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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 15855

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Chunjian Zhao

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Guest Editor

Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: separation of natural products; allelochemical; plant-interspecific chemical relationship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Zhi-Chao Xia

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Guest Editor

College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China
Interests: rhizosphere; plant–soil feedback; plant–plant interactions

Dr. Chunying Li

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Guest Editor

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: plant–plant interactions; separation of secondary metabolites; screening of biological activities

Dr. Jingle Zhu

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Guest Editor

Research Institute of Non-timber Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Interests: non-timber forest cultivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The phenomenon of chemical ecology was first described in Magic Mountain by T. Mann, where it was described that the toxic mist secreted by the leaves of Anitaris toxicaria contains cardiac glycosides that cause drowsiness. In 1970, Sondheimer (USA) published the book Chemical Ecology, which marked the birth of chemical ecology.

It is the aim of the Special Issue on “Chemical Ecology in Forests” to promote and stimulate basic science in the field of chemical ecology in forests by publishing research papers that integrate evolution and/or ecology and chemistry in an attempt to increase our understanding of the biological significance of natural products. The issue’s scope covers the evolutionary biology, mechanisms, and chemistry of biotic interactions and the evolution and synthesis of the underlying natural products. Manuscripts on the evolution and ecology of trophic relationships, intra- and interspecific communication, competition, and other kinds of chemical communication in all types of organismic interactions will be considered suitable for publication. Ecological studies of trophic interactions will also be considered if they are based on the information of the transmission of natural products through the food-chain. Manuscripts may include substantive observations of interactions in nature (e.g., allelopathic effect of forest trees), the elucidation of the chemical compounds involved, the mechanisms of their production and reception, and the translation of such basic information into survey and control protocols.

Prof. Dr. Chunjian Zhao
Dr. Zhi-Chao Xia
Dr. Chunying Li
Dr. Jingle Zhu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

chemical ecology
forest
secondary metabolites
chemical defense
autotoxicity
allelopathic effect
chemical communication
root exudates
volatiles
insect pheromone
kin recognition

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2350 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physiological Mechanisms of Bretschneidera sinensis Hemsl. Seed Dormancy Release and Germination

by Lijun Zhong, Hongxing Dong, Zhijun Deng, Jitao Li, Li Xu, Jiaolin Mou and Shiming Deng

Forests 2023, 14(12), 2430; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14122430 - 13 Dec 2023

Viewed by 614

Abstract

Bretschneidera sinensis, the sole species of Bretschneidera, belonging to the family Akaniaceae, is a tertiary paleotropical flora. It is considered an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has an important protective and scientific value. The study of its seed dormancy and germination mechanisms contributes to better protection. In this study, the dormancy of fresh mature B. sinensis seeds released via low-temperature wet stratification was studied. In addition, the endogenous phytohormone levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, soluble sugar content, and the key metabolic enzyme activities of seeds at different stratification time nodes were determined. The goal was to analyze the mechanisms of seed dormancy release and germination comprehensively. Results show that low-temperature wet stratification under 5 °C can release seed dormancy effectively. During the seed dormancy release, the seed germination rate was positively correlated with soluble sugar, GA₃, and IAA levels, as well as G-6-PDH, SOD, POD, CAT, and APX activity, but it was negatively correlated with MDH activity and ABA content. These imply that dormancy release might be attributed to the degradation of endogenous ABA and the oxidation of reactive oxygen species induced by low-temperature wet stratification. GA₃, IAA, and the metabolism of energy substrates may be correlated with the induction and promotion of germination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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14 pages, 5428 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Commercial Eucalyptus Clone in Soil with Indaziflam Herbicide Residues

by Josiane Costa Maciel, Tayna Sousa Duque, Aline Cristina Carvalho, Brenda Thaís Barbalho Alencar, Evander Alves Ferreira, José Cola Zanuncio, Bárbara Monteiro de Castro e Castro, Francisca Daniele da Silva, Daniel Valadão Silva and José Barbosa dos Santos

Forests 2023, 14(9), 1923; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14091923 - 21 Sep 2023

Viewed by 871

Abstract

The pre-emergent herbicide indaziflam is efficient in the management of weeds in eucalyptus crops, but this plant may develop less in soil contaminated with it. The objective was to evaluate the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent electron transport rate (ETR), growth and dry mass of leaves, stems and roots of Clone I144, in clayey soil, contaminated with the herbicide indaziflam and the leaching potential of this herbicide. The design was completely randomized in a 3 × 5 factorial scheme, with four replications. The leaching of indaziflam in the clayey soil profile (69% clay) was evaluated in a bioassay with Sorghum bicolor, a plant with high sensitivity to this herbicide. The injury and height of this plant were evaluated at 28 days after sowing (DAS). We believe that this is the first work on Eucalyptus in soil with residues of the herbicide indaziflam. Chlorophyll a and b contents and ETR, and height and stem dry mass of Clone I144, were lower in soil contaminated with indaziflam residues. The doses of indaziflam necessary to cause 50% (C₅₀) of injury and the lowest height of sorghum plants were 4.65 and 1.71 g ha⁻¹ and 0.40 and 0.27 g ha⁻¹ in clayey soil and sand, respectively. The sorption ratio (SR) of this herbicide was 10.65 in clayey soil. The herbicide indaziflam leached up to 30 cm depth at doses of 37.5 and 75 g ha⁻¹ and its residue in the soil reduced the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent ETR and the growth of Clone I144. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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11 pages, 3411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of the Larch–Ashtree Mixed Forest on Contents of Secondary Metabolites in Larix olgensis

by Hong Jiang, Shanchun Yan, Zhaojun Meng, Shen Zhao, Dun Jiang and Peng Li

Forests 2023, 14(5), 871; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14050871 - 24 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1025

Abstract

To understand the insect resistance mechanism of the larch, Larix olgensis, in a mixed forest, larch (Larix olgensis) seedlings and ashtree (Fraxinus mandshurica) seedlings were planted with mixed banding forests in the proportion of 1:1 (BMF_1:1), 3:3 (BMF_3:3) and 5:5 (BMF_5:5), in pots and in the field. One year later, the content of secondary metabolites in the needles of each larch treatment were tested with an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The results showed that the allelopathic effect of F. mandshuricas (ashtree) on L. olgensis (larch) could increase the content of secondary metabolites in larch needles. It was found that the flavonoid content in the needles of BMF_5:5 was higher than that in the needles of BMF_1:1 and BMF_3:3 (p < 0.05). The tannin content in the needles of FBMF_3:3 and FBMF_5:5 was significantly higher than that of FBMF_1:1, whereas the tannin content in the needles of PBMF_3:3 reached 1.27 mg/g, which was the highest (p < 0.05). The lignin content in the needles of FBMF_3:3 reached 2.27 mg/g, which was significantly more increased than that in the control group in a dose-dependent manner, while that in the needles of PBMF_3:3 and PBMF_5:5 was higher than that in the needles of PBMF_1:1 (p < 0.05). The tannin and lignin content in the needles of FBMF was higher than that of PBMF. However, there was no difference in the content of flavonoids in the needles of FBMF and PBMF. These results suggest that banding mixed larches and ashtrees can significantly increase the content of secondary metabolites (phenolic compounds) in the needles of L. olgensis and improve its chemical defense, and the allelopathic effect of ashtrees on larches is related to the mixed proportion. Thus, the effect of mixed banding forests in the proportion of 3:3 and 5:5 is better. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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13 pages, 2656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Patterns of Needle Nutrient Resorption and Ecological Stoichiometry Homeostasis along a Chronosequence of Pinus massoniana Plantations

by Qiqiang Guo, Huie Li, Xueguang Sun, Zhengfeng An and Guijie Ding

Forests 2023, 14(3), 607; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14030607 - 18 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1102

Abstract

Nutrient resorption and stoichiometry ratios are vital indicators to explore nutrient transfer and use efficiency for plants, particularly under the condition of nutrient limitation. However, the changing rules about nutrient resorption and ecological stoichiometry homeostasis are still unclear with the development of plantations. We determined carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations in soil and in fresh and senesced needles along a chronosequence of Pinus massoniana plantations (10, 20, 30, and 36 years old) in Guizhou Province, China. We also calculated the N and P resorption efficiency (NRE and PRE, respectively) and the homeostasis coefficient. The results showed that fresh and senesced needles’ C and N concentrations maintained an increasing trend, whereas their P concentrations decreased initially and subsequently increased as the plantations’ ages increased. Fresh needles’ N:P ratios indicated that N limitation existed before 20 years old, while P limitation appeared in the 30-year-old plantations. The NRE and PRE showed patterns of increasing initially and decreasing subsequently along the chronosequence of P. massoniana plantations, which was coupled with weak stoichiometric homeostasis to reduce nutrient deficiency. Therefore, the appropriate nutrient management measurements should be induced to promote tree growth and the sustainable development of P. massoniana plantations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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14 pages, 17678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Leaf Scorch Occurrence and Nutrient Elements and Their Effects on Fruit Qualities in Chinese Chestnut Orchards

by Rongrong Chen, Jingle Zhu, Jiabing Zhao, Xinru Shi, Wenshi Shi, Yue Zhao, Jiawei Yan, Lu Pei, Yunxia Jia, Yanyan Wu, Haitao Liu, Zeping Jiang, Changming Ma and Shengqing Shi

Forests 2023, 14(1), 71; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14010071 - 30 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1507

Abstract

Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) is a multipurpose tree providing nuts and timbers, which holds an important position in the mountainous villages in China. However, leaf scorch disease is becoming more and more serious in the chestnut orchards of Yanshan Mountain areas, but the cause of occurrence is still unclear. In this study, the nutrient elements were analyzed from the leaves, roots, and surrounding soils of roots as well as the nut qualities in the healthy and scorched trees from two adjacent chestnut orchards. The results showed that the elements of nitrogen (N), iron (Fe), boron (B), and zinc (Zn) in leaves significantly increased in the scorched trees as well as N and B in roots, and potassium (K), and available potassium (AP) in soils, but leaf magnesium (Mg), root manganese (Mn), and soil Mg, copper (Cu), Fe, and B significantly decreased. Correlation analysis demonstrated that B, Zn, Mg, and Fe had a greater influence on the status of leaf health, and soil AK, K, Fe, B, and Cu had an impact on leaf B concentration. In addition, the occurrence of leaf scorch affected the nut sizes, contents of total soluble proteins and ascorbic acid as well as the catalase activity in the nuts. These results indicated that the disruption of soil-element balance may be one of the main causes resulting in the occurrence of leaf scorch, which would provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the prevention of chestnut leaf scorch disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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15 pages, 3070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Promotion Effects of Taxus chinensis var. mairei on Camptotheca acuminata Seedling Growth in Interplanting Mode

by Chunjian Zhao, Sen Shi, Naveed Ahmad, Yinxiang Gao, Chunguo Xu, Jiajing Guan, Xiaodong Fu and Chunying Li

Forests 2022, 13(12), 2119; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13122119 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1346

Abstract

Wild Camptotheca acuminata Decne (C. acuminata) resources are becoming endangered and face poor growth. Preliminary investigation results found that the growth of C. acuminata in an artificial mixed forest of Taxus chinensis var. mairei (Lemee et Levl.), Cheng et L. K. Fu (T. chinensis var. mairei) and C. acuminata was significantly higher than that in pure forests. Understanding the reasons for the above differences can help create a mixed forest of T. chinensis var. mairei and C. acuminata to solve the problem of depleting C. acuminata resources. In this study, the growth and soil indexes under two different modes (C. acuminata/T. chinensis var. mairei interplanted and monocultured C. acuminata seedlings) were compared. The results showed that plant height, basal diameter, photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll content of C. acuminata under the interplanting mode were higher than those under monoculture. The growth rates of plant height and basal diameter that were calculated from interplanted specimens increased by 25% and 40%, respectively, compared with those from specimens that were monocultured. Photosynthetic rates from different light intensities under interplanting were higher than those in seedlings under monoculture. The contents of chlorophylls a and b and total chlorophyll under interplanting were 1.50, 1.59, and 1.47 times higher than those under monoculture, respectively. The numbers of bacteria and fungi in the interplanted culture were higher than those in the monoculture. Furthermore, the differences in microbial diversity under different planting modes were analyzed via the amplicon sequencing method. Soil enzyme activities increased under interplanting compared with that in the monoculture. Taxane allelochemicals were detected in the range of 0.01–0.67 μg/g in the interplanting mode from April to September. T. chinensis var. mairei may increase the establishment and productivity of C. acuminata seedlings under interplanting mode through improvements in enzyme activity, changes in microorganism population structure, and release of allelochemicals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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20 pages, 6187 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Intercropping Pandanus amaryllifolius on Soil Properties and Microbial Community Composition in Areca Catechu Plantations

by Yiming Zhong, Ang Zhang, Xiaowei Qin, Huan Yu, Xunzhi Ji, Shuzhen He, Ying Zong, Jue Wang and Jinxuan Tang

Forests 2022, 13(11), 1814; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13111814 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1893

Abstract

The areca nut (Areca catechu L.) and pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.) intercropping cultivation system has been widely practiced to improve economic benefits and achieve the development of sustainable agriculture in Hainan Province, China. However, there is a lack of research on the relationships among soil properties, soil enzyme activities, and microbes in this cultivation system. Therefore, a random block field experiment of pandan intercropped with areca nut was established to investigate the effects of environmental factors on the diversity and functions of soil microbial communities in Lingshui county, Hainan Province. The diversity and composition of soil microbial communities under different cropping modes were compared using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA (bacteria) and ITS-1 rRNA (fungi) genes, and FAPROTAX and FUNGuild were used to analyze and predict the bacteria and fungi community functions, respectively. Correlation analysis and redundancy analysis were used to explore the responses of soil microbial communities to soil environmental factors. The results showed that the bacterial community was more sensitive to the areca nut and pandan intercropping system than the fungal community. The functional predictions of fungal microbial communities by FAPROTAX and FUNGuild indicated that chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, and soil saprotroph were the most dominant functional communities. The intercropping of pandan in the areca nut plantation significantly enhanced the soil bacterial Ace and Chao indices by reducing the soil organic carbon (SOC) and total phosphorus (TP) content. In the intercropping system, urease (UE) and acid phosphatase were the key factors regulating the soil microbial community abundance. The dominant bacterial and fungal phyla, such as Firmicutes, Methylomirabilota, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Verrucomicrobia, and Ascomycota significantly responded to the change in planting modes. Soil properties, such as UE, total nitrogen, and SOC had a significant stimulating effect on Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Ascomycota. In summary, soil bacteria responded more significantly to the change in cropping modes than soil fungi and better reflected the changes in soil environmental factors, suggesting that intercropping with pandan positively affects soil microbial homeostasis in the long-term areca nut plantation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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17 pages, 3917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Intercropping between Morus alba and Nitrogen Fixing Species on Soil Microbial Community Structure and Diversity

by Jiaying Liu, Yawei Wei, Haitao Du, Wenxu Zhu, Yongbin Zhou and You Yin

Forests 2022, 13(9), 1345; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13091345 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1561

Abstract

The intercropping of nitrogen-fixing and non-nitrogen-fixing tree species changed the availability of soil nitrogen and soil microbial community structure and then affected the regulation process of soil carbon and nitrogen cycle by microorganisms in an artificial forest. However, there is no consensus on the effect of soil nitrogen on soil microorganisms. In this study, the intercropping of mulberry and twigs was completed through pot experiments. Total carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus in the rhizosphere soil were determined, and the composition and structure of the soil microbial community were visualized by PCR amplification and 16S rRNA ITS sequencing. The analysis found that the intercropping of Morus alba L. and Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. had no significant effect on soil pH but significantly increased the contents of total carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus in the soil. The effect on the alpha diversity of the bacterial community was not significant, but the effect on the evenness and diversity of the fungal community was significant (p < 0.05). It was also found that soil nutrients had no significant effect on bacterial community composition but had a significant effect on the diversity within the fungal community. This study added theoretical support for the effects of intercropping between non-nitrogen-fixing tree species and nitrogen-fixing tree species on soil nutrients and microbial community diversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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22 pages, 2428 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Allelopathy and Allelochemicals in Grasslands and Forests

by You Xu, Xin Chen, Le Ding and Chui-Hua Kong

Forests 2023, 14(3), 562; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14030562 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4721

Abstract

Plants can produce and release allelochemicals to interfere with the establishment and growth of conspecific and interspecific plants. Such allelopathy is an important mediator among plant species in natural and managed ecosystems. This review focuses on allelopathy and allelochemicals in grasslands and forests. Allelopathy drives plant invasion, exacerbates grassland degradation and contributes to natural forest regeneration. Furthermore, autotoxicity (intraspecific allelopathy) frequently occurs in pastures and tree plantations. Various specialized metabolites, including phenolics, terpenoids and nitrogen-containing compounds from herbaceous and woody species are responsible for allelopathy in grasslands and forests. Terpenoids with a diversity of metabolites are qualitative allelochemicals occurring in annual grasslands, while phenolics with a few specialized metabolites are quantitative allelochemicals occurring in perennial forests. Importantly, allelochemicals mediate below-ground ecological interactions and plant–soil feedback, subsequently affecting the biodiversity, productivity and sustainability of grasslands and forests. Interestingly, allelopathic plants can discriminate the identity of neighbors via signaling chemicals, adjusting the production of allelochemicals. Therefore, allelochemicals and signaling chemicals synergistically interact to regulate interspecific and intraspecific interactions in grasslands and forests. Allelopathy and allelochemicals in grasslands and forests have provided fascinating insights into plant–plant interactions and their consequences for biodiversity, productivity and sustainability, contributing to our understanding of terrestrial ecosystems and global changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Ecology in Forests)

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