Earticle

This research reports the effects of shifting cultivation on soil environment collecting samples from 0-5 cm soil depth from five locations viz. at Burburichhara, Maichchari, Longadu, Sukurchhari and Muralipara in Rangamati district of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). Soil analyses showed that fungal and bacterial population, microbial respiration and active microbial biomass, maximum water holding capacity, conductivity and moisture contents were significantly (at least p≤0.05) lower in shifting cultivated soil compared to adjacent mixed tree plantations at all the sites. On an average in soils of 5 different shifting cultivated lands fungal population was 1.33x105 CFU/g dry soil and bacterial population 1.80x107 CFU/g dry soil and in mixed plantations fungal population was 1.70x105 and bacterial population 2.51x107 CFU/g dry soil. Organic matter and exchangeable Ca and Mg contents were significantly (at least p≤0.05) lower and bulk density significantly (at least p≤0.05) higher in shifting cultivated land in most of the locations compared to adjacent mixed tree plantations. Ratios of microbial respiration and organic carbon as well as active microbial biomass and organic carbon were distinctly lower and pH higher at 3 locations in shifting cultivated soils compared to mixed plantations. Findings of various soil properties, therefore, suggest that shifting cultivation has deteriorating effects on soil environment.

The tropical wet evergreen, tropical semi evergreen and moist deciduous forest types are projected to be impacted by climate change. In the Western Ghats region, a biodiversity hotspot, evergreen forests including semi evergreen account for 30% of the forest area and according to climate change impact model projections, nearly a third of these forest types are likely to undergo vegetation type change. Similarly, tropical moist deciduous forests which account for about 28% of the forest area are likely to experience change in about 20% of the area. Thus climate change could adversely impact forest biodiversity and product flow to the forest dependent households and communities in Uttara Kannada district of the Western Ghats. This study analyses the distribution of non- timber forest product yielding tree species through a network of twelve 1-ha permanent plots established in the district. Further, the extent of dependence of communities on forests is ascertained through questionnaire surveys. On an average 21% and 28% of the tree species in evergreen and deciduous forest types, respectively are, non-timber forest product yielding tree species, indicating potential high levels of supply of products to communities. Community dependence on non-timber forest products is significant, and it contributes to Rs. 1199 and Rs. 3561/household in the evergreen and deciduous zones, respectively. Given that the bulk of the forest grids in Uttara Kannada district are projected to undergo change, bulk of the species which provide multiple forest products are projected to experience die back and even mortality. Incorporation of climate change projections and impacts in forest planning and management is necessary to enable forest ecosystems to enhance resilience.

This study was conducted to estimate the best-fit nonlinear height-DBH growth models for Larix kaempferi in Gangwon and North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. Exponential, Modified Logistic, Chapman-Richards, and Weibull function were used for estimating height-DBH models. To evaluate the selected models, R2, RMSE, MD, MAD, and residual plots were performed in each model. Also, the coefficients and patterns in models of the previous studies were compared with those in this study. The result showed that Weibull equation was found to be the best-fit model with R2=0.9837, RMSE=2.6133, MD=0.0089, and MAD=2.0896. All model parameters in our study had similar values to those in the previous models except for asymptotic parameter a. Our research result showed that Gangwon and North Gyeongsang province were superior to other provinces with regard to height growth for Larix kaempferi.

Leaf litter is the main and quick source of organic matter and nutrient to the soil compared to other parts of litter. This study focused on the nutrients (N, P and K) leaching from leaf litter of Melia azadirachta, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Swietenia macrophylla, Mangifera indica, Zizyphus jujuba, Litchi chinensis, Albizia saman, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Acacia auriculiformis, Dalbergia sissoo and Khaya anthotheca as the common cropland agroforest tree species of Bangladesh. About (9 to 35) % of initial mass was lost, while Electric Conductivity (EC) and TDS (Total Dissolved Solid) of leaching water increased to (573 to 3,247) μS/cm and (401 to 2,307) mg/l respectively after 192 hours of leaching process. Mass loss (%) of leaf litter, EC and TDS of leaching water showed significant (ANOVA, p＜0.05) curvilinear relationship with leaching time. Initial concentration of NH4, PO4 and K in leaching water was found to increase significantly (p＜0.05) up to 48/72 hours and then remained almost constant at later stages (48/72 to 192 hours). Mass loss of leaves; EC, TDS, NH4, PO4 and K in leaching water was varied also significantly (ANOVA, p＜0.05) among the studied tree species. All the tree species showed similar pattern of nutrients (K＞N＞P) release during the leaching process. The highest NH4 (4,097 ppm) and potassium (8,904 ppm) concentration was found for M. azadirachta while the highest PO4 (1,331 ppm) concentration was found for E. camaldulensis in the leaching water. Among the studied tree species, M. azadirachta, A. indica, D. sissoo, E. camaldulensis and Z. jujuba was selected as the best tree species with respect to nutrient leaching.

Studies were carried out to standardize and develop a suitable macro-propagation technology for large scale production of superior clonal stock through stem cuttings in Commiphora wightii Arnott (Bhandari), a data deficient medicinal plant of arid region. For the purpose, three experiments were conducted. The first experiment was tried to elucidate the impact of various cutting diameters (0.50-0.75 cm, 0.75-1.00 cm, 1.00-1.50 cm, and ＞1.50 cm) in combination with varying growing conditions (sunlight, shade house and mist chamber) on shoot sprouting and rooting without using exogenous plant growth regulators. Cutting diameter (size 0.75-1.00 cm) in mist chamber has shown maximum sprouting (90.00%) and rooting (73.33%), primary root (6.67) and secondary root (16.67) followed by 1.00-1.51 cm in mist chamber. Minimum sprouting (40.00%), rooting (33.33%), number of shoot (1.33), primary root (1.00) and number of secondary root (1.00) was recorded in cutting diameter (size ＞1.50 cm) in sunlight. Second experiment was performed to find out optimum growth regulator concentration of rooting hormone (100, 200, 500 and 1000 ppm) of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and Indole-3-butyric Acid (IBA) on adventitious root formation on cuttings diameter (size 0.25-0.50 cm) in comparison to control. Maximum rooting percentage (93.33%) was recorded in 200 ppm followed by 500 ppm (86.66%) of IBA as compared to control, which showed only 60 per cent sprouting. Third experiment was performed with newly formed juvenile micro-cuttings treated with varying concentrations of IAA and IBA. The juvenile cuttings (size 6-10 cm, basal dia ＜0.25 cm) were selected as micro- cuttings. The cuttings treated with IBA (500 ppm) showed 64.30% rooting as compared to other treatments. Results of above experiments indicate that cuttings (size 0.75-1.00 cm dia) may be developed in mist chamber for better performance. While using heavier cuttings, no growth promoting hormones is required however; growth regulator 200 ppm concentration of IBA rooting hormone was observed optimum for promoting macro-propagation in stem cuttings of lower diameter class (0.25-0.50 cm).

To understand transition characteristics from wood to charcoal the dimensional changes of carbonized woods at low temperature from 300°C to 350°C at the intervals of 10°C were investigated. Three species of hardwoods and two species of softwoods were used in this study. Measurements of dimensional changes of cells were observed by stereoscopic microscope and an image analyzer. The apparent volume of each specimen decreased greatly with increasing temperature. Severe cracks and collapse were observed frequently in hardwoods and hardly in softwoods. Vessel diameter and tracheid cell wall thickness of the wood samples were decreased with increasing carbonization temperature. Contraction of vessel diameter in tangential direction was greater than that in radial direction. Cell wall thickness of tracheids decreased with increasing carbonization temperature. Consequently, even though it was small range of carbonization temperature, dimensions of wood components were changed considerably.

Estimating above-ground biomass is important in establishing an applicable methodology of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) System for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation-Plus (REDD+). We developed an estimation model of diameter at breast height (DBH) from IKONOS-2 image that led to above-ground biomass estimation (AGB). The IKONOS image was preprocessed with dark object subtraction and topographic effect correction prior to watershed segmentation for tree crown delineation. Compared to the field observation, the overall segmentation accuracy was 64%. Crown detection percent had a strong negative correlation to tree density. In addition, satellite-based crown area had the highest correlation with the field measured DBH. We then developed the DBH allometric model that explained 74% of the data variance. In average, the estimated DBH was very similar to the measured DBH as well as for AGB. Overall, this method can potentially be applied to estimate AGB over a relatively large and remote tropical forest in Northern Borneo.

Forest tree species usually takes for long periods to be harvested and cultivated but spearmints are a good model system for woody plant because of reducing and shortening cultivation time. Spearmints are good model plants (Mentha species) for research about terpenoids production and industrial essential oil manufacture. Isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase (Iso) and limonene synthase (Limo) are the key enzymes of terpenoid biosynthesis pathway. Transgenic and wild spearmints (Mentha spicata, MS) were cultured in vitro and assessed for the essential oil contents. The content of essential oil of transgenic spearmint also was enhanced slightly depending on the target terpenoid genes. In an attempt to increase productivity of terpenoids further, salt and fungal elicitation strategy was adopted on transgenic Mentha spicata. The salt (800 mM NaCl) as abiotic and two fungi (Botrytis cinerea and Glomerella cingulata) as biotic were used for elicitors. In the absence of salt stress four terpenoids were detected from the spearmint extracts, all of them being monoterpenes. On the other hand, the transgenic (MSIso) extracts contained eleven terpenoids (10 monoterpenes and 1 phenylpropene) while transgenic (MSLimo) extracts contained seven monoterpenes. After 3 days of fungal infection, the resistance indices further increased to 4.38, 3.89 and 2.04 for wild type, MSIso and MSLimo, respectively. The salt and fungal elicitators proved beneficial towards modifying both the terpenoids profile and improvement in the composition of essential oil. These results have important applications for the large-scale production of essential oils and forest biotechnology with respect to spearmint.