Search Results (20)

Ulmus glabra Huds. is a mesophilic, montane broadleaf tree with high ecological value, commonly found in temperate riparian and floodplain forests across Türkiye. Its populations in Türkiye have declined due to anthropogenic disturbances and climatic pressures that cause habitat fragmentation and threaten the species’ long-term survival. In this research, we used Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) to build species distribution models (SDMs) and applied the Restoration Planner (RP) tool to identify and prioritize critical restoration sites under both current and projected climate scenarios (SSP245, SSP370, SSP585). The SDMs highlighted areas of high suitability, primarily along the Black Sea coast. Future projections show that habitat fragmentation and shifts in suitable areas are expected to worsen. To systematically compare restoration options across different future scenarios, we derived and applied four spatial network status indicators using the RP tool. Specifically, we calculated Restoration Pixels (REST_PIX), Average Distance of Restoration Pixels from the Network (AVDIST_RP), Change in Equivalent Connected Area (ΔECA), and Restoration Efficiency (EFFIC) using the RP tool. For the 1 <-> 2 restoration pathways, the highest efficiency (EFFIC = 38.17) was recorded under present climate conditions. However, the largest improvement in connectivity (ΔECA = 60,775.62) was found in the 4 <-> 5 pathway under the SSP585 scenario, though this required substantial restoration effort (REST_PIX = 385). Temporal analysis noted that the restoration action will have most effectiveness between 2040 and 2080, while between 2081 and 2100, increased habitat fragmentation can severely undermine ecological connectivity. The result indicates that incorporation of habitat suitability modeling into restoration planning can help to design cost-effective restoration actions for degraded land. Moreover, the approach used herein provides a reproducible framework for the enhancement of species sustainability and habitat connectivity under varying climate conditions. Full article

Elms (Ulmus spp.) are widely spread in the forest, shelter belts, and urban landscaping. This research aimed to reveal the trends of Ulmus sp. health in Ukraine under biotic damage. The tasks included: (i) analyzing the presence of Ulmus sp. in the forests; (ii) studying the dynamics of Ulmus sp. health for 2001–2015 in the monitoring plots in the frame of the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP-Forests); (iii) assessing the prevalence of the dominant biotic factors affecting elm health and the probability of tree death or recovery. As a result of research, elms were found in 3.58% of the area in the stands with other main forest-forming species in the forests subordinated to the State Specialized Forest Enterprise «Forests of Ukraine». Four elm species are present in the forests of all regions of Ukraine. In the Forest zone, U. minor predominates, U. glabra is more common in the western part of the country, and U. pumila in the southern and eastern regions. In the ICP-Forests monitoring plots for 2001–2015, a trend of elm deterioration in 2007–2012 was found. The highest incidence of trees with disease symptoms was recorded for U. pumila. In the sample plots for 2023–2024, the health of three elm species tended to deteriorate. In 2024, mortality occurred among all elm species with symptoms of Dutch elm disease (DED) and among U. pumila trees with symptoms of wetwood. However, several trees have recovered. The results show the gaps in our knowledge that need to be filled, particularly in identifying resistant individuals and using their progeny to create resistant stands. Full article

‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi’ (16SrV-A) is the causal agent of elm yellows (EY), a lethal and/or decline disease of several Ulmus (elm) species and hybrids in North America and Europe. In this study, field observations and PCR assays were used to detect phytoplasma infections in diseased U. minor, U. pumila and U. glabra trees in southern Italy. Also, a multigene sequence analysis employing various less conserved genes was carried out to explore the genetic variation in detected strains. All the symptomatic elm trees tested were infected with ‘Ca. Phytoplasma ulmi’. No other phytoplasmas or variants could be detected. Although ‘Ca. Phytoplasma ulmi’ was already known to occur in southern Italy on European field elm, the current work expands the information on the presence, disease incidence and severity, plant host range and molecular aspects of EY phytoplasma strains occurring in southern Italy. In addition, this is the first report from Italy on the molecular characterization of EY phytoplasma strains through map, imp and groEL gene sequence and phylogenetic analyses. Among the newly detected EY phytoplasma strains, some proved distantly related to each other and to other previously characterized EY phytoplasma strains within the genes examined. This implies the presence of distinct taxonomic entities within the material examined. The occurrence of different strains was not linked to the biological traits and geographical distribution. However, the data obtained may provide a basis for further studies aimed at elucidating several other unknown aspects of the EY agent, knowledge of which is essential for effective disease management and control strategies. The results of the current work also show that the EY phytoplasma is particularly widespread in southern Italy and is of considerable economic and ecological relevance. Full article

Understanding how climate change influences the geographical distribution of species within an ecological niche is essential for predicting habitat shifts and informing conservation efforts. This study evaluates the impact of climate change on habitat suitability and ecological connectivity of wych elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.) in Türkiye. The study explores the future distribution of U. glabra and how its connectivity is affected by habitat fragmentation arising from changing climatic conditions. Contextually, this paper aims to achieve two primary objectives: estimating the potential geographical ranges of U. glabra under different climate scenarios and assessing alterations in ecological connections between current and future habitats. The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model was used along with Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), and the Probability of Connectivity (PC) index was applied to show possible transformations in distribution patterns of U. glabra over time. The findings suggest that there will be a reduction in the suitability of locations for the species. Moreover, it is expected that under future climate scenarios, ecological connectivity will decline, especially from 2061 to 2100 in the SSP585 scenario. Notably, significant alterations are anticipated during the latter half of the twenty-first century, mainly outside the coastal areas of the Black Sea, where extensive regions would become unsuitable. Additionally, the species is projected to shift its range, decreasing its presence in inland regions while expanding along the coasts. The results show the vulnerability of this species against climate change, thereby demanding adaptive conservation measures to preserve it within the forest ecosystems of Türkiye. Full article

Urbanization and urban regeneration can significantly impact cultural heritage, but a greater knowledge of the past natural and historical features is needed to value the past and understand the present. The lost Villa Peretti Montalto in Rome, once located in the area that corresponds to the current front side of Termini station, deserves great attention due to its cultural value. This work aimed to provide a floristic and functional reconstruction of the gardens of the villa during the XVI and XVII Centuries. From several bibliographic and iconographic sources, a critical analysis and interpretation of plant names was conducted. A list of 87 species and their location in the different garden sectors, during different periods with their specific uses, is provided. The arboreal design was made by classical species in the Roman context, like Cupressus sempervirens, Pinus pinea, Quercus ilex, and Ulmus glabra. In addition, ancient lost varieties of fruit trees (mainly Pyrus communis and Ficus carica) and several species of conservation interest were found. The knowledge of the ancient flora in historical gardens could be a key tool in urban greenery planning and touristic and cultural valorization. Full article

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have been considered an important source of curative remedy for many years due to their potential chemical components which can promote health and prevent diseases. According to TCM, influenza is differentiated into two kinds, namely, wind-cold syndrome and wind-heat syndrome. Many traditional Chinese medicinal plants have been found to exert impacts against both cold and influenza viruses. This article included randomized control experiments, observational and analytical designs, and review articles which have been searched in Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The most important antiviral herbs for cold and flu are honey-suckle flowers (Lonicera periclymenum L.), thyme leaf (Thymus vulgaris L.), green chireta (Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. Ex Nees), Calendula (Calendua officinalis L.), and peppermints leaf and oil (Mentha piperita L.). The most notable expectorant herbs for cold and flu are snake root (Ageratina altissima (L.) R.King & H.Rob), tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.), licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra Muhl) and marshmallow osha root (Althea officinalis L.), clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry), and sage leaf (Salvia officinalis L.). Immunostimulant herbs for cold and flu are eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globuls Labill), Echinacea root (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench), ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey), garlic (Allium sativum L.), marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.), Isatis root (Isatis tinctoria L.), ginger root (Zingiber officinale Rosc), and myrrh resin (Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl.). The most famous and practical herbal prescriptions from China are Jinchai, Rorrico, Ge Gen Decoction, Gegen Qinlian Decoction, Xin-Jia-Xiang-Ru-Yin, Yi-Zhi-Hao pellet, IMOD, and Arbidol combinations. Traditional Chinese medicinal plants and herbs with antiviral activities and prescriptions which are common in China can be considered for prevention and treatment of influenza and cold. Full article

Radial increment objectively reflects the quality of the assimilation apparatus of a woody plant. Its features indicate the influence of various anthropogenic, biotic and abiotic factors as well as the stability of the plant under stress. The aim of this study was to survey the long-term dynamics of the radial growth of six tree species: Betula pendula, Ulmus glabra, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Picea abies and Pinus silvestris, depending on the impact of creating a reservoir and the fluctuations of the water level in it. Additionally, another aim was to determine whether there is a dependence between the annual radial increment of these tree species and the change in the temperature factor during the growing season. We studied cores of trees growing in a park on the coast of the Sheksna river, the level of which is regulated by the water level in the Rybinsk Reservoir and changes along with it. This research presents the dynamics of the annual radial growth of Betula pendula over 59 years, Ulmus glabra over 50 years, Quercus robur over 59 years, Tilia cordata over 82 years, Picea abies over 128 years and Pinus silvestris over 125 years. The average annual radial growth decreases in the series Ulmus glabra > Betula pendula, Quercus robur > Tilia cordata > Picea abies > Pinus silvestris. The radial increase does not correlate with the annual water level in the Rybinsk Reservoir. However, years with extreme minimum and maximum reservoir filling affect the radial growth of Quercus robur (r = 0.56) and Tilia cordata (r = 0.52). It was found that after the creation of the reservoir, the radial increment of Picea abies was significantly reduced by 1.10 mm. The clearest dependence of ring width index was obtained for Picea abies on temperature in May (r = −0.30 at p ≤ 0.05) and for Pinus sylvestris on temperature in July (r = −0.25 at p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, a weak correlation of ring width index with temperature in some months was noted for deciduous trees. Picea abies is notable for its particular display of moderate inverse correlation to the radial growths of other trees. Full article

Priority habitat types (HTs) within the Natura 2000 network are of the highest importance for conservation in Europe. However, they often occur in smaller areas and their conservation status is not well understood. One such HT is that of the Tilio–Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines (9180*). The Natura 2000 study site, Boč–Haloze–Donačka gora, in the Sub-Pannonian region of eastern Slovenia is characterized by a matrix of European beech forests and includes rather small, fragmented areas covered by Tilio–Acerion forests. The goal of this research was to examine the heterogeneity and conservation status of the selected HT through field mapping, which was performed in the summer of 2020. As the conservation of HT calls for a more detailed approach, we distinguished between the following four pre-defined habitat subtypes: (i) Acer pseudoplatanus-Ulmus glabra stands growing mostly in concave terrain, (ii) Fraxinus excelsior stands growing on slopes, (iii) Tilia sp. stands with thermophilous broadleaves occurring on ridges and slopes, (iv) Acer pseudoplatanus stands occurring on more acidic soils with an admixture of Castanea sativa. Field mapping information was complemented with the assessment of habitat subtype characteristics using remote sensing data. The results showed that habitat subtypes differed significantly in terms of area, tree species composition, forest stand characteristics, relief features and the various threats they experienced (e.g., fragmentation, tree mortality, ungulate browsing pressure). The differences between subtypes were also evident for LiDAR-derived environmental factors related to topography (i.e., terrain steepness and Topographic Position Index). This study provides a baseline for setting more realistic objectives for the conservation management of priority forest HTs. Due to the specificities of each individual habitat subtype, conservation activities should be targeted to the Natura 2000 habitat subtype level. Full article

The conservation of genetic resources in cryocollections requires reliable protocols for the cryopreservation and the regeneration of the preserved material. With Ulmus glabra, the regeneration of thawed buds by in vitro organogenesis has suffered from low shoot growth and high contamination rates. The dehydration of the buds before cryopreservation improved the shoot growth rate and ameliorated the contamination rate of in vitro cultures initiated from thawed buds, although the degree of success varied depending on the donor tree. Full article

Ophiostoma novo-ulmi continues to be one of the most dangerous invasive fungi, destroying many autochthonous elm forests and cultures throughout the world. Searching for natural genotypes tolerant to Dutch elm disease (DED) is one of the main objectives of silviculturists all over the northern hemisphere in order to save the susceptible elms and to restore their ecosystem biodiversity. In this regard, the first trial was established between 1991 and 1994, in south-west Romania (Pădurea Verde, Timișoara), using three elm species (Ulmus minor, U. glabra, and U. laevis) with 38 provenances. A local strain of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi was used to artificially inoculate all elm variants and the DED evolution was observed. Furthermore, in 2018–2021 the trial was inventoried to understand the local genotype reaction to DED in the local environmental conditions after almost 30 years. The outcomes of the present study proved the continuous presence of the infections in the comparative culture and its proximity, but the identified pathogen had a new hybrid form (found for the first time in Romania) between O. novo-ulmi ssp. americana x O. novo-ulmi ssp. novo-ulmi. Wych elm (U. glabra) was extremely sensitive to DED: only 12 trees (out of 69 found in 2018) survived in 2021, and only one tree could be selected according to the adopted health criteria (resistance and vigour). The field elm (U. minor) was sensitive to the pathogen, but there were still individuals that showed good health status and growth. In contrast, the European white elm (U. laevis) proved constant tolerance to DED: only 15% had been found dead or presented severe symptoms of dieback. Overall, the results of this study report the diverse reactions of the Romanian regional elm genotypes to DED over the last three decades, providing promising perspectives for improving the presence of elms in the forest ecosystems of the Carpathian basin. Full article

The aim of this study was to investigate fungal communities associated with leaves and roots of healthy-looking and declining U. glabra trees. The study was expected to demonstrate whether and how the diversity and composition of fungal communities change in these functional tissues following the infection by Dutch elm disease-causing fungi. The study sites included six U. glabra sites in Lithuania, where leaves and roots were sampled. DNA was isolated from individual samples, amplified using ITS2 rRNA as a marker, and subjected to high-throughput sequencing. The sequence analysis showed the presence of 32,699 high-quality reads, which following clustering, were found to represent 520 non-singleton fungal taxa. In leaves, the fungal species richness was significantly higher in healthy-looking trees than in diseased ones (p < 0.05). In roots, a similar comparison showed that the difference was insignificant (p > 0.05). The most common fungi in all samples of roots were Trichocladium griseum (32.9%), Penicillium restrictum (21.2%), and Unidentified sp. 5238_7 (12.6%). The most common fungi in all samples of leaves were Trichomerium sp. 5238_8 (12.30%), Aureobasidium pullulans (12.03%), Cladosporium sp. 5238_5 (11.73%), and Vishniacozyma carnescens (9.86%). The results showed that the detected richness of fungal taxa was higher in samples collected from healthy-looking trees than from diseased ones, thereby highlighting the negative impact of the Dutch elm disease on the overall fungal diversity. Full article

Stable isotope approaches are widely applied in plant science and many improvements made in the field focus on the analysis of specific components of plant tissues. Although technical developments have been very beneficial, sample collection and preparation are still very time and labor-consuming. The main objective of this study was to create a qualitative dataset of alpha-cellulose content of leaf tissues of arboreal species. We extracted alpha-cellulose from twelve species: Abies alba Mill., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Fagus sylvatica L., Larix decidua Mill., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Pinus sylvestris L., Quercus cerris L., Quercus petrea (Matt.) Liebl., Quercus pubescens Wild., Quercus robur L., Tilia platyphyllos Scop. and Ulmus glabra Huds. While these species show an increase in cellulose yield from bud break to full leaf development, the rates of increase in cellulose content and the duration of the juvenile phase vary greatly. Moreover, the veins display significantly higher alpha-cellulose content (4 to 11%) compared to blade tissues, which reflects their different structural and biochemical functions. A guide for the mass of sample material required to yield sufficient alpha-cellulose for a standard stable isotope analysis is presented. The additional benefits of the assessment of the mass of required sample material are reduced sample preparation time and its usefulness in preparing samples of limited availability (e.g., herbarium material, fossil samples). Full article

Tetraneura (Tetraneurella) nigriabdominalis (Sasaki, 1899) is a holocyclic and heteroecious species widely distributed throughout the world. Its primary hosts are various elm species, on which it forms galls. The results of this study complement those of previous research on the development of T. nigriabdominalis on primary hosts. Our research was conducted on two elm species, Ulmus minor and Ulmus glabra, at three locations and for three successive seasons between 2017 and 2019. Fundatrices hatched between 27 April and 12 May. The first galls were observed 6–8 days after the hatching date of the fundatrices. On average, there were 1–7.5 galls on one leaf. The highest abundances of T. nigriabdominalis galls were found in the medial and basal parts of the leaf blades. The fundatrices matured within 12–21 days after hatching and produced nymphs within 2–3 weeks. The fecundity of the fundatrices was influenced by the temperature in April, the size of the laminae, and the size of the galls. The females developing on U. glabra were more fecund (2–58 nymphs), whereas those developing on U. minor produced 1–29 nymphs. The winged migrants of the second generation appeared between late May and late June, when the first cracks on the galls were also observed. The entire development of two aphid generations on the primary host was temperature-dependent and lasted from four to almost six weeks. Our results show that U. glabra and U. minor are suitable hosts for T. nigriabdominalis. The development of aphids proceeded similarly on both tree species. Temperature, especially in April, significantly influenced the duration of individual developmental phases and the fecundity of fundatrices. Full article

Three aphid species, Eriosoma ulmi (L.), Colopha compressa (Koch) and Tetraneura ulmi (L.) induce distinct gall morphotypes on Ulmus glabra Huds.; opened and closed galls. Because the trophic relationship of aphids and their galls shows that throughout the gall formation aphids can elicit multiple physiological regulations, we evaluated the changes of hydrogen peroxide content (H₂O₂), cytoplasmic membrane condition, expressed as electrolyte leakage (E_L) and concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), as well as, the activity of catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in gall tissues, as well as, in damaged and undamaged parts of galled leaves. All aphid species increased E_L from gall tissues and significantly upregulated APX activity in galls and galled leaves. Alterations in H₂O₂ and TBARS concentrations, as well as GPX and CAT activities, were aphid- and tissue-dependent. The development of pseudo- and closed galls on elm leaves did not have a clear effect on the direction and intensity of the host plant’s physiological response. The different modes of changes in H₂O₂, TBARS, CAT and GPX were found in true galls of C. compressa and T. ulmi. Generally, physiological alterations in new plant tissues were quite different compared to other tissues and could be considered beneficial to galling aphids. Full article

Scree forests with large numbers of protected plants and wildlife are seriously threatened by climate change due to more frequent drought episodes, which cause challenges for very stony, shallow soils. The effect of environmental factors on the radial growth of five tree species—European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), and mountain elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.)—was studied in the mixed stands (105–157 years) in the western Krkonoše Mountains (Czech Republic) concerning climate change. These are communities of maple to fir beechwoods (association Aceri-Fagetum sylvaticae and Luzulo-Abietetum albae) on ranker soils at the altitude 590–700 m a.s.l. Production, structure, and biodiversity were evaluated in seven permanent research plots and the relationships of the radial growth (150 cores) to climatic parameters (precipitation, temperature, and extreme conditions) and air pollution (SO₂, NO_X, ozone exposure). The stand volume reached 557–814 m³ ha⁻¹ with high production potential of spruce and ash. The radial growth of beech and spruce growing in relatively favorable habitat conditions (deeper soil profile and less skeletal soils) has increased by 16.6%–46.1% in the last 20 years. By contrast, for sycamore and ash growing in more extreme soil conditions, the radial growth decreased by 12.5%–14.6%. However, growth variability increased (12.7%–29.5%) for all tree species, as did the occurrence of negative pointer years (extremely low radial growth) in the last two decades. The most sensitive tree species to climate and air pollution were spruce and beech compared to the resilience of sycamore and ash. Spectral analysis recorded the largest cyclical fluctuations (especially the 12-year solar cycle) in spruce, while ash did not show any significant cycle processes. The limiting factors of growth were droughts with high temperatures in the vegetation period for spruce and late frosts for beech. According to the degree of extreme habitat conditions, individual tree species thus respond appropriately to advancing climate change, especially to an increase in the mean temperature (by 2.1 °C), unevenness in precipitation, and occurrence of extreme climate events in the last 60 years. Full article