The Community of Fine Root Fungi of Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) Saplings

This study aimed to assess the biodiversity of fungi colonizing the fine roots (diameter up to 2 mm) of 3-year-old silver fir saplings from areas of Międzylesie Forest District in Poland. It was hypothesized that quantitatively and qualitatively, mycorrhizal fungi would be the dominant fungi in root communities of silver fir. DNA extraction was performed using Plant Genomic DNA purification. The internal transcribed spacer1 (ITS1) rDNA region was amplified using specific primers, and the amplicons were purified and sequenced using sequencing by synthesis (SBS) Illumina technology. The obtained sequences were compared with reference sequences in the UNITE database (https://unite.ut.ee/) using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) algorithm to facilitate species identification. A total of 307,511 OTUs was obtained from each sample. There were 246,477 OTUs (80.15%) of fungi known from cultures. The genera Tuber spp. (7.51%) and Acephala spp. (3.23%) accounted for the largest share of the fungal communities on the fine roots of fir trees. Hence our results indicate the dominance of mycorrhizal fungi in these communities and reflect the excellent quality of the saplings that were assessed. Pathogenic fungi constituted a much smaller share of the fungal communities

The effect of size of black cherry stumps on the composition of fungal communities colonising stumps

We investigated fungal communities colonising black cherry stumps. We tested the hypothesis that black cherry stumps of greater diameter should be characterised by more diverse fungal communities than stumps of smaller diameter. The material for analyses came from Podanin Forest District. DNA was extracted using a Plant Genomic DNA purification kit. The results were subjected to bioinformatic analysis and statistical analysis. The OTU sequences were compared using the BLAST algorithm with reference sequences from the UNITE database. In total, 8192 raw sequences were obtained from samples of black cherry stumps applying the Illumina sequencing technique. The results of the statistical analysis indicate a trend towards increased diversity in bigger black cherry stumps. The dominant share of fungi associated with wood decomposition indicates the progressing process of decomposition in stumps. Identification of the role and functions of the individual components of fungal communities colonising stumps may provide insight into the overall ecology of these organisms and provide a basis for improved plant protection, with a view to limiting the occurrence of black cherries in the future in undesirable locations outside their natural range

Moderate Diversity in Forest Structure and Its Low Dynamics Are Favored by Uneven-Aged Silviculture—The Lesson from Medium-Term Experiment

For several decades, there has been growing interest in highly diversified forests as a result of their management using the so-called uneven-aged silviculture. Such management and forests resulting from its application fulfil the purpose of forest ecosystem protection without significant limitation of the other forest functions and services. The usefulness of such silvicultural system depends largely on the species composition of the stand. In Poland, this system has been used primarily in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.)-dominated forests with an admixture of other shade-tolerant tree species and rather small admixture of light-demanding species. In our study, we analyzed the structure of fir-dominated uneven-aged forest consisting of a certain mix of eight tree species with different light-requirements, in which uneven-aged silviculture was performed for over two decades. The analysis of stand structure concerned three aspects of the forest structure: species diversity, spatial pattern of tree distribution, and tree size diversity. On the basis of three stand inventories, we captured the mid-term dynamics of the stand structure under moderate human pressure conditions. The results showed that the stand was characterized by high growing stock, with stable growth over the entire period. The silver fir was the dominant tree species, but the Scots pine and pedunculate oak also played an important role. However, the silver fir was abundant in the ingrowth class, whereas the pine and oak were absent or very rare in this stand strata. Noteworthy is the increasing importance of the European hornbeam, which is particularly evident in the ingrowth class; its abundance was twice that of the silver fir. The results clearly demonstrated that within 24 years, the share of light-demanding tree species in the forest clearly decreased, while that of shade-tolerant species clearly increased. Structural parameters showed a moderate tree-size diversity, despite the high species richness of the forest. This was mainly the result of selection cuttings, which clearly decreased tree-size variability after the second period of study. However, selection cuttings did not favor regeneration establishment, especially that of light-demanding tree species, whose role in the stand is assumed to be only minor in the future. The relatively high level of volume growth indicated that cutting intensity may be increased. More intense selection cuttings would also improve the stand structure by providing better light conditions for potential regeneration of different tree species, also light-adapted ones

Invasive species in collections on the example of American Cherry

Zadrzewienia śródpolne pełnią istotną rolę w kształtowaniu krajobrazu rolniczego, a także ograniczają negatywny wpływ zmian klimatu na środowisko. Tworzeniu nowych zadrzewień miały służyć m.in. programy rolnośrodowiskowe. Zakładanie zadrzewień śródpolnych jest zadaniem niełatwym wymagającym sporej wiedzy i doświadczenia. Projektując skład gatunkowy zadrzewienia należy wystrzegać się inwazyjnych gatunków obcych. Celem artykułu jest wyjaśnienie na przykładzie czeremchy amerykańskiej powodów, dla których gatunki inwazyjne nie powinny być wykorzystywane w zadrzewieniach i zalesieniach. Czeremcha amerykańska jest konkurencyjna w stosunku do rodzimych gatunków drzew i krzewów, ale i dla roślin zielnych. Wysoka i coroczna zdolność do obfitego owocowania czeremchy amerykańskiej i jej cechy użytkowe (np. miododajność) spowodowały, że jest ona nadal powszechnie produkowana jako materiał ozdobny i zadrzewieniowy w szkółkach komercyjnych. Nie rekomendujemy tego gatunku do nasadzeń w zadrzewieniach i zalesieniach, m.in. ze względu na to, że jest to gatunek inwazyjny, który istotnie zagraża rodzimym ekosystemom. Tam, gdzie to możliwe proponujemy wprowadzanie rodzimej czeremchy zwyczajnej lub innych rodzimych gatunków drzew i krzewów, które z powodzeniem mogą zastąpić niechcianego przybysza zza oceanu.Mid-field shelterbelts play a key role in shaping the agricultural landscape, and also reduce the negative impact of climate change on the environment. The aim of created new tree stands is, among others, agri-environmental programs. Establishing field trees is a difficult task that requires a lot of knowledge and experience. When designing the species composition of trees, one should avoid invasive alien species. The aim of this article is to explain the reasons why invasive species should not be used in planting and afforestation, using the example of the black cherry. The black cherry is competitive in relation to native species of trees and shrubs, but also to herbaceous plants. Due to the high and annual capacity for abundant fruiting of the black cherry and its functional features (e.g. honey yield), it is still widely produced as ornamental and planting material in commercial nurseries. We do not recommend this species for planting in wooded and afforested areas. Where possible, we suggest introducing native black cherry or other native species of trees and shrubs that can successfully replace an unwanted stranger from overseas

Effect of Irrigation Dose on Powdery Mildew Incidence and Root Biomass of Sessile Oaks (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.)

The sessile oak is one of the most significant forest tree species in Europe. This species is vulnerable to various stresses, among which drought and powdery mildew have been the most serious threats. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of irrigation levels (overhead sprinklers) on the damage caused by powdery mildew to Quercus petraea growing in a nursery setting. Four irrigation rates were used: 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of the full rate. The area of the leaves was measured and the ratio between the dry mass of the roots and the dry mass of the entire plant was calculated after the growing season in years’ 2015 and 2016. Limiting the total amount of water provided to a level between 53.6 mm × m−2 and 83.6 mm × m−2, particularly in the months when total precipitation was low (VII and VIII 2015), a supplemental irrigation rate between 3 and 9 mm × m−2 resulted in a lower severity of oak powdery mildew on leaves and lead to a favorable allocation of the biomass of the sessile oak seedlings to the root system. The severity of infection on oak leaf blades was lower when irrigation rates were reduced. The greatest mean degree of infestation in 2015 was noted in the 100% irrigation rate (14.6%), 75% (6.25%), 50% (4.35%) and 25% (5.47%). In 2016, there was no significant difference between the mean area of leaves infected by powdery mildew depending on the applied irrigation rate. The shoot-root biomass rate showed greater variation under limited irrigation rates. Controlling the irrigation rate can become an effective component of integrated protection strategies against this pathogen

Communities of Fungi in Black Cherry Stumps and Effects of Herbicide

So far, there have been no studies on fungal communities in Prunus serotina (black cherry) wood. Our objectives were to characterize fungal communities from P. serotina wood and to evaluate effects of glyphosate (Glifocyd 360 SL) used on P. serotina stumps on abundance, species richness and diversity of those communities. In August 2016, in the Podanin Forest District, stumps of black cherry trees left after felling were treated with the herbicide. Control stumps were treated with water. Wood discs were cut from the surface of the stumps in May and July–August 2017. Eight treatment combinations (2 herbicide treatments × 2 disc sizes × 2 sample times) were tested. Sub-samples were pooled and ground in an acryogenic mill. Environmental DNA was extracted with a Plant Genomic DNA Purification Kit. The ITS1, 5.8S rDNA region was used to identify fungal species, using primers ITS1FI2 5′-GAACCWGCGGARGGATCA-3′ and 5.8S 5′-CGCTGCGTT CTTCATCG-3′. The amplicons were sequenced using the Illumina system. The results were subjected to bioinformatic analysis. Sequences were compared with reference sequences from the NCBI database using the BLASTn 2.8.0 algorithm. Abundance of fungi was defined as the number of Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), and diversity as the number of species in a sample. Differences between the number of OTUs and taxa were analyzed using the chi-squared test (χ2). Diversity in microbial communities was compared using diversity indices. A total of 54,644 OTUs were obtained. Culturable fungi produced 49,808 OTUs (91.15%), fungi not known from culture had 2571 OTUs (4.70%), non-fungal organisms had 1333 (2.44%) and organisms with no reference sequence in NCBI, 934 OTUs (1.71%). The total number of taxa ranged from 120 to 319. Fungi in stump wood were significantly more abundant in July–August than in May, in stumps >5 cm diameter than in stumps <5 cm diameter, in glyphosate-treated than in untreated stumps when sampled in May, and in untreated than in glyphosate-treated stumps when sampled in July–August. Species richness was significantly greater in July–August than in May, and in stumps >5 cm diameter than in stumps <5 cm diameter, either treated or untreated, depending on size. Herbicides can therefore affect the abundance and diversity of fungal communities in deciduous tree wood. The greater frequency of Ascomycota in herbicide-treated than in untreated stumps indicates their greater tolerance of glyphosate

Does the Reaction of Inflorescences and Flowers of the Invasive <i>Prunus serotina</i> Ehrh. to Various Herbicides Give Hope for Elimination of This Species from Polish Forests?

The North American Prunus serotina Ehrh. is an invasive neophyte widespread in Polish forests. Due to the negative impact of this species on native vegetation, the most effective methods of its removal from the stands have been searched for. Our research aimed to determine whether herbicides that were applied in spring 2020 influenced morphological features of inflorescences and flowers of P. serotina in the next year of vegetation (i.e., 2021). So far, the effects of herbicides used were analysed in the same year, no later than a few weeks after their application. The experiment was carried out on the research area of 2.7 ha located in the Zielonka Forest near Poznań in Poland (N 52.5330, E 17.1015). The response of 39 P. serotina trees to six different herbicides, containing sulfonylurea derivatives, glyphosate and phenoxy herbicides was investigated. The chemicals were applied directly to the tree, to the holes made in the trunk axis. The plant material included inflorescences from 10 control trees and 29 trees treated with different herbicides. Nine morphological inflorescence and flower features and three ratios were analysed. In total 200 inflorescences and 1000 flowers were measured. Statistically significant differences between inflorescence and flower features collected from trees treated with different herbicides were demonstrated. The largest ranges of values of the studied features were found in inflorescences and flowers collected from the control trees (C-WI, C-DWH). The greatest variability of the studied features was found for C-DWH. Compared to the control trees the reduction in inflorescence size, as well as the smaller number of flowers, were recorded in the trees treated with different herbicides, irrespective of an active substance content. The use of six different herbicides—with different active substance contents to control P. serotina proves to be effective