS about half vulva body width long and a slim conical posterior body end with a finely rounded tip. The phylogenetic trees were also constructed based on rRNA gene sequences (D2-D3 segments of the 28S, ITS and 18S) and discussed in detail. Since Cryptaphelenchus species offer multitrophic relationships among their insect vectors and associated microbiota, species recognition and molecular studies of recovered populations will facilitate researchers to determine whether these species might play any ecological roles in insect bionomics or the residing host tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.) is a major economic crop grown in tropical areas. However, the various service functions of rubber plantations and their benefit to society, the economy and the environment are still unclear. Data on rubber planting areas, dry rubber and wood yields, carbon sequestration and oxygen release capacities, biodiversity, employment, and market prices for natural rubber and rubber wood were collected. Observations of land use patterns and functions were carried out. The results showed that the capacity of average annual carbon stock capacity of rubber plantations in China was 36.51 million tonnes. The accumulation values of carbon sequestration and oxygen release, 416.89 million tonnes and 304.42 million tonnes, respectively. A total of 849 plant species, 60 bird species, 5 species of ground beetle, 25 species of wild bees, 27 ant species, 10 termite species, 87 spider species and 38 hemipterous species were found in rubber plantations. The average annual dry rubber and rubber wood yields were 676,300 tonnes and 1.29 million m3. From 2000 to 2020, 14.20 million tonnes of dry rubber were produced and 27.02 million m3 of wood were harvested. The average annual output of dry rubber and rubber wood was US$1.86 billion, while total output value summed to US$ 39.08 billion from 2000 to 2020. Rubber cultivation and plantation operation activities employed an average of 1.11 million people annually. Land use management and natural disasters may affect the service functions of rubber plantations, which are carbon sequestration and oxygen release, maintaining biodiversity, providing dry rubber and rubber wood, maintaining water and conserving water sources, absorbing employment, changing unsustainable agricultural practices and habits of smallholders and ethnic minorities, and promoting transfer of technologies. In the future, on the basis of recognising and rationally weighing the various functions of rubber plantations and their main driving factors, smallholders are expected to maximise the social, economic and ecological functions of rubber plantations through effective crop management and utilisation of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red soil is one of the most widely distributed soil types in Yunnan Province of China. Red soil is characterized by high plasticity, high void ratio, heavy viscosity, slightly acidic soil, as well as low water and fertility retention. Among them, alternate wetting and drying can be caused by rainfall, irrigation, high-temperature evaporation, and disturbances in production and construction projects, leading to the shrinkage, cracking, and swelling of red soil during drought. Soil water characteristics change dramatically, which is essential to carry out soil improvement in red soil regions. Soil reconstruction has been widely used in the practice of red soil improvement. Most research focuses mainly on the hydraulic properties of the natural red soil, rather than the reconstructed one. Furthermore, the wood fiber can be expected to serve as an ecological soil conditioner, in order to improve the ecological restoration, of the soil, and water conservation in the mining areas. However, it is still lacking on the effects of wood fiber additions on the physical properties of red soil in the combination of dry and wet alternation and wood fiber. In this study, a novel mechanism was proposed to clarify the impact of wood fiber reconstruction on the hydraulic properties of red soil during dry and wet alternation. The red soil was collected in Kunming City of Yunnan Province in China. Four types of wood fiber additions (0, 0.5%, 2.5%, and 5.0%) were used to improve the red soil. The matric suction of wood fiber composite soil was measured using filtering, and the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) was fitted using the Logistic model. The results showed that there was a gradually slow hysteresis in the dry-wet alternation on the decrease in the soil matric suction and SWCC of red soil, as the addition of wood fiber increased. Specifically, 2.5% wood fiber composite soil was the optimal ratio to improve soil water holding. The addition of wood fiber increased the intake and residual value of red soil. The residual value changed greatly under dry and wet alternations, whereas, there was a gradual decrease in the residual value, as the number of dry and wet alternations increased. The slope of 2.5% wood fiber composite soil was less affected by the dry and wet alternations, with the best capacity of water holding, while the volumetric water content decreased. The determination coefficients of soil-water characteristic curves were all above 0.97 after wood fiber addition, indicating that the Logistic model was suitable for the SWCC fitting of red soil that was modified with the wood fiber. The finding can provide a strong reference for soil reconstruction and ecological restoration during land consolidation in the red soil regions. A series of experiments were also carried out to determine the different amounts of wood fiber during dry and wet alternation. The relationship was also established between the impact of wood fiber improvement on the hydraulic properties of red soil. Since the specific impact can be depended on the physical indicators of the soil mass, further research can be expected to focus on the soil pore structure, aggregates, and permeability in the red soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the extensive application of wood materials in the construction and manufacturing, waste wood has potential of converting into new natural energy sources. In this study, cypress, pine and fir woods commonly used in China, as well as old samples for above each species (more than 200 years old) have been used to study the aging and species effects on their thermal stability and combustion models. To obtain the kinetic triplets of the pyrolysis process, all samples have been heated in a nitrogen atmosphere with heating rates of 5, 10, 15, and 20 K min−1. The kinetics parameters of pyrolysis throughout the conversion process were then calculated using isoconversional method, Coats-Redfern (CR), and masterplots methods. The reconstructed theoretical models have been then adjusted using the accommodation functions. The results of this study contribute to an increased understanding of the fire mechanism of waste woods, and implications concerning to provide scientific theoretical guidance for its feasibility as a new energy fuel more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus urophylla 'GLGU9' is one of the most commonly planted tree species in South China. It is a new variety created by Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Forestry Research Institute. As a fast-growing species, the poor dimensional stability is one of its main drawbacks, which restricts its applications. Thermal treatment is one of the effective methods to improve the dimensional stability of wood. GLGU9 wood was treated using thermal modification with palm oil. The oil was used as a heating medium and a shielding material at temperatures of 150, 170, 190, 200, and 210 °C, at various treatment durations of 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 h. To investigate the effect of palm oil thermal treatment on dimensional stability, the anti-shrink efficiency (ASE1) and anti-swelling efficiency (ASE2) were examined. The results indicated that the ASE1 and ASE2 were increased by 62.8% and 56.6% at 210 °C for 6 h treatment, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The systematic position of Noeggerathiales was long uncertain until the whole plant species Paratingia wuhaia was restored and proved to belong to progymnosperms due to its spore-producing fertile organ and secondary wood producing a large stem. However, whether Tingia Halle as the most diversified genus in Noeggerathiales belongs to progymnosperms has yet remained uncertain as the anatomy of the main stem of this plant is unknown, that is, whether the anatomy of the main stem with the anatomical characteristics of gymnosperms woods remains uncertain. Here, the stem anatomy of Tingia unita is presented based on fossil materials from the early Permian Wuda Tuff Flora in Wuda Coalfield, Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia, China. The well-developed secondary wood, plus previously accumulated evidence of the spore-bearing nature of this plant, confirms that this genus belongs to progymnosperms. As such, the genera Tingia and Paratingia are all certainly progymnosperms in affinity. Tingia Halle, a representative genus of the Cathaysia Flora, has been studied for nearly 100 years, being a small heterosporous tree based on the gross morphology of Tingia unita. However, the systematic affinity of Tingia is uncertain. Now, a number of well-preserved fossils of T. unita from the Taiyuan Formation of Lower Permian in Wuda Coalfield, Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia facilitates an examination of wood anatomy. The stem anatomy of T. unita shows parenchymatous pith, endarch primary xylem, pycnoxylic secondary xylem, and cortex, typically a type of gymnosperm wood, which taken together with pteridophytic reproduction, certainly evidences that Tingia Halle is a progymnosperm. In addition, Tingia together with Paratingia provide strong evidence to link the Noeggerathiales with progymnosperms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Industrial integration is one of the key roles in rural revitalization. The level of industrial integration can be classified to evaluate the obstacle factors in the different types of villages, particularly for the decision-making on industrial revitalization. In this study, the measure of industrial integration level was determined to diagnose the obstacle factors in the different planting types of rural areas in the hilly and mountains areas. The survey data was also collected from the 15 sample villages in six towns of Chongqing (Jiangjin) Modern Agricultural Park of China. The evaluation index was constructed from two dimensions, including the industrial integration behavior and integration benefit. The entropy weight and TOPSIS were used to couple the coordination and obstacle degree model for the integrated assessment and obstacle factor diagnosis of rural industry. The results showed that:1) The low overall level of industrial integration was found in the study area, with an average value of only 0.210. Specifically, the integration level was ranked in the descending order of the prickly ash type (0.399) > grain and oil type (0.254) > flowers and woods type villages(0.134) = vegetable type (0.134) > fruit type (0.127). There was also the striking disparity of village in the similar rural industries. The differences in the integration level of the flower-wood, vegetable, and fruit type villages were all lower than 0.110, while the prickly ash and grain-oil type villages were observed in 0.732 and 0.361, respectively, indicating the notably higher than those of the first three types of villages. The coupling and coordination degree of rural industrial integration was mostly at a low level. Fourteen sample villages were in the different degrees of imbalance, accounting for nearly 93.33%. There was the diverse in the coupling coordination degree of the six types of villages, of which the prickly ash type villages (0.436) were the highest, followed by the grain and oil type villages (0.369), and the lowest were the vegetable type villages (0.291), the flower and wood type villages (0.285), and fruit type villages (0.274). Besides, there was also a large gap in the degree of coupling and coordination between similar villages, ranking as the prickly ash type villages (0.372) > grain and oil type villages (0.201) > fruit type villages (0.157) > vegetable type villages (0.098) > flower and wood type villages (0.051). 3) The integrated development of various rural industry was caused by several factors, such as the village proximity, the proportion of new industrialization agricultural operators, the average education years of integrated operators, and the presence or absence of supporting facilities for the industrial integration at obstacle degree level greater than or equal to 0.08. But the influence degree was different. Some recommendations were proposed to improve the input of resource factors, the foundation conditions for industrial integration, and the scope and depth of agriculture. Different plans of integration can be expected in rural areas, according to the own characteristic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jingtoushan Site (8300–7800 BP), located in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, is of great value for the in-depth understanding of China's prehistoric coastal culture. At this site, numerous valuable wooden relics showing past human civilization have been discovered. Multiple approaches were taken, including wood anatomy and physicochemical analyses, to assess the preservation state of waterlogged archaeological woods (WAWs), while using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to explore their microbial diversity and composition as well as that of the surrounding soil. The secondary walls of WAWs showed to be severely degraded, whereas the compound middle layer and cell corner were well preserved. Bacteria were the main microorganisms causing the biodegradation of WAWs, and 85.6% of the phyla was also found in the surrounding soil environment. Specifically, Arcobacter, Flavobacterium, Hyphomicrobium, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, bacteria retrieved by HTS in high abundance, were inferred to be potentially associated with the biodegradation of WAWs at the Jingtoushan Site. Meanwhile, it is hypothesized that lignin in the wooden artefacts still buried and unexcavated at the Site might be at risk of further degradation, although it may be better preserved than the cellulose and hemicellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalpabungei is an economically important native hardwood in China whose hygroscopic behavior is vital for industrial applications as it influences the final product's dimensional stability and mechanical properties. In this study, the adsorption and desorption behavior of earlywood and latewood in the same growth ring of C. bungei wood samples was documented using a dynamic vapor sorption resolution and analyzed using the Guggenheim–Andersen–de Boer (GAB) model. The earlywood and latewood exhibited varying sorption isotherms and hysteresis degrees, and the reasons were analyzed in terms of structure and chemical composition (mainly hemicellulose and lignin). The influence of benzene–alcohol extracts and vessels on sorption characteristics was also examined. The GAB model perfectly fits the experimental data (R2 ≥ 99.7%) over the full relative humidity range. Specifically, parameters such as the internal specific surface area of wood can be obtained from the GAB model to help explain the differences in sorption properties between earlywood and latewood. The maximum water content bound to the primary sites for earlywood and latewood is 6.87% and 7.47%, respectively. Correspondingly, two internal specific surface areas are 261 m2/g and 284 m2/g, respectively. The adsorption isotherms of earlywood and latewood in C. bungei cannot be fully classified as type II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oudemansiella raphanipes, considered as a well-known culinary edible mushroom with a high content of natural bioactive substances, is widely cultivated in China with the commercial name Changgengu. However, due to the lack of genomic data, molecular and genetic study on O. raphanipes is rare. To obtain a comprehensive overview of genetic characteristics and enhance the value of O. raphanipes, two mating-compatible monokaryons isolated from the dikaryon were applied for de novo genome sequencing and assembly using Nanopore and /or Illumina sequencing platforms. One of the monokaryons, O. raphanipes CGG-A-s1, was annotated with 21,308 protein-coding genes, of which 56 were predicted to be involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites such as terpene, type I PKS, NRPS, and siderophore. Phylogenetic and comparative analysis of multiple fungi genomes revealed a close evolutionary relationship between O. raphanipes and Mucidula mucid based on single-copy orthologous protein genes. Significant collinearity was detected between O. raphanipes and Flammulina velutipes on the synteny of inter-species genomes. 664 CAZyme genes in CGG-A-s1 were identified with GHs and AAs families significantly elevated when compared with the other 25 sequenced fungi, indicating a strong wood degradation ability. Furthermore, the mating type locus analysis revealed that CGG-A-s1 and CGG-A-s2 were conserved in the gene organization of the mating A locus but various in that of the mating B locus. The genome resource of O. raphanipes will provide new insights into its development of genetic studies and commercial production of high-quality varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, twelve terrestrial hysteriaceous saprobic fungi growing on different pieces of dead wood were collected from Yunnan Province, China. All hysteriaceous strains isolated in this study tallied with the general characteristics associated with Rhytidhysteron. Detailed morphological characteristics and combined multigene phylogeny of LSU, ITS, SSU, and TEF showed that the twelve hysteriaceous fungi strains represent four distinct new species, and seven new host or geographical records of Rhytidhysteron. Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence, the four new species (Rhytidhysteron bannaense sp. nov., R. coffeae sp. nov., R. mengziense sp. nov., and R. yunnanense sp. nov.) expand the number of species of Rhytidhysteron from thirty-three to thirty-seven, while seven new geographical records expand the records of Rhytidhysteron in China from six to thirteen. In addition, 10 new Rhytidhysteron host records are reported for the first time, thus expanding the known hosts for Rhytidhysteron from 52 to 62. Full descriptions, images of the morphology, and phylogenetic analyses to show the position of the Rhytidhysteron taxa are provided. In addition, the present study summarizes the main morphological characteristics, host associations, and locations of this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the patterns in the degradation of cellulose and lignin in decaying logs under different climatic conditions is necessary to understand the carbon cycling in forest ecosystems since cellulose and lignin are the dominant carbon fractions in decaying logs. However, the effects of the environmental heterogeneity by variation in canopy cover on the degradation of cellulose and lignin in decaying logs remain unknown. To evaluate the effect of forest gaps, we measured the concentration and mass loss of cellulose and lignin in experimentally exposed decaying logs in gaps, at the edge of gaps, and under the closed canopy during a four-year in situ log incubation experiment in a subalpine Minjiang fir (Abies faxoniana) forest on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. We found the lowest cellulose concentration in gaps for all wood tissues, while we observed the opposite for lignin except for bark. Based on the linear relationship between cellulose and lignin concentrations, the rate of lignin enrichment in bark and heartwood was slowest in gaps and fastest under closed canopy, while in sapwood gaps had almost no influence. The mass loss of cellulose was highest in gaps for all wood tissues in any decay classes. The gap effect on lignin mass loss in decaying logs showed high variability with wood tissues and decay classes. Our results show that forest gaps accelerate the degradation of cellulose and lignin during the decomposition of logs by increasing cellulose mass loss and slowing lignin enrichment. The observed gap effects were mediated by wood tissues but not by decay classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China is increasingly dependent on imported wood. Afrormosia and Newtonia are some of the imported species with good utilization potential. However, both of them also have problems with poor dimensional stability. In order to make better use of these two types of wood, the influence of heat treatment under air and palm oil conditions on the color, dimensional stability, and hygroscopicity of Afrormosia and Newtonia was investigated. The Afrormosia and Newtonia wood samples were heated in air or palm oil medium for two hours at 160 °C, 180 °C and 200 °C, respectively. Then, the color, weight changes, swelling, moisture absorption and chemical structure were evaluated for each case. As results, the heat treatments with air or palm oil increased the dark color of Newtonia and Afrormosia wood and this increase was proportional to the treatment temperature. The tangential and radial swelling coefficient for air heat treatment of Afrormosia wood at 200 °C were, respectively, reduced by 24.59% and 19.58%, while this reduction for Newtonia was 21.32% and 14.80%. The heat treatment in palm oil further improved the stability and hygroscopicity of the wood, showing that the Afrormosia samples treated by palm oil at 200 °C underwent a decrease of its tangential and radial swelling coefficient, respectively, by 49.34% and 45.88%, whereas the tangential and radial swelling coefficient of Newtonia treated under the same conditions were reduced by 42.85% and 33.63%, respectively. The heat treatments of Afrormosia and Newtonia samples under air at 200 °C diminished the water absorption by 21.67% and 22.12%. The water absorption of Afrormosia and Newtonia heat-treated under palm oil at 200 °C was reduced, respectively, by 39.40% and 37.49%. Moreover, the FTIR analysis showed the decrease of hydroxyl groups in proportion to the wood treatment temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Huangjingui (Camellia sinensis)，a kind of oolong tea, is native to Anxi County, Fujian Province, China, and is a national tea tree species. Tea processing is the key link in the formation of its aroma characteristics, and it is important to analyze the influence of each processing process on the aroma intensity and odor characteristics of tea, in order to optimize the tea processing process and improve the quality of tea. Results: The processing process favored the accumulation of volatile compounds in oolong tea, as evidenced by the increase in their content from 9.793 to 123.052 μg/kg, of which the highest content was mainly in terpenoids, alcohols and esters substances. The aroma formation of oolong tea was mainly composed of 14 key compounds, among which the most critical compounds were four substances such as geraniol, α‐pinene, methyl salicylate and trans‐β‐ionone. The typical odor characteristics of oolong tea were floral and wood, among which the formation of floral odor mainly came from geraniol and methyl salicylate, and the formation of wood odor characteristics mainly came from α‐pinene and trans‐β‐ionone. Further analysis showed that the aroma quality of oolong tea could be improved by focusing on key processes such as fermentation and kneading during the processing of oolong tea. Conclusion: The processing was conducive to the accumulation of aroma compounds of oolong tea, improving the aroma intensity of tea leaves and forming the unique floral and wood odor characteristics of oolong tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant functional traits are increasingly used to understand ecological relationships and (changing) ecosystem functions. For understanding ecosystem‐level biogeochemistry, we need to understand how (much) traits co‐vary between different plant organs across species and its implications for litter decomposition. However, we do not know how the degree of synchronous variation in decomposition rates between organs across species could be influenced by different keystone invertebrates decomposing different senesced plant organs, especially in warm‐climate forests. Here we asked whether interspecific patterns in wood and leaf decomposition rates and in the spectra of resource economics traits underpinning them, co‐vary across woody species; and how (much) the keystone invertebrate decomposers of the litter of these organs enhance or lower such co‐variation of decomposition rates through time.We addressed these questions through an 18‐month 'common‐garden' decomposition experiment using leaf, twig and branch litter of 41 woody species in two distant subtropical forest sites in east China. We quantified the effects of leaf, twig and branch functional traits and their respective key invertebrates (moth larvae, termites) on the decomposition rates of those organs.Interspecific variation in wood traits was partly decoupled from that in leaf traits across species, while strong coupling was found between twigs and branches. The co‐variation between leaf and woody organ decomposition rates was altered dynamically through the shifting activities of the key decomposers, which created nonlinear relationships of invertebrate litter consumption as a function of species rankings along the resource economic trait spectra of leaves and branches.The deviations from coupling of decomposition rates between organs were likely caused by combinations of three mechanisms: (1) (de‐)coupling between organs of other traits, not commonly considered in resource economics spectra (e.g. resins) (2) leaf and wood decomposers having specific diet requirements and (3) temporal patterns of the decomposers' activity.Synthesis. Our study highlights the importance of considering the different ways by which invertebrate detritivores drive decomposition processes through time. Under the ongoing biodiversity decline, future research would benefit from a better understanding of the role of the dynamic interactions between detritivore activities and plant functional traits on the carbon turnover in ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptomeria fortunei has been widely planted in many cities in southern China. Eventually some of this material may be utilized for timber, but there are relatively few studies of durability of this resource. There is also some question as to whether Cryptomeria fortunei is a synonym for Cryptomeria japonica or Japanese cedar (Sugi). Evaluating the durability of the Chinese resource will help ensure that the decay resistance of this urban plantation resource is properly categorized. The decay resistance of Cryptomeria fortunei wood was assessed in soil block and agar block tests against Trametes versicolor, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Rhodonia placenta. Hot water and ethanol extractive contents of the heartwood were determined on sections from various distances above ground and then FTIR spectroscopy was used to characterize the wood before and after fungal exposure. Weight losses in sapwood were consistent with the minimal decay resistance of this portion of the wood. Inner and outer heartwood weight losses were more variable suggesting that the heartwood of this species would be considered to be only moderately durable. Extractives were weakly correlated with decay resistance. FTIR results were more variable, although they suggested heavier attack of lignin components by the brown rot fungi. The results suggest that Cryptomeria fortunei would need to be protected from the weather unless supplemental preservative treatments were applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanhai I shipwreck was a large wooden merchant ship (22.15 m in length and 9.85 m in width) built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279 A.D.) of China, which was heavily loaded with a large number of porcelain and iron artifacts. In the South China Sea, it was found in 1987 and lifted as a whole in 2007. Its excavation provides a precious opportunity to reveal the preservation status of Nanhai I shipwreck. Iron compounds give rise to challenges in conservation procedures and the long-term stability of Nanhai I shipwreck. In this paper, the degradation of the wood and the iron deposits in the wood structure are investigated from the aspects of microscopic morphology, composition, and distribution to evaluate the preservation state of the waterlogged wood. Physical parameters, chemical composition, and the results of elemental analysis, and FTIR analysis suggest that the cellulose of wood is degraded, and the relative concentration of lignin increases. The ash content varies greatly among different samples, and the element of the highest content in ash is iron. The study on transverse and longitudinal sections from samples indicate that the deposits are unevenly concentrated in the cell lumen, middle lamella, rays, and pits of the cell wall. The cell lumen is filled with deposits in areas close to the surface of the samples. The XRD analysis demonstrates that the deposits in wood are mainly iron deposits, containing compounds pyrite (FeS2), siderite (FeCO3), iron oxyhydroxides (FeOOH), and magnetite (Fe3O4). The micro-X-ray Fluorescence mapping analysis suggests that the content of iron is relatively richer while containing less sulfur on the exterior of the sample. The presence of iron deposits accelerates wood degradation and increases the safety hazards of shipwrecks in the preservation process. We hope that our findings can make a modest contribution to iron removal from waterlogged archeological wood and shipwreck conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of waste apple-wood as a source of sawdust to cultivate the mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes is a common practice, but it is imperative to ensure that the wood does not contain unsafe amounts of heavy-metals or pesticide residues. In this study, we sampled and investigated the pollution of heavy metals and pesticide residues in apple-wood from Yantai, Shandong, China and cultivated P. ostreatus and L. edodes using apple-wood as substrate. Heavy metals, pesticide residues, mineral elements, and biological efficiency were measured. Heavy metals were more commonly detected in the 73 apple-wood samples, but serious pollution was only an isolated phenomenon. No Pb was detected in P. ostreatus and L. edodes. The contents of Hg, As, Cd, and Cr were at safe levels. The contents of Ni were equivalent to those of wild mushrooms. Most notably, chlorpyrifos was detected in all the apple-wood tested. However, chlorpyrifos was only detected in L. edodes cultivated with apple sawdust. No other pesticide residues were detected in the other mushroom samples. The biological efficiency of P. ostreatus cultivated by apple sawdust was 89%, which was 80% of the control. The biological efficiency of L. edodes cultivated with apple sawdust was 81%, which did not differ significantly from the control. Apple-wood can replace wild oak as the material for L. edodes cultivation, but producers should ensure that the raw materials are safe. The main materials chosen to cultivate P. ostreatus should balance the two factors of raw material price and biological efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The woodwasp Sirex noctilio Fabricius is a major quarantine pest that was first discovered in China in 2013 and mainly harms Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica. Sirex nitobei Matsumura is native to China and closely related to S. noctilio. Recently, S. nitobei and S. noctilio were found to be attacking P. sylvestris var. mongolica from June to September successively in China. In recent years, pheromones have been useful tools for the development of pest evaluation and management strategies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of two species of wood wasps (S. noctilio and S. nitobei): (1) mating behavior and circadian rhythms; (2) the factors influencing mating behavior; (3) the male-produced pheromone components in both species based on three reported components from S. noctilio. Finally, what we found was that most of the two species of wood wasps mated at two-days-old; within the same day, mating behavior peaks between 11:00 and 12:00; light conditions, individual size, and female–male proportion affect their mating behavior; (Z)-3-decenol became the main component of pheromone of both species. By investigating the mating behavior of two species of wood wasps and analyzing the pheromone production, we could proceed targeted control measurements during the mating period of wood wasps and provide strategic significance for the subsequent control. To protect vulnerable trees from native and invasive wood wasps, the mating behavior of these two woodwasp species (S. noctilio and S. nitobei, respectively) and factors influencing this behavior were investigated in cages outdoors. Male-produced pheromones were identified in both woodwasp species. Compared with the native species S. nitobei, the invasive species S. noctilio showed stronger mating ability, including mating frequency, time, and duration. The mating behavior of both species mainly occurred from 9:00 to 17:00 each day, peaking at 11:00 and 12:00. The daily mating behavior of both species was most directly related to light intensity. Both female and male S. noctilio and S. nitobei were capable of mating upon emergence, and most individuals mated at 2 days of age. For both species, a female-to-male ratio of 5:15 was most conducive to mating, and individuals with a larger body size were preferred as mates by males and females. (Z)-3-decenol was present in solid-phase microextraction extracts of both species. Two reported minor reference components, (Z)-4-decen-1-ol and (E, E)-2,4-decadienal, were not identified in either woodwasp species. The peak of male pheromone release occurred from 11:00–12:00 for 2-day-old individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

⑴ Background——China is the largest importer and fifth largest exporter of wood forest products, while the United States is the second largest importer and largest exporter of wood forest products in the world. Meanwhile, the US is the largest export and import trade partner of China’s wood forest products. The Sino-US trade friction initiated by the US in March 2018 involves the vast majority of wood forest products. Existing studies mainly focus on the impact of Sino-US trade friction on bilateral wood forest products trade and profit and loss, ignoring its overall impact on China’s international wood forest products trade. Measurement and analysis of the impact of Sino-US trade friction on China’s international trade of wood forest products is helpful for us to take corresponding measures to cope with the challenge of the Sino-US trade friction and ensure stable and healthy development of China’s wood forest products industry and international trade.⑵ Methods——From the three aspects of demand, supply and trade, 8 indicators that may have a great impact on import and 11 indicators that may have a great impact on export are selected. Based on the data from 2002 to 2017,the grey correlation analysis method is used to measure the grey correlation coefficient between different influencing factors and the import and export trade level of China’s overall wood forest products and the import and export trade level of the main wood forest products. Selecting strong correlation indicators to construct Multi-variable Grey Model MGM（1,N）,“Counterfactual reasoning method” is used to measure and analyze the impact of Sino-US trade friction since 2018 on the import and export of China’s wood forest products as a whole and the import and export of main wood forest products.⑶ Results——With the implementation of multiple rounds tariffs imposed by China and the US, under the dual effects of large country effect and the substitution effect of import and export markets, except for paper, paper products and wood products, trade amount and quantity of the import and export of China’s most wood forest products first increase and then decrease significantly. Further research shows that Sino-US trade friction significantly reduces the import cost of China’s main wood forest products, but has a large negative impact on China’s imports of logs and sawn timbers, it endangers China’s wood import safety, and worsens the export trade conditions of China’s main wood forest products, but the impact is quite different. China’s wooden furniture and plywood exports show a bad trend of an increase in export volume and a decrease in export prices. It can be seen that the profits from China’s wood forest products import trade increase significantly, while the profits from China’s wooden furniture and plywood export trade is damaged severely, and the export of China’s wooden furniture and plywood faces severe challenges.⑷ Conclusions and Discussions——China should recognize the positive and negative impacts of Sino-US trade friction, and accelerate the implementation of the “double cycle” strategy while continuing to strengthen the import diversification of logs and sawn timbers, reducing the high dependence on foreign timber resources and changing the export mode of “large quantity and low price” of Chinese wooden furniture and plywood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Producing ethanol, PLA, and wood adhesive from bamboo residues. • Exhibiting the environmental benefits of biphasic pretreatment technology. • Trade-off between product yield and environmental impacts are revealed. • High-value lignin-based adhesive can bring environmental benefits. • Key drivers of environmental performance are identified. Utilizing bamboo residues to produce decarbonization energy products or materials diverts wastes from low-value treatment and supports the circular bioeconomy at the same time. This study develops a cradle-to-grave life-cycle assessment (LCA) for a biorefinery converting bamboo residues into bioproducts (ethanol, polylactic acid (PLA), and bio-based wood adhesive) in China. To combat the low enzymatic hydrolysis performance of bamboo residues and valorize the lignin, this study adopts a biphasic pretreatment by coupling phenoxyethanol and sulfuric acid solution (1%) to achieve high fermentable sugar production. The LCA study is coupled with a process simulation for an industrial-scale biorefinery based on the experimental data. Our results show that the life-cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) is 17.0–32.1 gCO 2 e/MJ for ethanol cases and 3.2–3.7 kgCO 2 e/kg for PLA cases, when biphasic pretreatment is adopted. The lower GWP values are achieved by using 1:1 phenoxyethanol: acid solution, though it has a lower product yield than 4:1 phenoxyethanol: acid solution cases. Without biphasic pretreatment, the GWP is 135.8 gCO 2 e/MJ ethanol and 4.4 kgCO 2 e/kg PLA. For the perspective of treating 1 dry t bamboo residues, with biphasic pretreatment, the GWP is −174 to −66 kgCO 2 e for ethanol cases and −542 to −432 kgCO 2 e for PLA cases. The lower GWP is also from using 1:1 phenoxyethanol: acid solution (1%). These GWP ranges are lower than conventional landfilling (2969 kgCO 2 e) and landfilling with landfill gas recovery (−28 kgCO 2 e). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, humans have adapted their strategies of wood collection to shifts in the surrounding environment. Shifts in wood procurement strategies have been assumed to have been heavily influenced by changes in biomes due to shifts in climate. In these models, wood found on archaeological sites is interpreted as being representative of the surrounding environment. Around the world there is an increasing recognition that human preferences and management strategies impacted forest composition and species harvesting. We evaluated charcoal data gathered from 92 archaeological sites in northern China, with chronologies spanning the period from 6500 BP to 2000 BP. By combining the results of the analysis with published paleoenvironment records and archaeological evidence, we aimed to determine when and how there was an anthropogenic impact on wood procurement strategies. Our results indicated that a distinct spatiotemporal pattern of wood utilisation existed in northern China during the period 6500–2000 BP that could not be fully explained by changes in climate. Spatially, anthropogenically-collected woody assemblages showed remarkable differences in northern China. Northern China's climate gradually became colder and drier during the mid to late Holocene, especially during the period 4000–2000 BP. This appears to have led to a decreased use of Quercus L. in the Loess Plateau and the Guanzhong Basin. However, in the Central Plains and Shandong Peninsula, Quercus L. usage continued and increased in the late Holocene. During the same period, a striking shift in wood procurement occurred in the western part of China. In the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, wood procurement shifted from predominantly coniferous to broadleaved trees, and forest succession caused by anthropogenic collection played the significant role. Paleoclimatic information in Hexi Corridor suggests that some arbour trees in archaeological sites were not locally available, suggesting that human preference for certain wood types led them to engage in long distance transport. This finding indicates that starting after 4000 BP, climatically driven shifts in biomes were no longer a primarily influencing variable in human procurement of trees in north-western and eastern China. Key regional differences in strategy emerged. In Eastern China, wood species which humans preferred were still harvested even when climatic change reduced their availability. In North-western China, however, changes in biomes following 4000 BP meant that people needed to change the species on which they had previously relied and began to engage in long distance transport of wood. • The spatiotemporal differences of wood utilisation could be seen in northern China during the period 6500-2000 BP. • Climatically driven shifts in biomes were no longer a primarily influencing variable in human procurement of trees both in north-western and eastern China after 4000 BP. • Key regional differences in strategy emerged after 4000 BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With climate change and increasingly fierce international trade competition, upgrading the global value chains (GVCs) under the sustainable development mode is becoming a key transformation for China's wood industry. This study applies system dynamics theory to build a model of upgrading and evolution of the GVC of the wood industry based on sustainable green growth and uses Vensim PLE software for system simulation. The results demonstrate that (1) under the framework of sustainable green growth, the optimization of industry structure and security of resource supply play an important role in promoting the position of the GVC. (2) improving technological innovation capacity, plantation forest stock, carbon emission reduction intensity, and wage growth is essential to upgrade the wood industry's position in the GVC. (3) different policy implementations have different impacts on the coupled and coordinated development of the system, and implementing innovation-driven policies is the optimal realization path to promote the synergistic upgrading of the GVC. The findings enrich the holistic and systematic study of the evolution of GVC upgrading in traditional manufacturing industries and provide a fresh perspective for assisting the wood industry in realizing GVC upgrading under a sustainable green growth model. [Display omitted] • A framework for sustainable green growth in the Chinese wood industry is developed. • Mechanisms for upgrading the global value chain are constructed and simulated. • Industry structure and resource supply are critical in the upgrading mechanisms. • Innovation-driven policies are the optimal path for upgrading global value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The branchwood of fruit trees is being promoted to supplement the fiber material for paper manufacturing in China. This study was conducted to investigate the fiber morphology of walnut branchwood, and to highlight its potential utilizations in papermaking. The effects of the branch diameter, branching level, and tension wood on the fiber morphology were also investigated. The results showed that approximately 65% of the fibers were longer than 900 μm, 95% of the fibers had a slenderness ratio greater than 40, and 67% of the fibers had a Runkel ratio less than 1. It is evident from the results that the fiber morphology of walnut branchwood is reasonably good for paper manufacturing. However, the diameter of the branch does not provide reliable information to predict the fiber morphometrics. In addition, the branching level and tension wood are not very helpful in the screening of fiber raw materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kodamaea includes a growing number of interesting yeasts of the family Debaryomycetacae that are widely distributed in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of different continents. During recent yeast collections in Henan and Yunnan Province in China, several isolates of Kodamaea were obtained from rotting wood, all of which represent undescribed taxa. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses (ITS and LSU rDNA), three new species are proposed: K. hongheensis f.a., sp. nov., K. ovata f.a., sp. nov. and K. yamadae f.a., sp. nov. In addition, sixteen Candida species, which are members of the Kodamaea clade based on phylogenetic analysis, are transferred to Kodamaea as new combinations. Our results indicate high species diversity of Kodamaea waiting to be discovered in rotting wood from tropical and subtropical China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ian M. Miller's book, "Fir and Empire: The Transformation of Forests in Early Modern China," challenges the prevailing narrative of China's deforestation and unsustainable development. Miller argues that China experienced a phase of regenerative forestry that lasted longer than its Western counterpart. The book explores China's response to the wood crisis of the eleventh century, which led to the soft-touch state regulation of forest exploitation and the expansion of the private timber market. Miller's research is based on a meticulous survey of historical evidence, including official surveys, local gazetteers, and legal records. This new perspective on China's forest history calls for a revision of the chronology of sustainable forestry and contributes to a more global understanding of sustainability. [Extracted from the article]

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a crucial issue in socioeconomic metabolism and requires multicategory and high‐resolution data, and data on the physical composition of municipal solid waste (PCMSW) are fundamental in MSW research. Extensive financial resources have been invested in the research on field investigations of PCMSW; however, it is time‐consuming and sometimes not truly representative of the studied case. In this work, two bottom‐up and two top‐down approaches were applied for analyzing the PCMSW, namely, field investigation (FI), BP neural network (BPNN), material flow analysis (MFA), and inversion algorithm based on electricity generation of waste incinerator (IAEI). Wuhan City, China, was chosen as the studied case for analyzing and comparing the PCMSW results. The PCMSW values obtained by applying those four methods showed acceptable differences, and the standard deviations of organic fraction, ash and stone, paper, plastic and rubber, textile, wood, metal, glass, and others were 3.94%, 2.77%, 6.57%, 2.22%, 2.49%, 1.36%, 0.53%, 1.19%, and 0.28%, respectively. Use of the MFA, BPNN, and IAEI methods could reduce time and labor spent on manual sampling, sorting, and weighing of MSW, compared to the FI method. BPNN algorithm advances in providing PCMSW data in history and by trajectory throughout the year, whereas IAEI contributes PCMSW data with much higher temporal resolution. Data quality and applicability of different methods were discussed, considering the availability of time, labor, and reference data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to some challenges related to the utilization of wood, such as long growth cycles and severe deforestation, the utilization of bamboo resources has attracted wide attention globally. Bamboo is characterized by remarkable strength and elasticity properties, minimal maintenance requirements, and a fast growth cycle, as it can reach maturity within three to five years. Moreover, bamboo is attractive as a sustainable resource owing to its excellent regeneration ability and high crop yield. A single cultivation of bamboo can remain existent for several years, and the plants can regenerate new shoots shortly after harvesting. Hence, the cultivation, management, trade, and utilization of eco-friendly bamboo resources have become of great importance. Currently, a larger proportion of the world’s bamboo forests and approximately 80% of the world’s bamboo species are found in east Asia, south Asia, and southeast Asia. China has the richest bamboo resources, with a total of 861 species from 43 genera. Specifically, bamboo forests in China cover a total area of approximately 6.73 million ha (approximately one-third of the world’s bamboo forests) scattered across different provinces, including Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Zhejiang, among others. Herein, this work reviewed the cultivation and utilization of bamboo resources in historical and modern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptomeria fortunei is the indigenous evergreen coniferous timber species in southern China, valued for its superior wood quality, which frequently finds industrial applications. MiRNAs (microRNAs) can be involved in regulating various aspects of plant growth, and more and more studies have explored miRNAs related to growth and development, but among them, the ones on C. fortunei are relatively rare. In this study, we screened miRNAs that were differentially expressed during vascular cambium development, and chose miR159a and CfMYB37 as candidate genes for cloning and functional validation. The results showed that miR159a had CfMYB37 as a target gene and that there was a distinct negative regulatory relationship between miR159a and CfMYB37 in C. fortunei. 35 S::miR159a plants were taller than WT and had thicker stems than WT, and miR159a encouraged the growth of xylem cells and lignin. While 35 S::mCfMYB37 plants had the opposite phenotype to 35 S::miR159a plants, with considerably lower lignin content and xylem cell layer number compared to WT, 35 S::CfMYB37 plants lacked a distinctive phenotype. This suggests that the miR159- CfMYB37 module can control plant growth and xylem development. For the following investigation of C. fortunei 's growth and vascular cambium development as well as the enhancement of its wood qualities, this work serves as a crucial theoretical foundation. • Screening from transcriptome and miRNA sequencing data for differentially expressed miR159 and CfMYB37 in C. fortunei. • MiR159a and its target gene CfMYB37 were cloned from C. fortunei. • MiR159 negatively regulates the expression of CfMYB37 in different growth stages of C. fortunei. • CfMYB37 was nucleus localization proteins. • The miR159a-CfMYB37 module plays an important role in the development of xylem and regulates the synthesis of lignin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental understanding of the composition of archaeological wood stored under oxygen-limited environments, such as waterlogged sediments, is needed to inform preservation conditions of remains and to evaluate the validity of sediment and tree core-derived proxies of past environmental conditions. For this purpose, we determined chemical changes along the radial direction of archaeological (∼2000 yrs old) and modern (growth period 1948 to 2018 CE) wood of the Chinese swamp cypress (Glyptostrobus pensilis), an ethnobotanically important species in subtropical China, using conventional analytical pyrolysis (pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Py-GC-MS), pyrolysis with in situ methylation (thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation; THM-GC-MS), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed 1) excellent preservation of the archaeological wood expressed by significant contributions of levoglucosan to the polysaccharides fingerprint after Py-GC-MS; 2) considerable chemical differences between archaeological and modern wood, i.e. archaeological wood samples yield relatively small proportions of lignin and large proportions of polysaccharides and terpenoids; 3) major differences in chemical characteristics of sapwood (more polysaccharides) and heartwood (more lignin). Furthermore, some tested decay proxies show large differences between sap- and heartwood (and are therefore of little value), yet the 4-acetylguaiacol/total guaiacol ratio (4AG/G; Py-GC-MS) of heart- and sapwood are similar, implying that this ratio is a more suitable proxy for decay assessment. Data comparison allowed to identify discrepancies and complementarities of Py-GC-MS, THM-GC-MS and FTIR for the characterization of different wood constituents and their preservation during long-term storage under waterlogged conditions. These results expand our understanding of the chemical composition of decomposing trunks of archaeological wood in general, and of G. pensilis in particular. [Display omitted] • Archaeological and modern Glyptostrobus pensilis wood analyzed by Py-GC-MS, THM-GC-MS and FTIR. • Post-depositional decay reflected by preferential decay of polysaccharides and preservation of lignin. • Clear evidence of lignin alteration in archaeological wood from parameters such as 4-acetylguaiacol/guaiacol. • Significant compositional differences between heartwood and sapwood influence potential decay proxies. • Application and cross-validation of multiple techniques recommended to identify pitfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yamadazyma is one of the largest genera in the family Debaryomycetaceae (Saccharomycetales, Saccharomycetes) with species mainly found in rotting wood, insects and their resulting frass, but also recovered from flowers, leaves, fruits, tree bark, mushrooms, sea water, minerals, and the atmosphere. In the present study, several strains obtained from rotting wood in Henan and Yunnan Provinces of China were isolated. Based on morphology and a molecular phylogeny of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rDNA, these strains were identified as three new species: Yamadazyma luoyangensis, Y. ovata and Y. paraaseri; and three previously described species, Y. insectorum, Y. akitaensis, and Y. olivae. The three new species are illustrated and their morphology and phylogenetic relationships with other Yamadazyma species are discussed. Our results indicate a high undiscovered diversity of Yamadazyma spp. inhabiting rotting wood in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis is native to China and is an important forest species widely used for wood production. Here, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of six wild and six cultivated accessions of this tree. The 12 cp genomes ranged from 131,379 to 131,528 bp. The GC content was 35.4%, similar to other gymnosperm species. The cp genomes lacked typical inverted repeat (IR) regions and encoded 118 genes. Most genes appeared in one copy and 17 genes contained introns. Two multi-copy genes (trnM-CAU × 3, trnQ-UUG × 2) were identified. And 59–61 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in the whole cp genomes, and most SSR loci consisted of A or T bases. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that wild and cultivated accessions were not clearly differentiated. Our results will provide useful information for the conservation and utilization of this variety. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2021.1932592. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]