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PubMed1992

Chemical climatology of high elevation spruce-fir forests in the southern Appalachian mountains.

The physical and chemical climatology of high elevation (> 1500 m) spruce-fir forests in the southern Appalachian mountains was studied by establishing a weather and atmospheric chemical observatory at Mt Mitchell State Park in North Carolina (35 degrees 44' 05" N, 82 degrees 17' 15"W). Data collected during the summer and autumn (May-October) of 1986, 1987, and 1988 are reported. All measurements were made on or near a 16.5 m walk-up tower extending 10 m above the forest canopy on Mt Gibbes (2006 m msl), which is located approximately 2 km SW of Mt Mitchell. The tower was equipped with standard meteorological instrumentation, a passive cloud water collector, and gas pollutant sensors for O3, SO2, NOx. The tower and nearby forest canopy were immersed in clouds 25 to 40% of the time. Non-precipitating clouds were very acidic (pH 2.5-4.5). Precipitating clouds were less acidic (pH 3.5-5.5). The dominant wind directions were WNW and ESE. Clouds from the most common wind direction (WNW) were more acidic (mean pH 3.5) than those from the next most common wind direction (ESE, mean pH 5.5). Cloud water acidity was related to the concentration of SO4(2-), and NO3- ions. Mean concentration of H+, NH4+, SO4(2-), and NO3- ions in the cloud water varied from 330-340, 150-200, 190-200 and 120-140 micromol litre(-1) respectively. The average and range of O3 were 50 (25-100) ppbv (109) in 1986, 51 (26-102) ppbv in 1987, and 66 (30-140) during the 1988 field seasons, respectively. The daily maximum, 1-h average, and 24-h average concentrations were all greatest during June through mid-August, suggesting a correlation with the seasonal temperature and solar intensity. Throughfall collectors near the tower were used to obtain a useful estimate of deposition to the forest canopy. Between 50-60% of the total deposition of SO4(2-) was due to cloud impact.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Effects of atmospheric ammonia and ammonium sulphate on Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).

Three-year-old Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii) were fumigated with 180 microg m(-3) NH3 or clean (charcoal-filtered) air. During these fumigations the plants received 15 mm artificial rain weekly, supplemented with 20, 500 or 2500 micromol litre(-1) (NH4)2SO4. Exposure to NH3 and NH4+ for 14 weeks resulted in a change of the nutrient status of the needles. The most remarkable effect was the increase in the N/K ratio, due to both uptake of N and leaching of K. The action of NH3 was stronger than that of NH4+. Both NH3 and (NH4)2SO4 affected the epicuticular wax layer and decreased mycorhiza frequency. Following fumigation and artificial rain treatments, needles were incubated for 8 h in a medium containing 0, 50, 250, 500 and 2500 micromol litre(-1) (NH4)2SO4. Almost no exchange of Ca, Mg and K for NH4+ was found. Therefore this ion exchange probably explains only a minor part of the changes in nutrient status of the whole trees.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Structure and expression of a developmentally regulated cDNA encoding a cysteine protease (pseudotzain) from Douglas fir.

We report the complete sequence and expression of a cDNA clone (Pm3-3) encoding a cysteine protease (CysP) from Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb] (Pm) Franco (Douglas fir). The sequence consists of a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 153-bp followed by an open reading frame (ORF) of 1362 bp encoding a putative mature CysP flanked by N- and C-terminal propeptides. A 364-bp 3' UTR contains multiple putative AU-rich elements (ARE) that may be involved in the destabilization of transcripts. The deduced primary structure of the Pm CysP (designated pseudotzain) contains the same invariant amino acid (aa) residues that are involved in the catalytic reaction and make up the catalytic center of CysP from plants and animals. Northern blot analysis showed that cysP transcripts were most abundant in the megagametophyte (MGP) after germination and not detected in the MGP or embryo during embryogenesis. Various osmotic stresses slightly enhanced cysP transcript levels during early seedling development, whereas abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA) and other plant growth regulators and environmental conditions had little or no effect. The cysP transcripts were present in different amounts in the cotyledons, root and seed coat of 10-day-old seedlings, but were most abundant in the MGP, suggesting a role for this protease in storage protein mobilization. Phylogenetic analysis of mature CysP groups pseudotzain with other angiosperm CysP having both N- and C-terminal propeptides, suggesting a conserved function and/or targeting of this subgroup of enzymes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Design and construction of shoulder recesses into the beam aperture shields for improved patient positioning at the FiR 1 BNCT facility.

Improvements have been made at the FiR 1 BNCT facility to ease the positioning of the patient with a tumor in the head and neck region into a lateral neutron beam. Shoulder recesses were constructed horizontally on both sides of the beam aperture. When shoulder recesses are not needed, they are filled with neutron attenuating filling blocks. MCNP simulations using an anthropomorphic human model BOMAB phantom showed that the main contribution to the increase in the effective dose to the patient's body due to the shoulder recesses was from the neutron dose of the arm. In a position when one arm is inside the shoulder recess, the maximal effective dose of the patient was estimated to be 0.7Sv/h. Dose measurements using the twin ionization chamber technique showed that the neutron dose increased on the sides as predicted by the MCNP model but there was no noticeable change in the gamma doses. When making the recesses into the lithium containing neutron shield material tritium contamination was confined using an underpressurized glove box and machine tools with local exhaust. The shoulder recesses give space for more flexible patient positioning and can be considered as a significant improvement of the Finnish BNCT facility.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy↗
PubMed2004

Quality assurance procedures for the neutron beam monitors at the FiR 1 BNCT facility.

In order to assure the stability of the beam, the reliability of the beam monitoring system and the quality of the patient dose delivered, several procedures are followed at the FiR 1 epithermal beam in Finland. Routine procedures include in-phantom activation measurements before each patient treatment and a long-term follow-up of the results. The sensitivity of the beam monitors to external objects in the beam and to variations in the control rod positions in the reactor has been checked and found insignificant. The linearity of the beam monitor channels has been checked with activation measurements. It was found that due to saturation effects a correction of 11% has to be applied when extrapolating results from experiments at low power to full power using the reference monitor channel. The correction is even larger for other channels with higher count rates.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy↗
PubMed2004

Dosimetric comparison at FiR 1 using microdosimetry, ionisation chambers and computer simulation.

Tissue equivalent proportional counter microdosimetry has been applied in the dosimetry of epithermal neutron beams as they can provide an independent and accurate method to determine gamma ray and neutron absorbed doses. Dosimetric comparison has been performed using a tissue equivalent proportional counter, dual ionisation chambers and DORT computer code at FiR 1 boron neutron capture therapy facility in Espoo, Finland. The three methods were applied to determine neutron and gamma ray absorbed doses at 25, 40, 60 and 120 mm depths along the beam centerline in a water-filled PMMA phantom. The determined absorbed doses were found to agree within the limits of the estimated uncertainties.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy↗
PubMed2006

Fire resistance of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menzieesi) treated with borates and natural extractives.

The objective of this study was to determine fire resistance of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menzieesi (Mirb.) Franco) specimens treated with borate supplemented aqueous solutions of brutia pine bark powder, acorn powder, sumach leaf powder, and gall-nut powder. Boric acid (BA) and borax (BX) were used as borates which are the most commonly used fire retardants in wood preservation industry. Natural extractives (brutia pine bark powder, sumach leaf powder, acorn powder, and gall-nut powder) were also used which have toxic efficiency against insects and fungi due to their tannin contents. A commercial treatment compound Tanalith-CBC (copper-borate-chromate), which is an impregnation chemical, is used for comparison. The fire test method was performed in three stages: flame stage, without flame stage, and glowing stage. Results indicated that the lowest temperature for flame stage, without flame stage, and glowing stage were obtained for specimens treated with BA and BX mixture (7:3; weight:weight). The lowest mass loss was found for the specimens treated with a mixture of BA and BX. Natural extractives did not improve fire resistance of the samples. However, boric acid and borax had excellent fire retardant effectiveness over untreated and treated samples with natural extractives.

Borates↗
PubMed1998

Electroantennogram responses of Douglas-fir seed chalcids to plant volatiles.

Douglas fir seed chalcids females oviposit specifically into Douglas cones which they locate using olfactory and visual cues. We have tested whether this specialization was correlated with a specialized sensitivity towards cone volatiles. Field collected adults were presented a series of pure volatile chemicals. Electroantennogram responses (EAG) were recorded to generally occurring terpenoids and straight chain alcohols and aldehydes found in flowers and plant leaves. Monoterpenes identified in Douglas cone headspaces (alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, 3-thujene, alpha- and beta-phellandrene, gamma-terpinene and myrcene) elicited lower EAG responses than fatty acid derivatives corresponding to green odours. The EAG response profile of females differed significantly from that of males. Females were very sensitive to hexanol-1, heptanal, (Z)-3 hexenol-1, terpineol and terpinen-4-ol. Male responses were significantly higher to humid air, nerolidol, thujan-4-ol, hexanal, carvacrol, piperitone and farnesol. Several compounds (Z- verbenol, carvone, jasminol, geraniol, nerol and eugenol) elicited long lasting electrophysiological responses (over 5 s) in both sexes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Induced compression wood formation in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in microgravity.

In the microgravity environment of the Space Shuttle Columbia (Life and Microgravity Mission STS-78), were grown 1-year-old Douglas fir and loblolly pine plants in a NASA plant growth facility. Several plants were harnessed (at 45 degrees ) to establish if compression wood biosynthesis, involving altered cellulose and lignin deposition and cell wall structure would occur under those conditions of induced mechanical stress. Selected plants were harnessed at day 2 in orbit, with stem sections of specific plants harvested and fixed for subsequent microscopic analyses on days 8, 10 and 15. At the end of the total space mission period (17 days), the remaining healthy harnessed plants and their vertical (upright) controls were harvested and fixed on earth. All harnessed (at 45 degrees ) plant specimens, whether grown at 1 g or in microgravity, formed compression wood. Moreover, not only the cambial cells but also the developing tracheid cells underwent significant morphological changes. This indicated that the developing tracheids from the primary cell wall expansion stage to the fully lignified maturation stage are involved in the perception and transduction of the stimuli stipulating the need for alteration of cell wall architecture. It is thus apparent that, even in a microgravity environment, woody plants can make appropriate corrections to compensate for stress gradients introduced by mechanical bending, thereby enabling compression wood to be formed. The evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed in terms of "variability" in cell wall biosynthesis.

Cycadopsida↗
PubMed2000

Studies into abstract properties of individuals. IV. Emergence In different aged needle primordia of Douglas fir.

Young, middle aged and older Douglas fir needle primordia, as determined by distance from the apical meristem, were measured and analyzed to compare levels and patterns of emergence related to development time. Emergence was seen in the differently aged needle primordia, generally most noticeable in the oldest and the least apparent in the youngest. There was also a negative relationship between variation in size and degree of emergence, and a positive one with variation in organization. The increasing level of emergence that appears with age can be related to the continual expression of information and the concomitant increase in complexity that marks ontogeny and is the result of diverging developmental trajectories. The histogenetic events seen in ontogeny can be interpreted as 'clocks' generating local time through the interactions among cells and tissues that make up the needle primordia. Emergent properties are manifested through the local events that mark ontogeny, and also through the expression of phylogenetic information, or the local expression of global (historical) levels of organization.

Trees↗
PubMed2001

The genetic structures of a range of Douglas-fir provenance collections after planting in different European countries, assessed with two biochemical marker systems.

Genetic diversities of Douglas-fir provenance trials planted on several European sites were compared using both isozyme and terpene markers. A principal coordinate analysis based on similarity coefficients calculated from isozyme data indicated that, with the exception of two populations, differences between populations were small. There were no consistent trends in the variation in allele frequencies between populations. Most populations contained an excess of homozygotes, perhaps due to high selection pressure. Terpene composition was analysed in two resin systems, and showed a decreasing level of population diversity by planting site in the order: Spain-France-England-Scotland-Italy. Thus isozymes, which are generally considered to be neutral markers, indicated a modest degree of genetic drift due to sampling effects, while terpenes showed that some reduction in genetic diversity had occurred due to local selective pressures.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Discrimination and identification of coastal Douglas-fir clones using needle flavonoid fingerprints.

This paper describes a method for discriminating and identifying 10 successful Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) clones using foliar flavonoids. All the 101 individuals analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography contained two proanthocyanidins: prodelphinidin and procyanidin and six flavonols: myricetin, quercetin, larycitrin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and syringetin, but in different proportions. The experimental protocol used was very reproducible since the variation coefficients for each flavonoid did not exceed 9%. Submission of the flavonoid data to multivariate discriminant analysis allowed excellent discrimination of the 10 clones with 89% of the individuals being well-grouped. Then a clonal bank was established in which the fingerprint of each clone is defined by its position in the multidimensional space of the discriminant analysis. The clonal identity of several unknown individuals was determined with success by projecting their flavonoid data in a subsequent discriminant analysis.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Angiosperm bark volatiles disrupt response of Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae, to attractant-baited traps.

Antennally active, bark-derived, angiosperm volatiles were tested singly and in groups for their ability to disrupt the response of the Douglas-fir beetle (DFB), Dendroctonus pseudotsugae, to attractant-baited multiple-funnel traps. One compound, conophthorin, was active alone in reducing the response of beetles to the baited traps. Further experiments showed disruptive activity in two aliphatic green-leaf alcohols [1-hexanol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol], as well as guaiacol and benzyl alcohol, and three aliphatic aldehydes [nonanal, hexanal, and (E)-2-hexenal] but not in two aromatic aldehydes (benzaldehyde and salicylaldehyde). Every binary combination that included conophthorin or any two of the other groups, except aromatic aldehydes, significantly reduced the response of beetles to baited traps. Various ternary mixtures and the complete mixture of all the groups were generally the most effective treatments. These results provide evidence that DFBs recognize and avoid nonhosts while flying rather than landing on candidate hosts and testing them while in contact with the tree. Nonhost angiosperm bark volatiles may have practical utility on their own or in combination with the antiaggregation pheromone 3-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-one (MCH) to protect single trees, logs, or stands from attack by the DFB.

Alcohols↗
PubMed2000

Regulation of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase expressed during Douglas-fir germination and seedling development.

NADH-cytochrome P450 is a key enzyme that transfers electrons from NADPH to the cytochrome P450 family of enzymes. To begin to determine the regulation of CPR gene expression and enzyme activity in Douglas-fir a full-length cDNA was isolated from a seedling lambda ZAP cDNA library and the ORF was used to develop a synthetic CPR-peptide-based antiserum. Northern blot analysis indicated CPR expression was regulated both developmentally prior to seed maturation and during germination, and differentially in the cotyledons, radicle and megagametophyte of seed and seedling tissues. The CPR-peptide antiserum detected a single CPR in seed and seedling microsomes analyzed by western blot of two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gels. In microsomal extracts from whole seeds and seedlings, the amount of CPR protein remained constant while NADPH:cytochrome c reductase activity increased during stratification, germination and early seedling development. In contrast to cotyledons and megagametophyte, the level of CPR protein detected in radicles was higher than expected when compared to the amount of CPR transcript.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Monoterpene levels in needles of Douglas fir exposed to elevated CO2 and temperature.

Monoterpene levels in current year needles of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings were measured at the end of 4 years of exposure to ambient or elevated CO2 (+179 micro mol mol-1), and ambient or elevated temperature (+0.3.5;C). Eleven monoterpenes were identified and quantified using gas chromatography/flame ionization detector/mass spectroscopy, with eight of these compounds regularly occurring in all trees examined. Elevated CO2 exposure significantly reduced the levels for four of the eight main compounds in needles. Total monoterpene production was reduced by 52% (P < 0.05). Elevated temperature also reduced monoterpene levels (P < 0.07). The combination of elevated temperature and elevated CO2 resulted in a 64% reduction in total monoterpenes compared with needles on ambient temperature trees. Two-way anova showed no significant temperature-CO2 interaction. It is hypothesized that seasonal reductions in needle monoterpene pools under elevated CO2 and temperature conditions may be due to a combination of competing carbon sinks, including increased carbon flux through the roots.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Multinucleate storage cells in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) and the effect of seed parasitism by the chalcid Megastigmus spermotrophus Wachtl.

Megagametophytes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) accumulated storage products following fertilization. As megagametophytes matured, the number of nuclei per cell rose, resulting in syncytial storage cells. Studies carried out on trees in France and Canada confirmed that such previously unreported, free nuclear cells were a normal part of late megagametophyte development. Unfertilized megagametophytes showed that some binucleate cells before degeneration resulted in empty seed. Insect parasitism prevented megagametophyte abortion in unfertilized ovules. Oviposition by a torymid chalcid wasp (Megastigmus spermotrophus Wachtl) early in megagametophyte development resulted in normal megagametophyte development. Around the time of plant egg maturation, binucleate and trinucleate cells were observed. As megagametophytes matured, multinucleate mature storage cells rich in proteins, lipids and starch were formed. The insect was able to induce identical nuclear behaviour in infested, unfertilized megagametophytes, as that of uninfested, fertilized megagametophytes.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Cloud water and throughfall deposition of mercury and trace elements in a high elevation spruce-fir forest at Mt. Mansfield, Vermont.

As part of the Lake Champlain Basin watershed study of mercury (Hg) and pollutant deposition, cloud water and cloud throughfall collections were conducted at the south summit (1204 m) of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont between August 1 and October 31, 1998, for multi-element chemical analysis. A passive Teflon string collector was deployed during non-precipitating events to sample cloud/fog water at timberline, while three sets of paired funnels collected cloud throughfall under the red spruce-balsam fir canopy. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of Hg, major ions, and 10 trace elements. Ultra-clean sampling and analysis techniques were utilized throughout the study. Six events were sampled for cloud water alone and four events were sampled for both cloud water and cloud throughfall. Cloud throughfall chemistry showed substantial modification from incident cloud water. Much higher concentrations of Hg (2.3 x), base cations (Ca2+, K-, Mg2+; 3-18 x) and certain trace elements (Ni, Cu, Mn, Rb, Sr; 2-34 x) were observed in throughfall than in cloud water. These results confirm that cloud water can leach a wide variety of elements from tree foliage and wash off dry deposited elements. Cloud water deposited an average of 0.42 +/- 0.12 mm of water per hour. Estimated cloud water deposition of Hg was 7.4 microg m(-2) for the period August 1-October 31, approximately twice that deposited by rain during this period at a nearby low elevation Hg monitoring site. Our results indicate that cloud water and Hg deposition at Mt. Mansfield are likely to have considerable ecological effects.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1977

Changes in enzymic activities of nucleoside diphosphate sugar interconversions during differentiation of cambium to xylem in pine and fir.

A protein fraction [precipitate obtained between 40 and 65% (NH4)2SO4 satn.] prepared from cambial cells, differentiating xylem cells and differentiated xylem cells of pine and fir trees contained all the enzymes required for the nucleoside diphosphate sugar interconversions. By using UDP-D-[U-14C]glucose or UDP-D-[U-14C]galactose, UDP-D-[U-14C-]glucuronic acid and UDP-D-[U-14C]xylose as substrates, the activities of UDP-D-galactose 4-epimerase (DC 5.1.3.2), UDP-D-xylose 4-epimerase(EC 5.1.3.5), UDP-D-glucose dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.22) and UDP-D-glucuronate 4-epimerase (EC5.1.3.6), UDP-d-glucuronate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.35) were measured at different stages of cell-wall development. The specific activities and the activities per cell of these enzymes varied during differentiation of cambium to xylem according to the type polysaccharide synthesized. Variations were also found between the two species investigated. These data, compared with those obtained in out previous work on angiosperms [see the preceding paper, Dalessandro & Northcote (1977) Biochem. J. 162, 267-279], suggest that some control of polysaccharide synthesis operates at the level of the formation of the precursors of pectin and hemicellulose syntheses.

Carbohydrate Epimerases↗