Search Results (108)

Damage caused by snowfall can result in broken crowns and trunks and even lead to the uprooting of forest trees. Damage or death of forest trees creates forest gaps and alters overall forest demographics, but predicting the exact nature and influence of this damage remains challenging. In general, the effects of various biotic and abiotic factors on snow damage remain understudied. To address this gap in knowledge, we conducted a meta-analysis of existing literature, ultimately screening 38 manuscripts that describe 142 plant species. Our findings indicate that snow damage significantly reduced annual litterfall, Leaf Area Index, canopy density, abundance, and area at breast height when considering plant communities. However, snow damage also tended to significantly increase Shannon’s Diversity Index, Simpson’s Diversity Index, Pielou’s Evenness Index, and diameter at breast height. In addition, at the population level, snow damage was found to significantly reduce density, abundance, and annual litterfall while significantly increasing diameter at breast height. Further, the response of different forest vegetation community characteristics to snow damage is significantly influenced by factors such as forest type, elevation, slope, and aspect. Full article

Amenity trees contribute to the overall quality of urban environments and are valued for their beauty and the benefits they bring to communities. However, the assessment of this capital commonly concludes with considerations of its vitality and decorativeness. Thus, this research provided a monetary assessment of losses caused by the supercell storm-induced uprooting of trees growing in three public green spaces utilized by the most vulnerable population (children aged 3–18 years). For these purposes, the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) formula was applied taking into account growth parameters, species dependence, and the specimens’ condition and location. Prices from national and European nurseries were utilized to obtain appropriate base values. The results indicate that the total appraised monetary loss amounted to EUR 495,864 (national) and EUR 1,528,481 (European prices). The species P. nigra, B. alba, T. tomentosa, F. excelsior, A. saccharinum, P. occidentalis, and P. cerasifera showed lower uprooting resistance with no clear species-specific responses, but there was an interaction of biotic, abiotic, and artificial influences. Understanding the complex factors influencing tree stability is crucial for urban planners and arborists to mitigate storm- and wind-related risks. Collaborative planning and participatory management are essential for safeguarding both economic and environmental interests and ensuring the safety of vulnerable populations in outdoor spaces. Full article

Immigration, particularly forced immigration, has a profound impact on every aspect of immigrants’ lives. One such aspect is their religious convictions and practices. Nowadays, Migration Studies is a major academic field that produces many books and articles each year. This article examines the impact of forced immigration on the daily practices and internal relationships between leaders and followers of a specific religious group—Hassidism, in one particular period—the early second half of the 20th century. It does so by examining how two Hassidic leaders, the Satmar Rebbe in America and the Viznitzer Rebbe in Israel, established their communities after the Holocaust. This is one of only a few academic studies that explore post-Holocaust Hassidism, with a specific focus on the effects of forced immigration on its development. Throughout Jewish history, large-scale immigration and the inevitable need to adapt to new political, religious, and cultural circumstances had a profound influence on the way Jews conducted their religious affairs. This article explores how the uprooting of Hassidism from Eastern Europe after the Holocaust and its transplantation in countries that were new to them prompted Hassidic leaders who wanted to reestablish their communities to adopt a new set of leadership priorities. The result was that despite bearing the same title, Hassidic communities that were established after the Holocaust were very different from those that operated in Europe previously. Full article

Coarse roots and the root plate play an important role in tree resistance to uprooting. In this study, a qualitative mechanistic model was developed to analyze coniferous tree resistance to uprooting in relation to tree morphological characteristics. The sizes of the crown, stem, and root plate of twenty sample spruces and twenty sample Korean pines were individually measured for this purpose. Using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), the coarse root distribution and root plate size were detected. In the qualitative mechanistic model, a larger crown area increased the overturning moment, while higher DBH and root plate mass increased the resistance moment. The resistance coefficient (R_m) was calculated by comparing resistive and overturning moments, classifying samples into three uprooting hazard levels. Trees with smaller crown areas, larger stems, and root plates tend to have higher resistance to uprooting, as indicated by higher R_m values. This qualitative mechanistic model provides a useful tool for assessing coniferous standing tree uprooting resistance. Full article

Aiming at solving the problems of the high cost of manual pulling, the low reliability of existing pulling devices, and the high breaking rates and high leakage rates in the process of cotton stalk reuse after removal from the field in the Xinjiang cotton area, a soil-loosening and root-cutting cotton stalk pulling and gathering machine was researched and designed; a root-cutting force model was established; the key parameters of the V-shaped root-cutting knife were calculated and optimized; and the ranges of the slide cutting angle, the cutting-edge angle, and the soil entry angle were determined. A shoveling process simulation of the V-shaped root-cutting knife and the root–soil complex was constructed, and the working mechanism of the V-shaped root-cutting knife was clarified. In order to verify the reliability and operation performance of the V-shaped root-cutting knife, the slide cutting angle, the cutting-edge angle, and the soil entry angle were used as the test factors, and a response surface test with three factors and three levels was carried out with the root-breaking force and the mean value of the cutting resistance as the test indices. The test results were analyzed by variance analysis, and the significant factors influencing the root-breaking force in descending order were the slide cutting angle, cutting-edge angle, and soil entry angle. The degrees of influence on the mean value of the cutting resistance were ordered as follows: slide cutting angle, soil entry angle, and cutting-edge angle. In order to make the V-shaped root-cutting knife achieve the optimal working state, the parameters of the test indices were optimized, and the optimal design parameters of the V-shaped root-cutting knife were set as follows: the slide cutting angle was 48.3°, the cutting-edge angle was 43.4°, and the soil entry angle was 26.2°. The field uprooting test showed that the average pass rate of root breakage was 94.8% and the average pull-out rate of cotton stalks was 93.2%. This study provides theoretical guidance for the development of a root-breaking mechanism for cotton straw harvesters. Full article

This article begins with critical discussion of why parochialism is so alluring, suggesting that we need to understand its tenacious seductions if we really aim to displace, uproot, or transcend it. Arguing that parochialism as a value is not primarily a question of ignorance, but an antipathetic orientation toward incompleteness, interdependency, and entanglement, it then turns briefly to explaining what is meant by creolizing theory. The article closes by offering creolizing’s central insights as a potential antidote to parochialism since they begin with the observation that for any lifeways to meaningfully continue, especially those to which we are most attached, they must be constantly resituated, refashioned, and made new. It ends with a brief meditation on ways to manage anxieties unleashed with radical uncertainty, affirming the depth of the challenges of turning from idolatry. Full article

Late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is a devastating disease of potato worldwide. In Israel, potatoes are grown twice a year, in autumn and spring, with late blight causing extensive damage in both seasons. While tuber seeds for the autumn planting are produced locally, seed tubers for the spring planting are imported from Europe due to dormancy of local tubers. Here, we demonstrate that seed tubers imported from Europe for the spring season carry asymptomatic infection with EU genotypes of P. infestans, which alters the population structure of the pathogen each spring. The proportion of imported tubers carrying asymptomatic infections ranged between 1.2 and 3.75%, varying by year and cultivar. Asymptomatic tubers produced late blight-infected sprouts about one month after planting. The sporangia produced on these sprouts served as primary inoculum, causing intensive foliage attacks on neighboring plants. When sprout-infected plants were uprooted and the mother tuber was washed, sliced, and placed in moistened dishes at 18 °C, profuse sporulation of P. infestans developed on the slices’ surfaces within 1–2 days. The dominant genotype of P. infestans in the autumn season in Israel is 23A1, but genotypes in the following spring season changed to include 13A2 or 36A2. Surprisingly, genotype 43A1, which might be resistant to CAA and OSBPI fungicides and appeared in Europe in 2022, emerged in Israel in spring 2024. The immigrating genotypes do not persist in the country, allowing 23A1 to regain predominance in the following autumn. Long-term monitoring data suggest that the population structure of P. infestans changes yearly but temporarily due to the import of new genotypes from Europe. Full article

Plants play a crucial role in soil fixation and enhancement of slope stability, and saline–alkaline stress is one of the main restrictions inhibiting plant growth and development. At present, there is a lack of research on the effects of saline–alkaline composite stress on the mechanical properties of the root system and the erosion resistance of the root–soil complex. In this study, three gradients of saline–alkaline composite stress treatments and a control of saline-free treatment was set up for Oenothera biennis, Perilla frutescens, Echinops sphaerocephalus, and Lychnis fulgens. The plant salt damage rate, osmotic index, antioxidant enzyme activity and plant root morphological indicators were measured. The biomechanical characteristics were determined by stretching tests, the resistance of the plant was measured by a whole-plant vertical uprooting test, and the anti-erosion capacity of the root soil composite was measured by scrubbing test. The results showed that, at 200 mM, the salt damage index and salt damage rate of the four plants, in descending order, were as follows: E. sphaerocephalus < L. fulgens < O. biennis < P. frutescens. Among them, SOD of Perilla frutescens did not play an obvious protective role, and the substantial changes in CAT and POD, as well as the content of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, and proline, showed its sensitivity to saline and alkaline stresses. Root growth was also significantly suppressed in all four plants, the 100- and 200-mM concentrations of saline solution significantly reduced the average tensile strength of O. biennis and P. frutescens, while the saline–alkali solution of 200 mM significantly reduced the elongation of E. sphaerocephalus and L. fulgens, and significantly elevated the soil detachment rate of the root–soil composite for E. sphaerocephalus. Additionally, all three concentrations of saline treatments significantly reduced the pullout resistance of all 4 plants. There was a negative power rate relationship between tensile resistance and root diameter in four plant species, while the relationship between tensile strength and root diameter showed a negative power law only for L. fulgens treated with 0–50 mM saline solution. There was no significant correlation between elongation and root diameter in the four plants. P. frutescens had the greatest tensile resistance and strength, as well as the lowest rate of elongation, while L. fulgens possessed the greatest pullout resistance, and both had comparable resistance to erosion of the root–soil complex. Therefore, compared to the other three plants, L. fulgens is more suitable for soil reinforcement applications on saline slopes. Full article

The integration of indigenous knowledge systems into the discussion of bush encroachment management is of paramount importance. Indigenous knowledge and formal monitoring may be mutually beneficial, and using both approaches can improve natural resource management. Savannah rangeland landscapes hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for indigenous communities, and their perceptions can provide valuable insights into creating more effective, community-driven conservation initiatives. This study was aimed at filling the existing knowledge and research gap on bush encroachment control by focusing on the integration of indigenous knowledge systems. To achieve this, the current research included three distinct non-probability sampling strategies: (1) Purposive, (2) Snowball, (3) Convenience sampling methods. The results showed that 90.3% of the participants indicated that the main encroaching species of concern was sickle bush (Dichrostachys cinerea) and it is therefore perceived as a problem in the rangeland. The majority of farmer respondents indicated that they cut the encroacher plant down, uproot all root systems, then burn the remaining roots. This is reported to be a more effective way of managing sickle bush as an encroacher plant. Both genders generally believe in the efficacy of these systems, with variations in levels of agreement. However, a gender disparity emerges in opinions on incorporating communal-based approaches, emphasizing the need to consider gender perspectives in environmental management initiatives. Therefore, considering this, the study concludes that a holistic approach, integrating both formal and informal knowledge systems, may be crucial for sustainable and effective management strategies. Given that, recognizing the diversity of perspectives within the community, particularly regarding gender differences, is essential for developing inclusive and community-driven environmental management initiatives. Full article

Eviction could hold a different meaning if a home’s immediate surroundings contribute to its residents’ livelihood, especially for informal laborers. This paper explores the notion of the fragility of a home within an expanded space—the space on which a home stands and its surroundings when turned into a contested area. It specifically looks at the slum of Yamuna Pushta in Delhi, which was demolished in 2004. The act uprooted thousands of low-income families who were blamed for polluting the river. The demolition was fueled by new urban visions and planning strategies, political and capitalist ambitions, projections of national pride, and an event-driven approach camouflaged under an environmentalist concern attempting to “clean” the river. Using the photographic works of artist, curator, and activist Ravi Agarwal as a case study, this paper argues the presence of a counternarrative in the works, challenging the projected environmentalist discourse around the river, the slum dwellers. This study further states the dual marginalization of the Pushta residents and the Yamuna by critiquing the economic format of majoritarianism through the growing normalcy and agreeability of the slum demolitions by the urban non-poor disguised as the “greater good”. Full article

Trees growing in urban environments are often impacted by maintenance or construction work involving the cutting of roots. Tree protection zones have been proposed to avoid critical damage to the tree. However, despite incorporating quantitative information, they heavily rely on expert judgement that remains to be validated. In a study conducted across six parks in Quebec City, Canada, two commonly found tree species, Acer platanoides L. and Tilia cordata Mill., presumed to be different in terms of vulnerability to root damage, were subjected to a range of trenching treatments. The trees were between 23 and 40 cm diameter at breast height (DBH). A safety factor was calculated relating the turning moment the tree can withstand to the turning moment imposed by high winds likely to occur. The safety factor against uprooting was assessed for each tree before and after root trenching using a non-destructive pulling approach. The effects of tree species, distance to the trench, and their combined interaction were tested on tree stability. The relationship between tree stability and soil texture, tree characteristics, and the number of damaged roots were also tested. Safety factors were initially variable, ranging from 0.5 to 4.5. T. cordata safety factors were lower than those of A. platanoides and influenced by soil texture. Trenching treatments had no effect on the safety factor, even when two perpendicular trenches were dug at 1 m from the stem. No index of the amount of root damaged was significantly related to the safety factor. Root trenching treatments that encroached closer to the tree trunk than the recommended tree protection zones did not affect the stability of both species. Nevertheless, it is essential to recognize that other ecophysiological processes might still be influenced, and long-term monitoring is crucial. Both should be taken into account when determining these zones. Full article

The nutrition of preterm infants remains contaminated by wrong beliefs that reflect inexactitudes and perpetuate old practices. In this narrative review, we report current evidence in preterm neonates and in preterm neonates undergoing surgery. Convictions that necrotizing enterocolitis is reduced by the delay in introducing enteral feeding, a slow advancement in enteral feeds, and the systematic control of residual gastric volumes, should be abandoned. On the contrary, these practices prolong the time to reach full enteral feeding. The length of parenteral nutrition should be as short as possible to reduce the infectious risk. Intrauterine growth restriction, hemodynamic and respiratory instability, and patent ductus arteriosus should be considered in advancing enteral feeds, but they must not translate into prolonged fasting, which can be equally dangerous. Clinicians should also keep in mind the risk of refeeding syndrome in case of high amino acid intake and inadequate electrolyte supply, closely monitoring them. Conversely, when preterm infants undergo surgery, nutritional strategies are still based on retrospective studies and opinions rather than on randomized controlled trials. Finally, this review also highlights how the use of adequately fortified human milk is strongly recommended, as it offers unique benefits for immune and gastrointestinal health and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Full article

Kiwifruit decline syndrome (KiDS) has affected kiwifruit orchards for more than ten years in the Mediterranean area, severely compromising productivity and causing extensive uprooting. The affected plants go through an irreversible and fast wilting process. The problem has not been solved yet, and a single cause has not been identified. In this work, we carried out a survey on ten five-year-old healthy kiwifruit cv. Hayward plants cultivated in an area strongly affected by KiDS and characterised by a rising temperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Five plants were located in a KiDS-affected orchard. Our goal was to assess the hydraulic conductance of asymptomatic plants in a KiDS-affected area where rising climate change stress is underway. Our hypothesis was that a rising temperature and VPD could impair xylem functionality, leading the plants to develop strategies of tolerance, such as vessel narrowing, or stress symptoms, such as cavitation or implosion, inducing a higher risk of KiDS onset. Hydraulic conductance was investigated using a physiological and morphological approach to detect trunk sap flow, trunk growth and daily diameter variations, leaf gas exchanges and temperature, stem water potential, and the root xylem vessel diameter and vulnerability to cavitation. A strong xylem vessel narrowing was observed in all plants, with the highest frequency in the 30–45 µm diameter class, which is an indicator of long-term adaptation to a rising VPD. In some plants, cavitation and implosion were also observed, which are indicative of a short-term stress response; this behaviour was detected in the plants in the KiDS-affected orchard, where a high leaf temperature (>39 °C), low stomatal conductance (<0.20 mol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹) and transpiration (<3 mmol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹), low stem water potential (<−1 MPa), high vulnerability to cavitation (3.7 μm mm⁻²), low trunk sap flow and high daily stem diameter variation confirmed the water stress status. The concurrence of climate stress and agronomic management in predisposing conditions favourable to KiDS onset are discussed, evidencing the role of soil preparation, propagation material and previous crop. Full article

Using the social scientific theory of “weathering”, the case study presented here reveals the broader explanatory power of the theory. Arline Geronimus developed the concept to describe the impact of racist systems on marginalized populations. Based on more than four decades of empirical research, Geronimus posits that the cumulative impact of navigating the structural racism embedded in US institutions results in accelerated declines in health and premature aging. The historical case study of the Łódź ghetto demonstrates that Nazi persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust resulted in a similar process of weathering among Jews. From 1939 to 1945, German authorities systematically dispossessed and uprooted, purposely starved, and exploited for labor the tens of thousands of Jews held captive in the Łódź ghetto. Despite valiant Jewish efforts to ameliorate the hardships of life in the ghetto, the persistent onslaught of racist policies and degradation ultimately resulted in widespread weathering of the population on an individual and communal level. I propose that the concept of “weathering” developed by social scientists has broad interpretative power for understanding the personal and communal impact of white supremacist societies in a historical context. The case of the Łódź ghetto is instructive beyond what it reveals about the particular persecution of the Jews during the Third Reich. The abrupt imposition of a racist system of government, the steady escalation of antisemitic policies from oppression and exploitation to genocide, and the relatively short duration of the ghetto’s existence lays bare the cumulative effects of widespread individual weathering on the vitality of the community itself. In the Łódź ghetto, prolonged exposure to an environment governed by white supremacy also resulted in communal weathering. Full article

Roots anchor plants firmly to the soil, enabling them to effectively resist soil erosion and shear failure. Vegetation restoration has been acknowledged as one of the most useful measures for controlling soil loss; however, which root system characteristics were most beneficial for plant anchoring in the soil remains unclear. In the black soil region of northeastern China, which frequently experiences serious soil erosion, pullout tests were carried out on six species of soil and water conservation woody plants with different growth habits (deciduous shrubs, deciduous trees and evergreen trees), and the root geometry and topology of each species were determined. The results showed that the maximum uprooting force and activation displacement (the displacement at the maximum peak in the relationship curve between pulling force and displacement) of shrubs were significantly greater than those of trees, while deciduous trees were significantly greater than evergreen trees. Therefore, the ability of the whole root system to anchor the soil was the largest for shrubs, followed by deciduous trees, and the smallest for evergreen trees. The uprooting force and activation displacement were mainly affected by the root topological index, total root length and the number of inclined roots. The total root length had the greatest influence on the maximum uprooting force, and the root topology had the greatest influence on the activation displacement, both of which can be used as important predictors of plant root anchorage strength. In addition, the plants with the R-type root structure may have a greater ability to anchor the soi, and can be prioritized for vegetation restoration with black soils. These findings provide references and implications for identifying the effective plant strategies for eroded soil restoration in the black soil region of northeastern China and other areas with similar soil types and bioclimates. Full article