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•Controversial Robinia has positive economic but negative environmental impacts.•We summarize the ecological and socio-economic impact of Robinia in Central Europe.•We assess Robinia ...history, vegetation ecology, invasiveness and management.•Dry and semi-dry grasslands are the most threatened by Robinia invasion.•Stratified management combining tolerance and strict eradication is needed.
Robinia pseudoacacia, invaded many countries a long time ago and is now a common part of the Central European landscape. Positive economic but negative environmental impacts of Robinia result in conflicts of interest between nature conservation, forestry, urban landscaping, beekeepers and the public when defining management priorities. Because current legislation will determine the future distribution of Robinia in the landscape, a comprehensive view of this species is necessary. Although this species is well studied, most of the scientific papers deal with the economic aspects. Other information is published in local journals or reports. Therefore we reviewed the ecological and socio-economic impact of Robinia placing particular emphasis on the species’ history, vegetation ecology, invasiveness and management. In Central Europe, Robinia is limited climatically by late spring frost combined with a short vegetation period, soil hypoxia, shade and frequent major disturbances. The long historical tradition of using Robinia for afforestation has resulted in its popularity as a widespread forest tree and it being an important part of the economy in some countries. The main reasons are its fast growth, valuable and resistant wood, suitability for amelioration, reclamation of disturbed sites and erosion control, honey-making and recently dendromass production. On the other hand, a side-effect of planting this nitrogen-fixing pioneer tree, very tolerant of the nature of the substrate, is its propagation and spread, which pose a problem for nature conservation. Robinia is considered invasive, threatening especially dry and semi-dry grasslands, some of the most species-rich and endangered types of habitat in the region, causing extinction of many endangered light-demanding plants and invertebrates due to changes in light regime, microclimate and soil conditions. Other often invaded habitats include open dry forests and shrubland, alluvial habitats, agrarian landscapes, urban and industrial environments and disturbed sites, e.g. post-fire sites, forest clearings or degraded forestry plantations. Without forestry, black locust abundance would decrease during succession in forests with highly competitive and shade tolerant trees and in mature forests it occurs only as admixture of climax trees. The limited pool of native woody species, lack of serious natural enemies and a dense cover of grasses and sedges can suppress forest succession and favour the development of Robinia monodominant stands over 70years old. A stratified approach, which combines both tolerance in some areas and strict eradication at valuable sites, provides the best option for achieving a sustainable coexistence of Robinia with people and nature.
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia, BL), a species native to North America, has successfully invaded many types of habitats over the world. This study provides an overall assessment of BL soil ...conditions to determine the range of physical–chemical soil properties it can tolerate. 511 BL stands (for the soil types) and 33 permanent plots (for the soil chemistry) were studied in the Czech Republic. Relationships among different environmental variables (physical–chemical soil properties, vegetation characteristics and habitat conditions) were investigated and variables with the highest effect on species composition were detected. The results were compared with data in the literature for other parts of the secondary and native distributions of this species. This assessment showed that BL is able to tolerate extremely diverse soil physical–chemical conditions, from extremely acid to strongly alkaline, and from medium to highly base saturated soils with a gradient of different subsurface stoniness. Soil nitrate, N mineralization and nitrification rates also varied considerably and the concentrations of exchangeable phosphorus and ammonium were consistently low. N mineralization rate, incubated inorganic nitrogen and nitrates were positively correlated with base saturation and cation exchange capacity. The most common soil types were young soils (Cambisols, Leptosols, Arenosols, and coarsely textured Fluvisols). BL seems to be limited by water supply and soil aeration and prefers well aerated and drained soils, and tolerates desiccation but avoids compact soils and areas where the soils are frequently waterlogged. On steep slopes, BL was less vigorous, stunted and less competitive. By contrast, the tallest BL trees were found on sandy soils in a flat landscape. Number and share of nitrophytes in the herb layer were positively related to basic bedrock, soil reaction and N–NO3/N ratio. Soil reaction was determined as the most important environmental characteristic explaining the variability in BL species composition in the Czech Republic.
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•We provided an overall assessment of black locust soil conditions.•Black locust tolerates extremely diverse soil physical–chemical properties.•Black locust seems to be limited by water supply and soil aeration.•The most common are young soils (Cambisols, Leptosols and Arenosols).•Species composition in BL stands was mostly affected by soil reaction.
Robinia pseudoacacia is one of the most frequent non‐native species in Europe. It is a fast‐growing tree of high economic and cultural importance. On the other hand, it is an invasive species, ...causing changes in soil chemistry and light regime, and consequently altering the plant communities. Previously published models developed for the potential distribution of R. pseudoacacia concerned 2070, and were based mainly on data from Western and Central Europe; here we extended these findings and included additional data from Eastern Europe. To fill the gap in current knowledge of R. pseudoacacia distribution and improve the reliability of forecasts, we aimed to (i) determine the extent to which the outcome of range modeling will be affected by complementing R. pseudoacacia occurrence data with sites from Central, Southeastern, and Eastern Europe, (ii) identify and quantify the changes in the availability of climate niches for 2050 and 2070, and discuss their impacts on forest management and nature conservation. We showed that the majority of the range changes expected in 2070 will occur as early as 2050. In comparison to previous studies, we demonstrated a greater eastward shift of potential niches of this species and a greater decline of potential niches in Southern Europe. Consequently, future climatic conditions will likely favor the occurrence of R. pseudoacacia in Central and Northeastern Europe where this species is still absent or relatively rare. There, controlling the spread of R. pseudoacacia will require monitoring sources of invasion in the landscape and reducing the occurrence of this species. The expected effects of climate change will likely be observed 20 years earlier than previously forecasted. Hence we highlighted the urgent need for acceleration of policies aimed at climate change mitigation in Europe. Also, our results showed the need for using more complete distribution data to analyze potential niche models.
Previously published models of R. pseudoacacia 's potential distribution concerned 2070, and were based on data from Western and Central Europe; here we extended these findings using data from Eastern Europe and 2050. We demonstrated a greater eastward shift of potential niches of this species and a greater decline in Southern Europe. Future climatic conditions will likely favor the occurrence of R. pseudoacacia in Central and Northeastern Europe. The expected effects of climate change will likely be observed 20 years earlier than previously forecasted. Also, our results showed the need for using more complete distribution data to analyze potential niche models.
The rapid spread of invasive plants makes their management increasingly difficult. Remote sensing offers a means of fast and efficient monitoring, but still the optimal methodologies remain to be ...defined. The seasonal dynamics and spectral characteristics of the target invasive species are important factors, since, at certain time of the vegetation season (e.g., at flowering or senescing), plants are often more distinct (or more visible beneath the canopy). Our aim was to establish fast, repeatable and a cost-efficient, computer-assisted method applicable over larger areas, to reduce the costs of extensive field campaigns. To achieve this goal, we examined how the timing of monitoring affects the detection of noxious plant invaders in Central Europe, using two model herbaceous species with markedly different phenological, structural, and spectral characteristics. They are giant hogweed (
), a species with very distinct flowering phase, and the less distinct knotweeds (
, and their hybrid
. ×
). The variety of data generated, such as imagery from purposely-designed, unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV), and VHR satellite, and aerial color orthophotos enabled us to assess the effects of spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution (i.e., the target species' phenological state) for successful recognition. The demands for both spatial and spectral resolution depended largely on the target plant species. In the case that a species was sampled at the most distinct phenological phase, high accuracy was achieved even with lower spectral resolution of our low-cost UAV. This demonstrates that proper timing can to some extent compensate for the lower spectral resolution. The results of our study could serve as a basis for identifying priorities for management, targeted at localities with the greatest risk of invasive species' spread and, once eradicated, to monitor over time any return. The best mapping strategy should reflect morphological and structural features of the target plant and choose appropriate spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution. The UAV enables flexible data acquisition for required time periods at low cost and is, therefore, well-suited for targeted monitoring; while satellite imagery provides the best solution for larger areas. Nonetheless, users must be aware of their limits.
Context: It is not known whether biological differences reported between sc adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depots underlie the pathogenicity of visceral fat.
Objective: We ...compared SAT and VAT gene expression according to obesity, visceral fat accumulation, insulin resistance, and presence of the metabolic syndrome.
Design: Subjects were assigned into four groups (lean, overweight, obese, and obese with metabolic syndrome).
Setting: Subjects were recruited at a university hospital.
Patients: Thirty-two women were included.
Main Outcome Measures: Anthropometric measurements, euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps, blood analyses, and computed tomography scans were performed, and paired samples of SAT and VAT were obtained for DNA microarray-based gene expression profiling.
Results: Considering the two fat depots together, 1125 genes were more and 1025 genes were less expressed in lean compared with metabolic syndrome subjects. Functional annotation clustering showed, from lean to metabolic syndrome subjects, progressive down-regulation of metabolic pathways including branched-chain amino acid, fatty acid, carbohydrate, and mitochondrial energy metabolism and up-regulation of immune response genes involved in toll-like receptor, TNF, nuclear factor-κB, and apoptosis pathways. Metabolism and immune response genes showed an opposite correlation with fat mass, fat distribution, or insulin resistance indices. These associations were similar in SAT and VAT, although about 1000 genes showed differential expression between SAT and VAT.
Conclusions: The increase in adiposity and the worsening of metabolic status are associated with a coordinated down-regulation of metabolism-related and up-regulation of immune response-related gene expression. Molecular adaptations in SAT prove as discriminating as those in VAT.
In subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues, obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with downregulation of metabolism-related gene expression and upregulation of immune response-related gene expression.
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•Five vegetation types reflect an oceanity-continentality gradient in South Europe.•Robinia stands have specific species composition and high structural diversity.•The main drivers of ...invasion is large-scale and long-term cultivation.•The most invaded habitats are human-made, e.g. urban, agrarian and mining areas.•Stratified management on regional and local scales should be favoured.
Knowledge of the species composition of invaded vegetation helps to evaluate an ecological impact of aliens and design an optimal management strategy. We link a new vegetation analysis of a large dataset to the invasion history, ecology and management of Robinia pseudoacacia stands across Southern Europe and provide a map illustrating Robinia distribution. Finally, we compare detected relationships with Central Europe.
We show that regional differences in Robinia invasion, distribution, habitats and management are driven both by local natural conditions (climate and soil properties, low competitive ability with native trees) and socioeconomic factors (traditional land-use). Based on the classification of 467 phytosociological relevés we distinguished five broad vegetation types reflecting an oceanity−continentality gradient. The stands were heterogeneous and included 824 taxa, with only 5.8% occurring in more than 10% of samples, representing mainly hemerobic generalists of mesophilous, nutrient-rich and semi-shady habitats. The most common were dry ruderal stands invading human-made habitats. Among native communities, disturbed mesic and alluvial forests were often invaded throughout the area, while dry forests and scrub dominated in Balkan countries. Continuous, long-term and large-scale cultivation represent a crucial factor driving Robinia invasions in natural habitats. Its invasion should be mitigated by suitable management taking into account adjacent habitats and changing cultivation practices to select for native species. Robinia invasion has a comparable pattern in Central and Southern Europe, but there is a substantial difference in management and utilization causing heterogeneity of many South-European stands.
ObjectiveApelin is a novel adipokine acting on APJ receptor, regulated by insulin and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in adipose tissue (AT). Plasma apelin levels are increased in obese ...hyperinsulinemic subjects. The aim was to investigate whether the hypocaloric diet associated with weight loss modifies the elevated plasma apelin levels and the expression of apelin and APJ receptor in AT in obese women.Design and methodsFasting plasma levels of apelin and TNF-α as well as mRNA levels of apelin and APJ in AT were measured before and after a 12-week hypocaloric weight-reducing diet in 20 obese women (body mass index (BMI) before diet 32.2±6.4 kg/m2). Twelve healthy women with a BMI of 20.7±0.6 kg/m2 served as reference.ResultsPlasma levels of apelin and TNF-α were higher in obese compared with lean controls. The hypocaloric diet resulted in a significant decrease of BMI to 29.8±6.3 kg/m2, plasma insulin (8.16±0.73 to 6.58±0.66 mU/l), apelin (369±25 pg/ml to 257±12 pg/ml), TNF-α levels (0.66±0.04 pg/ml to 0.56±0.04 pg/ml), and AT mRNAs of apelin and APJ. In addition, changes in AT mRNA apelin were related to changes in AT mRNA APJ levels.ConclusionThe hypocaloric diet associated with weight loss reduces the increased plasma and AT expression of apelin in obese women. This reduced apelin expression in AT could contribute to decreased circulating apelin levels.
To successfully fight plant invasions, new methods enabling fast and efficient monitoring are needed, and remote sensing can make their management more efficient and less expensive. However, the data ...resolution, cost, and availability can be limiting. Optimal solution depends on the species characteristics, where the spectral and spatial resolution can compensate each other to some extent, and phenology plays an important role. Available high spatial resolution satellite data are sufficient for recognition of species that are distinct and either large or form uniform patches at size comparable to the data pixel size. For other species, higher spatial resolution is needed, and unmanned aircraft (UAV) provide data of extremely high spatial resolution (cm) at low cost and high flexibility. We assess its potential to map invasive black locust (BL, Robinia pseudoaccacia), testing imagery of different origin (satellite, UAV), spectral (multispectral, red, green, and blue (RGB) + near-infrared (NIR)) and spatial resolution, and various technical approaches to choose the best strategy for the species monitoring balancing between precision of detection and economic feasibility. Using purposely designed low-cost UAV with tailless fixed wing design for two consumer cameras (RGB and modified NIR) ensures robustness and repeatable field performance while maintaining high aerodynamic efficiency, with resulting mapping capacity over 10 km
2
per day. Several challenges exist in UAV application, such as lower spectral resolution, geometrical and radiometric distortions, and significant amount of data (necessity of automatic processing). In our study, we tested different options of UAV data processing and present comparison of resulting orthomosaic accuracies. For repeated measurements, it is extremely important to ensure spatial co-registration of pixels/objects from different phenological phases. Investment in GPS receiver in the UAV and GPS post-processing eliminated laborious collection of ground control points, while maintaining the co-registration of objects across multiple flights. In our study we provide evidence of benefit of the low cost unmanned system for species monitoring with high classification accuracies of target species from UAV orthomosaic outcompeting WorldView-2 satellite data, and describe methodology that can be used for practical management of invasions.
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•Four bioclimatic clusters determine black locust distribution in Europe.•The eastern cluster overlaps with climatically suitable area in current and future distribution.•The black ...locust highlighted spatially and temporally variable climate sensitivity.•The plasticity in secondary growth may increase the black locust’s invasive potential.
As a consequence of native tree species decline and distribution range contraction in Europe, acclimation of the non-native tree species at the edge of their distribution is gaining importance. Although non-native tree species may provide sustainable ecosystem services, as a potentially invasive species they may be a threat to local ecosystems as well. In Europe, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) a non-native species, seems to meet the condition of acclimation as a multi-generational process. The acclimatization, however, may have consequences not only for growth performance but also for the species' invasive potential. This study investigates the spatiotemporal pattern of secondary growth and climate sensitivity among six black locust stands along continentality gradient in Eastern Europe with the respect to bioclimatic conditions of the species distribution in Europe.
Despite comparable bioclimatic conditions, climate sensitivity of black locust stands is highly variable, both temporally and spatially. The winter and spring temperatures are a key climatic driver of the growth pattern in southern and western Poland. Growth response to previous winter and current summer precipitation distinguished stands in western and eastern Poland. A significant increase in the mean annual temperature during the last 70 years likely triggered temporal instability of the black locusts’ climate signal. In general, drought conditions were found to be the main limiting factor at the edge sites within the black locust gradient. Thus, the climate sensitivity of black locust stands reflects rather site-specific microclimatic conditions then bioclimatically-based clustering pattern. Despite climate-related limiting factors, black locust seems to be characterized by high potential for acclimatization to Eastern European climatic conditions, suggesting high invasive potential. Thus, the replacement of native species by black locust or the conversion of local habitats into monocultures for biomass production should not be recommended, while species management should follow proactive measures to reduce the risk of uncontrolled spread of the species. Divergent growth reaction of black locust stands implies high plasticity of secondary growth and thus high probability of acclimatization to future climate. Given the expected range expansion to the East in Europe, we call for expanding dendroclimatic studies to the areas of future species expansion in order to test its climatic and edaphic limitations. This seems to be crucial for formulating non-native species management strategies in line with sustainable forestry, preventing the uncontrolled expansion of the species that threatens vulnerable habitats.
Calorie restriction-induced weight loss is accompanied by profound changes in adipose tissue characteristics. To determine the effect of weight loss on differentiation of preadipocytes and secretory ...capacity of in vitro differentiated adipocytes, we established cultures of these cells from paired subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies obtained before and at the end of weight-reducing dietary intervention (DI) in 23 obese women. Based on lipid accumulation and the expression of differentiation markers, in vitro adipogenesis increased after weight loss and it was accompanied by enhanced expression of genes involved in de novo lipogenesis. This effect of weight loss was not driven by changes of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ sensitivity to rosiglitazone. Weight loss also enhanced the expression of adiponectin and leptin while reducing that of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and interleukin-8 by cultured adipocytes. Thus, the weight-reducing (DI) increased adipogenic capacity of preadipocytes and shifted their secretion toward lower inflammatory profile. Reprogramming of preadipocytes could represent an adaptation to weight loss leading to partial restoration of preobese adipose tissue traits and thus contribute to the improvement of metabolic status. However, enhanced adipogenesis could also contribute to the unwanted weight regain after initial weight loss.
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