Seedling potential of trees species along the elevational gradient in temperate hill forest of central Nepal

Regeneration status of tree species along elevation gradient in temperate hill forest was not understood greatly.Present research examined the tree diversity and its regeneration patterns along an elevation gradient in temperate hill forest,central Nepal.Data were collected from 300 sample plots within vertical elevation bands of 10,ranging from 1365 to 2450 m asl.A random sampling method was used for data collection in three seasons,winter,pre-monsoon and post monsoon seasons.Diameter at breast height(DBH)was used to broadly categorize the plant individual into trees,saplings and seedlings.The tree species richness ranged from 12 to 25 with density of 350 to 1200 individuals per hectare.Species richness of tree and sapling showed statistically significant unimodal pattern,which peaked at mid-elevation.Elevation showed a strong and positive linear correlation with the seedling density(Deviance=0.99,p<0.001)and a significant hump-shaped relationship with sapling density(Deviance=0.95,p<0.001).Similarly,elevations showed a statistically significant negative hump-shaped relationship with all trees,saplings and seedling stages(Deviances=0.89,0.87 and 0.57).The highest values of the Shannon-Wiener index and the lowest value of the Simpson index were found at mid-elevation for all growth forms.Nearly 92%of tree species were found at regenerating stage;49%in a good renewal regeneration status,32%in fair renewal regeneration,and 11%at a poor regenerating condition.Nevertheless,4%of tree species were reported as non-regenerating stages and 4%were newly introduced species.Hence,the regeneration status of the study area was considered fairly well since sapling(78.5%)>seedling(10.6%)≤mature(10.9%).Among tested environmental variables,elevation and annual mean rainfall were the most influential factors in the regeneration of tree species.

适于GlobalAllomeTree国际数据平台的标准化中国主要树种树高-胸径方程研建

GlobalAllomeTree作为共享异速方程的国际网络平台,逐渐受到全球高度关注。当前,为促进该项国际合作,针对当前该平台缺乏中国主要树种生长异速方程的现状,系统性更新标准化中国主要树种树高-胸径方程。由于树冠和下部灌木及草丛遮挡,树高相对于胸径测量具有一定的难度,因此需要使用数学工具进行计算。选取了36个树种为材料构建树高-胸径关系方程,以全国主要树种的二元材积模型、各地区一元材积表为基础材料,以取样径阶为1 cm间隔所生成1692组树高-胸径数据作为建立方程样本,1238组外业调查数据为验证样本。建模结果表明:36个主要树种的1692组树高-胸径数据建立的全国通用性树高-胸径方程拟合相关系数(R2)为0.801,方程拟合结果较好,说明可以通过测定胸径,带入树高(H,m)-胸径(D,cm)方程(H=aDb)预估树高;对36个主要树种的树高-胸径方程进行拟合,决定系数R2值均大于0.916,平均误差(ME)、平均绝对误差(MAE)和均方根误差(RMSE)相对较小,方程整体精度较高,可广泛推广;将外业采集的1238组树高-胸径数据,根据36个主要树种树高-胸径方程拟合公式及参数估计值a、b进行方程精度验证,方程预测的平均相对误差为16.86%,在误差允许范围内,并且模型形式规范,可为GlobalAllomeTree平台用户提供科学参考。

Community ecology and spatial distribution of trees in a tropical wet evergreen forest in Kaptai national park in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

We investigated the floristic composition, woody species diversity and spatial distribution of trees in a tropical wet evergreen forest in Kaptai national park in Chittagong Hill Tracks, Bangladesh. We recorded 25 families, 37 genera, 40 species and 1771 woody individuals in a 0.09 ha plot. Euphorbiaceae and Moraceae were the most species- rich families, and Castanopsis, Ficus and Terminaliawere the most species-rich genera. Bursera serrata Wall. ex Colebr. was the dominant species in terms of highest importance value （13%）. Trema orientalis （L.） B1 was typically a light demanding species as it appeared in the top can- opy with only one individual having the seventh highest IV, but had no regeneration. The expected maximum number of species （Smax） was 140, indicating that many species may invade the forest as the Sm~ is greater than the recorded total number of species. The nature of the disappear- ance and appearance of species in the present forest reflects instability of floristic composition. The values of Shannon＇s index H＇ and Pielou＇s index J＇ （evenness） were 3.36 bit and 0.63, respectively. These values show moderately high species diversity as compared to other subtropical forests in the tropics. In addition, a sample area of 200 m2 in this forest would be sufficient for measuring the diversity indices H＂ and ,/＇, whereas the trend of J＇may indicate the rate of equality of individuals among the different species decreased with increasing area. The distribu- tion pattern for the total stand was completely random. However, the dominant species showed aggregate distribution for small areas, but random distribution for large areas. The spatial association between species showed that the strongest positive interspecific association occurred between Streblus asper Lour. and Castanea indica Roxh. （09 = 0.51）. As a whole, most species were weakly associated with each other, of which 58% species associations were completely negative. The result of cluster analysis showed that species pairs were spatially independent at all or most small clusters; stands of species from all clusters are mosa- ics of complete habitat and pioneer habitat. All patches in this forest community have similar habitat and regeneration niches, which could be a phenomenon for a young growth forest. Thus, the existence of habitat and regeneration niches may be an important factor in the maintenance of diversity in this forest.

系统功能语法视角下歌词“One Tree Hill”的及物性过程分析

歌词属于文学体裁中的一种,在语言学理论指导下对文学作品进行鉴赏,可使文本分析更具科学客观性。在功能语法及物性理论分析框架下对歌词"One Tree Hill"进行语篇分析,发现物质过程和环境成分数量上的前景化是造成"One Tree Hill"视觉感突出的语言学原因,对于表达作品主题、抒发作者情感和实现语篇目的具有重要的意义。由此表明,及物性过程是表达经验功能的重要手段,在歌曲主题意义和价值观构建上各具作用。

Differences in Tree Species Diversity and Soil Nutrient Status in a Tropical Sacred Forest Ecosystem on Niyamgiri Hill Range,Eastern Ghats,India

We have quantitatively analyzed the tree species diversity with respect to soil nutrient status in three sites of a sacred forest ecosystem of Niyamgiri hill range, Eastern Ghats, India. Extensive field surveys and sampling were conducted in 3 sites of the hill range： Site 1 Pterocarpus dominated forest （PTF） （19°40＇02.2＇＇ N and 83°21＇23.1＇＇ E）, Site 2 Mangifera dominated forest （MAF） （19°40＇02.8＇＇ N and 83°21＇40.8＇＇ E） and Site 3 Mixed forest （MIF） （19°36＇47.1＂ N and 83°21＇02.7＇＇ E）. A total of 28 families, 42 genera, 46 tree species, and 286 individual trees were recorded on an area of0.6 ha. Tree density varied between 470 and 49o individuals ha and average basal area between 3.16 and l0.04 m2 ha-1. Shannon Index （H＇） ranged from 2.34 to 4.53, Simpson＇s Index ranged from 0.07 to o.09, and equitability Index ranged from 0.7 to 1.34. The number of individuals was highest in the girth at breast height （GBH） class of 50-7o cm. The soil nutrient status of the three forest types was related to tree species diversity. The soil pH value of the three sites reflected the slightly acidic nature of the area. Species diversity was positively correlated with organic carbon and phosphorus and negatively with nitrogen, EC and pH. The results of the current study may be helpful to further develop a conservation planfor tree species in tropical sacred forest ecosystems.

基于自动终止准则改进的kd-tree粒子近邻搜索研究

对于大规模运动模拟问题而言,近邻点的搜索效率将对整体的运算效率产生显著影响。本文基于关联性分析建立kd-tree的最大深度dmax与粒子总数N的自适应关系式,提出了kd-tree自动终止准则,即ATC-kd-tree,同时还考虑了叶子节点大小阈值n_(0)对近邻搜索效率的影响。试验表明,ATC-kd-tree具有更高的近邻搜索效率,相较于不使用自动终止准则的kd-tree搜索效率最高提升46%,且适用性更强,可求解不同N值的近邻搜索问题,解决了粒子总数N发生改变时需要再次率定最大深度dmax的问题。同时,本文还提出了网格搜索法组合坐标下降法的两步参数优化算法GSCD法。通过2维阿米巴虫形状的参数优化试验发现,GSCD法可更为快速地率定ATC-kd-tree的可变参数,其优化效率比网格搜索法最高提升了205%,相较于改进网格搜索法最高提升了90%。研究结果表明,ATC-kd-tree和GSCD法不仅提高了近邻搜索的效率,也为复杂运动中近邻粒子搜索问题提供了一种更为高效的解决方案,能够显著降低计算资源的消耗,进一步提升模拟的精度和效率。

基于FP-tree的新能源汽车产业国际竞争力影响因素关联挖掘算法

为充分挖掘新能源汽车产业国际竞争力影响因素、探究价值增长点,提出了基于FP-tree的影响因素关联挖掘算法。通过构建国际竞争力各指标影响因素的关联规则,分析任意事务数据集中的关联数据,利用最小支持度参数minsup按照从上到下的方式搜索,确定最长的频繁项目集,采用FP-tree关联频繁项目集,设定分支关联性挖掘标准,实现了新能源汽车产业国际竞争力影响因素的挖掘。测试结果表明,设计算法的最小支持度和数据关联挖掘时间较短,置信度分析具有较高的稳定性。

Tree species diversity and utilities in a contracting lowland hillside rainforest fragment in Central Vietnam

Background： Within the highly bio-diverse ‘Northern Vietnam Lowland Rain Forests Ecoregion＇ only small, and mostly highly modified forestlands persist within vast exotic-species plantations. The aim of this study was to elucidate vegetation patterns of a secondary hillside rainforest remnant（elevation 120–330 m, 76 ha） as an outcome of natural processes, and anthropogenic processes linked to changing forest values.Methods： In the rainforest remnant tree species and various bio-physical parameters（relating to soils and terrain）were surveyed on forty 20 m × 20 m sized plots. The forest＇s vegetation patterns and tree diversity were analysed using dendrograms, canonical correspondence analysis, and other statistical tools.Results： Forest tree species richness was high（172 in the survey, 94 per hectare）, including many endemic species（〉16%; some recently described）. Vegetation patterns and diversity were largely explained by topography, with colline/sub-montane species present mainly along hillside ridges, and lowland/humid-tropical species predominant on lower slopes. Scarcity of high-value timber species reflected past logging, whereas abundance of light-demanding species, and species valued for fruits, provided evidence of human-aided forest restoration and ‘enrichment＇ in terms of useful trees. Exhaustion of sought-after forest products, and decreasing appreciation of non-wood products concurred with further encroachment of exotic plantations in between 2010 and 2015. Regeneration of rare tree species was reduced probably due to forest isolation.Conclusions： Despite long-term anthropogenic influences, remnant forests in the lowlands of Vietnam can harbor high plant biodiversity, including many endangered species. Various successive future changes（vanishing species, generalist dominance, and associated forest structural-qualitative changes） are, however, expected to occur in smal forest fragments.Lowland forest biodiversity can only be maintained if forest fragments maintain a certain size and/or are connected via corridors to larger forest networks. Preservation of the forests may be fostered using new economic incentive schemes.

Stress-assisted corrosion mechanism of 3Ni steel by using gradient boosting decision tree machining learning method

Traditional 3Ni weathering steel cannot completely meet the requirements for offshore engineering development,resulting in the design of novel 3Ni steel with the addition of microalloy elements such as Mn or Nb for strength enhancement becoming a trend.The stress-assisted corrosion behavior of a novel designed high-strength 3Ni steel was investigated in the current study using the corrosion big data method.The information on the corrosion process was recorded using the galvanic corrosion current monitoring method.The gradi-ent boosting decision tree(GBDT)machine learning method was used to mine the corrosion mechanism,and the importance of the struc-ture factor was investigated.Field exposure tests were conducted to verify the calculated results using the GBDT method.Results indic-ated that the GBDT method can be effectively used to study the influence of structural factors on the corrosion process of 3Ni steel.Dif-ferent mechanisms for the addition of Mn and Cu to the stress-assisted corrosion of 3Ni steel suggested that Mn and Cu have no obvious effect on the corrosion rate of non-stressed 3Ni steel during the early stage of corrosion.When the corrosion reached a stable state,the in-crease in Mn element content increased the corrosion rate of 3Ni steel,while Cu reduced this rate.In the presence of stress,the increase in Mn element content and Cu addition can inhibit the corrosion process.The corrosion law of outdoor-exposed 3Ni steel is consistent with the law based on corrosion big data technology,verifying the reliability of the big data evaluation method and data prediction model selection.

Rising utilization of stable isotopes in tree rings for climate change and forest ecology

Analyses of stable isotopes(C,O,H)in tree rings are increasingly important cross-disciplinary programs.The rapid development in this field documented in an increasing number of publications requires a comprehensive review.This study includes a bibliometric analysis-based review to better understand research trends in tree ring stable isotope research.Overall,1475 publications were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection for 1974-2023.The findings are that:(1)numbers of annual publications and citations increased since 1974.From 1974 to 1980,there were around two relevant publications per year.However,from 2020 to 2022,this rose sharply to 109 publications per year.Likewise,average article citations were less than four per year before 1990,but were around four per article per year after 2000;(2)the major subjects using tree ring stable isotopes include forestry,geosciences,and environmental sciences,contributing to 42.5%of the total during 1974-2023;(3)the top three most productive institutions are the Chinese Academy of Sciences(423),the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest,Snow and Landscape Research(227),and the University of Arizona(204).These achievements result from strong collaborations;(4)review papers,for example,(Dawson et al.,Annu Rev Ecol Syst 33:507-559,2002)and(McCarroll and Loader,Quat Sci Rev 23:771-801,2004),are among the most cited,with more than 1000 citations;(5)tree ring stable isotope studies mainly focus on climatology and ecology,with atmospheric CO_(2) one of the most popular topics.Since 2010,precipitation and drought have received increasing attention.Based on this analysis,the research stages,key findings,debated issues,limitations and direc-tions for future research are summarized.This study serves as an important attempt to understand the progress on the use of stable isotopes in tree rings,providing scientific guid-ance for young researchers in this field.

Comprehensive analyses of the proteome and ubiquitome revealed mechanism of high temperature accelerating petal abscission in tree peony

Tree peony(Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews)is a well-known ornamental plant with high economic value,but the short fluorescence is a key obstacle to its ornamental value and industry development.High temperature accelerates flower senescence and abscission,but the associated mechanisms are poorly understood.In this study,the tandem mass tag(TMT)proteome and label-free quantitative ubiquitome from tree peony cut flowers treated with 20℃for 0 h(RT0),20℃or 28℃for 60 h(RT60 or HT60)were examined based on morphological observation,respectively.Totally,6970 proteins and 1545 lysine ubiquitinated(Kub)sites in 844 proteins were identified.Hydrophilic residues(such as glutamate and aspartate)neighboring the Kub sites were in preference,and 36.01%of the Kub sites were located on the protein surface.The differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)and Kub-DEPs in HT60 vs RT60 were mainly enriched in ribosomal protein,protein biosynthesis,secondary metabolites biosynthesis,flavonoid metabolism,carbohydrate catabolism,and auxin biosynthesis and signaling revealed by GO and KEGG analysis,accompanying the increase of endogenous abscisic acid(ABA)accumulation and decrease of endogenous indoleacetic acid(IAA)level.Additionally,the expression patterns of six enzymes(SAMS,ACO,YUC,CHS,ANS and PFK)putatively with Kub modifications were analyzed by proteome and real-time quantitative RT-PCR.The cell-free degradation assays showed PsSAMS and PsACO proteins could be degraded via the 26 S proteasome system in tree peony flowers.Finally,a working model was proposed for the acceleration of flower senescence and abscission by high temperature.In summary,all results contributed to understanding the mechanism of flower senescence induced by high temperature and prolonging fluorescence in tree peony.

PsRGL1 negatively regulates chilling- and gibberellin-induced dormancy release by PsF-box1-mediated targeting for proteolytic degradation in tree peony

Tree peony bud endodormancy is a common survival strategy similar to many perennial woody plants in winter,and the activation of the GA signaling pathway is the key to breaking endodormancy.GA signal transduction is involved in many physiological processes.Although the GA-GID1-DELLA regulatory module is conserved in many plants,it has a set of specific components that add complexity to the GA response mechanism.DELLA proteins are key switches in GA signaling.Therefore,there is an urgent need to identify the key DELLA proteins involved in tree peony bud dormancy release.In this study,the prolonged chilling increased the content of endogenously active gibberellins.PsRGL1 among three DELLA proteins was significantly downregulated during chilling-and exogenous GA3-induced bud dormancy release by cell-free degradation assay,and a high level of polyubiquitination was detected.Silencing PsRGL1 accelerated bud dormancy release by increasing the expression of the genes associated with dormancy release,including PsCYCD,PsEBB1,PsEBB3,PsBG6,and PsBG9.Three F-box protein family members responded to chilling and GA3 treatments,resulting in PsF-box1 induction.Yeast two-hybrid and BiFC assays indicated that only PsF-box1 could bind to PsRGL1,and the binding site was in the C-terminal domain.PsF-box1 overexpression promoted dormancy release and upregulated the expression of the dormancy-related genes.In addition,yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays showed that PsF-box1 also interacted with PsSKP1 to form an E3 ubiquitin ligase.These findings enriched the molecular mechanism of the GA signaling pathway during dormancy release,and enhanced the understanding of tree peony bud endodormancy.

Study of tree shrew biology and models: A booming and prosperous field for biomedical research

The tree shrew(Tupaia belangeri)has long been proposed as a suitable alternative to non-human primates(NHPs)in biomedical and laboratory research due to its close evolutionary relationship with primates.In recent years,significant advances have facilitated tree shrew studies,including the determination of the tree shrew genome,genetic manipulation using spermatogonial stem cells,viral vector-mediated gene delivery,and mapping of the tree shrew brain atlas.However,the limited availability of tree shrews globally remains a substantial challenge in the field.Additionally,determining the key questions best answered using tree shrews constitutes another difficulty.Tree shrew models have historically been used to study hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection,myopia,and psychosocial stress-induced depression,with more recent studies focusing on developing animal models for infectious and neurodegenerative diseases.Despite these efforts,the impact of tree shrew models has not yet matched that of rodent or NHP models in biomedical research.This review summarizes the prominent advancements in tree shrew research and reflects on the key biological questions addressed using this model.We emphasize that intensive dedication and robust international collaboration are essential for achieving breakthroughs in tree shrew studies.The use of tree shrews as a unique resource is expected to gain considerable attention with the application of advanced techniques and the development of viable animal models,meeting the increasing demands of life science and biomedical research.

No effect of invasive tree species on aboveground biomass increments of oaks and pines in temperate forests

Prunus serotina and Robinia pseudoacacia are the most widespread invasive trees in Central Europe.In addition,according to climate models,decreased growth of many economically and ecologically important native trees will likely be observed in the future.We aimed to assess the impact of these two neophytes,which differ in the biomass range and nitrogen-fixing abilities observed in Central European conditions,on the relative aboveground biomass increments of native oaks Qucrcus robur and Q.petraea and Scots pine Pinus sylvestris.We aimed to increase our understanding of the relationship between facilitation and competition between woody alien species and overstory native trees.We established 72 circular plots(0.05 ha)in two different forest habitat types and stands varying in age in western Poland.We chose plots with different abundances of the studied neophytes to determine how effects scaled along the quantitative invasion gradient.Furthermore,we collected growth cores of the studied native species,and we calculated aboveground biomass increments at the tree and stand levels.Then,we used generalized linear mixed-effects models to assess the impact of invasive species abundances on relative aboveground biomass increments of native tree species.We did not find a biologically or statistically significant impact of invasive R.pseudoacacia or P.serotina on the relative aboveground,biomass increments of native oaks and pines along the quantitative gradient of invader biomass or on the proportion of total stand biomass accounted for by invaders.The neophytes did not act as native tree growth stimulators but also did not compete with them for resources,which would escalate the negative impact of climate change on pines and oaks.The neophytes should not significantly modify the carbon sequestration capacity of the native species.Our work combines elements of the per capita effect of invasion with research on mixed forest management.

Remaining Useful Life Prediction Method for Multi-Component System Considering Maintenance:Subsea Christmas Tree System as A Case Study

Maintenance is an important technical measure to maintain and restore the performance status of equipment and ensure the safety of the production process in industrial production,and is an indispensable part of prediction and health management.However,most of the existing remaining useful life(RUL)prediction methods assume that there is no maintenance or only perfect maintenance during the whole life cycle;thus,the predicted RUL value of the system is obviously lower than its actual operating value.The complex environment of the system further increases the difficulty of maintenance,and its maintenance nodes and maintenance degree are limited by the construction period and working conditions,which increases the difficulty of RUL prediction.An RUL prediction method for a multi-omponent system based on the Wiener process considering maintenance is proposed.The performance degradation model of components is established by a dynamic Bayesian network as the initial model,which solves the uncertainty of insufficient data problems.Based on the experience of experts,the degree of degradation is divided according to Poisson process simulation random failure,and different maintenance strategies are used to estimate a variety of condition maintenance factors.An example of a subsea tree system is given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Risk Assessment of Deep-Water Horizontal X-Tree Installation

Due to the high potential risk and many influencing factors of subsea horizontal X-tree installation,to guarantee the successful completion of sea trials of domestic subsea horizontal X-trees,this paper established a modular risk evaluation model based on a fuzzy fault tree.First,through the analysis of the main process oftree down and combining the Offshore&Onshore Reliability Data(OREDA)failure statistics and the operation procedure and the data provided by the job,the fault tree model of risk analysis of the tree down installation was established.Then,by introducing the natural language of expert comprehensive evaluation and combining fuzzy principles,quantitative analysis was carried out,and the fuzzy number was used to calculate the failure probability of a basic event and the occurrence probability of a top event.Finally,through a sensitivity analysis of basic events,the basic events of top events significantly affected were determined,and risk control and prevention measures for the corresponding high-risk factors were proposed for subsea horizontal X-tree down installation.

Identification of novel mammalian viruses in tree shrews(Tupaia belangeri chinensis)

The Chinese tree shrew(Tupaia belangeri chinensis),a member of the mammalian order Scandentia,exhibits considerable similarities with primates,including humans,in aspects of its nervous,immune,and metabolic systems.These similarities have established the tree shrew as a promising experimental model for biomedical research on cancer,infectious diseases,metabolic disorders,and mental health conditions.Herein,we used metatranscriptomic sequencing to analyze plasma,as well as oral and anal swab samples,from 105 healthy asymptomatic tree shrews to identify the presence of potential zoonotic viruses.In total,eight mammalian viruses with complete genomes were identified,belonging to six viral families,including Flaviviridae,Hepeviridae,Parvovirinae,Picornaviridae,Sedoreoviridae,and Spinareoviridae.Notably,the presence of rotavirus was recorded in tree shrews for the first time.Three viruses-hepacivirus 1,parvovirus,and picornavirus-exhibited low genetic similarity(<70%)with previously reported viruses at the whole-genome scale,indicating novelty.Conversely,three other viruses-hepacivirus 2,hepatovirus A and hepevirus-exhibited high similarity(>94%)to known viral strains.Phylogenetic analyses also revealed that the rotavirus and mammalian orthoreovirus identified in this study may be novel reassortants.These findings provide insights into the diverse viral spectrum present in captive Chinese tree shrews,highlighting the necessity for further research into their potential for crossspecies transmission.

基于TREE-LSTM算法的船舶汽轮机组变负荷故障诊断

针对船舶汽轮机组变负荷过程故障诊断中的耦合参数时序特征难以捕捉以及正常参数变动的干扰等问题,引入TREE-LSTM神经网络模型以实现复杂非线性系统动态数据分类。首先建立某船舶汽轮机组仿真模型,分析并进行故障仿真;随后进行数据预处理与特征工程;最后训练TREE-LSTM模型进行故障诊断,并与SVM、LSTM等模型进行比较。TREE-LSTM模型对于船舶汽轮机组变负荷过程的故障诊断正确率为98.7%,正确率最高。由于引入时间序列与复杂神经网络拓扑结构,TREE-LSTM在处理非线性系统动态数据分类问题时效果更好。

基于Extra Tree Classifier的水质安全建模预测

随着工业化和城市化的快速发展,水质安全问题日益受到关注。本研究利用一个包含7999条数据记录的水质分析数据集,涵盖多种化学物质浓度测量值与安全阈值,以及“是否安全”分类变量,运用Extr aTree Classifier模型进行水质安全建模预测及数据分析。本研究目的在于提供一个可靠的模型,以帮助决策者和相关部门更好地监测和维护水质安全,从而保障公众健康和环境可持续发展。

Short lifespan and ‘prime period’ of carbon sequestration call for multi-ages in dryland tree plantations

Enhancing forest cover is important for effective climate change mitigation.Studies suggest that drylands are promising areas for expanding forests,but conflicts arise with increased forest area and water consumption.Recent tree mortality in drylands raises concerns about carbon sequestration potential in tree plantations.Using Chinese dryland tree plantations as an example,we compared their growth with natural forests.Our results suggested plantation trees grew 1.6–2.1 times faster in juvenile phases,significantly shortening time to maturity(13.5 vs.30 years)compared to natural forests,potentially stemming from simple plantation age structures.Different from natural forests,74%of trees in plantations faced growth decline,indicating a short“prime period”for carbon sequestration and even a short lifespan.Additionally,a negative relationship between evapotranspiration and tree growth was observed in tree plantations since maturity,leading to high sensitivities of trees to vapor pressure deficit and soil water.However,this was not observed in natural forests.To address this,we suggest afforestation in drylands should consider complex age structures,ensuring a longer prime period for carbon sequestration and life expectancy in tree plantations.