Seedling development and biomass as affected by seed size and morphology in durum wheat

This work evaluated the effect of seed size and morphology on the development and biomass of durum wheat seedlings. Three different seed-grading sizes selected by sieving were used in glasshouse experiments, and a set of three developmental and 23 biomass-related indices were measured on eight genotypes, at two moisture levels. The influence of seed size on seedling development was studied at high and low temperatures (22\12 mC, and 15\5 mC day\night temperatures, respectively), in growth chambers. The area of the seed and the area of the embryo were the seed morphological traits most affected by seed size. Seed size was strongly associated with seedling development and seedling biomass until the complete extension of the first two leaves, at the fourth leaf stage. The rate of first-leaf growth and the area of the first leaf were the developmental and biomass traits, respectively, most sensitive to seed-grading size.

Assessment on nutrient levels in the aerial biomass of irrigated guava in São Francisco Valley, Brazil

In perennial crops, fertilizers are applied to restore the amount of nutrient removed from the plant by harvesting. Nevertheless, the immobilized nutrient inside the whole plant should be considered. Based on it, the nutrient concentrations in the guava leaf and fruit and the nutrient contents removed by fruits and post-harvest pruning were evaluated in an irrigated orchard, in Petrolina, State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The greatest contents removed by fruits were N and K among the macronutrients, while Fe, Zn and Mn presented higher levels among the micronutrients. More than 60% of the total content of N, P, K, Mg, Fe, and B removed by pruning were immobilized in the leaf and non-marketable fruit.

Can wild ungulate carcasses provide enough biomass to maintain avian scavenger populations? An empirical assessment using a bio-inspired computational model

Background: The reduction in the amount of food available for European avian scavengers as a consequence of restrictive public health policies is a concern for managers and conservationists. Since 2002, the application of several sanitary regulations has limited the availability of feeding resources provided by domestic carcasses, but theoretical studies assessing whether the availability of food resources provided by wild ungulates are enough to cover energetic requirements are lacking. Methodology/Findings: We assessed food provided by a wild ungulate population in two areas of NE Spain inhabited by three vulture species and developed a P System computational model to assess the effects of the carrion resources provided on their population dynamics. We compared the real population trend with to a hypothetical scenario in which only food provided by wild ungulates was available. Simulation testing of the model suggests that wild ungulates constitute an important food resource in the Pyrenees and the vulture population inhabiting this area could grow if only the food provided by wild ungulates would be available. On the contrary, in the Pre-Pyrenees there is insufficient food to cover the energy requirements of avian scavenger guilds, declining sharply if biomass from domestic animals would not be available. Conclusions/Significance: Our results suggest that public health legislation can modify scavenger population trends if a large number of domestic ungulate carcasses disappear from the mountains. In this case, food provided by wild ungulates could be not enough and supplementary feeding could be necessary if other alternative food resources are not available (i.e. the reintroduction of wild ungulates), preferably in European Mediterranean scenarios sharing similar and socio-economic conditions where there are low densities of wild ungulates. Managers should anticipate the conservation actions required by assessing food availability and the possible scenarios in order to make the most suitable decisions.

Modelling bird species richness with neural networks for forest landscape management in NE Spain

Para preservar la biodiversidad de los ecosistemas forestales de la Europa mediterránea en escenarios actuales y futuros de cambio global mediante una gestión forestal sostenible es necesario determinar cómo influye el medio ambiente y las propias características de los bosques sobre la biodiversidad que éstos albergan. Con este propósito, se analizó la influencia de diferentes factores ambientales y de estructura y composición del bosque sobre la riqueza de aves forestales a escala 1 × 1 km en Cataluña (NE de España). Se construyeron modelos univariantes y multivariantes de redes neuronales para respectivamente explorar la respuesta individual a las variables y obtener un modelo parsimonioso (ecológicamente interpretable) y preciso. La superficie de bosque (con una fracción de cabida cubierta superior a 5%), la fracción de cabida cubierta media, la temperatura anual y la precipitación estival medias fueron los mejores predictores de la riqueza de aves forestales. La red neuronal multivariante obtenida tuvo una buena capacidad de generalización salvo en las localidades con una mayor riqueza. Además, los bosques con diferentes grados de apertura del dosel arbóreo, más maduros y más diversos en cuanto a su composición de especies arbóreas se asociaron de forma positiva con una mayor riqueza de aves forestales. Finalmente, se proporcionan directrices de gestión para la planificación forestal que permitan promover la diversidad ornítica en esta región de la Europa mediterránea.

Stable isotopes in arid and semi-arid forest systems

El empleo de isótopos estables en el ámbito de la ecología forestal ha ido creciendo progresivamente en las últimas dos décadas. Cabe esperar que esta tendencia se mantenga en el futuro, ya que éstos aportan una visión integradora de cómo las plantas, hoy y en el pasado, han interaccionado con el medio así como con otros organismos. Su implementación es particularmente relevante en climas secos debido a la fuerte limitación de recursos que en ellos acontece. Tras una breve introducción sobre las bases teóricas de los isótopos estables en fisiología vegetal, esta revisión destaca, sobre diferentes escalas espaciales y temporales, los últimos avances en ecología forestal empleando esta metodología y con un énfasis especial en los sistemas áridos y semiáridos.

Engineered Trx2p industrial yeast strain protects glycolysis and fermentation proteins from oxidative carbonylation during biomass propagation

Background: In the yeast biomass production process, protein carbonylation has severe adverse effects since it diminishes biomass yield and profitability of industrial production plants. However, this significant detriment of yeast performance can be alleviated by increasing thioredoxins levels. Thioredoxins are important antioxidant defenses implicated in many functions in cells, and their primordial functions include scavenging of reactive oxygen species that produce dramatic and irreversible alterations such as protein carbonylation. Results: In this work we have found several proteins specifically protected by yeast Thioredoxin 2 (Trx2p). Bidimensional electrophoresis and carbonylated protein identification from TRX-deficient and TRX-overexpressing cells revealed that glycolysis and fermentation-related proteins are specific targets of Trx2p protection. Indeed, the TRX2 overexpressing strain presented increased activity of the central carbon metabolism enzymes. Interestingly, Trx2p specifically preserved alcohol dehydrogenase I (Adh1p) from carbonylation, decreased oligomer aggregates and increased its enzymatic activity. Conclusions: The identified proteins suggest that the fermentative capacity detriment observed under industrial conditions in T73 wine commercial strain results from the oxidative carbonylation of specific glycolytic and fermentation enzymes. Indeed, increased thioredoxin levels enhance the performance of key fermentation enzymes such as Adh1p, which consequently increases fermentative capacity.

Aplicación de imágenes radar de satélite a la cartografía de la vegetación en zonas boreales

El presente estudio se enmarca en el proyecto europeo SIBERIA. Trata de explorar el uso de imágenes radar de satélite (ERS y JERS) para la actualización de la cartografía de vegetación de zonas boreales. Se dispone de 8 imágenes de amplitud y coherencia tomadas en 1998, así como de un inventario de vegetación georreferenciado de dos pequeñas zonas. Se proponen tres tipos de clasificaciones supervisadas por el método de máxima verosimilitud. La primera con las imágenes de satélite, la segunda añadiendo algunas imágenes texturales, y la tercera utilizando sólo las imágenes de los componentes principales más significativos. Se siguen los criterios establecidos en el proyecto SIBERIA para la obtención de áreas de entrenamiento. Se propone una doble validación, por una parte vía matrices de confusión a partir de áreas de verdad-terreno obtenidas por el mismo método que las áreas de entrenamiento, y por otra parte contrastando y correlacionando las clasificaciones con los parámetros de inventario disponibles para dos pequeñas áreas de verdad-terreno. Los resultados indican una sensible mejora en la clasificación con la incorporación de imágenes texturales (la precisión aumenta de un 66% a un 75%), y señalan el parámetro biomasa como el mejor correlacionado con las clasificaciones derivadas (coeficiente de correlación r de hasta 0,49). Diferentes fuentes de error permiten augurar un margen de mejora para posteriores estudios.

Correlated genetic effects on reproduction define a domestication syndrome in a forest tree.

Compared to natural selection, domestication implies a dramatic change in traits linked to fitness. A number of traits conferring fitness in the wild might be detrimental under domestication, and domesticated species typically differ from their ancestors in a set of traits known as the domestication syndrome. Specifically, trade-offs between growth and reproduction are well established across the tree of life. According to allocation theory, selection for growth rate is expected to indirectly alter life-history reproductive traits, diverting resources from reproduction to growth. Here we tested this hypothesis by examining the genetic change and correlated responses of reproductive traits as a result of selection for timber yield in the tree Pinus pinaster. Phenotypic selection was carried out in a natural population, and progenies from selected trees were compared with those of control trees in a common garden experiment. According to expectations, we detected a genetic change in important life-history traits due to selection. Specifically, threshold sizes for reproduction were much higher and reproductive investment relative to size significantly lower in the selected progenies just after a single artificial selection event. Our study helps to define the domestication syndrome in exploited forest trees and shows that changes affecting developmental pathways are relevant in domestication processes of long-lived plants.

Assessment of critical competences required in managing end-user driven businesses in a global forest products compa

Työn pääasiallisena tavoitteena on selvittää ydinosaamista, jota tarvitaan kansainvälisen metsäteollisuusyrityksen loppukäyttäjävetoisessa liiketoiminnassa. Lisäksi tavoitteena on laatia kompetenssimalli, jota voidaan käyttää mm. rekrytoinnissa, koulutuksen ja työnkierron suunnittelussa. Tarkoituksena on tarkastella sekä tällä hetkellä että tulevaisuudessa tarvittavia ydinosaamisia. Työ keskittyy myyntihenkilöiden kompetenssien kuvaamiseen. Kirjallisuuden ja asiantuntijoiden haastattelujen avulla on selvitetty. kompetensseihin liittyviä asioita ja käsitteitä, kuten organisaation oppiminen, innovaatiot sekä asiakaslähtöisyys. Tämän jälkeen on kartoitettu case-yrityksen kartonkiyksikön myyntihenkilökunnan kompetensseja. Kompetenssikartoitus on tehty teemahaastattelujen avulla sekä lisäksi on käytetty työn aikana laadittua kompetenssimatriisia. Saatuja tuloksia on verrattu yhden asiakkaan näkemyksiin. Tulosten mukaan kolme tärkeintä tämän hetken kompetenssia ovat: holistinen näkemys asioista, suhteiden rakentaminen ja kielitaito. Tulevaisuuden tärkeimpiä kompetensseja puolestaan ovat: asiakaslähtöisyys, sähköinen kaupankäynti ja suhteiden rakentaminen. Lopuksi on käsitelty yleisiä metsäteollisuuden tulevaisuuden haasteita sekä annettu joitain kehitysideoita kompetenssien kehittämistä varten.

Enterprise Portal as a Knowledge Management Tool in a Global Forest Products Company

Tietojohtaminen on osoittautunut nykypäivänä organisaatioiden yhdeksi suurimmaksi haasteeksi. Haasteena ei vain ole se tiedon määrä mitä tulisi hallita, vaan pikemminkin tiedonhallinta toimii yritykselle kilpailuetuna globaalissa yritysmaailmassa. Tämän työn tavoitteena on tutkia yritysportaalin soveltuvuutta tiedonhallintaan globaalissa metsäteollisuusyrityksessä. Lisäksi tavoitteena on selvittää portaalin sovittamista kullekin käyttäjäryhmälle case yrityksessä. Työn teoriaosassa on käsitelty tiedonhallinnan monimuotoisuutta ja vaikeutta kuvata sitä yksiselitteisesti. Lisäksi käyttäjäryhmien ja käyttäjäprofiilien määrittämiseen vaikuttavia seikkoja on selvitetty tässä osassa. Empiirinen osa käsittelee case-yritystä ja sen suhdetta tiedonhallintaan sekä tämän kaltaisen tiedonhallinnan työvälineen käyttöön. Työstä saatujen tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta yritysportaalin soveltuvan hyvin tiedonhallintaan monimutkaisessakin yrityksessä. Portaali muuttaa yrityksen liiketoimintaprosesseja läpinäkyvämmiksi, kun bisneskriittistä tietoa tarjotaan yhdessä paikassa.

Competitor Analysis in a Finnish Forest Industry Company

Työn tavoitteena oli analysoida yhden metsäteollisuusyrityksen tuotantolaitosta; sen heikkouksia ja vahvuuksia sekä määrittää tarvittavat kilpailukeinot. Työ perustuu Porterin kilpailija-analyysin viitekehykseen. Tarvittava kilpailijatieto on kerätty pääosin julkisista lähteistä, yrityksen tietokannoista, ja työntekijöiltä sekä tuotetestauksella. Kilpailijan analysointi koostuu lähinnä kilpailijan tuotantoresurssien, palveluiden ja tuotteiden analysoinnista. Lisäksi työssä käydään läpi kilpailijan strategiaa ja tavoitteita sekä kilpailijan olettamuksia itsestään ja kilpailijoistaan. Ennen varsinaista kilpailija-analyysia työssä tutustutaan metsäteollisuuden kasvuodotuksiin ja tulevaisuuden markkinatrendeihin, joita hyödynnetään johtopäätöksissä. Vaikkakin kilpailija keskittyy eri loppukäyttösegmentille kuin tutkimuksen teettänyt yritys, on se varteenotettava kilpailija tiettyjen tuoteominaisuuksien ansiosta. Kuitenkaan nykyisellä palvelutasolla ja resursseilla kilpailija ei ole tällä hetkellä suuri uhka yritykselle. Sen vuoksi toimenpide-ehdotukset ovat vähäiset ja liittyvät lähinnä markkinoinnillisiin näkökohtiin.

Evaluation of success of mergers and acquisitions – Case Finnish forest companies

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää mitkä asiat vaikuttavat fuusioiden menestykseen, millaisia menetelmiä fuusioiden menestyksen mittaamiseen on ja mitä menetelmiä suomalaisessa metsäteollisuudessa käytetään ja kuinka systemaattista menestyksen mittaaminen on. Lisäksi arvioitiin kahden suomalaisen metsäteollisuuden fuusion kannattavuutta. Fuusioita koskevan kirjallisuuden perusteella luotiin haastattelurunko, jonka pohjalta saatiin suomalaisen metsäteollisuuden näkemys fuusioiden menestyksen mittaamisesta. Kirjallisuudessa esitettyjä menestyksen mittareita on osittain sovellettu laskentaosuudessa ja niiden avulla arvioitu fuusioiden kannattavuutta. Tärkeimmät fuusioihin vaikuttavat tekijät olivat haastattelujen perusteella toimialan konsolidoituminen ja yrityksen oma strategia. Fuusioiden menestyksen mittaaminen koettiin ongelmalliseksi, eikä mitään yhtenäistä käytäntöä ole. Stora Enson ja UPM-Kymmenen fuusioita voidaan pitää empiriaosuudessa esitettyjen laskelmien perusteella menestyksekkäinä.

Integrating Group Support Systems to innovation process of a forest company

The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of Group Support Systems (GSS) to overall efficiency of innovation process. Overall efficiency was found to be a sum of meeting efficiency, product effectiveness, and learning efficiency. These components were studied in various working situations common in early stages of innovation process. In the empirical part of this study, the suitability of GSS at the forest company was assessed. The basics for this study were idea generation meetings held at LUT and results from the surveys done after the sessions. This data combined with the interviews and theoretical background was used to analyze suitability of this technology to organizational culture at the company. The results of this study are divided to theory and case level. On theory level GSS was found to be a potentially valuable tool for innovation managers, especially at the first stages of the process. On case level, GSS was found to be a suitable tool at Stora Enso for further utilization. A five step implementation proposal was built to illustrate what would be the next stages of GSS implementation, if technology was chosen for further implementation.

Runoff and sediment production in a Mediterranean basin under two different land uses

This study analyses the infl uence of two diff erent land uses on the hydrology of the Vernegà experimental basin between the years 2005 and 2009. It is located in the Northeast of the Iberian Peninsula and is infl uenced by a Mediterranean climate, with an average annual rainfall of 646 mm. The study of rainfall distributi on in the 1982 to 2009 period shows that the majority occurs during autumn, winter, and spring representi ng 33.2%, 25.5%, and 25.7% respecti vely of the total annual rainfall. Surface runoff is concentrated from October to June. Between 2005 and 2009, total runoff was 242.38 mm at the"Bosc" gauging stati on, which drains an area of 1.60 km2, and 298.54 mm at the"Campàs" gauging stati on, which drains an area of 2.57 km2 and is located at the outlet of the basin. More than 80% of the total surface runoff yielded during the study period corresponds to the 2005-2006 hydrologic year. Finally, Campàs gauging stati on registers a higher total runoff than Bosc gauging stati on. Part of this phenomenon may be due to the intercepti on of rainfall and plant biomass in the forested area of the basin. In relati on to the sediment yield, an overall increase in the two basins has been detected. Recent forest management practi ces undertaken in the catchment area are considered to be one of the most important reasons for this change.

Differential growth responses to water balance of coexisting deciduous tree species are linked to wood density in a Bolivian tropical dry forest

A seasonal period of water deficit characterizes tropical dry forests (TDFs). There, sympatric tree species exhibit a diversity of growth rates, functional traits, and responses to drought, suggesting that each species may possess different strategies to grow under different conditions of water availability. The evaluation of the long-term growth responses to changes in the soil water balance should provide an understanding of how and when coexisting tree species respond to water deficit in TDFs. Furthermore, such differential growth responses may be linked to functional traits related to water storage and conductance. We used dendrochronology and climate data to retrospectively assess how the radial growth of seven coexisting deciduous tree species responded to the seasonal soil water balance in a Bolivian TDF. Linear mixed-effects models were used to quantify the relationships between basal area increment and seasonal water balance. We related these relationships with wood density and sapwood production to assess if they affect the growth responses to climate. The growth of all species responded positively to water balance during the wet season, but such responses differed among species as a function of their wood density. For instance, species with a strong growth response to water availability averaged a low wood density which may facilitate the storage of water in the stem. By contrast, species with very dense wood were those whose growth was less sensitive to water availability. Coexisting tree species thus show differential growth responses to changes in soil water balance during the wet season. Our findings also provide a link between wood density, a trait related to the ability of trees to store water in the stem, and wood formation in response to water availability.