Search results for "WOOD"
showing 10 items of 818 documents
Historical Suitability and Sustainability of Sicani Mountains Landscape (Western Sicily): An Integrated Approach of Phytosociology and Archaeobotany
2020
Since 2015, the ongoing project &ldquo
Effects of local forest continuity on the diversity of fungi on standing dead pines
2018
Human-induced fragmentation affects forest continuity, i.e. availability of a suitable habitat for the target species over a time period. The dependence of wood-inhabiting fungi on landscape level continuity has been well demonstrated, but the importance of local continuity has remained controversial. In this study, we explored the effects of local forest continuity (microhabitat and stand level) on the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi on standing dead trunks of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). We studied species richness and community composition of decomposers and Micarea lichens on 70 trunks in 14 forests in central Finland that differed in their state of continuity. We used dendrochr…
The role of novel forest ecosystems in the conservation of wood-inhabiting fungi in boreal broadleaved forests
2016
The increasing human impact on the earth’s biosphere is inflicting changes at all spatial scales. As well as deterioration and fragmentation of natural biological systems, these changes also led to other, unprecedented effects and emergence of novel habitats. In boreal zone, intensive forest management has negatively impacted a multitude of deadwood-associated species. This is especially alarming given the important role wood-inhabiting fungi have in the natural decay processes. In the boreal zone, natural broad-leaved-dominated, herb-rich forests are threatened habitats which have high wood-inhabiting fungal species richness. Fungal diversity in other broadleaved forest habitat types is po…
Geographic mosaic of selection by avian predators on hindwing warning colour in a polymorphic aposematic moth
2020
AbstractWarning signals are predicted to develop signal monomorphism via positive frequency-dependent selection (+FDS) albeit many aposematic systems exhibit signal polymorphism. To understand this mismatch, we conducted a large-scale predation experiment in four locations, among which the frequencies of hindwing warning coloration of aposematic Arctia plantaginis differ. Here we show that selection by avian predators on warning colour is predicted by local morph frequency and predator community composition. We found +FDS to be strongest in monomorphic Scotland, and in contrast, lowest in polymorphic Finland, where different predators favour different male morphs. +FDS was also found in Geo…
Managing conservation values of protected sites: How to maintain deciduous trees in white-backed woodpecker territories
2020
Successional and other temporal habitat changes may also affect conservation areas and reduce their conservation value. Active management to promote vulnerable habitat features may be an effective, but controversial, solution. Old deciduous trees and deciduous dead wood in boreal forest reserves are examples of habitat features that may be lost during succession, yet several threatened species, including the white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos), are dependent on them. Encroaching spruce have been removed from white-backed woodpecker territories to promote the regeneration of deciduous trees and to preserve habitat quality, although the efficiency of this treatment is unclear. In t…
Grazing and soil pH are biodiversity drivers of vascular plants and bryophytes in boreal wood-pastures
2016
Abstract Wood-pastures have been formed by traditional low-intensity livestock grazing in wooded areas. They host high biodiversity values that are now threatened by both management abandonment (ceased grazing) and agricultural intensification, and therefore these habitats are of conservation interest in Europe. In order to explore the effects of grazing on the biodiversity of boreal wood-pastures, we studied the communities of vascular plants and bryophytes in 24 currently grazed and 24 abandoned sites. In addition to the current management situation, we studied the effects of soil pH and moisture, tree density, historical land-use intensity, time since abandonment (in abandoned sites) and…
Effect of Seasonal Storage on Single-Stem Bark Extractives of Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
2021
Increasing the net value of forestry side-streams has both ecological as well as economic benefits for emerging biorefining industries. Spruce bark represents one of the nature’s abundant sources of valuable extractives. In this study, the impact of storage on the quality and quantity of Norway spruce (Picea abies) extractives was examined as a function of storage time, environmental conditions and season (i.e., winter or summer). The bark from stored spruce saw logs was extracted with an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) at 120 °C with hexane and water. The produced extracts were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and…
Polypore communities and their substrate characteristics in Atlantic forest fragments in southeast Brazil
2018
Anthropogenic environmental changes have resulted in biodiversity crisis. Although tropical rainforests are one of the global biodiversity hotspots, their biodiversity is still poorly known. Especially fungi are poorly represented in national Red Lists and conservation plans, despite their important role in ecosystem functioning. We studied wood-inhabiting fungi (polypores) in four areas within two Atlantic rainforest fragments in Southeast Brazil. Our aim was to investigate fungal substrate characteristics and community composition. Deadwood amount ranged from 27 to 82 m3/ha among the four study areas and altogether we recorded 53 polypore species. More species were observed in intermediat…
Analysis of optimal temperature, pressure and binder quantity for the production of biocarbon pellet to be used as a substitute for coke
2019
In order to contribute to the decarbonization of the economy, efficient alternatives to coal and coke should be found not only in the power sector but also in the industrial sectors (like steel, silicon and manganese production) in which coal and coke are used as a reductant and for steel production also as a fuel. To this aim many research works have been focused on the development of a coke substitute based on woody biomass and known as “biocarbon”. There are still barriers to overcome, among them: the biocarbon low density, poor mechanical strength and high reactivity. In this paper a new biocarbon production methodology is proposed, based on: pyrolysis at 600 °C, densification (using py…
II) Wood pellets for home heating can be considered environmentally friendly fuels? Heavy metals determination by inductively coupled plasma-optical …
2016
Abstract The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of twelve potentially hazardous elements in wood pellet ashes obtained by the combustion of 13 pellet brands for sale in Italy, the impact of adding the ashes to soils and health risk of operator due to dust exposure. Samples were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. The concentrations of heavy metals in ashes from stoves ranged from 0.41 to 7.2 mg kg − 1 for As, from 1.3 to 12 mg kg − 1 for Sb, from 1.8 to 12 mg kg − 1 for Zn, from 0.23 to 0.8 mg kg − 1 for Pb, from 0.18 to 2.8 mg kg − 1 for Ni, from 0.09 to 1.0 mg kg − 1 for Cd, from 0.46 to 3.4 mg kg − 1 for Cr, from 0.94 to 2.7 mg …