No abstract

(18)Information on public attitudes towards the use of transgenic trees in forest plantations is important in the decision-making process and policy implementation for safe tree development, particularly at the EU level. In Europe, the use of transgenic forest trees is very limited and therefore such information is completely lacking. To address this issue within the FP0905 European COST Action on the Biosafety of Transgenic Forest Trees a pioneer cross-country pilot survey on public attitudes towards the use of transgenic forest trees was conducted using young population as a focus group. This was decided mainly because this focus group represents the future consumers, policy makers or developers. Specifically, the survey aimed to: i) assess the level of young people's knowledge about transgenic forest trees, ii) identify issues of concern to them regarding the cultivation of transgenic forest trees and iii) explore whether they approve or disapprove of the use of transgenic forest trees in plantations. Purposive sampling was performed and university students of different disciplines were included in the research as sampling subjects. In total, 1868 completed questionnaires from 15 European and nonEuropean countries were analyzed. The young educated people that took part in the survey appeared to approve of the use of transgenic forest trees in plantations and would be willing to buy forest transgenic products. The potential loss of biodiversity due to a risk of gene flow between transgenic and wild trees was seen as the safety issue of most concern when considering the commercial release of transgenic forest trees. However, a serious perceived lack of knowledge about potential benefits and risks of the cultivation of transgenic forest trees was recorded in most of the countries. K-means clustering was implemented on respondents' positive responses to identify potential country patterns. No differences in patterns of public attitude towards the acceptance of the commercial growing of transgenic forest trees were observed between European and non-European countries. Extended research on public attitude issues towards the use of transgenic forest trees is strongly recommended as a basis for policy implementation on safe tree development.

In future, prolonged summer drought and heat will constitute a major risk for the cultivation of shallow-rooting beech in Central Europe and will negatively affect the productivity of beech forests. In a pot experiment under controlled conditions, the influence of long-term (28 d) water deprivation on nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphate (P i ), and ascorbate (ASC) concentrations was examined in leaves and fine roots of beech seedlings (Fagus sylvatica L.) from six provenances originating from Central Europe (Germany: Neidenstein and Illertissen, intermediate habitats), the Balkan peninsula (Croatia: Zagreb and Gospic, wet habitats), and Southeast Europe (Bulgaria: Kotel, Greece: Paikos; dry habitats). The goal of the study was to identify beech provenances well adapted to water limitation during summer drought events. Our results suggest that N might be involved in the alleviation of water scarcity, whereas P i might become a limiting factor for forest growth during drought periods. Drought stress resulted in significant changes of ASC pools in leaves and fine roots and the ASC redox state. Under well-watered and under drought conditions, ASC in leaves was the most important factor causing differences between the provenances examined. Finally, a link between P nutrition and the capacity of antioxidative stress defense by ascorbate could be highlighted. Based on observations from this study, beech seedlings from three origins (Paikos, Zagreb, and Neidenstein) might constitute beech provenances well adapted to water shortage in summer. This conclusion is drawn from the high potential of these provenances to alleviate oxidative stress during water shortage.

The GABA A receptor a2-subunit gene (Gabra2) has a specific spatial and temporal pattern of expression in rat brain. As a first step towards understanding the molecular mechanism underlying this regulation, we have investigated the structural properties of the 5¢-flanking region of the rat Gabra2 gene. We identified six a2 transcript isoforms, each of which differs only in the 5¢-untranslated region (UTR). Alignment of cDNA and genomic DNA sequences revealed that six 5¢-UTRs are generated from three alternative first exons by alternative splicing using internal and terminal 5¢-splice donor sites present in these exons. Promoter regions containing multiple transcription initiation sites were identified in the 5¢ proximity of each first exon. Two of these promoters lack TATA and CCAAT sequences. Finally, we have shown that differential activation of alternative promoters is used for the expression of the a2 mRNA isoforms during brain development, and that the diversity at the 5¢-end of these transcripts affects GABA A receptor expression. Taken together, these results suggest that the expression of the Gabra2 gene can be influenced at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

Increased frequency of extreme weather events has seriously affected forestry operations in south-eastern Europe. A precondition for effective artificial restoration of disturbed forest stands is site-adapted forest reproductive material (FRM). Common garden experiments (provenance trials) may assist in selecting such FRM. The main objective of this study was to establish among-provenance variation pattern using data from a beech provenance trial. Usefulness of the results in selecting seed sources for restoration of European beech stands is discussed. The trial was set up in 2007, at a slope of Medvednica mount facing north-west at 730-750 m above sea level. Plant heights were measured and survival scored in 2008 and 2015. Height increments were calculated and processed to determine variance components due to various effects. Highly significant provenance-by-block interaction was revealed, indicating strong microsite effects on provenance performances. Therefore, corrections were made and provenance mean height increments recalculated. Provenance mean height increment multiplied with survival was used as a measure of a provenance’s adaptedness. Regression tree (RT) analysis was used to determine the pattern of among-provenance variations. A set of provenance clus­ters was grown using climatic variables related to the provenance stands of origin as criteria. All analyzed effects were significant (provenance: F=2.07, p<0.05; block: F=5.07, p<0.05; provenance by block interaction: F=7.32, p<0.001). Data corrections reduced the interaction effect, thereby increasing reliability of calculated provenance adaptedness indices (AI). Provenances were grouped into 4 clusters due to elevation, mean July temperature and summer heat-to-moisture index (SHM). Cluster 4, containing provenances from the highest altitudes (>750m), had the highest mean AI (143.9±8.4 cm). The lowest mean AI (106.7±14.8 cm) had cluster 1, containing provenances from lower altitudes with lower mean July temperatures (≤18.4°C). Provenances originating from lower elevations with higher mean July temperatures (>18.4°C) were further divided into two clusters due to the SHM variable. Cluster 2 had the second highest mean AI (141.2±1.5 cm) and contained provenances from relatively wetter habitats (SHM≤48.2). Cluster 3, containing provenances from relatively arid habitats (SHM>48.2), had significantly lower mean AI (116.8±8.6 cm). Established among-provenance variation pattern might be used as a tool in selecting seed sources for artificial restoration of beech stands at mount Medvednica. It is advisable to use FRM from higher altitudes and/or from slightly lower altitudes (up to 150 m lower than a restoring site) but featured with warmer and drier conditions compared to the trial. Generally, provenance trials should be utilized as a valuable decision tool in restoring disturbed forest stands but may also be misleading if not well designed and analyzed.