Conservation and restoration of some icons from the collection of church objects of Agapia Monastery, Neamţ, Romania

Agapia Monastery – the remarkable Moldavian monastery painted by Nicolae Grigorescu – has a precious heritage of icons, books and documents, liturgical textiles, goldsmithing. Among these, the main place is occupied by the icons painted in the XV-XIX centuries, either in post-Byzantine style, in tempera technique, or in realistic style, in oil technique. Some icons from the XVIII-XIX centuries have been preserved and restored in the Icon Restoration laboratory of the Faculty of Theology in Iaşi. In time, the icons kept in the storage of the Monastery Museum have suffered of degradation caused both by the deficient author’s technique and by the exogenous, biotic and abiotic factors. The wooden supports of some icons were severely degraded by the attack of xylophagous insects, being affected both the mechanical resistance and the appearance of the wood. The numerous galleries immediately below the pictorial layer determined its deformation. The pictorial layer of some icons was degraded mainly due to the errors of the painters’ work technique: very thin and fragile preparation layer or excessive binder, which led to the formation of accentuated early cracks. The appearance of the icons was affected either by the chromatic alteration of the protective varnish, or by the deposits of dust and soot in the atmosphere. The interventions for the conservation of the icons consisted in biociding the painting support and in consolidating the pictorial layer detached from the wooden support. The restoration of the icons aimed at removing the dirt deposits from the painting by physico-chemical means, filling the gaps in the icons and their chromatic integration, with easily reversible materials. After conservation and restoration, the icons returned to the Agapia Monastery for use.

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Herbivorous Insects Along Always-Green Mountaintop Forest Islands

Insects make up the bulk of terrestrial diversity and about half of insect species are herbivores that have direct relationships with their host plants and are the basis of the entire food chain, on which wildlife and humanity depend. Some herbivorous insect traits, such as their spatio-temporal distribution, are especially relevant in the current scenario of global changes, which are more pronounced in high elevation areas, helping to improve the effectiveness of conservation actions. Here we evaluated the influence that different spatiotemporal scales have on three free-feeding herbivorous insect guilds (fluid-feeding, leaf-chewing, and xylophagous insects) in montane forest islands immersed in a grassland-dominated matrix (campo rupestre). We assessed whether species turnover or nestedness was the main component determining both spatial and temporal species composition variation (β-diversity) of the herbivorous insect community. We also checked the temporal effect on herbivorous insect guilds composition between vertical strata. We sampled herbivorous insects during two summers and two winters in 14 forest islands of different sizes and shapes in a natural mountainous fragment located in southeastern Brazil. A total of 6597 herbivorous insects representing 557 morphospecies were sampled, 290 of which were fluid-feeding, 147 leaf-chewing and 120 xylophagous insects. We found a main contribution of time scale in the organization of the herbivorous insect composition sampled in this study, mainly by turnover, with small differences among guilds. Additionally, we could see that climate determined the local variation of species, corroborating that we have a highly variable always-green system over space and time where the understory community varies less in comparison to the canopy community. Our findings suggest that long-term ecological research on herbivorous community structure in relation to climatic variation is a key element for future investigations, which can be decisive for the conservation of herbivorous insect communities. We also suggest that the effects of anthropogenic pressures must be monitored in this system, since these forest islands may serve as warming refuges in a fragmented landscape holding an invaluable diversity of species that, without these old-growth forest reservoirs, would be doomed to disappear.

Quarantine supervision of Wood Packaging Materials (WPM) at Chinese ports of entry from 2003 to 2016

Exotic pests have caused huge losses to agriculture, forestry, and human health. Analyzing information on all concerned pest species and their origin will help to improve the inspection procedures and will help to clarify the relative risks of imported cargo and formulate international trade policies. Records of intercepted pests from wood packaging materials (WPM) from 2003 to 2016 in the China Port Information Network (CPIN) database were analyzed. Results showed that the number of intercepted pests from WPM was lowest in the first quarter and highest in the fourth one. The total number of interceptions increased each year, with 53.33% of intercepted insects followed by nematodes (31.54%). The original continent of most intercepted pests was Asia (49.29%). Xylophagous insects were primarily intercepted from Southeast Asian countries, whereas nematodes were primarily intercepted from Korea, Australia, Mexico, and other countries. WPM interception records were mainly concentrated in China’s coastal inspection stations (98.7%), with the largest number of interceptions documented in Shanghai, followed by the inspection stations of Jiangsu Province. The proportion of pest taxa intercepted by the Chinese provinces’ stations each year is becoming increasingly balanced. The number of pest disposal treatment measures for intercepted cargoes with dead non-quarantine pests increased significantly from 2012 to 2016. This reflects the fact that Chinese customs inspection stations are becoming increasingly scientific and standardizing the interception and treatment of WPM pests. The issues reflected in the database, with a view to providing a reference for future work by customs officers and researchers.

Influence of meteorological factors on weakening of elm trees under conditions of development of insect-xylophages

The biological resistance of species of the genus Ulmus L. is interrelated with various biotic, abiotic and anthropic factors, in particular, abrupt changes in the hydrothermal regime, failure to comply with the rules of intermediate cutting management in the stands with these species, damage by leaf and stem insect pests that transmit and spread the infection, infectious agents, agents of undetermined etiology, etc.It has been discovered that the uneven distribution of rainfall over the years (the least rain in the research area fell in 2007, 2009 and 2015) induced deterioration of the sanitary state of elm woody plants, which caused them being affected by pathogens of mushroom and bacterial etiology and their settlement by xylophagous insects. On the basis of the analysis of changes in the population parameters in the phases of the development of the hotbeds of these pests it was shown that the studied plantations in the dynamics during the period from 2004 to 2006 were in a state of dispersion or the so-called crisis, but, starting from 2007, transformed into a state of the actual outbreak of the hotbed. Detected hotbeds of stem pests are characterized by high, medium and low degree of settlement of trees. At the same time, it was recorded that chronic hotbeds are characterized by a long period of existence, relatively low, although elevated (in comparison with healthy plantings), the number of insects and the size of the current dead trees; for episodic hotbeds, or hotbeds of mass reproduction, - a relatively short (3 to 5 years) period of development, a great number and size of the current dead trees. It has also been found that in both cases there are possible inverse and irreversible reactions of tree stands, although in the second scenario of the development of the population of pests, in the conditions of their mass reproduction, the full destruction of the forest plantation is most often observed. It was recorded that, near the hotbeds of mass reproduction, which are characterized by excessive population density, migration centers usually appear, where harmful insects migrate in search of new settlements.

Morphology and Material Composition of the Mouthparts of Stromatium unicolor Olivier 1795 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) for Bionic Application

Research Highlights: The novelty of this study is the deep analysis of the morphologic, geometric and mechanical performance of longhorn beetle larvae mouthparts. Furthermore, a metal nano identification of jaw reinforced parts was made. Background and Objectives: Analysis of insect mechanical properties has shown an important application in the develop of bionic technologies such as new materials, industrial machines and structural concepts. This study aims to determine the mechanical and geometric properties of longhorn beetle (Stromatium unicolor Olivier 1795) larvae mouthparts to improve the development of innovative cutting tools. In addition, this study obtains a nano identification of metals in the cuticle of the mouthparts, which will enable the development of new nontoxic and sustainable preservation agents against xylophagous insects based on nanoparticles. Materials and Methods: five third-larval-stage samples of Stromatium unicolor were used to study its mandible morphologic, geometric and mechanical properties. To this end, mouthparts were analyzed by several microscopic techniques using a scanning electron microscope, a stereomicroscope and an optical microscope. Composition analysis was performed using with two Analytical-Inca X-ray detectors, dispersive energy spectroscopy and dispersive wavelength spectroscopy. Results: The main geometric parameters of the insect jaw are the edge angle (β = 77.3°), maximum path depth of the insect (120 μm), length (800 µm) and mouthpart movement, which were identified and measured. The chemical analysis results of the jaw tissues shows the presence of zinc and manganese. Conclusions: The geometry and angles of the mouthparts can be applied in the fabrication of bionic self-sharpening cutting tools. Molecular compounds that form the reinforcing elements in the jaws can be used to develop wood preservatives based on nanometals and metal absorption and metabolism inhibitors.

Beetles and nematodes associated with wither Scots pines

This study focused on the occurrence of xylophagous beetles and nematodes in the different parts of Pinus sylvestris L. trees of different health condition in the pure stands in Zhytomyr region (Central Polissya). Stem fragments with thin, thick and transitional bark, branches and twigs were examined in each of 12 model trees. Xylophagous beetles were identified by adults or by galleries. Nematodes were isolated from wood samples in the laboratory using the Baermann method and identified by morphometric characteristics. Among 10 species of xylophagous beetles, Ips acuminatus (frequency 16.7%; dominance 17.9%) and I. sexdentatus (frequency 11.1%, dominance 54.6%) dominated, which prefer the fragments with thin and thick bark respectively. No xylophagous beetle was found in the healthy and slightly weakened trees. Among 15 nematode species, 40% were saproxylic, 33.3% entomophilic, 13.3% phytophagous, and by 6.7% predators and species associated with fungi. An entomophilic nematodes Cryptaphelenchus macrogaster f. acuminati was common in all parts of stem and branches (frequency of occurrence 25–33.3%). An entomophilic nematodes Parasitorhabditis acuminati and a predator Fuchsia buetschlii acuminati had the highest frequency of occurrence (41.7%) under the thin bark and in the branches. The frequency of these species in colonized with xylophagous insects stem fragments with thin bark was significantly higher than in respective not colonized fragments.

Forest ecosystems vitality monitoring (ICP forests, Level I) with special emphasis to the affected part of the sample trees in the Republic of Serbia

Trees condition on the sample plots of the ICP forests, Level I, is especially considered and monitored by the typically damaged and affected part of the tree on which it occurs. Due to the need to enter unique data for the measured parameters (visible damages), their codes are assigned for each damage. These are the results from Sample plots, Level I, based on the ICP methodology. The results are entered into a single database for all participating countries. Infested assimilation organs - leaves or needles are direct indicators of the condition of the trees. The most common damage to leaves is caused by miners, gnats, beetles, and insects that totally bite the leaves so parts of the leaves are completely missing (Lymantria dispar L.). The leaves are mined by Stigmellidae, Gracillariidae, Cynipidae forming galls; there are also damages from the early oak defoliators Geometridae and Tortricidae. Apart from defoliators, the most common are xylophagous insects (for example, bark beetles) as well as root pests. The fungi that most commonly occur on the leaves are oak powdery mildew (Erysiphe alphitoides) and Rhytisma acerinum (which attacks species of the genus Acer). Other damages that occur are verticillium wilt (diseases of the conducting vessels), beech bark disease, then rot of the appendix, trunk, and branches. The paper presents the observed damage and diseases on the experimental plots of the ICP forests, Level I, in Serbia, according to the parts of the tree where they were discovered.