Leaf epidermal fingerprints of six species of Rhododendron (Rh. Aureaum, Rh. dauricum, Rh. micranthum, Rh. Mucronulatum, Rh. Redowskianum, Rh. schlippenbachii) were observed by optical microscope with nail polish expression method in Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology of Ministry Education China in Northeast Forestry University in 2004. The leaf morphological features including of stomata types, characters of guard cells, subsidiary cells in lower epidemis were observed. And ordinary cells (in shape and anticlinal walls feature) as well as the trichomes in both sides of the leaves are described in detail. The results showed that there were three types of stoma in six investigated Rhododendron species, from which Pericytic stomata type exists in three species (Rh. dauricum, Rh. micranthum, and Rh. mucronulatum), Anomocytic stomatal type in Rh. Redowskianum, Diacytic stomata type in Rh. aureaum and Rh. schlippenbachii. The subsidiary cells of the Pericytic and Diacytic stomata type are different in shape and surface feature between the species, respectively. The ordinary epidermal cells show a variety from quadrangular to hexagonal, polygonal or irregular in surface view, the anticlinal walls are straight or sinuose. Trichomes (gland scales) are present in the both of the leaf sides in three species (Rh. dauricum, Rh. micranthum, and Rh. mucronulatum). All of these detail leaf features show specific specificity of leave finger print for 6 rhododendrons.

In order to examine the causes of degradation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations on sandy land, the foliar concentrations of N, P, K and C were analyzed and compared between the field grown P. sylvestris var. mongolica trees from two provenances (natural forests and plantations). The results indicated that natural tree needles had lower N, P and C concentrations, and higher K concentrations than those of plantation tree needles. For plantation tree needles, ratios of N: P, P: K and N: K increased with tree age before 45 years old; but they were not clear for the natural tree needles. Compared with the conclusions reported on Pinus spp., we found that the foliar N and P concentrations were in the optimal range for both natural and plantation tree needles. This result suggested that N or P might not be the absolute limit factors in plant nutrient for P. sylvestris var. mongolica on sandy land. However, foliar K concentrations in both natural and plantation tree needles were much lower than those reported on Pinus spp. (>4.80 g kg-1). The N: P ratio of natural needles was in the adequate ranges, but N: P ratio of plantation needles was out of the adequate ranges. These results indicated that there was a better balanced nutrition status in the natural forest than in the plantations. If only considering the foliar nutrient concentrations of P. sylvestris var. mongolica from different provenances, it might be concluded that the degradation phenomenon of P. sylvestris var. mongolica plantations was not induced by nutrition deficiency of absolute nutrients of N and P, but might be induced by other mineral nutrients or by the effectiveness of N and P nutrients. The unbalanced nutrition status and relatively quick decomposition of needles in the plantations might also contribute to the degradation.

Effects of NaCl on seed germination, leaf gas exchange and seedling growth were investigated. The germination of P. tatarinowii seeds was delayed in the presence of NaCl, and was significantly inhibited when NaCl concentration exceeded 17 mM (1.0 g·L⁻¹). NaCl treatments induced reductions of transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate and their reductions were significant with the increasing of NaCl concentration. However, intercellular CO₂ concentration in seedling leaves under salt stress was significantly higher than that of controls. There was a significant reduction in survival, basal diameter increment and height increment with increasing NaCl concentration 50 days after NaCl treatment, and a significant reduction in the dry weight increment of roots, stems, and leaves was also observed in the NaCl treatments. The deleterious effect on the biomass increment was more evident in the case of stems and leaves. Results from this study suggest that P. tatarinowii is sensitive to salinity stress and the salinity threshold for seedling growth might be less 34 mM (2.0 g·L⁻¹).

The forest soil organic N was investigated using N K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) to gain an insight into the relationship between N speciation and its transformation in quantity. Soil samples were collected from spruce, hemlock and pine forests in central Taiwan. Results showed that various organic N types could be revealed by XANES spectra. Amide and pyrrolic N are the major parts of the composition in the humic substance, soluble organic nitrogen and original soils. The relative distribution of N speciation differed in treatments and vegetations samples. The spruce had a significant difference from the hemlock in soluble organic nitrogen (SON) spectra at 402.3 eV energy peak. In the A-horizon soils, the relative amount of pyridinic N was much higher than that in the O-horizon soils, indicating N transformation in quantity in the mineral horizon was different from that in the organic horizon, which might play an important role in N cycling of forest ecosystems.

Planting trees was used as one of cost-effective measures for desertification control in arid and semi-arid areas of China. Woodland degradation, however, is becoming an inevitable issue in these areas. In this paper, a typical county, Ejin Holo County, Inner Mongolia, China was selected for its assessment of artificial woodland degradation. A conceptual model for woodland degradation was delineated qualitatively based on field sampling survey, and four model-based indicators as humidity index (HI), vegetation index (NDVI), soil type (ST) and soil erosion modulus (EM) were screened out and used to a GIS-based method for artificial woodland degradation assessment in this semi-arid agro-pastoral transitional area. All the indicator layers were overlaid and desertification assessed using simplified equation with equal weights for each indicators. The assessment results showed that in 336.09 km² of total woodland area, 311.35 km² woodland were under degradation, and the area for slight, medium, severe degradation was 78.97, 119.73 and 112.65 km², respectively. It was suggested that much attention should be paid on woodland improvement and plant species selection, especially shrub species, before revegetation in similar areas.

Conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation is a common management practice in subtropical China. In this study, we compared soil physico-chemical properties, microbial biomass in one natural secondary broad-leaved forest and two C. lanceolata plantation sites to estimate the effects of forest conversion on soil microbial biomass at the Huitong Experimental Station of Forestry Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Concentrations of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, NH₄ ⁺-N and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were much lower under C. lanceolata plantations as compared to natural secondary broad-leaved forest. Soil microbial biomass C in the first and second rotation of C. lanceolata plantations was only 53%, 46% of that in natural secondary broad-leaved forest, and microbial biomass N was 97% and 79%, respectively. The contribution of microbial biomass C to soil organic C was also lower in the plantation sites. However, the contribution of microbial N to total nitrogen and NH₄ ⁺-N was greater in the C. lanceolata plantation sites. Therefore, conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to C. lanceolata plantation and continuous planting of C. lanceolata led to the decline in soil microbial biomass and the degradation of forest soil in subtropical China.

Roots and rhizosphere soils of Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth., A. mangium Wild., Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk. C., Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex A. P. D., Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnn., Hevea brasiliensis (Wild. ex Juss) Muell. Arg., Swietenia macrophylla King. and Tectona grandis L. were collected from different locations of Madhupur forest area to study the biodiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization and spore population. All the plants showed AM colonization. Out of eight selected plants, mycelial colonization was lowest in the roots of A. heterophyllus (22%) and the highest was in the roots of H. brasiliensis (78%). Mycelial intensity was observed poor (25%–77%) and moderate (23%–57%) in all plants species and abundant (11%–40%) was in most of the plant species. Vesicular colonization was observed in five plant species. The lowest was recorded in E. camaldulensis (4%) and the highest was in H. brasiliensis (21%). Poor (24%–56%), moderate (16%–100%) and abundant (11%–40%) type of vesicular intensity were observed. Arbuscular colonization was observed in three plants. The highest was in A. mangium (72%) and the lowest was in S. macrophylla (17%). Arbuscular intensity was recorded as poor (12%–44%), moderate (22%–100%) and abundant (4%–47%). The highest AM fungal spore population was in A. auriculiformis (714) and the lowest was in D. sissoo (102). Five AM fungal genera were recorded. Glomus was found to be dominant. A few spores remained unidentified. Significant correlation was observed between percent colonization and spore population. The results of the present study indicate the occurrence of AM fungi and the mycotrophism of the plants of Madhupur forest area and the applicability of AM technology in the forest management of Madhupur forest.

A study was conducted to determine the dynamic of Zn content between soil and plant in the natural protection zone of Leymus chinensis grassland in Changling County (44°30′–44°45′N; 123°31′–124°10′E), Jilin Province, China. Results showed that the total Zn content was lower, available Zn content had a moderate level in the soil, and the plants was not lack of Zn. During the growing season, content of total Zn and available Zn in soil showed a down-trend distribution along the soil profile. Content of total Zn had a significantly positive correlation with that of the organic matter, but it was negatively correlated to soil pH. Monthly dynamic of the average content of total Zn showed a “V” type curve in the growing season from May to August, and July was the nadir. The trend of the average content of available Zn was similar to the content of total Zn, but was down after August; Zn content variation in the organs and litter of L. chinensis was great, with the order of root>rhizome >leaf>stem>litter. The ratio of available Zn content in A layer versus B layer was more than 2 times that of the total Zn, which indicated that the soil of A layer had higher enrichment capacity of available Zn. The enrichment of Zn in the root of L. chinensis was 44.17 times as that in the soil. The absorbing intensity of root had a significantly negative correlation with the activity of Zn in the soil (r=−0.8800, p<0.01).

This paper demonstrates a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) procedure of classifying and mapping forest management category in Baihe Forestry Burea, Jilin Province, China. Within the study area, Baihe Forestry Bureau land was classified into a two-hierarchy system. The top-level class included the non-forest and forest. Over 96% of land area is forest in the study area, which was further divided into key ecological service forest (KES), general ecological service forest (GES), and commodity forest (COM). COM covered 45.0% of the total land area and was the major forest management type in Baihe Forest Bureau. KES and GES accounted for 21.2% and 29.9% of the total land area, respectively. The forest management zones designed with GIS in this study were then compared with the forest management zones established using the hand draw by the local agency. There were obvious differences between the two products. It suggested that the differences had some to do with the data sources, basic unit and mapping procedures. It also suggested that the GIS method was a useful tool in integrating forest inventory data and other data for classifying and mapping forest zones to meet the needs of the classified forest management system.

The competition and dynamics of dominant trees species in the forest ecotone between the broad-leaved/Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) mixed forest and the spruce-fir forest (also known as dark conifer forest) in Changbai Mountain, Jilin Province in Northeast China were studied by using Lotka-Volterra model, based on the data from twenty-eight sample plots with area of 20 m×90 m for each one. Results showed that under natural condition, differentiation of communities followed two directions: one would be Spruce (Picea jezoensis and few P. koraiensis) and fir (Abies nephrolepis) co-dominant conifer forest, and at the equilibrium fir was absolutely preponderant (77.1% of relative dominance (RD)); the other would be the confier and broad-leaved mixed forest, and at equilibrium, the broad-leaved tree species was 50% of RD in the broad-leaved/Korean pine mixed forest and 66% of RD in the broad-leaved and spruce-fir mixed forest. The study demonstrated that both broad-leaved/Korean pine mixed forest and dark conifer forest were climax community, the ecotone had transitional characteristics, and the diversification of the forest communities suggested that the direction of succession was affected by local habitat.

In sandy forest with a forest canopy gap for a period of over 30 years, the spruce(Picea mongolica) seedlings were monitored on two 5-m-wide transects from the center of a large gap into the surrounding forest. The farther they were to the far center, the taller grew the seedling and the more is the number of seedling. There were many seedlings under the canopy but almost all seedlings died before they grow up. Along the forest edge, growth of seedlings was temporarily enhanced by lateral penetration of light from the gap. The implications for natural forest regeneration dynamics are discussed. Our results prove that in P. mongolica forest a gap disturbance creates a non-uniform environment for regeneration of the species, and determines that the forest was a non-even aged forest.

The intercropping system of tree with soybean in juvenile plantations, as a short-term practice, was applied at Lao Shan Experimental Station in Mao’er Shan Forest of Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China. The larch (Larix gmelinii)/soybean (Glycine max.) and ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) intercropping systems were studied in the field to assess the effects of the intercropping on soil physicochemical properties. The results showed that soil physical properties were improved after soybean intercropping with larch and ash in one growing season. The soil bulk density in larch/soybean and ash/soybean systems was 1.112 g·cm⁻³ and 1.058 g·cm⁻³, respectively, which was lower than that in the pure larch or ash plantation without intercropping. The total soil porosity also increased after intercropping. The organic matter amount in larch/soybean system was 1.77 times higher than that in the pure larch plantation, and it was 1.09 times higher in ash/soybean system than that in the pure ash plantation. Contents of total nitrogen and hydrolyzable nitrogen in larch/soybean system were 4.2% and 53.0% higher than those in the pure larch stand. Total nitrogen and hydrolyzable nitrogen contents in ash/soybean system were 75.5% and 3.3% higher than those in the pure ash plantation. Total phosphorus content decreased after intercropping, while change of available phosphorus showed an increasing trend. Total potassium and available potassium contents in the larch/soybean system were 0.6% and 17.5% higher than those in the pure larch stand. Total potassium and available potassium contents in the ash/soybean system were 56.4% and 21.8% higher than those in the pure ash plantation.

Habitat loss and fragmentation have been associated with the decline of endangered species. In 1987, a catastrophic fire in the northern Great Hing’an Mountains of China, where the main habitat of sables. (Martes zibellina) is located, aggravated the loss and fragmentation of the forest landscape. Due to restricted distribution and low population density, sables were listed in the national first-grade protected species in China. The objective of this paper was to identify to what extent the habitat of sables had been restored 13 years after the fire. Based on the behavioral data, which came from field survey information by radio-tracking, GPS (Global Positioning System) and forest inventory data, suitability habitat maps were derived using the Ecological Niche Suitability Model (ENSM). In addition, the habitat structure was analyzed with selected landscape indices. Although forest cover mostly had been restored by 2000, the results indicated that, compared to the pre-fire situation, the areas of suitable habitat had been reduced significantly, especially those of less suitable, marginally suitable and moderately suitable designation. Fragmentation was aggravated, and suitable patches were found to be further isolated with the exception of those in most suitable areas. The ratio of the patch perimeter to area in unsuitable, moderately suitable and suitable areas decreased, while the ratios within other suitability types increased. Moreover, the percentage of soft boundaries decreased slightly, which can influence the redistribution of sables. The results above indicated that the suitable habitat had deteriorated, and the restoration of the sables’ habitat remained to be done.

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is a cool-season turfgrass used on fairways in golf courses. The object of this study was to develop a more efficient, reliable, and repeatable approach in transforming the grass using Agrobacterium (EHA105), where β-glucuronidase gene (uidA) was used as a reporter and hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hyg) as a selectable marker. An effective expression of transgene was observed in transforming 2-month-old calli derived from mature seeds (cv. Bingo) cultured on MS medium supplemented with 9 mg·L⁻¹ 2, 4-D. A two-step solid medium selection with increasing hygromycin concentration (from 30 to 50 mg·L⁻¹) was used to obtain resistant calli. Transgenic plants have been produced from many independent transformed calli. The presence of functional β-glucuronidase gene (uidA) was detected in hygromycin-resistant calli. Transgenic plants were regenerated and PCR and Southern blot confirmed transgene integration in the tall fescue genome.

In forest variety registration, visual traits of the plants appearance are widely used to discern different tree species. The new recognition system of leaf image strategy which based on neural network established to administrate a hierarchical list of leaf images, some sorts of edge detection can be performed to identify the individual tokens of every image and the frame of the leaf can be got to differentiate the tree species. An approach based on back-propagation neuronal network is proposed and the programming language for the implementation is also given by using Java. The numerical simulations results have shown that the proposed leaf strategy is effective and feasible.

Secondary xylem characteristics and horizontal variations were described in three xerophytic species, Zygophyllum xanthoxylon, Nitraria tangutorum, Tetraena mongolica of Zygophyllaceae native to western China. All the species have obvious growth ring boundaries except sometimes discontinuous in T. mongolica and Z. xanthoxylum ring to semi-ring-porosity; simple perforation plate; alternate intervessel pitting; non-septate fibres; paratracheal confluent axial parenchyma; helical thick enings and heterocellular rays. However the vessel arrangement and quantitative features of vessels were different. Vessel elements tend to be shorter and narrower and more frequent in T. mongolica than in other two species that are hardly different could lead to greater conductive safety. The variation of vessel element length and fibre length along radial direction showed irregular tendency. There was significant difference in both fibre length and vessel element length among-tree and within-tree. Furthermore, the relationships between anatomical features and adaptability to desert environments were also discussed.

Twenty-three secondary forest communities with different structure were selected in Mao’er Mountain National Park of Heilongjiang Province, China to study the relationship between diversity of forest plant species and environmental gradient. The forest plant species diversity was analyzed by the diversity index, and the environmental factors was quantified by the method of Whittaker’s quantification of environmental gradient. Meanwhile, β-diversity indexes of communities were calculated with similar measurements. The results showed that the Shannon-wiener diversity index of forest plant species increased with the increase of the environmental gradient, and the β-diversity indexes of communities showed a liner increase along with the change of environmental gradient.

Plot sampling was conducted in the second cultivation areas of Larix olgensis in Heilongjiang Province, China. By analyzing plot investigation data, wood properties, and kraft pulps of 840 plots and 248 sample trees in industrial plantations of L. olgensis on different sites, we examined the growth process of L. olgensis industrial plantation with suitable structure, the wood fiber feature, chemical composition, physical performance and pulp characteristics. It is suggested that site conditions have major effects on plantation growth, fiber contains, fiber length, rate between fiber length and fiber width, pulping rate and pulp physics intensity. The best site for L. olgensis industrial plantation growth is site class I and site class II, which are on lower locations. Site condition has an obvious influence on the wood characteristics. Within the range of site conditions and stand densities studied, the worse the site condition, the less the fiber contains, the shorter the fiber length, and the more the 1% NaOH extraction. This kind of relationship becomes more obvious as stand age increases. However, the influence of site condition on pulping rate and pulp physics intensity is not obvious. The result provides theoretical base for cultivation of industrial fiber plantation of L. olgensis.

A study was conducted on the molecular mechanism of small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) in Chaetomium globosum. Heat shock protein 22.4 (Hsp22.4) from C. globosum was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. BlastX analysis revealed that the Hsp22.4 gene from C. globosum shared the highest identity in amino acid sequence with a Hsp gene from Neurospora crassa, and the identity between them was 65%. The C. globosum Hsp22.4 gene was inserted into the expressive vector of pGEX-4T-2 and the recombinant plasmid named pGEX-HSP. E. coli BL21 transformed with pGEX-HSP plasmid was induced by IPTG, and the expressed proteins were analyzed with SDS-PAGE. A 50 kD protein was specially expressed in E. coli BL21, and the result was consistent with expectation, and showed that the Hsp22.4 gene had been expressed in E. coli. Our study has made a foundation for further studying the function of sHSPs protein.