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A function from the domain (x-set) to the codomain (y-set) connects each x element to precisely one y element. Since each x-point originating from the domain corresponds to two y-points on the graph of a closed curve (i.e., circle, ellipse, superellipse, or ovoid) in a rectangular (Cartesian) diagram, it does not fulfil the function's requirements. This non-function phenomenon obstructs the nonlinear regression application for fitting observed data resembling a closed curve; thus, it requires transforming the rectangular coordinate system into a polar coordinate system. This study discusses nonlinear regression to fit the circumference of a tree stem's cross-section and its sapwood–heartwood transition by transforming rectangular coordinates (x, y) of the observed data points' positions into polar coordinates (r, θ). Following a polar coordinate model, circular curve fitting fits a log's cross-sectional shape and sapwood–heartwood transition. Ellipse models result in better goodness of fit than circular ones, while the rotated ellipse is the best-fit one. Deviation from the circular shape indicates environmental effects on vascular cambium differentiation. Foresters have good choices: (1) continuing using the circular model as the simplest one or (2) changing to the rotated ellipse model because it gives the best fit to estimate a tree stem's cross-sectional shape; therefore, it is more reliable to determine basal area, tree volume, and tree trunk biomass. Computer modelling transforms the best-fit model's formulas of the rotated ellipse using Python scripts provided by Wolfram engine libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anatolian Bryology is the property of Cankri Karatekin University, Orman Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the present communication, a species of Megacollybia (M. platyphylla) belonging to the family Marasmiaceae has been described and illustrated for the first time in the Indian mycobiota. This is a lignicolous species found on the dead tree trunks of Cedrus deodara from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Here, we investigated the identity of M. platyphylla based on detailed morphology and nrITS‐based phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practicing complex everyday life walking activities is challenging in paediatric neurorehabilitation, although it would prepare patients more comprehensively for the requirements of daily life. Floor projections allow simulation and training of such situations in therapy. Twenty healthy youths aged 6–18 years stepped over a tree trunk and balanced over kerbstones in a real and projected condition. Spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of the two conditions were compared by equivalence analysis, using the medians of the differences between the two conditions with their bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals. Velocity, step and stride length, step width, and single support time were generally equivalent between the two conditions. Knee and hip joint angles and toe clearance decreased substantially during the execution phase of the projected tree trunk condition. The largest differences were found at the end of the execution phase in both tasks for the ankle joints. As spatiotemporal parameters were equivalent between the conditions, floor projections seem suitable to train precise foot placement. However, differences in knee and hip joint kinematics and toe clearance revealed that floor projections are not applicable for obstacles with a vertical extension. Therefore, exercises aiming at knee and hip flexion improvement should favourably be trained with real objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Japanese orchards control the growth height of fruit trees for the convenience of farmers, which is unfavorable to the operation of medium- and large-sized machinery. A compact, safe, and stable spraying system could offer a solution for orchard automation. Due to the complex orchard environment, the dense tree canopy not only obstructs the GNSS signal but also has effects due to low light, which may impact the recognition of objects by ordinary RGB cameras. To overcome these disadvantages, this study selected LiDAR as a single sensor to achieve a prototype robot navigation system. In this study, density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) and K-means and random sample consensus (RANSAC) machine learning algorithms were used to plan the robot navigation path in a facilitated artificial-tree-based orchard system. Pure pursuit tracking and an incremental proportional–integral–derivative (PID) strategy were used to calculate the vehicle steering angle. In field tests on a concrete road, grass field, and a facilitated artificial-tree-based orchard, as indicated by the test data results for several formations of left turns and right turns separately, the position root mean square error (RMSE) of this vehicle was as follows: on the concrete road, the right turn was 12.0 cm and the left turn was 11.6 cm, on grass, the right turn was 12.6 cm and the left turn was 15.5 cm, and in the facilitated artificial-tree-based orchard, the right turn was 13.8 cm and the left turn was 11.4 cm. The vehicle was able to calculate the path in real time based on the position of the objects, operate safely, and complete the task of pesticide spraying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated forest machines are becoming important due to human operators' complex and dangerous working conditions, leading to a labor shortage. This study proposes a new method for robust SLAM and tree mapping using low-resolution LiDAR sensors in forestry conditions. Our method relies on tree detection to perform scan registration and pose correction using only low-resolution LiDAR sensors (16Ch, 32Ch) or narrow field of view Solid State LiDARs without additional sensory modalities like GPS or IMU. We evaluate our approach on three datasets, including two private and one public dataset, and demonstrate improved navigation accuracy, scan registration, tree localization, and tree diameter estimation compared to current approaches in forestry machine automation. Our results show that the proposed method yields robust scan registration using detected trees, outperforming generalized feature-based registration algorithms like Fast Point Feature Histogram, with an above 3 m reduction in RMSE for the 16Chanel LiDAR sensor. For Solid-State LiDAR the algorithm achieves a similar RMSE of 3.7 m. Additionally, our adaptive pre-processing and heuristic approach to tree detection increased the number of detected trees by 13% compared to the current approach of using fixed radius search parameters for pre-processing. Our automated tree trunk diameter estimation method yields a mean absolute error of 4.3 cm (RSME = 6.5 cm) for the local map and complete trajectory maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on hypotheses related to environmental filtering vs. stochastic community assembly, we tested taxon-specific predictions regarding the relationships of alpha diversity, beta diversity and species composition of epiphytic macrolichens and bryophytes with elevation and the lateral gradient on trees (the different sides of the tree bole related to aspect and trunk inclination) at Parc national du Mont-Mégantic in Southeastern Québec, Canada. For lichens on firs, increasing elevation was associated with increasing alpha diversity, and a marked shift in community composition, at the scale of whole trees. In contrast, for bryophytes on maples, tree inclination and the lateral gradient had the strongest effects: more inclined trees had greater whole-tree alpha diversity and stronger within-tree contrasts in composition between the upper and lower bole surfaces. For lichens on maples, whole-tree alpha diversity showed a weak, negative relationship with inclination, and beta diversity increased slightly with elevation. Our results are consistent with theories predicting greater alpha diversity in more favorable environments (for lichens: high elevation with high relative air humidity and lower temperatures; for bryophytes: upper surfaces of tree boles with liquid water available), but support was weak for the prediction of greater beta diversity in more favorable environments. Overall, the important predictors of epiphytic cryptogam diversity vary more among the species of tree host (maple vs. fir) than focal taxa (lichens vs. bryophytes), with patterns likely related to different effects of water, temperature, and competition between lichens and bryophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, there is a dearth of professional climbers to carry out coconut harvesting because it involves considerable risk posed by the tree height and uneven trunk surface. Numerous coconut-tree-climbing devices have been developed to overcome this issue, but human effort is still required. Hence, it is imperative to develop a wheel-driven mechanism in the structure with a continuous motion to harvest coconuts. By featuring an anti-falling capability, the climber can be stable in static and dynamic conditions. This feature can be achieved by attaching springs in the supporting frame during vertical climbing on the trunk surface. This paper presents a 3D modeling and the static and dynamic analysis of a climbing machine. The climbing field trials of the climbing model were carried out on a coconut tree trunk, and the best climbing rate that was achieved was 0.3 m in 1.6 seconds. Control of the climber maneuverability was tested with an embedded processor board. The maturity identification of coconuts in a complex background was successfully achieved with a detection score of 99% on real-time images by using deep learning techniques. This study can be extended to identify the cutting point of the coconut bunches for harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of mechanized production of mulberry, falling collision damage is one of the main damage forms, which causes serious damage and accelerates fruit decay. Through the drop collision test and simulation analysis of mulberry fruit, the relationship between drop conditions and fruit damage degree was established, so as to provide reference for reducing fruit falling damage. The drop test is carried out. The relationship between factors and indicators is established. The drop height, fruit plate angle, fruit plate material, and drop direction were taken as factors, and then the energy loss was selected as indicator. The drop process of mulberry fruit is analyzed by numerical simulation, and the maximum stress and deformation of mulberry fruit are analyzed. With the increase of the drop height, the kinetic energy of the fruit increases. When the fruit plate material is pearl cotton, the drop height changes from 200 to 1000 mm, the energy loss of fruit falling increases from 4.42 × 10−0.3 J to 2.14 × 10−0.2 J. When the drop height of fruit is 200 mm, the angle of fruit plate is 30°, and the material of fruit plate is pearl cotton, the minimum energy loss of fruit is 3.39 × 10−0.3 J, the fruit damage was the least. This study can provide a reference to reduce the damage of mulberry fruit in the process of mechanical harvest and transportation. Practical Applications: The existing mulberry harvesting methods are manual harvesting, while the vibration harvesting methods have high harvesting efficiency and serious damage. When the harvesting parts hit the tree trunk, the mulberry fruit will leave the tree and falls onto the fruit‐receiving device in the process of mechanical harvesting. There will be a collision and falling of the mulberry, which may cause serious damage. Therefore, in the process of mulberry fruit harvest, transportation, the falling, and collision damage is the main damage form. At present, there is few research on the drop impact damage test of mulberry fruit. In this study, the effects of mulberry falling direction, fruit plate material and drop height on mulberry damage were discussed by drop experiment. Then, the optimization results were carried out. The change and distribution of stress and strain in the process of collision were analyzed by numerical simulation, and the relationship between falling conditions and damage level was established. It is important to analyze the dynamic characteristics of mulberry in the process of drop. This study can be applied as a reference to reduce mulberry fruit impact damage, and provide a theoretical reference for the design of mulberry vibration harvesting machinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reliable inspection of the tree trunk internal defects is often considered vital in the health condition assessment for the living tree. There has been a desire to reconstruct the internal structure quantitatively using a non-destructive testing technology. This paper intends to apply wavefield reconstruction inversion (WRI) to obtain high-precision information from tree trunk detection using ground penetrating radar data. The variational projection method and the grouped multi-frequency strategy are adopted to strengthen the algorithm stability and adaptability by inverting frequency components sequentially. Through an irregular trunk model test, the influence of the penalty parameter, initial model, frequency strategy, and grid generation methods are investigated on WRI. Additionally, the comparison between full waveform inversion and WRI is discussed in detail. This synthetic case indicates that WRI is efficient and for a reasonable result, a proper multi-frequency strategy and an accurate mesh closer to reality are important. Furthermore, a field case of a historical tree is used to prove the validity and reliability of the algorithm. The success in this case indicates that our algorithm can characterize the distribution of media parameters of tree trunks accurately, which could provide data support for the rejuvenation and maintenance of living trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gualaxo do Norte River (GNR), in southeastern Brazil, was impacted by iron ore tailings from the Fundão Dam rupture (November 2015). The deposition of tailings on the riverbed has changed the hydrogeomorphological characteristics of the GNR, resulting in a decrease in the diversity of physical habitats and ecological biodiversity. As part of the process of restoration and management of this damaged ecosystem, the river restoration project ReNaturalize was implemented to restructure the geomorphological characteristics and the physical habitat and to enhance the reestablishment of biota, mainly for macroinvertebrates and fishes. For this goal, 203 wooden structures, such as tree trunks, branches, and grass were installed in two sections of GNR (T6R and T7R), totaling 1.8 km long. The effectiveness of the project was evaluated by an assessment that followed a before and after and control and impacted (BACI) design. Upstream of each Restored reach there is a Control and a Reference reach. Four campaigns were carried out, two before and two after the restoration process. After 14 months of the woody installation, an increase in hydraulic retention in the restored reaches was observed (T6R—20.2%; T7R—63.5%), when compared with the Control reaches, which favored the accumulation of sediments (T6R—388 metric tons; T7R—396 metric tons). This enhanced the formation of natural tailings barriers and promoted the enrichment of substrate types (T6R—39.2%; T7R—43%). The benthic macroinvertebrate community showed an increase in the total abundance (T6—110%), including the most sensitive groups (T6R—124%; T7R—124%). For fish, the increase was up to 81.38% with hand nets capture, indicating the recruitment of juveniles, and the abundance and the biomass of some species were also higher (up to 100%) than the Control reaches. The results indicated that the Restored reach is already qualitatively and quantitatively better than the Control reach and similar to the Reference reach, indicating the success of the study. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:648–662. © 2022 SETAC Key Points: River restoration has demonstrated relevant improvements in hydromorphological and ecological responses in the renaturalized reaches such as an increase in the hydraulic retention time, sediment accumulation, subtract heterogeneity, and in the benthic macroinvertebrates' abundance and fish biomass.The river restoration method applied was effective in accelerating ecological resilience and in recovering from the acute impacts caused by the Fundão Dam failure.The technique is innovative, low‐cost, and easily replicable. The authors recommend the application of this restoration technique in other impacted rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bag-shelter moth Ochrogaster lunifer (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae: Thaumetopoeinae) is an endemic species of medical and veterinary importance that occurs throughout Australia. The gregarious species is variable with four phylogenetic clades recently identified. One clade comprises trunk-nesters restricted to one host: the Moreton Bay Ash, Corymbia tessellaris (Myrtaceae). Here, we describe aspects of the biology and ecology of this distinctive nesting form dupped the 'tree-hugger' due to its flattish, thick silk nests that hug the trunk and larger branches. The form is univoltine; egg masses are laid in spring and the gregarious larvae develop through seven instars until the mature larvae stop feeding in autumn and later leave the nest (in a procession). The larvae over-winter in the ground as pre-pupae in a loose cocoon of silk. Pupation occurs in late winter and adults emerge in spring. Forty-six per cent of monitored egg masses succeeded in developing through the lifecycle. Tachinids were common parasites of older larvae. Tree-hugger nests provided some insulation against summer heat during the mornings, but the physical characteristics of the nests and tree trunks and the average southern orientation of the nests likely protect larvae against extreme heat. The tree-hugger form of O. lunifer appears morphologically similar to the more ubiquitous ground-nesting form, but there are differences in the colour of egg masses and adults, and in the behaviour and ecology of the larvae and adults. This information adds to the body of evidence supporting the definition of separate species within what is currently known as O. lunifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the coordination of mechanical properties and tribological performance of ceramic-based materials, a novel Si3N4/Ni composite with a tree-trunk ring structure was developed in this study. Furthermore, the tribological properties of the Si3N4/Ni composite were investigated in a high-humidity environment. The results showed that when the Si3N4/Ni composite disc slid against the Si3N4 pin, a continuous water layer formed on the wear surface of the composite disc due to their good hydrophilicity and the action of gravity. The water layer inhibits the abrasive wear and promotes the formation of tribochemical film. Under the combined effect of the water layer and tribochemical film, the sliding pair exhibited excellent tribological properties (a low coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.05 and wear rate on the order of 10−6 mm3/Nm). However, when the Si3N4/Ni composite pin slid against the Si3N4 disc, due to poorer hydrophilicity and the negative effect of gravity, the sliding pair presented a worse tribological performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Habitat structure strongly influences niche differentiation, facilitates predator avoidance, and drives species-specific foraging strategies of bats. Vegetation structure is also a strong driver of echolocation call characteristics. The fine-scale assessment of how bats utilise such structures in their natural habitat is instrumental in understanding how habitat composition shapes flight- and acoustic behaviour. However, it is notoriously difficult to study their species-habitat relationship in situ. Methods: Here, we describe a methodology combining Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to characterise three-dimensional vegetation structure and acoustic tracking to map bat behaviour. This makes it possible to study fine-scale use of habitat by bats, which is essential to understand spatial niche segregation in bats. Bats were acoustically tracked with microphone arrays and bat calls were classified to bat guild using automated identification. We did this in multiple LiDAR scanned vegetation plots in forest edge habitat. The datasets were spatially aligned to calculate the distance between bats' positions and vegetation structures. Results: Our results are a proof of concept of combining LiDAR with acoustic tracking. Although it entails challenges with combining mass-volumes of fine-scale bat movements and vegetation information, we show the feasibility and potential of combining those two methods through two case studies. The first one shows stereotyped flight patterns of pipistrelles around tree trunks, while the second one presents the distance that bats keep to the vegetation in the presence of artificial light. Conclusion: By combining bat guild specific spatial behaviour with precise information on vegetation structure, the bat guild specific response to habitat characteristics can be studied in great detail. This opens up the possibility to address yet unanswered questions on bat behaviour, such as niche segregation or response to abiotic factors in interaction with natural vegetation. This combination of techniques can also pave the way for other applications linking movement patterns of other vocalizing animals and 3D space reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomagnetic monitoring increasingly is applied to assess particulate matter (PM) concentrations, mainly using plant leaves sampled in small geographical area and from a limited number of species. Here, the potential of magnetic analysis of urban tree trunk bark to discriminate between PM exposure levels was evaluated and bark magnetic variation was investigated at different spatial scales. Trunk bark was sampled from 684 urban trees of 39 genera in 173 urban green areas across six European cities. Samples were analysed magnetically for the Saturation isothermal remanent magnetisation (SIRM). The bark SIRM reflected well the PM exposure level at city and local scale, as the bark SIRM (i) differed between the cities in accordance with the mean atmospheric PM concentrations and (ii) increased with the cover of roads and industrial area around the trees. Furthermore, with increasing tree circumferences, the SIRM values increased, as a reflection of a tree age effect related to PM accumulation over time. Moreover, bark SIRM was higher at the side of the trunk facing the prevailing wind direction. Significant relationships between SIRM of different genera validate the possibility to combine bark SIRM from different genera to improve sampling resolution and coverage in biomagnetic studies. Thus, the SIRM signal of trunk bark from urban trees is a reliable proxy for atmospheric coarse to fine PM exposure in areas dominated by one PM source, as long as variation caused by genus, circumference and trunk side is taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), is an invasive planthopper that was first detected in the United States in Berks County, PA, in 2014, and has since spread to 13 states in the Eastern United States. This phloem-feeding pest has a broad host range, including economically important crops such as grapevine, Vitis spp. Monitoring presence and relative abundance of L. delicatula is essential to develop pest management tools. Here, we compared deployment strategies to optimize use of L. delicatula monitoring traps. Standard circle traps, sticky bands, and circle traps with replaceable bag tops were deployed at sites with either high or low populations present. Trap deployment at different heights and on different host tree species and trap sampling intervals were evaluated for standard circle traps only. Circle traps captured significantly more L. delicatula adults at low-density sites compared with other trap types in 2021, and no differences were detected at high-density sights. Traps deployed 1 m from the ground captured significantly more adults than those deployed at 0.5 m; no differences were detected for nymphs. While no significant differences in captures were found among intervals, weekly or biweekly sampling prevented specimen degradation. Although traps deployed on Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae) captured significantly or numerically more L. delicatula at most sites, traps deployed on other hosts also yielded consistent captures. We were also able to alter the construction of circle trap skirts to allow for deployment on different sized tree trunks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the importance of flora in the perception of the attractiveness as a tourism destination of Ojców National Park was conducted in the second half of July 2021 with a direct diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire. A total of 205 people were surveyed, of whom the respondents were primarily people of Polish nationality, middle-aged, and with higher education. The majority of respondents declared that their motive for coming to the studied area was leisure, and the main advantages of the ONP are inanimate and animate nature (including flora). The diversity of reasons for coming and perceived values increased with the degree of education and was significantly higher among tourists in the middle age group, which may be associated with a greater awareness of the attractions and the possibility of using various forms of recreation offered by the park. Among plants, most tourists paid attention to trees, and among the organs of plants, mainly to the stems of perennials and tree trunks, which can be interpreted by the predominance of forests in the landscape. The importance of flora in the ranking of ONP attractions increased in older age groups, and the appreciation of its importance by tourists from Poland may result from knowledge about the plant species occurring here and the role of the National Park in their protection. Among the most important threats to nature at the ONP, respondents indicated littering, as well as going off the trails and destroying and picking plants. Thanks to the research conducted, the importance of flora in the perception of tourists visiting Ojców National Park has been highlighted. Its importance against the background of other tourist attractions in the area was illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to improve the usefulness of 3D scanning as an alternative to the biased measurement method for getting tree trunk geometry using a calliper in sonic tomography for tree health diagnosis. To this end, this study constructed geometry information using PiCUS Calliper and a 3D scanner on an old giant tree located in Buyeo-gun and compared the results with sonic measurements.Of the two instruments, the 3D scanner has the advantage of realizing the geometry of the object more closely than the calliper, which uses the principle of three-point surveying. Provided that Section A produced through the 3D scanning is more similar to the actual geometry, and the error range of the data acquired by the 3D scanner is within 1–3cm, the deviation of −0.2 to +0.9% in the perimeter of the two geometries is insignificant, and the section based on 3D scanning is more similar to the actual tree trunk than the calliper. However, while the calliper-based section was not significantly different from the 3D scanning-based section geometry, the problem of exaggeration and distortion in the bumpy parts of the tree was identified. This confirms that 3D scan data can be used as a tool to accurately realize the section geometry of the tree trunk. On the other hand, the sonic tomography results obtained based on the two geometries also showed a difference in the total area and the area where the symptom appeared. However, to accurately calculate the extent of the symptom, a quantitative comparative analysis of the actual sonic velocity value in addition to the area is required, which is a limitation that was not covered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the history of discovery, early research and description of Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792) (Anabantidae), an amphibious fish from southern India that was said to climb palm trees and so has been dubbed the "climbing perch". Amphibious fishes constitute one of the most unusual groups of aquatic creatures since they can spend part of their life in terrestrial habitats. The first reports of such fishes date back to Antiquity, but with the onset of the Age of Discovery, naturalists were able to find actual examples of tropical amphibious fishes and send preserved specimens to Europe. A fish which could move overland and was rumoured to clamber up tree trunks became known to European naturalists through the efforts of a variety of people. Many of them were amateur naturalists whose main activities included politics, commerce and missionary work. The species was described by Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723–1799) in 1792, but this would not have been possible if the Reverend Christoph Samuel John (1747–1813) had not obtained specimens in India and sent them to Berlin. Around the same time, Lieutenant Dagobert Karl Daldorff (fl. 1790–1802) documented the unusual amphibious behaviour of this fish. Thanks to others, Anabas testudineus was illustrated (albeit inaccurately) and the first scientific description published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research is the property of Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

[Objectives] The paper was to screen and identify the control effect of resistant rootstock on jujube witches' broom disease. [Methods] The seeds or branches of disease-free plants were collected from wild jujube bushes infected by witches' broom disease, and 5 434 seedlings were obtained by sowing or cutting. The virus was inoculated by grafting diseased bark. After 6 years of preliminary screening, 40 plants with resistance to jujube witches' broom disease were obtained. Taking these resistant plants as the rootstocks, the susceptible variety 'long red jujube' was grafted at a height of 40 cm. When the plants grew to appropriate thickness, diseased bark was grafted to 'long red jujube' and rootstock to transmit the virus. After 18 years of observation and judgment, 4 rootstock strains with high resistance or immunity to jujube witches' broom disease were finally determined, namely 90801,90803,90806 and 908011. The susceptible variety 'long red jujube' was grafted to 4 rootstocks and inoculated the virus through diseased bark grafting method. [Results] The resistant rootstock had obvious disease resistance effect. When the branches of 90801 and 90803 rootstocks were grafted to the trunk of diseased trees, the symptoms of jujube witches' broom disease gradually alleviated till disappeared. [Conclusions] Using germplasm with high resistance or immunity to jujube witches' broom disease as rootstock can effectively prevent the spread of jujube witches' broom disease, and bridging the trunk of diseased trees with branches from resistant rootstock has certain therapeutic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadwood decomposition and other environmental processes mediated by microbial communities are generally studied with composite sampling strategies, where deadwood is collected from multiple locations in a large volume, that produce an average microbial community. In this study, we used amplicon sequencing to compare fungal and bacterial communities sampled with either traditional, composite samples, or small, 1 cm3 cylinders from a discrete location within decomposing European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) tree trunks. We found that bacterial richness and evenness is lower in small samples when compared to composite samples. There was no significant difference in fungal alpha diversity between different sampling scales, suggesting that visually defined fungal domains are not restricted to a single species. Additionally, we found that composite sampling may obscure variation in community composition and this affects the understanding of microbial associations that are detected. For future experiments in environmental microbiology, we recommend that scale is explicitly considered as a factor and properly selected to correspond with the questions asked. Studies of microbial functions or associations may require samples to be collected at a finer scale than is currently practised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Ilmu dan Teknologi Kelautan Tropis is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents the constraining factors that limit the increase in the efficiency of logging production by modern multi-operation machines operating on the Scandinavian cut-to-length technology in the felling phase, namely the selection and registration of wood species. The factors for creating a complete architecture of a fully connected neural network (NN) are given. The dependence of the prediction accuracy of a fully connected NN on a test sample on the size of the training dataset, and an image of the dependence of the prediction accuracy on the number of trees in the random forest method for image classification is shown. For a fully connected NN, a sufficient number of images and a test sample size were established for training, using tree-trunk breed-class labels as target values. A selected list of trees was given, with the size of the training sample of images presenting a problem for the classification of tree trunks using the random forest method. The aim was the discovery of the optimal number of trees necessary to achieve prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of Crotonmacrostachyus and CordiaAfricana on selected soil physicochemical properties underneath their canopies and to analyze the effect of these tree species on coffee production compared to unshaded areas. Purposive sampling was used in this study. Three circular plots were laid out under the trees at 3 m (28.26 m2), 5 m (78.5 m2), and 7 m (153.86 m2) distance from each selected tree's trunk. For analysis, 18 soil composites (2 trees × 3 distances × 3 replications) were collected and twelve circular sample plots were sampled from an open area for comparison from 15 cm depth of soil. Four coffee plants within circular plots with three radial distances (3 m, 5 m, and 7 m) and from unshaded zone were randomly selected. Extracted and dried coffee was measured on a 1000 seed weight base (g per 1000 beans) for coffee weight under each treatment. ANOVA results revealed significant differences in the percentage of sand between shade trees and among different radial distances from the trees. Higher total nitrogen was observed under the tree canopies than in the unshaded zones. There was a relatively higher yield of coffee from coffee grown under the shade of trees than coffee is grown in open areas. Generally, the soil physicochemical properties and coffee production parameters under the canopies of both shade tree species are shown relatively higher than those from unshaded zones. Therefore, integrating these shade trees in coffee production is very important in maintaining soil fertility thereby increasing the yield of organic coffee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science centers are the environments established as a result of big investments and great efforts, and aim to increase the scientific literacy level of the society. Alongside their captivating exhibits, these centers include a variety of workshops that can provide more specialized outcomes, particularly on learning. Especially science education workshops are the most ideal places to contribute to science education. In this research carried out within the scope of BILMER Research Project (Project No: 114K646, supported by TUBITAK 1001 Program), a science education workshop titled "Language of Rings on Tree Trunks" was developed in the field of biology, based on inquiry and including scientific research and scientific process skills. In this context, the developed workshop was applied to 66 teachers from five different branches and 4 science center trainers. The data of the research were collected through a preliminary evaluation form, a workshop evaluation form, field notes, video and audio recordings of the event. In the study, which includes the case study design of the qualitative research approach, the data obtained were subjected to content analysis. Based on the evaluation and reflections, a science education workshop teaching directory that can be used in schools within the scope of science center or science center-school cooperation has been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of refuge has been suggested as one of the main factors affecting reptiles in intensive crops, but this theory has not been explored to any great extent. The aim of this work is to compare the reptile abundance and species richness between traditional and intensive vineyards and olive groves, and to test the acceptance of artificial shelter due to its scarcity in the new intensive woody crop. A total of 288 transects were carried out (144 in olive groves and 144 in vineyards) in six different types of plots: traditional olive groves, traditional vineyards, intensive olive groves with and without artificial refuge, and trellis vineyards with and without artificial refuge. The results showed a greater species richness and abundance of reptiles in the traditional plots than in the intensive plots (independently of the experimental refuges added). An important number of animals were observed using the artificial refuges in olive groves. Furthermore, most of the individuals were located on or escaped to old trees in traditional systems, including an important proportion of reptiles hidden in olive trunk cavities, whereas more individuals were observed on the ground in intensive systems. Our finding suggests the importance for reptile communities of the traditional agricultural systems due to the high availability of the refuge provided by old olive tree trunks and free-standing gobelet vineyards. Our results show that providing refuge may mitigate the negative effects of woody crops intensification on reptile communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific commentary discusses the shade-response strategy of lianas, specifically the common ivy (Hedera helix). Unlike shade-avoiding plants that grow away from shaded areas, lianas exhibit negative phototropism, growing towards structures such as tree trunks to ascend towards light-exposed canopy zones. The study conducted experiments to confirm the existence of negative phototropism in common ivy and found that the majority of seedlings reached and climbed the focal tree trunk. However, further research is needed to determine if negative phototropism is widespread among lianas and to understand the molecular mechanisms behind this growth response. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Observations of Buprestidae species Nascioides parryi and Melobasis hypocrita" by Kees Green discusses the author's observations of two beetle species in Victoria, Australia. The author was alerted to the presence of Nascioides parryi by a friend and managed to capture several specimens. The author also discovered Melobasis hypocrita, a rare species, and obtained one specimen. The observations suggest that Nascioides parryi adults inhabit dying Eucalyptus viminalis trees, while Melobasis hypocrita may occupy higher branches. The author encourages further observations to expand knowledge on these species. [Extracted from the article]

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Copyright of Journal of Forest & Environment is the property of Journal of Forest & Environment Editorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The automatic extraction of individual tree from mobile laser scanning (MLS) scenes has important applications in tree growth monitoring, tree parameter calculation and tree modeling. However, trees often grow in rows and tree crowns overlap with varying shapes, and there is also incompleteness caused by occlusion, which makes individual tree extraction a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a trunk-constrained and tree structure analysis method to extract trees from scanned urban scenes. Firstly, multi-feature enhancement is performed via PointNet to segment the tree points from raw urban scene point clouds. Next, the candidate local tree trunk clusters are obtained by clustering based on the intercepted local tree trunk layer, and the real local tree trunk is obtained by removing noise data. Then, the trunk is located and extracted by combining circle fitting and region growing, so as to obtain the center of the tree crown. Further, the points near the tree's crown (core points) are segmented through distance difference, and the tree crown boundary (boundary points) is distinguished by analyzing the density and centroid deflection angle. Therefore, the core and boundary points are deleted to obtain the remaining points (intermediate points). Finally, the core, intermediate and boundary points, as well as the tree trunks, are combined to extract individual tree. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated on the Pairs-Lille-3D dataset, which is a benchmark for point cloud classification, and data were produced using a mobile laser system (MLS) applied to two different cities in France (Paris and Lille). Overall, the precision, recall, and F1-score of instance segmentation were 90.00%, 98.22%, and 99.08%, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that our method can effectively extract trees with multiple rows of occlusion and improve the accuracy of tree extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dutch elm disease (DED) is causing extensive mortality of ecologically and culturally valuable elm trees (Ulmus spp.). Treatment of elms with the biological vaccine Dutch Trig® has been found to provide effective protection against DED by stimulating the defensive mechanisms of the trees. We hypothesized that the same mechanisms could also affect non-target organisms associated with elms. We explored the possible effects of vaccination on epiphytes (mainly lichens) and fungal endophytes living in the bark and young xylem of treated elms. Epiphyte cover percentage was assessed visually using a grid placed on the trunks, and a culture-based approach was used to study endophytes. Epiphyte cover was lower on the trunks of vaccinated trees as compared with unvaccinated trees, but the difference was not statistically significant. The presence of slow-growing and uncommon endophytes seemed to be reduced in continuously vaccinated elms; however, the highest endophyte diversity was found in elms four years after cessation of the vaccination treatments. Our findings suggest that although vaccination may shape epiphyte and endophyte communities in elms, its impacts are not straightforward. More detailed studies are, therefore, needed to inform the sustainable application of the vaccine as a part of the integrated management of DED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a three-year experiment (2019–2021), the roots of 7-year-old apple trees (Malus domestica cv. 'Red Jonaprince') grown under drip irrigation were studied. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of irrigation on root density at different depths and distances from the trunk. The working hypothesis assumed that irrigation significantly affects the total length of apple roots. The irrigation treatments corresponding to the calculated water evapotranspiration (ET100), 50% of the calculated ET (ET50), a control (ET0, no irrigation, under rainfed conditions), and a treatment using double-drip lines (2Drops) were monitored. Soil cores were collected in spring and autumn. The total length of the roots (TRLt) and the length of new vital roots (TRLv) to a depth of 80 cm were evaluated. The effects of treatments were mostly insignificant for the TRLt; only in the dry season in 2019 were the TRLt values of the irrigated treatments (ET50 and ET100) significantly higher, 18.67 km·m−2 and 17.45 km·m−2, in comparison to 11.16 km·m−2 for the ET0, at a 10 cm distance from the tree trunk. The irrigation treatments had a statistically significant effect on the TRLv values near the trunk in 2019 and 2020, while in autumn 2020 and 2021, irrigation significantly affected the TRLv at greater distances from the tree trunk. In summary, the irrigation treatments mostly had no significant effect on the total root length. However, an effect of irrigation on the root length of new vital roots was observed at certain sampling dates and distances from the trunk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the applicability of a personal laser scanner (PLS) in surveying small creeks in urban areas. The surveying of the creek geometry can be done only with the PLS system or as a combination of terrestrial PLS measurement and airborne image sequence acquisition by an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). For both methods, georeferencing is performed using RTK-GNSS. Based on the combination of the datasets and from additional terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) comparison, conclusions can be drawn about the accuracy of the PLS measurements. Point-to-mesh based distance calculations between the PLS and UAV measurement showed a variation of ± 0.10 m (96% of points) at selected naturally vegetated sites. The comparison of the PLS and TLS data set revealed differences with a standard deviation of 0.02 m at solid natural (tree trunk) structures and ground areas. The calculated differences grow with increasing distance to the PLS trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an investigation into the characterization of historical gardens by comparing two 3D survey methodologies. In this context, approaches employing terrestrial laser scanning are considered the most accurate, while Mobile Mapping Systems (MMSs) are considered promising due to their extreme productivity. Less common is the use of close-range photogrammetry. This paper compares two approaches based on the use of a wearable MMS and the use of an in-house built photogrammetric multi-camera prototype. The comparison aims to assess the applicability of the two techniques in this field, evaluating their advantages and disadvantages in surveying a historical garden and extracting information for tree inventory, such as the DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) and canopy footprint. We compared the practicality of surveying and processing operations; and the quality and characteristics of the point clouds obtained. Both systems produced a dense representation of the terrain. The multi-camera survey resulted to be more defined due to the lower noise of the point cloud but incomplete in the definition of tree canopies. DBH of tree trunks can be extracted with both systems, except for thinner and finer diameter trunks detected by the MMS approach but not always by the multi-camera. The MMS approach proved more effective thanks to a shorter survey time required to cover an equal area and the fact that the MMS survey alone is sufficient for the geometric description of trees. In contrast, the multi-camera approach cannot avoid integration with an aerial survey for canopy reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2018 and 2021, several mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia) sampled in the field and the nursery of the Chios Mastiha Growers Association (CMGA) were analyzed to determine the cause of dominant diseases. Symptoms included defoliation, leaf, and twig blight, wilting and/or apoplexy of trees and apoplexy of young hardwood cuttings. Moreover, brown discoloration had also been observed on older woody parts of the trees such as branches and tree trunks. Several pathogens have been isolated and identified as the causing agents. Neopestalotiopsis and Alternaria species were isolated consistently from necrotic tissues of mastic trees (branches, twigs, and leaves) in the field and the nursery. All fungal isolates' pathogenicity was confirmed by applying Koch's postulates on young mastic trees under glasshouse conditions. Fungal pathogens were identified by sequence analyses of the ITS, β-tubulin, and histone gene regions. Alternaria species were analyzed further by sequencing the endopolygalacturonase (endoPG) and the Alternaria major allergen (Alta1) genes. More specifically, the isolates were identified as Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, Alternaria arborescens, and A. alternata based on morphological features and sequence analyses. This is the first report of N. clavispora, A. arborescens, and A. alternata on P. lentiscus var. Chia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree engineering is a young discipline utilizing trees as structural elements, where the determination of limit loads in tree trunks is of great importance. Simple numerical models underestimate the load‐bearing capacity of green wood in contrast to experimental bending tests. A well‐known reason for this is the residual stress state of the living tree lowering compressive stress towards the trunks surface. This results in an overall stress state, which increases the load capacity, since the tensile strength of wood is commonly higher than its compressive strength. By determining the residual growth stress, a more accurate evaluation of the load‐bearing capacity of a living tree is possible. The residual stress state is a non‐linear and time dependent function in thickness direction of the trunk. In order to simulate growth and growth stress, a phase field model is employed. The morphology of a tree is the result of innumerable and often temporary environmental stimuli, which also change and interact with the genetically predisposed growth tropisms. Therefore, we use image processing to capture the individual tree morphology of an existing tree, which is based within the phase field model as predefined growth direction. This is the basis for primary growth in the model. Additionally the model simulates the secondary growth, which corresponds to the thickness of the trunk. Except in tropical areas, this growth is associated with growth rings, which we assign as an attribute to the modelled material. While in the branch structure several tropisms (e.g. gravitropism) are responsible for the off‐centre accumulation of woody material, in the stem region we only follow the stress‐induced growth. This mechanism can respond to either the principal tensile stress or the principal compressive stress in our model, as this difference is observed in hardwoods and softwoods. Since the wood matrix represents an anisotropic material with a distinct fiber direction, we approach it in our model by a transversely isotropic constitutive law, whose principal direction coincides with the growth direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several uncertainties are induced by the natural growth of wood. The properties of timber components are affected by naturally varying material characteristics. In addition, structural inhomogeneity has to be accounted for solid wood components. Structural inhomogeneity is dependent on, e.g., natural fissures, inclusions, and especially branches that pervade wooden boards. Those pervasions result in timber boards containing multiple scattered knots. Polymorphic uncertainty models are required to account for diverse uncertainty characteristics. Natural variability and lack of knowledge are persistent for the uncertainty modeling of natural materials, such as wood. To incorporate those aleatoric and epistemic uncertainty characteristics, uncertainty analyses are performed based on combined fuzzy and stochastic models. In this contribution, fuzzy probability based random fields are proposed as polymorphic uncertainty approach, with respect to spatial dependencies of the uncertain variables. Methods for the simulation of timber boards are introduced, where knots are established referred to the specific position of the tree trunk axis and spread over the components. Glulam beams, containing multiple slats of wooden boards, are investigated for bending load cases as numerical example. The tensile zone is simulated with knots in the timber boards. The basic deterministic solution is performed with a local‐orthotropic material formulation, with respect to the grain directions of the wood matrix and knots. Therefore, the knots are discretized separately in the FE mesh. Distinct material properties and grain directions are assigned to the discrete knots and to the surrounding wood matrix, while the grain directions are dependent on the tree trunk axis. Both, stochastic and fuzzy models are used in field formulations for the spatially dependent polymorphic uncertainties. The knottiness of timber boards – specified by parameters of knot geometry, location and incidence – is dependent on the wood grade. In this contribution, methods for decision making of glulam beam designs are suggested. For this purpose, several design variables are examined. First, the knottiness or wood grade, where a higher grade results in reduced structural inhomogeneity, and second, the thickness of the slats in the glulam beam are considered. Both aspects influence the reliability and robustness of the component, but affect the costs. The maximum endurance of the glulam beam under bending is desired. Therefore, an optimization of the glulam beam design is performed, with respect to the multiple conflicting objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies have examined the algae associated with various habitats in tree trunks, the diatoms in these environments are still poorly studied. Studies of corticolous algae mainly focus on green algae and cyanobacteria, which are usually immediately visible, while diatoms are mostly overlooked or not reported. During the research, 143 species of diatoms were identified, including two new representatives of the genus Luticola: L. bryophila sp. nov. with relatively large central area and short distal raphe endings and L. confusa sp. nov. characterized by the presence of small depressions on central raphe endings. Both are described herein based on light and scanning electron microscopy observations and compared to similar taxa based on literature data. Basic morphological data for almost all the diatom taxa are noted, and their habitat requirements, and photographic documentation are also presented. The present research showed that the occurrence of diatom assemblages on tree trunks is influenced by various factors like host tree species, the area where the host tree grows, and the availability of suitable microhabitats within the trunk. However, the species composition of this assemblages depends mainly on the tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on building a non-invasive, low-cost sensor that can be fitted over tree trunks growing in a semiarid land environment. It also proposes a new definition that characterizes tree trunks' water retention capabilities mathematically. The designed sensor measures the variations in capacitance across its probes. It uses amplification and filter stages to smooth the readings, requires little power, and is operational over a 100 kHz frequency. The sensor sends data via a Long Range (LoRa) transceiver through a gateway to a processing unit. Field experiments showed that the system provides accurate readings of the moisture content. As the sensors are non-invasive, they can be fitted to branches and trunks of various sizes without altering the structure of the wood tissue. Results show that the moisture content in tree trunks increases exponentially with respect to the measured capacitance and reflects the distinct differences between different tree types. Data of known healthy trees and unhealthy trees and defective sensor readings have been collected and analysed statistically to show how anomalies in sensor reading baseds on eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the fitted curve coefficient matrix can be detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the optimal design and simulation analysis of a robot for tree-climbing, which has the ability to climb up the tree trunk to adapt to different tree diameter changes. In an unstructured forest environment, considering that the Tree-Climbing Robot (TCR) may collide with branches, reducing the success rate of tree climbing, the mechanical structure and movement strategy to avoid branches are predesigned. The presented TCR mimics several design principles that have been adapted to arboreal animals, including claw-hand grasping and climbing gait movements, and is optimally designed to achieve high manoeuvrability on irregularly shaped trees. Based on the D-H parameterization method, the kinematics model of the TCR is developed and its kinematic equations are solved. The accuracy of the kinematic equations is verified by MATLAB, and the reachable area of the working space of the manipulator of the TCR is determined. Using ADAMS to analyse the kinematics and dynamics of the climbing process of the TCR, the rationality of the gait planning of the robot is verified, and the time-varying characteristic curves of each physical quantity of each structural joint are derived and further simulated through numerical analysis, the results of which will profoundly validate the technical feasibility and design innovation of this presented TCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperatures pose a significant risk to mammals, especially those living in hot and dry environments such as southern Madagascar, the location of Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR). At BMSR, we observed sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi) hugging tree trunks while resting on the ground during the mid-day heat of the late dry season. These highly arboreal lemurs are more vulnerable to predation on the ground. To explore whether tree hugging affords a thermal advantage, we collected 615.7 hours of behavioral data on sifakas in six groups, together with the temperature of the air, ground, and tree trunks used during hugging bouts. We observed hugging only when ambient temperatures were high (above 30°C), and mean daytime temperature had a significant positive effect on whether sifakas engaged in tree hugging on a given day. The surface at the base of hugged trees were significantly cooler (by ~3-5°C) than ambient air temperatures and surface temperatures further up the trunk, likely enabling animals to dissipate body heat. These data suggest that terrestrial tree hugging behavior contributes to thermoregulation in this lemur population and, coupled with evidence from koalas (Phasocolarctos cinereus), indicate that trees may provide a widespread thermal benefit for mammals facing heat stress. The capacity of sifakas to avoid heat stress will be critical to their persistence under predicted temperature increases in southern Madagascar over coming decades, and needs to be better understood in the context of long-term conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sampling xylem sap, especially from adult tree trunks, is a major challenge. In this study, we developed a new sampling method and tested its efficacy for sampling xylem sap from deciduous Quercus serrata and evergreen Cryptomeria japonica. The water-absorbing resin was placed in cylindrical holes in the tree trunks, and the xylem sap that was collected in the resin was analyzed for 15 metals, 4 nonmetals, total sugars, and the chemical forms of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. The volume of the collected xylem sap increased with increases in the mean monthly air temperature and the monthly precipitation when it was less than ca. 200 mm. The concentrations of sap components were higher in Q. serrata than in C. japonica. In Q. serrata, the concentrations of most sap components (e.g., K) began to increase in early spring, remained high in spring–summer, decreased in late summer–early autumn, and remained low in winter. This seasonal variation was likely associated with tree phenology. Relationships between the concentrations of elements in the sap and those in the leaves and soil solution were observed. This sampling method is appropriate for characterizing weekly and monthly mean concentrations of xylem sap components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]