Amendment with halophytes and wind deposit allow subsequent cultivation of sorghum on a saline-sodic soil in the arid region of Yazd (Iran).

Aridity and salinity limit sustainable biomass production and agricultural practices in desert areas. The capability of halophytes plantation with wind deposits containing around 10% gypsum was evaluated for reclamation of saline soil and its effect on the production of L., in an arid area.

Leaf reflectance variation along a vertical crown gradient of two deciduous tree species in a Belgian industrial habitat.

The reflectometry of leaf asymmetry is a novel approach in the bio-monitoring of tree health in urban or industrial habitats. Leaf asymmetry responds to the degree of environmental pollution and reflects structural changes in a leaf due to environmental pollution. This paper describes the boundary conditions to scale up from leaf to canopy level reflectance, by describing the variability of adaxial and abaxial leaf reflectance, hence leaf asymmetry, along the crown height gradients of two tree species.

A field study on solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and pigment parameters along a vertical canopy gradient of four tree species in an urban environment.

To better understand the potential uses of vegetation indices based on the sun-induced upward and downward chlorophyll fluorescence at leaf and at canopy scales, a field study was carried out in the city of Valencia (Spain). Fluorescence yield (FY) indices were derived for trees at different traffic intensity locations and at three canopy heights. This allowed investigating within-tree and between-tree variations of FY indices for four tree species.

Assessing urban habitat quality using spectral characteristics of Tilia leaves.

Monitoring environmental quality in urban areas is an important issue offering possibilities to control and improve urban habitat quality as well as to avoid adverse effects on human health. A tree leaf reflectance-based bio-monitoring method was used to assess the urban habitat quality of two contrasting habitat classes in the city of Gent (Belgium). As test trees, two Tilia species were selected.