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Recent advancements in high power light-emitting diode (LED) technology have presented greenhouse industry with a more efficient and flexible alternative light source for horticulture. However, the light distribution on the plant remains a challenge that has notable implications on the plant growth. A non-uniform light distribution on the canopy with hot spots is well-known to adversely affect the yield. Here, we present a technique to engineer the light wavefront of a solid-state source using a single-surface optics, which yields a highly uniform light distribution across the plant. This technique achieves over 90% illuminance uniformity, preserved at various distances from the source, for a cone of light with an up to 120° angular range. This work aids the paradigm shift towards LEDs as a competitive light source in horticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plant diversity (MPD) is an important component of plant diversity. Over-collection based on medicinal and economic value has the potential to damage the stability of the regional ecosystem. It is important to understand the current distribution of MPD and the factors influencing it. However, it is still unclear whether environmental and socioeconomic conditions have an impact on their distribution. We selected the Inner Mongolia as a representative study area which covers a wide area, accounting for 12.29% of China's national land area and 0.79% of the world's land area. At the same time, the region is a longstanding traditional medicinal area for Mongolians in China. Therefore, the region is significantly influenced by changes in environmental factors and socio-economic factors. We used 9-years field survey of the distribution of medicinal plants in Inner Mongolia for assessing the distribution of MPD as influenced by environmental and socioeconomic activities by combining spatial analyses, species distribution models, and generalized additive models. The results from the spatial analysis show that the western region of Inner Mongolia is the main cold spot area of the MPD, and the central-eastern and northeastern regions of Inner Mongolia are the main hot spot areas of the MPD. At the same time, the distribution of cold spots and hot spots of MPD is more obvious at large spatial scales, and with the refinement of spatial scales, the cold spots in scattered areas are gradually revealed, which is indicative for the conservation and development of MPD at different spatial scales. Under the future climate change of shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP), areas with high habitat suitability for medicinal plants remain mainly dominated by the Yellow River, Yin Mountains, and Greater Khingan Range. Notably, the SSP245 development pathway remains the most significant concern in either long- or short-term development. The nonlinear relationship between the driving factors of MPD at different spatial scales shows that temperature, precipitation and socioeconomic development do have complex effects on MPD. The presence of a certain temperature, altitude, and precipitation range has an optimal facilitation effect on MPD, rather than a single facilitation effect. This complex nonlinear correlation provides a reference for further studies on plant diversity and sustainable development and management. In this study, the spatial distribution of medicinal plant resources and the extent to which they are driven by ecological and socioeconomic factors were analyzed through a macroscopic approach. This provides a reference for larger-scale studies on the environmental and socioeconomic influences on the distribution of plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The biogeography of neotropical fungi remains poorly understood. Here, we reconstruct the origins and diversification of neotropical lineages in one of the largest clades of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the globally widespread family Russulaceae.We inferred a supertree of 3285 operational taxonomic units, representing worldwide internal transcribed spacer sequences. We reconstructed biogeographic history and diversification and identified lineages in the Neotropics and adjacent Patagonia.The ectomycorrhizal Russulaceae have a tropical African origin. The oldest lineages in tropical South America, most with African sister groups, date to the mid‐Eocene, possibly coinciding with a boreotropical migration corridor. There were several transatlantic dispersal events from Africa more recently. Andean and Central American lineages mostly have north‐temperate origins and are associated with North Andean uplift and the general north–south biotic interchange across the Panama isthmus, respectively. Patagonian lineages have Australasian affinities. Diversification rates in tropical South America and other tropical areas are lower than in temperate areas.Neotropical Russulaceae have multiple biogeographic origins since the mid‐Eocene involving dispersal and co‐migration. Discontinuous distributions of host plants may explain low diversification rates of tropical lowland ectomycorrhizal fungi. Deeply diverging neotropical fungal lineages need to be better documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Association is the basic unit of plant community classification. Exploring the distribution of plant associations can help improve our understanding of biodiversity conservation. Different associations depend on different habitats and studying the association level is important for ecological restoration, regional ecological protection, regulating the ecological balance, and maintaining biodiversity. However, previous studies have only focused on suitable distribution areas for species and not on the distribution of plant associations. Larix gmelinii is a sensitive and abundant species that occurs along the southern margin of the Eurasian boreal forests, and its distribution is closely related to permafrost. In this study, 420 original plots of L. gmelinii forests were investigated. We used a Maxent model and the ArcGIS software to project the potential geographical distribution of L. gmelinii associations in the future (by 2050 and 2070) according to the climate scenarios RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5. We used the multi‐classification logistic regression analysis method to obtain the response of the suitable area change for the L. gmelinii alliance and associations to climate change under different climate scenarios. Results revealed that temperature is the most crucial factor affecting the distribution of L. gmelinii forests and most of its associations under different climate scenarios. Suitable areas for each association type are shrinking by varying degrees, especially due to habitat loss at high altitudes in special terrains. Different L. gmelinii associations should have different management measures based on the site conditions, composition structure, growth, development, and renewal succession trends. Subsequent research should consider data on biological factors to obtain more accurate prediction results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lygaeoid Orsillus depressus Dallas feeds on seeds of several species, mainly cypress. Since the end of the last century, it has extended its range from its native area in the Mediterranean Basin towards northeastern Europe and it is considered an invasive species. In the present work, the presence of O. depressus is reported for the first time from the New World and Southern Hemisphere. Host plants and distribution from central-southern Argentina are given. In addition, morphological characters that allow their identification are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat production is dramatically influenced by temperature. Low-temperature stress that frequently occurs seriously hampers the growth and development of wheat seedlings. In order to alleviate the damage of low temperature to wheat plant growth, remedial nitrogen was applied prior to or post low-temperature stress at seedling stage using controlled-temperature incubators to explore the difference in wheat morphology and nitrogen absorption and utilization efficiency. Nitrogen amendment significantly increased the leaf area, seedling height, tiller number and dry matter weight of wheat plants as compared with the treatment without nitrogen amendment under temperature stress. Remedial nitrogen applied prior to low-temperature stress (N-LT) was more conducive to increase the above parameters than that applied post low-temperature stress (LT-N). In addition, N-LT enhanced the ability of roots to absorb remedial 15N urea, promoted the growth and development of wheat plants under low-temperature stress, resulting in higher leaf SPAD readings, more new tillers, as well as increased dry weight of roots and above-ground organs. This study suggested that remedial nitrogen should be applied prior to low-temperature stress because it is more effective in restoring the growth of wheat plants under low-temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite major efforts over the last 100 years assembling notable large amounts of information concerning the rich fern and lycophyte diversity of the Philippines, we still lack records for many areas including localities selected to protect biodiversity. Addressing the major gaps in our knowledge about the current distribution of plants in the Philippines is a crucial step towards the implementation of effective protection measurements to halter the ongoing biodiversity crisis. This study has been conducted to assemble a checklist of ferns and lycophytes occurring in the forests over limestone in Paranas, Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), Philippines. The Samar Island is of special interest not only to studies aiming to reconstruct the history of plants in the Philippines but also to our efforts to conserve this diversity in the Anthropocene. By field investigations in a series of transect walks and in combination with published fern records from online resources, a total of 139 fern species belonging to 59 genera and from 22 families were documented. About 18.7% of the recorded species were endemic to the Philippines. Two species Tectaria macleanii (Copel.) S.Y.Dong and T. psomiocarpa S.Y.Dong were considered to be endangered whereas Taenitis cordata (Gaudich.) Holttum and Pyrossia splendens (C.Presl) Ching were listed as vulnerable in the Philippines. This study provided the first comprehensive checklist of the fern and lycophyte diversity that has been protected in this natural park. However, we want to stress that further field exploration is required to improve our understanding of the fern and lycophyte diversity in the less explored parts of the Samar Island. Given the occurrences of several species with rather restricted occurrences including endemics, our study emphasizes the high value of the SINP to preserve the Philippine's plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. A recurring North American disjunct distribution of vascular plants exists between western North America (WNA) and the Great Lakes region (GLR) where the isolated and often threatened GLR populations are sometimes considered to be glacial relicts. Using georeferenced specimen databases and inclusion of Canadian species ranges, the historical biogeography of this enigmatic distribution can be examined. Methodology. We (1) generate the WNA-GLR vascular plant taxa list using regional floras, georeferenced localities, and maps; (2) test historical phylogeographic hypotheses by projecting suitable climate niche space to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and concurrently assessing phylogeographic congruence between taxa; and (3) annotate the post-1981 literature that has contributed to the understanding of this distribution. Pivotal results. There are at least 9 genera and 53 species with this distribution. Few studies since 1981 have focused on the biogeography of these taxa, although 52 articles have cited Marquis and Voss (1981). Conservatively, 44 of 53 species' historical niche models reject the hypothesis that the species were able to persist in a midwestern glacial refugium. Taxa have different projected suitable niche space at the LGM, providing support for pseudocongruent biogeographic histories. Conclusions. The updated WNA-GLR taxa list, the preliminary assessment of historical biogeography, and the review of the scientific literature indicate that this distribution has been understudied. Investigations of additional taxa in this system will enable detailed comparative analysis between taxa and prompt discussions of geographic speciation, local adaptations in the GLR, and future persistence in the GLR in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eastern Himalayan region is a hotspot of biodiversity in the world, and Tibet of China is an important region of it. It is of great significance to clarify the background plant resources and geographical distribution in this region for the study of regional flora. Five newly recorded genera, namely Callostylis Blume, Chiloschista Lindl., Diploprora Hook. f., Taeniophyllum Blume and Yoania Maxim., are reported from Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The five newly recorded species are Callostylis rigida Bl., Chiloschista yunnanensis Schlechter, Diploprora championii (Lindl.)Hook. f., Taeniophyllum retrospiculatum King & Pantl. and Yoania prainii King & Pantl. Morphological descriptions and characteristic pictures of the newly recorded genera and species are also attached. The results of this study further enrich the flora data of China, broaden the records of orchids in Tibet, and have important value for the diversity and conservation of orchids in Tibet and adjacent areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well‐preserved Cretaceous trunk fragments of Cycadeoidea (Cycadeoidaceae) were recently found in Keshan County, Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. These fossils represent important evidence of the distribution of this group of plants in East Asia. In these trunk fragments, the stem cortices and leaf bases with cones are preserved. The leaf bases are rhombic with cones infrequently distributed among leaf bases. The cortex is broad and consists of fundamental parenchyma cells, numerous secretory ducts and C‐shaped leaf traces with adaxial secondary xylem and abaxial secondary phloem. The genus Cycadeoidea, which is widely distributed in the Cretaceous deposits of East Asia, North America and Western Europe, was an important component of Cretaceous floras. Bennettitalean trunk fossils with well‐preserved anatomical structures are rarely known from China. These fossils are important for studies of the evolution of genus Cycadeoidea and for stratigraphic correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions among nutrients have been widely recognized in plants and play important roles in crop growth and yield formation. However, the interplay of Cu and N in rice plants is not yet clear. In this study, rice plants were grown with different combinations of Cu and N supply. The effects of Cu-N interaction on the growth, yield production, Cu and N transport, and gene expression levels were analyzed. The results showed that the effect of N supply on rice growth and yield formation was more pronounced than that of Cu supply. The Cu supply significantly improved the uptake of N (by 9.52–30.64%), while the N supply significantly promoted the root-to-shoot translocation of Cu (by 27.28–38.45%) and distributed more Cu (1.85–19.16%) into the shoots and leaves. The results of qRT-PCR showed that +Cu significantly up-regulated the expression levels of both NO3− and NH4+ transporter genes OsNRTs and OsAMTs, including OsNRT1.1B, OsNRT2.1, OsNRT2.3a, OsNRT2.4, OsAMT1.2, OsAMT1.3, and OsAMT3.1. Meanwhile, +N significantly up-regulated the expression levels of Cu transporter genes OsHMA5 and OsYSL16. In addition, the supply of Cu up-regulated the expression levels of OsGS1;2, OsGS2, and OsNADH-GOGAT to 12.61-, 6.48-, and 6.05-fold, respectively. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a synergistic effect between Cu and N in rice plants. It is expected that our results would be helpful to optimize the application of N and Cu fertilizers in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of moss genus Schistidium are reported for the first time from China. All of them have been found in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Ecological and distributional details of the newly recorded species are provided and their local distribution is mapped. Photographs of the species are attached. Checklist of Schistidium species and identifying key are added. Considering the present records, Schistidium consists of 15 species in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distributions and associations of plant species in a stand can provide essential information about their dynamics. However, since tree spatial distribution and association depend on factors that operate at different scales, disentangling the effects of environmental heterogeneity and plant–plant interactions requires the choice of a suitable null model for spatial analysis. We analyzed the spatial distributions of the same savanna palm tree populations that were studied, the underlying hypothesis being that these distributions have changed in 20 years. To remove the effect of large-scale environmental heterogeneity, the inhomogeneous L -function under the heterogeneous Poisson null model was used. We showed: (i) unlike 20 years ago, adults had a regular distribution instead of an aggregated distribution in the grass savanna; (ii) although the spatial distribution of seedlings and juveniles was always aggregated, we observed a decrease in the size of the aggregates (intensities); (iii) except for juveniles, no other stages were associated with nutrient-rich patches, which was also different 20 years ago; (iv) we did not observe any particular difference in structure between two study sites, only that female palm trees were spatially associated with entire-leafed seedlings in the reserve while they were spatially independent in the rural area. Our study supports the hypothesis that the spatial distributions have partially changed, and that the management of spatial heterogeneity has improved and given more precision in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms that shape the geographic distribution of plant species is a central theme of biogeography. Although seed mass, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny have long been suspected to affect species distribution, the link between the sources of variation in these attributes and their effects on the distribution of seed plants are poorly documented. This study aims to quantify the joint effects of key seed traits and phylogeny on species distribution. We collected the seed mass and seed dispersal mode from 1426 species of seed plants representing 501 genera of 122 families and used 4 138 851 specimens to model species distributional range size. Phylogenetic generalized least-squares regression and variation partitioning were performed to estimate the effects of seed mass, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny on species distribution. We found that species distributional range size was significantly constrained by phylogeny. Seed mass and its intraspecific variation were also important in limiting species distribution, but their effects were different among species with different dispersal modes. Variation partitioning revealed that seed mass, seed mass variability, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny together explained 46.82 % of the variance in species range size. Although seed traits are not typically used to model the geographic distributions of seed plants, our study provides direct evidence showing seed mass, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny are important in explaining species geographic distribution. This finding underscores the necessity to include seed traits and the phylogenetic history of species in climate-based niche models for predicting the response of plant geographic distribution to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The timely and geographical resolutions, as well as the quantity and taxon concepts of records on the occurrence of plants near national borders is often ambiguous. This is due to the regional focus and different approaches of the contributing national and regional databases and networks of the neighbouring countries. Careful data transformation between national data providers is essential for understanding distribution patterns and its dynamics for organisms in areas along the national borders. Sharing occurrence data through the international data aggregator Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is also complicated and has to consider that the underlying taxonomic concept and geographic information system of each single GBIF dataset might be different. In addition, some regional data providers have a restrictive (non-cc) licensing policy which does not allow data publication via the GBIF network. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate new ways to make data fit for use for a better and comprehensive understanding of the Flora of the Bohemian Forest. New information In this paper, we present a bilateral technical interoperability solution for vascular plant occurrence data for the area between the Czech Republic and Bavaria. We describe the initial state of data providers in both countries and the factual and technical challenges in finding a sustainable concept to establish mutual data sharing. The resulting solution for a functional infrastructure and an agreed data pipeline is described in a step-by-step approach. The new distributed infrastructure allows botanists and other stakeholders from both countries to work within the cross-border context of historical and current plants' distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the study of domesticated plants increased near the end of the 18th century, mainly because of their economic potential. In the 19th century, there was a new focus on the historical understanding of species, their origin, changes in their distribution, and their evolutionary history. Charles Darwin developed an extended interpretation of species domestication, considering variations, reproduction, inheritance, and modification as standard processes between wild and domesticated organisms. In this context, one relatively neglected aspect was the geographical distribution of domesticated species. Alphonse de Candolle addressed and developed in detail the question of the geographical origin of cultivated plants. Since 1836 Alphonse de Candolle had been studying the topic and obtained evidence that contributed to understanding aspects such as the center of origin, dispersion, competition, selection, and time of domestication. Although Darwin himself admitted that Géographie botanique raisonnée (de Candolle, Alphonse,de. Géographie botanique raisonnée; ou, exposition des faits principaux et des lois concernant la distribution géographique des plantes de l’epoque actuelle, 2ème tome. Paris: Masson.) was of great help to him in the development of his evolutionary theory, the importance of de Candolle’s contribution is seldom recognized. Our purpose is to detail the dialogue between Alphonse de Candolle and Darwin on the geography of domesticated plants, to understand some of the most critical discussions that contributed to the reinterpretation of domestication under the Darwinian proposal of modified descent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first article discusses a study on microRNA-29 (miR-29) and its role in driving age-related phenotypes in mice. The researchers found that upregulation of miR-29b-3p accelerated aging, while downregulation slowed it down. They also identified genes involved in aging that were not previously reported. However, the researchers caution that modulating the expression of miR-29 in humans may not be a viable solution for slowing down or stopping aging. The second article focuses on the invasive plant species Yellow Cassia (Senna spectabilis) and its impact on native plants in the Western Ghats of India. Researchers from the Kerala Forest Research Institute investigated whether Yellow Cassia releases allelochemicals that suppress the growth, survival, and reproduction of other plants. They found that the leaf extracts of Yellow Cassia increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes in native plant seedlings, indicating potential oxidative stress. The study provides insights into how invasive species affect local ecology and can help develop strategies to manage the invasion of Yellow Cassia in the Western Ghats. The third article addresses the need for efficient and affordable methods to detect the fungicide mancozeb, which is widely used in India. Researchers from IIT Kharagpur and IIT Jammu collaborated with colleagues from Brazil and Ethiopia to develop a solution. They discovered that two-dimensional cobalt telluride, a material with a larger surface area to volume ratio, could effectively detect man [Extracted from the article]

In this study, differences in the characteristics of the preferential flow of water in characteristics of two typical rocky soils in southwestern karst areas were investigated and the factors driving these differences were identified. Bright blue dye tracers and image processing techniques were used to determine the morphological characteristics of preferential flow in dolomite and sandy shale soils, and the relationships between environmental factors and preferential flow characteristics were quantitatively evaluated. The results showed that (1) the depth of homogenous matrix flow in karst dolomite soil was significantly shallower than that in sandy shale soil, and preferential flow was highly differentiated, mostly into branches and patches, and was dominated by vertical extension. Preferential flow in sandy shale soil clearly occurred via lateral infiltration, mostly occurring in clusters and blocks, with a low degree of differentiation. (2) The dolomite and sandy shale soils were dominated by dyed paths with widths of W<20 mm, with the number of dyed paths of each width in the dolomite soils being greater than those in the sandy shale soil, and the water flow type in both soils was dominated by highly interactive macroporous flow, with percentages in the two soils ranging from 55.11 % to 68.48 % and from 13.37 % to 67.83 %, respectively. (3) Both the plant root distribution and soil properties affected the dyed area ratio and the distribution of dyed paths, with dyed paths with a widths of W>200 mm being the most significantly affected. Redundancy analyses revealed that the main factors influencing preferential flow were the organic matter content in the dolomite soils, with a contribution of 69.10 %, and the root surface area density in the sandy shale soil, with a contribution of 77.20 %. In summary, changes in the soil properties and plant roots distribution caused by lithological differences in karst areas were important factors affecting the characteristics of preferential flow. • The preferential flow of dolomite soil was arboreal and patched. • The preferential flow of sandy shale soil was clumped and lumped. • Dolomite staining path widths were large and dominated by W <20 mm. • Organic matter and root surface area density were the main influences on preferential flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dynamic interactive feedback simulated between plant morphology and growth. • Spatial distribution and growth linked to respond to environmental factors. • Multistage disturbance enhanced exploring ability without limit of local extrema. • Light interception increased a third under optimized spacing. Increasing crop yields is one potential way to solve the problem of food shortage and limited field resources. Optimization of crop spatial distribution is an efficient method to increase yield. However, extensive field experiments are costly and time consuming, which renders conventional optimization studies difficult if not prohibitive. In this study, a new optimization strategy was proposed, integrating a Functional-Structural Plant Model (FSPM) of maize with a workflow based on a Mixed Particle Swarm Optimization (MPSO) algorithm. The maize FSPM applies a dynamic interactive feedback method between plant morphology and plant growth dynamics on the one hand, and simultaneously between plant spatial distribution and plant growth, and furthermore can respond to different environmental factors. MPSO is a new mixed particle swarm optimization algorithm with multistage disturbance, which enhances the ability of traversing the solution space and jumping out of local extrema. This study performs a plant spatial distribution optimization of monocropping maize to maximize light interception. Simulation results indicate that the optimized row spacing can increase maize light interception comparing to the random row spacing within the spacing range (with maximum of 36.44% increment), and that the optimization results satisfy the optimal interval provided by previous field experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health clinic gardens (HCGs) are social-ecological systems (SESs) associated with health clinics on government land and are intended to provide fresh vegetables and fruits to patients struggling to keep healthy immune systems. Little is known about their comparability to other garden types with regards to plant distribution and potential utilization, and thus their potential to address some of the challenges limiting ecosystem services (ESs) provision in other garden types. In this study, we report on the floristic composition and presence of utilitarian plant species at 105 HCGs across a district municipality in the North-West Province, South Africa. Different micro-gardens, including vegetable, medicinal, ornamental, natural vegetation, bare soil, orchard, hedge, and lawn micro-gardens, were identified. To understand plant composition, species were classified according to status of origin, invasive characteristics, Raunkiaer's life-forms, growth forms, and potential usefulness. To determine the frequency of species occurrence we enumerated the number of gardens containing the respective species. Six-hundred and thirty-three species from 404 genera and 116 plant families were encountered. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and Urochloa mosambicensis (Hack.) Dandy , found in 91 % and 79 % of gardens, respectively, occurred the most. Herbaceous species were the most dominant, with Schkuhria pinnata (Lam.) Kuntze ex Thell. and Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist occurring the most. Plant species richness was greater in the ornamental (282 species) and natural area (naga) (281 species) micro-gardens, while the hedge had the least (8 species). Fifty-five percent of species in the natural vegetation micro-garden were indigenous, compared to 44 % in the ornamental micro-garden. There was greater diversity in fruit-bearing plants, and most medicinal plant species (70 %) are used as a tonic. Health clinic gardens resemble home gardens and are well positioned to enhance ESs provision at the community scale. Future HCGs research should evaluate community usage of the gardens and the extent to which knowledge of useful plants and efficient gardening practices is upscaled to home gardens around HCGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent advancements of new quantitative tools compatible with plant macrofossil proxy data have revived its potential for paleoclimate research. Plant macrofossils are commonly used in so-called indicator-species approaches, using methodologies that are typically built on known observations linking modern plant distributions with climate. This allows complementary paleoclimate reconstructions using an approach that is not limited by the spatial availability of calibration samples obtained from surface sediments (e.g., pollen or chironomids). We aim to evaluate the impact that various methodological choices have on the plant-macrofossil based reconstructions of January and July temperature patterns for the Lateglacial (14–11 ka BP) period. We use a variety of classic and novel quantitative climate reconstruction algorithms with plant macrofossil assemblages from 13 sites of the Baltic States. We use unfiltered plant data to evaluate the ability of each method to also handle the presence of plants that might have a weak sensitivity to temperature. Additionally, we test the influence of another methodological choice – the choice of modern calibration region – on the reconstructed climate. Our findings indicate that, with no prior filtering of summer and winter-sensitive plants, temporal temperature variations can be reconstructed with methods that implement probability density functions. Although some disparities in reconstructions are seen between the tested algorithms, we note that the choice of calibration region bears a greater influence on the results. A calibration region that best represents the past environment should be chosen rather than one representing the same spatial extent as the fossil site(s). Moreover, for long-term reconstructions, a "dynamic calibration set" approach should be considered in future studies by using a range of calibration regions and mirroring the continuously changing broadscale environmental regime of the past. • Seasonal temperature reconstructions vary across climate reconstruction algorithms. • Calibration region impact is greater in January temperature reconstructions than July. • Proper calibration region evaluation is crucial before reconstructions. • Calibration regions should be based on environmental instead of geographical fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Peat-accumulating wetlands have undulating surfaces of raised areas (hummocks) and depressions (hollows). Hummock-hollow microtopography in relation to the water table influences the distribution of plant species, root density, and microbial community composition, which could in turn alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling within peatlands. We used paired hummock and hollow cores from a boreal, forested peatland to assess how microtopography influences peatland microbial function and, in turn, ecosystem C and N cycling.The peat was analyzed for microbial biomass and potential enzyme activity in 10 cm depth increments relative to the water table, resulting in two increments for hollows and three for hummocks, which has a raised increment above the water table.Across hummocks and hollows, microbial C and N and fungal biomass generally decreased with depth from the peat surface. In contrast, potential enzyme activity often increased with depth, but this varied within enzyme functional groups according to topography, depth, or both. The potential enzyme activity of C-N degrading peptidases, for example, differed across the five topography × depth increments with the lowest rate in the aerated hummocks. Hummocks compose approximately 66% of the land area at our study site and would therefore underestimate C turnover by an average of 25% if solely used to extrapolate patterns across a forested bog.Our results suggest that asynchrony in C and N cycling across the undulating surface of forested peatlands impacts our ability to accurately predict biogeochemical cycling across this important ecosystem.Methods: Peat-accumulating wetlands have undulating surfaces of raised areas (hummocks) and depressions (hollows). Hummock-hollow microtopography in relation to the water table influences the distribution of plant species, root density, and microbial community composition, which could in turn alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling within peatlands. We used paired hummock and hollow cores from a boreal, forested peatland to assess how microtopography influences peatland microbial function and, in turn, ecosystem C and N cycling.The peat was analyzed for microbial biomass and potential enzyme activity in 10 cm depth increments relative to the water table, resulting in two increments for hollows and three for hummocks, which has a raised increment above the water table.Across hummocks and hollows, microbial C and N and fungal biomass generally decreased with depth from the peat surface. In contrast, potential enzyme activity often increased with depth, but this varied within enzyme functional groups according to topography, depth, or both. The potential enzyme activity of C-N degrading peptidases, for example, differed across the five topography × depth increments with the lowest rate in the aerated hummocks. Hummocks compose approximately 66% of the land area at our study site and would therefore underestimate C turnover by an average of 25% if solely used to extrapolate patterns across a forested bog.Our results suggest that asynchrony in C and N cycling across the undulating surface of forested peatlands impacts our ability to accurately predict biogeochemical cycling across this important ecosystem.Results: Peat-accumulating wetlands have undulating surfaces of raised areas (hummocks) and depressions (hollows). Hummock-hollow microtopography in relation to the water table influences the distribution of plant species, root density, and microbial community composition, which could in turn alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling within peatlands. We used paired hummock and hollow cores from a boreal, forested peatland to assess how microtopography influences peatland microbial function and, in turn, ecosystem C and N cycling.The peat was analyzed for microbial biomass and potential enzyme activity in 10 cm depth increments relative to the water table, resulting in two increments for hollows and three for hummocks, which has a raised increment above the water table.Across hummocks and hollows, microbial C and N and fungal biomass generally decreased with depth from the peat surface. In contrast, potential enzyme activity often increased with depth, but this varied within enzyme functional groups according to topography, depth, or both. The potential enzyme activity of C-N degrading peptidases, for example, differed across the five topography × depth increments with the lowest rate in the aerated hummocks. Hummocks compose approximately 66% of the land area at our study site and would therefore underestimate C turnover by an average of 25% if solely used to extrapolate patterns across a forested bog.Our results suggest that asynchrony in C and N cycling across the undulating surface of forested peatlands impacts our ability to accurately predict biogeochemical cycling across this important ecosystem.Conclusion: Peat-accumulating wetlands have undulating surfaces of raised areas (hummocks) and depressions (hollows). Hummock-hollow microtopography in relation to the water table influences the distribution of plant species, root density, and microbial community composition, which could in turn alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling within peatlands. We used paired hummock and hollow cores from a boreal, forested peatland to assess how microtopography influences peatland microbial function and, in turn, ecosystem C and N cycling.The peat was analyzed for microbial biomass and potential enzyme activity in 10 cm depth increments relative to the water table, resulting in two increments for hollows and three for hummocks, which has a raised increment above the water table.Across hummocks and hollows, microbial C and N and fungal biomass generally decreased with depth from the peat surface. In contrast, potential enzyme activity often increased with depth, but this varied within enzyme functional groups according to topography, depth, or both. The potential enzyme activity of C-N degrading peptidases, for example, differed across the five topography × depth increments with the lowest rate in the aerated hummocks. Hummocks compose approximately 66% of the land area at our study site and would therefore underestimate C turnover by an average of 25% if solely used to extrapolate patterns across a forested bog.Our results suggest that asynchrony in C and N cycling across the undulating surface of forested peatlands impacts our ability to accurately predict biogeochemical cycling across this important ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the biodiversity crisis depends fundamentally on mapping the distributions of plants, animals, and ecosystems. These maps are readily used as 'boundary objects' to span the interface between science and policy. As scientists, we tend assume that geographical depictions of nature are accurate and bias-free representations of the real world. However, they are actually abstractions of reality, framed by our scientific worldviews. Such framings may introduce hidden meanings, which can alienate observers from the realities in nature. Here I consider biodiversity maps through the lens of framing in social theory. Framing is the way individuals use metaphors, narratives and anecdotes to make sense of the world around them. I describe how biodiversity maps, which are intended as neutral boundary objects, can unintentionally activate inappropriate frames of interpretation that present nature from a technocratic and human-centred perspective. Such framings can introduce subliminal meaning into science-policy dialogues, encourage complacency, or erode scientific buy-in. I conclude that conservation science stands to benefit from interrogating not only the technical, but also the symbolic, aspects of biodiversity maps and describe four ways to limit unintentional framings and, ultimately, communicate scientific messages about biodiversity more effectively. • Biodiversity maps are abstractions of reality, shaped by scientific worldviews. • These maps can unintentionally trigger unconscious mental frames in observers. • Failing to consider these unintended framings can undermine multi-stakeholder policy discussions. • Considering the symbolic aspects of biodiversity maps can communicate scientific messages more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Asteraceae species in semi-arid habitats display diverse adaptive strategies. • Tribes Cichorieae, Cardueae, and Heliantheae are key contributors to flora, adaptable to varied ecological conditions. • Soil properties such as moisture, pH, phosphorus, and saturation significantly influence species distribution. • Species are classified into adaptive strategies using CSR categorization, highlighting versatile adaptation within the Asteraceae family. Asteraceae is the most diverse family primarily found in semi-arid areas and species from the same botanical family have comparable phenotypes, occupy semi-arid habitats, and have adaptive convergences to environmental stress. Such characteristics aid in understanding adaptive radiations of recent groups on a regional scale and their successful establishment in habitats with challenging climatic and edaphic conditions. We investigated the adaptive convergence of the family as well as the fragile balance between fine-scale variation in adaptive traits and general convergence towards stress-tolerance and adaptation to aridity, using thorough field surveys and trait-based ecological approaches. Data was collected between 2020 and 2022 using the quadrat approach encompassed across 60 sites and five habitat types. Multivariate statistical methodologies were applied to analyze plant traits and soil variables. The tribes Cichorieae, Cardueae, and Heliantheae emerged as dominant contributors to the flora, illustrating their adaptability to varied ecological conditions. Microphyll emerged as the dominant leaf type, and therophytes prevailed as the most abundant life form. Urban habitats exhibited heightened sensitivity to Asteraceae species, as reflected in diversity indices. Canonical Correspondence Analysis demonstrated the significant influence of soil moisture, pH, phosphorus, and soil saturation on species distribution, with indicator species analysis highlighting habitat-specific plant-environment relationships. The study further classified species into adaptive strategies using CSR (competitive strategy-stress tolerant strategy-ruderal strategy) categorization. While some species exhibited pronounced R or S strategies, a majority demonstrated mixed strategies, such as R/CR, R/CSR, CS/CSR, emphasizing the versatility of adaptation strategies within the Asteraceae family. The findings underscore the intricate interplay between environmental variables and Asteraceae phylogenetic and functional diversity, highlighting the significance of soil properties in influencing plant distribution in semi-arid ecosystems. This research contributes valuable insights into the ecological dynamics of Asteraceae, shedding light on their responses to diverse environmental conditions and providing a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing their spatial distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is a study of the composition of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the snow cover of Vorkuta (Komi Republic) in the impact zone of the fuel and energy complex in 2017 and 2023. We have identified high aerotechnogenic pollution of the Vorkuta city and adjacent territories with PAHs during heating with fuel oil and coal, with a mean concentration of 301.6 ng/L (meltwater plus particles) and spatial distribution of 85.2 μg/m2. There is a significant decrease in PAH levels when the fuel for thermal power plants has been changed to natural gas, with a mean concentration of 26.1 ng/L (meltwater plus particulates) and spatial distribution of 4.9 μg/m2. The deposition areas of different PAH fractions are identified in the impact zones of Thermal Power Plants 1 and 2, the Central Boiler House and the urbanised areas of the Vorkuta agglomeration. 2-4-ring PAHs dominate in the emissions, accounting for 92–100 % of the sum of PAHs from coal/oil combustion and 66–93 % from natural gas combustion. The indicator ratios of PAHs in the snow cover of Vorkuta in both 2017 and 2023 indicate their predominantly pyrogenic genesis. The environmental risk coefficients of PAHs in the snow cover and their change from 2017 to 2023 are calculated. TEQ changed from 2.1 ng/L (mean) in the 2017 season to 1.7 ng/L (mean) in the 2023 season. The risk quotients have been reduced from moderate risk to low risk. Reconstruction of thermal power plants when replaced by more environmentally friendly fuel (natural gas) reduces the amount of atmospheric emissions of organic pollutants. [Display omitted] • The highest PAHs pollution were observed in 2017 from the combustion of coal and fuel oil. • PAH levels decrease significantly when fuel is changed to natural gas in power plants. • 2-4-ring PAHs are dominant for combustion of all fuel types in the research area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien species (IAS) are currently considered as one of the major causes of global environmental change. To manage the IAS, it is crucial to identify the different environmental and associated anthropogenic drivers that contribute to invasion of alien species in non-native regions. Although multiple drivers of invasion have been identified at a global scale, the relative roles of these are known to vary considerably at regional scales. Here, we investigate the role of key environmental and anthropogenic drivers in determining the diversity and distribution of selected invasive alien plant species in Kashmir Himalaya. We generated an extensive distribution dataset of these species through field sampling across the region and supplemented it with novel herbarium records. We also extracted data on the relevant environmental (climatic, soil and topographic) and anthropogenic drivers for the study region. The random forest model was employed to quantify the relative contribution of these drivers to determine the two common diversity metrics (species richness and abundance) of selected invasive alien plants. We found that soil water content followed by distance to city, the maximum air temperature, soil pH, soil temperature and human population density exerted the greatest influence on species richness of the invasive plants. Species abundance was significantly influenced by the maximum air temperature followed by soil temperature, distance to city, slope, soil pH and human population density. Overall, our findings help in disentangling the individual and interactive roles of multiple drivers of plant invasions, with wide-ranging implications for management in this Himalayan region and similar landscapes elsewhere. • Invasive alien species are one of major causes of global environmental change. • Environmental and anthropogenic drivers of invasive plants in the Himalaya studied. • Soil water content and distance to city had greatest influence on species richness. • Maximum air temperature had greatest influence on invasive species abundance. • Our study disentangles individual and interactive roles of multiple drivers in plant invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowa days, interdisciplinary studies are increasingly important. Integration of botany with humanities, particularly with archaeology and ethnology, is amongst these studies. It is noteworthy that, as a result of such surveys, not only “synthetic” new data could be obtained, but also data in the specific fields of knowledge that compose these multidisciplinary complexes. Thus, during the archaeo- and ethnobotanical studies in Armenia in 2017–2021, along with the data on plant resources, little-known phytonyms, etc., some new floristic data were also recorded regarding the following species: Amaranthus graecizans L., A. hybridus L., Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop., Diospyros lotus L., Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult., Heracleum trachyloma Fisch. & C.A. Mey., Humulus lupulus L., Hippophae rhamnoides L., Polygonatum orientale Desf., and Ranunculus lateriflorus DC. Earlier, we also procured new data on the phytogeography for such species as Crataegus × armena Pojark., Ephedra procera Fisch. & C.A. Mey., Erodium ciconium (L.) L’Hér., Leonurus cardiaca L., Leucanthemum vulgare L., Matricaria matricarioides (Less.) Porter ex Britt., Neslia paniculata (L.) Desv., Origanum vulgare L., Salvia nemorosa L., Thymus eriophorus Ronn., Th. transcaucasicus Ronn., Tripleurospermum caucasicum (Willd.) Hayek, and T. parviflorum (Willd.) Pobed. Among the species, for which phytogeographic and floristic novelties were recorded, are crop wild relatives, endemics, and rare species, included in the IUCN list. Summarizing the findings, it can be stated that archaeo- and ethnobotany are productive not only in their interdisciplinary, “hybrid” results but also in the disciplines they both synthesize. This is the evidence that interdisciplinary approaches are highly efficient for research, demonstrating a mutually enhanced, i.e., synergistic effect in complex studies.

This contribution to the Greek flora includes distribution extensions and taxonomic notes for some noteworthy plant taxa. New records for certain phytogeographical regions of Greece are presented for: Arum cylindraceum, Convolvulus pentapetaloides. Cruciata taurica, Galanthus reginae-olgae subsp. vernalis, Ilex aquifolium, Linum decumbens, Lythrum thymifolia, Sedum praesidis, Silene congesta and Trifolium diffusum. Allium karistanum, Helichrysum amorginum, Limonium antipaxorum and L. cephalonicum have been recorded for the first time on some islands. New populations of Allium maniaticum and A. ritsii, previously known only from their loci classici, were discovered in the Peloponnese. Valeriana alliariifolia, Silene auriculata subsp. auriculata and Symphytum creticum were rediscovered in central Evvia, confirming long-lost historical records from previous centuries. The presence of V. alliariifolia in Greece and Europe is confirmed for the first time since the 19th century.

Because the research on the geographical distribution of species significantly influences people's understanding of species protection and utilization, it is important to study the influence of climate change on plants' geographical distribution patterns. Based on 166 distribution records and 11 climate and terrain variables, we used MaxEnt (Maximum Entropy) model and ArcGIS software to predict the potential distribution of Campsis grandiflora under climate change and then determined the dominant climate variables that significantly affected its geographical distribution. In our study, the area under the curve (AUC) value of the training data was 0.939, proving the accuracy of our prediction. Under current climate conditions, the area of potentially suitable habitat is 238.29 × 104 km2, mainly distributed in northern, central, southern, and eastern China. The dominant variables that affect the geographical distribution of C. grandiflora are temperature, precipitation and altitude. In the future climate change scenario, the total area of suitable habitat and highly suitable habitat will increase, whereas the area of moderately suitable habitat and poorly suitable habitat will decrease. In addition, the centroid of the potentially suitable area of C. grandiflora will migrate to higher latitude and higher altitudes areas. The results could give strategic guidance for development, protection, and utilization of C. grandiflora in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The deciduous shrub Comptonia is a monotypic genus of Myricaceae, which currently is distributed only in eastern North America, with a smaller range than that in other periods of the Cenozoic. By analyzing the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the leaves, we describe a new species of Comptonia (i.e., Comptonia hirsuta) from the Hannuoba Formation in Zhuozi, Inner Mongolia, North China. The co-occurring fruits were also studied based on their morphological characteristics, which were assigned to Comptonia tymensis. Variation in the distribution range of Comptonia indicates the influence of global cooling on the expansion of this plant. Furthermore, the Bering Land Bridge played an important role in the migration from North America to East Asia. The Thulean route may have provided an opportunity for plant exchange between western Europe and eastern North America. Moreover, the reason for the disappearance of Comptonia from China according to the analysis of the changes in both the global climate and the distribution of Comptonia fossils is also discussed. It is suggested that the climatic changes after the late Miocene and the progenitive pattern of Comptonia together caused the disappearance of Comptonia in China. Comptonia (Myricaceae) is well known as a monotypic genus living only in eastern North America; however, fossils show that the genus occurred extensively in the Northern Hemisphere during the Cenozoic. We observed dozens of Comptonia leaf fossils from the early Miocene in Zhuozi, China. The leaf architecture characteristics and epidermal features of the fossil specimens are described in detail here for the first time, and they were assigned to a new species: Comptonia hirsuta. The fruit fossils collected simultaneously from the same layer were assigned to Comptonia tymensis. The global fossil records indicate that the spatial distribution range of Comptonia reached its peak in both the Eocene and Miocene as two warm periods and then gradually decreased in the Oligocene, as well as after the late Miocene, because of the cooling global climate. Furthermore, the Comptonia taxon in East Asia may have migrated from North America via the Bering route in the late Paleocene or Eocene. Plant exchange between western Europe and eastern North America possibly occurred during the Eocene via the Thulean route. Phytogeographic variation in the Comptonia fossils from China also indicates that the reason for the disappearance of Comptonia from China may not only be due to the prolonged cooling and drying after the late Miocene, but also due to its progenitive pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thematic mapping in botany and zoology actually appears in the end of the XVIIIth century and grows in the following century. Numerous biological data allow and need, in the same time, to use mapping devices. Qualitative mapping turns gradually into quantitative mapping. If the first boundaries are ruler-drawn, these lines become more and more complex, even showing growth and extinction of living species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in future climate will have a great impact on biodiversity. Magnolia wilsonii, an endangered tree native to China, has important scientific and medicinal value occurring in western Sichuan, northern Yunnan and western Guizhou. And it has severely declined and become critically endangered in the last years due to habitat loss and fragmentation. In this study, we modeled the current and future distributions of M. wilsonii under three representative concentration pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5). The results showed that the AUC values of all simulations were greater than 0.940. The key environmental variables affecting the potential distribution of M. wilsonii were the annual precipitation (573-1671 mm), the min temperature of coldest month (10.1°C-16.2°C), the coefficient of variation in precipitation seasonality (11.5-160.9), and the standard deviation of temperature seasonality (404.7-1765.6). The area of the highly suitable habitat was 29.66×104 km², mainly concentrated in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi. Yunnan had the largest suitable habitat, occupying 13.23×104 km², accounting for 44.6% of the highly suitable area. Under the three climate change scenarios, the areas of the suitable habitat of M. wilsonii showed increasing trends, the geometric center of the highly suitable habitat would move to the northeast. Our results can provide a scientific basis for the protection, cultivation, management and sustainable use of M. wilsonii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical Region (NR) is one of the areas with the most plant diversity globally, and its richness of vascular epiphyte (VE) species is higher than Africa and Asia combined. This richness is a consequence of the heterogeneous climate and geological history of the region, both factors also being responsible for the plant distribution patterns. Here, we aimed to explore the phytogeographic relationships of the VE in the NR using 14,636 identified records from 173 surveys exclusively of VE, carried out in 14 countries and 23 biogeographic provinces, comprising 3849 identified species. We assessed the floristic patterns and relationships with climatic variables by multivariate analysis (cluster and ordination analyses). The clustering formed 13 main groups, partly corresponding to the biogeographic units of the NR. Our results demonstrate consistent floristic patterns confirmed through the analysis of floristic similarity, corroborating previous biogeographic classifications in well-studied areas, while broader patterns were found in poorly studied areas. We found a floristic gradient pattern, which allowed us to understand the relationships between environmental conditions and floristic patterns. Furthermore, we discuss our results under the light of the history that likely shaped the current distribution patterns and richness of the VE in the NR. The VE proved to be an important model for testing biogeographic classifications. We encourage the studies of this synusia in the several geographical gaps that remain in the NR, which undoubtedly will improve further studies and support conservationist policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the materials which recently collected from west Azerbaijan province/Iran, two genus of gall midges including Giraudiella Rübsaamen, 1915 and Stenodiplosis Reuter, 1895 and seven species of them namely, Baldratia salicorniae Kieffer, 1897; Cystiphora taraxaci (Kieffer, 1888); Dasineura plicatrix (Loew, 1850); D. teucrii (Tavares, 1903); G. inclusa (Frauenfeld, 1862); Lasioptera flexuosa (Winnertz, 1853) and S. bromicola (Marikovskii & Agafonova, 1961) are reported for the first time for Iranian fauna. In addition, the species Halodiplosis araratica Mirumian, 1991 is a new record for west Azerbaijan province' fauna. Some photos of galls on their host plants and its distribution data are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foundation of the Universidad Nacional de los Estados Unidos de Colombia in 1868 occurred almost a decade after the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species (1859); in the Escuela de Ciencias Naturales, courses were given that included themes of plant geography, geology and paleontology. ¿Would these courses follow the paradigm of natural history inherited from the botanical expedition of the Nuevo Reino de Granada, or would they be contextualized in the modern biological tradition, interpreting nature within the background of evolutionary theories that emerged during the 19th century? This investigation consulted primary and secondary historical sources to determine if between 1868 and 1875, the mentioned courses had an essentialist-catastrophist, or a Lamarckian or Darwinian evolutionist background. The analysis allowed us to conclude that these courses had as primary sources French and Spanish texts, particularly De Candolle and Orbigny, and circumscribed to the mainly catastrophic and essentialist French school. Although the courses could discuss some issues related to the origin of species, surely, they did not do so in a Darwinian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the existing relations between a traditional community and the biodiversity of the Atlantic Rainforest, with emphasis on the knowledge, use and handling of food plants. The community which was studied, Guarda do Embaú, municipal area of Palhoça (SC), is located in the surroundings of a Preservation Unit, the State Park of Serra do Tabuleiro. The ethnobotanical survey of the food species was conducted through semi-structured interviews with key contributors, as well as the description of the phytophysiognomy and mapping of the areas where the species were harvested. Nine interviews were carried out, ascertaining the use of 23 species, being Myrtaceae and Arecaceae the most notable botanical family. The part of the plant most cited for consumption was the fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an analysis of the distribution of lengths of plant DNA (exons). Three species of Cucurbitaceae were investigated. In our study, we used two distinct κ distribution functions, namely, κ -Maxwellian and double- κ , to fit the length distributions. To determine which distribution has the best fitting, we made a Bayesian analysis of the models. Furthermore, we filtered the data, removing outliers, through a box plot analysis. Our findings show that the sum of κ -exponentials is the most appropriate to adjust the distribution curves and that the values of the κ parameter do not undergo considerable changes after filtering. Furthermore, for the analyzed species, there is a tendency for the κ parameter to lay within the interval (0.27 ; 0.43) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important part of the river ecosystem, vegetation has a significant influence on hydrodynamic characteristics, water quality, river morphology, and ecological habitat. Combining vegetation survey with the verified numerical model, this study aims to analyze the impact of floodplain vegetation patches on hydrodynamic characteristics in the old course of Fuhe River under various combinations of incoming flow discharges, and flood diversion discharges, and changes in the land use type. The equivalent Manning coefficient was adopted to quantify the additional resistance induced by plants in the vegetation module of the numerical model. According to simulating results, vegetation patches would cause the water level to rise and velocity to decrease, which mainly affects the upstream of the old course of Fuhe River. And with the increase in incoming discharge, water level difference and velocity difference have an upward trend. It is also found that the resistance of Zizania latifolia to river flow is strongest followed by sugarcane, crops, and weeds because of the differences in vegetation characteristics. Furthermore, compared with existing vegetation conditions, converting farmland to Zizania latifolia and expanding farmland induce a moderate rise in water level upstream while the decreasing velocity happens in the area where land use type is changed. And there are areas where velocity increases located opposite to the velocity decreasing area because of the adjustment of crosssection velocity distribution caused by plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cremastraappendiculata (Orchidaceae) is a perennial medicinal herb, which is included in the national second-class protected plant catalog in China. Due to the influences of climate change and anthropogenic activities, in conjunction with soaring commercial prices, the wild sources of C.appendiculata have been drastically reduced and are in danger of extinction. Consequently, it is important to predict the distribution of potentially suitable growth/propagation areas for C.appendiculata under the backdrop of climate change for its protection and sustainable use. For this study, an optimized maximum entropy model was employed to analyze the distribution patterns and changes of potentially suitable regions for C.appendiculata during different periods since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 18–24 ka). Based on multiple climate change scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5), the distribution range of C. appendiculata was predicted for the 2050s (average for 2041–2060), 2070s (average for 2061–2080), and 2090s (average for 2081–2100). The results revealed that during the LGM period, the highly suitable growth area for C.appendiculata was 0.28 × 104 km2, which accounted for only 3.26% of the current highly suitable growth area. During the mid-Holocene (MH, 6 ka) period, the area of highly suitable regions increased to 8.38 × 104 km2, which accounted for 99.30% of the present highly suitable growth area. Further, the cumulative existing potentially suitable growth area for C. appendiculata is 213.9 × 104 km2, which accounts for 22.28% of China's territory. Of these lands, the low, medium, and high suitable areas are 147.76 × 104 km2, 57.71 × 104 km2, and 8.44 × 104 km2, respectively. The highly suitable areas are primarily distributed across Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hubei, and Anhui Provinces. Moreover, in the future the potentially suitable growth areas for C. appendiculata will decrease to varying degrees. Further, the results of this study found that the relatively low impact areas for C. appendiculata were mainly distributed across Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou Provinces. Centroid transfer analysis indicated that the center of potentially suitable growth areas for C.appendiculata shifted to the northwest in SSP2-4.5 and SSP3-7.0, while they initially shifted to the northwest and then to the southeast in SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analyzing the effects of environmental variables on plants, changes in plant distribution as a result of climate oscillations can be studied, which is of great significance to plant protection and management policies. Acer cordatum Pax (Aceraceae) is a non-deciduous tree distributed in valleys and streams in eastern China. Due to the effects of changing climate (warmer, drier conditions) and human impacts, the number of wild individuals of A. cordatum has exhibited a decrease trend, which is in urgent need of protection. In this study, the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) was used to predict the potential geographical distribution of A. cordatum during the Last Interglacial (LIG), and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), current, 2060s, and 2080s periods. The model used geographic location information of 337 A. cordatum and six climatic variables. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of the simulation results were more than 0.95, indicating high accuracy in the simulation result. The mean temperature of coldest quarter, precipitation of warmest quarter, precipitation of driest month, and precipitation of seasonality were important climatic variables influencing the geographic distribution of A. cordatum. Based on the simulate results, the potential distribution areas of A. cordatum experienced a process of expansion and then contraction from LIG to the future. In the future, some potential suitable areas provinces will likely shrink (Guizhou, Fujian, and Anhui), even almost disappear (Chongqing), and the general distribution will trend to transfer in a northeastward direction. It is hoped that this study can provide a theoretical reference for the future protection of A. cordatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil properties are important drivers of species distribution and community structure in grassland. This study was undertaken to assess the influence of soil properties on woody plant distribution around six selected communally managed rangelands in the District. At each communal rangeland, a total of 25 plots of 20 × 20 m were surveyed to record the density, frequency, and composition of woody species. Soil samples were collected for thirteen soil variables. A Tukey HSD (Tukey's honestly significant difference) post hoc test was used to compare soil properties and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to relate the soil properties to the woody species distribution. The study recorded a total of 17 woody species in 9 families. Fabaceae was the most dominant family, and Senegalia mellifera was the most abundant and frequent encroaching species. Most of the species were native, whereas Prosopis velutina was the only invasive alien species recorded. Senegalia mellifera, P. velutina, and Terminalia sericea were considered the most encroaching in the study sites, with densities exceeding 2000 TE ha-1 (i.e., tree equivalent). CCA results exhibited the strong effect of soil variables on the distribution of woody plant species. CCA ordination analyses showed that K was the most influential soil variable on woody species distributions, followed by Mg, CEC, Na, pH, sand, clay and silt. In terms of woody distribution, the CCA diagram showed similarities between Disaneng, Logageng and Tshidilamolomo. This study provides baseline information on woody species diversity for future management of this ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]