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Forests
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Vitality of Forest Ecosystems through Genetic, Epigenetic, Physiology and Biodiversity...
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Vitality of Forest Ecosystems through Genetic, Epigenetic, Physiology and Biodiversity Exploitation

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetics and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 December 2024 | Viewed by 3169

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Evangelia V. Avramidou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, ELGO-DIMITRA, Athens, Terma Alkmanos, Ilisia, 11528 Athens, Greece
Interests: population genetics; epigenetics; quantitative trait loci; genetic mapping; molecular markers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Evangelia Korakaki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Tree Physiology, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, ELGO-DIMITRA, Athens, Terma Alkmanos, Ilisia, 11528 Athens, Greece
Interests: tree physiology; forest ecophysiology; forest responses to biotic and abiotic factors and environmental changes; tree water relations; climate change adaptation
Dr. Alexandra D. Solomou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Forest Ecology, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, ELGO-DIMITRA, Athens, Terma Alkmanos, Ilisia, 11528 Athens, Greece
Interests: utilization and conservation of plant biodiversity; biodiversity indicators; environmental impacts and threats to biodiversity; restoring biodiversity; ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The role of forest ecosystems in sustaining life on Earth is vital, as they encompass a diverse array of genetic, epigenetic, physiological, and biodiversity factors that are integral to their overall health and functionality. However, in the present day, forest ecosystems are experiencing significant pressures caused by biotic and abiotic factors, climate change, and human activities, all of which have detrimental effects on their resilience and preservation. Genetic resources in forests encompass the vast array of plant and animal species, each possessing unique genetic traits that enable them to adapt to environmental changes and resist diseases. Epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, influence gene expression and play a significant role in regulating plant and animal responses to environmental stimuli. Tree physiology and forest ecophysiology provide valuable insights for sustainable forest management by informing decisions related to growth optimization, assessing forest health, and adapting to changing environmental conditions. Finally, biodiversity is a fundamental aspect of forest resources, encompassing the variety of species, species diversity, genetic diversity within species, and the intricate web of ecological interactions. Forest ecosystems thrive on biodiversity as it ensures their resilience and productivity.

Through an multidiciplinary approach of exploring genetic, epigenetic, physiology and biodiversity parameters, the scope of the current Special Issue is to propose solutions for sustainable forest resources in longterm survival. Addressing these issues requires collective efforts in sustainable forest management, conservation initiatives, and policy interventions aimed at promoting reforestation and reducing deforestation rates. We invite papers that focus on these important aspects of forest resources and as well as combined holistic approaches for facing forest threats.

Dr. Evangelia V. Avramidou
Dr. Evangelia Korakaki
Dr. Alexandra D. Solomou
Guest Editors

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

  • genetic
  • epigenetic
  • tree physiology
  • forest ecophysiology
  • biodiversity
  • ecology
  • environment
  • forest

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2661 KiB  
Article
The Importance of the Scots Pine for the Diversity of Forest Avifauna: The Augustów Forest as a Case Study
by Dorota Zawadzka and Grzegorz Zawadzki
Forests 2024, 15(8), 1317; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081317 - 28 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1061
Abstract
The Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris is the most widespread tree species in forests of lowland parts of Central and Eastern Europe. In Polish forests, stands dominated by the Scots pine cover almost 60% of the forest area. We analysed the relationship between forest [...] Read more.
The Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris is the most widespread tree species in forests of lowland parts of Central and Eastern Europe. In Polish forests, stands dominated by the Scots pine cover almost 60% of the forest area. We analysed the relationship between forest birds and pine trees in an extensive forest complex in north-eastern (NE) Poland. Based on the 20-year-long study, we considered the percentage of broods established on pine trees and the percentage of Scots pine in stands on grouse leks and territory. A total number of over 20 bird species are dependent on the Scots pine trees or stands to locate their nests. Among this group, 11 bird species strongly associated with pine trees were confirmed, and they located at least 90% of broods or nests on pines. The Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius selects the Scots pine to excavate cavities. Its cavities were regularly used by some species of secondary cavity nesters. In turn, the Common Raven Corvus corax nests were occupied by selected birds of prey. The importance of Scots pine for birds increased with the age of the trees. Old Scots pine trees were chosen by birds that built large nests, placed nests in the tree top, and excavated large cavities. Populations of pine-specialized bird species may be in danger due to the possibility of the Scots pine range moving to the north, which results from global warming. The maintenance of the Scots pine with the modification of the methods of forest regeneration should be included in the Polish forestry’s strategies and plans as a critical factor for the care of the population of rare breeding bird species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitality of Forest Ecosystems through Genetic, Epigenetic, Physiology and Biodiversity Exploitation)
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11 pages, 2185 KiB  
Communication
Towards the Conservation of Monumental Taxus baccata L. Trees of Thasos Island: Genetic Insights
by Ermioni Malliarou, Evangelia V. Avramidou, Georgios D. Ranis and Diamantis I. Bountis
Forests 2023, 14(12), 2384; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122384 - 6 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
Taxus baccata L. is a tertiary relict, long-lived, wind-pollinated dioecious tree species found throughout Europe. In the rocky mountains of Thasos island, monumental old trees create a unique area of natural beauty. In recent times, the need to implement conservation measures for key [...] Read more.
Taxus baccata L. is a tertiary relict, long-lived, wind-pollinated dioecious tree species found throughout Europe. In the rocky mountains of Thasos island, monumental old trees create a unique area of natural beauty. In recent times, the need to implement conservation measures for key endangered species such as Taxus baccata has intensified. Exploring the genetic diversity of the species is a prerequisite for successful forest management decisions aimed at conservation. In this study, 28 monumental trees from two natural populations of Thasos were investigated using eight Simple Sequence Repeat markers in order to assess the levels of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation within the individuals, to estimate the degree of inbreeding and the effective population size of each population, and to discuss the impact this study has on conservation efforts for the species. Although the population size was small (14 individuals per population), the results showed moderate to high genetic diversity parameters. The mean expected heterozygosity was He = 0.649 and the number of effective alleles was Ne = 3.270 for both populations. Moreover, allelic richness (AR = 3.395) was high, indicating a variable genetic pool which is probably a result of a past established expansion of the species in the area. The results of the present study present a unique genetic pool harbored by specific trees, which is an important advantage for ensuring their conservation and resistance against biotic and abiotic threats. Our study paves the way towards conservation measures, which can be prioritized as follows: (a) in situ conservation, (b) seed bank establishment, and (c) in vitro propagation in order to secure future resilience and sustainability of the species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitality of Forest Ecosystems through Genetic, Epigenetic, Physiology and Biodiversity Exploitation)
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