Biodiversity changes in the aerobic biomass have been estimated (including the "anthrobiome"). These changes seem to be strongly affected by the anthropic impact along a long-time span (starting from 2,060 AD to 12,060 BC). The aerobic biomass excluding Homo sapiens shows a progressive and, perhaps, unstoppable decline, after the advent of Western industrial civilization. This preliminary work aims to highlight how biodiversity should perhaps be studied, understood and used critically by adopting innovative approaches (eg., using biomass) and without preconceptions. Although our work is based on assumptions regarding some parameters that have been widely approximated, we believe it is necessary to proceed with this exploratory analysis considering the dramatic decline in biodiversity worldwide.
Plants are a part of life, and they are elements that are an inseparable part of landscape designs, especially in areas that are widely used by large masses of people. It is of great importance to know and choose the properties of plants that affect public health due to their aesthetic, functional, and psychological effects, as well as some components they contain. Toxic components in different organs of plants cause adverse effects for humans and animals by touching and ingesting. Furthermore, many plants can cause allergic reactions because of their pollens. This study examined open green areas designed for public use in Bursa province of Turkey, Mudanya district, and the taxa of woody landscape plants in these areas were evaluated in terms of their toxic properties for public health. In the study, it was determined that 79.4% of the 107 taxa of woody landscape plants showed toxic and allergenic properties, while 20.6% did not show toxic properties. On the other hand, it was observed that the rate of non-toxic but allergenic taxa was 18.6 %. As a result of statistical studies with the obtained data, a significant relationship among the parameters examined was determined in the study. Landscape designs made by considering the toxicological properties of plants may reduce the cases of poisoning caused by plants, and the measures to be taken for existing designs may raise awareness of the public on this issue.
The Indian soil is home to an abundance of medicinally useful plants, which, unfortunately, are being exploited and harvested at an alarming rate. The management of medicinal plant resources is therefore crucial. There are a number of medicinal plants that grow in the Indian Himalayan region that possess excellent medicinal properties. Medicinal plants like Rhododendron sp., Aconitum sp., Bacopa monneri, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Picrorhiza Kurroa and other important medicinal plants mentioned in this review paper are of great importance. To conserve and sustainable future, tissue culture is an advanced biotechnological approach that enables mass plant cultivation. The technology has the potential to meet the growing demand for plant-based medicines. The application of plant tissue culture approaches has resulted in substantial research into medicinal plant biodiversity conservation. In vitro regeneration is an extremely powerful biotechnological tool for propagating medicinal plants and increasing their bioactive compounds. It is also an excellent method for growing plants under threat of being lost to the natural soil. The Himalayan region has high altitudes and extreme climate conditions, which make it ideal for growing medicinal plants. Plants produce secondary metabolites when stressed environmental conditions alter their physiology. These compounds possess medicinal properties, so they are of great interest to researchers. There is a great deal of use for these plants in the healthcare industry. Raw materials from Himalayan medicinal plants are used in both Indian and international pharmaceutical industries. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current status and conservation challenges relating to high-valued botanical species in the Indian Himalayan region. To ensure the sustainment of these species for future generations, conservation strategies must take into account their ecological, economic, and cultural dimensions.
The authors present a thermodynamic outlook of some significant processes and phenomena in plant evolution and ecology. The same approach is attempted to exhibit the main steps starting from the vegetation science to the ecosystem studies. Aim is not to write a usual article, but to propose a re-reading of methods and results in the vegetation research field offering a new point of discussion, in which changes in the entropy of systems are displayed in plants such as in human world. According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, inanimate matter tends toward a continuous increasing of randomness and the accompanying spreading out of energy. The Living State appears to move in the opposite direction, generating ordered structures with low entropy and high negentropy/ syntropy. At morpho-physiologic level the leaf represents the most specialized organ to capture sun energetic clean source making the photosynthesis the process through which the negentropy trend is recognizable. Syntropic structures and functions are also generated at the community and ecosystem level. Interestingly in studying ecosystem complexity, the ecoindicators application is comparable to a mind process which reduces "entropy" of the traditional vegetation analysis integrating it in a more suitable and efficient-syntropic- way.
Huperzine A (HupA) is a lycopodium alkaloid that is important in the treatment of alzheimer's symptoms. Until now, the raw material for this compound comes from the Lycopodiceae family, which is harvested directly from nature. However, not too much ecological information exists for this plant family, while responsible utilization would require a sufficient baseline. This research aims to carry out an inventory of HupA natural resources and study their association and habitat characteristics in the Cibodas botanical gardens. A survey was conducted on 29 host trees using a purposive sampling method. Three species of HupA natural resources were identified, including Phlegmariurus pinifolius (Trevis.) Kiew, Phlegmariurus squarrosus (G. Forst.) & Aacute;. L & ouml;ve & D. L & ouml;ve, and Phlegmariurus phlegmaria (L.) Holub. The most abundant and evenly distributed species was P. pinifolius, while the least abundant and restricted distribution was P. phlegmaria. Phlegmariurus pinifolius showed no association with other vascular epiphytes, while P. squarrosus and P. phlegmaria showed associations. The species diversity of vascular epiphytes is significantly correlated with elevation and relative air humidity. Based on ecological aspects, we suggest P. pinifolius and P. squarrosus be developed in further bioprospecting studies.
Primula palinuri Petagna is a narrow-endemic plant species native to southern Italy, thriving along the Tyrrhenian coast. In this study, we compared various aspects of two populations of P. palinuri growing in different sites: one by the sea in the SAC Capo Palinuro (IT8050008) and the germination capability, and salt response were analysed. Seed counts and measurements were conducted using image analysis software. Germination responses were assessed at three at three alternating temperatures (6-15 degrees C, 10-20 degrees C, and 15-25 degrees C) in the first experiment. Subsequently, seeds from both sites were subjected to increasing NaCl concentrations (0mM, 50mM, 100mM, 200mM, and 300mM) at 6-15 degrees C and 10-20 degrees C. All germination experiments took place in Petri dishes containing filter paper and distilled water. No discernible differences in capsule and seed sizes were observed between the two sampling sites. However, the study revealed that higher temperatures and elevated salt concentrations negatively affected the germination rate in both populations, particularly in seeds from the innermost site. This suggests a preference for cooler regimes and higher tolerance to saline conditions in the sea-exposed population for optimal germination. This research delved into the physiological and ecological adaptations of P. palinuri to its current environmental envelope, investigating how seed properties, temperature, and salinity stress infl uence seed germination potential. The findings provide promising insights that could significantly enhance conservation and management strategies for this species. The study aimed to compare the germination characteristics of two populations of Primula palinuri along the Tyrrhenian coast of southern Italy.
Since prehistoric times, humans have understood that plants possessed healing properties. The knowledge of herbal medicine has been accumulated for millennia by traditional healers and has been passed down from generation to generation. Phytotherapy was used as the main therapy until the 18th century. Even today, between 40% and 80% of pharmaceuticals are phytochemicals or of plant origin and many of these have significantly changed or are still changing medical therapy. Most people in the world are or have been treated with phytochemicals or drugs derived from phytochemicals. Examples include antineoplastic agents (vinblastine, vincristine, etoposide, teniposide, paclitaxel, irinotecan, topotecan), antibiotics and antivirals (cephalosporins and oseltamivir), antiparasitic drugs (quinine and artemisinin), Intensive Care Unit (ICU) drugs (morphine, neuromuscular blockers, ephedrine), cardiovascular drugs (digoxin, quinidine, atropine, reserpine), antidiabetics (metformin), and many others. Many of these agents are included in the WHO list of essential medicines. Plant-derived medicines have changed human history, contributing fundamentally to the survival and improvement of our species' life expectancy. Phytochemicals, derived from interactions between plants and the environment, are substances often created over millennia. If humans had not drawn on these substances for medical therapy, they probably would never have been able to produce substances so complex and effective in treating disease. Since knowledge of the healing properties of plants is present in traditional medicines, ancient manuscripts should be studied as potential sources of contemporary pharmacotherapy. Unfortunately, in recent years several trends have started to threaten biodiversity and consequently also phytochemical resources. From this perspective, the "One Health" approach is further justified and could also encourage the discovery of new revolutionary phytochemicals.
The current study was the first report on pollen morphology of 17 species belonging to 11 different families that are particularly involved in nectar and pollen collection by honeybees from southern Pakistan using microscopic techniques. The plants were collected after being foraged by honeybees, identified, and studied. Flowering periods, habits and localities of plants were examined. The pollen grains were then passed through the process of acetolysis, measured and both quantitative and qualitative characteristics evaluated. The investigated pollen grains varied in size, shape, colpi/pore and exine sculpturing. The most common type of pollen examined was tricolporate and among the shapes was oblate spheroidal one. Three types of exine sculpturing were observed, psilate, reticulate and echinate. The recorded pollen fertility ranged from 67 to 93 percent, showing that the considered plants are well established in the area. Brassica campestris L. Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav. and Astragalus hamosus L. resulted in the most visited species by honeybees. Our results showed that the pollen morphology of the melliferous plants in the study varies largely. The principal component analysis did not show clusters in relation to specific pollination syndromes and only some strictly phylogenetically related species were close in the graph. For this reason, the pollen grain characters can be considered sufficiently diversified to be used as markers for species identification in melissopalynological analyses. The present study plays a vital role in taxa identification, floral calendar preparation, and production of honey in the study area. This evidence may provide the possibility of evaluating the geographical provenance of honey from melissopalynological analysis at
Library sciences study the specific value of Personal Collections preserved in libraries. It is crucial to valorise them and to make them accessible. Here we present the collection which was donated by Professor S. Pignatti to the library of the Department of Environmental Biology. It contains rare reference materials, mainly concerning his extensive research in the fields of flora, vegetation, phytogeography and ecology, through which it is possible to follow one century of scientific history of what Pignatti has sometimes referred to as "the green belt of the planet".
In the light of the increasingly prominent role played by science in public life, the definition of a space for public participation is a key issue in the current relationship between science and society. This is especially true when science-based issues, which are often ethically sensitive and controversial, are at stake, such as environmental issues. The paper suggests the usefulness of an active role of the public together with researchers and policymakers in both the decision-making process and the activities to be carried out to address the complexity of current science-based issues, with a focus on the anthropogenic loss of biodiversity and the demand for its conservation and restoration.
In this paper, the phytochemical study on the leaves of Teucrium capitatum L. subsp. capitatum collected in the Botanical Garden of Rome was presented for the first time. Nine secondary metabolites were evidenced i.e., pheophytin a (1), verbascoside (2), alyssonoside (3), apigenin (4), cirsimaritin (5), cirsiliol (6), 8-O-acetyl-harpagide (7), teucardoside (8) and quinic acid (9). Their presence is perfectly in accordance with previously published general results on the species, thus confirming the phytochemical knowledge on it.
Freshwater ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse on Earth providing essential ecosystem services for nature and society. Human impacts on lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and associated riparian habitats are dramatically reducing biodiversity and robbing critical natural resources and services. Degradation of freshwater ecosystems is more rapid than that of terrestrial ones. Main anthropogenic threats include pollution, land-use change, and biological invasions. Regarding biological invasions, one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss at the global level, the listing of floristic diversity represents a fundamental step to help manage non-native species. Here we present the list of aliens occurring in freshwater ecosystems of Lazio region (central Italy) and their characterization. The list includes 118 taxa (11.9% of the alien regional fl ora), belonging to 89 genera and 49 families. Richest families are Asteraceae (18 taxa; 15.2%) and Poaceae (10 taxa; 8.5%); richest genera are Amaranthus, Cyperus, Euphorbia, Oenothera, Symphyotrichum. Eleven taxa are listed among the worst European alien species. Therophytes, which usually suggest xeric conditions, are highly represented (30 taxa; 28.8%), highlighting their capability of adapting to diverse environmental conditions. The high proportion of taxa with a wide distribution (28 taxa; 23.7%) reveals the occurrence of r-selected species; 38 taxa (33.2%), native to the Americas, confi rm the high migration and commercial fl ows between New and Old Worlds. Several taxa occur in more than one habitat (aquatic, riparian, humid), with aquatic habitats including the highest percentage of invasive taxa (27.3%). Most invasive species are: Alternanthera philoxeroides, Lemna minuta, Ludwigia peploides, Pontederia crassipes (free-fl oating macrophytes) and Arundo donaxand Robinia pseudoacacia (terrestrial species). The number of invasive species decreases with inundation rates, whereas casual aliens increase. The analysis of Hydroecological regions shows a high percentage (33.3%) of invasive taxa in HER13 ("Appennino Centrale"), probably due to the occurrence of industrial sites in the Sacco river valley (southern Lazio)
The tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima is one of the most invasive plant species in Europe and Italy and poses a threat especially in urban environments, where it damages man-made structures. A deeper comprehension of how germination traits respond to environmental factors could help elucidate the process of invasion. Germination tests on A. altissima seeds collected at different altitudes were carried out at different light conditions (12-hr light/12-hr darkness and continuous darkness) and temperature regimes (15-6 °C, 20-10 °C and 25-15 °C). A further test was also performed to assess the germinative response of seeds retained on the plant during winter. Seeds have been demonstrated not to have clear preferences for temperature and light, nor to show an effect of the altitude at which they develop on their germination capacity. This characteristic makes A. altissima highly adaptable to different types of environments and not restrained to specifical conditions. Moreover, the continuous release of seeds throughout the year may maximize the chances of a successful germination. The nature of pioneer species of A. altissima emerges already during its reproduction and germination, both in its tolerance to different environmental conditions and in the adoption of a reproduction strategy oriented towards the extreme of r-strategist species, contributing to the invasiveness of the species.
Pre-Pottery Neolithic Jericho is the archaeological site in Palestine which provided the earliest archaeobotanical evidence of plant domestication. Together with an overview of finds and their historical-archaeological significance, this paper suggests considering the relationship between humans and plants at its earliest stage as a biunivocal one, as plants became an irreplaceable source of food for humans and domesticated plants could not have existed without humans.
The M'Goun Geopark vegetation is represented by rich Mediterranean communities composed by Quercus, Juniperus, Tetraclinis, Aleppo pine with high species diversity, particularly medicinal and aromatic ones. Such a richness, depending on region distinct characteristics, generates an ecological diversity as result of climate variation along altitudinal and continental gradients on one hand, and lithological and orographic ones on the other. The main objective of this study is to analyze the specific richness of aromatic and medicinal plants in the Geopark M'Goun (Morocco), their autecology and their status. The specific richness of aromatic plants was calculated by 37 linear transects along which species were gathered and counted: 47 species among 396 total species within a 5700 Km(2) area, of which at least six cultivated, are present, confirming a good adaptation of aromatic plants to the ecological conditions of the Geopark. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was applied to the dataset to verify the relationships between species and environmental factors. Climate, altitude and substrate type resulted the most important factors influencing species richness and distribution. The status of species was detected according to IUCN Red List showing that 42 % of these species are not yet evaluated, 3 are close to threat status, 2 are vulnerable, and one is endangered. Some of non-evaluated species are under threat, therefore needing of assessment, mentoring, and conservation projects.
Lowland forests underwent a century long history of deforestation and degradation that left only few remnants of this forest type, especially in the Mediterranean region. These remnants have high conservation value but are threatened by tree diebacks related to different causes. Here we focused on the area of Palo Laziale (oak floodplain forest) and on the effects of the tree dieback following the summer drought of 2003. In the framework of an ecological restoration project (LIFE PRIMED LIFE17 NAT/GR/000511), we collected data on plant communities' species composition both in 2019/2020 and compared these data to those collected in 1990, also accounting for life forms, chorotypes and Ellenberg Indicator Values. This analysis was conducted to assess whether there was any change in the species composition following the forest dieback. The total flora of the site increased from 462 to 490 species. Moreover, there has been a turnover of species with the loss of some grassland and halophytic species and the entrance of allochthonous/ruderal and freshwater habitat species. Despite this, the plant diversity remained unchanged in bioindication terms, demonstrating a certain resilience of the ecosystem plant species, confirming the floristic re-survey approach to identify declining processes and support ecosystem-based restoration actions elsewhere.
Cadmium and lead are recognized as toxic heavy metals even at low concentrations. Thus, their removal is required. The present paper deals with the use of a natural low-cost and environmentally friendly material as a bioadsorbent obtained from a dead aquatic plant (Lemna gibba). The biosorption of Cd and Pb individually or in combination was studied under different experimental conditions such as time effect (0-240 min), concentration of metal ion (0.1 and 1 mg/L), adsorbent dose (0.10, 0.25 and 0.50 g) to examine the operational factors impact on heavy metals removal effectiveness. The dead biomass was characterized by FTIR to provide information about the functional groups responsible for biosorption. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy was employed to perform quantitative measurement of Cd and Pb (ICP-OES). For the kinetic investigation, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order, models were used. The experimental results demonstrated that lead and cadmium adsorption onto Lemna gibba powder occurred quickly, with equilibrium being reached in 120 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. At 0.1, the greatest removal efficiencies were 84.01% of Pb and 93% of Cd. At 1 mg/L, 73.82%, and 88% of Pb and Cd were removed respectively. After 180 minutes, both metals were effectively eliminated (90%) from the binary system that was contaminated with 0.1 mg/L of each metal. At 1 mg/L for each element, Pb was removed 86% after 90 minutes, and Cd clearance was less (54%).
In order to determine the effect of drought stress on the biochemical properties of wheat, it was investigated in a factorial experiment in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research field of the Soil and Water Research Institute in the crop year 2018-2019. and 2019-2020.The treatments included drought stress at three levels without stress, mild stress as the first factor. The second factor of Potassium silicate was investigated at four control levels of 0 and 20 kg/ha as soil application and foliar spraying application with concentrations of 2.5 and 5 kg/ha in Sivand wheat cultivar. The results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of drought stress on Malondialdehyde, Superoxide dismutase, Ascorbate peroxidase, Catalase, Glutathione peroxidase and plant growth was significant (p<0.01) and Proline traits and seed yield were significant 5% level (p< 0.05). The effect of Silicon on superoxide dismutase traits (p<0.01) and malondialdehyde, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, breeding and seed yield was significant (p<0.05). The results of the treatment interaction showed that catalase and glutathione peroxidase traits were significant (p<0.01). As a result, the use of silicon by improving biochemical characteristics can help wheat to overcome drought stress.
Asparagus plumosus have plenty of applications in floral decoration, but its postharvest longevity is short. So, the present research aimed to improve vase life and some physiological parameters of this plant species in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with 16 treatments and three replications. The experimental treatments included two plant growth regulators of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) and salicylic acid (SA) at four rates (0, 100, 200, and 400 mu mol) and two application methods of foliar application at the preharvest phase and application in the preservative solution at the postharvest phase. In both application methods, SA and GA(3) improved all traits versus the control irrespective of the application method. However, the combined application of 100 and 200 mu mol of GA(3) and SA exhibited the best results and the longest vase life. The weakest results among different rates were obtained from increasing the application rate of SA and GA(3) to 400 mu mol. In general, the best treatments for improving the vase life and related traits were SA100 + GA200 in the foliar application and SA200 + GA100 in the vase solution application. So, they are recommended for preserving the postharvest quality of this plant species.
Darnel ryegrass (Lolium temulentum L.) is an annual long-day plant belonging to the Poaceae family, that is common in grain fields worldwide. L. temulentum is a valuable model grass species for studying stress in forage and turf grasses. This study was conducted to assess the impact of critical environmental factors (temperature, light, pH, and salinity) on the seed biology of L. temulentum. The findings of this study indicated that the seeds of this weed germinate after three days at temperatures between 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C, 14 days at 10 to 15 degrees C, and 28 days at 5 degrees C. Furthermore, at a temperature of 35 degrees C to 40 degrees C, the seeds did not germinate for 28 days. After 14 days, this species' most significant germination percentage was 91.6 % at 10 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Seeds did not germinate when incubated for 14 days under continuous darkness, whereas germinated at 32.5 % when subjected to light for 12 h daily. Also, the results showed no significant effect of examined pH (4-10) and salinity (0, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250) levels on seed germination of L. temulentum. The information gained from the analysis will provide a valuable biological plant germination resource that will be used to develop approaches as to how the plant can improve under abiotic stress factors.
