Wooded Areas Research Articles

Bird species richness and diversity responses to land use change in the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya

The increasing demand for cultivated lands driven by human population growth, escalating consumption and activities, combined with the vast area of uncultivated land, highlight the pressing need to better understand the biodiversity conservation implications of land use change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Land use change alters natural wildlife habitats with fundamental consequences for biodiversity. Consequently, species richness and diversity typically decline as land use changes from natural to disturbed. We assess how richness and diversity of avian species, grouped into feeding guilds, responded to land use changes, primarily expansion of settlements and cultivation at three sites in the Lake Victoria Basin in western Kenya, following tsetse control interventions. Each site consisted of a matched pair of spatially adjacent natural/semi-natural and settled/cultivated landscapes. Significant changes occurred in bird species richness and diversity in the disturbed relative to the natural landscape. Disturbed areas had fewer guilds and all guilds in disturbed areas also occurred in natural areas. Guilds had significantly more species in natural than in disturbed areas. The insectivore/granivore and insectivore/wax feeder guilds occurred only in natural areas. Whilst species diversity was far lower, a few species of estrildid finches were more common in the disturbed landscapes and were often observed on the scrubby edges of modified habitats. In contrast, the natural and less disturbed wooded areas had relatively fewer estrildid species and were completely devoid of several other species. In aggregate, land use changes significantly reduced bird species richness and diversity on the disturbed landscapes regardless of their breeding range size or foraging style (migratory or non-migratory) and posed greater risks to non-migratory species. Accordingly, land use planning should integrate conservation principles that preserve salient habitat qualities required by different bird species, such as adequate patch size and habitat connectivity, conserve viable bird populations and restore degraded habitats to alleviate adverse impacts of land use change on avian species richness and diversity.

Nowe stanowiska Glyceria striata (Poaceae) w Polsce i jej aktualne rozmieszczenie w Europie

The paper describes the occurrence of Glyceria striata in 10 new localities in western and southern Poland. Most of the fowl mannagrass populations were found in wooded areas, in gaps of ash-alder riparian forests (Fraxino-Alnetum) near flowing or standing waters. In vegetation patches with an area of several to approximately 200 m2, numerous, often very compact clumps of this grass, with a significant share of generative shoots, were usually observed. Based on our review of publications and online databases, the list of 48 European localities of G. striata prepared in 2012 has been enriched by 115 more.

Avifaunal diversity in the campus of Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, India

A total of 53 bird species belonging to 11 orders and 32 families of terrestrial and semi-aquatic birds were identified and recorded during the one-year study conducted during Covid-19 pandemic in the campus of Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, Chandigarh. Out of the 53 bird species observed, 40 were resident whereas 13 were migratory with 04 summer migrants and 09 winter migrants. Maximum number of bird species was observed in the winter season with their abundance in the wooded areas. 30 species of birds were found to be protected under Schedules I, IV and V of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The analysis of feeding habits showed that 26 bird species were omnivorous, 12 insectivorous, 10 carnivorous, 03 frugivorous, and 02 granivorous.The survey revealed the presence of an amicable habitat in the college campus to encourage stay or visit of birds throughout the year. Regular monitoring can further aid in establishing an avian baseline data in the campus for future references.

Effects of forest conservation and management on timber, ecosystem carbon, dead wood and habitat suitability area in a boreal forest under climate change

We used forest ecosystem model simulations to study how forest conservation and management intensity affected timber yield, ecosystem carbon stocks, amount of dead wood, and habitat suitability area in a middle boreal forest region of Finland under changing climate over a 90-year simulation period. We used the following forest conservation and management scenarios: baseline forest management (BM), BM with 10 or 20% increase of conservation area with or without intensified forest management (i.e. improved forest regeneration material and forest fertilization). The simulations were done under current climate (reference period of 1981–2010), and Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) climate change projections under the RCP2.6 and RCP4.5 forcing scenarios. Overall, increasing the forest conservation area decreased timber yield and increased the ecosystem carbon stock, the amount of dead wood and consequently the area of suitable habitat for saproxylic species. The use of intensified forest management reduced the loss of timber yield, increased ecosystem carbon stock, the amount of dead wood and area of suitable habitat for saproxylic species. At the end of simulation period, the use of intensified forest management even overcompensated (4–6% higher) the timber loss from 10% increase of conservation area. Under changing climate, timber yield, the amount of dead wood and the area of suitable habitats for saproxylic species increased. To conclude, with intensified forest management it is possible, in the short term, to decrease the loss of timber yield through increased forest conservation area and in the long term maintain or even increase it compared to baseline forest management.

Modelo linear misto para a previsão de taxas de infiltração em pavimentos de concreto permeáveis urbanos em parques densamente arborizados

Abstract Clogging of porous concrete pavements is understood as a performance pathology within this peculiar concrete component. Albeit the clogging performance of porous concrete pavements is a sensitive topic in technical literature, most studies refer to laboratory investigations on concrete samples using different kinds of apparatus for the simulation of loss of permeability due to debris insertion on porous interstices. However, infiltration rate measurements are the basis for defining maintenance needs in actual pavements and shall be carried out periodically to measure and endorse infiltration rate adequacy as the kern of a clogging management protocol. This study dealt with a field experiment in a pervious concrete sidewalk surrounded by a wooded garden with tropical native and a variety of exotic trees. Over four years, eleven monitoring measurements were carried out using the ASTM C1701 infiltration ring test. The main contribution of this paper is a proposition of a mixed linear prediction model considering conditioned exponential distribution and a random normal intercept for the infiltration rate. From residual analysis and diagnosis plots, it can be seen that the proposed model presents a goodness of fit, allowing anticipation of infiltration rates reduction due to clogging by dense organic matter. Minimum infiltration rate is taken as 0.1 cm/s and such condition was achieved in a couple of months, awakening consciously to consider three to four intensive cleaning maintenance per year in dense wooded areas like public parks.

New observations on rare and threatened saproxylic hoverflies in North-Western Italy with ecological notes.

The knowledge on the distribution of saproxylic hoverflies in the Piedmont region has always been incomplete, despite the large wooded areas present in the territory. We know of a few scattered specimens collected in the 19th century, often with a generic or incomplete locality on the label such as "surrounding Turin" or "Alps". The recent publication of the first European Red List on hoverflies highlights some threatened species including some saproxylics. To fill this knowledge gap we report here unpublished data and establish new ecological note on threatened or nationally scarce saproxylic species actually present in the region. In this study, we present new findings concerning rare saproxylic hoverflies. These include the rediscovery of Hammerschmidtiaferruginea (Fallen), 1817, marking its first recorded occurrence in the Italian fauna since the middle of 19th century. Additionally, we report novel observations of the "Chimera fly" Dorosdestillatorius Mik, 1885, along with further observations on endangered or vulnerable species such as Callicera spp. and Brachypalpuschrysites Egger 1859. Moreover, we document the rediscovery of Criorhinapachymera Egger, 1858, within the Piedmont region, and the first record of Brachyopagrunewaldensis Kassebeer, 2000, within Italy. Comprehensive data detailing these observations are provided herein.

TRANSFORMATION OF GRASSLANDS INTO FORESTS IN BANAT MOUNTAINS, BETWEEN 1990 AND 2023

The semi-natural grasslands on the Romanian territory and essentially the Banat Mountains, generally framed by forest areas, over time, can be transformed into forests by the lack of adequate management (grazing, care work) with a significant impact on the rural economy. Having access to geospatial resources and techniques specific to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this study investigated the transformation of grasslands into forests in the Banat Mountains over a period of over 30 years and their arrangement on altitude steps. The research methodology was carried out in four stages: localization and delimitation of the area of interest; analysis of land use, especially of the grassland areas; analysis of forested grasslands in territorial profile and in altitudinal profile. ArcGIS 10.4 software was used to apply the workflow. Research results show that grasslands undergo a series of transformations as a result of the post-communist socio-political situation. Most of the lost grassland areas, namely an area of 8,237 ha was wooded and therefore passed to forests, a phenomenon that occurred in all component subareas, in different proportions. The analysis of grassland afforestation at ATU level showed that the largest wooded areas were in Sicheviţa ATU (991 ha). On the altitude gradient 57% (4,707 ha) are located below the altitude of 500 m, 24%, between 501 – 700 m, respectively 12%, between 701 – 900 m. At higher altitudes grassland afforestation occurs to a lesser extent, given the smaller grassland areas. Generally, afforestation of grasslands occurs through their abandonment, expressed by the lack of maintenance and exploitation works.

Investigation of factors affecting the rapid detection of agarwood formation in <em>Aquilaria crassna</em> by near-infrared spectroscopy

Agarwood is a highly valued fragrant resin produced inside a few tree species belonging to the family Thymalaeaceae as a self-defense response to plant stress. The amount of resin developed inside the tree cannot be estimated by outside inspection. Consequently, harvesting trees before they reach their potential yield is a severe drawback to the Agarwood industry. Therefore, developing effective techniques for detecting Agarwood resin status inside the tree species has become a critically important task for the agarwood industry to increase productivity. The present study evaluates the factors affecting Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) models when predicting agarwood formation inside A. crassna trunks using NIR spectroscopy. The research used 110 wood specimens obtained from well-grown Agarwood trees in a commercial plantation in Nawimana GS Division, Matara District, Sri Lanka. NIR meter FQA-NIR Gun (588-1100nm) with a custom-made probe was used to acquire NIR reflectance spectra without outside light interference. SIMCA models were built to identify the agar resin-developed wood log areas from the normal wood areas in the tree trunk. SIMCA prediction models were built to investigate three influencing factors, namely present or absent outside tree bark, surface roughness and wood thickness agarwood prediction. Better prediction results were obtained from the bark-removed samples (at the accuracy rates of 97%) to the bark present (85%), smooth wood surfaces (98%) to the rough surface (90%) and 2mm thickness (98%) to the other thickness. The most effective wavelength for the separation of Agarwood present and absent samples was located at 978 nm of NIR. The study has demonstrated the potential possibility of using NIR spectroscopy to identify the agarwood formation in A. crassna in non-destructive and rapid mode.

Near-infrared digital hemispherical photography enables correction of plant area index for woody material during leaf-on conditions

Indirect optical measurement techniques enable efficient and non-destructive estimation of plant area index (PAI). However, because they cannot distinguish between foliage and other canopy elements, corrections are needed to determine leaf area index (LAI), which is typically the property of interest. In this study, we investigate near-infrared digital hemispherical photography (DHP) as a means of estimating and correcting for woody material. Using data collected at a deciduous broadleaf forest site, we show that near-infrared DHP could successfully estimate effective wood area index (WAIe) and wood area index (WAI) during leaf-on conditions, providing similar mean values (WAIe = 0.88, WAI = 1.53) to those determined from visible DHP during leaf-off conditions (WAIe = 0.87, WAI = 1.38). This information was used to correct estimates of effective PAI (PAIe) and PAI, enabling effective LAI (LAIe) and LAI to be derived with low RMSD (0.33 for LAIe and 0.76 for LAI), NRMSD (12% for LAIe and 19% for LAI), and bias (−0.01 for LAIe and −0.16 for LAI). Not correcting for woody material led to overestimation of LAIe by 31% on average and 46% in the worst observed case, and the degree of overestimation was further enlarged for LAI (42% on average and 61% in the worst observed case). In agreement with previous studies, the effects of clumping and woody area were found to be partly compensatory. On average, PAIe provided a reasonable approximation of LAI without correction, though overestimation of 52% and underestimation of 20% occurred at the lowest and highest LAI values, respectively. Compared to WAIe and WAI measurement using leaf-off visible DHP, near-infrared DHP offers two crucial advantages: i) data collection can be conducted at the same time as leaf-on PAIe and PAI measurements, and ii) it is likely that the approach could provide an indirect WAIe and WAI measurement option for evergreen species.

How Trees Shape Urban Spaces: Multiplicity and Differentiation of the Urban Forest Viewed from a Visual-Spatial Perspective

Abstract Background The field of urban forestry encompasses many dimensions, of which that of visual-spatial perception, addressing the spatial relationship between city and trees, has received little attention. Analyzing the urban forest from a visual-spatial perspective is needed to understand relationships between different components as well as site-specific qualities. Methods Tree configurations describe the relationship between form and space, determined by the relative disposition of the trees which result from an interaction between design and the development over time. Based on field observations, with the city of Delft in the Netherlands as a case study, 35 generic tree configuration types have been defined. With this “vocabulary,” specific tree configurations and their relations are researched, describing the urban forest from an eye-level perspective as an essential level on which the spatiality of the urban forest can be understood. Results Unraveling the urban forest components by comparing two emblematic ensembles of tree configurations allows an understanding of their heterogeneity as well as their coherence and dynamics. Conclusions The relationship of the tree vocabulary with the specific location exposes their role as an ordering structure and a carrier of the identity of Delft, and their differentiation and site-specific qualities, revealing a composition of wooded areas each with their own characteristics, shows both urban and forested areas as equivalent components of an urban forest mosaic. This differentiation can be used as a tool for strengthening relations between the different components as well as diversity and heterogeneity in urban forests.

Small mammal associations with habitat composition, configuration, and management in tallgrass prairies: a review

Abstract Tallgrass prairie is among the most threatened ecosystems but is often fragmented and surrounded by human‐modified landscapes. Small mammals are integral components of tallgrass prairies. However, little is known about how landscape composition, configuration, and management impact small mammals in tallgrass prairies. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify species‐specific and community associations with three broad topics: landscape composition, landscape configuration, and management practices. We identified 61 studies that assessed our variables of interest. We categorised the location, species assessed, variables monitored, and results by species and for the community. The majority of studies (64%) were conducted in two states, Illinois and Kansas. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), and white‐footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) showed specific associations with landscape variables, with deer mice preferring bare ground and recently burned plots, and prairie voles preferring thatch and negatively associated with prescribed fire. White‐footed mice were frequently associated with wooded areas. Small mammal biodiversity was positively associated with patchy habitats containing greater diversity in vegetative composition and management regime. Management and land composition were both relatively well studied for several species; habitat configuration was understudied. We identified significant gaps in our understanding of small mammal landscape ecology in tallgrass prairies. With tallgrass prairie restoration a growing trend in this region, a greater understanding of drivers of small mammal populations will be crucial to successful restoration efforts. Future research should focus on understudied areas and species, and examine how habitat heterogeneity impacts small mammal biodiversity.

Investigation of Components Forming the Spatial and Landscape Character of Amasya University Yeşilırmak Campus

In this study, the study area was chosen as Amasya University Yeşilırmak Campus, located within the borders of Amasya province central county. The aim of the study was to investigate the components comprising the spatial character (buildings, roads and paths, parking areas, equipment elements, sports areas, social areas) and landscape character (topography, presence of plants) in terms of function, current status, environmental and aesthetic features. In line with this aim, the components comprising the spatial and landscape character of the campus were identified with field observations and the functions of the components were defined. An orthophoto for the campus was created using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and maps for the current spatial character, landscape character, social areas and parking areas were obtained. At the conclusion of the study, it is observed that, despite a significant portion of the campus surface being covered by wooded areas, the structures within the campus, such as buildings, parking areas, and vehicular and pedestrian pathways with hard surface materials, are more extensively utilized by the campus users, while the wooded areas remain largely unused. Findings revealed the current status of the campus, and recommendations were made to create a campus with distinctive identity that will be more livable and chosen more frequently by students.

From forests to fields: investigating Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) abundance and diversity in cattle pastures and adjacent woodlands.

Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) biting midges are hematophagous flies that feed on wild and domestic ruminants. They can transmit arboviruses, such as bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), which circulate in the United States. Larvae occupy a range of aquatic and semiaquatic habitats, and disperse short distances from their development sites. In the southeastern United States, there are limited studies on the abundance and diversity of Culicoides in wooded and adjacent livestock pasture habitats. In this study, we characterized Culicoides diversity and abundance within these distinct habitat types. BG-Sentinel and CDC miniature suction traps baited with CO2 or UV-light were placed in wooded and pasture habitats at 2 locations on a university beef farm in Savoy, Arkansas. Traps were set once per week for 9 wk during August-October of 2021 and 2022. Fifteen species were collected during this study, and the 2 most abundant species were Culicoides haematopotus Malloch and Culicoides stellifer Coquillett. There was a significant effect of site and location on C. haematopotus collections, and a significant effect and interaction of site and trap on C. stellifer collections. In the woods, significantly more C. stellifer were collected from CDC-UV traps, while in the pasture significantly more were collected in CDC-CO2 traps. These data suggest that C. stellifer, a putative vector of BTV and EHDV in the southeast, may be traveling into the pasture to host-seek, while C. haematopotus remains primarily in wooded areas. This study reveals community differences between these habitat types and implications for Culicoides control.

Supercritical CO2 drying of New Zealand red beech to below the fibre saturation point reduces collapse distortion

Supercritical CO2 offers an alternative method of removing wood moisture and reducing cellular collapse compared to traditional drying techniques. The technique has been previously demonstrated for Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus nitens dewatering and was modified in this study for New Zealand red beech (Nothofagus fusca) heartwood, which is notoriously difficult to dry without causing excessive distortion. The technique was also successfully extended to drying below the fibre saturation point. A specific dewatering and drying schedule was developed for N. fusca because of negligible dewatering using a schedule previously designed for wood with an open hydrofluidic network of interconnected vessels. An anatomical assessment confirmed lumen pathways were occluded with tyloses and polyphenol resins. A fluid dynamics assessment concluded that permeability measurements are recommended together with tortuosity and porosity information for improved wood species dewatering characterisation. Using the dewatering and drying schedule, collapse was successfully reduced by 92% for both normalised internal wood area and void collapse when compared to oven-dried samples. The beech specimens took 18 days to reach 17.3% moisture content (MC) but displayed some checking from early dewatering depressurisation, compared to air-dried control specimens which showed no collapse or checking but took 6 months to reach 12% MC. Supercritical CO2 dewatering and drying could be combined with extractives separation, preservative treatment, and mechanical forming of wood in one plant to make a potentially economically viable process with improved energy, environmental and carbon footprints. A techno-economic analysis is suggested to fully compare supercritical drying of wood against conventional drying operations.

The role of bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) as seed dispersers in indigenous forests in the Soutpansberg Mountain range, South Africa

Abstract Seed dispersal influences the survival and distribution of plant species and is an important mechanism for maintaining floristic diversity. Bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) are large mammals of indigenous forests and well-wooded areas of eastern and southern Africa and may play an important role as seed dispersers. However, the diversity of fruits consumed and the effect of digestion on seeds remains poorly understood. This study was conducted from October 2018 to January 2019 and gives first insights into seed dispersal by bushpigs in the Soutpansberg Mountain range, South Africa. Here, we collected bushpig faeces and assessed the number of seeds and seed species found. Furthermore, germination experiments with digested and nondigested seeds and fruits were conducted. Our results show that bushpigs are omnivorous, consuming fruits and seeds of 126 different plant species. The proportion of seeds per plant species found in faeces was unhomogeneously distributed with a few hyperabundant species, in particular Searsia chirindensis (55%). The germination experiments showed that gut passage did, overall, not influence germination or seedling growth rates. However, seeds remaining within fruits showed reduced growth, pointing to a high importance of fruit consumption for seed fate. Our results suggest that bushpigs are major seed dispersers of a large variety of fruiting plant species in wooded areas of Africa.

Species composition and distribution of birds in the city of stepanakert and adjacent territories

This article is devoted to the identification of the species composition of the birds population in the city of Stepanakert and the seizure of their territories. The study of bird biodiversity within certain limits is of particular importance, changing in the urban environment. The material for this work was collected on the administrative borders of the city of Stepanakert and its surroundings from April 2017 to April 2023. All year round, birds were counted along routes in residential areas, gardens, squares, cemeteries, on river banks, in wooded areas, and thickets of shrubs. As a result of observations, it was revealed for the first time that the bird fauna is represented by 117 species, which belong to 14 orders and 37 families, representing 52,4% of the bird fauna of Nagorno Karabakh. The results of the research made it possible to identify the main bird species that determine the habitat, as well as to assess their occurrence, seasonal changes and prevailing ecological properties. An analysis of the urban environment by bird populations and possible measures to protect them was also carried out. The results obtained can be useful for developing strategies for sustainable human-nature interaction in the urban environment, as well as for conducting broader environmental research in the region.

New insight into cell wall pore structure in brown-rotted wood and its utilization as a new low-cost, sustainable adsorbent

Brown-rotted wood is a substantial agroforestry waste produced by the economic fungal cultivation industry, which lacks further utilization. This study evaluated the degradation process and structural properties of brown-rotted wood (spruce and masson pine) obtained from different decay times (0, 4, 6, 10, and 14 weeks) from the perspective of pore structure. The adsorption performance and application potential of the brown-rotted wood for methylene blue (MB) were analyzed based on its structure and properties. The results showed that hemicellulose and cellulose were significantly degraded by brown-rot fungi, disrupting the compact structure of the cell wall and creating pores, especially in earlywood. In the initial stage (4 weeks), the degradation of the amorphous component increased the pore proportion of 5–10 nm size, which was conducive to enzymatic hydrolysis by improving the enzyme’s diffusion in the cell walls. The nitrogen adsorption analysis showed that the specific surface area and pore volume of the brown-rotted wood increased with decay processing. The surface areas of the brown-rotted wood were the largest at 14 weeks, which were 35.83 cm2/g (brown-rotted spruce) and 32.98 cm2/g (brown-rotted pine), respectively. The increase in the surface areas of the brown-rotted wood provided more space for adsorbing MB, of which, the adsorption capacity reached 48.22 mg/g and 44.58 mg/g, twice higher than the sound wood. The exploration of the interaction between cell wall matrix degradation and pore structure development provided new insight to elucidate the degradation mechanism of brown-rotted wood, and a vital basis for improving the adsorption efficiency of the brown-rotted wood as a new low-cost, sustainable adsorbent.

Large in-stream wood yield during an extreme flood (Storm Alex, October 2020, Roya Valley, France): Estimating the supply, transport, and deposition using GIS

During major floods, rivers erode their banks and thus recruit large wood pieces from the riparian zones. There is still a lack of knowledge about the transport of large wood, the volumes involved and the flux distribution, i.e. the large wood connectivity at catchment scale. During storm Alex (October 2020), the French Roya catchment (394 km2) experienced a paroxysmal morphogenic flood involving massive bank erosion. The riparian vegetation was largely recruited, with large wood contributing to logjams and bridge destruction. This paper presents a methodology for volumetric assessment of the large wood fluxes involved. Simple approaches are used to (i) quantify the inputs from stand density data from the national forest inventory and from source areas based on diachronic analysis of active channels highlighting the erosion of 87 ha of wooded areas; and (ii) quantify the volumes deposited via an exhaustive manual digitisation of 16,846 pieces of large wood deposited on 59 km of channels on the Roya and its tributaries. This catchment-scale, large wood connectivity analysis shows that the flood recruited and transported downstream a volume of around 14,000 m3 of large wood (uncertainty range: 7000–29,500 m3). Drone observations of the Roya River mouth in Italy and satellite images showing a raft of driftwood, several km long, drifting off the Roya River mouth in the aftermath of the flood corroborate our findings.

Real-Time Person Detection in Wooded Areas Using Thermal Images from an Aerial Perspective.

Detecting people in images and videos captured from an aerial platform in wooded areas for search and rescue operations is a current problem. Detection is difficult due to the relatively small dimensions of the person captured by the sensor in relation to the environment. The environment can generate occlusion, complicating the timely detection of people. There are currently numerous RGB image datasets available that are used for person detection tasks in urban and wooded areas and consider the general characteristics of a person, like size, shape, and height, without considering the occlusion of the object of interest. The present research work focuses on developing a thermal image dataset, which considers the occlusion situation to develop CNN convolutional deep learning models to perform detection tasks in real-time from an aerial perspective using altitude control in a quadcopter prototype. Extended models are proposed considering the occlusion of the person, in conjunction with a thermal sensor, which allows for highlighting the desired characteristics of the occluded person.

Determining the biocontrol capacities of Trichoderma spp. originating from Turkey on Fusarium culmorum by transcriptional and antagonistic analyses.

In this study aiming to investigate potential fungal biocontrol agents for Fusarium culmorum, several isolates of Trichoderma spp. were evaluated for their antagonistic effects by means of transcriptional analyses. At first, 21 monosporic Trichoderma spp. isolates were obtained from natural wood debris and wood area soils in Manisa, Turkey. Trichoderma spp. Isolates were identified as belonging to four different species (T. atroviride, T. harzianum, T. koningii, and T. brevicompactum) by tef1-α sequencing. Then, the linear growth rate (LGR) of each species was calculated and determined to be in a range between 13.22 ± 0.71 mm/day (T. atroviride TR2) and 25.06 ± 1.45 mm/day (T. harzianum K30). Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) genotyping validated the tef1-α sequencing results by presenting two sub-clusters in the dendrogram. We determined the genetically most similar (TR1 & TR2; 97.77%) and dissimilar (K9 & K17; 40.40%) individuals belonging to the same and different species, respectively. Dual sandwich culture tests (which are useful for antagonism studies) revealed that T. harzianum K21 (the least suppressive) and T. brevicompactum K26 (the most suppressive) isolates suppressed F. culmorum with growth rates of 3% and 46%, respectively. Expressions of genes previously associated with mycoparasitism-plant protection-secondary metabolism (nag1, tgf-1, and tmk-1) were tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in both those isolates. While there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in expression that were present in the K21 isolate, those three genes were upregulated with fold change values of 2.69 ± 0.26 (p<0.001), 2.23 ± 0.16 (p<0.001), and 5.38 ± 2.01 (p<0.05) in K26, meaning that the presence of significant alteration in the physiological processes of the fungus. Also, its mycoparasitism potential was tested on Triticum aestivum L. cv Basribey in planta, which was infected with the F. culmorum FcUK99 strain. Results of the trials, including specific plant growth parameters (weight or length of plantlets), confirmed the mycoparasitic potential of the isolate. It can be concluded that (i) nag1, tgf-1, and tmk-1 genes could be approved as reliable markers for evaluation of BCA capacities of Trichoderma spp. and (ii) the T. brevicompactum K26 strain can be suggested as a promising candidate for combating in F. culmorum diseases following the necessary procedures to ensure it is non-hazardous and safe.