Phylogenetic relationships in Betula (Betulaceae) based on AFLP markers

The genus Betula comprises various species in boreal and temperate climate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. The taxonomy of Betula is controversial and complicated by parallel evolution of morphological traits, polyploidization events, and extensive hybridization and introgression among species. Multilocus molecular data from AFLPs were used to provide phylogenetic information. A large number of polymorphic markers (321 variable bands) were produced in 107 Betula accessions from 23 species and 11 hybrids. The AFLP results were largely congruent with the results from previously examined nuclear DNA markers. Four distinct subgenera were identified within the genus Betula. These subgenera were partly in disagreement with the traditional (but disputed) division of the genus. In addition, the results indicated several groups of conspecific taxa. The majority of the species fell within subgenus Betula and shared a high degree of similarity with B. pendula. All hybrids were associated with this group, and the AFLP data contained signals on putative parents for some of the interspecific hybrids. Subgenus Chamaebetula and part of the Neurobetula species should be merged with Betula. The subgenera Betulenta, Betulaster, and the remaining part of Neurobetula are distinct and well supported. Although our results indicate that four major taxonomic groups can be recognized within the genus Betula, the relationship between them remains unclear. This may be due to the occurrence of hybridization and introgression, which would have a homogenizing effect on the relationships between species. Naturally occurring Betula species of hybrid origin may explain the low bootstrap values within the Betula clade

A phytosociological survey of the boreal forest (Vaccinio-Piceetea) in North America

A survey of syntaxa of vegetation of North American boreal forests (class Vaccinio-Piceetea) is presented. This phytosociological survey, carried out combining the Braun-Blanquet method with numerical syntaxonomical analyses (cluster and correspondence analysis), describes the associations of the North American boreal forests, which have several species, varieties or vicariant species in common with their Eurasian counterparts, and can be placed in the class Vaccinio-Piceetea. By means of tabular and multivariate analyses, 2084 North American relevés were compared with 3273 relevés from European, Japanese and Korean boreal forest, to describe and typify 4 orders, 10 alliances and 37 associations. Diagnostic tables, ordination, clustering, and climatic, edaphic and biogeographical data were used to show floristic affinities among these syntaxa and interpret their distribution areas. Syntaxa were briefly characterized by their floristic composition, physiognomy, succession, zonation, and biogeographical distribution

Molecular footprints of the Holocene retreat of dwarf birch in Britain

© 2014 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Emerging Urban Forests: Opportunities for Promoting the Wild Side of the Urban Green Infrastructure

Many cities aim to increase urban forest cover to benefit residents through the provision of ecosystem services and to promote biodiversity. As a complement to traditional forest plantings, we address opportunities associated with “emerging urban forests” (i.e., spontaneously developing forests in cities) for urban biodiversity conservation. We quantified the area of successional forests and analyzed the species richness of native and alien plants and of invertebrates (carabid beetles, spiders) in emerging forests dominated by alien or native trees, including Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer platanoides, and Betula pendula. Emerging urban forests were revealed as shared habitats of native and alien species. Native species richness was not profoundly affected by the alien (co-)dominance of the canopy. Instead, native and alien plant species richnesses were positively related. Numbers of endangered plants and invertebrates did not differ between native- and alien-dominated forest patches. Patterns of tree regeneration indicate different successional trajectories for novel forest types. We conclude that these forests (i) provide habitats for native and alien species, including some endangered species, (ii) allow city dwellers to experience wild urban nature, and (iii) support arguments for adapting forests to dynamic urban environments. Integrating emerging urban forests into the urban green infrastructure is a promising pathway to sustainable cities and can complement traditional restoration or greening approaches.BMBF, 01LC1501, Bridging in Biodiversity Science (BIBS

MP 2012-01

In 1994 the University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station began a project to establish permanent sample plots (PSP) throughout the forests of northern and southcentral Alaska. Objectives of the project are to establish and maintain a system of PSPs to monitor forest growth, yield, forest health, and ecological conditions/change (Malone et al., 2009). To date, 603 PSPs have been established on 201 sites throughout interior and southcentral Alaska. The PSPs are square and 0.1 acre in size and in clusters of three. PSPs are remeasured at a five-year interval. The number of plot remeasurements after establishment ranges from one to three times. A large amount of data is collected at each site at time of establishment and at subsequent remeasurements. Four databases contain all the data: tree measurement and characteristics, site description, regeneration, and vegetation data. Vegetation data collected on the 0.1 acre PSPs includes species (trees shrub, herb, grass, and non-vascular plants) and cover, an estimate of the amount of the plot covered by the crown of each species (cover class) (Daubenmire, 1959). The vegetation database can be used by land managers and researchers to study species diversity and forest succession in addition to long-term monitoring of forest health. The species listed in Appendix 1 and in the vegetation database are presented by categories: tree, shrub, herb, grass, rush, sedge, fern, club moss, lichen, moss, and liverwort

Pollen morphology of Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae, Fagales) and its phylogenetic significance

Nothofagaceae (southern beeches) are a relatively small flowering plant family of trees confined to the Southern Hemisphere. The fossil record of the family is abundant and it has been widely used as a test case for the classic hypothesis that Antarctica, Patagonia, Australia and New Zealand were once joined together. Although the phylogenetic relationships in Nothofagus appear to be well supported, the evolution of some pollen morphological traits remains elusive, largely because of the lack of ultrastructural analyses. Here we describe the pollen morphology of all extant South American species of Nothofagus, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light microscopy (LM), and reconstruct ancestral character states using a well-supported phylogenetic tree of the family. Our results indicate that the main differences between pollen of subgenera Fuscospora (pollen type fusca a) and Nothofagus (pollen type fusca b) are related to the size of microspines (distinguishable or not in optical section), and the thickening of colpi margins (thickened inwards, or thickened both inwards and outwards). In particular, Nothofagus alessandrii, the only extant South American species of subgenus Fuscospora, presents distinctive pollen features that have not been observed in any other species of the genus (i.e. a large granular infratectum and spongy apertural endexine). Species of subgenus Lophozonia are characterized by having the largest pollen grains, with polygonal outline in polar view, microspines distinguishable in optical section, long and non-thickened colpi, and a thin endexine. The reconstruction of character states for the node corresponding to the common ancestor to genus Nothofagus leads us to conclude that the ancestral form of Nothofagaceae should have had: equatorial diameter < 40 μm, circular outline in polar view, microspines distinguishable in optical section, short colpi thickened inwards, and a thin endexine. These features are fully consistent with those present in Nothofagidites senectus Dettmann & Playford, the oldest fossil species of Nothofagaceae recorded in Campanian-Maastrichtian sediments of Gondwana.Fil: Fernández, Damián Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Santamarina, Patricio Emmanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Tellería, María Cristina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Sistemática y Biología Evolutiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Palazzesi, Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Barreda, Viviana Dora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

The Environmental Context and Function of Burnt-Mounds : New Studies of Irish Fulachtaí Fiadh

The authors acknowledge funding from The Leverhulme Trust (F/00144/AI) and assistance from a large number of individuals including; Margaret Gowen (access to sites and assistance throughout),A. Ames, H, Essex (pollen processing), S. Rouillard & R. Smith (illustrations), C. McDermott, S. Bergerbrandt, all the staff of Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd, TVAS Ireland and CRDS. Excavation works and some post-excavation analysis was paid for my Bord Gáis and the National Roads Authority (now Transport Infrastructure Ireland). Thanks also to David Smith for access to the Maureen Girling collection and assistance with identifications.Peer reviewedPostprintPostprin

Ecology of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of the Huron Mountains in Northern Michigan

Eighty-nine species of Cerambycidae were collected during a five-year survey of the woodboring beetle fauna of the Huron Mountains in Marquette County, Michigan. Host plants were determined for 51 species. Observations were made of species abundance and phenology, and the blossoms visited by anthophilous cerambycids