European Garden Research Articles

Smart historical gardens

Historical parks and garden sites provide a range of social, environmental, ecosystem, recreational, and scientific services. They are witnesses of history, resources of biotic (botanical and dendrological collections) and abiotic (historical buildings or complexes) attributes, sources of knowhow about park maintenance and management accumulated over the centuries as transfer between past and future generations. A series of hazards and processes for finding the best strategies to adapt to climate change are now generally researched. They should also apply to historical greenery – it is particularly sensitive to such alterations. This study aimed to identify the most important pro-climate and pro-ecological trends as well as specific material and organisational solutions noticed by the jury of selected European professional competitions: “European Garden Award”, “Garden of the Year Award” (UK), “Monument of the Year” (Germany) and “Well-kept Monument” (Poland). The available competition regulations, published laudations, and general characteristics of individual parks were analysed. Not only did the research show a diversified level of development and approach to individual sites at the national level, but also variation in sites’ activation: from basic conservation and restoration works to implementation and promotion of pro-ecological and pro-climate solutions, as well as discrepancy in the priorities for assessing objects set by individual competition committees. An unjust tendency among the majority of researched competitions to marginalise the problem of climate change has been noticed (only recently has this problem started to draw some attention). It can contribute to the loss of a significant part of the garden heritage because any activity in such a sensitive substance requires a relatively longer time and often divides the work process into many stages. Their standardisation and equal development would strengthen the European heritage and resilience to climate change. The exchange of knowledge and experience in the form of good practices and appropriate funding can support these actions.

Two-in-One Spider Silk Protein with Combined Mechanical Features in All-Aqueous Spun Fibers.

Major ampullate (MA) spider silk reveals outstanding mechanical properties in terms of a unique combination of high tensile strength and extensibility, unmatched by most other known native or synthetic fiber materials. MA silk contains at least two spider silk proteins (spidroins), and here, a novel two-in-one (TIO) spidroin was engineered, resembling amino acid sequences of such two of the European garden spider. The combination of mechanical and chemical features of both underlying proteins facilitated the hierarchical self-assembly into β-sheet-rich superstructures. Due to the presence of native terminal dimerization domains, highly concentrated aqueous spinning dopes could be prepared from recombinant TIO spidroins. Subsequently, fibers were spun in a biomimetic, aqueous wet-spinning process, yielding mechanical properties at least twice as high as fibers spun from individual spidroins or blends. The presented processing route holds great potential for future applications using ecological green high-performance fibers.

Biochemical Characteristics and Elemental Composition Peculiarities of Rheum tataricum L. in Semi-Desert Conditions and of European Garden Rhubarb

Biochemical and mineral peculiarities of plants inhabiting desert and semi-desert areas may provide important information about the mechanism of their adaptability and reveal the prospects of their utilization. Rheum tataricum L., known for its high tolerance to drought, salinity, and nutritional deficiency, is the least studied species of wild rhubarb. Using biochemical and ICP-MS analysis, the antioxidant status and mineral composition of R. tataricum were determined. Extremely high levels of antioxidant activity (148–155 mg GAE g−1 d.w.), polyphenols (24.6–25.1 mg GAE g−1 d.w.) and carotenoids (1.94 mg-eq β-carotene g−1 d.w.) were revealed in roots, proline in leaves (71.1 ± 6.2 mg kg−1 d.w.) and malic acid in stems (3.40 ± 0.50 mg g−1 d.w.). Compared to garden rhubarb, R. tataricum demonstrated significant root–leaves translocation of Li, Se, Si, and Mo, known to participate in plant antioxidant defense. Under high levels of Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Cr and Si in soil, R. tataricum demonstrated the ability to significantly increase the accumulation of these elements in roots, showing a hyperaccumulation ability for Sr. The first broad picture of R. tataricum biochemical and mineral characteristics in semi-desert habitat and its nutritional value indicate the prospects of R. tataricum utilization in plant breeding, medicine, and nutrition.

Structure-Property Relationship Based on the Amino Acid Composition of Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins for Potential Biomedical Applications.

Improving biomaterials by engineering application-specific and adjustable properties is of increasing interest. Most of the commonly available materials fulfill the mechanical and physical requirements of relevant biomedical applications, but they lack biological functionality, including biocompatibility and prevention of microbial infestation. Thus, research has focused on customizable, application-specific, and modifiable surface coatings to cope with the limitations of existing biomaterials. In the case of adjustable degradation and configurable interaction with body fluids and cells, these coatings enlarge the applicability of the underlying biomaterials. Silks are interesting coating materials, e.g., for implants, since they exhibit excellent biocompatibility and mechanical properties. Herein, we present putative implant coatings made of five engineered recombinant spider silk proteins derived from the European garden spider Araneus diadematus fibroins (ADF), differing in amino acid sequence and charge. We analyzed the influence of the underlying amino acid composition on wetting behavior, blood compatibility, biodegradability, serum protein adsorption, and cell adhesion. The outcome of the comparison indicates that spider silk coatings can be engineered for explicit biomedical applications.

Impact of Cell Loading of Recombinant Spider Silk Based Bioinks on Gelation and Printability

Front Cover: Dragline silk proteins of the European Garden spider are the basis for recombinant spider silk proteins. Spider silk hydrogels are used as matrix for cell encapsulation and 3D bioprinting into stable scaffolds. With spider silk bioinks complex shapes can be printed such as a human aortic valve. This is reported by Annika Lechner, Vanessa T. Trossmann, and Thomas Scheibel in article number 2100390.

Chinese pavilions in the early landscape gardens of Europe

The image of China perceived by the Europeans in the 17th to 18th century was based on the travelogues of the travellers and missionaries. Despite the fact that the first descriptions did not include any pictures of the world, people and landscapes described, the far exotic country with its history and tangible heritage became very popular. This article deals with Chinese pavilions (pagodas, teahouses) built in the early European landscape gardens before 1750 without any architectural plans, using only sketches based on descriptions and travelogues, since in the first half of the 18th century, no relevant technical guidance was available yet. The structures reviewed started to be used frequently in European gardens and public parks from 1750’s, having an inevitable influence on the garden pavilions built from the second half of the 18th century, and indirectly to the image and character of some influential gardens in European context. Moreover, through their craggy appearance, the Chinese pavilions – as eye catchers – played an accentuated compositional and spatial role too in the European garden history.

North American species of Rubus L. (Rosaceae) described from European botanical gardens (1789-1823)

Native Rubus were brought from North America to European botanical gardens in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and some were described as new species. Limited knowledge of Rubus in that era, typically combined with brief descriptions, led to many incorrect interpretations, causing much confusion (especially in North America). We established a project to clarify the identity of these confusing species by reviewing types and descriptions along with comparative work involving modern collections. We identified seven putative North American Rubus species named from early European garden collections: R. villosus Aiton, R. vulpinus Poir., R. pensilvanicus Poir., R. flagellaris Willd., R. inermis Willd., R. heterophyllus Willd., and R. argutus Link, and four other names in the early European botanical literature of possible North American origin: R. decumbens Thunb., R. inermis Thunb., R. enslenii Tratt., and R. floridus Tratt. We affirmed the current applications of R. flagellaris, R. argutus, and R. enslenii. Rubus villosus is identical with R. leviculus L.H. Bailey, while the taxon to which R. villosus was generally applied in the 19th century, R. allegheniensis Porter, appears to be identical with R. vulpinus. Rubus heterophyllus Willd. was identified as an earlier name for R. plicatifolius Blanch. Rubus inermis Willd. is identical with R. ulmifolius Schott and must have originated in the Old World. Thunberg's other American Rubus, R. decumbens, can be identified as R. arundelanus Blanch. Rubus floridus remains a puzzle. If its type represents a sample of a determinate flowering branch from a large, mounding dewberry, it is closest to R. grimesii L.H. Bailey, but it could also have been taken from a side-branch from an unknown upright blackberry. Another name for which identity could not be definitively established is R. pensilvanicus. It is allied with R. allegheniensis, but its type is insufficient to determine if it is an extreme form of that species, a related taxon, or a hybrid of it with a species of section Arguti (Rydb.) L.H. Bailey. We propose the name, R. revealii sp. nov. for the corymbose to weakly racemose Arguti previously considered as R. pensilvanicus sensu L.H. Bailey. Herein, we lectotypify R. abactus L.H. Bailey, R. arundelanus, R. decumbens, R. grimesii, R. inermis Thunb., R. invisus (L.H. Bailey) Britton, and R. vulpinus, and designate neotypes for R. argutus and R. heterophyllus.

ТАЧКА ВМЕСТО ТЮРБАНА: ИНДИЙСКИЕ ЛУДДИТЫ В АНГЛИЙСКОМ САДУ

One of the characteristic features of the colonial administration of India was scientifically grounded practicality, which in fact resulted in the active introduction at all levels of life of modern technologies and the accompanying material support (tools, devices, equipment) in order to increase the level of production and rationalize the labor process. The wheelbarrow is a generalized image of European garden tools, zealously imposed by the owners of the adjoining the bungalow plots on their servants-gardeners and not always willingly accepted by them, and often completely rejected or used for other purposes. For the British, the useless tools in the hands of the Indians became the reason to consider their servants lazy and careless and often transfer this characteristic to the entire subordinate people. Sources for the paper are manuals and guidebooks on gardening published in India in the second half of the 19th century, and memoirs in which the owners of the gardens described specific scenes from their own life. The analysis of these texts allows, through the attitude to the tools of labor of various participants in the plant growing process, to identify the mechanism of encounter (imposition - rejection) of two material (in this case, horticultural) cultures, each of which was burdened with ideas about practicality, rationalism, benefit, well-being and etc.

Where Have All the Spiders Gone? Observations of a Dramatic Population Density Decline in the Once Very Abundant Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus (Araneae: Araneidae), in the Swiss Midland.

Aerial web-spinning spiders (including large orb-weavers), as a group, depend almost entirely on flying insects as a food source. The recent widespread loss of flying insects across large parts of western Europe, in terms of both diversity and biomass, can therefore be anticipated to have a drastic negative impact on the survival and abundance of this type of spider. To test the putative importance of such a hitherto neglected trophic cascade, a survey of population densities of the European garden spider Araneus diadematus—a large orb-weaving species—was conducted in the late summer of 2019 at twenty sites in the Swiss midland. The data from this survey were compared with published population densities for this species from the previous century. The study verified the above-mentioned hypothesis that this spider’s present-day overall mean population density has declined alarmingly to densities much lower than can be expected from normal population fluctuations (0.7% of the historical values). Review of other available records suggested that this pattern is widespread and not restricted to this region. In conclusion, the decline of this once so abundant spider in the Swiss midland is evidently revealing a bottom-up trophic cascade in response to the widespread loss of flying insect prey in recent decades.

Hawksmoor's Vision of Wray Wood, Castle Howard

AbstractDespite an extensive literature on Castle Howard and its innovative landscape, few details have been known about the important naturalistic garden at Wray Wood. This article identifies four drawings attributed to Nicholas Hawksmoor as designs for the wood's rockwork and watercourses. Although these features have long since disappeared, building records, letters and visitor accounts confirm their existence and show that Hawksmoor was also involved in the display of the sculpture and fountains, with subjects drawn from classical myths and legends. His later designs for the two temples on the east wall of the wood further illustrate his personal vision of the woodland garden and of the sources that inspired its mythological theme. This article draws together all the evidence relating to the wood and considers it in the context of innovative European garden design and its transfer to England in the first years of the eighteenth century. The wood has usually been attributed in more or less equal measure to Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh and their patron Lord Carlisle, but the evidence indicates that it was Hawksmoor who took the lead in carrying out Carlisle's wishes.

Imported machines in the garden: the kyŏngun’gi (power tiller) and agricultural mechanization in South Korea

ABSTRACTThe power tiller was central to the modernization of agricultural practices in East Asia during the latter part of the twentieth century. The small-scale, two-wheeled, walking-type power tiller was adapted from the European garden tractors by Japanese farmer-inventors in the 1920s, and then imported to South Korea in the early 1960s. This article traces the global technology circuit for power tillers, as well as their troublesome entry into the South Korean socioeconomic landscape in the 1960s and 1970s. Once the South Korean manufacturing industry for power tillers established itself, the agricultural machine was embroiled in a controversial political debate over landownership structures, which had profound implications for the very place of agriculture in modern South Korea. In the process of this extended debate, the social meaning of the power tiller itself went through significant change.

The First Organ-Based Ontology for Arthropods (Ontology of Arthropod Circulatory Systems - OArCS) and its Integration into a Novel Formalization Scheme for Morphological Descriptions.

Morphology, the oldest discipline in the biosciences, is currently experiencing a renaissance in the field of comparative phenomics. However, morphological/phenotypic research still suffers on various levels from a lack of standards. This shortcoming, first highlighted as the "linguistic problem of morphology", concerns the usage of terminology and also the need for formalization of morphological descriptions themselves, something of paramount importance not only to the field of morphology but also when it comes to the use of phenotypic data in systematics and evolutionary biology. We therefore argue, that for morphological descriptions, the basis of all systematic and evolutionary interpretations, ontologies need to be utilized which are based exclusively on structural qualities/properties and which in no case include statements about homology and/or function. Statements about homology and function constitute interpretations on a different or higher level. Based on these "anatomy ontologies", further ontological dimensions (e.g., referring to functional properties or homology) may be exerted for a broad use in evolutionary phenomics. To this end we present the first organ-based ontology for the most species-rich animal group, the Arthropoda. Our Ontology of Arthropod Circulatory Systems (OArCS) contains a comprehensive collection of 383 terms (i.e., labels) tied to 296 concepts (i.e., definitions) collected from the literature on phenotypic aspects of circulatory organ features in arthropods. All of the concepts used in OArCS are based exclusively on structural features, and in the context of the ontology are independent of homology and functional assumptions. We cannot rule out that in some cases, terms are used which in traditional usage and previous accounts might have implied homology and/or function (e.g. heart, sternal artery). Concepts are composed of descriptive elements that are used to classify observed instances into the organizational framework of the ontology. That is, descriptions in ontologies are only descriptions of individuals if they are necessary/and or sufficient representations of attributes (independently) observed and recorded for an individual. In addition, we here present for the first time an entirely new approach to formalizing phenotypic research, a semantic model for the description of a complex organ system in a highly disparate taxon, the arthropods. We demonstrate this with a formalized morphological description of the hemolymph vascular system in one specimen of the European garden spider Araneus diadematus. Our description targets five categories of descriptive statement: "position", "spatial relationships", "shape", "constituents", and "connections", as the corresponding formalizations constitute exemplary patterns useful not only when talking about the circulatory system, but also in descriptions in general. The downstream applications of computer-parsable morphological descriptions are widespread, with their core utility being the fact that they make it possible to compare collective description sets in computational time, that is, very quickly. Among other things, this facilitates the identification of phenotypic plasticity and variation when single individuals are compared, the identification of those traits which correlate between and within taxa, and the identification of links between morphological traits and genetic (using GO, Gene Ontology) or environmental (using ENVO, Environmental Ontology) factors. [Arthropoda; concept; function; hemolymph vascular system; homology; terminology.].

Italian Theme in the Old Russian Garden Art

The article reviews the Italian influence on the Russian garden art from the second half of the 15th to the end of the 17th century. It considers the version that the first “Italian” gardens were created during the period of the Moscow Kremlin architectural ensemble building and the surrounding area reconstruction. The appearance of the Moscow first “upper” gardens is associated with the construction of the Grand Prince’s Palace complex. The gardens were organized on the ground floor arches of the buildings. Planting of a vast garden across the Moscow River, opposite the Palace, was a part of the Italian development plan for the territory around the Kremlin and was based on the Renaissance principles of its construction - relocation of the garden from a confined space to an open, well-surveyed place. According to historical sources, despite the weakening of contacts with Italy, the “Italian” look of the Kremlin Palace had been carefully preserved up to the 17th century, when the upper gardens had become widespread. In the 17th century, there was growing interest in the countryside decorative gardens in Russia. The look and layout of some of the gardens around the suburban Tsar Estate Izmaylovo put foreign travelers in remembrance of Italian gardens. Those gardens were the “Apothecary Garden” and the “Garden with the Amusing Chambers and Maze”. Some literary descriptions and engravings confirm these assessments. Numerous examples of the West European garden art of the late Middle Ages could be found in one of Moscow districts - the German Quarter - where there were Italians among the permanent residents as well. The article analyzes the specific examples of utilization of the Italian Renaissance art in the creation of the Old Russian gardens.

Von der Allmende zur urban agriculture: Kleinstlandwirtschaft und Gärten als weibliche Ökonomie

Abstract Sixteen years after its inception, a lot of hype has developed around the term ‘urban gardening’. In order to underscore its importance for a subsistence economy, the author therefore prefers the term ‘urban agriculture’ (Agrarkultur). The thesis of the article is that community gardening is a social movement dominated by women that brings previously hidden housework back into public view. In older European societies, the house and garden of a homestead were women’s domains. The garden was part of the ‘household economy’. The significance of both female housework and the subsistence economy is often overlooked. The Stein and Hardenberg reforms of 1806–1813 promoted the suppression of peasants’ rights to use the commons: land, meadows, woods, lakes. One result was that widows lost their means of homesteading (subsistence farming) and poverty drove them into cities and towns. But a female-dominated subsistence economy would return. In the late nineteenth century, Max Weber described how farmhands’ ...

Climate change will increase the naturalization risk from garden plants in Europe.

AimPlant invasions often follow initial introduction with a considerable delay. The current non‐native flora of a region may hence contain species that are not yet naturalized but may become so in the future, especially if climate change lifts limitations on species spread. In Europe, non‐native garden plants represent a huge pool of potential future invaders. Here, we evaluate the naturalization risk from this species pool and how it may change under a warmer climate.LocationEurope.MethodsWe selected all species naturalized anywhere in the world but not yet in Europe from the set of non‐native European garden plants. For this subset of 783 species, we used species distribution models to assess their potential European ranges under different scenarios of climate change. Moreover, we defined geographical hotspots of naturalization risk from those species by combining projections of climatic suitability with maps of the area available for ornamental plant cultivation.ResultsUnder current climate, 165 species would already find suitable conditions in > 5% of Europe. Although climate change substantially increases the potential range of many species, there are also some that are predicted to lose climatically suitable area under a changing climate, particularly species native to boreal and Mediterranean biomes. Overall, hotspots of naturalization risk defined by climatic suitability alone, or by a combination of climatic suitability and appropriate land cover, are projected to increase by up to 102% or 64%, respectively.Main conclusionsOur results suggest that the risk of naturalization of European garden plants will increase with warming climate, and thus it is very likely that the risk of negative impacts from invasion by these plants will also grow. It is therefore crucial to increase awareness of the possibility of biological invasions among horticulturalists, particularly in the face of a warming climate.

The hemolymph vascular system in Araneus diadematuswith special focus on intraspecific variability in artery systems

The European garden spider, Araneus diadematus Clerck, 1757, is one of the most common spiders in central Europe. However, despite its abundance, comparatively little is known about its internal anatomy. We therefore conducted an examination of the hemolymph vascular system (HVS) of A. diadematus, as part of a comparative survey on the circulatory system in spiders. The HVS of A. diadematus was investigated using micro-computed-tomography and serial sectioning and visualized using 3D-reconstruction software. In order to examine the HVS for intraspecific variability, over 30 specimens were studied in detail. The HVS of A. diadematus consists of a tubular heart, which is situated along the dorsal midline of the opisthosoma. Anteriorly, the heart gives rise to the anterior aorta and posteriorly to the posterior aorta. Three pairs of cardiac arteries originate from the dorso-lateral section of the heart and the branching pattern of these arteries in A. diadematus is visualized and described here for the first time. The anterior aorta runs through the pedicel into the prosoma where it branches to supply the muscles and organs with hemolymph. The central nervous system in particular is supplied by a large number of arteries, which show some interesting branching patterns, e.g., a unilateral origin of the transganglionic arteries in the subesophageal ganglion, and the supply of the lower lip by the first of these transganglionic arteries. Furthermore, there are a number of arteries in the HVS with unilateral (asymmetrical) origins. Some cases of intraspecific variability are demonstrated, e.g., for the arteries of the upper and the lower lip. The data presented here are discussed in reference to information on the HVS in Araneae available in existing literature.

From Art to Science. Experiencing Nature in the European Garden 1500-1700

From Art to Science. Experiencing Nature in the European Garden 1500-1700

Vibratory noise in anthropogenic habitats and its effect on prey detection in a web-building spider

In nature, animals must contend with the presence of noise, which may limit their ability to detect prey, attract mates and escape predators. Sources of noise vary and may originate from natural (e.g. animal sounds, water) or anthropogenic (e.g. traffic, construction) sources. The vibratory sensory modality has long been overlooked in the study of anthropogenic effects on wildlife. Human-induced environmental changes may introduce noise sources as well as artificial substrates that alter vibratory noise profiles, leading to maladaptive behavioural responses. We conducted field measurements of vibratory noise on various substrate types (natural and artificial) used by animals in human-developed habitats. Next, we conducted laboratory experiments on how vibratory noise affects the prey detection ability of the European garden spider, Araneus diadematus. We tested whether changes in vibratory noise profiles consistent with anthropogenic alterations of vibratory habitats are sufficient to alter the spider's sensitivity to prey cues. We found that overall noise amplitude on artificial substrates was lower and less variable across contexts compared with natural substrates. In experiments with different noise levels, we observed that garden spiders showed noise-dependent changes in sensitivity to prey-mimicking cues, with response thresholds lowest at intermediate noise levels. Experimental levels of intermediate noise consistent with field measurements on natural substrates suggest that spiders' predatory performance is higher when webs are constructed on natural substrates. This suggests that human-introduced substrates may interfere with spiders' predatory performance. As human activities and habitat alteration are widespread, our findings highlight the need to consider the vibratory sensory channel in assessing anthropogenic impacts on wildlife.

Spider Silk Capsules as Protective Reaction Containers for Enzymes

Spider silk fibres are well known for their high tensile strength in combination with high elasticity. Based on the possibility of recombinant production of spider silk proteins, technical applications of spider silk materials are nowadays feasible. The engineered recombinant spider silk protein eADF4(C16) is based on the sequence of ADF4 (Araneus diadematus fibroin), one out of at least three proteins of the dragline silk of the European garden spider A. diadematus. The protein eADF4(C16) can be processed into different morphologies. Here, capsules of eADF4(C16) are assembled at an oil/water interface. These microcapsules are mechanically stable and can be used as a transport system for higher molecular weight compounds such as enzymes or chemical catalysts. Further, they can be regarded as a small enclosed reaction chamber with a semi‐permeable membrane. Reactions can be initiated by diffusion of the reactants through the silk membrane. The eADF4(C16) capsules protect the enzyme β‐galactosidase, used as model, against proteolysis. Functional α‐complementation of β‐galactosidase visualizes the controllable activation of an enzyme within such spider silk capsule, highlighting the broad applicability thereof as reaction containers, e.g., for enzymes.

Conservation of The Shell Grotto, Margate

We usually associate grottos with post-Renaissance European landscape garden design. However, grottos also existed in biblical and other ancient periods, as well as those of early China and early Christianity. Grottos' features may include a natural or artificial subterranean location, isolation from the outside world, a place for contemplation and private worship or a shrine to a deity. Grottos are often associated with water and water-spirits, naiads, nereids or nymphs, and are sometimes known as nymphaea. Shellwork can be an important element of their decoration. The Shell Grotto at Margate embodies some of these features. It is an artificially formed structure of unknown provenance, cut into the existing chalk and lined internally with seashells. Discovered in 1835, by 1999 the fragile structure had fallen into disrepair caused by the poor environmental conditions underground. After thorough investigations, the programme for conservation included reinforcement of the chalk bedrock, removing overlying concrete and installing land drainage, followed by internal conservation works using the methods described.