Search Results (28)

Deforestation driven by plantations, such as Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. et Cham., is a major cause of biodiversity and functional loss in tropical ecosystems. We assessed the diversity and composition of lichens and bryophytes in four size categories of pine cones, small (3–5 cm), medium (5.1–8 cm), large (8.1–10 cm), and very large (10.1–13 cm), with a total of 150 pine cones examined, where the occurrence and cover of lichen and bryophyte species were recorded. Identification keys based on morpho-anatomical features were used to identify lichens and bryophytes. In addition, for lichens, secondary metabolites were tested using spot reactions with potassium hydroxide, commercial bleach, and Lugol’s solution, and by examining the specimens under ultraviolet light. To evaluate the effect of pine cone size on species richness, the Kruskal–Wallis test was conducted, and species composition among cones sizes was compared using multivariate analysis. A total of 48 taxa were recorded on cones, including 41 lichens and 7 bryophytes. A total of 39 species were found on very large cones, 37 species on large cones, 35 species on medium cones, and 24 species on small cones. This is comparable to the diversity found in epiphytic communities of pine plantations. Species composition was influenced by pine cone size, differing from small in comparison with very large ones. The PERMANOVA analyses revealed that lichen and bryophyte composition varied significantly among the pine cone categories, explaining 21% of the variance. Very large cones with specific characteristics harbored different communities than those on small pine cones. The presence of lichen and bryophyte species on the pine cones from managed Ecuadorian P. patula plantations may serve as refugia for the conservation of biodiversity. Pine cones and their scales (which range from 102 to 210 per cone) may facilitate colonization of new areas by dispersal agents such as birds and rodents. The scales often harbor lichen and bryophyte propagules as well as intact thalli, which can be effectively dispersed, when the cones are moved. The prolonged presence of pine cones in the environment further enhances their role as possible dispersal substrates over extended periods. To our knowledge, this is the first study worldwide to examine pine cones as substrates for lichens and bryophytes, providing novel insights into their potential role as microhabitats within P. patula plantations and forest landscapes across both temperate and tropical zones. Full article

The discharge of textile wastewater (TWW) into the environment releases multiple toxic substances that pose a significant threat to aquatic life. Most studies evaluating wastewater treatment efficiency focus on the removal of parameters, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and colour. One of the processes that has presented high efficiencies in the treatment of TWW is the use of biochar (BC) as an adsorbing material. BC has shown a high ability to remove complex organic substances from water since it is able to decrease the content of COD, TOC, and DOC. However, the toxicity of treated effluents has not been widely studied. In this regard, it is essential to focus not only on the efficiency of treatments in removing organic matter but also on their ability to reduce WW toxicity. This research evaluates the acute toxicity of real TWW treated with Pinus patula BC by using Daphnia pulex as a sentinel species. For this purpose, D. pulex individuals were exposed to TWW and BC-treated TWW for 48 h, with mortality defined as the absence of movement in the limbs and antennas. It was found that although the treatment with P. patula BC for 120 min eliminated 72.8% of the initial DOC under optimal conditions (pH 3 and 13.5 g/L BC dose), the textile effluent remained toxic, inducing 85.7% and 71.4% mortality rates on D. pulex for 100% (v/v) and 50% (v/v) dilutions. Despite the increase in the survival rate of D. pulex individuals due to the protective effect achieved by the constituents contained in the reconstituted 50% (v/v) samples, these findings emphasize the necessity of conducting toxicity studies before considering the discharge of TWW effluents after having been treated. Full article

Bio-oil energy use in agricultural systems provides sustainable solutions for powering machinery operations and heating and cooling environments in facilities. However, its potential in South Africa is constrained by the limited availability of energy substrate that does not compromise food production, land use, and water resources. This study investigated the physical and chemical properties of six invasive alien plant species (IAPs), three woody species (Acacia mearnsii, Eucalyptus grandis, and Pinus patula), and three nonwoody species (Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, and Solanum mauritianum) to assess their suitability for bio-oil production. Key analyses included structural, elemental, proximate, atomic ratio, higher heating value (HHV), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analyses. The results showed that woody IAPs had a significantly higher structural composition (p < 0.05), improving bio-oil yield. The bio-oil can be blended with diesel for agricultural use, while lignin-derived biochar serves as a soil amendment. Higher carbon and hydrogen contents enhanced HHV and combustion, while lower nitrogen and sulfur levels reduced emissions. Despite oxygen hindering pyrolysis, its bioactive properties support crop protection. Compared to South African coal, IAP-derived bio-oil shares similarities with peat coal and could be used for greenhouse heating. This study promotes energy efficiency in agriculture, reduces fossil fuel dependence, and supports environmental sustainability by repurposing IAPs. Additional studies should focus on lignin pretreatment and bio-oil upgrading to reduce oxygenated compounds. Full article

The efficiency of the elimination of malachite green dye (MG) in water was investigated using biochar (BC) obtained from Pinus patula wood pellets (BC-WP). The biomass was gasified, reaching a temperature of 391.07 °C near the reactor wall. During the adsorption tests, three independent factors were considered: the solution pH, BC concentration, and the BC particle size, which were optimized using different study ranges (4–10, 6–12 g/L, and 150–600 μm, respectively) at 30 min of contact time. The response surface methodology was used through a face-centered central composite design for this purpose. The experimental results were analyzed to develop a quadratic regression model that fitted the experimental data achieved. The highest removal percentage of MG by BC-WP (94.25%) was attained under a solution pH of 10, a BC concentration of 12 g/L, and an average BC particle size of 225 μm. Furthermore, the validated regression model was found to explain 94.72% of the obtained results, demonstrating the ability of BC-WP to remove the target dye. Thus, a new and sustainable alternative to conventional systems for treating dye-polluted water is proposed, utilizing the solid by-product of the thermochemical process, contributing to the circular economy. Full article

There is an unexplored knowledge gap regarding the relationship between soil quality and mean annual increment (MAI) in forest plantations in Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed to identify soil quality indicators and their impact on the mean annual increment (MAI) of Pinus patula at Sao Hill (SHFP) and Shume forest plantations (SFP) in Tanzania. The forests were stratified into four site classes based on management records. Tree growth data were collected from 3 quadrat plots at each site, resulting in 12 plots in each plantation, while soil samples were taken from 0 to 40 cm soil depth. Analysis of variance examined the variation in soil quality indicators between site classes at two P. patula plantation sites. Covariance analysis assessed the differences in MAI and stand variables across various site classes, taking into account the differing ages of some stands, with stand age serving as a covariate. Linear regression models explored the relationship between soil quality indicators and MAI, while partial least squares regression predicted MAI using soil quality indicators. The results showed that, at SHFP, sand, organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and available P varied significantly between site classes, while silt, clay, and available P varied significantly at SFP. At SHFP, sand and clay content were positively correlated with MAI, while at SFP, silt content, available P (Avail P), potassium (K), Ca, and Mg showed significant positive correlations. Soil quality indicators, including physical and chemical properties (porosity, clay percentages, sand content, and OC) and only chemical (K, Mg, Avail P, and soil pH) properties were better predictors of the forest mean annual increment at SHFP and SFP, respectively. This study underscores the importance of monitoring the quality of soils in enhancing MAI and developing soil management strategies for long-term sustainability in forests production. Full article

Mytilinidioid fungi are conchiform in nature, with the appearance of bivalve shells or wedge-shaped, rigid, brittle, and carbonaceous hysterothecia growing on the bark of gymnosperms or angiosperms. Based on their morphological characteristics and molecular markers (ITS and LSU), this study describes three new species of mytilinidioid fungi: Ericboehmia mexicana of the family Hysteriaceae of the order Hysteriales and Lophium pinicola and Mytilinidion mexicanum of the family Mytilinidiaceae of the order Mytilinidiales. The first species grows on Liquidambar styracyphlua, the second species grows on Pinus patula, and the third species grows on Acacia californica subsp. pringlei. The specimens studied were deposited in the ENCB Herbarium. Full article

Forest cover is deteriorating rapidly due to anthropogenic causes, making its restoration urgent. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) could offer a viable solution to ensure successful reforestation efforts. This study aimed to select bacterial strains with mechanisms that promote plant growth and enhance seedling development. The bacterial strains used in this study were isolated from the rhizosphere and endophyte regions of Pinus montezumae Lamb. and Pinus patula Schl. et Cham., two Mexican conifer species commonly used for reforestation purposes. Sixteen bacterial strains were selected for their ability to produce auxins, chitinase, and siderophores, perform nitrogen fixation, and solubilize inorganic phosphates; they also harbored genes encoding antimicrobial production and ACC deaminase. The adhesion to seeds, germination rate, and seedling response of P. montezumae and P. patula were performed following inoculation with 10 bacterial strains exhibiting high plant growth-promoting potential. Some strains demonstrated the capacity to enhance seedling growth. The selected strains were taxonomically characterized and belonged to the genus Serratia, Buttiauxella, and Bacillus. These strains exhibited at least two mechanisms of action, including the production of indole-3-acetic acid, biological nitrogen fixation, and phosphate solubilization, and could serve as potential alternatives for the reforestation of affected areas. Full article

The productivity of forests in sub-Saharan Africa is often summarized into large compartments or site classes. However, the classification of forest productivity levels based on the original site index model in Tanzania and the techniques applied to generate the model did not include the micro-toposequence variations within compartments. This may create false expectations of wood supply and hinder the estimation of sustainable harvesting processes. This study analyzed variations in forest productivity and the site index in P. patula stands in two forest plantations of Tanzania to assess the applicability and generality of the present site classification system. We used dominant height as a proxy for forest productivity in 48 plots at the Sao Hill forest plantation (SHFP) and 24 plots at the Shume forest plantation (SFP). We stratified the sampling plots in each site class along the soil catena and recorded the elevation, slope, and slope positions (summit, mid, and lower). Our results showed that the site classes did not generally match the previously assigned site classes and the productivity of a given site class varied between the two plantations. We found a consistently higher productivity than that implied by the original site index in SFP, while in SHFP, the productivity was both higher and lower than estimated in different compartments. Both elevations and slope significantly contributed to predicting the productivity variations within site classes. Overall, the results indicate that physiographic factors affect variations in forest productivity within the assigned site classes. We recommend a more comprehensive site productivity assessment that takes into account physiographic variations and hence provides more accurate information for sustainable forest plantation management in Tanzania and in the region at large. Full article

The feasibility of an adsorbent material like biochar (BC) depends on its regeneration capacity and its ability to achieve high removal efficiencies on real wastewater (WW) effluents. In this study, the regeneration capacity of the Pinus patula BC previously used in the removal of Indigo Carmine from water was evaluated. The regeneration technique that resulted in the highest desorption efficiency was a thermo-chemical method that consisted of heating the spent BC in a stove at 160 °C for 45 min followed by regeneration with ethanol (C₂H₆O) at a concentration of 75% for 6 h. Through this regeneration method, it was found that Pinus patula BC could be used in seven consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles. The feasibility of this BC was also assessed by evaluating the adsorbent’s efficiency in real textile WW. Under optimal operational conditions (solution pH = 3, BC dose = 13.5 g/L, and BC particle size = 300–450 µm), the highest removal efficiencies in terms of colour and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were 81.3 and 76.8%, respectively, for 120 min of treatment. The results obtained in the regeneration studies and the treatment of real textile WW suggested that the use of Pinus patula BC could be suitable to be scaled to an industrial level, contributing to sustainable development and the circular bioeconomy by using a waste to solve the dye pollution problem of another waste. Full article

The invasion of alien and invasive plants into the threatened Amathole Forest in Hogsback, Eastern Cape Province (South Africa) is an emerging priority conservation issue. The objective of this pilot study was to document and compare the foraging visits of two chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) troops in their natural and human habitats and their foraging behavioural activities to understand their potential to disperse ingested alien seeds in Hogsback. We also estimated the number of seeds per faecal sample collected from the foraging trails of the two troops of baboons, and determined potential dispersal distances using allometric equations. Since the focal troops used preferred sleeping and foraging sites, we predicted that these sites would have a high concentration of propagules. We applied the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) to discern possible vegetation cover changes. Overall, the two chacma baboon troops showed a similar number of daily foraging visits, although they preferred to forage more in human-modified than natural habitats. Their feeding and moving activities were significantly greater than other activities recorded during the study. There were significant differences in the numbers of seeds of six different fruiting plant species: 82.2 ± 13.3% (n = 284) for Acacia mearnsii; 78.9 ± 12.1% (n = 231) for Pinus patula, and 64.0 ± 20.0% (n = 108) for Solanum mauritianum. The two baboon troops could transport about 445 536 seeds from the six focal fruiting plant species considered in this study. Baboons’ seed dispersal distances were long at > 5 km per daily foraging activity. The NVDI vegetation cover analysis (i.e., 1978–2023) shows that the dense vegetation cover expanded by 80.9 ha, while the moderate and sparse vegetation cover collectively decreased by 10.3 ha. Although the seed dispersal pattern was neither clumped nor displayed any recognisable pattern, against our prediction, the number of faecal samples containing alien seeds and the observed foraging movement patterns suggest that chacma baboons disperse alien plant seeds that may establish and facilitate the deterioration of the natural forest. Further quantitative studies investigating the diversity of the plant species dispersed, their germination rates after ingestion by baboons, and their seasonal patterns are required to understand the baboon seed dispersal systems in the Amathole forests of Hogsback. Full article

Biochar is a carbonaceous material, which can be decorated with metals, that has been garnering attention to be used in the treatment of water due to its contribution to waste management and circular economy. This study presents the life cycle assessment (LCA) regarding the generation of Pinus patula raw biochar and its modification with iron (Fe-modified biochar). SimaPro 9.3.0.3 software was used to simulate the environmental impacts of both carbonaceous materials. The potential environmental effects obtained from the production of Pinus patula raw biochar were mainly ascribed to the source of energy utilized during this process. The potential impacts demonstrated that the generation of gases and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are the main concern. In the case of Fe-modified biochar, the potential environmental effects differed only in the stage of the biomass modification with the metal. These effects are associated with the extraction of Fe and the generation of wastewater. These findings provide an insight into the environmental effects linked to the production of raw and Fe-modified biochar. However, further LCA research should be performed concerning other materials and compounds than can be generated during the biomass thermochemical conversion. Full article

Lignocellulosic materials are usually processed toward C5 and C6 corresponding sugars. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a pretreatment method to solubilize hemicellulose to sugars such xylose without degrading cellulose. However, this pretreatment has not been compared to other processes. Thus, this paper focuses on the techno-economic comparison of the C5–C6 production of C5–C6 as raw materials platforms using non-centrifuged sugarcane bagasse (NCSB) and Pinus patula wood chips (PP). Hydrolysates using TFA 2.5 M as an acid were characterized through HPLC regarding arabinose, galactose glucose, xylose, and mannose sugars. Then, simulations of the processes according to the experimental results were done. The economic assessment was performed, and compared with some common pretreatments. The mass and energy balances of the simulations indicate that the process can be compared with other pretreatments. From the economic perspective, the main operating expenditures (OpEx) are related to raw materials and capital depreciation due to the cost of TFA corrosion issues. The processes showed a CapEx and OpEx of 0.99 MUSD and 6.59 M-USD/year for NCSB, and 0.97 MUSD and 4.37 MUSD/year for PP, considering a small-scale base (1 ton/h). TFA pretreatment is innovative and promising from a techno-economic perspective. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the tannin content in the bark of five pine species from a forest harvesting area of the Ixtlán de Juárez community, Oaxaca, México. The species studied were Pinus patula, Pinus ayacahuite, Pinus rudis, Pinus douglasiana, Pinus pseudostrobus. The bark samples were subjected to a drying, grinding, and sieving process. These compounds were extracted using two methods: by constant reflux with ethanol for three hours or in a water bath with distilled water for two hours. The percentage of total extract, Stiasny number, and condensed tannins were quantified. The quantitative number of condensed tannins present in the bark for each of the five species studied ranged from 0.65% to 5.14% for the ethanolic extracts and 0.14% to 1.46% for the aqueous extracts. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) identified polyphenolic compounds and functional groups characteristic of tannins. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) provided the elemental analysis and chemical composition of the tannin extracts, respectively, finding trace elements of silver, cadmium, phosphorus, iodine, and sulfur, which are minerals present in the soil, meaning that through processes of micronutrient absorption, these can interact with the tannins or polyphenols in the barks of the tree species being studied. The results indicate that the bark of P. patula and P. ayacahuite have a higher concentration of condensed tannins, 5.14% and 4.71%, respectively, in the ethanol extraction, and may be susceptible to exploitation due to the amount of bark generated in forestry activities. Full article

It is critical to understand the ecological processes of forest dynamics by identifying past forest disturbances to take appropriate management actions. Tree-rings are commonly used for this purpose due to their reliability and accuracy. Here, we used a network of ring-width data distributed along a broad ecological gradient for the spatiotemporal identification of forest disturbances in 15 species of 13 sites of young Mexican conifers. We found different spatial and temporal patterns in the occurrence of forest disturbance. The species with the highest disturbance rates were Pinus patula (Ppa; El Jacalón), Pinus montezumae (Pmo; La Cueva), Pinus hartwegii (Phc; Cerro El Moro), and Pinus teocote (Pts; Rancho Joyas del Durazno) of the Gulf of Mexico, and Pinus ayacahuite (Pay; Corral de los Borregos) of the Mexico Center. The highest number of disturbances was found in 1953, 1956, 1976, and 1980; however, we noted that the number of disturbances tended to increase from 1975 to 1990 and particularly from 2000 onwards. The species close to the Gulf of Mexico presented a higher frequency and severity of disturbances than those located close to the Pacific Ocean. Thus, our results demonstrate a spatiotemporal pattern of disturbance events, which deserves further analysis, including regarding the drivers of disturbance. This knowledge is crucial for a better understanding of the dynamics of contemporary species. Full article

Forest plantations with exotic species in the northwestern Peruvian Andes have brought different ecosystem benefits. The wood productivity in this Páramo region is directly related to the great availability of water from abundant rainfall compared to other regions of the semi-arid Andes. To address the lack of information on forest inventories of plantations in the Páramo region, this study used annual growth rings (dendrochronology) to build new models of tree growth and wood productivity and compared 22-year-old Pinus patula plots with thinning and unthinning treatments. Our results show that late thinning, removing 63% of stem density in the 15th year, does not have significant effects on the diameter increase or stand-level productivity. For these plantations, we propose a management rotation of 21 years with a first thinning treatment (35%) at 5 years and a second thinning treatment (50%) at 12 years. Production at 21 years is expected to be between 194.6 m³ ha⁻¹ and 504.6 m³ ha⁻¹ for stands with low and high wood productivity, respectively. Tree-ring studies are potentially useful for monitoring forest plantations and provide an alternative method for forest managers who use allometric equations to predict silvicultural treatments and to propose management guides for plantations. Full article