Climate for biodiversity - INSTYTUT DENDROLOGII

We kindly invite you to listen to the workshop led by Prof. Paweł Chmielarz, Dr. Mikołaj K. Wawrzyniak and Dr. Jan Suszka, titled “A kitchen full of seeds and agar.”

Seeds have developed a range of diverse traits that regulate their germination. During the workshop, we will present research methods and tests that enable proper storage of woody species seeds under controlled conditions and allow for a closer examination of the seed germination process and seedling growth. We will also demonstrate how to break seeds out of a deep physiological dormancy. Furthermore, we will introduce modern approaches to preserving genetic resources in the form of seeds. The results of our research are applied in forestry practice and in gene banks.

Details: Written by: Ewa Kalemba; Category: Climate for biodiversity; Published: July 10, 2025; Hits: 27

We kindly invite you to listen to the workshop led by Prof. Ewa M. Kalemba, titled “Visualization and measurement of reactive oxygen species in germinating seeds.”

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) serve a signaling function during seed germination and enable the development of normal seedlings. They are produced in the apical meristem of the embryonic root. For visualization, a specific substrate is used that is converted into a precipitate visible to the naked eye. A brown color indicates the site of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) synthesis, whereas black indicates the superoxide anion (O₂^•–). Subsequently, their quantities are precisely measured.

Details: Written by: E. Ratajczak, H. Fuchs, J. Kijowska-Oberc; Category: Climate for biodiversity; Published: June 30, 2025; Hits: 64

We kindly invite you to listen to the workshop led by Prof. Ewelina Ratajczak, Dr. Hanna Fuchs and M.Sc. Joanna Kijowska-Oberc, titled “Biodiversity measured by breath.”

Tree seeds differ not only in shape and size but also in biochemical traits, such as respiration rate. This rate is influenced by the climatic conditions in which the seeds mature. High temperatures and low precipitation accelerate the aging process of seeds, reducing their respiration rate. Consequently, the germination process—crucial for preserving forest biodiversity—becomes disrupted. By using the Agilent Seahorse XFp device, it is possible to monitor respiration in seed cells to identify those most resistant to environmental stress caused by global warming.

We kindly invite you to listen to the workshop led by Dr. Katarzyna Rawlik and Dr. Paweł Horodecki, titled “Live and let die” – thoughts on decomposition.

Litter is the topmost layer of soil, consisting of at least 20% dead organic matter. Decomposition (the breakdown of organic matter), alongside photosynthesis, is a key process related to the cycling of matter, elements, and energy in nature. Research on the rate of decomposition is essential for understanding the consequences of changes in plant biodiversity for ecosystem functioning. During the workshop, we will present, step by step, the litter bag method, which is commonly used in studies of the decomposition process.

Details: Written by: Paweł Horodecki; Category: Climate for biodiversity; Published: June 16, 2025; Hits: 109

We kindly invite you to listen to the workshop led by Dr. Paweł Horodecki, titled “Light and Darkness. Life and Death. Where Is My Place?”—asked the forest floor plants.

What is the significance of the intensity of diffuse light reaching the forest floor for understory plants, as well as for the natural regeneration of trees and shrubs? How should one carry out the measurements? What research equipment should be used? How should the results be interpreted? The LAI-2200 plant canopy analyzer is a device used, among other things, to measure the intensity of diffuse light and the leaf area index of a stand—parameters that serve as the core or an important backdrop for numerous ecological studies.

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