Black alder's (Alnus glutinosa L.) defense against polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most common groups of pollutants that have toxic and carcinogenic effects. Black alder trees (Alnus glutinosa L.) have been used to remediate contaminated soils from industrial pollutants and heavy metals; however, their usefulness for PAH remediation is unclear.

Stronger genetic differentiation among within-population genetic groups than among populations in Scots pine provides new insights into within-population genetic structuring.

We investigated the presence of spatial genetic groups within forest tree populations and determined if the genetic divergence among these groups is greater than that between populations using Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) as a model species. We genotyped 890 adult trees of Scots pine in six natural populations in Lithuania at 11 nuclear microsatellite loci. We used a Bayesian clustering approach to identify the within-population genetic groups within each of the six populations.

Can a Forest Tree Species Progeny Trial Serve as an Ex Situ Collection? A Case Study on .

Scientifically informed decisions for the long-term conservation of extant genetic diversity should combine in situ and ex situ conservation methods. The aim of the present study was to assess if a progeny plantation consisting of several open pollinated (OP) families and established for breeding purposes can also serve as an ex situ conservation plantation, using the case study of a Lithuanian progeny trial of , a keystone species of riparian ecosystems that warrants priority conservation actions. We employed 17 nuclear microsatellite (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers and compared the genetic diversity and copy number of the captured alleles of 22 OP progeny families from this plantation, with 10 wild populations, originating from the two provenance regions of the species in Lithuania.

Dendrological Secrets of the Pazaislis Monastery in Central Lithuania: DNA Markers and Morphology Reveal × L. Hybrids of an Impressive Age.

We benefited from the availability of a species-specific DNA marker to describe the morphometry of × hybrids of an impressive age (ca. 150 years) grown in the Pazaislis baroque monastery yard in Central Lithuania. In an earlier study on a country-wide set of 543 individuals from natural forest populations in Lithuania, we detected a nuclear microsatellite locus Tc8 well-differentiating between and .

Phenolic and Antioxidant Compound Accumulation of Bark Diverges Based on Tree Genotype, Phenology and Extraction Method.

Oak bark is a rich niche for beneficial bioactive compounds. It is known that the amount of the compounds found in plant tissues can depend on species, genotype, growth site, etc., but it is unclear whether oak phenology, i.

Changes in Content of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity Induced in Needles of Different Half-Sib Families of Norway Spruce ( (L.) H. Karst) by Seed Treatment with Cold Plasma.

In order to ensure sufficient food resources for a constantly growing human population, new technologies (e.g., cold plasma technologies) are being developed for increasing the germination and seedling growth without negative effects on the environment.

Genetic signature of the natural gene pool of Mill. in Lithuania: Compound evolutionary and anthropogenic effects.

Mill. is a valuable tree species enriching the ecological values of the coniferous-dominated boreal forests in Europe. Following the historical decline, spreading of sp.

Effect of Extracts from Dominant Forest Floor Species of Clear-Cuts on the Regeneration and Initial Growth of L. with Respect to Climate Change.

Climate change influences the ecological environment and affects the recruitment of plants, in addition to population dynamics, including Scots pine regeneration processes. Therefore, the impact of cover-dominant species extracts on the germination of pine seeds and morpho-physiological traits of seedling under different environmental conditions was evaluated. Increasing temperature reinforces the plant-donor allelochemical effect, reduces Scots pine seed germination, and inhibits seedling morpho-physiological parameters.

Successional Categorization of European Hemi-boreal Forest Tree Species.

Developing forest harvesting regimes that mimic natural forest dynamics requires knowledge on typical species behaviors and how they respond to environmental conditions. Species regeneration and survival after disturbance depends on a species' life history traits. Therefore, forest succession determines the extent to which forest communities are able to cope with environmental change.

Phenogenetic response of silver birch populations and half-sib families to elevated ozone and ultraviolet-B radiation at juvenile age.

Phenogenetic response of silver birch populations and half-sib families to separate and combined elevated ozone (O(3)) concentrations and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation dozes was studied at juvenile age in the climatic chambers. Significant population and family effects were found for seedling height, lamina width, and leaf damage. The exposure to UV-B radiation decreased genetic variation at the stage of seed germination.