A Static Pulling Test Is a Suitable Method for Comparison of the Loading Resistance of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) between Urban and Peri-Urban Forests

In urbanized areas, wind disturbances can be intensified by anthropogenic stresses under which trees may become hazardous, creating serious threats and damages to nearby targets. Therefore, species with notably lower both wood mechanical properties and compartmentalization, such as pioneers, are considered to have higher wind damage risk if subjected to unfavorable growing conditions. Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), are frequently found in both urban and peri-urban forests in Northeastern and Central parts of Europe, which strengthen the necessity for the evaluation of mechanical stability of such species. Therefore, static pulling tests were performed to compare the mechanical stability of the studied species in both urban and peri-urban forests. The loading resistance of the studied species differed, with birch being more stable than aspen, indicating aspen to be more prone to wind damage. Additionally, the mechanical stability of birch did not differ between trees growing in urban and peri-urban forests, suggesting static pulling tests are a suitable method for comparing trees from completely different growing conditions.

Correction: Strzałek et al. Activity of 137Cs and 40K Isotopes in Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Birch (Betula pendula Roth) Stands of Different Ages in a Selected Area of Eastern Poland. Forests 2021, 12, 1205

The authors wish to make the following corrections to their paper [...]

The effect of mixed rot from the present tinder (Fomes fomentarius (L.:Fr.) Gill.) on the accumulation of heavy metals in the hanging birch (Betula pendula Roth.)

A study was conducted on the effect of mixed rot from the present tinder on the accumulation of heavy metals (copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, lead, cobalt, iron) by hanging birch Keywords: real tinder, mixed rot, heavy metals, hanging birch.

Polygon «Ural-carbon» (Severka)

На основе баз данных лесорастительных материалов проанализированы таксационные показатели насаждений, произрастающих на территории карбонового научно-исследовательского по- лигона, расположенного в Уральском учебно-опытном лесхозе (УУОл) Уральского государственного лесотехнического университета (УГлТУ). Отмечается, что основными лесными формациями на поли- гоне являются сосняки и березняки. Доля насаждений с доминированием в составе древостоев других пород-лесообразователей невелика. Помимо сосны обыкновенной (Pinus sylvestris L.) и березы повислой (Betula pendula Roth.), другие виды произрастают, как правило, в примеси с указанными. Среди дре- востоев преобладают среднеполнотные спелые и перестойные насаждения. большинство древостоев характеризуется относительно высокими классами бонитета. Насаждения, произрастающие на террито- рии полигона, относятся к 13 типам леса, что свидетельствует о разнообразии лесорастительных усло- вий. В целом можно отметить, что видовое разнообразие древесных пород и лесорастительных условий на карбоновом научно-исследовательском полигоне УУОл УГлТУ обеспечивает возможность изучения широкого спектра вопросов депонирования углерода лесными экосистемами в условиях подзоны южной тайги Урала. The taxation indicators of plantations growing on the territory of the carbonic research polygon located in the Ural educational experimental forest enterorize (UEEF) of the Ural State Forest Engineering University were analyzed on the base of the forestry materials database. It is noted that the main forest formations on the polygons are pine and birch forest stands. The share of stands with other species of forest formers dominating in composition of forest stands is small. In addition to scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), other species usually grow in admixtures with the specified. Among the stands mature and over mature stands of average density prevails. Most of the stands are characterized by relatively high bonitet classes. Plantations growing on the territory of the polygon belong to 13 types of forest, which indicates a variety of forest growing conditions. In general, it can be noted that the species diversity of tree species and forest growing conditions at the carboniferous research sity (UEEF) provides an opportunity to study a wide range of problems of carbon deposing forest ecosystems in conditions of the Southern Taiga subzone in the Urals.

Earlier Flowering of Betula pendula Roth in Augsburg, Germany, Due to Higher Temperature, NO2 and Urbanity and Relationship with Betula spp. Pollen Season

Flowering and pollen seasons are sensitive to environmental variability and are considered climate change indicators. However, it has not been concluded to what extent flowering phenology is indeed reflected in airborne pollen season locally. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the commonly represented in temperate climates and with highly allergenic pollen Betula pendula Roth, the responsiveness of flowering to different environmental regimes and also to check for commensurate changes in the respective pollen seasons. The region of Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany, was initially screened for birch trees, which were geolocated at a radius of 25 km. Random trees across the city were then investigated during three full flowering years, 2015–2017. Flowering observations were made 3–7 times a week, from flower differentiation to flower desiccation, in a total of 43 plant individuals. Data were regressed against meteorological parameters and air pollutant levels in an attempt to identify the driving factors of flowering onset and offset. Flowering dates were compared with dates of the related airborne pollen seasons per taxon; airborne pollen monitoring took place daily using a Hirst-type volumetric sampler. The salient finding was that flowering occurred earlier during warmer years; it also started earlier at locations with higher urbanity, and peaked and ended earlier at sites with higher NO2 concentrations. Airborne pollen season of Betula spp. frequently did not coincide locally with the flowering period of Betula pendula: while flowering and pollen season were synchronized particularly in their onset, local flowering phenology alone could explain only 57.3% of the pollen season variability. This raises questions about the relationship between flowering times and airborne pollen seasons and on the rather underestimated role of the long-distance transport of pollen.

Correction to: Restrictions on natural regeneration of storm‑felled spruce sites by silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) through limitations in fructification and seed dispersal

The article “Restrictions on natural regeneration of storm-felled spruce sites by silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) through limitations in fructification and seed dispersal”, written by Katharina Tiebel, Franka Huth, Nico Frischbier and Sven Wagner, was originally published Online First without Open Access.