scholarly journals The Quantity and Biochemical Composition of Sap Collected from Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth) Trees Growing in Different Soils

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 365
Author(s):  
Justas Mingaila ◽  
Dovilė Čiuldienė ◽  
Pranas Viškelis ◽  
Edmundas Bartkevičius ◽  
Vladas Vilimas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biochemical Composition ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Nutrient Contents ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth ◽  
Market Sector ◽  
Birch Trees ◽  
Crown Base Height ◽  
Mineral Soils ◽  
Different Soils

Birch sap is colourless or slightly opalescent and is traditionally drunk in spring. Currently, birch sap is becoming more important in the market sector as well as to pharmacy companies due to its biochemical composition and use in a wide variety of products. To extract good quality sap using birch resources in a sustainable way, there is a need to investigate the influence of the dendrometric parameters of birch trees and soil properties on the quantity and chemical composition of birch sap. This study is performed in five silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) forest stands growing in Histosol, Luvisol and Arenosol with different moisture and nutrient contents. The results indicated that the most productive silver birch trees for sap harvesting were taller than 28 m, had a diameter at breast height over 40 cm and a crown base height greater than 19 m. Additionally, the highest quantity of birch sap was harvested from trees growing in well-aerated mineral soils (Arenosol and Luvisol) with normal moisture content. However, the sweetest birch sap was harvested from trees growing in nutrient-rich organic (undrained peatland Histosol) and temporarily flooded mineral (Luvisol) soils.

scholarly journals Towards Silviculture Guidelines to Produce Large-Sized Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth) Logs in Western Europe

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 599
Author(s):  
Héloïse Dubois ◽  
Hugues Claessens ◽  
Gauthier Ligot
Keyword(s):  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Forest Health ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth ◽  
Crown Diameter ◽  
Birch Trees ◽  
Timber Tree ◽  
Northeastern France

Forest health problems arising from climate change, pests and pathogens are a threat to the main timber tree species. As a result, silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) has become a precious asset for meeting oncoming forestry challenges in western Europe. However, silviculture guidelines to produce high-value birch logs in this region are lacking. Producing large-sized birch trunks requires crown release, i.e., removing crown competitors around selected target trees. These interventions are currently seldom carried out or else too late when the growth potential of the trees has already diminished. This study set out to ascertain the diameter at breast height (dbh) that could be reached by crown-released birch, determine dbh-associated crown diameters, and further characterize the gain obtained from early crown release on birch dbh growth. We measured 704 birch trees that had undergone crown release in 38 naturally regenerated pure birch stands in southern Belgium and in northeastern France. We then evaluated the variation in stem and crown diameter, and analyzed increments in response to the earliness of the interventions in three subsamples, also compared with control target birch. We found that trees with a dbh of 50 cm could be grown within 60 years. Based on crown diameter, to produce 40, 50 and 60 cm dbh trunk, the distance required between target birch trees at the end of the rotation was around 8, 10 and 12 m. With no intervention and in ordinary dense birch regenerations, the dbh increment was found to decline once the stand reached age 4–7 years. Starting crown release in stands aged 4–5 years can double the dbh increment of target trees and provide a continual gain that may last up to 20 years. When birch crowns are released after 9–12 years, it may already be too late for them to recover their best growth rate. Our contribution should help complete emerging guidelines in support of birch silviculture development.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Antioxidative Mechanisms In Vitro and Triterpenes Composition of Extracts from Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth) and Black Birch (Betula obscura Kotula) Barks by FT-IR and HPLC-PDA

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (15) ◽  
pp. 4633
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Ostapiuk ◽  
Łukasz Kurach ◽  
Maciej Strzemski ◽  
Jacek Kurzepa ◽  
Anna Hordyjewska
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Biologically Active Substances ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Outer Bark ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth ◽  
Production Of Hydrogen ◽  
Active Substances

Silver birch, Betula pendula Roth, is one of the most common trees in Europe. Due to its content of many biologically active substances, it has long been used in medicine and cosmetics, unlike the rare black birch, Betula obscura Kotula. The aim of the study was therefore to compare the antioxidant properties of extracts from the inner and outer bark layers of both birch trees towards the L929 line treated with acetaldehyde. Based on the lactate dehydrogenase test and the MTT test, 10 and 25% concentrations of extracts were selected for the antioxidant evaluation. All extracts at tested concentrations reduced the production of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion radical, and 25% extract decreased malonic aldehyde formation in acetaldehyde-treated cells. The chemical composition of bark extracts was accessed by IR and HPLC-PDA methods and surprisingly, revealed a high content of betulin and lupeol in the inner bark extract of B. obscura. Furthermore, IR analysis revealed differences in the chemical composition of the outer bark between black and silver birch extracts, indicating that black birch may be a valuable source of numerous biologically active substances. Further experiments are required to evaluate their potential against neuroinflammation, cancer, viral infections, as well as their usefulness in cosmetology.

Does lignin modification affect feeding preference or growth performance of insect herbivores in transgenic silver birch (Betula pendula Roth)?

Planta ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 222 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Tiimonen ◽  
Tuija Aronen ◽  
Tapio Laakso ◽  
Pekka Saranpää ◽  
Vincent Chiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Feeding Preference ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Insect Herbivores ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth ◽  
Lignin Modification

Phytoremediation of zinc contaminated soils using silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth)

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 32-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Dmuchowski ◽  
Dariusz Gozdowski ◽  
Paulina Brągoszewska ◽  
Aneta Helena Baczewska ◽  
Irena Suwara
Keyword(s):  
Contaminated Soils ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth

scholarly journals Genetic Analysis by nuSSR Markers of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth) Populations in Their Southern European Distribution Range

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanbattista D. de Dato ◽  
Angela Teani ◽  
Claudia Mattioni ◽  
Filippos Aravanopoulos ◽  
Evangelia V. Avramidou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Analysis ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth ◽  
European Distribution

scholarly journals Effects of Predicted Reduced Summer Rainfall on Growth and Development of Silver Birch (Betula Pendula Roth) and Downy Birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh)

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
Dhirendar Kumar Pradhan ◽  
Christine Cahalan ◽  
Sunita Ulak
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Betula Pubescens ◽  
Silver Birch ◽  
Betula Pendula Roth ◽  
Downy Birch ◽  
Betula Pubescens Ehrh

Climate is one of the major factors that govern the distribution of tree species. Climate change has already affected the growth, structure and distribution of trees and woodlands. Global climate change projections are wetter winters, drier summers and significance changes in temperature regimes in the next few decades. The main objective of this study was to experimentally demonstrate the effects of decline in summer rainfall, as predicted by UKCP09/IPCC, on height and diameter growth in two co-occurring silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh) and provide further understanding of the changes in growth and development in response to a decrease in water availability. One-year-old seedlings were grown in a temperature-controlled greenhouse for eight weeks in a split-plot experimental design. Their height and diameter were measured and analyzed. Result showed that plant height and diameter was significantly reduced with increased water stress. B. pendula showed higher physiological traits indicating that this species can perform better than B. pubescensin water-deficit conditions.

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