Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.5
2.9
Journals
Forests
Special Issues
Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential...
share announcement

Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (21 July 2023) | Viewed by 23020

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maks Merela

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: wood anatomy; properties; wood use; archaeological wood; cultural heritage; rare species; invasive species; innovative products; wood products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Due to the rapidly growing demand, finding new sources of raw materials already presents a real challenge. Current studies on ongoing projects show that alien and invasive plant species can be an important source of raw materials. In this Special Issue, we focus mainly on research into rare, non-native, and invasive species from which we can extract raw materials for the manufacture of various products. For example, such trees are most often found in an urban environment. Of course, we cannot expect the same material efficiency from trees from urban environments as from commercially managed forests. Trees in the urban environment are often damaged by various interventions and consequently infected with various fungi. Early changes in wood cause a series of successive processes that affect the anatomical and chemical structure as well as other properties of the wood. Nevertheless, the use of wood from urban trees of non-native species has certain advantages. We can find extremely colorful and above all unique textures in certain species, which are simply not present in native conventional species.

Some reports have found that certain non-native wood species have very good properties in terms of natural durability and good strength, and some can be beautifully finished by mechanical processing. With new knowledge about the properties of these materials, we may be able to discover the advantages of individual species and thus enable the manufacture of a range of unique innovative products that will confirm the usefulness of materials from invasive alien species. The processing of wood into wood products also generates certain wood residues. It is common practice to process residues into energy sources such as wood chips and pellets. The residues can be processed into liquefied wood and used as an additive to wood adhesives and coatings or to produce insulating foams. The residues can be ground and processed into so-called wood-plastic composites, the advantage of which is that they can be recycled for final use and the raw material can be reused in a new product.

The residues are also suitable for chemical processing (extracts, bioactive components, antioxidants, pigments, lignin, vanillin, etc.), the production of cellulose fibers for paper, and the production of nanocellulose for various applications.

Alien and invasive species, if used correctly, can yield interesting products with high added value. Their use can have a significant impact on the preservation of natural ecosystems and natural biodiversity, which can be destroyed by invasive alien species. First, however, we need to know them in detail, and that is the aim of this Special Issue.

Dr. Maks Merela
Guest Editor

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

  • Rare species
  • Non-native species
  • Invasive species
  • Wood
  • Anatomy
  • Wood extractives
  • Properties
  • Use
  • Innovative products

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 1916 KiB  
Article
Bioethanol Production Potential and Other Biomass Energy Properties of Invasive Reynoutria, Solidago, and Spiraea Plants
by Blanka Maria Wiatrowska, Aleksandra Wawro, Weronika Gieparda and Bogusława Waliszewska
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1582; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13101582 - 27 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1753
Abstract
Due to the threat posed by the spread of invasive plant species, there is an urgent need to develop effective methods of eradicating and managing their biomass. The aim of the study was to examine selected invasive plants in terms of their use [...] Read more.
Due to the threat posed by the spread of invasive plant species, there is an urgent need to develop effective methods of eradicating and managing their biomass. The aim of the study was to examine selected invasive plants in terms of their use for energy purposes and to find out whether they can be a raw material for the production of second-generation biofuels. First, their chemical compositions were determined. The higher heating value (HHV) and lower heating value (LHV) were also calculated. High values of the higher heating value, ranging from 18.490 MJ∙kg−1 to 19.900 MJ∙kg−1, indicate the possibility of using the biomass of invasive plants for energy purposes (combustion). All investigated invasive plant species were also subjected to the process of obtaining ethanol. This included an alkaline pretreatment with 1% sodium hydroxide, followed by a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process. The highest ethanol yield per ha of plants was obtained at 2.6 m3∙ha−1 for the Reynoutria × bohemica biomass. The remaining species showed an ethanol yield below 2 m3∙ha−1. The conducted research allows for the conclusion that the studied invasive plants can be a promising raw material for the production of bioethanol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 3256 KiB  
Article
Potential Application of Invasive Plant Species Datura innoxia for the Scopolamine Extracts of the Plant Organs and Analysis Using UV–VIS Spectrophotometry
by Georgiana Mardare (Balusescu), Liliana Lazar and Teodor Malutan
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1555; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13101555 - 23 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3210
Abstract
Downy thorn-apple Datura innoxia (Solanaceae) is an invasive plant species which can be introduced either accidentally or deliberately and have the ability to acclimatize in new environmental conditions. Scopolamine is a natural alkaloid which occur in several Datura species, including Datura innoxia. [...] Read more.
Downy thorn-apple Datura innoxia (Solanaceae) is an invasive plant species which can be introduced either accidentally or deliberately and have the ability to acclimatize in new environmental conditions. Scopolamine is a natural alkaloid which occur in several Datura species, including Datura innoxia. Occurrence of alkaloid in all plant organs is crucially important from the viewpoint of medical use, but also as a risk of toxicity for humans and animals, this paper presents the influence of alcoholic solvents on the separation ability of tropane alkaloids using a conventional extraction method (Soxhlet extraction) in order to investigate the content of scopolamine from Datura innoxia dry biomass from Romania at the maturity stage. Two solvents were selected, investigated and compared, including ethanol (96%) and 1-butanol (99.6%). The results showed that 1-butanol was most suitable for the extraction of scopolamine from Datura innoxia areal parts (leaves, flowers, seeds, stem and root) then ethanol because of the high degree of lipophilicity of this alkaloid. The quantitative analysis was performed using UV–VIS spectrophotometry technique. The calibration curve for the analyte under the optimum conditions was obtained with a proper correlation coefficient of 0.9930. Scopolamine was identified in all vegetative organs with higher concentration in 1-butanol and the total content (µg g−1) was 186.87 in leaves, 150.89 in flowers, 63.27 in seeds, 42.50 in stem and 58.10 in root. These studies provide new insights into the potential use of invasive plant species Datura innoxia for extraction of the content of tropane alkaloids, especially scopolamine using different solvents regarding the toxicity and therapeutic potential of this plant alkaloid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2816 KiB  
Article
Importance of Protocol Design for Suitable Green In Situ Synthesis of ZnO on Cotton Using Aqueous Extract of Japanese Knotweed Leaves as Reducing Agent
by Anja Verbič, Katja Brenčič, Gregor Primc and Marija Gorjanc
Forests 2022, 13(2), 143; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13020143 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1596
Abstract
This work presents two protocols for the green in situ synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) on cotton with the aim to develop sustainable cotton fabric with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The protocols differed in the order of immersing cotton fabric in [...] Read more.
This work presents two protocols for the green in situ synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) on cotton with the aim to develop sustainable cotton fabric with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The protocols differed in the order of immersing cotton fabric in reactive solutions of three batches, i.e., precursor (0.1 M zinc acetate dihydrate), reducing agent (aqueous extract of Japanese knotweed leaves) and alkali (wood ash waste). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) results showed that ZnO-NP were successfully synthesised on cotton using both protocols; however, only the protocol where cotton was first immersed in alkali, then in the precursor and, lastly, in the reducing agent enabled very high UPF and higher amount of Zn present on the sample. Due to the different order of cotton fabric immersion in the reactive solutions, dissimilar morphology of the ZnO particles was observed, which resulted in different UV blocking abilities of the samples. The antioxidant analysis (DPPH) showed that the natural reducing agent prepared from Japanese knotweed leaves has very high antioxidant activity, which is attributed to phenolic compounds present in the plant. The reflectance spectroscopy results confirmed that the colour yield and colour of the samples did not influence the UPF value. This protocol is an example of green circular economy where waste materials of invasive alien plant species and pellet heating was used as a natural source of phytochemicals, for the direct synthesis of ZnO-NP to develop cotton fabric with UV-protective properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 7277 KiB  
Article
Influence of Mechanical Wounding and Compartmentalization Mechanism on the Suppression of Invasive Plant Species Using the Example of Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
by Denis Plavčak, Urša Mikac and Maks Merela
Forests 2021, 12(12), 1646; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12121646 - 27 Nov 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1862
Abstract
Natural habitats increasingly face the introduction and spread of non-native species. Under the right conditions, non-native species can become invasive over time. This issue is now being addressed by many experts and researchers who are using and developing various approaches and methods to [...] Read more.
Natural habitats increasingly face the introduction and spread of non-native species. Under the right conditions, non-native species can become invasive over time. This issue is now being addressed by many experts and researchers who are using and developing various approaches and methods to limit and eliminate or suppress problematic plant species. Many invasive plants are already spreading uncontrollably in urban and forestry areas, causing health hazards, environmental and economic damage and negatively impacting natural ecosystems. The use of chemical agents is generally limited, so our only option to control and suppress the problematic species is mechanical removal. In this research suppression by tree stem wounding, i.e., incomplete girdling, was used. This type of injury causes the plant to lose its vitality, become weaker after first year and then die within a few years. Using a research approach, we chronologically monitored the response of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.) stem tissue to mechanical wounding of the incomplete girdling. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and light microscopy were used for monitoring moisture content and anatomical changes in different periods after injury. The results of the study showed that cherry laurel, with an intense wound tissue response and other changes, is a species with good compartmentalization potential. The rapid and intense tissue response to injury requires high energy and nutrient consumption and consequently leads to a loss of vigour and mechanical stability, which may result in plant destruction. Results revealed that mechanical wounding by incomplete girdling is a successful method for suppression of non-native and invasive cherry laurel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2768 KiB  
Article
Innovative Model of the Cost Price Calculation of Products from Invasive Non-Native Wood Species Based on the FTDABC Method
by Jože Kropivšek, Matej Jošt, Petra Grošelj, Manja Kitek Kuzman, Mirko Kariž, Maks Merela and Dominika Gornik Bučar
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1519; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12111519 - 03 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1935
Abstract
Invasive tree species continue to spread, so in addition to strategies to limit this their use in the production of innovative products must be considered. This research aimed to develop and apply a model for calculating the cost price of invasive wood products [...] Read more.
Invasive tree species continue to spread, so in addition to strategies to limit this their use in the production of innovative products must be considered. This research aimed to develop and apply a model for calculating the cost price of invasive wood products considering the specificities of materials and production process, and is suitable for quickly assessing the economic feasibility of using the selected tree species for a given product. The TDABC method with the inclusion of fuzzy logic was used to incorporate the uncertainty of time and quality parameters. In the model, the imprecise values of these parameters are represented with triangular fuzzy numbers. Using a furniture product (dining table) made of black locust wood as an example, we demonstrated the applicability of the developed model. We found that the most probable cost price of a table made of black locust wood is comparable to the price of a product made of oak wood. In this way, we proved the potentially high economic value of invasive wood. The innovative products from invasive non-native wood species can achieve a high added value due to their visual characteristics and attractive appearance. Such use could increase interest in the (more efficient) management of invasive tree species, which would help to manage and use them efficiently. For further research, it would be useful to apply the proposed model to other invasive tree species as well as to other products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1080 KiB  
Article
Composition of Phenolic Compounds, Cyanogenic Glycosides, Organic Acids and Sugars in Fruits of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.)
by Jakub Brozdowski, Boguslawa Waliszewska, Jakub Loffler, Metka Hudina, Robert Veberic and Maja Mikulic-Petkovsek
Forests 2021, 12(6), 762; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12060762 - 10 Jun 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3070
Abstract
The forest understory is rich in fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. They include both native species and invasive alien plant species (IAPS). One of the most spreading IAPS is black cherry (Prunus serotina E.). Problems with the invasiveness of P. serotina is well [...] Read more.
The forest understory is rich in fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. They include both native species and invasive alien plant species (IAPS). One of the most spreading IAPS is black cherry (Prunus serotina E.). Problems with the invasiveness of P. serotina is well known in many European countries. However, there are very few studies related to this IAPS. This article aims to fill the gap in research on the bioactive compounds of black cherry fruits and thus to start a discussion on the potential use of this species on an industrial or semi-industrial scale, which may lead to the reduction of this species presence in forests. Fruits were collected in a forest of Northern Poland. Contents of sugars, phenolic compounds as well as cyanogenic glycosides were determined. Pphenolic compounds and cyanogenic glycoside were assayed using HPLC-DAD coupled with MSn. Sugars and organic acids were determined with the use of HPLC-DAD. Fruits of P. serotina can be considered as rich in anthocyanins, even at a lower level of total phenolics than in their plantation-grown couterparts, fruits of black cherry are still a good source of dietary phenolics of natural, forest-grown origin. When stones are not crushed during processing the level of GCC is within a safe, admissible range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 39879 KiB  
Article
Fibers Obtained from Invasive Alien Plant Species as a Base Material for Paper Production
by Marica Starešinič, Bojana Boh Podgornik, Dejana Javoršek, Mirjam Leskovšek and Klemen Možina
Forests 2021, 12(5), 527; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12050527 - 24 Apr 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2796
Abstract
Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) are one of the biggest challenges in European ecosystems, displacing local vegetation, destroying agricultural land, and causing billions of dollars of damage to the European economy every year. Many of them are removed daily and mainly burned. In [...] Read more.
Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) are one of the biggest challenges in European ecosystems, displacing local vegetation, destroying agricultural land, and causing billions of dollars of damage to the European economy every year. Many of them are removed daily and mainly burned. In this work, we investigated the possibilities of using plants as feedstock for paper production. Papers made from three invasive alien plants, i.e., Knotweed, Goldenrod, and Black locust, were studied and compared with commercial office paper. The study included testing of: (1) structural properties—basic physical properties, grammage, thickness, density and specific volume, moisture content, and ash content; (2) physical and dynamic mechanical properties—tensile strength, Clark stiffness, viscoelastic properties; (3) colorimetric properties of prints; (4) effect of UV light on ageing; and (5) study of cellulose fiber structure and morphology by microscopy. The results suggested that the paper produced can be used as commercial office paper, considering that the paper is slightly dyed. Such papers can also be used for special purposes that present a natural style and connection to nature. The papers produced can also be used for printing documents that are meant to be kept. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1691 KiB  
Article
Differences in Growth and Log Quality of Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) Provenances
by Peter Smolnikar, Robert Brus and Kristjan Jarni
Forests 2021, 12(3), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12030287 - 02 Mar 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1995
Abstract
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) is a non-native conifer from western North America that was introduced into European forests at the end of the 19th century. Plantations of Douglas-fir in Europe have shown good performance, quality, and resilience to exacerbating climatic conditions. [...] Read more.
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) is a non-native conifer from western North America that was introduced into European forests at the end of the 19th century. Plantations of Douglas-fir in Europe have shown good performance, quality, and resilience to exacerbating climatic conditions. However, all these qualities strongly depend on provenance. A total of 1061 surviving trees of fifteen different Douglas-fir provenances were measured in a Slovenian provenance trial that was established within the framework of the 1966/1967 IUFRO seed collection program. We found significant differences among provenances with respect to survival rate, growth performance, and log quality. The total recorded yield of the 46-year-old stand was 602.9 m3/ha, and the average survival rate was 43%. The correlation of juvenile tree heights in 1985 and their average breast height diameters in 2017 is positive and significant. Based on vitality and diameter, the best performing provenances were Yelm and Cathlamet. The provenance with the best log quality assessed through branchiness is Jefferson (Olympic Peninsula, western Washington). All the most promising provenances for western Slovenia (Central Europe) originate from the low-altitude western coast of Washington (WACO), with the Cathlamet provenance showing the best combination of good growth, survival rate, and log quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 4092 KiB  
Article
Extraction and Analyses of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids from Canadian Goldenrod and Giant Goldenrod
by Jure Zekič, Irena Vovk and Vesna Glavnik
Forests 2021, 12(1), 40; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12010040 - 30 Dec 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3048
Abstract
Invasive alien plant species Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis L.) and giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea Aiton) were investigated as a source of phytochemicals and yellow dyes. Flavonoids and phenolic acids were extracted from the inflorescence of Canadian goldenrod with thirteen extraction solvents [...] Read more.
Invasive alien plant species Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis L.) and giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea Aiton) were investigated as a source of phytochemicals and yellow dyes. Flavonoids and phenolic acids were extracted from the inflorescence of Canadian goldenrod with thirteen extraction solvents ethanol, methanol, acetone, water, and mixtures of organic solvents (70%, 80%, and 90%) with water. High performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) coupled to densitometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with photo-diode array detector (HPLC-PDA) were used for analyses of the obtained sample test solutions (STSs), which showed the best and comparable extraction efficiencies for 70% acetone(aq), 70% methanol(aq), and 70% ethanol(aq). HPTLC combined with image analyses in fluorescent mode resulted in different chromatographic fingerprints for Canadian goldenrod and giant goldenrod STSs (70% acetone(aq)) after development, after post-chromatographic derivatization with NP reagent and after use of PEG reagent. The developed HPLC methods enabled analyses of phenolic acids and flavonoids (aglycones and glycosylated) in STSs and hydrolyzed STSs form inflorescence of Canadian and giant goldenrod. Different contents of chlorogenic acid, rutin, hyperoside, isoquercetin, and quercetin were observed in STSs of both goldenrod species. The analyses of hydrolyzed STSs confirmed that glycosylated flavonoids in Canadian and giant goldenrod inflorescence are mainly glycosides of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. Additional analyses using HPTLC and HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS; HPTLC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS) enabled tentative identification of phenolic acids and flavonoids (10 with HPTLC-MS/MS and 15 with LC-MS/MS), from which several were identified in Canadian (4 with HPTLC-MS/MS and 8 with LC-MS/MS) and in giant (7 with HPTLC-MS/MS and 9 with LC-MS/MS) goldenrod for the first time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-9
Back to TopTop