<br />The paper examines the impact ofbiotic factors – mainly pests and pathogens – onthe degradation of<i>Betula</i>spp. inthe forests ofUkrainian Polissia. The taxonomic structure ofthe identified mycobiota includes representatives of9 genera, 8 families, 5orders, 4 classes, and two divisions (Ascomycota 44.4%, Basidiomycota 55.6%). Xylotrophic Basidiomycetes, particularly <i>Fomitopsis betulina</i> and <i>Fomes fomentarius</i>, pose the greatest threat due totheir ability todestroy wood tissues. The bacterial pathogen <i>Lelliottia nimipressuralis</i>, the agent ofwetwood, also plays amajor role, impairing xylem water transport and causing systemic physiological imbalance inaffected trees. Entomofauna significantly contributes todegradation processes. Atotal of31 insect species were recorded, belonging tofive orders, 24 families, and 29 genera, with Coleoptera being the most numerous (32.3%). The most harmful are xylophagous species (e.g.<i>Agrilus betuleti</i>, <i>Rhagium mordax</i>) and phytophagous species (e.g.<i>Geometra papilionaria</i>, <i>Parornix betulae</i>), which cause mechanical tissue damage and facilitate secondary infections. The results indicate that pathogenic complexes intensify under environmental stress, accelerating the decline of<i>Betula</i> spp. stands. These findings underscore the necessity for ongoing phytosanitary monitoring and adaptive management measures to mitigate further degradation risks in the birch forests of Polissia.

Forest management of durmast oak stands [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.] is focused on the production of high-quality assortments for the furniture industry. Due to various forest management factors and impacts of climate change, their vitality and quality are often reduced. Sudden illumination of the oak trunk caused by management cuts can lead to epicormic shoot formation. This study compared two localities and nine long-term research plots at the stand age of 62–68 years in Slovakia. While one locality was affected by the massive dieback of oak in the past, the other was not. The epicormic shoot occurrence was monitored separately in the lower and upper parts of the trunk, depending on selected quantitative tree parameters and on the various management methods. The formation of epicormic shoot was influenced especially by DBH, crown width and crown volume. The occurrence of shoots was always markedly higher in the upper part of the trunk compared to the lower one. During a 35-year period, the development of the proportion of epicormic shoots in the lower part of the trunk in the locality with massive dieback of oak confirmed a higher occurrence on control plots compared to the managed plots with thinning interventions. It showed that the occurrence of epicormic shoots in durmast oak stands was influenced not only by different methods of management but also by the dieback effect in the past. Promoting more intensive thinning in early-stage oak stands is advised, as it prompts trees to develop larger crowns with limiting formation of epicormic shoots.

Global climate change (GCC) and increasing drought frequency pose athreat tothe stability ofEuropean forests, particularly those ofNorway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] plantations. Weinvestigated how different pre-commercial thinning (PCT) intensities affect leaf area index (LAI) and its relationship tosoil water content (SWC) inyoung spruce stands innortheastern Czechia. Three permanent research plots ina13-year-old monoculture were subjected tomild PCT, heavy PCT, orleft asanunthinned control inwinter 2019/2020. Thinning caused animmediate decrease inLAI, with averages of8.3 ±1.1 m2·m–2 (mild), 3.8 ±0.5 m2·m–2 (heavy) and 11.1 ±1.1 m2·m–2 (control) in2020. By2023, LAI inthe mildly thinned stand had largely converged with the control, whereas the heavily thinned stand maintained significantly lower LAI. The strongest relationship between LAI and SWC occurred inthe heavily thinned plot (R2 =0.715 in2021), while correlations were weak ortransient inthe mildly thinned and control plots. These results indicate that PCT intensity influences both the magnitude and duration ofLAI reduction and isassociated with differences instand water dynamics. Appropriately adjusted thinning may therefore modestly affect water availability and could contribute toadaptive management ofspruce forests under GCC.

Asaconsequence ofclimate change and damage toconiferous forests, European beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) isthe preferred plant species for forest restoration inCentral Europe. European beech isgenerally regarded aspest-resistant. However, its vulnerability tosecondary pests, for instance, gall-forming midges, may increase with environmental stress such aslong drought periods. Weanalysed the abundance oftwo gall-forming insects, <i>Mikiola fagi </i>and<i>Hartigiola annulipes</i>, onEuropean beech at26 forest sites across the Czech Republic, spanning diverse climatic and environmental conditions, using generalised linear mixed models toevaluate the effects ofabiotic factors and host tree characteristics. The results revealed that <i>M. fagi</i> was more abundant onyounger trees, instands with lower canopy closure, and under warmer spring conditions. Incontrast, the abundance of<i>H. annulipes </i>declined indrought-affected areas. These patterns demonstrate species-specific responses ofgall midges tohost tree characteristics and climatic variables, suggesting that climate change may favour higher <i>M. fagi</i> abundance. Accordingly, our findings support the establishment of young beech stands under higher canopy closure, for example, beneath the shading of mature trees.

Northern red oak (<i>Quercus rubra</i> L.) isanimportant introduced tree species inHungary, particularly inthe Nyrsg region. This study investigates its diameter growth (<i>DBH</i>) insix forest subcompartments, with stand ages ranging from 20 to71 years. 5- and 25-year diameter increments were calculated. The distribution ofdiameter and diameter increment values was also determined. The results show significant growth across all sites. For example, quadratic mean diameter (<i>QMD</i>) increased from 16.4 cm to30.4 cm over 25years inthe forest subcompartment Encsencs 12A, and from 20.3 cm to38.4 cm infehrt 2A. Five-year <i>DBH</i> increments ranged from 1.8 cm (±0.8) inolder stands to4.2 cm (±0.5) inyounger ormiddle-aged stands. The findings confirm <i>Q. rubra</i>'s capacity for steady diameter growth in northeastern Hungary and contribute valuable growth data for future yield modelling and forest management strategies.

Due topast human activities, Abies alba Mill. (European silver fir) now covers only 0.7% ofthe forest area inthe Sudety Mountains. Alarge-scale restitution program has been launched toproduce, plant, and effectively protect over 200 million seedlings. This study aims tovalidate commonly used seedling stock types and provide critical insights into identifying the most effective one. Three-year-old bareroot seedlings were produced inthe open-canopy nursery (3/0) orunder-canopy nurseries inScots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) (3/0 Sp) orNorway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst] (3/0 Ns) stands. Two stocks were produced in a greenhouse and transplanted to an open-canopy nursery (2/1) after the second year or into containers designed by Kosterkiewicz (2/1 K). Seedlings have been planted in four regions in the Sudety Mountains. Two performance characteristics have been measured: height and survival rate. Our findings demonstrate a clear gradient in sapling performance among seedling stock types (survival rate): 2/1 K (81%), 3/0 (73%), 3/0 Sp (73%), 2/1 (70%), 3/0 Ns (62%). This paper has shown that under favourable environmental conditions, bareroot seedlings can sufficiently achieve stable regeneration. Containerised seedlings perform better in harsher and more challenging microclimatic or trophic conditions. Kosterkiewicz's method presents a relatively low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative for silver fir restitution.

Dragon trees, arborescent members ofthe genus <i>Dracaena</i> (Asparagaceae), provide awide range ofecosystem services and have been ethnobotanically important plants since ancient times. Currently, their relictual distribution isfragmented, populations are isolated and often under threat. Weprovide abrief overview ofscientific studies and the state ofknowledge ondragon trees published since 2020, when the last review was published. More than 120 papers dealing with dragon trees have appeared, indicating asignificant interest intheir research, cultural uses and conservation. The most intensively investigated species are <i>Dracaena cochinchinensis</i>, <i>D. cinnabari</i>, <i>D. draco</i> and <i>D. cambodiana</i>. Almost half of the papers deal with the chemical composition of resin and its bioactivity, in addition to studies on ecology, conservation and genetics. Only a few studies are devoted to taxonomy and ethnobotany.

Scattered Greek juniper (<i>Juniperus excelsa</i> M. Bieb.) trees have ecological values, such as soil protection and soil erosion reduction in the Irano-Turanian region; however, intensive exploitation puts their habitats at risk. Therefore, knowing the soil characteristics of these habitats plays an important role in their management. The aim of this study was to investigate the soil quality of semi-arid woodlands dominated by a pure <i>Juniperus</i> <i>excelsa</i> community. At three sites in the Irano-Turanian region, soil samples were randomly taken from a depth of 0–20 cm in the eastern direction under the crowns of Greek juniper trees and from bare soil. The evaluated physical properties included bulk density (<i>Bd</i>), moisture, sand percentage, silt percentage and clay. Chemical properties included pH, electrical conductivity (<i>EC</i>), organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and nutrient concentrations of bare soil compared to the below-crown soil. Additionally, we investigated basal respiration (<i>BR</i>) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) to evaluate the influence of Greek juniper trees on soil microbial activity. The bulk density value in samples taken under crowns was significantly lower by 42% compared to bare soil; however, significantly higher soil moisture (+39.8%) was obtained under tree crowns. Although clay and sand content under tree crowns was significantly higher than that of bare soil, sand content under tree crowns was significantly lower than in bare soil. According to our findings, soil pH under tree crowns and in bare soil was 7.13, which increased to 7.67 in bare soil. Soil <i>EC</i> (+15%), SOC (+76%), and TN (+29%) were significantly higher under tree crowns. The concentrations of magnesium and sodium were similar between bare and below-crown soils, but significantly higher phosphorus (+46%), potassium (+41%), calcium (+31.1%), iron (43.3), and zinc (+56.6%) were observed under Greek juniper crowns. Soil microbial activity was higher under tree crowns compared to bare soil, as evidenced by significantly increased <i>BR</i> (+49.1%) and MBC (+43.5%). Our findings indicate that scattered Greek juniper trees can improve soil properties, and their destruction leads to a significant decrease in soil quality. Generally, planting Greek juniper seedlings in degraded areas can help restore the soil quality.

Eucalyptus plantations are an important source of raw materials for the Thai forest products industry. Despite its economic value, only a few noncomprehensive papers have been published about the wood properties and fungal susceptibility of eucalyptus. Our study covered the most commonly used commercial eucalyptus clones with a wide variety of sizes from eastern Thailand. We assumed that the properties of the clones would differ based on the tree sizes. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of diameter at breast height (<i>DBH</i>), size, and clone type on wood properties and mould susceptibility. The optimal usage of each log characteristic based on the log quality and properties could be used to determine the maximum payoff. The wood properties and log characteristics of five eucalyptus log classes with three clones were investigated. In general, the levels of means and standard deviations were as follows: the modulus of rupture (<i>MOR</i>) was between 39 ±Â 4.9 MPa and 66 ±Â 5.4 MPa, and the modulus of elasticity (<i>MOE</i>) was between 14.5 ±Â 9.7 GPa and 24.0 ±Â 2.7 GPa. In addition, the compression parallel to the grain was between 28 ±Â 3.2 MPa and 43 ±Â 2.4 MPa, and the compression perpendicular to the grain was between 13 ±Â 0.7 MPa and 19 ±Â 1.1 MPa. The shear strength parallel to the grain was between 10 ±Â 0.3 MPa and 14 ±Â 0.6 MPa. The cleavage and hardness were from 4.7 ±Â 1.6 N to 7.4 ±Â 0.9 N and from 3.6 ±Â 0.3 kN to 6.2 ±Â 0.6 kN, respectively. The toughness and nail withdrawal were from 27.3 ±Â 3.5 kN·mm^–1 to 50.5 ±Â 1.0 kN·mm^–1 and from 28.56 ±Â 4.1 N·mm^–1 to 34.52 ±Â 2.8 N·mm^–1, respectively. Eucalyptus clone K7 had lower <i>MOR</i> and other mechanical properties than clones K58 and K62 except <i>MOE</i>. When <i>DBH</i> increased, the mechanical and physical property values increased as well. This happened for all clones, and especially when <i>DBH</i> was over 200 mm. The results of this study showed that log characteristics, such as taper, slenderness, and crookedness, should be used for log grading standards and that each fast-growing eucalyptus clone could be applied to different product classes.

The objective of the presented research was to create an average image of a harvester operator in Poland and to identify factors influencing the degree of mental workload. We used a survey of environmental assessments of workload. The creation of an electronic survey and the support of a company that indirectly employs operators (State Forests) made it possible to reach a large group of surveyed people. The respondents indicated the occurrence of ailments typical of sedentary work at the researched workstation. These included mainly monotony, back pain and numbness in the upper limbs. Stress at work was felt by the majority of respondents; hence the analyses of mental stress, which also translates into other diseases, should indicate key responses to questions regarding comprehensive ergonomic assessments at the researched workstation.