High Crown Research Articles

Electrospun nanofiber membrane of 14-crown-4 polyimide by in situ grafting diamino crown ether for highly selective Li+ adsorption and separation

The global demand for lithium is increasing rapidly with the blossom of the new energy field. It is imperative to develop a sustainable and efficient approach for recovering Li+ resources from salt-lake brine. In this study, diamino dibenzo-14-crown-4 ether (DAB) was chemically grafted on 14-crown-4 polyimide (14C4PI) by nucleophilic substitution to fabricate nanofiber membrane by electrospinning method. The crown ether loading of DAB-g-14C4PI membrane was increased from 1.38 up to 2.27 mmol/g, and the grafting degree reached 83.4 % by regulating the additive amount of DAB and the reaction time. The Li+ equilibrium adsorption capacity of the DAB-g-14C4PI nanofiber membrane was enlarged from 40.17 (14C4PI) to 60.71 mg/g. The adsorption for Li+ on the membrane was a monolayer chemical adsorption process proved by the adsorption kinetic and isotherm models. The separation factors of the membrane for Li+/Na+, Li+/K+, Li+/Mg2+ and Li+/Ca2+ were 69.24, 79.4, 37.46 and 67.53, respectively. DFT calculations indicated the raised Li+ adsorption capacity was also ascribed to the enhanced adsorption energy from −107.71 to −122.84 kcal/mol, owing to the relatively higher electric charge density (−0.478 vs −0.448 a.u.). In summary, this work put forward a novel method to fabricate a nanofiber membrane with a high crown ether loading for the extraction of lithium resources.

Linking crown fire likelihood with post-fire spectral variability in Mediterranean fire-prone ecosystems

Background Fire behaviour assessments of past wildfire events have major implications for anticipating post-fire ecosystem responses and fuel treatments to mitigate extreme fire behaviour of subsequent wildfires. Aims This study evaluates for the first time the potential of remote sensing techniques to provide explicit estimates of fire type (surface fire, intermittent crown fire, and continuous crown fire) in Mediterranean ecosystems. Methods Random Forest classification was used to assess the capability of spectral indices and multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) image fractions (char, photosynthetic vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation) retrieved from Sentinel-2 data to predict fire type across four large wildfires Key results MESMA fraction images procured more accurate fire type estimates in broadleaf and conifer forests than spectral indices, without remarkable confusion among fire types. High crown fire likelihood in conifer and broadleaf forests was linked to a post-fire MESMA char fractional cover of about 0.8, providing a direct physical interpretation. Conclusions Intrinsic biophysical characteristics such as the fractional cover of char retrieved from sub-pixel techniques with physical basis are accurate to assess fire type given the direct physical interpretation. Implications MESMA may be leveraged by land managers to determine fire type across large areas, but further validation with field data is advised.

Recognition of Invasive Characteristics of Areca triandra Roxb. ex Buch.-Ham. (Arecaceae), an Introduced Palm Species in Sri Lanka

Areca triandra Roxb. Ex Buch-Ham native to the Southeast Asian region has been introduced to many tropical areas including Sri Lanka. Although the common occurrence of A. triandra is noticeable in the southwest region of Sri Lanka, there was no prior study and literature available to investigate the aggressiveness and invasive potential of this species. Therefore, the objective of this research was to identify the level of invasiveness and risk level of A. triandra in natural areas by (a) assessing the distribution range, (b) identifying the biological strategies for rapid colonization through a population assessment and reproductive biology assessment. An extensive literature survey was conducted to determine the distribution range of A. triandra in Sri Lanka. A population assessment was conducted in Meethirigala Forest Reserve (MFR) and Yagirala Forest Reserve (YFR). Mature A. triandra percentage, crown cover percentage, and reproductive biology assessment were conducted by establishing six 20 m×20 m plots, and A. triandra seedling percentage was evaluated by using twenty-four 1 m×1 m plots by covering different topographic conditions such as mid-slope and valley. To evaluate the invasiveness and risk level, a protocol for the prioritization of invasive species in Sri Lanka developed by the United Nations Development Organization (UNDP) was used. Results show that the common occurrence of A. triandra was noticeable in the southwest region of Sri Lanka. The abundance of mature individuals of A. triandra account for 57% with an average crown cover of 46% and seedlings account for 69% of the ground layer. The species thrives in locations subjected to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and the high crown cover and dominance of seedlings negatively affect the understory by suppressing native vegetation. This palm is clump-forming with 66% of plants with multiple stems. Sexual reproduction produced a large number of fruits; 150-200 fruits per infructescence and an average of 370 fruits per clump. Direct observation showed that the bright red fleshy pericarp of the fruit attracts frugivores, such as the Asian Koel and Green Imperial Pigeon. Protocol criteria evaluation has resulted in A. triandra being under ―Alert‖ status with the risk level of ―Moderate‖ for the invasiveness under natural conditions. Invasive potential with dense populations, clustering stems, high canopy cover, high fruit production, and effective seed dispersal confirms that A. triandra is displacing and threatening the native ecosystems. Immediate actions should be taken to control A. triandra populations for preventing further spread in natural ecosystems. 
 Keywords: Areca triandra, Arecaceae family, Invasive species, Frugivores, Infructescence

Dynamics of the forest cover of raised bogs in southern taiga: Zapadnaya Dvina forest peatland station as an example (Tver region)

The article is devoted to testing the hypothesis about the current increase in the forest cover of raised bogs in the forest zone, depending on changes in climatic conditions. To analyze the dynamics of forest cover using the example of raised bogs in the Tver region, a methodology was developed based on the use of different generations of Landsat satellite data. The methodology was tested on ground data and applied to analyze changes in forest cover between 1976 and 2022 in several raised bog areas, including undisturbed areas and areas drained for forestry. The study tested approximately 20 vegetation indices across a variety of surveys, including summer and winter (snow) conditions. The classification results were verified using planting taxation data on circular plots and assessed using error matrices. Moderate-resolution Landsat satellite imagery, especially winter imagery, has been found to be suitable for long-term analysis of afforestation dynamics in raised bogs. An optimal vegetation index SWVI (Short wave vegetation index) and classification technique are proposed. The results of the study showed that afforestation increases in all undrained areas of swamps, regardless of their initial state. The smallest changes are observed for areas with low crown density (0-0.1), to a greater extent for density 0.2-0.3, and the greatest changes occur in areas with high crown density (0.6-0.7 and higher).

Assessing the influence of simulated ice storm-induced crown damage on nonstructural carbohydrates, wound closure, and radial growth of maple trees

We evaluated shoot nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations, stem wound closure, and radial growth of sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) and red maple ( Acer rubrum L.) trees in a novel ice storm experiment in which five storm treatments (0, 6.4, 12.7, and 19.1 mm of radial ice accretion in 1 year and 12.7 mm of ice in two consecutive years) were applied within a mature northern hardwood forest. We tested for changes in physiology at two levels: (1) associated with plot-level ice treatments and (2) with crown damage classes of individual trees. Few differences in NSC or wound closure associated with treatment were found. Growth decreased for red maple in the medium and high treatments and sugar maple in the high treatment but no other treatments. Changes in physiology were more evident when assessed using crown damage classes. Two NSC components were elevated in sugar and red maples with high (≥50%) crown damage. Wound closure was less for red maples with high damage, and separation among damage classes was even greater for sugar maple. Red maples with moderate (<50%) and high crown damage showed gradually declining growth, whereas sugar maples with high damage showed ∼80% reduction in growth the first year after injury.

Factors associated with bark beetle infestations of Colorado Plateau ponderosa pine using repeatedly-measured field plots

Decades of research have brought increasing focus to the biotic and abiotic factors associated with bark beetle infestation of North American conifers. Information is lacking, however, regarding beetle-caused mortality for ponderosa pine of the Colorado Plateau. From 1995 to 2019, we installed and periodically remeasured permanent plots in this forest type with a goal of identifying factors related to infestation probability including tree and stand characters, and abiotic factors such as temperature and precipitation. Forty-eight sites were distributed throughout the Colorado Plateau, each with two transects of 10 contiguous ∼ 0.04 ha circular plots. Stand and tree conditions were measured or interpolated for each year from plot establishment in 1995 until the final measurements in 2019. Temperature, precipitation, and other abiotic conditions were estimated from Daymet interpolations. We used a generalized linear mixed model to identify significant explanatory variables resulting in the best accuracy of predicting stem-level bark beetle-caused pine mortality. Tree and stand conditions were found related to the probability of infestation. Pines >15.2 cm dbh were more likely to become infested compared to pines below that threshold; no relationship was found above that breakpoint. Similarly, stems 80–180 years old had elevated probability of infestation compared to stems < 80 years; stems > 180 years were intermediate. Pines with poor crown vigor (low crown volume, suppressed or intermediate canopy position) were more likely to become infested compared to pines with good crown vigor (high crown volume, dominant or open grown canopy position). Pine basal area (BA), a surrogate for intra-species competition, was positively related to probability of infestation. Pine BA infested the previous year, a surrogate for beetle population size, was also positively related to probability of infestation. Several drought- and precipitation-related variables resulted in similar model accuracy. Best model fit among these, by a slight margin, was contemporaneous climate water deficit (CWD), a measure of plant water stress, summed from April-August. Increasing CWD was associated with increased probability of infestation. Finally, counts of days above 16 °C the previous year were negatively related to infestation probability. That is, relatively warm weather during the previous year was associated with reduced beetle success, possibly because it can result in fractional beetle life cycles that disrupt synchronized attacks on new hosts or leave overwintering brood in less cold hardy life stages.

The current state of forest ecosystems in the Khosta Yew-Boxwood Grove

In this study, we aimed to assess the current state of forest ecosystems on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus after the mass mortality of boxwoods. Soil and geobotanical studies were carried out in the Khosta Yew-Boxwood Grove, a convenient proving ground for assessment of the consequences of Cydalima perspectalis expansion. Hierarchical cluster analysis (nearest-neighbour and Euclidean distance methods), One-way ANOVA, and correlation analysis (Euclidean distance matrices for standardised data) were applied to process the soil and vegetation data. An increase in the illumination of the lower forest tiers due to the Buxus colchica destruction resulted in an intensive growth of vegetation cover and the formation of a soddy horizon in soils. These processes contributed to the accumulation of organic matter and high biological activity of the soils. The number of Buxus colchica seedlings was negatively correlated with the vegetation coverage and the number of grass and shrub species, as well as with some biological parameters of the soils. The most intensive seed regeneration of Buxus colchica was observed in forest plots with high crown density in the upper tier, undeveloped vegetation cover, and soddy soil horizon.

Assessing the effects of burn severity on post-fire tree structures using the fused drone and mobile laser scanning point clouds

Wildfires burn heterogeneously across the landscape and create complex forest structures. Quantifying the structural changes in post-fire forests is critical to evaluating wildfire impacts and providing insights into burn severities. To advance the understanding of burn severities at a fine scale, forest structural attributes at the individual tree level need to be examined. The advent of drone laser scanning (DLS) and mobile laser scanning (MLS) has enabled the acquisition of high-density point clouds to resolve fine structures of individual trees. Yet, few studies have used DLS and MLS data jointly to examine their combined capability to describe post-fire forest structures. To assess the impacts of the 2017 Elephant Hill wildfire in British Columbia, Canada, we scanned trees that experienced a range of burn severities 2 years post-fire using both DLS and MLS. After fusing the DLS and MLS data, we reconstructed quantitative structure models to compute 14 post-fire biometric, volumetric, and crown attributes. At the individual tree level, our data suggest that smaller pre-fire trees tend to experience higher levels of crown scorch than larger pre-fire trees. Among trees with similar pre-fire sizes, those within mature stands (age class: &amp;gt; 50 years) had lower levels of crown scorch than those within young stands (age class: 15—50 years). Among pre-fire small- and medium-diameter trees, those experiencing high crown scorch had smaller post-fire crowns with unevenly distributed branches compared to unburned trees. In contrast, pre-fire large-diameter trees were more resistant to crown scorch. At the plot level, low-severity fires had minor effects, moderate-severity fires mostly decreased tree height, and high-severity fires significantly reduced diameter at breast height, height, and biomass. Our exploratory factor analyses further revealed that stands dominated by trees with large crown sizes and relatively wide spacing could burn less severely than stands characterized by regenerating trees with high crown fuel density and continuity. Overall, our results demonstrate that fused DLS-MLS point clouds can be effective in quantifying post-fire tree structures, which facilitates foresters to develop site-specific management plans. The findings imply that the management of crown fuel abundance and configuration could be vital to controlling burn severities.

Importance of the vertical gradient in the variation of epiphyte community structure in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are strongly affected by the microclimate of the forest canopy. Therefore, understanding how microclimatic changes are related to the functional characteristics of taxa and the patterns of communities is essential. Our objective was to examine the stratification of the epiphyte community along the vertical gradient of the forests and to investigate whether the pattern of species distribution in the canopy height zones is similar among forests with different characteristics and between the families of epiphytic plants. The study was carried out in the Atlantic Forest of Ilha Grande, in southeastern Brazil, where we recorded 76 species. The highest richness and abundance were found on tree trunks. The high crown had less diversity and a characteristic set of species. The vertical stratification pattern was similar across forests with different phytophysiognomies. The main epiphytic families exhibited different patterns of diversity along the canopy. The highest richness of Araceae occurred in the trunk zones, while Polypodiaceae, Bromeliaceae, and Orchidaceae were more diverse in the trunk and inner crown, and Cactaceae were more diverse in the inner crown. Tree height zones select epiphytic taxa with distinct characteristics according to the fundamental conditions for their survival and, therefore, we suggest that the ecological niche theory is adequate to explain the assembly of epiphytic communities at a local scale.

The role of drought stress on the acquisition of freezing tolerance in asparagus under controlled conditions

Cold acclimation induces freezing tolerance in asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis L.), which is important for survival and longevity in temperate climates. Previous studies indicated that cultivar “Guelph Millennium” (GM), adapted to Southern Ontario, acquired freezing tolerance earlier in the fall and maintained it later in the spring than “UC157” (UC), a cultivar commonly grown in desert climates. As the drought and cold acclimation metabolic pathways overlap, the objective of this research was to determine whether drought alone induced freezing tolerance or interacted synergistically with cold temperatures. Seedlings of GM and UC were subjected to control, drought, or cold acclimating conditions for 6 weeks. Additional treatments included 6 weeks of drought or control conditions followed by 6 weeks of cold acclimation, and plants grown for 12 weeks under control conditions. LT50, the temperature at which 50% of plants die, and metabolites or parameters associated with freezing tolerance were measured. GM had decreased LT50 levels (increased freezing tolerance) compared with UC under both drought and cold acclimating conditions, and no cultivar differences were observed under control conditions. Drought stress before cold acclimation resulted in an increased LT50 (reduced freezing tolerance) for UC compared with GM. A high root:shoot ratio and low crown water percentage were associated with increased freezing tolerance in GM, while a high crown sucrose concentration in UC was related to decreased freezing tolerance for the drought treatment. Overall, drought stress induced cultivar-specific adaptations causing differences in freezing tolerance, thus confirming the interrelationship between these two physiological pathways.

Why the long teeth? Morphometric analysis suggests different selective pressures on functional occlusal traits in Plio-Pleistocene African suids

AbstractNeogene and Pleistocene African suids displayed convergent evolutionary trends in the third molar (M3) morphology, with increasingly elongated and higher crowns through time. While these features can prevent premature loss of masticatory functionality and potentially increase long-term reproductive success, changes in dental occlusal traits such as enamel complexity and thickness can also improve chewing efficiency and increase short-term energetic return. While both long-term and short-term benefits can contribute to the thriving of a lineage, the selective pressures associated with each category can be different. To examine how crown elongation correlates with these functional occlusal traits, we selected M3s ofKolpochoerus,Notochoerus, andMetridiochoerusfrom Kenya and South Africa, dated between 3.0 Ma and 0.4 Ma. To account for dental wear, we used micro-computed tomography imaging of unworn/slightly worn M3s to simulate wear progression within each tooth. We compared morphometric representatives of occlusal enamel complexity and thickness among the specimens following their respective wear trajectories. We found that M3 elongation correlates with higher occlusal complexity and thinner enamel inNotochoerusandMetridiochoeruslineages through time. InKolpochoerus, enamel complexity and thickness were generally maintained through time, despite M3 elongation. The differences in M3 morphometric trends suggest thatKolpochoeruslikely experienced a different set of selective pressures on functional occlusal traits compared withNotochoerusandMetridiochoerus. The shared evolutionary trends of M3 specialization amongNotochoerusandMetridiochoerussuggest similar selective pressures on their chewing efficiency and the possibility of a dietary niche overlap in more xeric habitats.

SGOT: A Simplified Geometric-Optical Model for Crown Scene Components Modeling over Rugged Terrain

Topography affects the fraction of scene components of the canopy and background, resulting in the observed reflectance distortion. Modeling the canopy reflectance over rugged terrain needs to account for topographic effects. For this purpose, the existing models greatly increased the mathematical complexity while improving description of terrain and crown structure, which dramatically decreased the computational efficiency so as to limit their universal application. In this study, we developed a simplified geometric-optical model (SGOT) for simulating the scene components over rugged terrain. The geotropism of tree growth was considered to make SGOT physically sound. The internal structure of crown was simplified to make SGOT mathematically simpler. Scene component observations derived from Persistence of Vision Ray-tracer (POV-Ray) on surfaces with different normal directions and simulations were made using Geometric-Optical and Mutual Shadowing Coupled with Topography Model (GOMST) and Geometric-Optical for Sloping Terrains Model GOST; models were combined to test the SGOT model. In addition, topographic factors and crown density effect on the scene components modeling were analyzed. The results indicated that SGOT has good accuracy (R2 for the areal proportions of sunlit crown (Kc), sunlit background (Kg), shaded crown (Kt), and shaded background (Kz) are 0.853, 0.857, 0.914, and 0.838, respectively) compared with POV-Ray simulation, and performs better than GOMST, especially in scenes with high crown density. Moreover, SGOT outperformed the compared models in computational efficiency (4% faster than GOMST and 29.5% faster than GOST). Finally, the simulations of the scene components distribution in different topographic factors and crown density were further discussed. SGOT and GOST can both capture scene component variations caused by terrain better than GOMST, but comparatively, SGOT provides a more efficient tool to simulate the crown scene components because of its physical soundness and mathematical simplicity, and consequently, it will facilitate the modeling of canopy reflectance over mountainous regions.

Identifying and extracting bark key features of 42 tree species using convolutional neural networks and class activation mapping

The significance of automatic plant identification has already been recognized by academia and industry. There were several attempts to utilize leaves and flowers for identification; however, bark also could be beneficial, especially for trees, due to its consistency throughout the seasons and its easy accessibility, even in high crown conditions. Previous studies regarding bark identification have mostly contributed quantitatively to increasing classification accuracy. However, ever since computer vision algorithms surpassed the identification ability of humans, an open question arises as to how machines successfully interpret and unravel the complicated patterns of barks. Here, we trained two convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with distinct architectures using a large-scale bark image dataset and applied class activation mapping (CAM) aggregation to investigate diagnostic keys for identifying each species. CNNs could identify the barks of 42 species with > 90% accuracy, and the overall accuracies showed a small difference between the two models. Diagnostic keys matched with salient shapes, which were also easily recognized by human eyes, and were typified as blisters, horizontal and vertical stripes, lenticels of various shapes, and vertical crevices and clefts. The two models exhibited disparate quality in the diagnostic features: the old and less complex model showed more general and well-matching patterns, while the better-performing model with much deeper layers indicated local patterns less relevant to barks. CNNs were also capable of predicting untrained species by 41.98% and 48.67% within the correct genus and family, respectively. Our methodologies and findings are potentially applicable to identify and visualize crucial traits of other plant organs.

Effects of Girdling Intensity, Pruning Season and Thinning on Tree Growth, Crown Vigor and Wound Recovery in Japanese Larch

To ensure sustainable forestry, it is important to establish efficient management procedures for seed orchards. We evaluated the effects of thinning, pruning season and girdling intensity on tree growth and vigor in an old Larix kaempferi seed orchard. Even after four years, tree size (crown width and tree height) increased, resulting in light intensity of an un-thinned class decreasing. Thinning counteracted the decrease in light intensity associated with tree growth, but it had no effect on promoting tree growth. Tree crown status was scored based on vigor and health. No significant difference in crown vigor was observed between unpruned and winter-pruned trees, but the summer-pruning class showed significantly lower vigor. Five years after girdling, trees with low and moderate girdling levels maintained high crown vigor, similar to intact trees, while the crown vigor of trees subjected to severe girdling was significantly lower. This is the first study to quantitatively model trends in remaining girdling depth over time, and to show that the half decay period was ca. 2–3 years. Our findings suggested that management procedures that combine moderate-level girdling, winter pruning and thinning to maintain rPPFD at 50% are well-suited to balancing tree vigor and reproduction in seed orchards.

Дифференциация климатипов лиственниц (Larix spp.) в географических культурах в лесостепи Средней Сибири

Дифференциация климатипов лиственниц (Larix spp.) в географических культурах в лесостепи Средней Сибири

Недостающие звенья, или к истории Боспорского царства II в. н.э. при Евпаторе: по данным нумизматики

Under the Bosporan king Eupator, sestercii were issued with two busts on the obverse: an elderly bearded man in a ray crown and a woman in a high openwork crown, as well as two men: a young one, with or without a beard, and an elderly, bearded one. All men have long hair. The elderly man is no doubt Eupator. Together with him, as is commonly believed, they portrayed Aphrodite Urania and Marcus Aurelius. But this is hardly the case. After all, a very similar image of a woman, framed by the legend “Β … ΕΥΝΟΜΙΑC”, is imprinted on the reverse of the Bosporan sesterces with two male busts on the obverse. But the figures of the deities on the Bosporan coins were not signed. Judging by the crown, this was a Sarmatian queen. We believe that Eunomia, who is mentioned in the coin legend, was the wife and co-ruler of Eupator. The Roman emperors on the Bosporan coins were always depicted with short hair. We believe that the studied sestercii had portraits of Eupator, his wife Eunomia, and also their son, who ruled the Bosporus from 170/171 to 174/175 without the sanction of Rome and, as a result, did not receive the right to issue coins and did not leave lapidary inscriptions.

Thermal environment analysis of landscape parameters of an urban park in summer - A case study in Suwon, Republic of Korea

Urban parks are becoming increasingly important for improving urban thermal environments. To investigate the thermal effects of landscape parameters of urban parks in summer, micrometeorological and human thermal sensation data were analyzed and compared. Data were collected at three fixed locations and twenty-four transient locations in Hyowon Park, Suwon, Republic of Korea. The chosen locations were surfaced with different materials and were exposed to different direct solar radiation by trees or artificial shading devices. It was found that human thermal sensations were influenced most by the mean radiant temperature. The physiological equivalent temperature was two levels lower in thermal perception in shaded locations than sunny ones. Therefore, the most effective method of reducing the mean radiant temperature and human thermal sensations in summer is to create large shaded spaces by building artificial shading devices such as pergolas and planting trees with a high crown density. Among the surface materials, cement bricks, grass-flagstones, and coconut mats created better human thermal environments than baked bricks, polyurethane, and granite. Based on these results, we provide a list of improvements that can be used to guide future policy and design of urban parks to improve the thermal environment of urban outdoor spaces.

Revision to Kowalskia from the Houhecun Fauna and a New Discovery of Tscherskia (Cricetidae, Rodentia) from the Youhe Fauna of Weinan, Shaanxi Province, China

AbstractThe fossil hamster (an isolated m1) from the early Early Pleistocene Houhecun fauna found in Dali, Weinan, Shaanxi, China, originally identified as Kowalskia dalinica, is reexamined. Its unique characters, including a high crown, very small degree of division of the anteroconid and relatively large size, is taken as evidence of its attribution to the genus Sinocricetus, instead of Kowalskia (junior synonym of Neocricetodon) suggested by the original author. Therefore, the specific name of the species established based on this m1 should be changed to S. dalinicus (Wang, 1988). S. dalinicus probably has a relatively close affinity with S. major Li, 2010, but there are still some obvious differences of characters between them. The discovery of S. dalinicus in the Houhecun fauna confirms that the genus indeed survived into the Pleistocene. A broken hamster mandible, which was found in Weinan, Shaanxi, China and belongs to the late Pliocene Youhe fauna, is also described here and identified as Tscherskia sp. This specimen represents the earliest Tscherskia in Asia so far, but fails to refute the hypothesis that the genus originated in Europe during the early Pliocene.

도시조경수의 우수차집 효과와 계량모델† - 7개 향토수종을 대상으로 -

This study developed quantitative models to estimate the rainfall interception by seven native landscape tree species based on throughfall measurements. The tree species considered in this study were <italic>Abies holophylla</italic>, <italic>Acer palmatum</italic>, <italic>Ginkgo biloba</italic>, <italic>Pinus densiflora</italic>, <italic>Pinus koraiensis</italic>, <italic>Prunus yedoensis</italic>, and <italic>Zelkova serrata</italic>, which are frequently planted in the Korea. Among these species, 35.8% of the annual precipitation was intercepted by <italic>P. koraiensis</italic>, 34.1% by <italic>A. holophylla</italic>, 31.0% by <italic>Z. serrata</italic>, 27.6% by <italic>P. densiflora</italic>, 26.9% by <italic>G. biloba</italic>, 18.6% by <italic>A. palmatum</italic>, and 18.4% by <italic>P. yedoensis</italic>. All the quantitative models showed high fitness with <italic>r</italic>² values of 0.90-0.99. The annual rainfall interception from a tree with DBH of 20 cm were greatest with <italic>Z. serrata</italic> (5.1 m³/yr), followed by <italic>P. koraiensis</italic> (4.1 m³/yr), <italic>A. holophylla</italic> (3.1 m³/yr), <italic>G. biloba</italic> (2.8 m³/yr), <italic>P. densiflora</italic> (2.1 m³/yr), <italic>P. yedoensis</italic> (1.9 m³/yr), and <italic>A. palmatum</italic> (1.8 m³/yr) in order. Thus, evergreen tree species or those with a relatively high crown density were more effective in intercepting rainfall. In particular, the annual rainfall interception by <italic>Z. serrata</italic> was the greatest because its crown area, volume, and density were higher than those of the other species. This study pioneers in quantifying annual rainfall interception for landscape tree species in Korea. The study results can be useful for evaluating rainfall interception by landscape trees in urban greenspace design for governments and corporations.

New species of Yuomys (Rodentia, Ctenodactyloidea) from the upper Eocene of eastern Ningxia, China

ABSTRACT A new species, Yuomys robustus of the ctenodactyloid rodent Yuomys, is described in the paper. It is from the Western margin of the Ordos Basin District in eastern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. Yuomys robustus is characterized by a combination of features: large size, high tooth crown, having a postparacrista on M2 and lacking hypocone on P4. We also emended the diagnosis of type species of Yuomys, Y. cavioides. It is characterized by the absence of hypocone on P4, having a distinct ridge connecting the metaconule to the protocone on M1–M3, a postparacrista on M1, a mesostyle on M2, and a small ridge or spur on the mesial side of the protoloph on P4 and M1; the hypoconid smaller than the protoconid and is elongated, the paraconid absent and the mesostylid faintly visible on p4, but well developed on m1–m3; the talonid basin, sinusid, and posteroflexid are large and open on lower cheek teeth. The occurrence of Lophiomeryx angarae in the same stratigraphic layer as Y. robustus indicates that the horizon is possibly late Eocene in age, not early Oligocene as suggested by previous workers. Body mass estimations of Y. cavioides, Y. eleganes, and Y. robustus show that their weights are roughly in the range of 485–880 g, which is in between those of extant Myospalax and Ratufa. From the middle Eocene to the late Eocene, Yuomys exhibited a trend of gradually enlarging the cheek teeth, and increasing the tooth crown height and body mass.