The Influence of Logging-Related Soil Disturbance on Pioneer Tree Regeneration in Mixed Temperate Forests.

The recovery of soil properties and the proper growth of natural tree regeneration are key elements for maintaining forest productivity after selective logging operations. This study was conducted on the soil properties and natural growth of two pioneer seedling species of alder and maple which were on skid trails in the mixed beech forests of northern Iran. To examine the long-term effects, we randomly selected six skid trails, with two replicates established for each of three time periods since last use (10, 20, and 30 years ago).

Protective behaviour monitoring on wood photo-degradation by spectroscopic techniques coupled with chemometrics.

This paper reports the investigation on the effect of protective materials on poplar (Populus sp.) wood modifications as consequence of artificial photo-degradation in controlled environment. The novelty of this work is to try to understand what happens to wood surface under the protective layer.

The Altar Machine in the Church Mother of Gangi (Palermo, Italy). Interpretation of the past uses, scientific investigation and preservation challenge.

Background: The aim of this work was to study the Altar Machine in the Church Mother of Gangi, a little town near Palermo (Italy) regarding the history, the technical manufacture, the constitutive materials and the state of preservation.The Altar Machine was dated back to the second half of the 18th century; it is constituted by carved and painted wood, a complex system of winch and pulleys allows move various statues and parts of the Machine in accordance with the baroque scenography machineries.

Results: The observation and survey of the mechanisms allowed formulate hypothesis on a more ancient mode of operation of the Altar Machine.