Two centuries of masting data for European beech and Norway spruce across the European continent

Tree masting is one of the most intensively studied ecological processes. It affects nutrient fluxes of trees, regeneration dynamics in forests, animal population densities, and ultimately influences ecosystem services. Despite a large volume of research focused on masting, its evolutionary ecology, spatial and temporal variability and environmental drivers are still matter of debate. Understanding the proximate and ultimate causes of masting at broad spatial and temporal scales will enable us to predict tree reproductive strategies and their response to changing environment. Here we provide broad spatial (distribution range-wide) and temporal (century) masting data for the two main masting tree species in Europe, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.). We collected masting data from a total of 359 sources through an extensive literature review and from unpublished surveys. The dataset has a total of 1747 series and 18348 yearly observations from 28 countries and covering a time span of years 1677-2016 and 1791-2016 for beech and spruce, respectively. For each record, the following information is available: identification code; species; year of observation; proxy of masting (flower, pollen, fruit, seed, dendrochronological reconstructions); statistical data type (ordinal, continuous); data value; unit of measurement (only in case of continuous data); geographical location (country, Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics NUTS-1 level, municipality, coordinates); first and last record year and related length; type of data source (field survey, peer reviewed scientific literature, grey literature, personal observation); source identification code; date when data were added to the database; comments. To provide a ready-to-use masting index we harmonized ordinal data into five classes. Furthermore, we computed an additional field where continuous series with length >4 years where converted into a five classes ordinal index. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive published database on species-specific masting behaviour. It is useful to study spatial and temporal patterns of masting and its proximate and ultimate causes, to refine studies based on tree-ring chronologies, to understand dynamics of animal species and pests vectored by these animals affecting human health, and it may serve as calibration-validation data for dynamic forest models.The paper was partly funded by the “Fondo di Ricerca Locale 2015-2016” of the University of Torino and by the Stiftelsen Stina Werners fond (grant SSWF 10-1/29-3 to I.D.)

MASTREE+ : time-series of plant reproductive effort from six continents

Significant gaps remain in understanding the response of plant reproduction to environmental change. This is partly because measuring reproduction in long-lived plants requires direct observation over many years and such datasets have rarely been made publicly available. Here we introduce MASTREE+, a data set that collates reproductive time-series data from across the globe and makes these data freely available to the community. MASTREE+ includes 73,828 georeferenced observations of annual reproduction (e.g. seed and fruit counts) in perennial plant populations worldwide. These observations consist of 5971 population-level time-series from 974 species in 66 countries. The mean and median time-series length is 12.4 and 10 years respectively, and the data set includes 1122 series that extend over at least two decades (≥20 years of observations). For a subset of well-studied species, MASTREE+ includes extensive replication of time-series across geographical and climatic gradients. Here we describe the open-access data set, available as a.csv file, and we introduce an associated web-based app for data exploration. MASTREE+ will provide the basis for improved understanding of the response of long-lived plant reproduction to environmental change. Additionally, MASTREE+ will enable investigation of the ecology and evolution of reproductive strategies in perennial plants, and the role of plant reproduction as a driver of ecosystem dynamics

MASTREE+: Time-series of plant reproductive effort from six continents.

Significant gaps remain in understanding the response of plant reproduction to environmental change. This is partly because measuring reproduction in long-lived plants requires direct observation over many years and such datasets have rarely been made publicly available. Here we introduce MASTREE+, a data set that collates reproductive time-series data from across the globe and makes these data freely available to the community. MASTREE+ includes 73,828 georeferenced observations of annual reproduction (e.g. seed and fruit counts) in perennial plant populations worldwide. These observations consist of 5971 population-level time-series from 974 species in 66 countries. The mean and median time-series length is 12.4 and 10 years respectively, and the data set includes 1122 series that extend over at least two decades (≥20 years of observations). For a subset of well-studied species, MASTREE+ includes extensive replication of time-series across geographical and climatic gradients. Here we describe the open-access data set, available as a.csv file, and we introduce an associated web-based app for data exploration. MASTREE+ will provide the basis for improved understanding of the response of long-lived plant reproduction to environmental change. Additionally, MASTREE+ will enable investigation of the ecology and evolution of reproductive strategies in perennial plants, and the role of plant reproduction as a driver of ecosystem dynamics

Între percepții și precepte în dialogul despre pădurile României [ Between perceptions and precepts in the dialogue on Romanian forests]

It is largely acknowledged that reality is a social construction, the understandings of a specific phenomenon being based on the shared assumptions about the reality. Media and social networks present a puzzling and bleak image of the Romanian forestry field, which results in the fact that the general public has formed a distorted image about the precepts of forest management and their practical application. Romanian forestry system has faced important challenges after the change of the political system in 1989, reflected in the chaotic approach to forest restitution and in major governance failures to support responsible forest management. As a reaction, there is an increasing trend in presenting only sensational data (e.g. the controversial famous slogan of 3 hectares of forest disappearing each hour in Romania) and a danger that exaggerated media declarations could lead to overstated public reactions. In this context, we analyse some of the data provided in different reports and public declaration on the extent of forest area, the impact of deforestation and the annual harvesting rate compared to other European countries. The paper is intended to be a factual statement which presents and explains data and accessible information, many of them ignored by the general public. The messages sent by the environmental NGOs of protecting forest are obviously positive and we all agree that alarm signals not only increase interest on, but also responsibility towards the forest. Nevertheless, the messages must be founded on factual and accurate information. Forestry certainly means more than illegal logging, personal interests and lack of credibility. The forest is a renewable resource and its exploitation should not be exaggeratedly limited, but sustainably harvested. At the moment, in Romania the annual allowable cut (including legal and illegal estimations) is less than half of the forest annual growth. Efforts to assure natural and artificial forest regeneration are done in most of the areas. The efforts of foresters to implement responsible silvicultural measures are not properly communicated and reflected in the public dialogue on forestry. There is a need to provide clear and transparent messages and all stakeholders should be more opened to dialogu

Efectul aplicării lucrărilor de întreținere a terenului asupra acumulărilor de biomasă din culturile de plop hibrid [The effect of harrowing and weed control on biomass yields of hybrid poplar crops]

Intensive hybrid poplar crops can produce an important biomass if adequate measures of management are being used. During the last years, there is a constant involvement on refining poplar cultivation technology, regarding installation, maintenance and harvesting, in order to obtain superior production at lower costs. The present study has analysed the effect of an experimental maintaining treatment (TI) (harrowing and weed control) on poplar crops’ biomass yields. The results were obtained after two vegetation seasons and compared with the results recorded in a control plot where no maintaining practices (TN) were used. The experimental crop was set up in the spring of 2013, in the vicinity of Dornești site (Suceava County). Three hybrid poplar clones were tested (AF2, AF8 and Pannonia) in each plot, and there were installed by long rods, using the 3.0 x 1.5 m spacing. The biomass was assessed for all the harvested individuals and every tree component using the gravimetric method. The experimental maintaining treatment (TI) led to important differences between the two plots. The total biomass in TI plot was nearly eight-times superior to the biomass obtained in the control plot. All the three clones reacted significantly to the experimental treatment TI, even though minor differences were observed between the clones’ productivity. The effect of TI treatment was also substantial to the biomass’ structure on tree components. It is considered that the massive biomass increase was encouraged by a consistent shift of biomass proportion in the favour of the crown proportion (branches biomass), rather than subterranean elements

MASTREE+: time-series of plant reproductive effort from six continents.

Significant gaps remain in understanding the response of plant reproduction to environmental change. This is partly because measuring reproduction in long-lived plants requires direct observation over many years and such datasets have rarely been made publicly available. Here we introduce MASTREE+, a dataset that collates reproductive time-series data from across the globe and makes these data freely available to the community. MASTREE+ includes 73,828 georeferenced observations of annual reproduction (e.g., seed and fruit counts) in perennial plant populations worldwide. These observations consist of 5,971 population-level time-series from 974 species in 66 countries. The mean and median time-series length is 12.4 and 10 years respectively, and the dataset includes 1,122 series that extend over at least two decades (>=20 years of observations). For a subset of well-studied species, MASTREE+ includes extensive replication of time-series across geographical and climatic gradients. Here we describe the open-access dataset, available as a .csv file, and we introduce an associated web-based app for data exploration. MASTREE+ will provide the basis for improved understanding of the response of long-lived plant reproduction to environmental change. Additionally, MASTREE+ will enable investigation of the ecology and evolution of reproductive strategies in perennial plants, and the role of plant reproduction as a driver of ecosystem dynamics