Pine cones fold their scales when it rains to prevent seeds from short-distance dispersal. Given that the scales of pine cones consist of nothing but dead cells, this folding motion is evidently related to structural changes. In this study, the structural characteristics of pine cones are studied on micro-/macro-scale using various imaging instruments. Raindrops fall along the outer scales to t...

We investigated the physical and burning characteristics of sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Douglas) cones and their contribution to woody surface fuel loadings. Field sampling was conducted at the Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot (YFDP), a 25.6 ha mapped study plot in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. We developed a classification system to describe sugar pine cones of different sizes and de...

Background: Metoprolol (MTP) with its low biodegradability is one of the most dominant micropollutant in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal of metoprolol from aqueous solutions by the activated carbon prepared from pine cones. Methods: The pine cones were activated using thermal activation method. Characteristics of the adsorbent w...

Besides woody cone scales, certain species of wind-dispersed pines (Pinus) have spines on their scales as a putative form of defense against seed predators. We tested whether spines differentially deterred seed predators foraging on closed and open pine cones. Red Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) were selected as the seed predator because they commonly forage on these cones. We timed crossbills f...

Asymmetry in motor patterns is present in a wide variety of animals. Many lateralized behaviors seem to depend on brain asymmetry, as it is the case of different tasks associated to food handling by several bird and mammal species. Here, we analyzed asymmetry in handling behavior of pine cones by red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). Red squirrels devote most of their daily activity to feeding, thu...

—We documented black bears (Ursus americanus) consuming the seeds of Jeffery pine (Pinus jeffreyi) in the eastern Sierra Nevada from late August through September. Shells of pine seeds were the exclusive item in 20 of 27 scat samples collected in September and October and comprised >90% of the remaining 7 samples. Bears obtain seeds of Jeffrey pines by climbing trees, removing ripe, unopened co...

The number of species that specialize in pre-dispersal seed predation is relatively small. Examples of specialized pre-dispersal seed predators adapted to feeding on closed cones include vertebrate species like Crossbills, Squirrels, Nutcrackers and Woodpeckers. Seed predation selects against certain phenotypic features of cones and favors another phenotypic features. In this study, we document...

Studies of predator-prey interactions have found that geographically structured coevolution has played an important role in the adaptive diversification of crossbills (Loxia spp.). We extend those studies by considering common crossbills (L. curvirostra) in the Mediterranean where they rely on seeds in the cones of black pine (Pinus nigra). On the continent, where tree squirrels (Sciurus vulgar...

The interactions between many species are structured in a geographic mosaic of populations among which selection is divergent. Here we tested the hypothesis that such a geographic selection mosaic arises for common crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) feeding on seeds in the cones of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) because of geographic variation in the occurrence of European red squirrels (Sciurus vu...

As humans continue to alter ecosystems through land-use activities, revegetation projects will be one important way to restore or maintain impacted plant communities. Certain species, such as knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata Lemmon), have been used in some revegetation projects because of their preferable traits. Information on seed production and viability is critical to planning effective proje...