Combined Deep Learning and Traditional NLP Approaches for Fire Burst Detection Based on Twitter Posts

The current chapter introduces a procedure that aims at determining regions that are on fire, based on Twitter posts, as soon as possible. The proposed scheme utilizes a deep learning approach for analyzing the text of Twitter posts announcing fire bursts. Deep learning is becoming very popular within different text applications involving text generalization, text summarization, and extracting text information. A deep learning network is to be trained so as to distinguish valid Twitter fire-announcing posts from junk posts. Next, the posts labeled as valid by the network have undergone traditional NLP-based information extraction where the initial unstructured text is converted into a structured one, from which potential location and timestamp of the incident for further exploitation are derived. Analytic processing is then implemented in order to output aggregated reports which are used to finally detect potential geographical areas that are probably threatened by fire. So far, the part that has been implemented is the traditional NLP-based and has already derived promising results under real-world conditions’ testing. The deep learning enrichment is to be implemented and expected to build upon the performance of the existing architecture and further improve it

Phytochrome‐mediated accumulation of free amino acids in radicles of germinating watermelon seeds

The total free amino acid pools in radicles of watermelon seeds, investigated during imbibition of water at 25°C, were higher under the most (darkness) than under the least (continuous broad spectrum far‐red light) favourable light regime for germination. When seeds were imbibed in an appropriate osmotic solution of PEG‐6000 (fully suppressing germination), in darkness or under continuous red or far‐red light, the biochemical analyses of the radicles after 1,2,3 and 4 days from the onset of imbibition show that while the total soluble sugar content remains rather constant in all treatments, significant changes are observed in the total free amino acid pools. After the first day, a considerable increase characterizes the “darkness” pool in contrast to a moderate one under red, while the “far‐red” pool remains constant. Ultimately, at 4 days, the three pools are 190,142 and 123% of the 0 day radicle one. The qualitative free amino acid determination of the 4 day darkness and far‐red pools shows a considerably increased percentage contribution of glutamic acid, arginine and citrulline in the “darkness” pool. The free amino acid increase in non‐illuminated radicles may be correlated to germinability; moreover, it is evidently a phytochrome‐mediated, pre‐germinatory event, probably due to the hydrolysis of proteins (known to be rich in glutamic acid and arginine), stored in the radicle. Copyright © 1984, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserve

Phytochrome‐mediated accumulation of free amino acids in radicles of germinating watermelon seeds

The total free amino acid pools in radicles of watermelon seeds, investigated during imbibition of water at 25°C, were higher under the most (darkness) than under the least (continuous broad spectrum far‐red light) favourable light regime for germination. When seeds were imbibed in an appropriate osmotic solution of PEG‐6000 (fully suppressing germination), in darkness or under continuous red or far‐red light, the biochemical analyses of the radicles after 1,2,3 and 4 days from the onset of imbibition show that while the total soluble sugar content remains rather constant in all treatments, significant changes are observed in the total free amino acid pools. After the first day, a considerable increase characterizes the “darkness” pool in contrast to a moderate one under red, while the “far‐red” pool remains constant. Ultimately, at 4 days, the three pools are 190,142 and 123% of the 0 day radicle one. The qualitative free amino acid determination of the 4 day darkness and far‐red pools shows a considerably increased percentage contribution of glutamic acid, arginine and citrulline in the “darkness” pool. The free amino acid increase in non‐illuminated radicles may be correlated to germinability; moreover, it is evidently a phytochrome‐mediated, pre‐germinatory event, probably due to the hydrolysis of proteins (known to be rich in glutamic acid and arginine), stored in the radicle. Copyright © 1984, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserve

Germination of Anacamptis sancta (Orchidaceae) in nutrient media, water agar and various light regimes

Oikonomidis, S. & Thanos, C. A.: Germination of Anacamptis sancta (Orchidaceae) in nutrient media, water agar and various light regime. [In Magrini, S. & Salmeri, C. (eds), Mediterranean plant germination reports – 3]. Fl. Medit. 31: 271-276. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.7320/FlMedit31.271 The asymbiotic seed germination of orchids is a complex process with considerable technical difficulties, due to the natural requirement of a plant-fungus symbiotic relationship under field conditions. Only on rare occasions, orchid seeds are known to germinate readily in water. Anacamptis sancta is a relatively common orchid species with its main distribution around the East Mediterranean Sea (Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Israel). Germination of A. sancta seeds was tested in different nutrient media, water agar and under various light regimes, in asymbiotic culture. In most experimental conditions tested, high germination percentages were observed with the highest germination (85.5%) obtained with a modified version of Malmgren medium without coconut water, under white light (12/12 h) at 20oC. In this study, results from all the experiments carried out are presented. © 2021 Foundation Pro Herbario Mediterraneo. All rights reserved

Postfire seedling dynamics and performance in Pinus halepensis Mill. populations

Postfire dynamics of Aleppo pine seedling density, survival and growth were assessed in five burned forests of Attica, Greece (Stamata, Villia, Avlona, Kapandriti and Agios Stefanos) through the establishment of permanent experimental plots. All emerging seedlings were tagged and their survival and growth monitored at regular intervals. Seedling density dynamics show an initial, steep increase (to maximum values 2.9-4.6 seedlings m-2) followed by a gradual decrease that levels off at the second and third postfire year (1.3-3.0 seedlings m-2); similarly, postfire seedling survival more or less stabilised at 30-50%, 2-3 years after fire. On the basis of density and mortality trends as well as relevant bibliographic data, it is predicted that very dense, mature forests (10.000 trees ha-1 or more) will be reinstated within 15-20 years. During the first 5-7 postfire years, seedling/sapling annual height followed linear trends with various yearly rates, ranging mostly between 8 and 15 cm (and 27-30 cm in two exceptional, fast growing cases). Within an individual growth season, seedling height dynamics were found to follow sigmoid curves with growth increment peaks in mid-spring. The time (on a monthly basis) of seedling emergence did not affect seedling growth or survival. On the other hand, for the first time under natural conditions, it has been shown that cotyledon number per seedling, an indirect measure of both seed size and initial photosynthetic capacity, significantly affected seedling survival but not growth. Seedlings bearing a higher number of cotyledons, presumably derived from larger seeds, showed greater survival at the end of the first postfire year than seedlings with fewer cotyledons. A postfire selective pressure, favouring large seed size, is postulated to counteract with a contrasting one, which favours small seed size, expressed during fire-free conditions. © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS

Seed afterripening and germination photoinhibition in the genus Crocus (Iridaceae)

Mediterranean characteristics are attributed to the genus Crocus, which is inadequately studied in terms of seed germination. An afterripening requirement is very common in environments with warm and dry periods, and photoinhibition has been detected in many angiosperms inhabiting dry and open areas. The effects of afterripening and light on seed germination were investigated for the first time in 23 native Greek Crocus taxa, collected from various localities with either a Mediterranean or a temperate climate. Germination experiments were conducted in continuous darkness and in light at the optimal temperature for each taxon, with both freshly collected and afterripened seeds; warm stratification (20°C, darkness) was also examined in 22 taxa. A number of selected taxa were additionally investigated with respect to afterripening outdoors, afterripening and warm stratification at higher temperatures (35 and 25°C, respectively), stratification at 20/10°C, dry storage at low temperatures, response to gibberellic acid and phenology of embryo growth. It was postulated that an afterripening requirement is a characteristic of the genus Crocus, and we found that it can be fulfilled in nature during the Mediterranean dry summer. Also, for the vast majority of the taxa, warm stratification and stratification at 20/10°C can both meet the afterripening requirement. Embryos of the taxa studied are underdeveloped and have to grow prior to germination. Intrageneric differences of seed germination were observed only towards light, with photoinhibition being predominant in taxa from drier environments. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015