Influence of climatic variables on crown condition in pine forests of Northern Spain

Producción CientíficaThe aim of this study was to find relationships between crown condition and some climatic parameters to identify which are those having a main influence on crown condition, and how this influence is shown in the tree (crown transparency), and to contribute to the understanding of how these parameters will affect under future climate change scenarios

Combating the effects of climatic change on forests by mitigation strategies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Forests occur across diverse biomes, each of which shows a specific composition of plant communities associated with the particular climate regimes. Predicted future climate change will have impacts on the vulnerability and productivity of forests; in some regions higher temperatures will extend the growing season and thus improve forest productivity, while changed annual precipitation patterns may show disadvantageous effects in areas, where water availability is restricted. While adaptation of forests to predicted future climate scenarios has been intensively studied, less attention was paid to mitigation strategies such as the introduction of tree species well adapted to changing environmental conditions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We simulated the development of managed forest ecosystems in Germany for the time period between 2000 and 2100 under different forest management regimes and climate change scenarios. The management regimes reflect different rotation periods, harvesting intensities and species selection for reforestations. The climate change scenarios were taken from the IPCC's Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES). We used the scenarios A1B (rapid and successful economic development) and B1 (high level of environmental and social consciousness combined with a globally coherent approach to a more sustainable development). Our results indicate that the effects of different climate change scenarios on the future productivity and species composition of German forests are minor compared to the effects of forest management.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The inherent natural adaptive capacity of forest ecosystems to changing environmental conditions is limited by the long life time of trees. Planting of adapted species and forest management will reduce the impact of predicted future climate change on forests.</p

The lamellicorn beetles of southern Sardinia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

Un inventario faunistico dei Coleotteri Lamellicorni della Sardegna meridionale (ex Provincia di Cagliari) è stato condotto attraverso l'esame di tutti i dati di letteratura e di numeroso materiale inedito, includendo i numerosi esemplari raccolti durante una campagna di esplorazione faunistica condotta negli anni 2003–2008. L'analisi tassonomica dell'area di studio ha rivelato la presenza di 105 specie (2 Lucanidae, 2 Trogidae, 7 Geotrupidae, 1 Hybosoridae e 93 Scarabaeidae). La maggioranza delle famiglie è rappresentata dal 100% delle specie presenti in Sardegna; soltanto la famiglia Scarabaeidae, la più numerosa e diversifi cata, fi gura con circa l'80,8% delle specie sarde. L'inventario è accompagnato da considerazioni su abbondanza, stato di conservazione, categorie trofi che, corotipi, distribuzione ecologica e fenologia di tutte le specie trattate. I valori percentuali approssimati di specie coprofaghe e fi tofaghe nell'area di studio sono rispettivamente 57,1% e 40,9%, valori quasi inversi a quelli presentati dalle stesse categorie nell'intera fauna dei lamellicorni italiani (46,8% e 50,5%). Ciò potrebbe essere dovuto allo storico impatto dell'uso del suolo (prevalentemente pastorale) sulla struttura delle comunità.A faunistic inventory of lamellicorn beetles has been conducted in southern Sardinia (former province of Cagliari) based on literature and collection records, as well as on new fi ndings from recent fi eld expeditions (2003–2008). The taxonomic analysis of the study area revealed the occurrence of 105 species (2 Lucanidae, 2 Trogidae, 7 Geotrupidae, 1 Hybosoridae and 93 Scarabaeidae). The majority of families are represented by 100% of the known Sardinian fauna; o nly the Scarabaeidae, the most diverse family, is represented by 80.8% of its Sardinian members. Some considerations are made on the conservation status, trophic categories, chorotypes, habitat distribution and seasonal activity of all the species recorded. The percent values of coprophagous and phytophagous species are respectively 57.1% and 40.9%, almost reversed compared to the same values for the whole Italian lamellicorn fauna (46.8% and 50.5%). This pattern is probably due to the historical impact of land use (mainly based on livestock grazing) on the structure of the scarab communities. Key words: Lucanidae, Trogidae, Geotrupidae, Hybosoridae, Scarabaeidae, zoogeography, Italy, Sardinia