Use Of Exotic Species Research Articles

Insights on physiological, antioxidant and flowering response to salinity stress of two candidate ornamental species: the native coastal geophytes Pancratium maritimum L. and Eryngium maritimum L

Increasing seawater influence in coastal areas is an ongoing environmental issue. Gardening is a widespread activity mainly in touristic areas such as the Mediterranean coasts. However, the use of exotic species well adapted to salinity encompasses the risk of invasive species introduction. This study aimed to evaluate salinity tolerance of native geophytes, Pancratium maritimum L. and Eryngium maritimum L., to assess their use as ornamental species in salt affected coastal areas. Experiments were conducted using cultivated plants for flowering response and physiological and enzymatic antioxidant response. Six treatments were applied for two months, exposing plants to seawater (SW) dilutions (Tap-Water, 6.25%SW, 12.5%SW, 25%SW, 50%SW and 100%SW). Taxa decreased inflorescence production being this effect more architectonical in E. maritimum and affecting all inflorescence integrity in P. maritimum. Flowering time was strongly delayed and reduced in P. maritimum, while E. maritimum showed smaller effects among treatments. Physiological and biochemical response showed at moderate salinity levels (1/4SW) variation concomitant with late stress response and senescence in P. maritimum, with decreased water use efficiency, NPQ values, and enzymatic activity, and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In contrast, E. maritimum showed early stress response with steady gas exchange response, increasing NPQ values and catalase (CAT) and superoxide dimutase (SOD) activity, and decreasing MDA levels with salinity. Glutathione enzymes showed limited participation in both species. The results of this study suggest that neither species can be classified as halophytes, but they exhibit tolerance to low and moderate salinity levels, making them suitable for ornamental use.

DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF GREEN SPACES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: WHAT ROLES FOR NATIVE PLANT SPECIES?

Ordinary models of development and management of green spaces in sub-Saharan Africa, often based on fragmented functional zoning with the use of exotic species requiring lot of maintenance, seems today unsuited to the challenges of sustainable development. Land pressures due to rural exodus and the lack of urban planningmake the future of urban vegetation difficult without understanding the real contribution of greenery. Integrating native plant species along with their ecosystem services into development and management plans could be an advantageous alternative. Indeed, assimilation of ecosystem services permit a better social implication and allows the population to understand the importance and the benefits they can afford from green spaces. Smart design could keep green attractiveness leading to a better integration of these spaces which could then contribute to improving citizens lifes quality while preserving the environmental and the economic importances of green spaces. In this context, native plants species in public spaces could be the link between social interest, economic rationality and biodiversity respect.

Legal provision on the use of exotic species in forest restoration: eucalyptus leaf decomposition in different Brazilian savannah formations

The Brazilian federal law has established norms for vegetation protection in 2012 for the planting of exotic species for the restoration of altered areas. Given the large number of areas to be recovered in the savannah biome in Brazil (e.g., Cerrado), the use of fast-growing species and high biomass production (e.g., Eucalyptus spp.) has been earnestly considered. However, the recommendation of this exotic species must be scientifically supported. This work aimed to evaluate the decomposition process of eucalyptus leaf litter in three different phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado biome (Brazilian Savannah) with three different formation type: Typical Cerrado, Savannah Forest, and Gallery Forest. The leaf decomposition was evaluated by the litter bags that were collected from October 2017 to October 2018. The difference between the initial mass and the masses was evaluated at the different collection periods. After one year, we determined the decomposition rate and the constant k using the exponential equation proposed by Olson. The decomposition rate of eucalyptus leaves was high in the three Cerrado formations. The shortest decomposition time was observed in Gallery Forest. The results showed that the main types of Cerrado formation effectively assimilate the organic material to be deposited in the soil. Thus, the study demonstrated the feasibility and legal provision of using exotic species, e.g., eucalyptus in the arduous mission of recovering degraded forest environments

Indigenous versus exotic tree species used in silviculture and agroforestry: An overview from Burundi Seed Centre data

In Burundi, natural ecosystems are found mainly in protected areas and indigenous species seem to be scarce in silvicultural and agroforestry programs. The indisputable enthusiasm of the population to use Eucalyptus has already completely transformed the Burundian landscape. The present study aims at analyzing the extent of the exotic species use versus indigenous by different stakeholders, among them the Government of Burundi. Sales statistics (2012-2021) from the Burundian Office for the Protection of the Environment seed bank were analyzed. The study reveals that out of 23 species, seeds of only three indigenous tree species are sold. The latter corresponds to 27% of the total seed weight, representing only 0.11% of the total seed number. Eucalyptus div. sp. are the most dedicated to silvicultural programs with 99.63% of total seeds; no indigenous tree species is known for silviculture in Burundi. Concerning agroferestry, indigenous species are represented by Maesopsis emenii, Markhamia lutea and Polycias fulva totaling 29.03 % of total seed weight, equivalent to only 1.17 % of the total seed number. The most used species are exotic, namely Grevillea robusta, Calliandra calothyrsus and Cedrella serrulata, representing 57%, 25.43% and 11.36% of total seed number respectively. Likewise, the Government programs as well as other stakeholders are choosing seed species in the same way. This study showed the exclusive use of exotic species in silvicultural where Eucalyptus div.sp. have won over foresters and the general population due to their rapid growth, high productivity and regeneration regardless soil quality. The present study confirms the quasi-exclusive use of exotic tree species in silvicultural and agroforestry programs by different actors. Our findings suggest the need to seek for alternative indigenous tree species to promote. Relevant policies should be revised and implemented accordingly for the soil conservation and ecosystem restoration as well as reforestation.

BENEFÍCIOS DO PLANTIO DE Eucalyptus PARA O TAMANHO E FORMA DE FRA GMENTOS DE ÁREAS FLORESTAIS NA MATA ATLÂNTICA DO SUDESTE

ABSTRACT The adoption of mixed plantation systems (exotic and native species) is viable and represents an important alternative in the context of forest and landscape restoration. This study evaluated whether Eucalyptus cultivation is associated with changes in native forest cover and fragment connectivity in the region from 1987 to 2017. The study region (Southeast Atlantic Forest) has been undergoing a forest transition process. Based on land use/land cover maps obtained from satellite images and a pair-wise comparison, it was detected that the dynamics in one land cover were not necessarily associated with the other one. It was verified an increase in Eucalyptus cover since 2007, possibly related to the New Forest Code that allows the use of exotic species in reforestation, provided it does not exceed 50% of the total area. An increase in the native vegetation cover was also observed, highlighting the importance of restoration actions and national regulations. In addition, forest patches were larger and less complex with Eucalyptus presence, indicating that this land cover is potentially beneficial for the landscape connectivity.

Exotic predators are not better biocontrol agents: the harlequin ladybird is not the most voracious in Mexico.

The use of exotic species for pest biocontrol has been a common pathway for introduction and dispersal of invasive species that may have undesired outcomes. Biocontrol agents are believed to be a less damaging alternative than pesticides, but some species may also prey on or parasitize native species or outcompete them for resources. The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is a well-known biocontrol agent originally from Asia that has established invasive populations in 59 countries around the globe. Harlequin ladybirds are generalist predators that in addition to pests prey on an array of different species including other coccinelids’ eggs and larvae. In Mexico, native ladybirds that share ecological requirements with harlequin ladybirds are at risk of being outcompeted and predated upon. The aim of our study was to compare the foraging efficiency of harlequin ladybirds against three species of native coccinelids when preying on aphids. We investigated the foraging behaviour of ladybirds alone and in pairs with a conspecific, a native heterospecific or an exotic heterospecific. We found that the native Cycloneda sanguinea was the species that consumed the most aphids, while Hippodamia convergens was the fastest to find and consume each aphid. Harlequin ladybirds and H. convergens consumed the same number of aphids while P. vittigera consumed less. Conspecific competition was stronger than heterospecific competition. We discuss the suitability of using the exotic invasive harlequin ladybird for aphid biocontrol in comparison with native coccinelids.

X-ray computed tomography for non-invasive dendrochronology reveals a concealed double panelling on a painting from Rubens' studio.

Dating the wood from historical art objects is a crucial step to ascertain their production time, and support or refute attribution to an artist or a workshop. Dendrochronology is commonly used for this purpose but requires access to the tree-ring pattern in the wood, which can be hindered by preparatory layers, polychromy, wax, or integrated frames. Here we implemented non-invasive dendrochronology based on X-ray computed tomography (CT) to examine a painting on panel attributed to Rubens’ studio and its presumed dating around 1636 CE. The CT images achieved a resolution of 37.3 micron and revealed a double panelling, which was concealed by oak strips covering all four edges. The back (visible) board is made of deciduous oak (Quercus subg. Quercus), the most common type of wood used in 17th-century Netherlandish workshops, and was dated terminus post quem after 1557 CE. However, the front (original) board used for the painting has been identified through examination of the wood anatomy as a tropical wood, probably Swietenia sp., a species seldom used in Netherlandish paintings, and remains undated. Its very presence attests the global character of 17th-century trade, and demonstrates the use of exotic species in Flemish studios. The date of the oak board refutes previous results and suggests that this board was trimmed to meet the size of the tropical one, having been glued to it for conservation purposes or with deceiving intentions to pretend that the painting was made on an oak panel. These revelations have opened new lines of art historical inquiry and highlight the potential of X-ray CT as a powerful tool for non-invasive study of historical art objects to retrieve their full history.

Spiders Community Patterns in Native and Invaded Desert Habitats

The rate of afforestation is increasing worldwide and has represented a common land use and a very important resource for centuries. The use of exotic species in the afforestation process may have a negative impact on ecosystem function and structure, including changes in shading, microclimate, nutrient cycles, and water balance, which may, in turn, affect biodiversity. The objective of this paper was to document and investigate the impact of forest plantations that use alien plants on the native ground-dwelling fauna, specifically using spiders as bioindicators. Spider species showed a great difference in both univariate measurements (diversity indices, richness and evenness) and multivariate analysis (species composition and indicator species). Five spider species were newly recorded in Egypt during this study; four of them were found in the forest habitat (Micaria dives, Odontodrassus aravaensis, Pholcus opilionoides and Scytodes univittata) while Halodromus patellidens was recorded in the control area. The experimental nature of this study confirmed that assessing the risks of forest plantation activities is urgently needed before introducing any species. It highlights the fact that the use of endemic trees is preferred in order to avoid altering native diversity.

Egg Parasitoids of Cabbage Caterpillars in Sri Lanka: A Search for Biocontrol Agents

Purpose : Management of cabbage caterpillar complex through augmentative release of egg parasitoids has been suggested considering the current issues in insecticide application, mainly the effect on human health, non-target effects and environmental pollution. Use of local egg parasitoid species is preferred considering the environmental risk associated with the use of exotic species; therefore, this study was conducted to examine the egg parasitoid guild of cabbage caterpillars in Sri Lanka. Research Method : Field survey was conducted during January 2012 to May 2013 in major cabbage growing areas in the mid-country. Eggs of cabbage caterpillars were collected and reared them until the emergence of host larvae or adult parasitoids. Emerged parasitoids were preserved in 70% ethanol, and prepared the microscopic slides upon the dissection of male genitalia. Parasitoids were identified by using taxonomic keys and Trichogramma literature as per the protocol suggested by Natural History museum, London and the identities were confirmed by the taxonomist in Natural history museum in London. Findings : Trichoplusia ni, Spodoptera litura, Crocidolomia pavonana and Plutella xylostella were found as the members of cabbage caterpillar complex. Two egg parasitoid species: Trichogramma chilonis Ishi and Trichogramma achaeae Nagaraja and Nagarkatti were found attacking eggs of cabbage caterpillars. Trichogramma chilonis has been reported previously in Sri Lanka but Trichogramma achaeae is the first country report. T. chilonis was widely distributed and caused for higher level of parasitism than T. achaeae. The highest level of parasitism (67%) by both species was found in Trichoplusia ni eggs which was significantly different from other species. Level of parasitism of caterpillar eggs was significantly varied between pesticide free fields (16.8%) and conventional fields (13.1%). Research Limitation : The study of behavioral characters of these parasitoids is required to assess the suitability as biocontrol agents; as an initial step for augmentative biocontrol, the locally available egg parasitoids were reported in this study. Originality/ Value : These findings would be contributing Sri Lankan agriculture sector to develop the augmentative biocontrol approach to manage the cabbage caterpillar complex and to produce pesticide residues free crop produce.

Usage Opportunities of the Turkish Hazelnut (Corylus colurna L.) in Landscape Architecture

Türkiye coğrafi konumu itibariyle ve zengin doğal kaynaklarına bağlı olarak bitki türü çeşitliliği açısından oldukça önemli bir potansiyele sahiptir. Fakat bu bitki türü çeşitliliğinin kentlerde yapılan bitkisel peyzaj tasarımlarında çok fazla değerlendirilmediği görülmektedir. Artan talep ve kolay ulaşım, egzotik türlerin kullanımını oldukça arttırmıştır. Oysa su kaynaklarının azaldığı günümüz koşullarında doğal türlerin kullanımına özen gösterilmelidir. Doğal türlerin, yaşadıkları alanların ekolojik özelliklerine egzotik türlere nispeten daha iyi adapte olduğu unutulmamalıdır. Ayrıca egzotik türlerin kullanımıyla kentlerin kimliklerini bir nebze kaybettiği ve geleneksel yapılarının bozulduğu görülmektedir. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada ülkemizin doğal bir türü olan Corylus colurna’nın doğal yayılış alanları, dendrolojik özellikleri, ekolojik istekleri belirlenmiş, işlevsel ve estetik özellikleri araştırılarak bitkisel tasarımlarda kullanım olanakları örneklendirilmek suretiyle anlatılmıştır.

High richness of exotic trees in tropical urban green spaces: Reproductive systems, fruiting and associated risks to native species

Urban ecosystems provide green landscapes that are important to global biodiversity conservation. In tropical urban ecosystems, exotic plants are widely used in landscaping and this can have several negative effects on the native plant and pollinator communities. Here, we aimed to investigate the origin (native or exotic to Brazil, and native or exotic to the phytogeographic dominium where the urban space is inserted), sexual and reproductive systems and fruiting of tree species occurring in 17 urban green spaces in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, located in the northeastern Brazilian Atlantic forest. A total of 114 tree species were registered in the urban green spaces, 78 out of them were observed for fruiting. Overall, 49.1 % of the species are native to Brazil and 50.9 % are exotic, while 86 % do not occur naturally in the northeastern Brazilian Atlantic forest. In terms of abundance of individuals, these values were 37 % native, 63 % exotic and 80.5 % not occurring in the northeastern Brazilian Atlantic forest. Most of the species, native or exotic, are hermaphrodite and self-incompatible (i.e. obligatory cross-pollinated). From the 78 species observed for fruiting, 77 set fruits, 43.7 % had sub-annual pattern; all exotic species (43 spp.) set fruits, even the 13 exotic species that are self-incompatible. Our results reveal that factors such as the high use of exotic species that successfully set fruits in tropical urban green spaces may indicate risks for plant-animal interactions (e.g. pollination; dispersion), threaten the reproductive success of native plant species, increase the risk of biological invasion, and consequently impair the maintenance of biodiversity. We suggest that decision makers pay attention and consider the impacts of using exotic plant species in the dynamic of tropical urban ecosystems.

ESPECIES ACUATICAS DE LOS HUMEDALES DE BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA CON CAPACIDAD PARA EL TRATAMIENTO DE AGUAS RESIDUALES CON METALES PESADOS: REVIEW

El presente estudio busca reconocer que especies acuáticas con presencia en los humedales de Bogotá pueden tratar aguas residuales según el tipo de metales pesados y así presentar la información de manera tal que la comunidad pueda generar procesos de diseño más eficientemente. Lo anterior evitar el uso de especies exóticas o que no sean útiles para la retención y/o absorción de ciertos metales pesados. La metodología empleada inicio con una compilación de la información de todas las especies acuáticas con presencia en los humedales de la ciudad, posteriormente se realizó la búsqueda en bases de datos por cada especie sobre la capacidad de bioacumulación de metales pesados y finalmente, se analizó y ordeno la información encontrada.Como resultado se encontraron 48 especies acuáticas, de las cuales, 24 especies no cuentan con información alguna, 14 requieren una revisión más detallada, 1 especie (utricularia gibba) no puede ser usada en procesos de tratamiento debido a su alta sensibilidad frente a cambios en el ecosistema y especies como holcus lanatus son altamente selectivas con respecto a la resistencia y acumulación de metales pesados, las 24 especies restantes muestran una capacidad variable en la acumulación y se ve afectada por factores como pH y concentración de metales pesados; se puede concluir que las especies presentes en los humedales de Bogotá no son híper acumuladoras y que se debe incentivar el uso de plantas nativas ya que no actúan como plantas invasoras, evitando así él riesgo de desplazar especies nativas o endémicas.

Estudio TG-MS de la gasificación del carbonizado de la cáscara de Copoazú (Theobroma Glandiflorum)

Introducción: El uso de especies exóticas como materias primas en biorrefinerías puede impulsar el desarrollo sostenible de regiones como la Amazonía; sin embargo, se considera pertinente generar más estudios experimentales previos, que permitan evaluar su potencialidad técnica, aplicada en este caso específicamente con la cáscara de Copoazú.
 Objetivo: El objetivo de este artículo es determinar la cinética de gasificación del carbonizado resultado de la pirólisis de la cáscara de Copoazú.
 Metodología: En este trabajo se utilizó el análisis termogravimétrico acoplado a espectroscopía de masas (TGMS), para establecer la distribución de los productos de la gasificación y la cinética de la descomposición del carbonizado, subproducto de la pirólisis de las cáscaras de copoazú. La materia prima fue caracterizada por FTIR y se utilizaron tres velocidades de calentamiento diferentes para el proceso termoquímico.
 Resultados: Los parámetros cinéticos del proceso de gasificación se obtuvieron ajustando los datos experimentales con tres modelos diferentes, obteniéndose un buen ajuste al modelo DAEM con tres conjuntos de reacciones.
 Conclusiones: Los datos obtenidos pueden utilizarse para modelar las reacciones de gasificación del carbonizado de esta materia prima. La cinética de producción de la mayoría de las moléculas que se detectaron con una abundancia relativa alta se pudo relacionar con las reacciones de descomposición térmica del carbonizado de la cáscara de Copoazú, de acuerdo con el modelo DAEM.

Propagation and establishment of rupestrian grassland grasses for restoration of degraded areas by mining

Investigations on the propagation and establishment of native grasses of rupestrian grassland on degraded substrates are essential to enable their use in the restoration of degraded areas, thus reducing the use of exotic species. This study aimed to evaluate the sexual and asexual propagation, establishment and growth of Axonopus laxiflorus (Trin.) Chase and Sporobolus metallicolus Longhi-Wagner & Boechat, two native grasses from rupestrian grassland developed on laterite substrate of an area degraded by bauxite mining. In greenhouse experiments, A. laxiflorus was propagated by tillers and S. metallicolus by seeds and tillers. Both species were also evaluated for germination in a germination chamber on the treatments: control, addition of potassium nitrate and heating at 80 °C for 2 min. In these evaluations, success of S. metallicolus germination was between 77 and 90%, without significative difference among treatments, whereas A. laxiflorus did not germinate. In the laterite substrate, S. metallicolous, propagated by seeds, showed 29% of survival, whereas in the vegetative propagation all plants of the two species survived. Eight months after starting the tiller experiment, S. metallicolus and A. laxiflorus presented a biomass increase of 239 and 75%, respectively. Although A. laxiflorus showed root biomass approximately seven times higher than S. metallicolus, the two species presented similar root length, that is, S. metallicolus contained more fine roots. The results show that the species can efficiently propagate vegetatively and, in the case of S. metallicolus, sexually. The success of the species in a substrate poor in nutrients and rich in Al, Fe and Mn indicates that they can be used in the restoration of areas degraded by bauxite and iron mining, which are important mining activities in Brazil.

The commercialization and use of exotic baits in recreational fisheries in the north‐western Mediterranean: Environmental and management implications

Abstract Although the use of exotic baits in recreational fisheries represents an increasing environmental threat for Mediterranean marine ecosystems, there is still little information about the commercialization and use of these baits, which makes it difficult to assess their potential impacts and establish specific management measures to tackle the threat that they pose. This study analyses for the first time the commercialization and use of exotic species in recreational fishing in the Mediterranean, and the associated environmental and management implications. A multiple‐approach design has been used, including: a participatory survey to collect data and perceptions from local retailers and a national bait wholesaler on the environmental impacts of exotic baits; a biological study to identify taxonomically the commercialized bait species; and a bibliographic survey to gather information about the potential environmental impacts of the commercialization and use of exotic baits. Results showed that, among the 13 different baits sold, only the polychaete group included three exotic species: Perinereis linea, Glycera dibranchiata, and Namalycastis rhodochorde. Furthermore, specimens of the sipunculid Sipunculus nudus, imported from South‐east Asia, should also be considered exotic. The exotic species P. linea and G. dibranchiata were the two polychaete species most often used by sea anglers. These species were also the most sold by local retailers in the area and by Spain's leading wholesaler. Overall, anglers and local retailers were not fully aware of the potential negative impacts derived from the use of exotic species, and therefore appropriate management actions, including awareness activities, are discussed to better understand and manage the environmental impacts derived from exotic baits.

Landscaping with native plants in the UAE: A review

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a unique experience in greening the desert. Huge efforts have been done to create green spaces across the country including afforestation and urban landscaping. Most of the landscaping designs were inspired from western landscapes comprises mostly of exotic species, which do not reconcile with the environmental conditions of the UAE. The intensive use of exotic species in artificial vegetation, high water requirements for the UAE greenery, coupled with water shortages and salinity, are causing major environmental and ecological challenges. Fortunately, the UAE hosts a unique flora and fauna that show remarkable adjustment to harsh weather conditions. Here we emphasize the use of native plants due to their potential to develop landscapes in saline and water shortage conditions, leading to reduced water usage for landscaping. The preservation of native biodiversity of the UAE will be an added benefit. In this article the main aspects of the UAE landscaping efforts, with the associated water resources using native plants in landscaping, problems in promoting native plants in landscaping and possible solutions are discussed.

Diversity of native woody regeneration in exotic tree plantations and natural forest in Southern Philippines

ABSTRACTThe use of exotic species in reforestations is one of the highly criticized forest policies in the Philippines, mainly due to their perceived negative impacts on biodiversity conservation. To ascertain the influence of exotic plantations on native flora establishments, we inventoried the structure, composition, and diversity of understory woody regeneration in three exotic stands in Southern Philippines and compared them to adjacent second growth forest. The mean total density of regeneration did not differ significantly among the stands, except for the separate density of saplings and seedlings where natural forest had significantly the lowest and highest density, respectively, over the exotic stands. Teak (Tectona grandis L.) and mangium (Acacia mangium Willd.) stands generally had the bigger basal area, indicating the dominance of saplings in these areas. A low diversity characterized the four stands with the lowest and highest diversity indices observed, respectively, in the mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) and natural forest. Despite their proximity, each stand exhibited uniqueness in species composition, with some of the endangered species observed only in the exotic stands. Therefore, it would be interesting to know how continued protection of these stands would affect the trajectory of succession of native species over time.

Issues and perspectives on the use of exotic species in the sustainable management of Canadian forests

Plantations offer a high potential to respond to the increasing pressure on forests to deliver social, economic, and environmental services. Exotic tree species have a long history of use in plantation forestry, mostly because of their improved productivity compared with that of native species. Because of their impacts on land management and the environment, questions arise regarding the compatibility of exotic tree plantations with sustainable forest management (SFM), the overarching paradigm driving forest legislations in Canada. Our objectives were thus to i) briefly review the historical and current use of exotic tree species in Canada, ii) identify the social, economic and environmental issues related to the use of exotic tree species in Canadian forestry, based on sustainable forest management criteria, and iii) identify perspectives related to the use of exotic tree species in the sustainable management of Canadian forests. Results show that six out of ten Canadian provinces do not have specific legislations to control the use of exotic tree species for reforestation within their borders. The use of exotic tree species is mainly controlled through third-party certification agencies. Exotic tree species represent a small proportion of the planted seedlings in Canada and Norway spruce is the most common one. The use of exotic tree species is compatible with sustainable forest management criteria used in Canada, but forest managers must take into account several issues related to their use and maintain a social license to be entitled to plant them. Issues are highly dependent upon scale. The zoning of management intensity could provide environmental, economic and social benefits, but costs/benefits analyses should be carried out. The concept of naturalness could also be useful to integrate plantations of exotic species in jurisdiction where SFM strategies are based on ecosystem management principles. Monitoring of hybridization and invasiveness of exotic species must be included in landscape analyses to forestall loss of resilience leading to compromised structural and functional ecosystem states. The use of exotics species is recognized as a tool to sequester carbon and facilitate adaptation of forests to global changes, but it is necessary to carefully identified contexts where assisted migration is justified and disentangle planned novel ecosystems coherent with global changes generated by assisted migration from those emerging from invasive species forming undesired states.

In vitro wood decay of teak (Tectona grandis) by Rigidoporus cfr. microporus (Meripiliaceae, Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

The use of exotic species like teak for industry demands has increased over the last decades in Central America, however its vulnerability to decay by saprophytic fungi has not been well studied. Among these fungi, Rigidoporus spp. have been described as white rotters of dead hardwoods and conifers worldwide. In Costa Rica, R. microporus has been found growing on teak stumps. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of this white rot fungus on the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of teak wood from trees of different ages. Six and ten year old sapwood and heartwood samples were used in the assays. Severe anatomical damage and the highest weight and resistance losses were observed on 6 yr. old sapwood samples. There was an increase in the quantity of soluble materials in 1% NaOH (relative values) and lignin content in all the samples analyzed, after 3 months exposure and up to the end of the experiment. Mass loss reduction and increased resistance of wood to compressive strength parallel to the grain were related to both the type of wood and the age of the tree. Knowledge of the potential damage that this fungus can cause to teak wood might help in a better selection of wood and developing more effective protection measures against decay in the field or in construction wood.

Представители семейства Magnoliaceae juss., произрастающие в разных климатических зонах, в коллекциях ботанических садов Киевского национального университета имени Тараса Шевченка и Латвийского университета

Has been described the phenology of deciduous magnolias growing ex situ in botanical gardens of Acad. O.V Fomin SRC "Institute of Biology" National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv and the University and Latvia (Riga). 9 species, 1 variety and 3 hybrids identical for both collections of botanical gardens were selected and used for phenological observations. The studied plants were resistant to winter and summer climatic factors, were marked the parameters that determine their plasticity in less precipitation in Ukraine and Latvia, as compared to the places of their natural habitat, and expanding the use of exotic species in landscaping design of the megapolises.