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Forestry and wood technology research and education network for climate change adaptation strategies and ASFORCLIC - HORIZON 2020 project
Get PDFSeven European universities and research institutions from four countries agreed to collaborate on the ASFORCLIC - HORIZON 2020 project to support the ambitious goals of raising the leading institution's MENDELU research profile and strengthening its research excellence in the highly demanding field of assessing the impact of global climate change on forests and the bio-based sector. The ASFORCLIC consortium evaluates possible risk factors, predicts their evolution, and develops adaption strategies for future applications to monitor the impact of global climate change on central European forestry, particularly Czech forestry. Facing the unprecedented challenge of implementing a mobility project during the COVID-19 pandemic, the consortium used strategic approaches and augmented offerings, including successful literature seminars, writing workshops, and advanced data evaluation training largely realized through virtual platforms.O
Deforestation in Gabon: determinants of forest activities and economic growth amidst landscape protection and climate change crisis
No full textForestry is vital in the socio-progress of numerous societies and nations, especially those with abundant forest reserves, like Gabon. However, managing forests sustainably faces challenges due to factors such as population growth, expansion of agriculture, wood fuel, and round wood production at the expense of nature, habitats and tourism activities. Understanding the drivers of forest-related actions is crucial for developing policies supporting forest preservation and economic progress. This research explores the factors influencing forest-related actions and their implications for growth in Gabon, including population size, wood fuel production, round wood production, energy emissions, agriculture, and gross domestic product (GDP). Using time series methods, we analysed data from the United Nations Forest and Agriculture Organization covering the period from 1980 to 2019. We uncover significant connections through tests like Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Engle Granger cointegration test for assessing stationarity and long-term relationships among these variables as ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression analysis to understand their impact on economic growth. Our results highlight that population and wood fuel production affect growth while round wood production has a negative impact. Moreover, we find that wood fuel production and agriculture contribute to expanding wood production, while energy emissions also influence the economy, and yet are considered critical factors of deforestation. These insights could guide policymakers in Gabon aiming to craft strategies for forest management and economic advancement while forestering landscape protection, biodiversity and ecosystems services.Published Versio
Phylogeography, origin and population structure of the self-fertile emerging plant pathogen Phytophthora pseudosyringae
Get PDFPhytophthora pseudosyringae is a self-fertile pathogen of woody plants, particularly associated with tree species from the genera Fagus, Notholithocarpus, Nothofagus and Quercus, which is found across Europe and in parts of North America and Chile. It can behave as a soil pathogen infecting roots and the stem collar region, as well as an aerial pathogen infecting leaves, twigs and stem barks, causing particular damage in the United Kingdom and western North America. The population structure, migration and potential outcrossing of a worldwide collection of isolates were investigated using genotyping-by-sequencing. Coalescent-based migration analysis revealed that the North American population originated from Europe. Historical gene flow has occurred between the continents in both directions to some extent, yet contemporary migration is overwhelmingly from Europe to North America. Two broad population clusters dominate the global population of the pathogen, with a subgroup derived from one of the main clusters found only in western North America. Index of association and network analyses indicate an influential level of outcrossing has occurred in this preferentially inbreeding, homothallic oomycete. Outcrossing between the two main population clusters has created distinct subgroups of admixed individuals that are, however, less common than the main population clusters. Differences in life history traits between the two main population clusters should be further investigated together with virulence and host range tests to evaluate the risk each population poses to natural environments worldwide.O
The role of validation in optimization models for forest management
Get PDFKey message A validation convention can be established for forest management optimization models. It consists of (1) the delivery of face validation, (2) performing at least one other validation technique, and (3) an explicit discussion of how the optimization model fulfills the stated purpose. Validation by potential users or external experts is of high importance.Context Optimization modeling has long assisted the management of forest ecosystems, but the credibility of these models has always been debated with criticisms concerning data quality, failures to include relevant processes in the scope of models, and the inclusion of unrealistic assumptions. Validation is widely considered to be crucial to establishing the credibility of models in general, but how to validate optimization models in particular represents a permanent question generally in operations research.Aims We aim to synthesize practical recommendations for the development of validation frameworks in the optimization modeling for forest management.Methods We selected a sample of 46 studies devoted to optimization models to be applied in practice, analysed the contents with respect to validation, and provided a critical review.Results We (1) clarified the meaning and usage of different validation-related terms that are commonly encountered in the literature, (2) identified and categorised the various methods and frameworks that are used to demonstrate model credibility, and (3) derived organizing principles that helped to suggest improvements in validation frameworks.Conclusions A practical validation convention can be established and we suggest the convention to consist of three stages. By providing structured and consistent information about validation processes, researchers in forest management optimization can better demonstrate the credibility of their work to readers and potential users.O
A constant market share analysis of the competitiveness of the Czech Republic's agrifood exports (2002-2020) to the European Union
Get PDFWe conducted a quantitative ex post analysis of the competitiveness of the Czech Republic's agrifood exports to other European Union (EU) Member States between 2002 and 2020, using the constant market share (CMS) methodology. The application of this methodology to Czech agrifood exports is novel, as it allows for analysing the export competitiveness variation and its components. Although the findings are consistent with those of previous studies in which the investigators used alternative methodological approaches, we make three contributions to the existing literature. Firstly, the Czech Republic experienced an overall increase in its competitiveness in agrifood exports between 2002 and 2020. Secondly, the high territorial specialisation of Czech agrifood exports to other EU Member States, combined with a general slowdown in the growth of EU markets, has had a significant effect on the growth dynamics of the country's agricultural exports. Thirdly, there is a problem with the specialisation profile of Czech agrifood exports in terms of commodity and territorial structure. The current composition does not allow the Czech Republic to reach its full potential for agrifood exports. These findings will help industrial, agricultural and trade policymakers to assess the nature of liberalisation and transformation of the Czech Republic's agricultural sectors, with a view to improving or designing structures and instruments for the promotion of agrifood exports.O
Effects of plant diversity on productivity strengthen over time due to trait-dependent shifts in species overyielding
Get PDFPlant diversity effects on community productivity often increase over time. Whether the strengthening of diversity effects is caused by temporal shifts in species-level overyielding (i.e., higher species-level productivity in diverse communities compared with monocultures) remains unclear. Here, using data from 65 grassland and forest biodiversity experiments, we show that the temporal strength of diversity effects at the community scale is underpinned by temporal changes in the species that yield. These temporal trends of species-level overyielding are shaped by plant ecological strategies, which can be quantitatively delimited by functional traits. In grasslands, the temporal strengthening of biodiversity effects on community productivity was associated with increasing biomass overyielding of resource-conservative species increasing over time, and with overyielding of species characterized by fast resource acquisition either decreasing or increasing. In forests, temporal trends in species overyielding differ when considering above- versus belowground resource acquisition strategies. Overyielding in stem growth decreased for species with high light capture capacity but increased for those with high soil resource acquisition capacity. Our results imply that a diversity of species with different, and potentially complementary, ecological strategies is beneficial for maintaining community productivity over time in both grassland and forest ecosystems.O
Differentiation of Medicinal Plants According to Solvents, Processing, Origin, and Season by Means of Multivariate Analysis of Spectroscopic and Liquid Chromatography Data
Get PDFEffects of processing and extraction solvents on antioxidant properties and other characteristics were evaluated for ten medicinal plant species originating from two different localities and two production years. A combination of spectroscopic and liquid chromatography techniques possessed data for multivariate statistics. Water, 50% (v/v) ethanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were compared to select the most suitable solvent for the isolation of functional components from the frozen/dried medicinal plants. DMSO and 50% (v/v) ethanol were evaluated as more efficient for phenolic compounds and colorants extraction, while water was more useful for element extraction. Drying and extraction of herbs with 50% (v/v) ethanol was the most appropriate treatment to ensure a high yield of most compounds. The satisfactory differentiation of herbs (61.8-100%) confirmed the significant effect of the processing, geographical, and seasonal factors on target functional component concentrations. Total phenolic and total flavonoid compounds content, total antioxidant activity expressed as TAA, yellowness, chroma, and browning index were identified as the most important markers for medicinal plant differentiation.O
Enhancing fire safety and thermal performance: Wood composites with bio-based phase change materials and fire retardants for building applications
Get PDFThis work explores the elaboration of wood particle-based composites incorporating bio-based phase change materials, with epoxidized linseed oil or clay as a binder. Fire performance evaluation of the novel composites includes an assessment to determine the impact of the addition of boric acid as a fire retardant, as well as the incorporation of recycled paper fibres containing boric acid, and the application of trimethoxymethylsilane coating. The study employs thermogravimetric analysis and cone calorimetry under uniform external irradiance, with a T-history method to analyse thermal behaviour. Results indicated that fire retardants do not compromise the energy functionality of bio-based phase change material composites, exhibiting a latent heat of approximately 50 J/g. The density ranges from 750 to 875 kg/m3. The use of clay as a binder improves fire performance, leading to a 60% decrease in total heat release and 52% of the composite mass remaining after analysis. Although enhancing fire performance presents challenges, incorporating wood particles in clay demonstrates a promising potential approach for safe use in building applications, contributing to energy efficiency in indoor heating and cooling. The findings contribute valuable insights into these materials for creating safer and more efficient building solutions, particularly in terms of thermal regulation and fire safety.OA-hybri
Transformation of dry dipterocarp to dry evergreen forests alters food webs of web-building spiders and their prey
Get PDFAnthropogenic habitat modification is a major contributor to global change. While the modification of natural habitats to agroecosystems attracts most of the attention, little is known about the conversion of one natural ecosystem to another. Dry dipterocarp forest is the key dry forest type across Southeast Asia. Moderate fire disturbance is essential for its regeneration, but humans often prevent fire in these forests. Consequently, dry dipterocarps can change to dry evergreen forests through succession. The consequences of this conversion on food webs are unknown. Using the network approach, we compared the food webs of web-building spiders and their prey in the understory between dry dipterocarp (open canopy, uniform understory) and dry evergreen forests (closed canopy, heterogeneous understory) in north-eastern Thailand. Overall, we collected 560 individual web-building spiders belonging to 37 genera. Further, we collected 1139 prey items from spider webs belonging to 16 arthropod orders. The composition of captured prey and the network structure differed between the forest types. Specifically, the web-building spiders were more specialized and their niches overlapped less in dry dipterocarps than in dry evergreens. The differences in food-web structure were driven mostly by trophic groups turnover rather than interaction rewiring. Implications for insect conservation: The transformation of dry dipterocarp to dry evergreen forests from the prevention of fire disturbance may lead to an altered ecological function of web-building spiders in forest understories. As trophic links and their strength are rewired, habitat modification may also lead to changes in nutrient and energy flow in forest understories.OA-hybri
Perception of Locals on Multiple Contributions of NTFPs to the Livelihoods of Forest Fringe Communities in Ghana
Get PDFForest-dwelling residents frequently collect non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for various reasons, such as food, medicine, firewood, religious reasons, or handicrafts. This study examines the multiple benefits derived from NTFPs and how they contribute to the livelihoods of Ghanaian communities to alleviate poverty. Resources and services provided by NTFPs have an essential role in providing economic, nutritional, medicinal, cultural, and environmental benefits. This study examines the diverse range of NTFPs locals collect, such as chewing sticks, games, herbs, honey, leaves, mushrooms, pestles, raffia and palms, snails, and straws. In addition to serving different purposes, these NTFPs contribute to income generation, food security, health care, cultural practices, and the protection of the environment. A qualitative research approach was used in this study to collect data through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with members on multiple collections of NTFPs and their multiple benefits. We interviewed 732 residents regarding their multiple NTFPs and their potential to improve the livelihood of the locals. The data for the study were analysed using descriptive statistics. As a result of the survey, the frequency and percentages of responses were analysed for each indicator related to multiple values of NTFPs. Both males and females collected a list of NTFPs during the survey. Regarding NTFPs used for sale, 275 were reported, representing 37.57% of the total. In addition to emphasising the importance of sustainable management practices and equitable distribution of benefits, the study explores the multiple benefits of NTFPs for poverty alleviation in Ghanaian communities. It is essential to ensure the conservation of forest ecosystems and promote inclusive policies to harness the potential of NTFPs and maximise their positive impact on livelihoods. NTFPs provide multiple benefits for Ghanaian communities, including income, nutrition, healthcare, cultural preservation, and environmental sustainability. To promote sustainable development, it is imperative to understand the role of NTFPs and implement appropriate strategies.O