Forests for Energy and the Role of Planted Trees

Woodfuels currently supply 7 percent of worldwide energy use and are much more important in developing than developed countries. Worldwide fuelwood use may be slowly declining, while charcoal production is increasing. In developing countries, woodfuel comes from natural forests, woodlands, shrublands, plantations and trees outside forests; the last is often the most important source. In developed countries, woodfuels are largely from industrial roundwood processing where up to 50 percent of logs may be used for energy. In urban areas, of both developing and developed countries, woodfuels also arises from wood processing and construction and other urban residues including tree trimming. Currently, apart from some nonindustrial plantations and the small areas of energy plantations, woodfuel largely results from by-products and residues.

Forest plantation may currently provide 15 to 20 percent of all fuelwood and this contribution will rise due to continued tree planting plus the rapidly increasing industrial plantation harvest. However, forest and woodfuel-use data are of uneven quality, making estimates tenuous.

There is potential to increase the amount of woodfuels in developed countries but its use will depend on fossil fuel price increases, and on ecological and social issues. In Nordic countries, forest residue use has grown, being underpinned by carbon taxes and research and development. Site nutrient conservation is assisted by leaving foliage on site and by returning the ash after burning. Leaving bark on site may be important for eucalypts.

In developing countries participatory programmes are critical for encouraging tree planting. Farmers seldom plant for fuelwood alone. Large-scale fuelwood plantations programs have not always been successful. Agroforestry practices are often practiced as they provide multiple benefits, including the provision of woodfuel. Silviculture should be readily adoptable, with special attention being given to species selection, high-quality planting stock, establishment methods and protection from animals.

Because of woodfuel's low relative value, energy is seldom a management objective of industrial plantations. However, often silviculture could be altered to increase bioenergy output, particularly with those sawlog regimes based on low stockings and non-extraction thinnings, and through more intensive silviculture. As a supplement to current silvicultural decision-making tools, energy analysis of silvicultural options would assist in efficient allocation of fossil fuels.     

Using dual-sex calls improves the playback census method for a nocturnal burrow-nesting seabird,the Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus

Capsule: Playback with dual-sex calls increases the response rate of Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus by 40–60% and reduces its daily variability, which would improve the precision of population estimates.

Aims: To test whether playing male and female calls would elicit more responses to playback than male-only calls, reduce daily variability and the length of response rate calibration trials, and give more precise estimates. We also measured response times to playback and assessed the reliability of visual signs of occupancy at burrow entrances.

Methods: Responses to four playback call-types (male-only and three variants of dual-sex calls) were compared in repeated trials at two colonies (Ramsey and Rum, UK) during May–June 2014.

Results: Dual-sex calls gave higher response rates with lower variance than male-only calls, because females frequently replied to female calls but rarely to male calls. In simulated 3–5-day calibration trials, response rates and correction factors were up to 50% more precise with dual-sex calls. Visual signs of burrow occupancy were unreliable.

Conclusion: Playback for Manx Shearwaters should use a 25 seconds recording of male and female calls intermixed, with 10 seconds listening time for delayed responses. Census-specific calibration trials are essential for accurate estimates of daily response rates.     

Improved reliability of the urine lactate concentration under controlled hydration after maximal exercise

Context: Urine lactate may be a novel biomarker of lactate production capacity but its reliability has been unsatisfactory so far.

Objective: To compare the reliability of urine lactate between controlled hydration and no hydration after maximal exercise.

Material and methods: Athletes performed swimming exercise four times: two followed by consumption of 1?L of water and two followed by no water intake. Blood and urine lactate was measured.

Results: The reliability of urine lactate was good and similar to that in blood only after controlled hydration. Blood and urine lactate were correlated under both hydration conditions.

Discussion and conclusion: Controlled hydration after exercise provides satisfactory reliability of urine lactate.     

Effects of dominant tree species on insectivorous birds breeding in Mediterranean oak woodlands

Capsule Differences in Cork Oak Quercus suber and Holm Oak Quercus rotundifolia dominance had little influence on bird communities though bark-gleaners showed a foraging preference for Cork Oak.

Aims Examine the use of Cork and Holm Oak trees by insectivorous birds in Mediterranean oak woodlands.

Methods Point-counts were used to compare species abundance among Cork Oak-dominated, Holm Oak-dominated and mixed woodlands. Focal foraging observations were used to evaluate the use of Cork and Holm Oaks in the three habitats and to relate tree characteristics with the foraging time of foliage- and bark-gleaners.

Results Bird densities in the three habitats were not different for most foliage- and bark-gleaners. Tree preference index values and foraging time per tree showed no significant differences between tree species and foraging guilds, however bark-gleaners had positive index values for Cork Oak in the three habitats. The foraging time of foliage- and bark-gleaners on both tree species showed a positive relationship with characteristics associated with arthropod abundance.

Conclusion Cork and Holm Oak trees are equally preferred by foliage-gleaners but bark-gleaners moderately preferred Cork Oak. Characteristics regarding morphology, phenology and physiological condition of trees can be used to predict habitat quality for insectivorous forest birds in Mediterranean oak woodlands.     

Climate and fragmentation affect forest structure at the southern border of Amazonia

Background: The remaining forests in the extensive contact zone between southern Amazonia (seasonal rain forest) and the Cerrado (savanna) biomes are at risk due to intense land-use and climate change.

Aims: To explore the vulnerability of these transitional forests to changes in land use and climate, we evaluated the effects of fragmentation and climatic variables on forest structure.

Methods: We measured the diameter and height of 14,185 trees with diameter ≥10 cm at 24 forest plots distributed over an area of 25,000 km². For each plot, we obtained data on contemporary fragmentation and climatic variables.

Results: Forest structure variables (height, diameter, height:diameter allometry, biomass) varied significantly both within and among plots. The height, H:D and biomass of trees were positively correlated with annual precipitation and fragment area.

Conclusions: The association between forest structure and precipitation indicates that these forests plots are likely to be vulnerable to dry season intensification anticipated for the southern edge of the Amazon. Additionally, the reduction in the fragment area may contribute to reductions in forest biomass and tree height, and consequently ecosystem carbon stocks. Given the likely susceptibility of these forests, urgent conservation action is needed to prevent further habitat degradation.     

Plant functional group responses in an African tropical forest recovering from disturbance

Background: Newly protected, tropical forests recovering from logging and clearance are increasingly important targets for conservation. Recovery is typically evaluated or monitored by using a few easily identified species groups, but this may not be sufficient as unmonitored groups of equivalent ecological importance are unlikely to respond in a similar manner due to physiological or dispersal differences.

Aims: We compared four groups of plants: large trees, shrubs and saplings, herbs and ferns in a forest recovering from disturbance. We quantified the relative importance of disturbance history and local environmental conditions in determining species richness and community composition of these groups and assessed whether the groups could act as surrogate indicators for one another.

Methods: Vegetation was surveyed on a gradient of disturbance intensity and recovery time (20–60 years) in Mabira Forest, Uganda. We looked for correlations between species groups in richness or composition across sites and used constrained ordinations to identify important environmental variables.

Results: Neither species richness nor composition patterns were correlated between groups. All groups were weakly related to disturbance history; trees and shrubs were related to soil, herbs to microhabitat and ferns to microclimate.

Conclusions: No group acted as an indicator for another. The relative influence of disturbance and local environmental effects varied in the manner predicted, with disturbance stronger for trees and environment stronger for ferns.     

An efficient survey method for estimating populations of Marsh Tits Poecile palustris,a low-density woodland passerine

Capsule: A playback survey comprising two visits to woodland in early spring can reliably detect Marsh Tits Poecile palustris and permit reasonable estimation of the number of territories.

Aims: To assess the efficacy of an efficient survey method for detecting and estimating populations of Marsh Tits.

Methods: Detection probability of colour-marked Marsh Tits, surveyed using playback, was assessed with Cormack–Jolly–Seber models. Reliability of territory estimates was compared between colour-marked and largely or wholly unmarked populations.

Results: Playback surveys over two visits in early spring were highly effective in detecting individual Marsh Tits. Territory estimates were similar for woods in years where less than 20% of the population was marked compared to years when a higher proportion of birds were colour-marked, although territories may be underestimated in larger woods with unmarked populations.

Conclusion: A playback survey comprising two visits in early spring is recommended as an efficient method of surveying Marsh Tit populations and locating individuals. A survey protocol is suggested.     

Edge effects on epiphytic lichen diversity in the forest-steppe of the Kazakh Altai

Background: Forests in forest-steppe ecotones are usually highly fragmented and much of the forested area is exposed to climate and land-use-related edge effects.

Aim: To test the hypothesis that the epiphytic lichen diversity at the forest edges was reduced compared with that in the forest interior, and to analyse lichen diversity in comparison with the more highly elevated and more continental Mongolian Altai.

Methods: Six plots each in the interior and the edge with a total of 240 Larix sibirica trees were studied in the Katon-Karagai National Park, East Kazakhstan.

Results: Species richness and evenness at the tree level were higher in the interior than at the edge. The epiphytic lichen diversity in the forest interior was similar in the Kazakh and Mongolian Altai, whereas that at the forest edge was lower in the Mongolian Altai.

Conclusions: Strong degradation of the forest edges in the Kazakh Altai is the probable cause of the reduced epiphytic lichen diversity compared with the interior. The similar species richness in the forest interiors of the Kazakh and Mongolian Altai suggests that the differences at the forest edge are probably, at least partly, due to different land-use regimes and not to differences in macroclimate.     

The effect of treeline proximity on predation pressure: an experiment with artificial nests along elevational gradients in the European Alps

Capsule: Predation rates of artificial nests along elevational gradients were higher closer to the treeline in the European Alps.

Aims: Alpine grassland birds tend to show an avoidance of mature trees, possibly due to an edge effect, such as higher predation pressure close to the treeline. This study aimed to estimate potential predation pressure in relation to the distance from the treeline and other environmental variables by using artificial nests positioned along elevational transects in the Italian Alps.

Methods: A total of 119 artificial nests were positioned and monitored during the breeding season. For each nest, habitat data at small and large scales were collected. Daily nest survival was estimated using MARK.

Results: The most informative model included date, distance from the treeline and a micro-habitat structure variable. In particular, the model showed a positive relationship between nest survival and the distance from the treeline.

Conclusions: This study suggests that if treelines advance due to climate change, the functional habitat loss may be greater than physical habitat loss, since the optimal breeding area would be further away from the forest edge. The conservation of high-elevation grasslands in relation to environmental changes may therefore be addressed through management strategies to maintain open habitats.     

Apparent adult survival of the critically endangered Baltic Dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii during a period of strong population decline

Capsule: Apparent adult survival of the critically endangered Baltic Dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii, showed evidence of a decline between 1990 and 2006 from 0.817 to 0.650.

Aims: In Europe, declines in wet-grassland breeding waders have been attributed to changes in breeding habitat but long-term information on survival is rare. We examined whether adult survival of the Baltic Dunlin declined during a period of strong population decline.

Methods: We modelled apparent survival using Cormack–Jolly–Seber models and long-term capture–recapture data collected from a Danish population. We fitted models that constrained apparent adult survival with linear and quadratic trends, and compared them with constant and time dependent models to test whether survival declined during the study period.

Results: Models including linear and quadratic trends were most supported. However, the trend variables explained only 24–35% of observed temporal variance suggesting that a large portion of variation in survival remained undescribed. Model averaged estimates indicated a decline in adult survival from 0.817 to 0.650 between 1990 and 2006 with increased uncertainty towards the end.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that gradual long-term changes in adult survival may have contributed to the decline of the Baltic Dunlin.     

Habitat use and tree selection of a declining Afro-Palaearctic migrant at sub-Saharan staging and wintering sites

Capsule: Wood Warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix showed significant selection for tree species and woodland characteristics at staging and wintering sites in sub-Saharan Africa.

Aims: To investigate home range size, habitat and tree species selection of Wood Warblers at a staging site in Burkina Faso (Koubri) and a wintering site in Ghana (Pepease).

Methods: Comparing habitat recorded at locations of radio-tagged birds and at control points, we investigated whether there was habitat and tree species selection. We also compared home range size of individual birds between the two sites.

Results: Home range size did not differ between the two sites. There was significant selection for tree species at both Koubri and Pepease: Anogeissus leiocarpus and Albizia zygia, respectively. At Koubri, there was significant avoidance of the most common tree species (Azadirachta indica, Mangifera indica (both non-native), Vitellaria paradoxa and Acacia spp.). In addition, there was a preference for taller trees and greater tree density at both sites. However, the probability of a point being used declined with increasing number of taller (>14?m) trees.

Conclusion: Fine-scale selection of woodland habitats suggests that Wood Warblers are likely to suffer the consequences of ongoing land-use change in their West African wintering grounds.     

The role of stand structure and palm abundance in predicting above-ground biomass at local scale in southern Amazonia

Background: Most work in Amazonia has concentrated on dense lowland evergreen rain forest, a vegetation type with >40% cover. Large parts of southern Amazonia are covered by open evergreen lowland rain forest, physiognomically dominated by high abundance of palms. This vegetation type has received relatively little attention so far. Understanding the key predictors of above-ground biomass (AGB) across scales is important to accurately quantify the impacts of land cover change on the terrestrial carbon budget.

Aims: We assessed the structure of southern Amazonian forests, Brazil, to quantify the relative importance of variation in AGB caused by the abundance/density of palm species and by forest structure.

Methods: We stratified the landscape into homogeneous units in terms of vegetation types and elevation for using as a guide for plot establishment. We used the variation partitioning technique to decompose the relative contribution of forest structure and palm abundance.

Results: The AGB_community (including trees, palms and lianas) and AGB_tree (excluding palms and lianas) significantly decreased with increasing abundance of palms. The Attalea speciosa, a large-leaved palm species, was the most important for explaining the variance of AGB. The total variance of AGB_tree was partially explained by a redundant effect of A. speciosa and trees (28%) and by trees alone (62%), based on models of basal area. The redundant effect, alongside with additional analyses, indicated (1) competition between A. speciosa and small trees and (2) covariation between A. speciosa and large trees.

Conclusions: The abundance of palms plays a minor but significant role in predicting the AGB at the local scale in southern Amazonia.     

The status of the Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus in the UK in 2012

Capsule: There were up to 6348 Ring Ouzel territories in the UK in 2012.

Aims: To produce estimates of the size of the Ring Ouzel breeding population in the UK and its constituent countries.

Methods: A stratified random selection of tetrads was surveyed within the known breeding range, except for the remaining breeding areas on Dartmoor and historical sites elsewhere, which were surveyed in their entirety. The methods followed those devised for the first UK-wide survey in 1999, using playback of song at specific points along tetrad transect lines.

Results: The UK population estimate in 2012 was 5332 (95% confidence limits (CL), 4096–6875) territories, a non-significant decline of 29% since 1999. There were no significant differences in the population changes in England, Scotland and Wales between the two surveys. An estimation of survey efficiency found that 84% of territories were located by the national survey methods, suggesting that the UK population in 2012 could have been as many as 6348 (95% CL, 4825–8198) territories.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the UK Ring Ouzel population has continued to decline since 1999. Ongoing and future research should determine where the main threats to the population are: on the breeding or wintering grounds, or during migration.     

Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with higher carboxymethyllysine level in elderly women but not elderly men in the cardiovascular health study

Context: Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) results from oxidative stress and has been linked to cardiovascular disease.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the association between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) – a source of oxidative stress – and CML.

Materials and methods: About 1002 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) were studied.

Results: Women with SDB had significantly higher CML concentration compared with those without SDB (OR?=?1.63, 95%CI?=?1.03–2.58, p?=?0.04). The association was not significant among men.

Discussion: SDB was associated with CML concentration among elderly women but not men in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Conclusion: Accumulation of CML may be an adverse health consequence of SDB     

Circulating adiponectin as a biomarker in renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Context: Metabolic imbalance in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can lead to abnormal adiponectin levels.

Objective: To evaluate circulating adiponectin as a detection or predictive marker for RCC.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search and meta-analysis was performed on studies reporting circulating adiponectin levels and RCC. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan.

Results: Seven studies compared the circulating adiponection levels between RCC cases and controls. Adiponectin level was significantly lower in RCC cases compared to controls at pre-diagnosis and pre-operative time-points. RCC stage, grade and subtype did not affect adiponectin levels.

Conclusion: Low circulating adiponectin could be a predictive or risk factor for RCC.     

The impact of livestock grazing on the spatial pattern of vegetation in north-eastern Patagonia,Argentina

Background: The occurrence of shrub patches, alternating with either bare soil or low herbaceous cover, is a common feature in arid and semi-arid shrublands throughout the world. This patchy pattern of vegetation may result from water limitation, modulated by plant interactions; grazing (offtake and tramping) by livestock may cause further patchiness vegetation structure.

Aims: We hypothesised that vegetation patchiness in the semi-arid shrublands of north-eastern Patagonia would be increased by livestock grazing, but not by positive interactions between adult plants of shrubs and grasses.

Methods: We compared vegetation cover and pattern at three grazing intensities (exclosure, light and heavy grazing) and measured the growth of a representative shrub and grass in the presence and absence of the other to quantify the role of plant-to-plant interactions and its interaction with grazing for vegetation structure.

Results: In the grazing exclosure and in moderately grazed areas, vegetation cover among shrub patches was larger, whereas the top cover of shrubs was lower than in the heavily grazed areas. We did not find any evidence of positive interactions between shrub and grass life forms.

Conclusions: Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that livestock grazing increased the formation of patchy vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid shrublands.     

Validation of a protein panel for the noninvasive detection of recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Context: About 50–70% of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) experience relapse of disease.

Objective: To establish a panel of protein biomarkers incorporated in a multiplexed microarray (BCa chip) and a classifier for diagnosing recurrent NMIBC.

Materials and methods: Urine samples from 45 patients were tested. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results: A multi biomarker panel (ECadh, IL8, MMP9, EN2, VEGF, past recurrences, BCG therapies and stage at diagnosis) was identified yielding an area under the curve of 0.96.

Discussion and conclusion: This biomarker panel represents a potential diagnostic tool for noninvasive diagnosis of recurrent NMIBC.     

Impact assessment of risk parameters of underground coal mining on the environment

Coal is an important energy source but it has a significant negative impact on the environmental processes. This paper analyses the impact, measurement, and input of parameters representing potential environmental polluters in the information system (IS).

The methodology of recording and systematization includes the following parameters: coal deposits; climate parameters; roads; rivers; land and surrounding objects; air polluters; water polluters; and soil polluters. Methods for calculating land deformation, air polluter emissions, and noise impact are also presented.

Based on the number and specificity of analyzed data, the paper provides a concept of the IS and an overview of environmental impact of underground coal mine technological units. The concept was used to present the results of a research conducted at the underground coal mine “Soko” in Serbia.

The results of this research can help many potential users realize their goals. Those goals are preventive by nature, since negative environmental impact can be predicted, which enables the environmental protection experts to take appropriate measures.     

Survival estimates of Northern Gannets Morus bassanus in Alderney: big data but low confidence

Capsule: There has been a linear increase in the survival rates for both adult and juvenile Northern Gannets Morus bassanus breeding on Alderney in the English Channel. However, given large confidence intervals, improved monitoring is required to better evaluate threats to this population.

Aims: To estimate the age-specific survival and reporting rate from an internationally important population of Northern Gannets M. bassanus breeding at one of the southernmost colonies for this species.

Methods: We use 28 years of ringing and recovery data in order to estimate age-specific survival and reporting rates.

Results: Adult and juvenile survival rates differ, and both survival and reporting rates are considerably lower in first-year birds than older birds. Additionally there is an increasing linear trend in survival rates over time, and a decreasing trend in reporting rates.

Conclusion: Threats to Gannets from anthropogenic disturbance are likely to be age and population specific. While these rates point towards continued growth of this population, the confidence intervals around our estimates are large, highlighting the need for improved resighting efforts in long-term studies of this nature.     

Association of IL-10 (-819T/C, -592A/C and -1082A/G) and IL-6 -174G/C gene polymorphism and the risk of pneumonia-induced sepsis

Context: Association between inherited variants and the risks of sepsis is controversial.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of pneumonia-induced sepsis by examining its linkage with polymorphisms of IL-6 and IL-10.

Materials and methods: Samples were obtained from 188 pneumonia-induced sepsis patients, 162 pneumonia patients and 200 healthy controls.

Results: Subjects with IL-10 -1082 AA genotypes and IL-6 -174?CC genotype had a higher risk of sepsis and increased mRNA levels.

Conclusion: The variants of IL-10 -1082 A allele and IL-6 -174 C allele contributed to an increased risk of pneumonia-induced sepsis.