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effect of habitat fragmentation on the genetic diversity and structure of peripheral populations of beech in central italy.fragmentation can affect the demographic and genetic structure of populations near the boundary of their biogeographic range. higher genetic differentiation among populations coupled with lower level of within-population variability is expected as a consequence of reduced population size and isolation. the effects of these 2 factors have been rarely disentangled. given their high gene flow, anemophilous forest trees should be more affected, in terms of loss of genetic diversity, by small populat ...201222496339
how closely does stem growth of adult beech (fagus sylvatica) relate to net carbon gain under experimentally enhanced ozone stress?the hypothesis was tested that o(3)-induced changes in leaf-level photosynthetic parameters have the capacity of limiting the seasonal photosynthetic carbon gain of adult beech trees. to this end, canopy-level photosynthetic carbon gain and respiratory carbon loss were assessed in european beech (fagus sylvatica) by using a physiologically based model, integrating environmental and photosynthetic parameters. the latter were derived from leaves at various canopy positions under the ambient o(3) r ...201222487316
drought-adaptation potential in fagus sylvatica: linking moisture availability with genetic diversity and dendrochronology.microevolution is essential for species persistence especially under anticipated climate change scenarios. species distribution projection models suggested that the dominant tree species of lowland forests in switzerland, european beech (fagus sylvatica l.), might disappear from most areas due to expected longer dry periods. however, if genotypes at the moisture boundary of the species climatic envelope are adapted to lower moisture availability, they can serve as seed source for the continuatio ...201222448260
use of thermal imaging to determine leaf conductance along a canopy gradient in european beech (fagus sylvatica).using an infrared camera, we measured the leaf temperature across different canopy positions of a 23-m-tall deciduous forest tree (fagus sylvatica l.) including typical sun and shade leaves as well as intermediate leaf forms, which differed significantly in specific leaf area (sla). we calculated a temperature index (i(g)) and a crop water stress index (cwsi) using the surface temperatures of wet and dry reference leaves. additional indices were computed using air temperature plus 5 °c (i(g) + 5 ...201222427372
effect of flooding on c metabolism of flood-tolerant (quercus robur) and non-tolerant (fagus sylvatica) tree species.flooding is assumed to cause an energy crisis in plants because-due to a lack of o(2)-mitochondrial respiration is replaced by alcoholic fermentation which yields considerably less energy equivalents. in the present study, the effect of flooding on the carbon metabolism of flooding-tolerant pedunculate oak (quercus robur l.) and flooding-sensitive european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) seedlings was characterized. whereas soluble carbohydrate concentrations dropped in roots of f. sylvatica, they we ...201222367762
wide variation in spatial genetic structure between natural populations of the european beech (fagus sylvatica) and its implications for sgs comparability.identification and quantification of spatial genetic structure (sgs) within populations remains a central element of understanding population structure at the local scale. understanding such structure can inform on aspects of the species' biology, such as establishment patterns and gene dispersal distance, in addition to sampling design for genetic resource management and conservation. however, recent work has identified that variation in factors such as sampling methodology, population characte ...201222354112
throughfall deposition and canopy exchange processes along a vertical gradient within the canopy of beech (fagus sylvatica l.) and norway spruce (picea abies (l.) karst).to assess the impact of air pollution on forest ecosystems, the canopy is usually considered as a constant single layer in interaction with the atmosphere and incident rain, which could influence the measurement accuracy. in this study the variation of througfall deposition and derived dry deposition and canopy exchange were studied along a vertical gradient in the canopy of one european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) tree and two norway spruce (picea abies (l.) karst) trees. throughfall and net thr ...201222325986
comparison of leaf gas exchange and stable isotope signature of water-soluble compounds along canopy gradients of co-occurring douglas-fir and european beech.combined δ(13) c and δ(18) o analyses of water-soluble leaf and twig phloem material were used to determine intrinsic water-use efficiency (iwue) and variability of stomatal conductance at different crown positions in adult european beech (fagus sylvatica) and douglas-fir (pseudotsuga menziesii) trees. simultaneous gas exchange measurements allowed evaluation of the differences in calculating iwue from leaf or phloem water-soluble compounds, and comparison with a semi-quantitative dual isotope m ...201222292498
metatranscriptomics reveals the diversity of genes expressed by eukaryotes in forest soils.eukaryotic organisms play essential roles in the biology and fertility of soils. for example the micro and mesofauna contribute to the fragmentation and homogenization of plant organic matter, while its hydrolysis is primarily performed by the fungi. to get a global picture of the activities carried out by soil eukaryotes we sequenced 2×10,000 cdnas synthesized from polyadenylated mrna directly extracted from soils sampled in beech (fagus sylvatica) and spruce (picea abies) forests. taxonomic af ...201222238585
multiplexed microsatellite markers for genetic studies of beech.european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) is one of the economically most important broadleaved tree species in europe and has become a model for studying climate change effects on forests. multiplex pcr of microsatellites is a fast and cost-effective technique allowing high-throughput genotyping. here we present the procedure used to develop two multiplex kits (8-plexes) for european beech. we paid particular attention to quality control throughout all steps of the multiplex kits development (null al ...201222145937
tree litter and forest understorey vegetation: a conceptual framework to understand the effects of tree litter on a perennial geophyte, anemone nemorosa.litter is a key factor in structuring plant populations, through positive or negative interactions. the litter layer forms a mechanical barrier that is often strongly selective against individuals lacking hypocotyle plasticity. litter composition also interacts with plant growth by providing beneficial nutrients or, inversely, by allowing harmful allelopathic leaching. as conspicuous litter fall accumulation is often observed under deciduous forests, interactions between tree litter and understo ...201222419760
effects of a triazole fungicide and a pyrethroid insecticide on the decomposition of leaves in the presence or absence of macroinvertebrate shredders.previously, laboratory experiments have revealed that freely diluted azole fungicides potentiate the direct toxic effect of pyrethroid insecticides on daphnia magna. more ecologically relevant exposure scenarios where pesticides are adsorbed have not been addressed. in this study we exposed beech leaves (fagus sylvatica) to the azole fungicide propiconazole (50 or 500 μg l(-1)), the pyrethroid insecticide alpha-cypermethrin (0.1 or 1 μg l(-1)) or any combination of the two for 3h. exposed leaves ...201222516675
The occurrence and rapid discrimination of Fomes fomentarius genotypes by ITS-RFLP analysis.Sequence comparison of available Fomes fomentarius (L.) J. Kickx f. internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal DNA sequences demonstrated genetic non-homogeneity of the species. Multiple sequence alignment indicated the presence of two genotypes with overall similarity of about 97% and a strong statistics support. Rapid and reliable method for discrimination of F. fomentarius genotypes based on restriction digestion of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified ITS sequences was developed. Bs ...201222208610
Are gastropods, rather than ants, important dispersers of seeds of myrmecochorous forest herbs?Abstract Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) is widespread, and seed adaptations to myrmecochory are common, especially in the form of fatty appendices (elaiosomes). In a recent study, slugs were identified as seed dispersers of myrmecochores in a central European beech forest. Here we used 105 beech forest sites to test whether myrmecochore presence and abundance is related to ant or gastropod abundance and whether experimentally exposed seeds are removed by gastropods. Myrmecochorous plant ...201222173465
status of the southern carpathian forests in the long-term ecological research network.air pollution, bulk precipitation, throughfall, soil condition, foliar nutrients, as well as forest health and growth were studied in 2006-2009 in a long-term ecological research (lter) network in the bucegi mountains, romania. ozone (o(3)) was high indicating a potential for phytotoxicity. ammonia (nh(3)) concentrations rose to levels that could contribute to deposition of nutritional nitrogen (n) and could affect biodiversity changes. higher that 50% contribution of acidic rain (ph < 5.5) cont ...201222234644
tree species diversity interacts with elevated co2 to induce a greater root system response.as a consequence of land-use change and the burning of fossil fuels, atmospheric concentrations of co2 are increasing and altering the dynamics of the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems. in a number of studies using single tree species, fine root biomass has been shown to be strongly increased by elevated co2 . however, natural forests are often intimate mixtures of a number of co-occurring species. to investigate the interaction between tree mixture and elevated co2 , alnus glutinosa, betula pen ...201223504733
odor, gaseous and pm10 emissions from small scale combustion of wood types indigenous to central europe.in this study, we investigated the emissions, including odor, from log wood stoves, burning wood types indigenous to mid-european countries such as austria, czech republic, hungary, slovak republic, slovenia, switzerland, as well as baden-württemberg and bavaria (germany) and south tyrol (italy). the investigations were performed with a modern, certified, 8 kw, manually fired log wood stove, and the results were compared to emissions from a modern 9 kw pellet stove. the examined wood types were ...201223471123
frequency of inversions affects senescence phenology of acer pseudoplatanus and fagus sylvatica.in mountainous regions, inversion situations with cold-air pools in the valleys occur frequently, especially in fall and winter. with the accumulation of inversion days, trees in lower elevations experience lower temperature sums than those in middle elevations. in a two-year observational study, deciduous trees, such as acer pseudoplatanus and fagus sylvatica, on altitudinal transects responded in their fall leaf senescence phenology. phenological phases were advanced and senescence duration wa ...201323912394
proteomic insights into seed germination in response to environmental factors.seed germination is a critical process in the life cycle of higher plants. during germination, the imbibed mature seed is highly sensitive to different environmental factors.however, knowledge about the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the environmental effects on germination has been lacking. recent proteomic work has provided invaluable insight into the molecular processes in germinating seeds of arabidopsis, rice (oryza sativa), soybean (glycine max), barley (hordeum vulgare) ...201323986916
alkaline polyol pulping and enzymatic hydrolysis of hardwood: effect of pulping severity and pulp composition on cellulase activity and overall sugar yield.the saccharification of beech wood using alkaline polyol pulping (alkapolp) and enzymatic hydrolysis was investigated. it will be demonstrated that the alkapolp process yields high quality pulps which can easily be hydrolyzed by cellulases. in order to find optimum reaction conditions chips of fagus sylvatica were pretreated by alkaline glycerol at temperatures between 190 and 230 °c for 15, 20, and 25 min. the impacts of temperature and time were expressed using a severity factor r0. the depend ...201323570715
disparity in elevational shifts of european trees in response to recent climate warming.predicting climate-driven changes in plant distribution is crucial for biodiversity conservation and management under recent climate change. climate warming is expected to induce movement of species upslope and towards higher latitudes. however, the mechanisms and physiological processes behind the altitudinal and latitudinal distribution range of a tree species are complex and depend on each tree species features and vary over ontogenetic stages. we investigated the altitudinal distribution dif ...201323572443
karyotypes, b-chromosomes and meiotic abnormalities in 13 populations of alebra albostriella and a. wahlbergi (hemiptera, auchenorrhyncha, cicadellidae) from greece.in this work 13 populations of the leafhopper species alebra albostriella (fallén, 1826) (6 populations) and a. wahlbergi (boheman, 1845) (7 populations) (cicadellidae: typhlocybinae) from greece were studied cytogenetically. we examined chromosomal complements and meiosis in 41 males of a. albostriella sampled from castanea sativa, fagus sylvatica and quercus cerris and in 21 males of a. wahlbergi sampled from c. sativa, acer opalus and ulmus sp. the species were shown to share 2n = 22 + x(0) a ...201324455103
elevated co2 enrichment induces a differential biomass response in a mixed species temperate forest plantation.in a free-air carbon dioxide (co(2)) enrichment study (bangorface), alnus glutinosa, betula pendula and fagus sylvatica were planted in areas of one-, two- and three-species mixtures (n = 4). the trees were exposed to ambient or elevated co(2) (580 μmol mol(-1)) for 4 yr, and aboveground growth characteristics were measured. in monoculture, the mean effect of co(2) enrichment on aboveground woody biomass was + 29, + 22 and + 16% for a. glutinosa, f. sylvatica and b. pendula, respectively. when t ...201323356474
species, diaspore volume and body mass matter in gastropod seed feeding behavior.seed dispersal of ant-dispersed plants (myrmecochores) is a well studied ecosystem function. recently, slugs have been found to act as seed dispersers of myrmecochores. the aim of our study was to (1) further generalize the finding that gastropods feed on seeds of myrmecochores and hence may act as seed dispersers, (2) to test whether gastropod body mass and the volume of diaspores have an influence on the seed dispersal potential.201323844239
using sex pheromone and a multi-scale approach to predict the distribution of a rare saproxylic beetle.the european red click beetle, elater ferrugineus l., is associated with wood mould in old hollow deciduous trees. as a result of severe habitat fragmentation caused by human disturbance, it is threatened throughout its distribution range. a new pheromone-based survey method, which is very efficient in detecting the species, was used in the present study to relate the occurrence of e. ferrugineus to the density of deciduous trees. the latter data were from a recently completed regional survey in ...201323840415
chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics, photosynthetic activity, and pigment composition of blue-shade and half-shade leaves as compared to sun and shade leaves of different trees.the chlorophyll (chl) fluorescence induction kinetics, net photosynthetic co2 fixation rates p n, and composition of photosynthetic pigments of differently light exposed leaves of several trees were comparatively measured to determine the differences in photosynthetic activity and pigment adaptation of leaves. the functional measurements were carried out with sun, half-shade and shade leaves of seven different trees species. these were: acer platanoides l., ginkgo biloba l., fagus sylvatica l., ...201323670216
the melliferous potential of forest and meadow plant communities on mount tara (serbia).the apiflora of 34 forest and meadow plant communities in tara national park was studied with the aim of assessing their melliferous potential and their contribution to bee pasture during the vegetation period. the melliferous plants were analyzed individually from the aspect of their flowering phenology, abundance, and the intensity of nectar and pollen production, as well as the production of honeydew. the melliferous potential of each investigated plant community was theoretically assessed on ...201323905735
stem water storage in five coexisting temperate broad-leaved tree species: significance, temporal dynamics and dependence on tree functional traits.the functional role of internal water storage is increasingly well understood in tropical trees and conifers, while temperate broad-leaved trees have only rarely been studied. we examined the magnitude and dynamics of the use of stem water reserves for transpiration in five coexisting temperate broad-leaved trees with largely different morphology and physiology (genera fagus, fraxinus, tilia, carpinus and acer). we expected that differences in water storage patterns would mostly reflect species ...201323999137
fruit production in three masting tree species does not rely on stored carbon reserves.fruiting is typically considered to massively burden the seasonal carbon budget of trees. the cost of reproduction has therefore been suggested as a proximate factor explaining observed mast-fruiting patterns. here, we used a large-scale, continuous (13)c labeling of mature, deciduous trees in a temperate swiss forest to investigate to what extent fruit formation in three species with masting reproduction behavior (carpinus betulus, fagus sylvatica, quercus petraea) relies on the import of store ...201323306421
phenological mismatch strongly affects individual fitness but not population demography in a woodland passerine.populations are shifting their phenology in response to climate change, but these shifts are often asynchronous among interacting species. resulting phenological mismatches can drive simultaneous changes in natural selection and population demography, but the links between these interacting processes are poorly understood. here we analyse 37 years of data from an individual-based study of great tits (parus major) in the netherlands and use mixed-effects models to separate the within- and across- ...201322862682
assessing ozone and nitrogen impact on net primary productivity with a generalised non-linear model.some studies suggest that in europe the majority of forest growth increment can be accounted for n deposition and very little by elevated co(2). high ozone (o(3)) concentrations cause reductions in carbon fixation in native plants by offsetting the effects of elevated co(2) or n deposition. the cause-effect relationships between primary productivity (npp) of quercus cerris, q. ilex and fagus sylvatica plant species and climate and pollutants (o(3) and n deposition) in italy have been investigate ...201323078996
resistance of european tree species to drought stress in mixed versus pure forests: evidence of stress release by inter-specific facilitation.while previous studies focused on tree growth in pure stands, we reveal that tree resistance and resilience to drought stress can be modified distinctly through species mixing. our study is based on tree ring measurement on cores from increment boring of 559 trees of norway spruce (picea abies [l.] karst.), european beech (fagus sylvatica [l.]) and sessile oak (quercus petraea (matt.) liebl.) in south germany, with half sampled in pure, respectively, mixed stands. indices for resistance, recover ...201323062025
effect of elevated carbon dioxide concentration on carbon assimilation under fluctuating light.natural fluctuations in light intensity may significantly affect the amount of co assimilated by plants and ecosystems. little is known, however, about the interactive effect of dynamic light conditions and atmospheric co concentrations. the hypothesis that elevated co concentration (ec; 700 μmol co mol) increases photosynthetic efficiency in dynamic light environments as compared to ambient co concentration (ac; 385 μmol co mol) was tested. sun leaves of european beech ( l.) and current-year sh ...201323128750
contrasting effects of elevated temperature and invertebrate grazing regulate multispecies interactions between decomposer fungi.predicting the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on species interactions and ecosystem processes is among the primary aims of community ecologists. the composition of saprotrophic fungal communities is a consequence of competitive mycelial interactions, and a major determinant of woodland decomposition and nutrient cycling rates. elevation of atmospheric temperature is predicted to drive changes in fungal community development. top-down regulation of mycelial growth is an important determi ...201324194892
water stress-induced xylem hydraulic failure is a causal factor of tree mortality in beech and poplar.extreme water stress episodes induce tree mortality, but the physiological mechanisms causing tree death are still poorly understood. this study tests the hypothesis that a potted tree's ability to survive extreme monotonic water stress is determined by the cavitation resistance of its xylem tissue.201324081280
effect of environmental variables and stand structure on ecosystem respiration components in a mediterranean beech forest.the temporal variability of ecosystem respiration (reco) has been reported to have important effects on the temporal variability of net ecosystem exchange, the net amount of carbon exchanged between an ecosystem and the atmosphere. however, our understanding of ecosystem respiration is rather limited compared with photosynthesis or gross primary productivity, particularly in mediterranean montane ecosystems. in order to investigate how environmental variables and forest structure (tree classes) ...201324044943
within-population genetic structure in beech (fagus sylvatica l.) stands characterized by different disturbance histories: does forest management simplify population substructure?the fine-scale assessment of both spatially and non-spatially distributed genetic variation is crucial to preserve forest genetic resources through appropriate forest management. cryptic within-population genetic structure may be more common than previously thought in forest tree populations, which has strong implications for the potential of forests to adapt to environmental change. the present study was aimed at comparing within-population genetic structure in european beech (fagus sylvatica l ...201324039930
light and competition gradients fail to explain the coexistence of shade-tolerant fagus sylvatica and shade-intermediate quercus petraea seedlings.the coexistence of forest tree species has often been linked to differences among species in terms of their response to light availability during the regeneration stage. from this perspective, species coexistence results from growth-growth or mortality-growth trade-offs along spatial light gradients. experimental evidence of growth-growth trade-offs in natural conditions is sparse due to various confounding factors that potentially hinder the relationship. this study examined growth hierarchies ...201324036670
space sequestration below ground in old-growth spruce-beech forests-signs for facilitation?scientists are currently debating the effects of mixing tree species for the complementary resource acquisition in forest ecosystems. in four unmanaged old-growth spruce-beech forests in strict nature reserves in southern sweden and northern germany we assessed forest structure and fine rooting profiles and traits (≤2 mm) by fine root sampling and the analysis of fine root morphology and biomass. these studies were conducted in selected tree groups with four different interspecific competition p ...201324009616
up in the tree--the overlooked richness of bryophytes and lichens in tree crowns.assessing diversity is among the major tasks in ecology and conservation science. in ecological and conservation studies, epiphytic cryptogams are usually sampled up to accessible heights in forests. thus, their diversity, especially of canopy specialists, likely is underestimated. if the proportion of those species differs among forest types, plot-based diversity assessments are biased and may result in misleading conservation recommendations. we sampled bryophytes and lichens in 30 forest plot ...201324358373
stronger spatial genetic structure in recolonized areas than in refugia in the european beech.extant rear-edge populations located in former glacial refugia remain understudied despite their high conservation value. these populations should have experienced strong genetic drift due to their small size and long isolation. moreover, the prolonged action of isolation by distance in refugial areas should result in stronger regional spatial genetic structure (sgs) than in recolonized areas, but empirical tests of this prediction are scarce. to fill this gap, we first used a set of 16 microsat ...201323980761
ecological determinants of mating system within and between three fagus sylvatica populations along an elevational gradient.studies addressing the variation of mating system between plant populations rarely account for the variability of these parameters between individuals within populations, although this variability is often non-negligible. here, we propose a new direct method based on paternity analyses (mixed effect mating model) to estimate individual migration (mi ) and selfing rates (si ) together with the pollen dispersal kernel. using this method and the kindist approach, we investigated the variation of ma ...201323952125
variability of 13c-labeling in plant leaves.plant tissues artificially labeled with (13)c are increasingly used in environmental studies to unravel biogeochemical and ecophysiological processes. however, the variability of (13)c-content in labeled tissues has never been carefully investigated. hence, this study aimed at documenting the variability of (13)c-content in artificially labeled leaves.201323939963
seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of growth, non-structural carbohydrates and c stable isotopes in a mediterranean beech forest.seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of growth, non-structural carbohydrates (nsc) and carbon isotope composition (δ(13)c) of nsc were studied in a beech forest of central italy over a 2-year period characterized by different environmental conditions. the net c assimilated by forest trees was mainly used to sustain growth early in the season and to accumulate storage carbohydrates in trunk and root wood in the later part of the season, before leaf shedding. growth and nsc concentration dynamics we ...201323933829
fine-root carbon and nitrogen concentration of european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) in italy prealps: possible implications of coppice conversion to high forest.fine-root systems represent a very sensitive plant compartment to environmental changes. gaining further knowledge about their dynamics would improve soil carbon input understanding. this paper investigates c and n concentrations in fine roots in relation to different stand characteristics resulting from conversion of coppiced forests to high forests. in order to evaluate possible interferences due to different vegetative stages of vegetation, fine-root sampling was repeated six times in each st ...201323785374
clues for regulatory processes in fungal uptake and transfer of minerals to the basidiospore.several fungal species are notorious for the preferential acquisition of toxicants such as ascdhgpbu in their wild-grown basidiomes, but it is not known how, or whether at all, mineral uptake is regulated. in this study, basidiomes of kuehneromyces mutabilis, pleurotus ostreatus, and hypholoma fasciculare were grown on fagus sylvatica logs embedded in sand, uranium-overburden soil, and garden soil (sio) at a lab scale to raise the accessible mineral resources 30 to >1,000 times over those availa ...201323761201
spatial patterns of ectomycorrhizal assemblages in a monospecific forest in relation to host tree genotype.ectomycorrhizas (ecm) are important for soil exploration and thereby may shape belowground interactions of roots. we investigated the composition and spatial structures of ecm assemblages in relation to host genotype in an old-growth, monospecific beech (fagus sylvatica) forest. we hypothesized that neighboring roots of different beech individuals are colonized by similar ecm assemblages if host genotype had no influence on the fungal colonization and that the similarity would decrease with incr ...201323630537
interspecific temporal and spatial differences in the acquisition of litter-derived nitrogen by ectomycorrhizal fungal assemblages.the spatiotemporal dynamics of, and interspecific differences in, the acquisition of litter-derived nitrogen (n) by natural assemblages of ectomycorrhizal root tips are poorly understood. small cylindrical mesh bags containing (15)n-labelled beech (fagus sylvatica) leaf litter that permit hyphal but not root ingrowth were inserted vertically into the top soil layer of an old-growth beech forest. the lateral transfer of (15)n into the circumjacent soil, roots, microbes and ectomycorrhizas was mea ...201323594339
differential radial growth patterns between beech (fagus sylvatica l.) and oak (quercus robur l.) on periodically waterlogged soils.climate scenarios for northern central europe project rising temperatures and increasing frequency and intensity of droughts but also a shift in precipitation pattern with more humid winters. this in turn may result in soil waterlogging during the following spring, leading to increasing stress for trees growing on hydric sites. the influence of waterlogging on growth of common beech and pedunculate oak has been studied intensively on seedlings under experimental conditions. however, the question ...201323564694
effects of drought on mesophyll conductance and photosynthetic limitations at different tree canopy layers.in recent years, many studies have focused on the limiting role of mesophyll conductance (gm ) to photosynthesis (an ) under water stress, but no studies have examined the effect of drought on gm through the forest canopy. we investigated limitations to an on leaves at different heights in a mixed adult stand of sessile oak (quercus petraea) and beech (fagus sylvatica) trees during a moderately dry summer. moderate drought decreased an of top and lowest beech canopy leaves much more than in leav ...201323527762
current near-to-nature forest management effects on functional trait composition of saproxylic beetles in beech forests.with the aim of wood production with negligible negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystem processes, a silvicultural practice of selective logging with natural regeneration has been implemented in european beech forests (fagus sylvatica) during the last decades. despite this near-to-nature strategy, species richness of various taxa is lower in these forests than in unmanaged forests. to develop guidelines to minimize the fundamental weaknesses in the current practice, we linked functional t ...201323432190
assessment of spatial discordance of primary and effective seed dispersal of european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) by ecological and genetic methods.spatial discordance between primary and effective dispersal in plant populations indicates that postdispersal processes erase the seed rain signal in recruitment patterns. five different models were used to test the spatial concordance of the primary and effective dispersal patterns in a european beech (fagus sylvatica) population from central spain. an ecological method was based on classical inverse modelling (sss), using the number of seed/seedlings as input data. genetic models were based on ...201323379310
allergen of the month--european beech. 201323352543
gap dynamics and structure of two old-growth beech forest remnants in slovenia.due to a long history of intensive forest exploitation, few european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) old-growth forests have been preserved in europe.201323308115
decrease in available soil water storage capacity reduces vitality of young understorey european beeches (fagus sylvatica l.)-a case study from the black forest, germany.growth and survival of young european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) is largely dependent on water availability. we quantified the influence of water stress (measured as available soil water storage capacity or aswsc) on vitality of young beech plants at a dry site. the study site was located in a semi-natural sessile oak (quercus petraea (mattuschka) liebl.) stand adjacent to beech stands on a rocky gneiss outcrop in southwestern germany. plant vitality was measured as crown dieback and estimated b ...201327137398
temporal variation of competition and facilitation in mixed species forests in central europe.facilitation, reduced competition or increased competition can arise in mixed stands and become essential to the performance of these stands when compared to pure stands. facilitation and over-yielding are widely held to prevail on poor sites, whereas neutral interactions or competition, leading to under-yielding of mixed versus pure stands, can occur on fertile sites. while previous studies have focused on the spatial variation of mixing effects, we examine the temporal variation of facilitatio ...201423581485
relationship between photochemical reflectance index and leaf ecophysiological and biochemical parameters under two different water statuses: towards a rapid and efficient correction method using real-time measurements.the use of the photochemical reflectance index (pri) as a promising proxy of light use efficiency (lue) has been extensively studied, and some issues have been identified, notably the sensitivity of pri to leaf pigment composition and the variability in pri response to lue because of stress. in this study, we introduce a method that enables us to track the short-term pri response to lue changes because of photosynthetically active radiation (par) changes. the analysis of these short-term relatio ...201423906049
consistency of defoliation data of the national training courses for the forest condition survey in germany from 1992 to 2012.the consistency of visual assessment of tree defoliation, which represents the most widely used indicator for tree condition, has frequently been in the focus of scientific criticism. thus, the objective of the present study was to examine the consistency of the defoliation data from the annual national training courses for the forest condition survey in germany from 1992 to 2012. defoliation assessments were carried out in stands of beech (fagus sylvatica), oak (quercus robur and quercus petrae ...201423955498
response of tree growth and species coexistence to density and species evenness in a young forest plantation with two competing species.there is considerable evidence for the presence of positive species diversity-productivity relationships in plant populations, but the population parameters determining the type and strength of the relationship are poorly defined. relationships between species evenness and tree survival or species coexistence are not well established. the objective of this study was to quantify the joint effects of density and species evenness on tree productivity and species coexistence.201424323248
impact of elevated co2 concentration on dynamics of leaf photosynthesis in fagus sylvatica is modulated by sky conditions.it has been suggested that atmospheric co2 concentration and frequency of cloud cover will increase in future. it remains unclear, however, how elevated co2 influences photosynthesis under complex clear versus cloudy sky conditions. accordingly, diurnal changes in photosynthetic responses among beech trees grown at ambient (ac) and doubled (ec) co2 concentrations were studied under contrasting sky conditions. ec stimulated the daily sum of fixed co2 and light use efficiency under clear sky. mean ...201424316065
hydrolase treatments help unravel the function of intervessel pits in xylem hydraulics.intervessel pits are structures that play a key role in the efficiency and safety functions of xylem hydraulics. however, little is known about the components of the pit membrane (pm) and their role in hydraulic functions, especially in resistance to cavitation. we tested the effect of commercial chemicals including a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a pectolyase, a proteinase and dtt on xylem hydraulic properties: vulnerability to cavitation (vc) and conductance. the effects were tested on branch se ...201423981110
forest stand growth dynamics in central europe have accelerated since 1870.forest ecosystems have been exposed to climate change for more than 100 years, whereas the consequences on forest growth remain elusive. based on the oldest existing experimental forest plots in central europe, we show that, currently, the dominant tree species norway spruce and european beech exhibit significantly faster tree growth (+32 to 77%), stand volume growth (+10 to 30%) and standing stock accumulation (+6 to 7%) than in 1960. stands still follow similar general allometric rules, but pr ...201425216297
wood structural differences between northern and southern beech provenances growing at a moderate site.planting provenances originating from southern to northern locations has been discussed as a strategy to speed up species migration and mitigate negative effects of climate change on forest stability and productivity. especially for drought-susceptible species such as european beech (fagus sylvatica l.), the introduction of drought-tolerant provenances from the south could be an option. yet, beech has been found to respond plastically to environmental conditions, suggesting that the climate on t ...201425163729
detecting short spatial scale local adaptation and epistatic selection in climate-related candidate genes in european beech (fagus sylvatica) populations.detecting signatures of selection in tree populations threatened by climate change is currently a major research priority. here, we investigated the signature of local adaptation over a short spatial scale using 96 european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) individuals originating from two pairs of populations on the northern and southern slopes of mont ventoux (south-eastern france). we performed both single and multilocus analysis of selection based on 53 climate-related candidate genes containing 54 ...201425156570
differential responses of herbivores and herbivory to management in temperate european beech.forest management not only affects biodiversity but also might alter ecosystem processes mediated by the organisms, i.e. herbivory the removal of plant biomass by plant-eating insects and other arthropod groups. aiming at revealing general relationships between forest management and herbivory we investigated aboveground arthropod herbivory in 105 plots dominated by european beech in three different regions in germany in the sun-exposed canopy of mature beech trees and on beech saplings in the un ...201425119984
future impacts of nitrogen deposition and climate change scenarios on forest crown defoliation.defoliation is an indicator for forest health in response to several stressors including air pollutants, and one of the most important parameters monitored in the international cooperative programme on assessment and monitoring of air pollution effects on forests (icp forests). the study aims to estimate crown defoliation in 2030, under three climate and one nitrogen deposition scenarios, based on evaluation of the most important factors (meteorological, nitrogen deposition and chemical soil par ...201425118942
soil h₂¹⁸o labelling reveals the effect of drought on c¹⁸oo fluxes to the atmosphere.above- and belowground processes in plants are tightly coupled via carbon and water fluxes through the soil-plant-atmosphere system. the oxygen isotopic composition of atmospheric co₂ and water vapour (h₂ov) provides a valuable tool for investigating the transport and cycling of carbon and water within this system. however, detailed studies on the coupling between ecosystem components and environmental drivers are sparse. therefore, we conducted a h2 (18)o-labelling experiment to investigate the ...201425100825
insect attraction to herbivore-induced beech volatiles under different forest management regimes.insect herbivore enemies such as parasitoids and predators are important in controlling herbivore pests. from agricultural systems we know that land-use intensification can negatively impact biological control as an important ecosystem service. the aim of our study was to investigate the importance of management regime for natural enemy pressure and biological control possibilities in forests dominated by european beech. we hypothesize that the volatile blend released from herbivore-infested bee ...201425080178
influence of litter diversity on dissolved organic matter release and soil carbon formation in a mixed beech forest.we investigated the effect of leaf litter on below ground carbon export and soil carbon formation in order to understand how litter diversity affects carbon cycling in forest ecosystems. 13c labeled and unlabeled leaf litter of beech (fagus sylvatica) and ash (fraxinus excelsior), characterized by low and high decomposability, were used in a litter exchange experiment in the hainich national park (thuringia, germany). litter was added in pure and mixed treatments with either beech or ash labeled ...201425486628
subcellular nutrient element localization and enrichment in ecto- and arbuscular mycorrhizas of field-grown beech and ash trees indicate functional differences.mycorrhizas are the chief organ for plant mineral nutrient acquisition. in temperate, mixed forests, ash roots (fraxinus excelsior) are colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (am) and beech roots (fagus sylvatica) by ectomycorrhizal fungi (ecm). knowledge on the functions of different mycorrhizal species that coexist in the same environment is scarce. the concentrations of nutrient elements in plant and fungal cells can inform on nutrient accessibility and interspecific differences of mycorrh ...201425486253
intra-specific variations in expression of stress-related genes in beech progenies are stronger than drought-induced responses.rapidly decreasing water availability as a consequence of climate change is likely to endanger the range of long-lived tree species. a pressing question is, therefore, whether adaptation to drought exists in important temperate tree species like european beech (fagus sylvatica l.), a wide-spread, dominant forest tree in central europe. here, five beech stands were selected along a precipitation gradient from moist to dry conditions. neutral genetic markers revealed strong variation within and li ...201425430883
tree-ring stable isotopes reveal twentieth-century increases in water-use efficiency of fagus sylvatica and nothofagus spp. in italian and chilean mountains.changes in intrinsic water use efficiency (iwue) were investigated in fagus sylvatica and nothofagus spp. over the last century. we combined dendrochronological methods with dual-isotope analysis to investigate whether atmospheric changes enhanced iwue of fagus and nothofagus and tree growth (basal area increment, bai) along latitudinal gradients in italy and chile. post-maturation phases of the trees presented different patterns in δ13c, δ13c, δ18o, ci (internal co2 concentration), iwue, and ba ...201425398040
molecular profiling of the phytophthora plurivora secretome: a step towards understanding the cross-talk between plant pathogenic oomycetes and their hosts.the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions in plant diseases is of crucial importance to gain insights on different virulence strategies of pathogens and unravel their role in plant immunity. among plant pathogens, phytophthora species are eliciting a growing interest for their considerable economical and environmental impact. plant infection by phytophthora phytopathogens is a complex process coordinated by a plethora of extracellular signals secreted by bot ...201425372870
assessing the fate of nutrients and carbon in the bioenergy chain through the modeling of biomass growth and conversion.a forest growth model was coupled to a model of combined heat and power (chp) production in a gasification plant developed in aspen plus. for a given production, this integrated forest-to-energy model made it possible to predict the annual flows in wood biomass, carbon, and nutrients, including n, s, p, and k, from the forest to the air emissions (nox, sox, pah, etc.) and ash flows. we simulated the bioenergy potential of pure even-aged high-forest stands of european beech, an abundant forest ty ...201425372499
cryptic no more: soil macrofossils uncover pleistocene forest microrefugia within a periglacial desert.despite their critical importance for understanding the local effects of global climate change on biodiversity, glacial microrefugia are not well studied because they are difficult to detect by using classical palaeoecological or population genetics approaches. we used soil macrofossil charcoal analysis to uncover the presence of cryptic glacial refugia for european beech (fagus sylvatica) and other tree species in the landes de gascogne (southwestern france). using botanical identification and ...201425312611
beyond skepticism: uncovering cryptic refugia using multiple lines of evidence. 201425312609
extreme temporal interpolation of sparse data is not a sufficient basis to substantiate a claim to have uncovered pleistocene forest microrefugia. 201425312608
climate refugia: joint inference from fossil records, species distribution models and phylogeography.climate refugia, locations where taxa survive periods of regionally adverse climate, are thought to be critical for maintaining biodiversity through the glacial-interglacial climate changes of the quaternary. a critical research need is to better integrate and reconcile the three major lines of evidence used to infer the existence of past refugia - fossil records, species distribution models and phylogeographic surveys - in order to characterize the complex spatiotemporal trajectories of species ...201425039238
local adaptations to frost in marginal and central populations of the dominant forest tree fagus sylvatica l. as affected by temperature and extreme drought in common garden experiments.local adaptations to environmental conditions are of high ecological importance as they determine distribution ranges and likely affect species responses to climate change. increased environmental stress (warming, extreme drought) due to climate change in combination with decreased genetic mixing due to isolation may lead to stronger local adaptations of geographically marginal than central populations. we experimentally observed local adaptations of three marginal and four central populations o ...201425035801
growth losses in swiss forests caused by ozone: epidemiological data analysis of stem increment of fagus sylvatica l. and picea abies karst.the estimate of growth losses by ozone exposure of forest trees is a significant part in current c sequestration calculations and will also be important in future modeling. it is therefore important to know if the relationship between ozone flux and growth reduction of young trees, used to derive a critical level for ozone, is also valid for mature trees. epidemiological analysis of stem increment data from fagus sylvatica l. and picea abies karst. observed in swiss forest plots was used to test ...201424911370
large-scale protein analysis of european beech trees following four vegetation periods of twice ambient ozone exposure.in the present study, we performed a large-scale protein analysis based on 2-de dige to examine the effects of ozone on the leaves of juvenile european beech (fagus sylvatica l.), one of the most important deciduous tree species in central europe. to this end, beech trees were grown under field conditions and subjected to ambient and twice ambient ozone concentrations during the vegetation periods of four consecutive years. the twice ambient ozone concentration altered the abundance of 237 prote ...201424906023
ectomycorrhizal identification in environmental samples of tree roots by fourier-transform infrared (ftir) spectroscopy.roots of forest trees are associated with various ectomycorrhizal (ecm) fungal species that are involved in nutrient exchange between host plant and the soil compartment. the identification of ecm fungi in small environmental samples is difficult. the present study tested the feasibility of attenuated total reflection fourier-transform infrared (atr-ftir) spectroscopy followed by hierarchical cluster analysis (hca) to discriminate in situ collected ecm fungal species. root tips colonized by dist ...201424904624
molecular organization of the 25s-18s rdna igs of fagus sylvatica and quercus suber: a comparative analysis.the 35s ribosomal dna (rdna) units, repeated in tandem at one or more chromosomal loci, are separated by an intergenic spacer (igs) containing functional elements involved in the regulation of transcription of downstream rrna genes. in the present work, we have compared the igs molecular organizations in two divergent species of fagaceae, fagus sylvatica and quercus suber, aiming to comprehend the evolution of the igs sequences within the family. self- and cross-hybridization fish was done on re ...201424893289
simulating local adaptation to climate of forest trees with a physio-demo-genetics model.one challenge of evolutionary ecology is to predict the rate and mechanisms of population adaptation to environmental variations. the variations in most life history traits are shaped both by individual genotypic and by environmental variation. forest trees exhibit high levels of genetic diversity, large population sizes, and gene flow, and they also show a high level of plasticity for life history traits. we developed a new physio-demo-genetics model (denoted pdg) coupling (i) a physiological m ...201424822080
variation in leaf flushing date influences autumnal senescence and next year's flushing date in two temperate tree species.recent temperature increases have elicited strong phenological shifts in temperate tree species, with subsequent effects on photosynthesis. here, we assess the impact of advanced leaf flushing in a winter warming experiment on the current year's senescence and next year's leaf flushing dates in two common tree species: quercus robur l. and fagus sylvatica l. results suggest that earlier leaf flushing translated into earlier senescence, thereby partially offsetting the lengthening of the growing ...201424799708
carbon and nitrogen fluxes between beech and their ectomycorrhizal assemblage.to determine the exchange of nitrogen and carbon between ectomycorrhiza and host plant, young beech (fagus sylvatica) trees from natural regeneration in intact soil cores were labelled for one growing season in a greenhouse with (13)co2 and (15)no3 (15)nh4. the specific enrichments of (15)n and (13)c were higher in ectomycorrhizas (ems) than in any other tissue. the enrichments of (13)c and (15)n were also higher in the fine-root segments directly connected with the em (mainly second-order roots ...201424756632
does mixing of beech (fagus sylvatica) and spruce (picea abies) litter hasten decomposition?it is of practical relevance to know how much beech must be admixed to pure spruce stands in order to increase litter decomposition and associated nutrient cycling, since the formation of thick organic layers is commonly ascribed to the recalcitrance of spruce needles. we addressed the impact of tree species mixture within forest stands and within litter on mass loss and nutritional release from litter.201424744450
photoperiod and temperature responses of bud swelling and bud burst in four temperate forest tree species.spring phenology of temperate forest trees is optimized to maximize the length of the growing season while minimizing the risk of freezing damage. the release from winter dormancy is environmentally mediated by species-specific responses to temperature and photoperiod. we investigated the response of early spring phenology to temperature and photoperiod at different stages of dormancy release in cuttings from four temperate tree species in controlled environments. by tracking bud development, we ...201424713858
the cough suppressive activity of sulfated glucuronoxylan from fagus sylvatica l.hemicellulose polysaccharides represent a large group of natural renewable polymers, however, their application potency is still low. in our study a hardwood 4-o-methylglucuronoxylan was isolated by alkali peroxide extraction of fagus sylvatica sawdust and modified into sulfated water soluble derivative (mgxs). highly sulfated mgxs was characterized by hplc, ftir and nmr spectroscopies, and tested in vivo on chemically induced cough reflex and smooth muscles reactivity. farmacological tests reve ...201424680903
carbon isotope discrimination during branch photosynthesis of fagus sylvatica: field measurements using laser spectrometry.on-line measurements of photosynthetic carbon isotope discrimination ((13)δ) under field conditions are sparse. hence, experimental verification of the natural variability of instantaneous (13)δ is scarce, although (13)δ is, explicitly and implicitly, used from leaf to global scales for inferring photosynthetic characteristics. this work presents the first on-line field measurements of (13)δ of fagus sylvatica branches, at hourly resolution, using three open branch bags and a laser spectrometer ...201424676031
impact of elevated atmospheric o3 on the actinobacterial community structure and function in the rhizosphere of european beech (fagus sylvatica l.).many bacteria belonging to the phylum of actinobacteria are known as antagonists against phytpathogenic microbes. this study aimed to analyze the effect of ozone on the actinobacterial community of the rhizosphere of four years old european beech (fagus sylvatica l.) trees during different time points of the vegetation period. effects of ozone on the total community structure of actinobacteria were studied based on the analysis of 16s rrna gene amplicons. in addition effects of the ozone treatme ...201424575080
phosphite protects fagus sylvatica seedlings towards phytophthora plurivora via local toxicity, priming and facilitation of pathogen recognition.phytophthora plurivora causes severe damage on fagus sylvatica and is responsible for the extensive decline of european beech throughout europe. unfortunately, no effective treatment against this disease is available. phosphite (phi) is known to protect plants against phytophthora species; however, its mode of action towards p. plurivora is still unknown. to discover the effect of phi on root infection, leaves were sprayed with phi and roots were subsequently inoculated with p. plurivora zoospor ...201424489973
converting probabilistic tree species range shift projections into meaningful classes for management.the paper deals with the management problem how to decide on tree species suitability under changing environmental conditions. it presents an algorithm that classifies the output of a range shift model for major tree species in europe into multiple classes that can be linked to qualities characterizing the ecological niche of the species. the classes: i) core distribution area, ii) extended distribution area, iii) occasional occurrence area, and iv) no occurrence area are first theoretically dev ...201424486469
chilling and heat requirements for leaf unfolding in european beech and sessile oak populations at the southern limit of their distribution range.with global warming, an advance in spring leaf phenology has been reported worldwide. however, it is difficult to forecast phenology for a given species, due to a lack of knowledge about chilling requirements. we quantified chilling and heat requirements for leaf unfolding in two european tree species and investigated their relative contributions to phenological variations between and within populations. we used an extensive database containing information about the leaf phenology of 14 oak and ...201424452386
fate of recently fixed carbon in european beech (fagus sylvatica) saplings during drought and subsequent recovery.drought reduces the carbon (c) assimilation of trees and decouples aboveground from belowground carbon fluxes, but little is known about the response of drought-stressed trees to rewetting. this study aims to assess dynamics and patterns of c allocation in beech saplings under dry and rewetted soil conditions. in october 2010, 5-year-old beech saplings from a forest site were transplanted into 20 l pots. in 2011, the saplings were subjected to different levels of soil drought ranging from non-li ...201424420388
competition for nitrogen between european beech and sycamore maple shifts in favour of beech with decreasing light availability.plant species use different strategies for maximizing growth and fitness under changing environmental conditions. at the ecosystem level, seedlings in particular compete with other vegetation components for light and nitrogen (n), which often constitute growth-limiting resources. in this study, we investigated the effect of light availability on the competition for n between seedlings of european beech and sycamore maple and analysed the consequences of this competition for the composition of n ...201424391164
carbon isotope discrimination during branch photosynthesis of fagus sylvatica: a bayesian modelling approach.field measurements of photosynthetic carbon isotope discrimination ((13)δ) of fagus sylvatica, conducted with branch bags and laser spectrometry, revealed a high variability of (13)δ, both on diurnal and day-to-day timescales. we tested the prediction capability of three versions of a commonly used model for (13)δ [called here comprehensive ((13)(δcomp)), simplified ((13) δsimple) and revised ((13)(δrevised)) versions]. a bayesian approach was used to calibrate major model parameters. constraine ...201424372560
mulches and other cover materials to reduce weed growth in container-grown nursery stock.due to the recent eu-wide implementation of integrated pest management (ipm), alternative methods to reduce weed growth in container-grown nursery stock are needed to cut back the use of herbicides. covering the upper layer of the substrate is known as a potential method to prevent or reduce weed growth in plant containers. as a high variety of mulches and other cover materials are on the market, however, it is no longer clear for growers which cover material is most efficient for use in contain ...201426084081
interactions and competition processes among tree species in young experimental mixed forests, assessed with chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf morphology.chlorophyll a fluorescence (chlf) and leaf morphology were assessed in two sites in europe (kaltenborn, germany, and satakunta, finland) within a forest diversity experiment. trees at satakunta, planted in 1999, form a stratified canopy, while in kaltenborn the trees are 7 years old, with no apparent canopy connection among broadleaf species. the following chlf parameters from measured ojip transient curves were examined: f(v)/f(m) (a proxy for maximum quantum yield); ψeo (a proxy for efficiency ...201423926925
modelling the mechanical behaviour of pit membranes in bordered pits with respect to cavitation resistance in angiosperms.various correlations have been identified between anatomical features of bordered pits in angiosperm xylem and vulnerability to cavitation, suggesting that the mechanical behaviour of the pits may play a role. theoretical modelling of the membrane behaviour has been undertaken, but it requires input of parameters at the nanoscale level. however, to date, no experimental data have indicated clearly that pit membranes experience strain at high levels during cavitation events.201424918205
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