Mechanization techniques for poplar development in Turkey

Annual commercial poplar wood production in Turkey is about 3.6 million cubic meters, half of which comes from hybrid poplar I-214. The poplar plantation areas of Turkey are 70% of the poplar plantation areas of the Near and Middle Eastern countries, and nearly 5% of the world. In this study, unit times of standard operations were investigated in poplar nurseries and plantations in which new mechanical technology was applied and compared with traditional methods. Analyses of unit times were made on 11 treatments for poplar nurseries and nine treatments for poplar plantations; some new methods are also recommended. Mechanization methods based on new technologies give promising results in poplar nurseries and plantations.     

A methodology for assessing gamebird use of short rotation coppice

Gamebirds provide a considerable incentive to plant and manage new woodlands. The supplementary income thus generated can improve their overall value. Other studies suggest that Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) crops may provide an attractive habitat for some gamebird species and could increase the value of the crop. To investigate this, the use by pheasants and partridge of different types of SRC at one site was assessed.

A method using sand quadrats to record gamebird footprints and hence relative use was developed. Pheasant footprints were recorded more frequently in the quadrats alongside the willow coppice, whereas partridge footprints occurred more frequently alongside the poplar coppice. Footprint analysis offers a reliable method of investigating how gamebirds use different types of SRC within small areas. The results are considered in terms of the placement of short rotation coppice plantations in the landscape to improve their ecological design.     

A Degeneration Gradient of Poplar Trees Contributes to the Taxonomic,Functional, and Resistome Diversity of Bacterial Communities in Rhizosphere Soils

Bacterial communities associated with roots influence the health and nutrition of the host plant. However, the microbiome discrepancy are not well understood under different healthy conditions. Here, we tested the hypothesis that rhizosphere soil microbial diversity and function varies along a degeneration gradient of poplar, with a focus on plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) and antibiotic resistance genes. Comprehensive metagenomic analysis including taxonomic investigation, functional detection, and ARG (antibiotics resistance genes) annotation revealed that available potassium (AK) was correlated with microbial diversity and function. We proposed several microbes, Bradyrhizobium, Sphingomonas, Mesorhizobium, Nocardioides, Variovorax, Gemmatimonadetes, Rhizobacter, Pedosphaera, Candidatus Solibacter, Acidobacterium, and Phenylobacterium, as candidates to reflect the soil fertility and the plant health. The highest abundance of multidrug resistance genes and the four mainly microbial resistance mechanisms (antibiotic efflux, antibiotic target protection, antibiotic target alteration, and antibiotic target replacement) in healthy poplar rhizosphere, corroborated the relationship between soil fertility and microbial activity. This result suggested that healthy rhizosphere soil harbored microbes with a higher capacity and had more complex microbial interaction network to promote plant growing and reduce intracellular levels of antibiotics. Our findings suggested a correlation between the plant degeneration gradient and bacterial communities, and provided insight into the role of high-turnover microbial communities as well as potential PGPB as real-time indicators of forestry soil quality, and demonstrated the inner interaction contributed by the bacterial communities.     

杨树叶片的微观结构及拉伸特性

观察了杨树(Ponulus hopeiensis)叶片的微观结构,测定了叶片叶脉和叶肉的拉伸性能,分析了叶片拉伸特性与微观结构之间的关系。结果表明:杨树叶片的叶脉是由表皮组织、薄壁组织、维管束及其周围的机械组织构成的多孔、蜂窝状的复合结构;叶肉主要是由栅栏组织和海绵组织组成的分层结构。杨树叶片主脉和附带叶肉的主脉具有不同的拉伸性能,附带的叶肉越宽,最大拉力越大;叶片具有一定的强度,其承载能力主要取决于叶脉中表皮组织、维管束及机械组织的发达程度。本研究可为工程仿生的抗疲劳设计提供有益参考。     

Effect of nitrogen–phosphorus fire retardant blended with Mg(OH)2/Al(OH)3 and nano‐SiO2 on fire‐retardant behavior and hygroscopicity of poplar

The aim of the study was to screen any possible synergistic effects related to the combination of nitrogen–phosphorus fire retardant and Mg(OH)₂/Al(OH)_3. This combination is used to improve fire performance, especially smoke suppression of poplar through ultrasonic wave impregnation after microwave treatment. In this study, nano‐SiO₂ was used to impregnate poplar treated with nitrogen–phosphorus fire retardant and form a hydrophobic layer on wood cells in order to improve hygroscopicity and reduce water uptake. Cone tests and thermal analysis showed that poplar treated with blended fire retardant had improved behavior. Results show that a 20% and 25% nitrogen–phosphorus fire‐retardant solution (blended by adding 10% Mg(OH)₂/Al(OH)₃ based on the dry weight of nitrogen–phosphorus fire retardant) was more effective for smoke suppression. The heat release rate, total heat release, and total smoke production of a 25% nitrogen–phosphorus fire‐retardant solution blended by adding 10% Mg(OH)₂/Al(OH)₃ showed significant reduction. The char residual yield showed a marked increase to 35.5%. Fourier transform infrared analysis suggested a –CH₂–Si–CH₂– and Si–O–C stretching vibration in nano‐SiO₂ treated poplar, which greatly decreased the hygroscopicity of fire‐retardant‐treated poplar. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trade‐Offs in Seed Dispersal Strategies Across Riparian Trees: The How Matters as Much as the When

Riparian Salicaceae are prolific producers of short‐lived seeds that require very restrictive hydro‐geomorphic conditions for establishment. It is generally assumed that if floods are able to create nursery sites timed with seed dispersal, recruitment will occur. Other spatial and temporal seed dispersal patterns besides the dispersal period have historically received little attention. However, seed dispersal patterns can be highly variable between regions, species and over the years. In this paper, we report the seed dispersal patterns of three dominant riparian Salicaceae trees in Europe: Populus alba, P. nigra and Salix alba to suggest possible trade‐offs between seed dispersal patterns, germinability, longevity and establishment. Seed rain of the three species was monitored in 33 glue‐coated traps for three months yearly from 2006 to 2008 in an 8‐km stretch of the Middle Ebro River (N Spain), which has a pluvio‐nival regime. P. alba dispersed seeds earlier during a shorter time period and with a fewer number of seed release pulses compared with P. nigra, and especially with S. alba. With overlapping seed dispersal periods, the two latter species occupy similar landform units but rarely compete with P. alba, usually at higher elevations, as shown in a previous study in the same study area. The three species had very high germinability immediately after release (>90%), but longevity in S. alba was eight times shorter than that of its two Populus counterparts. We suggest that S. alba has compensated its lower seed quality with a more spaced seed release in several pulses of similar magnitude. With similar seed dispersal patterns and germinability but a higher longevity, P. nigra had a much higher density of individuals than S. alba in the recruitment zones of the study area. We hope that our results may inform river managers about how to optimize river flows to promote sexual regeneration of these species. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrochemical conversion of switchgrass and poplar in molten carbonate direct carbon fuel cell

One way of sustaining fuel cell technology is using renewable and sustainable energy means provided by biomass. This article explores switchgrass and poplar in a molten carbonate electrolyte direct carbon fuel cell. It investigates their electrochemical conversions and provides results of power density, current density, open circuit voltage (OCV) and other parameters. The biomasses were pyrolysed at 800°C to produce carbon fuels. Biomass carbon fuels were mixed with molten carbonate and subjected to different operating conditions (600–800°C) in the fuel cell. The electrochemical performances of the poplar fuel were better than those experienced with switchgrass fuel. At 800°C the OCV of poplar fuel (1.08?V) has higher output than switchgrass (0.87?V). The peak power density recorded for poplar fuel was 23.91?mW/cm² while switchgrass fuel was lower at 21.60?mW/cm². Poplar fuel (81.53?mA/cm²) gave a maximum current density with switchgrass fuel lower at 74.00?mA/cm².     

杨木APMP制浆废液化学成分的分析

对杨木APMP制浆废液的组分进行了定性和定量分析.结果表明,杨木APMP制浆废液的固含量为12.3％,废液的主要成分为半纤维素、木素、抽出物和无机物,其相对含量分别为54％、17％、14％和15％.杨木APMP制浆废液甲基叔丁基醚(MTBE)抽出物的气相液相质谱仪(GSMS)分析结果显示,抽出物中含有25种物质,其中小分子羟基酸和木素降解产物的含量分别为12％和50％.脂肪酸和甾醇是杨木APMP制浆废液亲脂性抽出物的主要成分,含量分别为29％和9％.     

自水解预处理对杨木聚木糖分布的影响

采用免疫荧光标记法结合共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)研究了自水解强度对杨木聚木糖分布的影响。结果表明,聚木糖荧光信号较均匀地分布于杨木纤维细胞壁中,随强度因子的增大细胞壁中心部位荧光信号下降逐渐增多,细胞壁边缘荧光信号下降较少,有些部位甚至会稍许增加。采用高效液相色谱(HPLC)检测法测得强度因子增强到3.72时,聚木糖含量从原料的14.64%下降到7.33%;对聚木糖荧光图谱进行区域强度统计,可得出与HPLC检测法结果相同的变化趋势。