The Siberian pine growth dynamics in Altai Mountains, China

Climatic factors play an essential role in the growth of tree ring width. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between climatic variables and tree-ring growth characteristics of Pinus sibirica in Altai mountains, northwestern China. This study being is first of its kind on climate growth analysis of Pinus sibirica in northwestern China. The study showed great potential to understand the species growing under the specific climatic conditions. Total of 70 tree cores collected from three sites in the sampling area, out of which 63 tree cores considered for this study. The effect of climatic variables which was studied include precipitation, temperature and PDSI. Our results showed that Tree Ring Width chronology has a significantly positive correlation with the late winter (March) temperature and significant negative correlation with the July temperatures. A significant correlation was observed with the late summer precipitation whereas no significant relation found with the Palmer Drought Severity Index. These significant correlations with temperature and precipitation suggested that this tree species had the potential for the reconstruction of the past climate in the area.

Application of the Spores of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Lecanicillium Muscarium for Control of Adelgids on Conifers in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden

This article discusses the possibility of using the entomopathogenic fungus Lecanicillium muscarium R. Zare & W. Gams (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against the fir adelgid Adelges pectinatae pectinatae (Cholodkovsky, 1888) and Siberian cedar adelgid Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky, 1888) on the Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb., and pines Pinus sibirica Du Tour and Pinus banksiana Lamb. The blastospores of the entomopathogenic fungus L. muscarium strain G-033 VIZR, in the concentration of 5x107 spores/ml, showed a high efficiency on both of the species of adelgid. On the 17th day, the mortality of P. cembrae was 73% on P. sibirica and 61% on P. banksiana, and the mortality of the species A. pectinatae pectinatae on A. sibirica was 74%. The effect of the spore application had a prolonged effect over the next month on all treated trees. Keywords: entomopathogenic fungi, Lecanicillium muscarium, adelgid, conifers

Variability in Elemental Composition of Conifer Tree Rings

Distribution of chemical elements in tree rings bears important information on various biogeochemical processes. In order to achieve a reliable interpretation of the information, it is necessary to know the degree of variation in the content of chemical elements both at the level of the entire species and at the level of individual trees. The research aims to determine which chemical elements have a stable distribution in the trunks of a number of conifers: Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), and Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour). The data for the analysis were obtained on the basis of the long-term experiment in forest growing. The experimental site was laid out in 1971–1972 in the vicinity of Krasnoyarsk by the staff of the Sukachev Institute of Forest of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Before planting the seedlings, the soil ground was mechanically levelled, and thus, sufficiently equal growth conditions were created for all plantings. Cores with a diameter of 12 mm were sampled from three normally developing trees of each species and analyzed using modern X-ray fluorescence methods. Content relative values of elements (counts) were obtained with the Itrax Multiscanner (COX Analytical Systems). The content of elements in the tree rings was characterized by the concentration and reserve of elements. Concentration was calculated as the number of counts per 1 mm2 of the ring area; reserve was calculated as the number of counts over the entire ring area. Each of these variables was defined by the parameters of linear slope in the calendar year series and the standard deviation. The cluster analysis was performed in the 4-dimensional space of the obtained parameters. This allowed determining whether the series of element distributions from different trees and species are grouped. Three elements (Ca, Co, and P) show high stability of distribution parameters in tree rings with no regard to tree species. A number of other elements (Mn, Pb, Cl, Cr, Ni, Sr, and W) are stably grouped depending on the species. The results of the research enable to focus on the study of the elements stably distributed in the conifer trunks. For citation: Gavrikov V.L., Fertikov A.I., Sharafutdinov R.A., Vaganov E.A. Variability in Elemental Composition of Conifer Tree Rings. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 6, pp. 24–37. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-6-24-37

Catalytic oxidation of Cedar Bark (Pinus Sibirica) with Oxygen to Vanillin and Pulp

The catalytic oxidation of natural and pre-extracted cedar bark (Pinus Sibirica) by molecular oxygen is studied. Tannins were shown to inhibit the formation of vanillin while oxidizing the bark. The yields of vanillin are 5–7 wt.% based on bark lignin, which is of 3–4 times lower compared to the results of wood oxidation. The presence of tannins in the raw material complicates the lignin analysis and can overestimate the results twice

DISTRIBUTION OF THE SMALL SPRUCE BARK BEETLE IPS AMITINUS (EICHHOFF, 1872) IN WESTERN SIBERIA

The data on distribution of small spruce bark beetle Ips amitinus (Eichh.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), a new invasive pest of European origin on the territory of Western Siberia are presented. Alien bark beetle species was recorded in the Siberian pine forests of the Tomsk, Kemerovo and Novosibirsk regions. According to the modern data the total invasion range is more than 30 thousand km² with a tendency to further expansion. The number outbreaks of I. amitinus in Siberian pine forests near settlements, in nature preservations and plantations of Pinus sibirica Du Tour cause significant harm to pine-nut harvesting and selective breeding.

30-year cone production dynamics in Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica) in the southern boreal zone: a causal interpretation

Background and aims – Siberian stone pine is a keystone species for Siberia, and numerous studies have analyzed Siberian stone pine seeding dynamics in connection with the dynamics of weather conditions. However, all studies were based on observations before 1990. The aim of the study was to expand our knowledge about the balance of weather and climatic factors in the regulation of cone production to enable conclusions about the current reproductive function in Siberian stone pine.Material and methods – We monitored Siberian stone pine cone production in the southeastern region of the Western Siberian Plain, in association with climatic factors, over a period of 30 years. To analyze the relationship with weather conditions, we used the trait mature cone number per tree and weather data obtained from the weather station in Tomsk.Key results – During this period, cone production decreased by about one-third, mainly caused by the complete absence of high yields. The main factor negatively affecting cone production was late spring frost: severe frost occurring with a large accumulated sum of effective temperatures resulted in full cone loss, and light frost substantially reduced cone number. A less important but significant climatic factor was September temperature: as the temperature increased, the cone number decreased in the following year. Over the last 30 years, the sum of the effective temperatures at which the last spring frost occurs, as well as the average September temperature, increased considerably, resulting in reduced cone production.Conclusion – If the current climatic trend is maintained, and especially if it is strengthened, Siberian stone pine cone production in the southern boreal forest zone on the Western Siberian Plane is unlikely to provide for the effective renewal of the species.

Comparative Genomics Analysis of Repetitive Elements in Ten Gymnosperm Species: “Dark Repeatome” and Its Abundance in Conifer and Gnetum Species

Repetitive elements (RE) and transposons (TE) can comprise up to 80% of some plant genomes and may be essential for regulating their evolution and adaptation. The “repeatome” information is often unavailable in assembled genomes because genomic areas of repeats are challenging to assemble and are often missing from final assembly. However, raw genomic sequencing data contain rich information about RE/TEs. Here, raw genomic NGS reads of 10 gymnosperm species were studied for the content and abundance patterns of their “repeatome”. We utilized a combination of alignment on databases of repetitive elements and de novo assembly of highly repetitive sequences from genomic sequencing reads to characterize and calculate the abundance of known and putative repetitive elements in the genomes of 10 conifer plants: Pinus taeda, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus sibirica, Picea glauca, Picea abies, Abies sibirica, Larix sibirica, Juniperus communis, Taxus baccata, and Gnetum gnemon. We found that genome abundances of known and newly discovered putative repeats are specific to phylogenetically close groups of species and match biological taxa. The grouping of species based on abundances of known repeats closely matches the grouping based on abundances of newly discovered putative repeats (kChains) and matches the known taxonomic relations.

Modeling of radial variations in wood properties and comparison of juvenile and mature wood of four common conifers in Mongolia

Pinus sylvestris L., Pinus sibirica Du Tour, Picea obovata Ledeb., and Larix sibirica Ledeb. are important forest tree species in Mongolia. The radial variations of wood anatomical characteristics, physical and mechanical properties were evaluated by linear or nonlinear mixed-effects models for effective wood utilization of those of conifers. Many of these wood properties either increased or decreased from the pith to the bark and then became nearly constant based on the selected models. The properties of mature wood were estimated by nonlinear mixed-effects models, suggesting that P. sylvestris and L. sibirica are suitable as structural lumber, P. sibirica can be used for furniture and other interior products, and P. obovata is suitable for structural lumber as well as for furniture or interior products.