Fire up Biosensor Technology to Assess the Vitality of Trees after Wildfires

Eleftherios Touloupakis ¹, Isabela Calegari Moia ¹, Raffaella Margherita Zampieri ¹

⁰Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

Biosensors +

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August 28, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Rapidly assessing tree damage after wildfires is crucial for forest management. This review explores electrochemical biosensors for detecting key molecules like glucose, fructose, and ethanol, offering a practical field method to determine tree vitality.

Area Of Science

Forestry and Ecosystem Science
Plant Physiology
Biotechnology

Background

Assessing tree vitality post-wildfire is vital for effective forest management and ecosystem restoration.
Traditional methods for measuring tree physiological damage are time-consuming and impractical for field use.
Developing rapid, field-deployable tools is essential for informed decision-making in disturbed forest ecosystems.

Purpose Of The Study

To review and define a system for quantifying plant vitality in fire-affected forest areas.
To explore the potential of electrochemical biosensors for assessing irreversible physiological damage in trees.
To focus on biosensors capable of detecting glucose, fructose, and ethanol as indicators of tree stress.

Main Methods

Review of recent literature on electrochemical biosensors for plant molecule detection.
Focus on biosensors targeting glucose, fructose, and ethanol.
Analysis of biosensor applicability for field-based tree vitality assessment.

Main Results

Electrochemical biosensors show promise for rapid detection of key molecules related to tree vitality.
These biosensors can quantify glucose, fructose, and ethanol, which are indicators of physiological stress and cell death.
The development of such biosensors could overcome the limitations of traditional laboratory-based methods.

Conclusions

Electrochemical biosensors offer a practical and efficient approach to assess tree vitality in post-fire environments.
This technology can significantly aid in planning management decisions for disturbed forest sites.
Advancing biosensor technology supports biodiversity restoration, environmental protection, and understanding ecosystem resilience.

Keywords:

abiotic stress biosensors tree vitality wildfire