Phoretic relationships between Plagionotus detritus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and Trichouropoda sociata (Acari: Mesostigmata)

The aim of the study was to explore phoretic relationships between Plagionotus detritus and mites from the order Mesostigmata. In total, 635 individuals of P. detritus were caught, and mites were found on 86 of them. The dominant species among 8,154 individuals of mites was Trichouropoda sociata (8,152 individuals), and the sporadically found species were Lasioseius thermophilus (1 ind.) and Typhlodromus sp. (1 ind.). Generally, the difference in the total abundance of females and males of P. detritus was not statistically significant (311 females vs 324 males). The proportional abundance of P. detritus with T. sociata differed between samplings, and in the pooled data, the proportional abundance of P. detritus females with T. sociata (39.5%) was less than that for P. detritus males (60.5%)

Impacts of soil conditions and light availability on natural regeneration of Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. in low-elevation mountain forests

& Key message Natural regeneration of P. abies (L.) H. Karst. may reach high densities in lower mountain elevations. The highest densities were found in sites with moderate light availability, with low pH, and not near the riverbank. However, age-height classes differed in the predicted magnitude of response, but were consistent in response directions. Mosses and understory species typical of coniferous forests were positively correlated with regeneration density. & Context Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. in Central Europe is at risk under climate change scenarios, particularly in mountain regions. Little is known about the impact of environmental factors on the natural regeneration of P. abies in lowelevation mountain forests. & Aims We aimed to assess impacts of distance from the riverbank, soil pH, and light availability on natural P. abies regeneration. We hypothesized that (1) natural P. abiesregeneration would depend on light availability and soil pH and (2) there are understory plant species which may indicate the microsites suitable for natural regeneration of P. abies. & Methods The study was conducted in the Stołowe Mountains National Park (SW Poland, 600–800 m a.s.l.). We established 160 study plots (25 m2 ) for natural regeneration, light availability, soil pH, and understory vegetation assessment

Study of the Pollen Grain Metabolome under Deposition of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Taxus baccata L. and Juniperus communis L.

Nitrogen plays an important role in both quantitative and qualitative aspects of plant reproduction, including pollen grain compounds and seed production. Recent studies have pointed out that pollen grains produced by male plants of T. baccata and J. communis subjected to a long period of fertilizer supplementation have lower in vitro germination ability and higher nitrogen content. To gain molecular insights into these observations, we conducted GC–MS analysis of both species to characterize the metabolomes of dry, mature pollen grains, which allowed for the identification and quantification of more than 200 metabolites. The results demonstrated that fertilizer supplementation impacts the relative content of 14 metabolites in J. communis (9 downregulated and 5 upregulated) and 21 in T. baccata (6 downregulated and 15 upregulated). Although plants showed little similarity in patterns, in metabolite profiles, both up and down fold-changes were observed. This is the first report on the gymnosperm pollen grain metabolomic profile and changes induced by long-term nitrogen and phosphorus supplementation. Pollen grains produced by fertilizer-supplemented male individuals had significantly lower relative content of linolenic acid, 5,6-dihydrouracil, maltotriose, galactonic acid, D-xylulose, and glycerol-α-phosphate but higher content of sorbitol, glucosamine, and 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol as well as n-acetyl-d-hexosamine, dimethyl phthalate, glycine, galactose-6-phosphate, D-fructose-6-phosphate, pyroglutamic acid, and 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid. Thus, in pollen grain samples earlier shown to have different germination abilities, the presence of different metabolites indicates a significant environmental impact on the quality of gymnosperm pollen grains

Seed Quantity or Quality?—Reproductive Responses of Females of Two Dioecious Woody Species to Long-Term Fertilisation

Although seed quality and quantity, as well as reproductive performance are important life history stages of plants, little is known about the reproductive responses of trees to environmental changes such as increased anthropogenic deposition of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Dioecious plants are good models with which to test the environmental impact on female or male reproductive responses individually. We analysed effects of different long-term nutritional availability on the reproductive performance of two dioecious species (Taxus baccata L. and Juniperus communis L.) characterised by different life histories. By using pot experiments with vegetatively propagated plants grown in different fertilisation conditions, we observed an increase in plant growth and strobili production but a decrease in seed efficiency. Seeds produced by fertilised plants had greater seed mass. Fertiliser addition did not change C or N content nor the C/N ratio of T. baccata seeds, but increased N content and the N/P ratio; however, it did lower the C/N ratio in J. communis. Fertilisation did not change the metabolite profile in T. baccata but 18 metabolites were changed in J. communis. The study revealed new links between species life history, environmental changes, and reproduction. The findings imply that future environmental conditions may alter both seed productivity, and quality, as well as plant reproductive behaviour

An alternative, portable method for extracting microarthropods from forest soil

Large forest complexes with few human inhabitants provide a valuable resource for understanding natural processes in an environment not directly impacted by humans. However, studies of such systems are difficult to conduct due to the frequent need for collected samples to be subjected to lengthy laboratory processing protocols that require them to be transported to often distant laboratories. The objective of this study was to devise an easy-to-transport field device for sampling soil invertebrates with a simple single-day protocol of extraction. Studies were conducted in order to compare the quantitative and qualitative extraction efficiency of soil invertebrates using this new method (8 h for extraction) and a well-established one, using the Tullgren funnel (168 h for extraction). We also tested the influence of cooling collected microarthropod samples for 7 days on extraction efficiency. Data indicated that the field extraction device was comparable in efficiency to the standard Tullgren extraction funnels and did not affect the results obtained on abundance, species richness and diversity. In addition, the methods did not differ in reference to unique species and the proportional abundance of extracted developmental stages. Results suggest that the field extraction device is time-efficient compared to currently used extraction protocols. Most importantly, the new device allows researchers to study and analyze soil mesofauna directly in the field without needing to transport samples back to the laboratory, thus decreasing the risk of losing sample integrity and spreading soil pathogens. We suggest it will be useful as a complement to other older techniques in the future

Soil Environment and Fauna Communities in Europe after Afforestation of Post-Agricultural Lands—A Review

Afforestation can make an important contribution mitigating the effects of changing climate and provide structural and functional benefits. Afforestation also provides challenges for forest managers connected with past land-use history; therefore, there is an urgent need to summarize knowledge about such habitats and point out the gaps in knowledge for planning future studies. Although post-agricultural forests cover a large forest area in Europe, our understanding of the mechanisms governing the below-ground environment is still poor, especially when soil fauna is considered. In this study, we revised knowledge about the soil environment and the response of soil fauna to afforestation on former agricultural lands located in Europe based on research articles from the ISI Web of Science database. Data came from various but distinct locations, compared forests with different types of agricultural lands, and presented previous knowledge about soil chemistry and accompanying soil fauna communities. Finally, we selected 15 studies, investigating soil fauna communities on post-agricultural lands. The meta-analysis was based on response ratio (R) for available data, although in many cases the data were incomplete. Results indicated that post-agricultural forests differ from arable lands in reference to soil pH, but not for soil organic matter and carbon content. Different soil animal groups were represented by a similar number of studies: microfauna (seven studies) and mesofauna (nine), whereas macrofauna were represented by five studies. Meta-analysis revealed that the response of soil fauna to afforestation differed between soil fauna size classes. Additionally, in total, 18 tree species, 12 soil types, and 20 soil parameters were provided in the literature but only a few of them were presented in a single study. Future studies should include the impact of microclimate, detailed stand characteristics and soil conditions, which could help to clearly describe the impact of certain tree species growing on certain soil types. In future soil fauna ecological studies, the data should include mean values, standard deviation (SD) and/or standard effort of means (SE) for abundance, species richness, diversity indices and number of collected samples. Providing the above mentioned information will give the broad audience the opportunity to include data in future comparative analyses

Mite Communities (Acari, Mesostigmata) in the Initially Decomposed ‘Litter Islands’ of 11 Tree Species in Scots Pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i> L.) Forest

Replacement of native deciduous forests by coniferous stands was a common result of former European afforestation policies and paradigms of forest management and led to considerable ecological consequences. Therefore, the most popular management strategy nowadays in multi-functional forestry is the re-establishment of mixed or broadleaved forests with native species on suitable habitats. However, our knowledge about the effects of tree species introduced into coniferous monocultures on soil mesofauna communities is scarce. We investigated abundance, species richness and diversity of Mesostigmata mite communities in decomposed litter of seven broadleaved (Acer platanoides L., A. pseudoplatanus L., Carpinus betulus L., Fagus sylvatica L., Tilia cordata Mill., Quercus robur L., Q. rubra L.) and four coniferous (Abies alba Mill., Larix decidua Mill., Picea abies [L.] Karst., Pinus sylvestris L.) species. We collected 297 litterbags after 6, 12 and 18 months of exposition in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) monocultures in Siemianice Experimental Forest (SW Poland). Generally, species richness and diversity in litter samples were much lower than in the soil mite pool. The highest abundance was found in P. sylvestris and A. alba litter, while the lowest was found in A. platanoides. The most abundant families were Zerconidae, Parasitidae, Veigaiidae, and Trachytidae. Our study revealed that neither species richness nor diversity were affected, but that mite abundance was affected, by the tree species (litter quality). The mite communities were similarly comprised in both high- and low-quality litter and mite abundance decreased during the decomposition process in nutrient-poor Scots pine forests. Moreover, few mite species benefited from the decomposed litter. Additionally, a litter of various tree species was inhabited mainly by eu- and hemiedaphic mite species. Mite assemblages in A. alba, P. sylvestris, and Q. robur litter had higher abundances. Exposition time seems to be an important driver in shaping the mite community during the early stages of litter decomposition

Succession of Mite Assemblages (Acari, Mesostigmata) during Decomposition of Tree Leaves in Forest Stands Growing on Reclaimed Post-Mining Spoil Heap and Adjacent Forest Habitats

Mites significantly contribute, prevalently by vertical movement, to mixing of the organic layer with the mineral soil, thus they may be important in renewing soils. Our aim was to analyze the changes in abundance and species richness of mesostigmatid assemblages on decomposing leaves of Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., Betula pendula Roth, Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. in pine and birch stands growing on a reclaimed spoil heap and adjacent forests. In December 2013, 1024 litterbags (mesh size = 1 mm) containing leaf litter of broadleaved and coniferous trees (mean initial dry weight per sample = 5.789 g) were laid out in the same number and kind in each of the two sites. Mites were extracted from litterbags which were collected every 3&#8315;6 months for 3 years. In total, 6466 mites were identified in 59 taxa. Total abundance was higher on forest habitats (5174 specimens) compared to the spoil (1292), and in birch compared to pine stands, both in forest (3345, 1829, respectively) and spoil habitats (981, 311). Throughout the experiment, mites were most abundant on oak litter samples (2063 specimens), while the remaining litter types had similar abundances (1455&#8315;1482). At the beginning of the experiment (3&#8315;6 months) mite abundance was very low, but was higher on forest habitats. The highest abundance was found after 9 months&#8212;144 specimens in pine stands on the spoil heap and 685 in birch stands on forest habitats. During the study, 49 taxa were found on forest and 29 on heap habitats. In birch stands, 37 and 22 taxa were found, whereas in pine 30 and 21, on forest and heap, respectively. The most frequent species on the heap were Amblyseius tubae Karg, Asca bicornis Canestrini et Fanzago, and Asca aphidioides Linneaeus, whereas in forest habitat&#8212;Zercon peltatus C.L. Koch, Veigaia nemorensis C.L. Koch, and Trachytes aegrota C.L. Koch. Habitat conditions, tree species and litter type significantly determined the mesostigmatid species composition, richness and abundance. By selection of dominant tree species during afforestation, it is possible to significantly affect the soil fauna composition, and thus indirectly the rate of decomposition

Tertiary remnants and holocene colonizers: genetic structure and phylogeography of Scots pine reveal higher genetic diversity in young boreal than in relict Mediterranean populations and a dual colonization of Fennoscandia

16 p., 1 mapa, tablas -- Postprint del artículo publicado en Diversity and Distributions. A Journal of Conservation Biogeopraphy. Versión revisada y corregida[Aim] Scots pine is one of the dominant tree species in forest ecosystems of the temperate and boreal zones in Eurasia. Since the Tertiary, it has persisted also in the Mediterranean region, forming relict populations. In this study, we investigate range-wide genetic diversity of Scots pine, aiming to provide comprehensive information on the phylogeography and genetic resources of the species.[Location] Europe and Asia.[Methods] Thirteen paternally inherited chloroplast microsatellite (cpSSR) loci were used to investigate the genetic structure of 62 populations from Fennoscandia and 30 populations from the Mediterranean. We also surveyed variability of two maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions and additionally included literature data from 156 populations (248 populations in total).[Results] Scots pine retains an overall high genetic diversity in the chloroplast genome but, unexpectedly, the historically younger populations from Fennoscandia showed statistically higher mean intrapopulation diversity than the Mediterranean stands (0.807 and 0.750, respectively). The latter also contained a lower number of private cpSSR haplotypes. Population differentiation with respect to mtDNA was higher (GST = 0.628) than at cpSSR (GST = 0.015) indicating an efficient pollen-mediated gene flow among refugial populations of the species. One novel haplotype mtDNA was found, increasing the number of known mitotypes for the species from 4 to 5. The geographic distribution of mitotypes was structured into four groups corresponding to the main refugial areas of the species.[Main conclusions] Genetic impoverishment of the Mediterranean populations may enhance their vulnerability to future environmental changes. The spatial distribution of two mitotypes in Fennoscandia, featuring predominance of mitotype a in Norway and Sweden and mitotype b in Finland, gives strong support for dual colonization of that region from south-eastern (Finland) and south-western (Sweden) directions. These results thus provide new insights into both Holocene expansion of Scots pine and the present distribution of species' genetic resources.This study was supported by the National Science Centre (2011/02/A/NZ9/00108) and Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences.Peer reviewe