While the dominant ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi in most temperate and tropical forests have low host specificity, a commonly cited exception to this pattern is the ECM fungal community associated with the host genus Alnus. In this chapter, we discuss multiple hypotheses that have been put forth to explain the specificity of the Alnus ECM symbiosis and consider their strengths and weaknesses in l...

The name Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC., based on Betula viridis Chaix (1785), has traditionally been attributed to green alders although it is based on a later basionym. Alnus alnobetula (Ehrh.) K. Koch based on Betula alnobetula Ehrh. (1783) is the correct name for green alders. In light of the increasing use and recognition of the name Alnus alnobetula (Ehrh.) K. Koch in the literature. I herein ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Recently, new palaeoecological records supported by molecular analyses and palaeodistributional modelling have provided more comprehensive insights into plant behaviour during the last Quaternary cycle. We reviewed the migration history of species of subgenus Alnus during the last 50,000 years in Europe with a focus on (1) a general revision of Alnus history since the Last Glaci...

Thermal conditions at the beginning of the year determine the timing of pollen seasons of early flowering trees. The aims of this study were to quantify the relationship between the tree pollen season start dates and the thermal conditions just before the beginning of the season and to construct models predicting the start of the pollen season in a given year. The study was performed in Krakow ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a rapidly growing health problem around the globe. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the use of plant materials as an alternative method to control pathogenic microorganisms. In this study we evaluated the antibacterial activity of bark of Alnus pendula against MRSA. MATERIALS AND METHO...

Using GC-MS the volatile composition of Jasonia glutinosa D. C., was studied by comparing two different methods for the isolation of a volatile fraction: distillation from the fresh plant in order to obtain the essential oil, and direct thermal desorption (DTD). Compared with essential oil extraction the main advantages of the DTD technique are the smaller sample amount required, and the increa...

Corylus, Alnus, and Betula trees are among the most important sources of allergic pollen in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere and have a large impact on the quality of life and productivity of allergy sufferers. Therefore, it is important to predict high pollen concentrations, both in time and space. The aim of this study was to create and evaluate spatiotemporal models for predicti...

To examine Late Quaternary vegetation change across the modern vegetation gradient from continuous boreal forest (central Alaska) to Betula shrub tundra (Bristol Bay region), pollen records from Idavain and Snipe Lakes are described and compared to those of four other sites in southwest Alaska. Major features of the vegetation history at Idavain Lake include herb-dominated tundra (ca. 14}12 ka ...

In search of plant genes expressed during early interactions between Casuarina glauca and Frankia, we have isolated and characterized a C. glauca gene that has strong homology to subtilisin-like protease gene families of several plants including the actinorhizal nodulin gene ag12 of another actinorhizal plant, Alnus glutinosa. Based on the expression pattern of cg12 in the course of nodule deve...