Evaluation of electrical signals in pine trees in a mediterranean forest ecosystem

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Plant Signaling and Behaviour on 2020, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/15592324.2020.1795580[EN] Electric potential differences in living plants are explained by theories based on sap flow. In order to acquire more advanced knowledge about the spatial distribution of these electric potential measures in trees, this research aims to analyze electrical signals in a population of Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensisMill.) in a representative Mediterranean forest ecosystem. The specific research objective is to assess some of the most significant factors that influence the distribution pattern of those electric signals: tree age, measurement type and electrode placement. The research has been conducted in representative forest stands, obtaining measurements of different representative trees. After a statistical evaluation of the obtained results, the main conclusions of our research are: A.Tree maturity influences directly on electric potential. B.Maximum electrical signals can be measured in young pines showing values of 0.6 V and 0.6 mu A for voltage and current, respectively. C.The distribution patterns of both voltage and short-circuit current depending on electrode placement are uniform.Zapata, R.; Oliver Villanueva, JV.; Lemus Zúñiga, LG.; Luzuriaga, JE.; Mateo Pla, MÁ.; Urchueguía Schölzel, JF. (2020). Evaluation of electrical signals in pine trees in a mediterranean forest ecosystem. Plant Signaling and Behaviour (Online). 15(10):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2020.1795580S191510I. Further experiments on the more important physiological changes induced in the human economy by change of climate. (1873). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 21(139-147), 1-10. doi:10.1098/rspl.1872.0002Darwin, C. (1875). 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Energy potential of native shrub species in northern Spain

This paper we present an energy review of the waste generated by shrub species in soils of low fertility for use as fuel in a power plant. The residues analysed belong to the species: Rhamus alaternus, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Smilax aspera, Erica sp., Rubus ulmifolius, and Pteridium aquilinum. Gross calorific value (GCV), net calorific value (NCV), density, elementary chemical analysis, moisture content, percentage of ash, productivity, energy density and FVI (fuel value index) have been measured. These parameters have been determined for three levels of moisture (maximum, medium and minimum). At medium moisture level, the residues of U. europaeus are those that reach the greatest FVI, 20,000. In the other extreme is the P. aquilinum with an FVI of 403. The average productivity of waste, in t ha 1, of each species has been determined in order to know how much energy is stored per hectare. U. europaeus and P. spinosa are the species which accumulate more energy per hectare, with similar values of around 81 MJ ha 1 yr 1 and installed power of 2.59Wha 1. The energy recovery of the waste in a thermal power plant would generate an annual revenue of 14.6 MV, taking into account that 40% of the forest land covered by shrub in Cantabria is used for this purpose