Total Branch Research Articles

Effect of Various Doses of Cassava on Growth and Production of Mung Beans (Vigna Radiata L)

The horticultural sector is growing and the need for its products is also increasing, including the need for green beans, but its availability is limited by land conditions that are poor in organic matter, so it needs to be treated with the addition of organic fertilizers such as vermicompost. This study aims to determine the effect of vermicompost and obtain the best dose for the growth and production of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.). The study was conducted using a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of a single factor, namely the provision of vermicompost. From these factors, there were four levels of treatment (0, 5, 15, and 25 tons ha-1) and each treatment was given three replications so that there were 12 experimental units. The parameters reviewed were plant height, total productive branches, flower age, harvest age, total pods planted, percentage of pithy pods, weight of planted seeds, weight of seeds per plot, and weight of 100 seeds. The dose of vermicompost 25 ton.ha-1 was better than the dose of 0 ton.ha-1, the dose of 5 ton.ha-1, and the dose of 15 tons/ha. The treatment can increase plant height, total productive branches, total pods planted, percentage of pithy pods, weight of seeds planted, weight of seeds per plot, and weight of 100 seeds.

The shape of a seed bank tree

AbstractWe derive the asymptotic behavior of the total, active, and inactive branch lengths of the seed bank coalescent when the initial sample size grows to infinity. These random variables have important applications for populations evolving under some seed bank effects, such as plants and bacteria, and for some cases of structured populations like metapopulations. The proof relies on the analysis of the tree at a stopping time corresponding to the first time a deactivated lineage is reactivated. We also give conditional sampling formulas for the random partition, and we study the system at the time of the first reactivation of a lineage. All these results provide a good picture of the different regimes and behaviors of the block-counting process of the seed bank coalescent.

Study of genetic dimension for local varieties of bread wheat

In this study, nine types of bread wheat (Triticum aestivem L.) were used. To analyze it at the molecular level, Random Amplified Polymorphic D.N.A. (R.A.P.D.) markers based on PCR technology were used to study the variations of the cultivars. It is absent in other varieties and can be used as a distinctive genetic fingerprint to preserve plant breeders' rights. Genetic banks can use it to distinguish the mentioned varieties and models, confirming the importance of this technique in molecular characterization and genetic fingerprinting studies. From the results of the molecular aspect, the similarity matrix was implemented based on the coefficients of (Nei & Lie) for the nine studied varieties. The highest similarity value was between the variety (Taymoz/2 and Baghdad/3), and its value was 0.9167. Most of the traits showed a similarity in the mean between them for all the genetic traits, but the lowest similar value was between the two varieties (Rashid and Baghdad/1). Genetic level, the cultivar seeds were sown under arid conditions in the fields. The experimental unit contained two lines for each category, the length of the line was 2 m, and the distance between the lines was 30 Cm. The characteristics of the number of days of 50% flowering, plant height (Cm), biological yield (gm/plant), grain yield (gm/plant) and weight of 100 grains (gm) were studied. The inputs differed significantly at the 1% probability level for all studied traits. There was high genetic variance for the characteristics of the biological yield (kg/ha) and seed yield (kg/ha), and the weight of one hundred seeds (g). The highest values of genetic variation coefficients for seed yield were superior. The percentage of heritability in its broad sense was high for all the studied traits. The values of the expected genetic improvement were a high percentage of seed yield, vital yield, harvest index, number of total branches per plant, the average for plant height, first pod height (Cm), number of seeds/pod, the weight of 100 seeds, and few numbers of days to flowering at 50%. Keywords. Triticum aestivem, R.A.P.D., Phylogenetic, Molecular markers

Associations of intracranial artery length and branch number on non-contrast enhanced MRA with cognitive impairment in individuals with carotid atherosclerosis.

Developing novel risk markers for vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia is important. This study aimed to extract total length, branch number and average tortuosity of intracranial distal arteries (A2, M2, P2 and more distal) from non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (NCE-MRA) images, and explore their associations with global cognition. In 29 subjects (aged 40–90 years) with carotid atherosclerotic disease, the 3 intracranial vascular features on two NCE-MRA techniques (i.e. time of flight, TOF and simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage, SNAP) were extracted using a custom-developed software named iCafe. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) and phase contrast (PC) cerebral blood flow (CBF) were measured as references. Linear regression was performed to study their associations with global cognition, measured with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Intracranial artery length and number of branches on NCE-MRA, ASL CBF and PC CBF were found to be positively associated with MoCA scores (P < 0.01). The associations remained significant for artery length and number of branches on NCE-MRA after adjusting for clinical covariates and white matter hyperintensity volume. Further adjustment of confounding factors of ASL CBF or PC CBF did not abolish the significant association for artery length and number of branches on TOF. Our findings suggest that intracranial vascular features, including artery length and number of branches, on NCE-MRA may be useful markers of cerebrovascular health and provide added information over conventional brain blood flow measurements in individuals with cognitive impairment.

Lung volume determination by dual-source computed tomography in infants with pulmonary artery sling: a case-control study.

Pulmonary artery sling (PAS) is associated with tracheal stenosis and left pulmonary artery (LPA) dysplasia in infants, both developmental abnormalities that may lead to pulmonary hypoplasia and lung volume changes. As such, we aimed to monitor the effects of tracheal stenosis and pulmonary vascular malformation on lung volumes in infants with PAS and their correlation with lung volumes in infants with PAS using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT). A case-control study was performed. From May 2009 to June 2017, we retrospectively enrolled patients with surgically confirmed PAS and compared them to matched normal controls (A healthy control group comprising age- and gender-matched patients with adequate imaging data was used for the comparisons.). All the patients underwent DSCT examinations. We measured and compared the diameters of the trachea, main bronchus, and main pulmonary artery (MPA) and its branches, and both lung volumes on the axial, and reconstructed CT images. There were no statistical differences in the diameters of the MPA or right pulmonary artery (RPA) between patients (N=15) and controls (N=28). The diameter of the main bronchus, the bilateral trachea and the left pulmonary artery were all smaller in the PAS group than in the control group, and significant differences were evident in the left lung volume the right lung volume, and the right-to-left lung volume ratio between the 2 groups. Pearson's correlation and linear regression analyses between the diameters of the trachea and MPA, total lung volume, ipsilateral bronchial and pulmonary artery branches, and ipsilateral lung volume ranged from 0.71 to 0.87 and 0.57 to 0.77 for the control and PAS groups, respectively. Tracheal stenosis and LPA dysplasia in infants with PAS cause alterations in lung tissue morphology and physiological development, resulting in reduced bilateral lung volumes.

Small Fibre Peripheral Alterations Following COVID-19 Detected by Corneal Confocal Microscopy.

A large spectrum of neurological manifestations has been associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and recently, the involvement of small fibers has been suggested. This study aims to investigate the involvement of small peripheral nervous fibers in recovered COVID-19 patients using in-vivo corneal confocal microscopy (CCM). Patients recovered from COVID-19 and a control group of healthy subjects underwent in-vivo CCM. Corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve fiber total branch density (CTBD), corneal nerve fiber area (CNFA), corneal nerve fiber width (CNFW), fiber tortuosity (FT), number of beadings (NBe), and dendritic cells (DC) density were quantified. We enrolled 302 eyes of 151 patients. CNBD and FT were significantly higher (p = 0.0131, p < 0.0001), whereas CNFW and NBe were significantly lower (p = 0.0056, p = 0.0045) in the COVID-19 group compared to controls. Only CNBD and FT resulted significantly correlated to antiviral drugs (increased) and corticosteroids (decreased). No significant relationship with disease severity parameters was found. COVID-19 may induce peripheral neuropathy in small fibers even months after recovery, regardless of systemic conditions and therapy, and CCM may be a useful tool to identify and monitor these morphological changes.

Analysis of microvascular and neurodegenerative complications of mild COVID-19

PurposeTo examine retinal and corneal neurodegenerative and retinal microvascular changes in patients after mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 disease compared to age-matched controls.MethodsThirty-five (35) patients after PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and 28 age-matched controls were enrolled. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography, and in vivo corneal confocal microscopy were performed in both groups. Corneal subbasal nerve plexus was quantified. Vessel density for superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) and structural OCT parameters were recorded.ResultsSignificantly lower nerve branch density (P = 0.0004), nerve fiber area (P = 0.0001), nerve fiber density (P = 0.0009), nerve fiber length (P < 0.0001), and total nerve branch density (P = 0.002) values were observed in patients after COVID-19 compared to healthy controls. VD of the temporal SCP was significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.019). No other SCP and DCP vessel density parameter differed significantly between the two groups.ConclusionsOur results suggest that peripheral neurodegenerative changes may occur even after mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. No relevant microvascular changes were seen with OCT angiography and structural OCT parameters did not show any signs of optic neuropathy in post-COVID patients. In vivo confocal microscopy seems to be an important tool in monitoring peripheral neuropathy in patients after COVID-19.

Effects of root characteristics on panicle formation in japonica rice under low temperature water stress at the reproductive stage

Cold stress during the reproductive stage causes spikelet sterility and limits rice productivity in high-altitude and high-latitude regions. In higher plants, phytohormones regulate root and panicle development under environmental stress. Maintaining high root physiological activity during the reproductive stage may be a strategy for high yields in crops under abiotic stress. However, little is known about the root physiological activity and panicle size response mechanisms associated with rice cold tolerance at the reproductive stage. In this study, we investigated the effects of low root zone water temperature (Tw) during reproductive growth on root physiological characteristics and root phytohormones associated with panicle development in japonica rice from 2018 to 2019. The rice plants were subjected to 17 °C low Tw for 5, 10, and 15 days during reproductive growth. The results showed that, compared with the control, rice pollen grain development was hindered, and the percentage of fertile pollen decreased under low Tw; the number of surviving total panicle branches decreased significantly; the number of degraded branches increased significantly; the range of change increased gradually with the extension of low Tw stress time; and the impact of low Tw stress on the secondary branches and spikelets was greater than on the primary branches and spikelets. The abundance of zeatin (ZR) and auxin (IAA) in the roots, the root physiological activity, and the number of surviving spikelets and branches had a significant positive correlation in variety DN428. DN428 exhibited strong cold tolerance and possessed a high level of ZR and IAA in the roots, which allowed it to maintain root antioxidant enzyme activity, root vitality, and the root absorption surface area at a relatively stable level, resulting in the roots not accumulating large amounts of soluble protein, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde, and proline. This facilitated the accumulation and transfer of photosynthetic materials above the ground and provided a stable material foundation for spikelet and branch formation.

Stigmasterol Inhibits High Glucose Induced Proliferation and Angiogenesis of Retinal Endothelial Cells by Regulating Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway

Diabetic retinopathy, a microvascular complication, is characterized by angiogenesis of vascular cells in retina. High glucose has been shown to stimulate neovascularization and contribute to the retinal angiogenesis. Stigmasterol exerts antidiabetic effect through protection of β-cell function. However, its role in diabetic retinopathy has not been examined. While stigmasterol alone had no cytotoxic effects on human retinal endothelial cell, stigmasterol reduced the viability of high glucose-stimulated human retinal endothelial cells. Furthermore, the migration of human retinal endothelial cells stimulated by high glucose was repressed by stigmasterol. High glucose promoted formation of capillary-like structures in human retinal endothelial cells, whereas stigmasterol decreased the total branch points in high glucose-stimulated human retinal endothelial cells. Lastly, stigmasterol attenuated high glucose-stimulated increase in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor proteins in human retinal endothelial cells. Also, the enhanced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38, a stress stimulated kinase, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase in human retinal endothelial cells stimulated by high glucose was restored by stigmasterol treatment. In conclusion, stigmasterol exerts antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects against high glucose-stimulated human retinal endothelial cells through inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling.

Eight months follow-up of corneal nerves and sensitivity after treatment with cenegermin for neurotrophic keratopathy

BackgroudCenegermin (Oxervate, Dompè Farmaceutici, Milan, IT), a recombinant human NGF, is a potentially healing new drug for neurotrophic keratopathy (NK), a rare but challenging disease affecting the cornea. To date, studies that evaluate its mid-term effect on corneal nerves and sensitivity are lacking.ObjectiveTo evaluate the recovery and morphology of subbasal corneal nerves in patients treated with Cenegermin for NK and assess their correlation with corneal sensitivity.MethodsThis prospective, observational case series study was carried out between May 2018 and August 2020 at the Ophthalmic Clinic of the University of Verona. Clinical evaluation, sensitivity, and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) were performed in the central and all four corneal sectors at baseline, the end of therapy (8 weeks), and 2, 4, and 8 months after therapy. Consecutive patients with NK (stage 2–3), treated with Cenegermin (1 drop 6 times daily for 8 weeks), were enrolled. During each visit, Corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve fiber total branch density (CTBD), corneal nerve fiber fractal dimension (CNFraD) and Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry (CBE) were measured.ResultsWe enrolled 18 patients. Complete NK healing was noted in 14/18(78%) patients after 8 weeks of treatment; then in 14(78%), 15(83%), and 13(72%) patients at 2-, 4-, and 8-months, respectively. Starting at 8 weeks through 4-month follow-up there was progressive improvement in CBE in all corneal sectors (p ≤ 0.01), which continued thereafter. There was significant corneal nerve regrowth especially in the peripheral cornea: centripetal progression starting at 8 weeks (CNFL and CNFrad) and significant branching starting at 2 months (CTBD), which continued through to the end of follow up. Sector-coupled IVCM and CBE findings correlated at all evaluations (all r ≥ 0.62 starting at 2 months, with highest values in the peripheral sectors).ConclusionsAfter Cenegermin we observed a subbasal corneal nerve regeneration, a recovery of sensitivity and a lasting epithelial healing, suggesting that the effect of its action persists several months after discontinuation in patients with NK.

IMPLEMENTATION OF CONCOLIC UNIT TESTING IN TESTING BINARY SEARCH ALGORITHM USING JCUTE

Testing is a process of implementing a program with the aim of finding an error. A good test case is one of the tests that have the possibility of finding an undisclosed error. One of the existing types of testing is the Concolic Unit Testing Engine. In this research, testing is applied using the Jcute tool, which is a tool to systematically and automatically test sequential C programs (including instructions) and Java programs together. This test is carried out on the search function of an element of data in the Binary Search Search Algorithm. However, to check whether concolic testing can detect bugs in the software practically through case studies. This research describes a case study of the application of a test tool to a Java application. Through this research, we tested the path coverage and Branches Covered. We can also find out the details of total branches covered; total functions invoked, percentage of branches covered and the number of iterations. JCUTE can also find an interleaving of two sequences or circuits that results in an infinite loop.

Evaluation of Tomato varieties for growth and yield components in Madhya Pradesh

Different varieties of tomato trail were conducted as the on-farm tail (OFT) in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh during 2018-19 and 2019-20 to compare the growth development and production potential of three (3) varieties of tomato viz. local check, Arka Rakshak, Arka Samratat farmers field under Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Raisen. Experimental data were collected, i.e. Plant height, total branch plant1, number of fruits plant1, average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit breath, Fruit yield Plant1 (Kg), fruit yield q/ha, production efficiency (Kg/ha/day), Economic efficiency (Rs/ha/day), Gross returns (Rs/ha), Net Returns (Rs/ha). The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Block Design. The mean data of all the observations over two years were pooled and statistically analyzed. The result revealed that a maximum number of fruit/plant (26.648), average fruit weight (90.634 gm), Fruit yield/Plant, (2.425kg/ha), fruit yield per hectare (471.5182 q/ha), production efficiency (589.397 kg/ha/day), Gross returns (Rs.235758.9 /ha), Net Returns (Rs.143258.9/ha) and B:C ratio 2.54 were found under Arka Samrat whereas, plant height, fruit length and the number of branches per plant were recorded maximum under Arka Rakshak compared to local check varieties.

Efficacy analysis of retroperitoneal laparoscopic selective renal artery branch occlusion and nephron sparing surgery for ≥ T1b stage renal carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of retroperitoneal laparoscopic selective renal artery branch occlusion with nephron sparing surgery in patients with renal carcinoma of stage ≥ T1b. Methods: From July 2016 to September 2020, 35 patients with renal cancer ≥T1b underwent retroperitoneoscopic nephron sparing surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University. The surgical methods were retroperitoneoscopic nephron sparing surgery with total renal artery occlusion (group A) or selective renal artery branch occlusion (group B). Operation time, heat ischemia time, blood transfusion rate, positive margin rate, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups, and the total glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the single-nephron glomerular filtration rate (sGFR) of the offected kidneys were compared between the two groups before, 3 months after and 12 months after surgery. Results: Among the 35 patients, 19 were male and 16 were female, aged (55.7±8.4) years and the body mass index is (24.6±3.1) kg/m2. The tumor diameter was (54.7±10.3) mm. The difference was statistically significant of operative time between group A and B [(103.5±14.3) vs (123.2±14.1) min,P=0.003]. There were no significant differences in thermal ischemia time, blood transfusion rate, positive margin, intraoperative blood loss, incidence of postoperative complications and length of hospital stay between the two groups (all P>0.05). The decrease of renal sGFR in the group A was significantly higher than group B at 3 months and 12 months after surgery [(23.1±3.6) vs (29.1±7.1) ml/min;(25.9±4.7) vs (30.7±7.2),both P<0.05]. Conclusion: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic selective renal artery branch occlusion and neon-sparing surgery for patients with ≥ T1b stage renal carcinoma is a safe and effective surgical method, which can well protect the renal function of patients in the early postoperative stage without increasing intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complications.

From model to alfalfa: Gene editing to obtain semidwarf and prostrate growth habits

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a nutritious forage crop with wide ecological adaptability. The molecular breeding of alfalfa is restricted by its heterozygous tetraploid genome and the difficult genetic manipulation process. Under time and resource constraints, we applied a more convenient approach. We investigated two MtGA3ox genes, MtGA3ox1 and MtGA3ox2, of Medicago truncatula, a diploid legume model species, finding that MtGA3ox1 plays a major role in GA-regulated plant architecture. Mutation of neither gene affected nitrogenase activity. These results suggest that MtGA3ox1 can be used in semidwarf and prostrate alfalfa breeding. Based on the M. truncatula MtGA3ox1 sequence, MsGA3ox1 was cloned from alfalfa, and two knockout targets were designed. An efficient CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing protocol was used to generate msga3ox1 mutants in alfalfa. We obtained three lines that carried mutations in all four alleles in the T0 generation. Fifteen clonal plants were vegetatively propagated from each transgenic line using shoot cuttings. The plant height and internode length of msga3ox1 null mutants were significantly decreased. The number of total lateral branches, leaf/stem ratio and crude protein content of aerial plant parts of msga3ox1 mutants were significantly increased. Thus, we obtained semi-dwarf and prostrate alfalfa by gene editing.

OPTIMIZATION OF HEAT CONDUCTION FOR TREELIKE NETWORK WITH ARBITRARY CROSS-SECTIONAL SHAPE

To minimize the thermal resistance of the fractal treelike heat conduction network and develop an optimization principle applicable for the network with an arbitrary cross-sectional shape, this paper first establishes a theoretical model regarding the total thermal resistance of the symmetric treelike network with arbitrary cross-sectional shapes and then studies the effects of the geometric and structural parameters of the network on its total thermal resistance. The numerical simulations are also performed to analyze the influences of the geometric and structural parameters of symmetric treelike networks with circular, rectangular and triangular cross-sectional shapes on the total thermal resistance. Both the theoretical model and the numerical simulation show that the total thermal resistance of the network with an arbitrary cross-sectional shape first decreases and then increases with increasing cross-sectional area ratio but always increases with increasing length ratio of branches at two successive branching levels when the total branch volume is constant. When the cross-sectional area ratio is equal to the reciprocal of the branching number, the treelike network has the minimum total thermal resistance. This scaling law is applicable for the treelike network with an arbitrary cross-sectional shape to achieve the minimum total thermal resistance.

The effect of plant size and branch traits on rainfall interception of 10 temperate tree species

AbstractRainfall interception by vegetation plays an important role in the hydrological cycle. Next to rainfall characteristics, interception is influenced by tree size, crown structure and bark morphology. How tree traits determine interception across functionally and morphologically wide‐ranging tree species is poorly understood. We determined interception ratios (interception:gross precipitation) and canopy storage capacities of seven temperate deciduous broadleaved (Acer pseudoplatanus L., Betula pendula Roth, Carpinus betulus L., Fagus sylvatica L., Populus tremula L., Sorbus aucuparia L.) and three evergreen coniferous tree species (Picea abies (L.) Karsten, Pinus sylvestris L., Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) as well as the influence of various tree traits on interception parameters. Interception was measured directly with natural rainfall by means of gravimetry on potted trees, 2–8 m tall, for seven consecutive months. Our results show that (a) the coniferous species had larger canopy storage capacities and larger interception ratios than the broadleaved species both during (summer) and outside the growing season (winter); (b) the absolute tree interception (in kg) of the broadleaved species was positively related to stem diameter at breast height, tree and crown height, maximum branch length, the total branch surface area and above ground dry weight; and (c) interception per unit crown projected area (in mm) of all species was positively related to branch length and branch surface area per unit crown projected area. These results can be used to estimate interception parameters from plant traits and to simulate interception losses of trees in a more reliable manner.

Network Design for Bus-Type Optical Access Using Distributed Raman Amplification With Asymmetric Power Splitter

This paper proposes loss budget improvement of the bus-type optical access network (NW) with cost-effective non-repeater configuration. To achieve drastic improvements, we propose two approaches; (i) application of a low noise distributed Raman amplification (DRA) technique to upstream signal transmission (ii) utilization of asymmetric power splitters at each drop point to enhance Raman gain and to suppress transmission loss of far branches. We optimize the asymmetric power splitter drop ratio to maximize the number of accommodated users. Then, we clarify the number of accommodated users and improvements based on DRA through calculations that examine the inter-drop distance and total branch number. Experiments evaluate the bit error rate performance of the proposal. We confirm that measured values correspond to the simulation results. Based on the simulation and the experiment, we clarify the optimal network configuration for the user distribution. It is found that bus-type NWs support more accommodated users with shorter total fiber length than star-type NWs for user range examined. The potential advantage of bus-type NWs is revealed.

Terrestrial laser scanning to reconstruct branch architecture from harvested branches

Abstract Quantifying whole branch architecture is critical to understanding tree function, for example, branch surface area controls woody gas exchange. Yet, due to measurement difficulty, branch architecture of small diameter branches (e.g. &lt;10 cm ) is modelled, subsampled or ignored. Methods that use terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) are now being widely applied to analyse tree and plot‐level tree architecture; however, resolving small diameter branches in‐situ remains a challenge. Currently, it is suggested that accurate reconstruction of small diameter branches can only be achieved by harvest and measurement in controlled conditions. Here we present a new TLS workflow for rapid and accurate reconstruction of complete branch architecture from harvested branches. The workflow sets out scan configuration, post‐processing (including a novel reflectance filter) and fitting of quantitative structure models (QSM) to reconstruct topologically coherent branch models. This is demonstrated on 595 branches (scanned indoors to negate the impact of wind) and compared with 65 branches that were manually measured (i.e. with measuring tape and callipers). Comparison of a suite of morphological and topological traits reveals a good agreement between TLS‐derived metrics and manual measurements where RMSE (%RMSE) for total branch length = 0.7 m (10%), volume = 0.09 L (43%), surface area = 0.04 m2 (26%) and N tips = 6.4 (35%). Scanning was faster and invariant to branch size compared with manual measurements which required significantly more personnel time. We recommend measuring a subsample of tip widths to constrain the QSM taper function as the TLS workflow tends to overestimate tip width. The workflow presented here allows for a rapid characterisation of branch architecture from harvested branches. Increasing the number of branches analysed (e.g. many branches from a single tree or branches from many species globally) could allow for a comprehensive analysis of the ‘missing link’ between the leaves and larger diameter branches.

Measuring temporal change in alpha diversity: A framework integrating taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity and the iNEXT.3D standardization

Abstract Biodiversity is a multifaceted concept covering different levels of organization from genes to ecosystems. Biodiversity has at least three dimensions: (a) Taxonomic diversity (TD): a measure that is sensitive to the number and abundances of species. (b) Phylogenetic diversity (PD): a measure that incorporates not only species abundances but also species evolutionary histories. (c) Functional diversity (FD): a measure that considers not only species abundances but also species' traits. We integrate the three dimensions of diversity under a unified framework of Hill numbers and their generalizations. Our TD quantifies the effective number of equally abundant species, PD quantifies the effective total branch length, mean‐PD (PD divided by tree depth) quantifies the effective number of equally divergent lineages, and FD quantifies the effective number of equally distinct virtual functional groups (or functional ‘species’). Thus, TD, mean‐PD and FD are all in the same units of species/lineage equivalents and can be meaningfully compared. Like species richness, empirical TD, PD and FD based on sampling data depend on sampling effort and sample completeness. For TD (Hill numbers), the iNEXT (interpolation and extrapolation) standardization was developed for standardizing sample size or sample completeness (as measured by sample coverage, the fraction of individuals that belong to the observed species) to make objective comparisons across studies. This paper extends the iNEXT method to the iNEXT.3D standardization to encompass all three dimensions of diversity via sample size‐ and sample coverage‐based rarefaction and extrapolation under the unified framework. The asymptotic diversity estimates (i.e. sample size tends to infinity and sample coverage tends to unity) are also derived. In addition to individual‐based abundance data, the proposed iNEXT.3D standardization is adapted to deal with incidence‐based occurrence data. We apply the integrative framework and the proposed iNEXT.3D standardization to measure temporal alpha‐diversity changes for estuarine fish assemblage data spanning four decades. The influence of environmental drivers on diversity change are also assessed. Our analysis informs a mechanistic interpretation of biodiversity change in the three dimensions of diversity. The accompanying freeware, iNEXT.3D, developed during this project, facilitates all computation and graphics.

Canopy structure metrics governing stemflow funnelling differ between leafed and leafless states: Insights from a large‐scale rainfall simulator

AbstractAn increasing number of studies have examined the effects of various biotic and abiotic factors on stemflow production. Of those that have ascribed the importance of canopy structure to stemflow production, there has been a bias towards field studies. Coupling Bayesian inference with the NIED (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Tsukuba, Japan) large‐scale rainfall simulator, this study leveraged a unique opportunity to control rainfall amounts and intensities to pinpoint the canopy structural metrics that differentially influence stemflow funnelling ratios for three common tree species between leafed and leafless canopy states. For the first time, we examined whether canopy structure metrics exert a static control on stemflow funnelling ratios or whether different elements of canopy structure are more or less important under leafed or leafless states, thereby allowing us to determine if tacit assumptions about the static influence of canopy structure on stemflow production (and funnelling) are valid (or not). Rainfall simulations were conducted at 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100 mm h−1 under both leafed and leafless tree conditions (12 simulations in total) to detect any differential effects on the presence or absence of foliage on stemflow funnelling ratios. For leafed conditions, the highest percentages of best‐fitting models (ΔDIC ≤2) indicated that stemflow funnelling ratios were mainly controlled by total dry aboveground biomass (Ball), diameter at breast height (DBH), total dry foliar biomass (Bf), tree height (H), and woody to foliar dry biomass ratio (BR). Whilst for the leafless state, the highest percentages of best‐fitting models (ΔDIC ≤2) indicated that total dry branch biomass (Bbr) was relatively dominant as was the interaction effects between crown projection area and species (CPA:species). These results compel us to reject any assumption of a static effect of different elements of canopy structure on stemflow funnelling.