Cupressus macrocarpa leaves for biomonitoring the environmental impact of an industrial complex: The case of Puchuncaví-Ventanas in Chile.

The Punchuncaví Valley is one of the most polluted areas in central Chile affected by anthropogenic emissions from the Ventanas Industrial Complex (IC) where the most important industry is the copper smelter and refinery. In this context, this research aims were to assess the usefulness of the Cupressus macrocarpa as a biomonitor. The leaf samples were taken from five selected sites, located between 0.8 and 15 km away from the source. A total of 34 elements were analyzed in leaf samples by ICP-MS and examined by enrichment factor (EF), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA). Leaf concentration of As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Dy, Er, Gd, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, P, Pb, Pr, S, Sb, Sr, Ti, Yb and Zn showed statistically significant differences between sampling sites (p-value < 0.05). A clear trend to increase the concentration of Cu, Sb, S, As, Cd and Pb with the proximity to the IC. Besides, high values of Cu (93.4-369 mg kg-1) and As (7.6-12.7 mg kg-1) were observed near to industrial area exceed the phytotoxic levels reported in plants with EF > 3000% for Cu and >1300% for As. The application of PCA and HCA identified 6 factors related to the industrial complex, traffic and geogenic sources, providing the greatest variance the component related to industrial activity mainly with copper smelter and refinery. According to the results, the C. macrocarpa leaves are a good biomonitor to evaluate the high pollution load for anthropogenic elements in industrial areas.

The endangered Saharan cypress (Cupressus dupreziana): do not let it get into Charon's boat.

MAIN CONCLUSION: The current state-of-the-art creates a sound basis for the preservation of unique species Cupressus dupreziana provided that targeted effort and care is devoted to the accomplishment of multiplication protocols. This review is to summarize known data on Cupressus dupreziana-specific characteristics, including abiotic stress resistance, and natural reproduction, and estimates the possibilities of ex situ conservation with an emphasis on the cultivation in vitro of this endangered species. As there is only limited information about the cultivation of C. dupreziana in vitro, we have included relevant data on the related species Cupressus sempervirens, where micropropagation techniques are well established, along with other information on species with similar fates and life strategies-Saharan olive Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei and myrtle Myrthus nivellei. The aim of this work is to enhance general understanding and to promote an interest in this relict plant species to contribute to more wide-ranging studies and to increase its chance of preservation. Besides others, reducing the number of species threatened with extinction is an essential and immediate task as high genetic variability of ecosystems is crucial for their stability under changing climatic conditions.

Potassium fertilisation reduces radiocesium uptake by Japanese cypress seedlings grown in a stand contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

We analysed suppressive effects of potassium (K) fertilisation on radiocesium (137Cs) uptake by hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) seedlings from soils contaminated after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Three-year-old seedlings were planted in a clear-cut forest (ca. 4 ha) during June-July 2014, and potassium chloride fertiliser (83 kg K ha-1) was applied twice (August 2014 and April 2015). 137Cs concentrations in the needles in the fertilised plots were one-eighth of those in the control (unfertilised) plots at the end of the second growing season (October 2015). Our results clearly indicated that K fertilisation reduced radiocesium transfer from soil to planted cypress seedlings. A linear mixed model analysis revealed that 137Cs concentrations in the needles were significantly affected by 137Cs inventory in the soil (Bq m-2) adjacent to the sampled seedlings, exchangeable K concentrations in surface mineral soils (0-5 cm) and fertilisation. The exchangeable K concentrations in surface soils in October 2015 did not differ from those in August 2014 (before fertilisation) in the fertilised plots and in the control plots. These results suggested that the levels of exchangeable K would temporarily increase by fertilisation during the growing season, and radiocesium uptake by tree roots was suppressed.

Effects of Post-Fire Plant Cover in the Performance of Two Cordilleran Cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis) Seedling Stocktypes Planted in Burned Forests of Northeastern Patagonia, Argentina.

Cordilleran cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis [D.Don] Pic. Serm. et Bizarri) forests occupy 140,000 ha along a sharp environmental gradient of central Andean-Patagonia in Argentina. Every summer, about 3200 ha of these forests are affected by wildfires, taking thereafter long time to recover. To accelerate forest recovery, we determined in xeric and mesic cypress stands burned 5 and 2 year before whether survival and growth of two planted cypress seedling stocktypes are affected by plant cover and contrasting precipitation conditions. Two experiments were conducted on each site, involving 100 replicates of two seedling stocktypes, having each significantly different morphological attributes. The experiments comprised a dry and humid growing season on each site. Both stocktypes performed similarly within stands, but differently between stands. In the xeric stand, plant cover had neutral effects on seedling survival, favored seedling height growth in the dry season, and was negative on collar diameter and stem growth. In the mesic site, high plant cover favored survival and height growth, but was inconsequential for collar diameter and stem growth. In this short-term post-fire period, and independent of precipitation received during both seasons (dry or humid), plant cover appears as playing a facilitative role, having neutral or even positive effects on survival and growth of planted seedlings. During the early post-fire successional stages, and besides seedling stocktype, there was a synergistic balance between light and soil moisture that seems to benefit planted seedling performance in burned cypress forests, and especially in mesic sites.

[Analysis of the effectiveness of the spa and health resort-based treatment of the patients presenting with broncho-pulmonary pathology at the southern coast of the Crimea depending on the period of flowering of Mediterranean Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)]. / Analiz effektivnosti sanatorno-kurortnogo lecheniya patsientov s bronkholegochnoi patologiei na Yuzhnom beregu Kryma v zavisimosti ot perioda tsveteniya kiparisa vechnozelenogo.

AIM: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of pollen of Mediterranean Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) on the effectiveness of the spa and health resort-based treatment (SHRT) of the patients with broncho-pulmonary pathology at the southern coast of the Crimea (SCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This article presents the results of the analysis of the data on 122 patients presenting with broncho-pulmonary pathology who received SHRT under the conditions of the Southern Coast of the Crimea. Fifty one (41.8%) of these patients suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 71 (58.2%) ones had bronchial asthma. The whole group was comprised of 44 men (36.1%) and 78 women (63.9%). The average (median) age of the patients was 55.8 years. All the participants of the study underwent the comprehensive examination including the general medical and physical examination, complete blood count, the study of sputum cytology and immunological properties of blood including the standard characteristics, IgE and lysozyme levels), evaluation of the respiratory and locomotor (physical) functions with the use of the 6-minute walking test. RESULTS: The aeropollenological study of the aerial environment of the southern coast of the Crimea in the region of Yalta showed that the «bloom¼ of the Mediterranean Cypress occurs during the period from February till April inclusive. The highest concentrations of cypress pollen are observed in March and early April. The overall effectiveness of SHRT for the patients with broncho-pulmonary pathology arriving for the treatment at the southern coast of the Crimea from other Crimean localities does not depend on the period of «flowering¼ (the presence of pollen in the air) of the Mediterranean Cypress. In these patients, the termination of the spa and health resort-based treatment during the «flowering¼ of the Mediterranean Cypress resulted in nothing more than a strained adaptive response manifested as the altered blood leukocyte count. Such reaction is considered to be a natural consequence of intake of antigenic substances into the human body.

Improving survival and growth of planted Austrocedrus chilensis seedlings in disturbed patagonian forests of Argentina by managing understory vegetation.

This study was aimed at determining, under field conditions, early interactions between planted cypress seedlings and their associated shrubs in a mesic area of Andean Patagonia and, in a nursery, the effects of increasing light availability on cypress performance when soil water was not a limiting factor. The field experiment was performed in a former cypress-coihue mixed forest (42°02'S, 71°33'W), which was replaced in the 1970s by a plantation of radiata pine. In 2005, 800 cypress seedlings were planted under maqui shrubs in a clear-cut area of the pine stand. In 2007, two treatments were set: no-competition treatment ([NCT] i.e., the surrounding aboveground biomass was removed) and competition treatment ([CT] i.e., without disturbance). The nursery experiment (42°55'S, 71°21'W) consisted of two groups: "shade" (grown under shade cloth) and "sun" (grown at full sun) cypress seedlings. After one growing season, seedling survival and stem growth (in height and diameter) were determined at both sites. Furthermore, the growth rate of leaves, stems, and roots was determined in the nursery. In the field experiment, height growth and survival in NCT were significantly greater than in CT, and a competition process occurred between cypress and surrounding shrubs. In the nursery, sun plants grew more in diameter and increased root weight more than shade plants. Results also showed that in mesic areas of Patagonia, decreasing competition and increasing light levels produced stouter seedlings better adapted to support harsh environmental conditions. Therefore, the removal of protecting shrubs could be a good management practice to improve seedling establishment.

"Microscopic evidences of heavy metals distribution and anatomic alterations in breaching-leaves of Cupressus lindleyi growing around mining wastes".

In this article a study of the distribution of heavy metals in Cupressus lindleyi breaching-leaves was done in Taxco, Guerrero. At the same, heavy metals micro-localization was conducted in the breaching-leaves to understand the structural changes provoked by mining waste on plants. The most abundant contaminants in soils, tailings and different plant organs (roots, stems, and leaves) were Zn, Mn, and Pb. Nevertheless, As was more accumulated in the stem and breaching-leaves. The translocation factor and the bio-concentration factor were less than 1. The structural changes observed were the great accumulation of starch grains and phenolic compounds in the palisade parenchyma, changes in the hypodermis cell wall and necrotic zones in the palisade parenchyma. The distribution of heavy metals in breaching-leaves tissues was homogeneous in most of the elements. These results showed that C. lindleyi is a species that can be employed in phytostabilization of contaminated zones with mining waste because it is a native plant that does not require a lot of conditions for its development.

Leaf plasticity to light intensity in Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.): adaptability of a Mediterranean conifer cultivated in the Alps.

Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) is native to the eastern Mediterranean, an area characterised by hot, dry summers and mild winters. Over the centuries, however, the species has been introduced into more northerly regions, a long way from its native range. The current, generally warmer climatic conditions brought about by global warming have favoured its cultivation in even more northerly areas in the Alps and other European alpine regions. Given that not only temperature, but also light availability are limiting factors for the spread of cypress in these environments, it is important to ascertain how this species copes with low light conditions. The photosynthetic characteristics of cypress leaves collected from different portions of the crown with contrasting light availability were evaluated by several methods. Chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b) and carotenoid (Car) content was found to be higher in shade leaves than in sun leaves when measured on a fresh mass basis, although enzymatic activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) and nitrate reductase were lower in shade leaves. When the efficiency of PSII was measured by chlorophyll fluorescence, a marked reduction in F(m) was found in shade leaves, while F(o) remained unchanged. The use of exogenous electron donors diphenyl carbazide (DPC) and NH(2)OH actually improved the photosynthetic efficiency of shade leaves, and the same effect was found when PSII electron transport activity was measured as O(2) evolution. Altogether, these results seem to indicate lesser photosynthetic efficiency in shade leaves, probably an impairment on the donor side of the PSII. At the same time, analysis by SDS-PAGE revealed differences in the polypeptide composition of the thylakoid membranes of sun and shade leaves: the bands corresponding to 23 kDa, 28-25 kDa and 33 kDa polypeptides were less intense in the thylakoid membranes extracted from shade leaves. These results were further confirmed by an immunological study showing that the content of the 33 kDa protein, corresponding to the extrinsic PSII protein PsbO, was significantly diminished in shade leaves. The high plasticity of cypress leaves appears to be an advantageous trait in the plant's response to variations in environmental conditions, including global change. Implications for the management of this Mediterranean species at the northern edge of its distribution are discussed.

[Carbon storage and its allocation in mixed alder-cypress plantations at different age stages].

The 10-, 15-, 20- and 25-year-old mixed alder (Alnus cremastogyne)-cypress (Cupressus funebris) plantations and the 30-year-old pure cypress plantation succeeded from mixed alder-cypress plantation in the hilly area of central Sichuan Basin were chosen as test objects to study the dynamic changes and allocation patterns of their carbon storage. The results showed that the vegetation carbon storage in mixed alder-cypress plantations increased continually from the age stage of 10- to 30-year, and reached 52.40 t x hm(-2) at the age stage of 30-year. The vegetation carbon storage of arbor layer at each age stage was more than 85.59% of the total, and the soil carbon storage within 0-40 cm layer increased significantly (P < 0.05) from the age stage of 10- to 15-year, with the maximum (84.79 t x hm(-2)) at the age stage of 15-year, but decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from the age stage of 15- to 25-year and tended to stable from the age stage of 25- to 30-year (P > 0.05). The carbon storage of the mixed alder-cypress plantations increased significantly from the age stage of 10- to 15-year, with the maximum (118.13 t x hm(-2)) at the age stage of 15-year, but declined from the age stage of 15- to 25-year while increased slightly from the age stage of 25- to 30-year. The proportion of vegetation carbon storage increased continually from the age stage of 10- to 30-year, whereas that of soil carbon storage was in adverse. Comparing with other types of plantations in China, mixed alder-cypress plantation had a lower storage of carbon.

Improvement of Cupressus atlantica Gaussen growth by inoculation with native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

AIMS: The study aimed to determine whether inoculation with native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi could improve survival and growth of seedlings in degraded soils of Morocco. METHODS AND RESULTS: Soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of Cupressus atlantica trees in the N'Fis valley (Haut Atlas, Morocco). AM spores were extracted from the soil, identified and this mixture of native AM fungi was propagated on maize for 12 weeks on a sterilized soil to enrich the fungal inoculum. Then C. atlantica seedlings were inoculated with and without (control) mycorrhizal maize roots, cultured in glasshouse conditions and further, transplanted into the field. The experiment was a randomized block design with one factor and three replication blocks. The results showed that a high AM fungal diversity was associated with C. atlantica; native AM fungi inoculation was very effective on the growth of C. atlantica seedlings in glasshouse conditions and this plant growth stimulation was maintained for 1 year after outplanting. CONCLUSIONS: Inoculation of C. atlantica with AM fungi increased growth and survival in greenhouse and field. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The data indicate that use of native species of AM fungi may accelerate reforestation of degraded soils. Further studies have to be performed to determine the persistence of these mycorrhizae for a longer period of plantation and to measure the effects of this microbial inoculation on soil biofunctioning.

Growth and survival response of potted Cupressus sempervirens seedlings to different soils.

In February 2001, one-year bareroot cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis) seedlings were replanted in plastic pot in a lowland nursery located in southern coast of the Caspian Sea (north of Iran). Soils of pots consisted of 1:1 sand:clay (A), pure sand (B), 2:1 sand:clay (C), 1:1:1 sand:clay:organic matter (D), 1:1:2 sand:clay:organic matter (E). In each soil treatment a high value of survival and growth was appeared in July and progressively decreased till November. In each month the seedlings grown on rich soils (D and E) had mostly greater growth and survival than on infertile soils. At the end of the first growing season seedling vitality differed significantly among the soils but did not differed notably in soil A with those in other soils. Survival rate was highest in the rich soils (D and E). Stem length as well as collar diameter performed the least growth on the poor soils (B and C). Like other characteristics measured, survival responded better to soils containing organic matter (D and E). It is concluded that generally characteristics of cypress seedling are suited by adding organic matter to sandy soils. This is while that poor nutrient available soil such as soil A produces a proper growth for cypress seedling, too.

Use of pruning waste compost as a component in soilless growing media.

The objective of this work was to study the use of pruning wastes compost (PWC) as a growing media component for ornamental plants. The main physical, chemical and biological characteristics of PWC were analysed in order to evaluate its suitability for use in soil-less cultivation. Six growth substrates were prepared by mixing PWC with peat (P), ground leaves (GL), sand (S) and spent mushroom compost (SMC) in different proportions. Two different pot experiments were carried out to test its characteristics of production using perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) as indicators and the different media as treatments. The growth experiments showed that PWC required mixing with a nutrient-richer material to produce higher results. Therefore, substrates containing SMC (PWC+P+SMC and PWC+SMC) seems to be the most adequate growing media. After the statistical analysis, we concluded that the PWC could be used as a growing media component.

[Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus: distribution, decline and regeneration on the Tassili n'Ajjer, central Sahara]. / Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus: répartition, dépérissement et régénération au Tassili n'Ajjer, Sahara central.

As soon as it was first discovered in 1924, on the heights of the Tassili n'Ajjer, Cupressus dupreziana (A. Camus) was declared an endangered species. The few ancient trees to be seen in the beds of wadis gave reason to suppose that they were isolated individuals left behind from a forest that had flourished in a damper climate. Attempts at a census of the trees were made on a number of occasions, the fullest, in 1972, reporting a total of 230 living specimens. The revision of this inventory between 1997 and 2001 has now enabled us to draw the boundaries of the present range of this species, to assess its rate of decline over the last three decades and, for the first time, to record some regeneration, with the presence of new, young trees.

Microsporogenesis in the endangered species Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus: evidence for meiotic defects yielding unreduced and abortive pollen.

To understand the reproductive biology of Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus (Cupressaceae), a highly endangered Mediterranean conifer, the processes of microsporogenesis and pollen differentiation were investigated cytologically. Pre-meiotic development proved to be similar to the coniferous pattern: the microsporangia differentiated sporogenous tissue in which microsporocytes separated and underwent meiosis. As the meiotic steps proceeded, unexpected irregularities were observed concerning chromosomal and nuclear behaviour. This mainly included: abnormal chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, and nuclear fusion of the meiotic products. The result was the formation, in the same microsporangium, of heterogeneous microspore populations arranged in monads, dyads, triads, tetrads, and polyads, and cytoplasts giving rise to pollen grains of different sizes. This indicates that in C. dupreziana both abortive and unreduced pollen grains are generated. The significance of the finding is discussed in relation to reproductive biology and vulnerability to extinction.

Damping-off in conifer seedling nurseries in Noshahr and Kelardasht.

To study the damping-off of conifer seedlings, we have collected samples from the roots of conifer seedlings (Pinus nigra, Picea excelsa, Abieces spp, Cupressus arizonica, Cupressus sempervirens) from nurseries in the south of Iran (Noshahr and Kelardasht). After disinfecting the samples, we have used standard media like PDA, MA and CLA. The following fungi were identified: Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium sambucinum, Clamydosporium, Rhizoctonia solani, Cylindrocarpon spp., Alternaria spp, Macrophomina phaseoli. Amongst the above mentioned fungi, Fusarium spp. were the commonest ones. Pathogenecity tests of Fusarium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani on seedlings were done. Isolated fungal colonies were purified using single mycelium and single spore methods. Fungal isolates were identified after subculturing on PDA and CLA media by Nelson method. These isolates were Fusarium solani, F. oxysporium, F. sambucinum and F. clamydosporum. Other fungal isolates were Rhizoctonia spp. In order to determine the infectivity of Fusarium on their hosts, seeds of Pinus nigra, Cupressus arizonica and Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis were cultured in four repetitions each containing 2 seedlings. After a seasonal growth, seedlings were inoculated with a suspension of Fusarium spores (4.5 +/- 0.3 x 1016 spore/ml). Infection of P. nigra, Cupressus arizonica and Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis with F. solani and Pinus nigra and Cupressus semperivirens var. horizontalis with F. oxysporum was high whereas that of Cupressus arizonica with F. sambucinum, F. mondiforme and F. clamydosporum was moderate.