Carbon emissions performance of commercial logging in East Kalimantan,Indonesia

Adoption of reduced‐impact logging (RIL) methods could reduce CO₂ emissions by 30–50% across at least 20% of remaining tropical forests. We developed two cost effective and robust indices for comparing the climate benefits (reduced CO₂ emissions) due to RIL. The indices correct for variability in the volume of commercial timber among concessions. We determined that a correction for variability in terrain slope was not needed. We found that concessions certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC, N = 3), when compared with noncertified concessions (N = 6), did not have lower overall CO₂ emissions from logging activity (felling, skidding, and hauling). On the other hand, FSC certified concessions did have lower emissions from one type of logging impact (skidding), and we found evidence of a range of improved practices using other field metrics. One explanation of these results may be that FSC criteria and indicators, and associated RIL practices, were not designed to achieve overall emissions reductions. Also, commonly used field metrics are not reliable proxies for overall logging emissions performance. Furthermore, the simple distinction between certified and noncertified concessions does not fully represent the complex history of investments in improved logging practices. To clarify the relationship between RIL and emissions reductions, we propose the more explicit term ‘RIL‐C’ to refer to the subset of RIL practices that can be defined by quantified thresholds and that result in measurable emissions reductions. If tropical forest certification is to be linked with CO₂ emissions reductions, certification standards need to explicitly require RIL‐C practices.     

Molecular phylogeny of Dipterocarpaceae in Southeast Asia using RFLP of PCR-amplified chloroplast genes

Dipterocarpaceae is the dominant family of Southeast Asia's climax tropical rain forest region, and it contains the region's most important commercial timber species. A molecular phylogeny of the Dipterocarpaceae subfamily Dipterocapoideae was constructed using restriction fragment length polymorphisms of polymerase chain reaction-amplified specific genes in chloroplast DNA. A total of 141 site changes were detected among ten genera and 30 species in 11 different genes: rbcL, psbA, psbD, rpoB, rpoC, petB, atpH, 16S, psaA, petA and trnK. Phylogenetic trees constructed by Wanger parsimony and neighbor-joining methods, using Upuna as the outgroup, displayed five monophytelic groups that included Upuna: HopeaShorea-Parashorea-Neobalanocarpus; Dryobalanops; Dipterocarpus; Anisoptera-Vatica-Cotylelobium; and Upuna. The phylogenetic trees clearly separate species with two different base chromosome numbers: the first group is x=7, and the other is x=11. The x=7 group is thought to be in a synapomorphic character state. Parashorea lucida is a sister to most Shorea species. Neobalanocarpus heimii and Hopea from a clade of a sister to two Shorea species, and Cotylelobium and Vatica are closely related species. Our conclusions agree with a phylogeny derived from wood anatomy data analysis, and with Symington's and Ashton's taxonomic classifications.The raw data of the PCR-RFLP analysis can be obtained from the authors     

望天树学名研讨

经考证,新组合的望天树学名Ｓｈｏｒｅａ ｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ Ｈ．Ｚｈｕ ｃｏｍｂ．ｎｏｖ．是不合法的晚出同名,它的合法正确学名应为Ｓｈｏｒｈａ ｗａｎｇｔｉａｎｓｈｕｅａ Ｙ．Ｋ．Ｙａｎｇ ｅｔ Ｊ．Ｋ．Ｗｕ ｎｏｍ．ｎｏｖ．。对其进行订正的明确目的是：根据现行的《国际植物命名法规》的原则,规则,辅则和规程来解决分类及鉴定中可能被混淆的问题。     

Relative enhancement of photosynthesis and growth at elevated CO2 is greater under sunflecks than uniform irradiance in a tropical rain forest tree seedling

The survivorship of dipterocarp seedlings in the deeply shaded understorey of South‐east Asian rain forests is limited by their ability to maintain a positive carbon balance. Photosynthesis during sunflecks is an important component of carbon gain. To investigate the effect of elevated CO₂ upon photosynthesis and growth under sunflecks, seedlings of Shorealeprosula were grown in controlled environment conditions at ambient or elevated CO₂. Equal total daily photon flux density (PFD) (～7·7 mol m^?2 d^?1) was supplied as either uniform irradiance (～170 µmol m^?2 s^?1) or shade/fleck sequences (～30 µmol m^?2 s^?1/～525 µmol m^?2 s^?1). Photosynthesis and growth were enhanced by elevated CO₂ treatments but lower under flecked irradiance treatments. Acclimation of photosynthetic capacity occurred in response to elevated CO₂ but not flecked irradiance. Importantly, the relative enhancement effects of elevated CO₂ were greater under sunflecks (growth 60%, carbon gain 89%) compared with uniform irradiance (growth 25%, carbon gain 59%). This was driven by two factors: (1) greater efficiency of dynamic photosynthesis (photosynthetic induction gain and loss, post‐irradiance gas exchange); and (2) photosynthetic enhancement being greatest at very low PFD. This allowed improved carbon gain during both clusters of lightflecks (73%) and intervening periods of deep shade (99%). The relatively greater enhancement of growth and photosynthesis at elevated CO₂ under sunflecks has important potential consequences for seedling regeneration processes and hence forest structure and composition.     

Extraction, amplification and characterization of wood DNA from dipterocarpaceae

A successful DNA extraction from wood yielding appropriate DNA quality for PCR amplification allows molecular genetic investigations of wood tissue. Genotypes, the origin of sampled material, and species can be identified based on an investigation of wood if suitable information on genetic variation patterns within and among species is available. Potential applications are in forensics and in the control of the timber and wood trade. We extracted DNA from wood of Dipterocarpaceae, a family that dominates rainforests and comprises many important timber species in Southeast Asia. Several different DNA isolation techniques were compared and optimized for wood samples from natural populations and from wood processing enterprises. The quality of the DNA was tested by spectrophotometry, PCR amplification, and PCR inhibitor tests. An average DNA yield of 2.2 μg was obtained per 50–100 mg of dried wood sample. Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) regions of different length were amenable to PCR amplification from the extracted DNA. Modification of DNA isolation techniques by the addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) addition up to 3.1% into lysis buffer reduced PCR inhibition effectively. In order to evaluate the extraction method, we analyzed leaves and wood from the same tree by PCR amplification, genotyping and sequencing of chloroplast microsatellites.     

DNA条形码在热带龙脑香科树种鉴定中的应用

龙脑香科植物是东南亚地区重要的热带木材来源树种, 对其开展DNA条形码评估在林业监管及森林资源保护等方面具有非常重要的实际应用价值。通过对龙脑香科植物样品进行rbcL、matK、trnL-trnF和ITS2四个片段的扩增和测序, 结合GenBank下载的数据, 共获得龙脑香科树种14属244种共计899条序列。通过比较4个片段的通用性、序列特征、种内和种间的遗传变异, 基于Best Match (BM)、Best Close Match (BCM)、相似性搜索算法(BLAST)和邻接树(NJ) 4种方法评估DNA条形码对于龙脑香科树种的鉴定能力。结果表明, ITS2在龙脑香科树种中鉴定效率最高, 通过优化的扩增体系能够从该科植物叶片中获得较高质量的ITS2片段; 叶绿体matK片段扩增和测序效率为100%, 且种内及种间遗传变异明显, 鉴定成功率高于其它叶绿体片段, 并据此提出ITS2和matK适合作为龙脑香科树种的DNA条形码。     

云南羯布罗香树脂的化学成分

从云南产羯布罗香(Dipterocarpus tubinatus Gaertn. f.)树脂中分离得到6个三萜化合物,鉴定为羟基达玛烯酮—Ⅱ(hydroxydammarenone-Ⅱ,达玛烯二醇—Ⅱ(dammarenediol—Ⅱ),白桦脂酸(betulonk acid),亚细亚酸(asiatic acid),3,23-O-异丙叉亚细亚酸(3,23-O-isopropylidene asiatic acid)和崩大碗酸(madasiatic acid)。其中崩大碗酸系首次从龙脑香科树脂中分离得到。     

Isolation and characterization of 20 microsatellite loci for an important tropical tree Shorea leprosula (Dipterocarpaceae) and their applicability to S. parvifolia

Shorea leprosula is an important timber tree in Southeast Asia. From a genomic library enriched for dinucleotide (CT) repeats, 20 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for this species. Polymorphism of these loci was evaluated in a sample of 24 adult individuals from a natural population. The number of alleles ranged from five to 15, and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.333 to 0.875. Probability of paternity exclusion, in the case where the mother is known, ranged from 0.285 to 0.784. These markers were also characterized for applicability in S. parvifolia; 16 loci were successfully cross‐amplified and showed high levels of polymorphism.     

Beetle pollination of Shorea parvifolia (section Mutica, Dipterocarpaceae) in a general flowering period in Sarawak, Malaysia

Pollination ecology of an emergent tree species, Shorea (section Mutica) parvifolia (Dipterocarpaceae), was studied using the canopy observation system in a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Malaysia, during a general flowering period in 1996. Although the species has been reported to be pollinated by thrips in Peninsular Malaysia, our observations of flower visitors and pollination experiments indicated that beetles (Chrysomelidae and Curculionidae, Coleoptera) contributed to pollination of S. parvifolia in Sarawak. Beetles accounted for 74% of the flower visitors collected by net-sweeping, and 30% of the beetles carried pollen, while thrips accounted for 16% of the visitors, and 12% of the thrips carried pollen. The apical parts of the petals and pollen served as a reward for the beetles. Thrips stayed inside the flower almost continuously after arrival, and movements among flowers were rare. Fruit set was significantly increased by introduction of beetles to bagged flowers, but not by introduction of thrips. Hand-pollination experiments and comparison of fruit set in untreated, bagged, and open flowers suggested that S. parvifolia was mainly outbreeding.     

Importance of topography and soil texture in the spatial distribution of two sympatric dipterocarp trees in a Bornean rainforest

Relationships between spatial distributions and site conditions, namely topography and soil texture, were analyzed for two congeneric emergent trees, Dryobalanops aromatica and Dryobalanops lanceolata (Dipterocarpaceae), in a tropical rainforest in Sarawak, East Malaysia. A 52-ha permanent plot was divided into 1300 quadrats measuring 20m×20m; for each Dryobalanops species, the number and total basal area of trees 1cm in d.b.h. were compared among groups of quadrats with different site conditions. Because spatial distributions of both Dryobalanops and site-condition variables were aggregated, Monte-Carlo permutation tests were applied to analyze the relationships. Both single and multifactor statistical tests showed that the density and basal area distributions of the two species were significantly non-random in relation to soil texture and topographic variables. D.aromatica was significantly more abundant at higher elevations, in sandy soils, and on convex and steep slopes. In contrast, D.lanceolata preferred lower elevations and less sandy soils. In the study plot, there were very few sites (3 of 1150 quadrats tested) where the models of Hayashis method predicted the co-occurrence of the two species. These results suggest that between-species differences in habitat preferences are so large that they alone explain the spatially segregated distributions of these two species within the 52-ha study plot.