Field measurements of forest biomass are labor-consuming and usually destructive, but such direct datasets are the foundation for further developing indirect estimation such as biomass equation and biomass expansion factors that were used to scale biomass estimation or carbon storage from site or local surveys up to regional or national level. Pinus massoniana is widely distributed throughout 17 provinces of China and has a high economic value. This study is an updated review of the allometric equations, biomass allocation data and productivity estimations in Pinus massoniana forests of China published in articles during the period from 1982 to 2019. Different allometric equations of Pinus massoniana showed site-specific dependences. The aboveground and total tree biomass were expressed as power equations of mean age for Pinus massoniana forests. The mean value of aboveground tree biomass, total tree biomass and ecosystem biomass across all ages for Masson pine forests was 109.81, 127.65 and 138.76 Mg/ha, respectively. The mean proportion of stem, branch and foliage to aboveground tree biomass for Pinus massoniana was 77.1%, 15.9% and 7%, respectively. The tree root biomass continuously increased with the aboveground tree biomass and a power relationship was found between the tree root biomass and aboveground tree biomass for Pinus massoniana forests. The tree net primary productivity increased with aboveground tree biomass for Pinus massoniana forests, and the relationship was expressed as a linear equation. The mean tree, litter and ecosystem net primary productivity was 7.04, 4.88 and 8.30 Mg/ha/year, respectively. These findings provide key parameters for the biomass estimation and carbon accounting studies of widely planted Pinus massoniana forests in China.

Nondestructive methods to estimate leaf area (LA) by leaf length (L) and/or width (W) are useful in plant physiology and ecology studies. However, both environmental and ontogenic factors may influence leaf size and/or shape, which may alter the coefficient of LA models. We carried an investigation along an altitudinal gradient in the Sergyemla Mountains, southeast Tibet. In August 2009, we selected nine sites at about every 50 m in altitude from 4,250 m to 4,640 m a.s.l. A total of 4,245 different leaf-aged Rhododendron aganniphum var. schizopeplum (a dominant overstory species) leaves were measured. Compared with the single dimensional models, the two-dimensional model encompassing both L and W (model 5) reflected higher R² (0.98–0.99) and lower MSE (1.19–3.21) across different leaf age groups for each site, implying that such model could provide the best fit for LA estimation. Analysis of covariance further illustrated that two leaf dimensions model was irrespective of leaf age effects in eight out of the nine sites. Leaf shape (L:W ratio) varied between sites and tended to decrease at higher altitudes (4500–4640 m a.s.l.), leading to significant differences in coefficients of the two-dimension model between every two adjacent sites. For overstory species in alpine habitats, altitude rather than leaf age may affect leaf shape which alters the coefficients of LA estimation models. Since leaf shape of different species (overstory species versus understory ones) may show different responses to a certain environmental gradient, researchers must pay attention to the variation of leaf shape when estimating species-specific LA by measuring L and W, especially when leaves of the top overstory species were collected at different sites.

The ant species Lasius (Lasius) brunneus (Latr.) and L. (Dendrolasius) fuliginosus (Latr.) are known mutualists of the myrmecophilous giant tree aphids of the genus Stomaphis Walk. Species of the Lasius subgenus Chthonolasius Ruzs., which live cryptically underground, have not been considered regular mutualists of those aphids. They often nest close to the known mutualists with which they are through their mutual colony developments intimately interrelated – as temporary social parasites of L. brunneus or temporary hosts of L. fuliginosus. Such a constellation raises the question about contacts of L. (Chthonolasius) species with Stomaphis aphids. Here, we describe modes of interaction between L. (Chthonolasius) umbratus (Nyl.) and S. graffii Cholod. which is usually hosted by L. (L.) brunneus. Our field data from Poland and elsewhere in Europe, together with published information, support our view that also L. (Ch.) umbratus and other underground-living species of the subgenus Chthonolasius are true mutualists of Stomaphis which take care of the aphids. Such ants differ by their protective behaviour from ants which prey on or only exploit aphids. The co-occurrence of L. (Chthonolasius) species with Stomaphis aphids has hitherto been relatively rarely reported, which probably is due to the cryptic lifestyle of these ants. We discuss the complex interrelations among the above Lasius F. species which belong to separate levels of social parasitism, and their relations with Stomaphis aphids. We also suggest that L. (Chthonolasius) species, which in the socially-parasitic hierarchy are located between Lasius s. str. and L. (Dendrolasius), may serve as transmitters of Stomaphis aphids from the former to the latter species.

Feral dogs can negatively impact wildlife through predation, fear interceded behavioural changes, harassment, hybridisation, and disease transmission. Thus, the presence of feral dogs in nature reserves poses a major problem for wildlife conservation. In this study, we recorded the effects of free-roaming dogs (Canis familiaris) on wildlife species in a protected Mediterranean forest reserve in southern Turkey. By using camera traps and line transects we sought to understand how the presence of feral dogs impacted the main wildlife species in the study area. Applying presence-absence transect surveys and camera trapping techniques to estimate animal occurrence we covered approximately 97,00 ha and recorded 4209 images over a 154-week period. We found that the presence of feral dogs was significantly correlated with the movement of frequently observed wildlife species. Based on transect surveys, the species significantly affected by dog presence were fallow deer (Dama dama), wild boar (Sus scrofa), beech marten (Martes foina), badger (Meles meles), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Based on the camera trap data, fallow deer were negatively affected and wild boar not affected by dog occurrence while wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and caracal (Caracal caracal) were positively affected. The occurrence of wild boars, wild goats, hares, beech martens, red foxes and caracals across our study area increased with distance from agricultural land, while the occurrence of deer decreased. Overall, our findings suggest that the presence of dogs has a strong influence on wildlife in our study reserve. Since protected areas often are a final refuge for many of the species observed in this study, there is a need to take urgent measures to prevent feral dog impacts on wildlife and to reduce feral dog populations in wildlife reserves.