Local environmental context determines the colonisation of leaf shelters by arthropods: an experimental study

The magnitude of facilitation by shelter-building engineers on community structure is expected to be greater when they increase limited resources in the environment. We evaluated the influence of local environmental context on the colonisation of leaf shelters by arthropods in a Mexican evergreen tropical rainforest. We compared the species richness and abundance of arthropods (total and for different guilds) colonising artificially rolled leaves in habitats differing in understory heterogeneity (forest edge > old-growth forests > living fences). Arthropod abundance of the most representative arthropod taxa (i.e., Araneae, Blattodea, Collembola and Psocoptera) colonising the rolled leaves was greater at forest edge, a trend also observed for average arthropod abundance, and for detritivore and predator guilds. In addition, fewer arthropod species and individuals colonised the rolled leaves in the living fence habitat, a trend also observed for most arthropod guilds. As forest edge is expected to have a greater arthropod diversity and stronger density-dependent interactions, a greater limitation of refuges from competitors or predators may have determined the higher colonisation of the rolled leaves in this habitat. Our results demonstrate that local environment context is an important factor that affects the colonisation of arthropods in leaf shelters.

Assessment of efficiency of urban plantations for noise reduction

Описано исследование эффективности использования городских насаждений для снижения уровня шума. В результате их применения эффективность снижения уровня шума изменялось от 1,1 дБА до 14,0 дБА. Наиболее эффективны для использования в шумозащитных целях многовидовые рядовые посадки деревьев с применением живых изгородей. Одновидовые живые изгороди, одновидовые и многовидовые рядовые посадки деревьев снижали уровень шума незначительно. Большую роль в снижении шума играла ширина полос зеленых насаждений. Зеленые полосы шириной 12,0-13,5 м снижали уровень шума на 9,3 дБА. The article describes the study of the efficiency of using urban plantations to reduce noise. As a result of their application, the noise reduction efficiency varies from 1,1 dBA to 14,0 dBA. Multi-view row tree planting using living fences is most effective for noise protection purposes. Single-species living fences, single-species and multi-species row tree planting reduced noise levels slightly. The width of green plantation lanes plays a major role in reducing noise. Green bands 12,0-13,5 m wide reduced noise level by 9.3 dBA.

Living Snow Fences: International Practices

In winter, in the countries with snow covered regions, one of the main tasks of road maintenance is to combat snow deposits, snowpacks and snowdrifts on the roadway. Living snow fences consisting of tree and shrub plantings are among known world practices to protect roads against effects of snow deposits. They are environmentally friendly, durable and have great snow retention capacity. However, there are several constraints regarding application of those practices.The analysis of the design, spacing and planting schemes refers to Russian and foreign living snow fences used to protect highways, considers the features, advantages, and disadvantages of living fences in different countries. Japanese and American designs are reviewed as international experience. The influence of the state of trees on the efficiency of their snow-retaining function has been determined. As a result, the need for monitoring and proper maintenance of existing living snow fences throughout their life cycle was confirmed using the examples of surveys of forest plantations in Kazakhstan and in Volgograd region of the Russian Federation.The author presents promising directions for improving the structures and planting schemes of snow storage living fences, namely, an integrated approach to their design as of a protection not only against snowdrifts, but also against pollutants. Such solutions include the design of protective living fences using only tall shrubs, providing the best blowing of roadside areas and dispersion of contaminants. Another solution is to complement the species planted within living fences with willow and corn. Besides, referring to global climate changes, an important task for modern science has been identified, that is to update the current standards for the design of living fences under the current meteorological conditions.Recommendations on the use of mathematical modelling with the help of computer software are suggested regarding development of new configurations of living fences, assessment of their effectiveness, as well as on the adoption of modern technologies such as video cameras and drones during field tests.

Diversity of Useful Mexican Legumes: Analyses of Herbarium Specimen Records

Herbarium specimens of wild Mexican Leguminosae with ethnobotanical information are an important resource for understanding human–legume interactions. The 525 useful legume species registered in Mexico’s National Herbarium (MEXU) were analyzed using a hierarchical method and represented in dendrograms. Of these, 244 species noted a single use, while 281 species reported two or more uses. Plants applied for medicinal purposes registered the greatest number of species (351 spp.), followed by those employed as animal food (205 spp.), material sources (197 spp.), environmental modifiers (139 spp.), and food and food additives (119 spp.). This study also suggests that a greater number of uses is concentrated in closely related species-rich taxa rather than in less diverse groups, and that certain uses are clustered in phylogenetically related groups. Of particular interest are multipurpose shrubs and trees managed as living fences that satisfy a variety of needs in rural areas. This diversity of legume resources used by Mexican people may be advantageous in the planning and management of conservation areas, since the diversity, ubiquity, and economic importance of some of species have promoted overuse and destruction.

Forecasting Agroforestry Ecosystem Services Provision in Urban Regeneration Projects: Experiences and Perspectives from Milan

The expansion of urban agglomerates is causing significant environmental changes, while the demand and need for sustainability keep on growing. In this context, urban and peri-urban agriculture can play a crucial role, mainly if associated with an agroecological approach. Indeed, the extensive use of living fences and tree rows can improve the environmental quality, assuring ecosystem services (ES), developing a sustainable urban food system and increasing local productions and the related socio-economic improvements. This study aims to assess the benefits of an agroecological requalification of a dismissed peri-urban area in the South Milan Agricultural Regional Park (Italy), by evaluating two possible scenarios, both involving planting trees and shrubs in that area. The software I-Tree Eco simulates the ecosystem services provision of planting new hedgerows, evaluating the benefits over 30 years. The study underlines the difference between the two scenarios and how the planted area becomes an essential supplier of regulating ecosystem services for the neighbourhoods, increasing carbon storage and air pollution removal. Results were then analysed with a treemap, to better investigate and understand the relationship between the different ecosystem services, showing a notable increase in carbon sequestration at the end of the simulation (at year 30). The study shows a replicable example of a methodology and techniques that can be used to assess the ES in urban and peri-urban environments.

Gliricidia sepium (gliricidia).

G. sepium is an adaptable, fast growing, precociously seeding tree, with the ability to disperse seeds up to 40 m from the parent tree from exploding pods. This species has been widely introduced across tropical and subtropical regions to be used for fuel wood, animal feed, green manure, shade, poles, living fences, erosion control, soil improver, and as a boundary and support plant. It has escaped from cultivation and has become a successful colonizer of disturbed sites, roadsides, abandoned agricultural land and areas near cultivation (Elevitch and Francis, 2006). This species is listed as invasive in Australia, Hawaii, the Philippines, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Tonga, Singapore, Comoros, and Trinidad and Tobago (Vos, 2004; PIER, 2016; Trinidad and Tobago Biodiversity, 2016; Weeds of Australia, 2016). It is also regarded as a potential weed and as a moderate or potentially invasive species in many countries across Asia, Africa, and the West Indies (Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; ILDIS, 2016; PROTA, 2016; USDA-ARS, 2016).