Endemic Wood Research Articles

Development of allometric equation for the prediction of young Makila (Litsea angulata BI) biomass for handling climate change

Every plant is significantly important in tackling climate change, including Makila (Litsea angulata BI) an endemic wood species found in the forest of Moluccas Provinces. Therefore, this research aimed to examine the role of the Makila plant in tackling climate change by measuring biomass content using constructing an allometric equation. The method used was a destructive sampling, where 40 units of Makila plant at the sampling level were felled, and sorted according to root, stem, branch, rating, and leaf segments. Each segment was weighed both at wet and after drying, followed by a classical assumption test in data processing, and the formulation of an allometric equation. The regression model was examined for normality and suitability in predicting independent variables, ensuring there were no issues with multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, and autocorrelation. The results yielded a multiple linear regression, namely: Y = −1131.146 + 684.799X1 + 4.276X2, where Y is biomass, X1 is the diameter, and X2 is the tree height. Based on the results of the t-test: variable X1 partially affected Y while variable X2 partially had no effect on Y. The F-test indicated that variables X1 and X2 jointly affected Y with R Square: 0.919 or 91.9% and the rest was influenced by other unexplored factors. To simplify biomass prediction and field measurement, a regression equation that used only 1 independent variable, namely tree diameter, was used for the experiment. Allometric equation only used 1 variable, Y = −1,084,626 + 675,090X1, where X1 = tree diameter, Y = Total biomass with R = 0.957, and R2 = 0.915. Considering the potential for time, cost, and energy savings, as well as ease of measurement in the field, the biomass of young Makila trees was simply predicted by measuring the tree diameter and avoiding the height. This method used the strong relationship between biomass, plant diameter, and height to facilitate the estimation of biomass content accurately by entering the results of field measurements.

Additional record of the little known xylophagous endemic wood roach Salganea rehni Roth, 1979 (Blattodea, Blaberidae, Panesthiinae) from the Western Ghats, India with its DNA barcode

The paper presents the record of the poorly known endemic species of wood roach from India after a gap of almost 40 years. In India, discernible work has been done on the DNA barcode of cockroaches including the genus Salganea. This work forms the first mitochondrial DNA barcode for the species Salganea rehni Roth, 1979.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the accelerated expression of genes related to photosynthesis and chlorophyll biosynthesis contribution to shade-tolerant in Phoebe bournei

BackgroundPhoebe bournei (P. bournei) is an important and endemic wood species in China. However, the plantation, nursing, and preservation of P. bournei are often affected by light. To investigate its physiological changes and molecular mechanism of low light tolerance, two-year-old P. bournei seedlings were subjected to different shading conditions. With the increase of light intensity in the shade, the leaf color of P. bournei seedlings became darkened, the aboveground/underground biomass significantly increased, the content of chlorophyll increased and the net photosynthetic rate significantly increased.Resultsde novo transcriptome analysis showed that 724 and 3,248 genes were differentially expressed due to low light intensity at T1 (35% light exposure) and T2 (10% light exposure), respectively, when compared to the controls. Furthermore, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were implicated in photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum by functional enrichment analysis. Moreover, the expression of HSP, CAB, HEMA1, GSA, DVR, MYB, bHLH, PORA, CAO, GLK, and photosystem I and II complex-related genes significantly increased after low light exposure at T2 and T1.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that the rapid growth of P. bournei seedlings under shading conditions may be the result of the accelerated expression of genes related to photosynthesis and chlorophyll biosynthesis, which enable plants to maintain a high photosynthesis rate even under low light conditions.

Kalappia celebica, an endemic wood from Sulawesi Island: Chemical composition and its resistance against white rot fungi Ganoderma tsugae and G. lucidium

Kalapi wood (Kalappia celebica kosterm) is endemic to Sulawesi Island and is a monotype species in the Fabaceae family with limited distribution. This study investigates the chemical composition and natural durability of Kalapi (K. celebica Kosterm) wood against white rot fungi Ganoderma tsugae and G. lucidium. This study was conducted based on the TAPPI standard for moisture analysis content, ASTM-D for extractive content, holocelluloce, and lignin, and method Cross and Bevan for cellulose. Durability observation was conducted in 12 weeks by assessing the percentage damage of wood samples caused by the fungi according to SNI standards 01-7207-2014. Results show that K. celebica has holocelullose, cellulose, and extractives at a high level, lignin was moderate, and had low hemicellulose. The results of testing the durability of wood shown that K. celebica has resistance to G. tsugae attack (class II) but is not resistant to G. lucidium (class IV), with an average weight loss of 3.14 % and 18.82 %, respectively.

Performance of samama (Anthocephalus macrophyllus) LVL based on veneer thickness, juvenile proportion and lay-up

ABSTRACTA study to determine the quality of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) from samama wood (Anthocephalus macrophyllus) was carried out. Samama is a fast-growing endemic wood in eastern Indonesia. Factorial of three factors in RAL design was used to investigate the influence of veneer thickness, juvenile proportion and veneer lay-up to the quality of the resulted samama LVL. The veneer thicknesses were 1.5 and 3.0 mm. Juvenile proportions were arranged in five levels, which were 100% of juvenile veneer, 100% of mature veneer and combination of both juvenile and mature with juvenile proportion of 14%, 43% and 71%. Two veneer lay-up used in this study were loose side met loose side and tight side met loose side. The result of the study showed various specific gravity of LVL by different proportions of juvenile. This factor also affected the other physical traits. Shear strength of the LVL was equal to the solid wood, yet MOE and MOR were affected by juvenile proportion and veneer lay-up. LVL developed from 100% of mature veneer exhibited the highest MOE and MOR, yet no significant difference was noted in MOE and MOR between LVL 100% of juvenile and other tested juvenile proportions.

Analisis sifat kuat tarik dan tekan kayu malapoga yang di rendam dengan air kondensasi

Kayu Malapoga adalah salah satu kayu endemik yang tumbuh didaerah tropis seperti di Propinsi Sulawesi Tengah. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kuat tarik dan tekan kayu malapoga yang direndam dengan air kondensasi. Hasil pengujian kuat tarik dan kuat tekan kayu malapoga dengan variasi perendaman terjadi peningkatan nilai kuat tarik dan kuat tekan seiring dengan lamanya perendaman. Semakin lama waktu perendaman maka nilai kuat tarik dan kuat tekan semakin meningkat. Nilai kuat tarik dan kuat tekan yang paling tinggi yaitu pada perendaman selama 10 minggu dengan nilai kuat tariknya yaitu 59,520 MPa dan kuat tekannya yaitu 29,775 MPa. Sedangkan nilai kuat tarik dan tekan terendah yaitu pada spesimen tanpa perendaman (raw material) dengan kuat tarik sebesar 56,040 MPa dan kuat tekan sebesar 24,985MPa. Mengalami peningkatan kuat tarik 5,84% dan peningkatan kuat tekan 16,08% dari raw material.

Analysis on Wood Quality, Geometry Factor, and Their Effects on Lathe Check of Samama (Anthocephalus macrophyllus) Veneer

Relatively little information is available regarding the correlation between wood and veneer quality, especially for Samama wood, an endemic wood species in eastern Indonesia. This study addresses the quality of 8 years old Samama wood and its effect on the veneer quality. Samama wood quality was determined by evaluating its specific gravity, moisture content, fiber dimensions, and microfibril angle from pith toward bark. Meanwhile, veneer quality was assessed by examining veneer thickness and lathe check characteristics. Geometry factor model was constructed to elaborate the quantities of lathe check from pith toward bark. Results show that fair variations of veneer thickness, ranging from 1.5 mm to 3.0 mm, could be obtained from Samama wood. The quantity, depth, and length of lathe check were noticeably decreasing toward bark. Further, in the same manufacturing process, geometry factor was determined as the dominant factor over other wood properties in affecting the frequency of lathe checks from pith towards bark. These facts should be put into consideration in producing veneer from Samama wood. Moreover, these results enlighten the potential of Samama wood as plywood and other excellent veneer-based products.

The quality of 8 and 10 years old samama wood (Anthocephalus macrophyllus)

In the near future, wood demand will be fulfilled by local fast growing woods from community forest. Among those, samama (Anthocephalus macrophyllus) is an endemic wood in Celebes and Moluccas. This species has been cultivated throughout Indonesia and usually harvested at age of less than 10 years. This research was conducted to examine the quality of samama wood at 8 and 10 years old. Each age group was represented by three healthy trees. Samples were made from 1 cm segmentation from pith to bark. Modified exponential curve was used to determine the transition of juvenile and mature wood in which maturity limit was achieved when growth parameter had reached the asymptote line. The quality parameters were specific gravity, moisture content, fiber length, fiber wall thickness and microfibril angle. The result showed that the first 6–8 segmentations from the pith were still juvenile, while the subsequent segments were mature wood. The 8 years old had 33.3–38.9 % of juvenile portion, while it was only 30.4–34.8 % in the 10 years old. This finding will be important in considering a proper technology for samama wood processing.

Physiological and biochemical responses of Phoebe bournei seedlings to water stress and recovery

Phoebe bournei commonly called nanmu is an important and endemic wood species in China, and its planting, nursing, and preserving are often affected by drought stress. Two-year-old P. bournei seedlings were subjected to water stress and recovery treatment to study their physiological and biochemical responses. Physiological and biochemical indices did not change when seedlings were subjected to mild water stress ( 20 days of water withholding), malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage increased, and chlorophyll and soluble protein decreased, indicating an increased oxidative stress induced by water deficit. Enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX), accumulation of free proline and total soluble sugar contribute to plant protection against the oxidative stress. However, SOD and POX decreased when seedlings were subjected to an extended drought. After 5 days of recovery, physiological and biochemical indices were not restored to the control level values except for leaf relative water content when the seedlings were subjected to more than 20 days water stress. These results demonstrate that P. bournei could enhance their ability to mitigate water stress effects by up-regulating antioxidant system and osmotic adjustment, but these two protective mechanisms were limited when seedlings were subjected to moderate and severe water stress. The threshold of water deficit to P. bournei seedlings is 15–20 days, and permanent damage will be induced if water status is not improved before this threshold. The results will provide some theoretical and practical guidance for nanmu afforestation and production.

Some Chemical Properties and Natural Durability of Samama Wood (Antocephalus macrophylus Roxb.) against Subterranean Termite

Samama wood (Antocephalus macrophylus Roxb.) is an endemic wood of Sulawesi and Moluccas. This wood belongs to the 3rd class of wood strength. However, its natural durability against termite attack is still unknown. Therefore, the research about its extractives, ash content, heating value, and natural durability is paramount to appropriate usage of the wood. The samples were prepared from samama wood with diameter and height of 30-45 cm and 8.2-11.4 m, respectively. The results indicated that the extractive solubility in hot water, cold water and ethanol benzene were 7.83, 3.86, and 4.47%, respectively. The ash content was 1.31%, meanwhile the heating value was 4059 cal g-1. Based on its weight loss value, according to SNI 01-7207-2006 standard, the natural durability of samama wood against subterranean termite (Coptotermes curvignathus) is classified as in the 2nd class. Key words : Antocephalus macrophylus, extractives, heating value, natural durability, subterranean termite

Unusual macrocyclic lactone sex pheromone of Parcoblatta lata , a primary food source of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker

Wood cockroaches in the genus Parcoblatta, comprising 12 species endemic to North America, are highly abundant in southeastern pine forests and represent an important prey of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, Picoides borealis. The broad wood cockroach, Parcoblatta lata, is among the largest and most abundant of the wood cockroaches, constituting >50% of the biomass of the woodpecker's diet. Because reproduction in red-cockaded woodpeckers is affected dramatically by seasonal and spatial changes in arthropod availability, monitoring P. lata populations could serve as a useful index of habitat suitability for woodpecker conservation and forest management efforts. Female P. lata emit a volatile, long-distance sex pheromone, which, once identified and synthesized, could be deployed for monitoring cockroach populations. We describe here the identification, synthesis, and confirmation of the chemical structure of this pheromone as (4Z,11Z)-oxacyclotrideca-4,11-dien-2-one [= (3Z,10Z)-dodecadienolide; herein referred to as "parcoblattalactone"]. This macrocyclic lactone is a previously unidentified natural product and a previously unknown pheromonal structure for cockroaches, highlighting the great chemical diversity that characterizes olfactory communication in cockroaches: Each long-range sex pheromone identified to date from different genera belongs to a different chemical class. Parcoblattalactone was biologically active in electrophysiological assays and attracted not only P. lata but also several other Parcoblatta species in pine forests, underscoring its utility in monitoring several endemic wood cockroach species in red-cockaded woodpecker habitats.

Distribution of Asiablatta kyotensis in Korea

Asiablatta kyotensis (Asahina, 1976) is an endemic wood cockroach found in Far Eastern Asia, Korea, and Japan. A. kyotensis is found primarily outdoors in association with decaying wood, but it can also be found inside buildings. Wood cockroaches are not serious pests, but a possibility exists for them being a nuisance when many individuals live in a building. The detailed biology and distribution of A. kyotensis are almost unknown in both Korea and Japan. After a male A. kyotensis was found in a warehouse in Seoul, which is further north than previously reported in Korea, authors investigated A. kyotensis specimens from three Korean organizations (the National Institute of Biological Resources, Seoul National University, and Kangwon National University) and one Japanese organization (Kyushu University). All specimens found through the investigation were discovered in the western and southern areas of Korea, where the annual mean temperature ranges from 12 to 14 °C and are in warm temperate or subtropical climate zones. A. kyotensis populations in Korea live in warm temperate and subtropical regions and their geographic distribution in Korea is related with temperature conditions.

A Trend of Central Versus Peripheral Structuring in Mitochondrial and Nuclear Gene Sequences of the Japanese Wood Mouse, Apodemus speciosus

A phylogeographic analysis was performed on Japanese endemic wood mice (Apodemus speciosus) using nuclear interphotoreceptor retinol binding protein (IRBP) gene sequences (1,152 bp), together with previously published mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) data. In the IRBP analysis, 40 haplotypes were recovered from 84 individuals by statistical and subcloning methods. Substantial sequence variation was determined from the IRBP data (pi=0.0047), and no significant evidence of recombination was detected. From the phylogenetic analysis, the 40 haplotypes fell into two major groups with geographic associations, irrespective of the karyotype groups (2n=46 and 2n=48), yielding a trend of central (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Sado) and peripheral (Izu, Oki, Tsushima, and Satsunan Is.) groupings. This geographic pattern is similar to that observed in the cyt b data, with a different insular grouping of Sado, Hokkaido, Izu, and Satsunan islands, and also to that of morphological features. In both gene data sets, nested clade analyses revealed allopatric fragmentation in the "peripheral island clades" and range expansion in the "central island clades." A mismatch analysis using cyt b data also suggested expansion of the central islands clade. Thus, the trend of central vs. peripheral structuring may be attributable to past demographic dynamics in the two distinct haplotype clades, such as range expansion of one clade in the central area of the Japanese Islands, leaving the other clade in the periphery.