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Summary: Background: Trema micrantha is a tree widely distributed throughout the Americas. The tree produces highly palatable leaves that have been associated with natural poisoning in goats, sheep and horses, in which hepatic necrosis and hepatic encephalopathy have been observed. Objectives: This study describes malacia and haemorrhage in the central nervous system (CNS) due to T. micrantha consumption, with minimal to absent hepatic lesions. Study design: Retrospective case series. Methods: A total of 14 horses with a history of neurological signs and spontaneous consumption of T. micrantha leaves were submitted to necropsy and multiple samples were collected for histopathology. Details of clinical history and signs of the horses were obtained through inquiries to the owners and attending veterinarians. Results: All the 14 horses had neurological signs of ataxia, severe sialorrhoea, involuntary running movements, sternal and lateral recumbency, and death after a clinical course that lasted from 24 h to 9 days. For a few days prior to onset of clinical signs, all horses had spontaneously consumed, potentially toxic doses of T. micrantha leaves. All 14 brains had diffuse yellowish discoloration affecting the rhombencephalon, mesencephalon, diencephalon, telencephalon and corpus striatum. In all cases, the most severe lesions were observed in the pons. Spinal cord lesions were observed affecting the lumbar intumescence, which was swollen with darken and depressed areas at the dorsal and ventral horns, and at the sacral level, which on cut surface displayed a friable and yellowish grey matter. The lesions observed grossly in brain and spinal cord consisted microscopically of severe vasculitis and liquefactive necrosis of white and grey matter of the brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord. Main limitations: This is a small retrospective series relying on clinical observations reported by owners and attending veterinarians. The mechanism of action of the plant toxin in the CNS is still unidentified. Conclusion: T. micrantha poisoning in horses causes predominantly a neurological disease, with minimal to absent hepatic lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cattle pastures established in areas previously covered by tropical rainforest can be abandoned in unproductive and degraded conditions. Transplanting native tree species to pastures is one common practice among rainforest restoration techniques, but several environmental barriers compromise transplant success. We assessed whether the presence of isolated trees and the removal of pasture grasses affect survival, growth, and allometry of transplanted saplings of the pioneer tree Trema micrantha (L.) Blume (Ulmaceae) into abandoned pastures in southeast Mexico. An isolated tree was selected in the center of each of four pasture sites of one hectare, and grass treatments were applied under the tree's canopy (0-10 m from the trunk) and in open pasture (15-48 m from the trunk). Grass removal treatments were control (grass present), cut with machete, herbicide application, and total grass removal with a gardening hoe. After 1 year, sapling survival was not different between the canopy and pasture areas (53%). Saplings showed higher survival probability ( p < 0.05) in the hoe treatment (63 ± 9%) than in the control treatment (38 ± 9%). Height and crown cover growth rates were faster under the canopy of isolated trees compared with the open pasture. Saplings showed significantly greater crown area/height ratios under the canopy of isolated trees. Stressful environmental conditions restricted sapling growth in the open pasture. We conclude that complete removal of grasses and transplanting T. micrantha saplings in the vicinity of isolated trees can improve transplant success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early pioneer species share life histories enabling them to colonize disturbed sites, but how much they differ demographically and how such differentiation determines pioneer species turnover during succession are still open questions. Here, we approached these issues by comparing the demography of dominant pioneer tree species during the secondary succession of tropical rainforest in Southeast Mexico.We assessed changes in population density, population structure, vital rates and intrinsic population growth rate (r) of the pioneer species Trema micrantha, Cecropia peltata and Trichospermum mexicanum during the first 35 years of succession. For this, we combined chronosequence and long‐term (from 2000 to 2018) data from 14 abandoned cornfields with 0.5–35 years fallow age.Trema colonized and disappeared first during succession (<15 years), followed by Cecropia (<28) and Trichospermum (>31). All species exhibited hump‐shaped successional trajectories of population density and biomass with Trema reaching a peak first, followed by Cecropia and later Trichospermum. Species exhibited a fast reduction in r with fallow age, with Trema reaching negative growth rates (r < 0) in the third, Cecropia in the fourth, and Trichospermum in the seventh year of succession. Recruitment, growth and mortality rates of seedlings and juveniles defined the period of population increase and the age of succession at which each species reached maximum density and biomass. The mortality rate in mature stages determined how long each species persisted during succession. An important variation in species replacement occurred among study sites. In some sites, one species was abundant and the others were almost absent, while it was the opposite in other sites. We inferred that priority inhibitory effects operated among species during the field colonization.Synthesis. Although Trema, Cecropia and Trichospermum are considered typical pioneer trees, these species differed importantly in their demographic attributes during succession. The speed at which r declined with age of succession indicated the moment at which each species reached its maximum density and species replacement sequence during succession. However, inter‐specific priority inhibitory effects during field colonization may also be involved in the chance of colonization and replacement between species with similar regeneration strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabaceae includes ten genera that are widely distributed in tropical to temperate regions of the world. Because of limited taxon and character sampling in previous studies, intergeneric phylogenetic relationships within this family have been poorly resolved. We conducted a molecular phylogenetic study based on four plastid loci (atpB-rbcL, rbcL, rpsl6, trnL-trnF) from 36 ingroup taxa, representing all ten recognized Cannabaceae genera, and six related taxa as outgroups. The molecular results strongly supported this expanded family to be a monophyletic group. All genera were monophyletic except for Trema, which was paraphyletic with respect to Parasponia. The Aphananthe clade was sister to all other Cannabaceae, and the other genera formed a strongly supported clade further resolved into a Lozanella clade, a Gironniera clade, and a trichotomy formed by the remaining genera. Morphological ancestral state reconstructions indicated the complex evolution pattern of most analyzed morphological characters, and it is difficult to identify morphological synapomorphies for most clades within Cannabaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabaceae are a relatively small family of angiosperms, but they include several species of huge economic and cultural significance: marijuana or hemp (Cannabis sativa) and hops (Humulus lupulus). Previous phylogenetic studies have clarified the most deep relationships in Cannabaceae, but relationships remain ambiguous among several major lineages. Here, we sampled 82 species representing all genera of Cannabaceae and utilized a new dataset of 90 nuclear genes and 82 chloroplast loci from Hyb‐Seq to investigate the phylogenomics of Cannabaceae. Nuclear phylogenetic analyses revealed a robust and consistent backbone for Cannabaceae. We observed nuclear gene‐tree conflict at several deep nodes in inferred species trees, also cyto‐nuclear discordance concerning the relationship between Gironniera and Lozanella and the relationships among Trema s.l. (including Parasponia), Cannabis + Humulus, and Chaetachme + Pteroceltis. Coalescent simulations and network analyses suggest that observed deep cyto‐nuclear discordances were most likely to stem from incomplete lineage sorting (ILS); nuclear gene‐tree conflict might be caused by both ILS and gene flow between species. All genera of Cannabaceae were recovered as monophyletic, except for Celtis, which consisted of two distinct clades: Celtis I (including most Celtis species) and Celtis II (including Celtis gomphophylla and Celtis schippii). We suggest that Celtis II should be recognized as the independent genus Sparrea based on both molecular and morphological evidence. Our work provides the most comprehensive and reliable phylogeny to date for Cannabaceae, enabling further exploration of evolutionary patterns across this family and highlighting the necessity of comparing nuclear with chloroplast data to examine the evolutionary history of plant groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the growth of Trema guineensis under conditions of temperature, humidity, shading, insolation and daylength comparable with those in a clearing in West African Rain forest in a glass-house at Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the study, the rapid growth of Trema cannot be explained by a high rate of dry weight increase per unit leaf-area, but may lie in its prolonged and efficient development of new leaf-area. It is said that the fast-growing tropical tree Trema guineensis resembles most of the woody perennials so far studied

Summary After ingesting green leaves of T. micrantha, 2 horses showed apathy, locomotor deficit, blindness, recumbency, paddling, coma and death. The main gross findings were scattered haemorrhages, enhanced lobular pattern of the liver, and cerebral oedema. Histological changes included disseminated haemorrhages, massive hepatocellular necrosis, neuronal degeneration, Alzheimer type II astrocytes and cerebral perivascular oedema. Clinicopathological findings which were comparable with those observed in Trema micrantha poisoned ruminants, associated with epidemiological evidence suggested the diagnosis. Trema micrantha poisoning should be evaluated as a possible cause in the diagnosis of equine hepatopathy and occasional secondary encephalopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1 The difference in gap size requirements observed for neotropical pioneer species is a classic example of habitat partitioning among tropical tree species. Previous research has shown that the three species Miconia argentea , Cecropia insignis and Trema micrantha differ in the minimum gap size that they occupy as adult plants in semi-deciduous tropical forest in Panamá. Here we test whether these differences result from variation in seed germination and seedling establishment requirements, or from differences in susceptibility to herbivores. 2 We planted seeds of Miconia argentea and Trema micrantha into artificially created small (25 m[sup 2] ), medium (64 m[sup 2] ) and large (225 m[sup 2] ) gaps in secondary forest, and transplanted seedlings of all three species into small and large gaps inside and outside mesh cages that excluded invertebrate herbivores. 3 Miconia seedlings emerged and established successfully across a broad range of gap sizes, and transplanted seedlings grew slowly but survived well in all gap sizes. By contrast, emergence and survival of Trema seedlings occurred only in the large gaps and transplants died in small gaps. Survival of Cecropia seedlings was intermediate between Trema and Miconia in the small gaps and growth was greater than either species in the large gaps. 4 Herbivore exclosures reduced foliar herbivory on all three species. The median lifespan of Trema seedlings in small gaps was reduced when the seedlings were exposed to herbivores, but survival of the other species was not affected by the exclosure treatment in either gap size. The growth of Miconia seedlings was lower outside exclosures in both gap sizes. 5 Differences in germination and establishment could generate the contrasting gap size distributions observed between Miconia and Trema , but they are partially offset by measured differences in seed bank density. However, patterns of seedling growth and survival reinforce differences among species at the establishment phase and provide a mechanism for the observed differences in gap size distribution at the sapling stage. ‘Cross-overs’ in species growth rates result in specialization to different environments and reduce their survival in unfavourable conditions. We found no evidence for a definitive influence of herbivory as a mechanism driving differences in gap size distribution among species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pioneer trees require high‐light environments for successful seedling establishment. Consequently, seeds of these species often persist in the soil seed bank (SSB) for periods ranging from several weeks to decades. How they survive despite extensive pressure from seed predators and soil‐borne pathogens remains an intriguing question. This study aims to test the hypotheses that decades‐old seeds collected from the SSB in a lowland tropical forest remain viable by (i) escaping infection by fungi, which are major drivers of seed mortality in tropical soils, and/or (ii) maintaining high levels of seed dormancy and seed coat integrity when compared to inviable seeds. We collected seeds of Trema micrantha and Zanthoxylum ekmanii at Barro Colorado Island, Panama, from sites where adult trees previously occurred in the past 30 years. We used carbon dating to measure seed age and characterized seed coat integrity, seed dormancy and fungal communities. Viable seeds from the SSB ranged in age from 9 to 30 years for T. micrantha, and 5 to 33 years for Z. ekmanii. We found no evidence that decades‐old seeds maintain high levels of seed dormancy or seed coat integrity. Fungi were rarely detected in fresh seeds (no soil contact), but phylogenetically diverse fungi were detected often in seeds from the SSB. Although fungal infections were more commonly detected in inviable seeds than in viable seeds, a lack of differences in fungal diversity and community composition between viable and inviable seeds suggested that viable seeds are not simply excluding fungal species to survive long periods in the SSB. Synthesis. Our findings reveal the importance of a previously understudied aspect of seed survival, where the impact of seed–microbial interactions may be critical to understand long‐term persistence in the SSB. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rampant deforestation in eastern Madagascar highlights the urgency of protecting and restoring its unique rainforests. This experiment addresses a restoration bottleneck: the precipitous drop in seedling survival during dry season plantings. We assayed nine soil, water, and shade treatments that were codeveloped with local farmers to improve survival and growth of 17 native tree species planted on a denuded hillside during one dry season. Most treatments had no effect; however, rustic shade structures decreased transplant shock mortality (i.e. mortality within the first 2 months after planting) by 75%. This improvement is broadly accessible; it can be accomplished with materials freely and easily accessed in most farmlands in eastern Madagascar. Also, survival varied among species and seedling size, suggesting that carefully selecting species that are resistant to the harsh dry periods, improving shade availability, and planting larger seedlings of each species could lead to further gains in native tree performance in dry season plantings. Short‐lived dry season resistant species (e.g. Uapaca sp., Trema orientalis, Psiadia sp., Macaranga sp., and Pittosporum ochrosiifolium) could also provide shade as nurse trees for less resistant canopy trees, which have the potential to be established through enrichment plantings in years following the initial planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Lowland tropical streams have a chemically diverse detrital resource base, where leaf quality could potentially alter the effect of high nutrient concentrations on leaf breakdown. This has important implications given the extent and magnitude of anthropogenic nutrient loading to the environment. 2. Here, we examine if leaf quality (as determined by concentrations of cellulose, lignin and tannins) mediates the effects of high ambient phosphorus (P) concentration on leaf breakdown in streams of lowland Costa Rica. We hypothesised that P would have a stronger effect on microbial and insect processing of high- than of low-quality leaves. 3. We selected three species that represented extremes of quality as measured in leaves of eight common riparian species. Species selected were, from high- to low-quality: Trema integerrima > Castilla elastica > Zygia longifolia. We incubated single-species leaf packs in five streams that had natural differences in ambient P concentration (10–140 μg soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) L−1), because of variable inputs of solute-rich groundwater and also in a stream that was experimentally enriched with P (approximately 200 μg SRP L−1). 4. The breakdown rate of all three species varied among the six streams: T. integerrima ( k-values range: 0.0451–0.129 day−1); C. elastica ( k-values range: 0.0064–0.021 day−1); and Z. longifolia ( k-values range: 0.002–0.008 day−1). Both ambient P concentration and flow velocity had significant effects on the breakdown rate of the three species. 5. Results supported our initial hypothesis that litter quality mediates the effect of high ambient P concentration on leaf processing by microbes and insects. The response of microbial respiration, fungal biomass and invertebrate density to high ambient P concentration was greater in Trema (high quality) than in Castilla or Zygia (low quality). Variation in flow velocity, however, confounded our ability to determine the magnitude of stimulation of breakdown rate by P. 6. Cellulose and lignin appeared to be the most important factors in determining the magnitude of P-stimulation. Surprisingly, leaf secondary compounds did not have an effect. This contradicts predictions made by other researchers, regarding the key role of plant secondary compounds in affecting leaf breakdown in tropical streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Heterotrophic biofilms are important drivers of community respiration, nutrient cycling and decomposition of organic matter in stream ecosystems. Both organic matter quality and nutrient levels have been shown to affect biofilm biomass and activity individually, but both factors have rarely been manipulated simultaneously. 2. To experimentally manipulate the organic matter quality and phosphorus (P) levels of both the substratum and water column, we first used cellulose cloth as a low-quality organic material and enhanced its quality and P-content by amending the underlying agar with maltose and P, respectively (Experiment I). To manipulate water column P, artificial substrata were incubated in low- and high-P sites of a whole-stream P-enrichment in lowland Costa Rica. 3. Results from Experiment I suggest that heterotrophic biofilm respiration on cellulose cloth is co-limited by carbon (C) and P. Biofilm respiration responded in an additive manner to combined effects of maltose and P-enrichment of water column and synergistically to maltose and high-P in substrata. 4. As decomposing organic matter that supports heterotrophic biofilms varies naturally in its labile C content along with other physical and chemical properties, we conducted a second experiment (Experiment II) in which we amended leaf discs from two species ( Trema integerrima, a labile C source and Zygia longifolia, a recalcitrant C source) with maltose. We incubated the substrata in low- and high-P sites of the P-enrichment stream. 5. Results from Experiment II indicate that biofilm respiration on a labile C source ( Trema) was not C-limited, while biofilm respiration on a recalcitrant C source ( Zygia) was C-limited. Phosphorus stimulated the biofilm respiration and breakdown rate on Trema, but not on Zygia, supporting the hypothesis that the stimulatory effect of P-enrichment is dependent on the availability of labile C in decomposing leaves. 6. Our results suggest that the interactive effects of organic matter quality and nutrient loading of streams can significantly increase microbial biofilm activity, potentially altering the trophic base of stream food webs. Researchers should consider both the organic matter quality and the enrichment of both water column and substrata to better predict the effects of anthropogenic nutrient loading to stream the ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Dispersal scenarios have been favored over tectonic vicariance as an explanation for disjunct distributions in many plant taxa during the last two decades. However, this argument has been insufficiently addressed in cosmopolitan groups showing disjunct patterns in both the temperate and tropical regions. In this study, we used the Cannabaceae, an angiosperm family distributed in tropical and temperate regions of both the New World and the Old World, to explore the role of dispersal in shaping disjunct patterns and species diversification of cosmopolitan plants. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of all 10 genera and 75 species of Cannabaceae (ca. 64.1% of recognized species) based on eight DNA regions. Based on fossil calibrations, we estimated the divergence times and net diversification rates. We further inferred the ancestral geographical ranges with several models and compared the fitness of different models. The Cannabaceae and most genera were strongly supported as monophyletic except for the Parasponia being embedded within the Trema. The Celtis were resolved into two strongly supported clades primarily corresponding to temperate and tropical regions. We inferred that the Cannabaceae originated at ca. 93 Ma, and that subsequent rampant and widespread dispersals shaped the intercontinentally disjunct distribution of the Cannabaceae. Dispersal coincides with adaptation to drier and colder climate in the Northern Hemisphere, or humid and warm climate in the tropical regions, followed by rapid species diversification. This study advances our understanding as to the formation of distribution patterns and species diversification of a plant family with tropical to temperate disjunct distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) The gap-phase regeneration behaviour of three pioneer tree species in a Panamanian forest is described. For each species recruitment, mortality and height growth of saplings were recorded during the first 8-9 years of regrowth in thirty natural treefall gaps. The gaps were 20-705 m² in area. (2) Trema micrantha individuals that survived until years 8-9 were recruited (reached 1 m tall) only in the first year after gap formation. This species grows very fast (up to 7 m year[sup -1]). After 8-9 years it occurred in only the largest gaps (> 376 m²). (3) Cecropia insignis survivors were recruited mostly in the first year after gap formation but some survived from years 2 and 3. This species did not grow as fast (up to 4 9 m year[sup -1]) as Trema micrantha. It occurred in the larger gaps (> 215 m²). (4) Miconia argentea survivors were recruited mostly in years 2 and 3 but some survivors were recruited as late as 7 years after gap formation. This species had the slowest growth of the three species studied (up to 2 5 m year[sup -1]) and colonized gaps from the largest to one of only 102 m². (5) The gap-phase regeneration behaviour of these species forms a gradient in terms of recruitment, growth, and gap-size requirement. Such dissimilarity could maintain some diversity of gap colonizers but apparent overlap in regeneration behaviour among these and other pioneer species suggests that chance also promotes their coexistence. Correlates of pioneer species abundance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. We examined effects of nutrients on leaf breakdown in interior forest streams at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We tested the hypothesis that dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) becomes limiting when ambient phosphorus (P) concentration is high. We also compared the breakdown of relatively ‘low quality’ leaves (lower C : N, Trema integerrima) with that of ‘higher quality’ leaves (higher C : N, Ficus insipida) in a high-P stream. 2. Litterbags were incubated in two streams: one enriched experimentally with P [target concentration 200 μg soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) L−1] and one control (naturally low P concentration approximately 10 μg SRP L−1). Ammonium enrichment was achieved by adding fertiliser upstream of half of the litterbags in each stream. 3. Phosphorus addition stimulated leaf breakdown, microbial respiration, ergosterol and leaf %P. Leaf breakdown rate was consistent with those in La Selva streams with naturally high P concentration. 4. Nitrogen (N) addition had no effect on leaf breakdown, microbial respiration, ergosterol or leaf chemistry in either the P-enriched or the reference stream, in spite of low N : P ratios. We conclude that N is probably not limiting in streams at La Selva that are naturally high in P. This may be due to moderately high ambient N concentration (>200 μg DIN L−1) prevailing throughout the year. 5. The species with a lower C : N decomposed more rapidly and supported higher microbial activity than that with a higher C : N. Subtle differences in leaf N content, as well as dissolved P concentration, may be important in determining microbial colonisation and subsequent leaf breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seedlings of contrasting tropical tree species were grown at two levels of photon flux, and two levels of nutrient supply. The CO2 exchanges of plant organs were measured, in an attempt to account for the overall carbon balance of the plants in terms of the photosynthesis and respiration of their constituent parts (buds, stems, roots and leaves that were recently' fully expanded, mature and senescing). On a per plant basis the buds and leaves dominated the carbon balance. High photon flux and high nutrient supply increased the respiration rate. The relative importance of leaves of different age in whole plant photosynthetic production and respiration was different in the two species and was affected by the light regime. Maintenance respiration of' both species was about the same 10.036 0.050) g CO2 'd' ) but the pioneer species Trema displayed a much higher rate of growth respiration than did Milicia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Habitat selection in animals results from a careful balance of individual requirements, environmental conditions, and ecological disturbances. Preferences can vary across sexes and ages due to differences in survival and reproductive priorities. Despite this variability, most studies have traditionally focused on isolated aspects of either sex or age‐related differences in habitat selection, rather than considering a comprehensive range of influencing factors. The mountain dragon lizard (Diploderma splendidum) exemplifies a species adapted to shrub habitats in the dry‐hot river valleys of the lower Jinsha River, Western China, playing a crucial role in regional ecosystem stability. In this study, we examined the influence of 11 ecological factors on habitat selection by male and female D. splendidum across two distinct age classes (adult and juvenile) to explore sex and age‐related disparities. The lizards showed considerable similarity in habitat preferences, but notable differences in their selection of specific ecological factors. Compared to adult females, adult males displayed a preference for higher tree positions, lower light intensity, and moderate vegetation density. Compared to juvenile females, juvenile males favored higher tree positions, low rock formations, and shrubby grassland and forest. Compared to juvenile females, adult females preferred higher tree positions and habitats further from water. Compared to juvenile males, adult males preferred higher tree habitats. Overall, habitat selection complexity in D. splendidum was significantly influenced by sex and age factors. This study contributes to our understanding of how these lizards respond to different physiological structures and resource requirements. These findings enhance current knowledge on reptile habitat selection and provide theoretical insights crucial for ecological restoration and species protection in the hot and dry valley areas of Hengduan Mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable composites based on poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) and three different natural fibers (Croton lanjouwensis—Fiber C, Malvastrum tomentosum—Fiber M, and Trema micrantha—Fiber T) from the Amazon forest have been reported for the first time. Natural fibers were extracted through mechanical processing and the composites were prepared by melt mixing procedure. All composites showed greater modulus of elasticity than neat polymer and this improvement varies according to the type of fiber used as reinforcement. Addition of Fiber C increased 48% the modulus of elasticity of the polymer, while the addition of the Fibers M and T increased 70 and 72% the modulus of elasticity of the PBAT, respectively. The results reported in the present work support the idea that the above‐mentioned natural fibers can be used as filler material to obtain environmentally friendly polymer composites with improved properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3351–3360, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have been used as healing agents since humanity began. This review presents the plant profiles inhabiting the world regarding their traditional usage by various tribes/ethnic groups for the treatment of epilepsy. The bibliographic investigation was carried out by analyzing standard reference textbooks, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. Search terms and keywords used for the search were epilepsy, medicinal plants for epilepsy, herbal remedies used in the treatment of epilepsy, and traditional antiepilepsy medication. This review article was prepared by including the biological names of plants/their parts/extracts/compounds/doses/models/results. Further, experimentally explored 15 potential medicinal plants have also been explored in detail. The present review was prepared by including 114 plants from 3 books, 83 research, and 59 review articles. This review indicates that the list of medicinal plants presented in this review might be useful to researchers for preliminary screening of potential antiepileptic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the present scenario of chicken husbandry and breeding practices in the rural districts of Sidama Region, southern Ethiopia. Four districts, namely Hula, Shebedino, Aleta Chuko, and Boricha were purposefully selected based on their chicken production potential and agroecological distinctiveness. The study data were collected from 161 chicken‐keeping households through interviews, on‐farm follow‐ups, group discussions, and field observations. Descriptive statistics and indexed ranking procedures were applied to summarize the data using SAS software. The chicken farming system was predominantly free‐scavenging, followed by slowly growing semi‐intensive and few intensive farming systems. The majority of rural farmers were keeping chickens primarily to support family income and for home use. A decreasing flock size of indigenous chickens and an increasing trend of improved chicken distribution and rearing were observed. It has been noted that farmers have a good experience of selecting hatching eggs, breeding cocks, and hens. In highland districts, pure breeding is common, while in midland and lowland districts, crossbreeding is more common due to the high distribution of exotic breeds. In all study districts, chickens mainly rely on scavenging with minimal feed supplementation and sit on simple perches fixed in family houses and kitchens. More than 65% of farmers use various traditional medications that were known by farmers to cure sick chickens. Furthermore, the study identified seasonal feed shortages, disease outbreaks, unplanned breeding, limited management knowledge, predators, and drought as major bottlenecks to chicken production. Thus, these findings could raise guiding information to improve small‐scale chicken husbandry and breeding practices, which help poor rural families, and the major bottlenecks to ensure sustainable poultry farming were identified. Moreover, the high mortality of chickens observed during peak dry and wet seasons in the Boricha and Hula districts, respectively, calls for further research on the adaptation potentials of chickens in their respective ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peruvian Amazon has experienced large losses of forest cover due to changes in land use, contributing to increases in CO2 in the atmosphere. This study estimated the organic carbon content of forest soil in two forests "Ojos de Agua" and "El Quinillal" in the Central Huallaga of Peru, establishing three types of cover: (i) primary, (ii) intervened, and (iii) deforested. For this purpose, 24 plots of 100 m2 were established and samples were extracted at a depth of 0–20 cm. The effect of the type of forest cover on soil carbon (Organic Carbon‐SOC, Inorganic Carbon‐SIC, Saturated Carbon‐SC, Critical Carbon‐CC, Saturated Carbon Deficit‐SCD, and Organic Carbon‐OC) was analyzed by means of an Analysis of Variance, correlation. Likewise, the relationship between carbon (C) and soil properties was evaluated by principal component analysis and correlation network. The results indicated that the highest SOC averages were found in the primary forests of Ojos de Agua and El Quinillal with 3.54% and 2.51%. The lowest values were found in the deforested forests with 1.34% and 1.46%. The calculation of the saturated C levels of the soil showed an average of 28.63% ± 2.14% and the saturated carbon deficit of 26.63% ± 2.45%, whereas the critical threshold of C showed an average of 2.21% ± 0.18%. The highest SOC content found in the Ojos de Agua primary forest is due to the presence of dominant forest species such as Manilkara bidentata and Brosimum alicastrum. Likewise, the C deficit in the soils of the study area is very alarming because it is very close to saturation levels, especially in deforested forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The animal gut microbiome can have a strong influence on the health, fitness, and behavior of its hosts. The composition of the gut microbial community can be influenced by factors such as diet, environment, and evolutionary history (phylosymbiosis). However, the relative influence of these factors is unknown in most bird species. Furthermore, phylosymbiosis studies have largely focused on clades that diverged tens of millions of years ago, and little is known about the degree of gut microbiome divergence in more recent species radiations. This study explores the drivers of microbiome variation across the unique and recent Hawaiian honeycreeper radiation (Fringillidae: Drepanidinae). Fecal samples were collected from 14 extant species spanning the main islands of the Hawaiian archipelago and were sequenced using three metabarcoding markers to characterize the gut microbiome, invertebrate diet, and plant diet of Hawaiian honeycreepers. We then used these metabarcoding data and the honeycreeper host phylogeny to evaluate their relative roles in shaping the gut microbiome. Microbiome variation across birds was highly individualized; however, source island had a small but significant effect on microbiome structure. The microbiomes did not recapitulate the host phylogenetic tree, indicating that evolutionary history does not strongly influence microbiome structure in the honeycreeper clade. These results expand our understanding of the roles of diet, geography, and phylogeny on avian microbiome structure, while also providing important ecological information about the diet and gut microbiota of wild Hawaiian honeycreepers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the lowlands of central Panama, the Neotropical pioneer tree Trema micrantha (sensu lato) exists as two cryptic species: "landslide" Trerna is restricted to landslides and road embankments, while "gap" Trerna occurs mostly in treefall gaps. In this study, we explored the relative contributions of biotic interactions and physical factors to habitat segregation in T. micrantha. Field surveys showed that soils from landslides were significantly richer in available phosphorus and harbored distinct arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AM F) communities compared to gap soils. Greenhouse experiments designed to determine the effect of these abiotic and biotic differences showed that: (1) both landslide and gap species performed better in sterilized soil from their own habitat, (2) the availability of phosphorus and nitrogen was limiting in gap and landslide soils, respectively, (3) a standardized AMF inoculum increased performance of both species, but primarily on gap soils, and (4) landslide and gap species performed better when sterilized soils were inoculated with the microbial inoculum from their own habitat. A field experiment confirmed that survival and growth of each species was highest in its corresponding habitat. This experiment also showed that browsing damage significantly decreased survival of gap Trema on landslides. We conclude that belowground interactions with soil microbes and aboveground interactions with herbivores contribute in fundamental ways to processes that may promote and reinforce adaptive speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. We related above-ground biomass allocation to light interception by trees and lianas growing in three tropical rain forest stands that were 0.5, 2 and 3-year-old regeneration stages after slash and burn agriculture. 2. Stem height and diameter, leaf angle, the vertical distribution of total above-ground biomass and leaf longevity were measured in individuals of three short-lived pioneers (SLP), four later successional species (LS) and three lianas (L). Daily light capture per individual (Φd) was calculated with a canopy model. Mean daily light interception per unit leaf area (Φarea), leaf mass (Φleaf mass) and above-ground mass (Φmass) were used as measures of instantaneous efficiency of biomass use for light capture. 3. With increasing stand age, vegetation height and leaf area index increased while light at the forest floor declined from 34 to 5%. The SLP, Trema micanthra and Ochroma pyramidale, dominated the canopy early in succession and became three times taller than the other species. SLP had lower leaf mass fractions and leaf area ratios than the other groups and this difference increased with stand age. 4. Over time, the SLP intercepted increasingly more light per unit leaf mass than the other species. Lianas, which in the earliest stage were self-supporting and started climbing later on, gradually became taller at a given mass and diameter than the trees. Yet, they were not more efficient than trees in light interception. 5. SLP had at least three-fold shorter leaf life spans than LS and lianas. Consequently, total light interception calculated over the mean life span of leaves (Φleaf mass total = Φarea × SLAdeath leaves× leaf longevity) was considerably lower for the SLP than for the other groups. 6. Synthesis. We suggest that early dominance in secondary forest is associated with a high rate of leaf turnover which in turn causes inefficient long-term use of biomass for light capture, whereas persistence in the shade is associated with long leaf life spans. This analysis shows how inherent tradeoffs in crown and leaf traits drive long-term competition for light, and it presents a conceptual tool to explain why early dominants are not also the long-term dominants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growth experiment was conducted using seedlings of three early-successional, tropical, woody species: Dillenia suffruticosa (Dilleniaceae), Macaranga heynei (Euphorbiaceae) and Trema tomentosa (Ulmaceae). These species are characteristic of different positions along a soil fertility gradient in Singapore, with D. suffruticosa being the least and T. tomentosa the most demanding of high nutrient availability. The seedlings were grown in vermiculite at either low or high nutrient availabilities supplied by watering with different concentrations of a commercial plant food. Half the seedlings were subjected to a 50% defoliation at the start of the experiment by cutting off the distal half of each leaf. After 9 weeks the plants were harvested. Macaranga heynei and T. tomentosa seedlings showed no significant difference in parameters of growth such as total dry weight and total leaf area between the defoliated and control seedlings. The seedlings compensated completely for the loss of leaf area. Dillenia suffruticosa did show significant reductions in growth in some parameters due to defoliation, and these were more pronounced under the high nutrient treatment. These findings support the hypothesis that plants characteristic of resource-rich sites can readily recover from herbivory through fast growth, probably associated with a rapid turnover of leaves, whereas species of resource-poor habitats cannot easily replace losses due to herbivory and are adversely effected by defoliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture toughness of sun-leaves of 42 tropical tree species growing in Singapore was measured along a 'least tough' path using an instrumented cutting technique. Punch-and-die (penetrometer) tests were also conducted. Intercostal material was analyzed for crude fibre and crude protein (total nitrogen concentration × 6.25) and the ratio of the two, the index of selerophylly, calculated for each species. Leaf anatomy was examined and specific leaf area was calculated. Thirty-seven of the species were from three definable plant communities, namely mangroves, trema belukar (secondary forest on undegraded sites) and adinandra belukar (secondary forest on highly degraded soils). There was a highly significant positive correlation between fracture toughness and index of selerophylly for the 42 species (R2 = 0.43, P < 0001) brought about largely by a high correlation between toughness and crude fibre content. Fracture toughness was not correlated with lamina tissue dorsi-ventral thickness but high toughness was clearly associated with the presence of sclerenchyma bundle sheaths and sheath extensions. Analysis of the fracture path for 26 leaves of ten mangrove species showed a high correlation between the area fraction occupied by veins and fracture toughness if one species, Avicenmia rumphiana, was excluded. The regression equation for the other nine species gave estimates of the fracture toughness of vein tissue and lamina matrix of 6053 and 327 J m-2 respectively. Punch-and-die test results only correlated well with the cutting tests when values were divided by lamina thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: High‐throughput genotyping arrays have provided a cost‐effective, reliable and interoperable system for genotyping hexaploid wheat and its relatives. Existing, highly cited arrays including our 35K Wheat Breeder's array and the Illumina 90K array were designed based on a limited amount of varietal sequence diversity and with imperfect knowledge of SNP positions. Recent progress in wheat sequencing has given us access to a vast pool of SNP diversity, whilst technological improvements have allowed us to fit significantly more probes onto a 384‐well format Axiom array than previously possible. Here we describe a novel Axiom genotyping array, the 'Triticum aestivum Next Generation' array (TaNG), largely derived from whole genome skim sequencing of 204 elite wheat lines and 111 wheat landraces taken from the Watkins 'Core Collection'. We used a novel haplotype optimization approach to select SNPs with the highest combined varietal discrimination and a design iteration step to test and replace SNPs which failed to convert to reliable markers. The final design with 43 372 SNPs contains a combination of haplotype‐optimized novel SNPs and legacy cross‐platform markers. We show that this design has an improved distribution of SNPs compared to previous arrays and can be used to generate genetic maps with a significantly higher number of distinct bins than our previous array. We also demonstrate the improved performance of TaNGv1.1 for Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) and its utility for Copy Number Variation (CNV) analysis. The array is commercially available with supporting marker annotations and initial genotyping results freely available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving our ability to monitor fragmented tropical ecosystems is a critical step in supporting the stewardship of these complex landscapes. We investigated the structural characteristics of vegetation classes in Ucayali, Peru, employing a co‐production approach. The vegetation classes included three agricultural classes (mature oil palm, monocrop cacao, and agroforestry cacao plantations) and three forest regeneration classes (mature lowland forest, secondary lowland forest, and young lowland vegetation regrowth). We combined local knowledge with spaceborne lidar from NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation mission to classify vegetation and characterize the horizontal and vertical structure of each vegetation class. Mature lowland forest had consistently higher mean canopy height and lower canopy height variance than secondary lowland forest (μ = 29.40 m, sd = 6.89 m vs. μ = 20.82 m, sd = 9.15 m, respectively). The lower variance of mature forest could be attributed to the range of forest development ages in the secondary forest patches. However, secondary forests exhibited a similar vertical profile to mature forests, with each cumulative energy percentile increasing at similar rates. We also observed similar mean and standard deviations in relative height ratios (RH50/RH95) for mature forest, secondary forest, and oil palm even when removing the negative values from the relative height ratios and interpolating from above‐ground returns only (mean RH50/RH95 of 0.58, 0.54, and 0.53 for mature forest, secondary forest, and oil palm, respectively) (p <.0001). This pattern differed from our original expectations based on local knowledge and existing tropical forest succession studies, pointing to opportunities for future work. Our findings suggest that lidar‐based relative height metrics can complement local information and other remote sensing approaches that rely on optical imagery, which are limited by extensive cloud cover in the tropics. We show that characterizing ecosystem structure with a co‐production approach can support addressing both the technical and social challenges of monitoring and managing fragmented tropical landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine plant community types and species distribution patterns and their relationships with environmental variables in Dabena woodland in western Ethiopia. A systematic sampling design was used. Representative and relatively homogeneous vegetation units of sampling sites were selected on the basis of physiognomy. Vegetation and environmental data were collected from a total of 92 plots (each 20 m × 20 m) which were placed at intervals of 200 m along the established transect lines. All vascular plant species in the plots were recorded. Floristic richness, diversity, evenness indices, and similarity of the plant communities were analyzed using R Package 3.2. Classification and ordination methods were used to describe community types and to examine the relationship between community type and environmental variables. Five plant communities were identified in the vegetation of Dabena woodland, namely, Clerodendrum myricoides-Vernonia hymenolepis, Erythrina brucei-Entada abyssinica, Combretum molle-Gardenia ternifolia, Galiniera saxifraga-Flacourtia indica, and Dracaena afromontana-Landolphia buchananii. All community types showed a high diversity index. The highest similarity coefficient was 0.49 between community types two and three, reflecting 0.51 dissimilarity in their species richness. Disturbance, altitude, CEC, phosphorous, OC, clay, and TN are the environmental factors that most influenced the distribution of the plant communities. The CCA diagram revealed that disturbance and silt strongly influenced the distribution of species in Clerodendrum myricoides‐Vernonia hymenolepis community, Combretum molle-Gardenia ternifolia community, and Erythrina brucei-Entada abyssinica community. Altitude, clay, and total nitrogen axes strongly influenced the distribution of species in Galiniera saxifraga-Flacourtia indica and Dracaena afromontana-Landolphia buchananii community. Therefore, it can be concluded that some other environmental variables may influence the distribution of the plant communities, which needs to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed vegetation structure and regeneration status of woody species in Gerba Dima forest, southwestern Ethiopia. Ninety sample plots measuring 25 m × 25 m were laid through a stratified random sampling procedure. The studied forest was stratified into three forest strata based on its altitudinal variation. Stratum I was found at an altitudinal range of 1500−1800 m, while strata II and III were located at altitudinal ranges of 1801−2000 m and 2001−2300 m, respectively. All woody plant species with a diameter at breast height (dbh) equal to or larger than 2.5 cm and a height of at least 1.5 m were recorded. Analysis of the structure of the vegetation was conducted using frequency distribution of dbh, height, and importance value (IV). The regeneration pattern of the study species was assessed by employing the total count of seedlings and saplings. The density of woody species in the study area was 1829 individuals ha−1. Basal area of the Gerba Dima forest was 65.05 m2ha−1. Total densities of seedlings, saplings, and trees/shrubs were 4558 ha−1, 2149 ha−1, and 1515 ha−1, respectively. Structural analysis and assessment of the regeneration status of woody species in the Gerba Dima forest showed that the overall ecological condition of the forest was healthy as indicated by inverse J‐curve dbh distribution, which showed a large number of individuals in lower dbh classes. Furthermore, a large number of seedlings and saplings were recorded for most species, in addition to the presence of a sufficient number of matured trees. However, some species exhibited abnormal population structure and abnormal patterns of regeneration characterized by fewer or no individuals in lower dbh, as well as in seedling and sapling stages. It was thus concluded that species with abnormal population structure and regeneration status (e.g., Sapium ellipticum and Trichilia dregeana) require urgent conservation attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants that form root-nodule symbioses are within a monophyletic 'nitrogen-fixing' clade and associated signalling processes are shared with the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Central to symbiotic signalling are nuclear-associated oscillations in calcium ions (Ca2+), occurring in the root hairs of several legume species in response to the rhizobial Nod factor signal., In this study we expanded the species analysed for activation of Ca2+ oscillations, including nonleguminous species within the nitrogen-fixing clade., We showed that Ca2+ oscillations are a common feature of legumes in their association with rhizobia, while Cercis, a non-nodulating legume, does not show Ca2+ oscillations in response to Nod factors from Sinorhizobium fredii NGR234. Parasponia andersonii, a nonlegume that can associate with rhizobia, showed Nod factor-induced calcium oscillations to S. fredii NGR234 Nod factors, but its non-nodulating sister species, Trema tomentosa, did not. Also within the nitrogen-fixing clade are actinorhizal species that associate with Frankia bacteria and we showed that Alnus glutinosa induces Ca2+ oscillations in root hairs in response to exudates from Frankia alni, but not to S. fredii NGR234 Nod factors., We conclude that the ability to mount Ca2+ oscillations in response to symbiotic bacteria is a common feature of nodulating species within the nitrogen-fixing clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the modern intractable reproductive diseases. The female irregular menstruation, infertility, obesity, and so forth caused by PCOS have become a hot issue affecting family harmony and social development. The aetiology of PCOS is complex. In recent years, many scholars have found that its pathogenesis was related to the imbalance of gut microbiota. Gut microbiota can form two‐way communication with the brain through the 'gut‐brain axis' and affect the host's metabolism. Current research has confirmed that the gut microbiota can interfere with glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, hormone secretion and follicular development in women by altering intestinal mucosal permeability and secreting metabolites. In addition, the diversity and composition of gut microbiota of PCOS patients changed, which may affect the metabolic function of the gut microbiota and the ability to produce metabolites, and may also directly or indirectly affect the endocrine function. This study reviewed recent research advances about the role of gut microbiota in PCOS. In order to provide basis for prevention and treatment of PCOS based on gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of biomass estimates through mathematical expressions remains essential for the sustainability of the REDD+ process. The objective of this research was to develop allometric models by site species to evaluate the biomass of Theobroma cacao in agroforestry systems in the Central Region of Cameroon. Biomass data were obtained by the destructive method on a sample of 50 trees (5 cm ≤ D ≤ 27 cm). Allometric models were developed using aboveground (AGB), belowground (BGB), and total biomass (TB) as dependent variables and tree dendrometric parameters as independent variables. Nine linear models were adjusted based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), residual standard error (RSE), coefficient of determination ( R 2 ), and various statistical tests including the normality test, heterogeneity, and autocorrelation for the analysis of residuals. The different results show that only the diameter appears to be a good predictor of biomass with an R 2 greater than 0.94, 0.85, and 0.95, respectively, for aboveground biomass (M1: ln B = −1.613 + 1.83 × ln (D)), belowground biomass (M1: ln B = −2.611 + 1.65 × ln (D)), and total biomass (M1: ln B = −1.297 + 1.79 × ln (D)). Incorporating crown diameter and height into the models slightly improved the quality of adjusted. Comparison of the models in this study with pantropical equations previously used to estimate Theobroma cacao biomass shows that the models in this study provide a better estimate. The allometric equations developed in this work to estimate the AGB, BGB, and TB of Theobroma cacao can be used under the same environmental conditions to accurately predict the biomass accumulated in agroforestry systems by this species and thus allow the implementation of activities aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) for the benefit of local communities through the carbon market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although differences in canopy openness, herbivory and their interaction may promote species coexistence, how these factors affect pioneer tree species and potentially limit growth, and survival has been poorly studied, particularly in tropical South Asia. We monitored the effect of canopy openness and herbivore damage on seedling survival and growth of 960 individuals of six pioneer tree species: Dillenia triquetra, Macaranga indica, Macaranga peltata, Schumacheria castaneifolia, Trema orientalis, and Wendlandia bicuspidata. Seedlings were placed in four gap-understory positions-center, outer gap edge, inner forest edge, and understory-in four large, natural gaps within the Sinharaja World Heritage Reserve, Sri Lanka. Canopy openness positively affected survival probability beyond the 550-d experiment, while herbivory decreased survival and was highest in understory conditions. The relative order of species survival stayed fairly consistent between gap-understory positions and followed their known shade tolerance rankings. When averaged across all experimental conditions, T. orientalis had the lowest survival probability estimate beyond the 550-d experiment (0.05), but the greatest capacity for growth where it successfully established, while the species with highest averaged survival probability (0.79), D. triquetra, showed the lowest growth. One species, W. bicuspidata, responded positively to herbivory by re-sprouting. Coexistence of D. triquetra, T. orientalis, and W. bicuspidata can be explained by a trade-off among species in survival, growth, and response to herbivory. In addition to variation in canopy light environment, herbivory may be important in determining pioneer species distribution through fine-scale niche partitioning and should be carefully considered in reforestation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim We identify the main forest vegetation types in Taiwan, provide their formal definitions and describe their species composition, habitat affinities and distribution. Location Taiwan. Methods A data set of 9822 vegetation plots with environmental characteristics recorded in the field or derived from digital maps in GIS was compiled from historical literature and an extensive field survey. Using expert knowledge, 6574 of these plots were used to build a classification into broad vegetation types. The units of the resulting classification were formally defined using a Cocktail determination key, which can be used for the automatic assignment of new vegetation plots to these vegetation types. Results Twelve vegetation types of zonal forests and nine types of azonal forests were distinguished. Zonal types in the subtropical region, from high mountains to foothills, are Juniperus subalpine coniferous woodland, Abies- Tsuga upper-montane coniferous forest, Chamaecyparis montane mixed cloud forest, Fagus montane deciduous broad-leaved cloud forest, Quercus montane evergreen broad-leaved cloud forest, Machilus- Castanopsis sub-montane evergreen broad-leaved forest, Phoebe- Machilus sub-montane evergreen broad-leaved forest and Ficus- Machilus semi-evergreen foothill forest. Zonal types in the tropical region, from high mountains to foothills, are Pasania- Elaeocarpus montane evergreen broad-leaved cloud forest, Drypetes- Helicia sub-montane evergreen broad-leaved forest, Dysoxylum- Machilus foothill evergreen broad-leaved forest and Aglaia- Ficus foothill evergreen broad-leaved forest. Azonal types are Illicium- Cyclobalanopsis tropical winter monsoon forest, Pyrenaria- Machilus subtropical winter monsoon forest, Diospyros- Champereia tropical rock-outcrop forest, Zelkova- Quercus subtropical rock-outcrop forest, Pinus successional woodland, Alnus successional woodland, Trema- Mallotus successional woodland, Scaevola- Hibiscus seashore woodland and Kandelia mangrove. Conclusions The diversity of forest vegetation in Taiwan is strongly structured by the temperature and moisture gradient. Along the temperature gradient, five altitudinal zones can be recognized. Azonal forest types develop at sites affected by the winter monsoon, on steep slopes, rocky soils, in seashore saline habitats and in places disturbed by fire, landslides and human activities. Zonal vegetation contains a higher ratio of endemic and Pacific species and occurs in wetter habitats, whereas azonal vegetation contains co-existing species from different regions and usually occurs in drier habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of the Study: This study details the unusual synorganization of the staminate flower in wind‐pollinated urticalean rosids to add the missing pieces that complete the puzzle of the explosive mechanism of pollen release in this group. Methods: Flower buds and flowers were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. Key Results: The pistillode, stamens, and sepals form a floral apparatus that explosively releases pollen to be carried by the wind. The anthers dehisce when the stamens are still inflexed on the floral bud and are enveloped by the sepals and supported by an inflated pistillode. The distension of the filaments presses the pistillode, which decreases the pressure exerted on the anthers by releasing the air accumulated internally through its apical orifice. The extended filaments and the dehiscent free anthers move rapidly outward from the center of the flower. This movement of the filaments is then blocked by the robust basally united sepals, which causes a rapid inversion of the anther position, thus hurling the pollen grains far from the flower. The pollen grains are released grouped by the mucilage produced in high quantity in the cells found in all floral organs. Conclusions: The anatomical structure of the pistillode and the finding of mucilaginous cells are the main features that help in the understanding the explosive mechanism of pollen release in urticalean rosids. The pistillode can be considered an exaptation because it was evolved later to provide a new role in the plant, optimizing male fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Lantana ( Lantana camara) has adverse effects on plant communities across Australia. Fire, sometimes recommended as a management strategy for Lantana, is likely to have both beneficial and detrimental effects on Lantana and native trees. It is therefore important to evaluate the regeneration of Lantana-invaded woody plant communities postfire. We examined the effect of Lantana removal by herbicide spray on both Lantana density and small tree (<5 cm diameter at breast height; DBH) attributes (abundance, height, DBH and diversity) in an area previously burnt. On a subset of the data, which was not sprayed, we also examined small tree attributes along a gradient of Lantana density. The herbicide treatment of postfire Lantana regrowth significantly reduced Lantana density compared to the areas left unmanaged by herbicide and increased the stem diameter of Celery Wood ( Polyscias elegans). We found that, as Lantana stem density increased in no-spray plots, the abundance of Poison Peach ( Trema tomentosa), Celery Wood, and Eucalyptus and allied genera ( Angophora and Corymbia) decreased. In addition, height of wattles ( Acacia irrorata and A. maidenii) increased with increasing Lantana density. As postfire regeneration of Lantana reduced abundance of some species, additional control of Lantana was required to assist community regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree abundance and species composition in the mechanically logged, intensively pitsawn and minimally disturbed areas of Kalinzu Forest Reserve were determined. The spatial and diameter size-class distribution of ten selected tree species representing pioneer, secondary colonizer, understorey, canopy, dominant and endangered species were also assessed. The species were: Musanga leo-errerae, Trema orientalis, Funtumia africana, Strombosia scheffleri, Oxyansus speciosus, Parinari excelsa, Tabernaemontana holstii, Newtonia buchananii, Lovoa swynnertonii and Entandrophragma angolense. The mean stem density of all trees ≥0.5 m in height was 2809.1 per hectare and 150 species were enumerated in the three forest areas. Most individuals (47.73%) and species (75.0%) were recorded in the minimally disturbed and least in the mechanically logged areas. Of the selected species, F. africana was the most abundant (n = 789) and widely distributed in each of the areas. Entandrophragma angolense was the least abundant (n = 63) and most of its individuals (74.6%) were recorded in the minimally disturbed area. Funtumia africana and S. scheffleri (subcanopy), O. speciosus and T. holstii (understorey), N. buchananii (canopy) and P. excelsa (an upper canopy and a climax species of this forest reserve) had an inverse J-shaped diameter size-class structure while pioneer species ( M. leo-errerae and T. orientalis) had a bell-shaped size-class structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning of software releases is accomplished by the assignment of requirements to the releases, where effort, finance, and risk constraints are considered in order to determine strategic release plans. Planning and re-planning of releases has an impact on time-to-market, customer satisfaction, and stability of the development process. This article presents an industrial case study of the release planning process improvement as performed at Trema Laboratories, Inc. The baseline situation is compared against the improvement gained from the introduction of a more systematic process defined by a decision support tool called ReleasePlanner, and an accompanying methodology. The new process was designed and implemented as part of a trial project performed at Trema. The article describes the main findings of this trial. The study shows that the process improvement introduced has added significant value to the overall business. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three permanent plots (P1, P2, and P3) were established in the Pinus luchuensis-Schima mertensiana forest on Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands. The complete process of the mass-dieback of the pine trees in the early 1980s and the consequences of the typhoon damage in 1983 were surveyed for 20 years (1980–1999) together with the vegetation recovery following these disturbances. The stem height and the growth condition of all the seedlings and saplings (P1: 1,632, P2: 1,681, and P3: 931) were recorded, and the relative light intensity and the weight of the A 0 layer were measured each year. Dead pine trees fell down and rotted gradually. In P1 and P2, the 1983 typhoon inflicted extensive damage to the canopy; the gap area ratio in the canopy was 60.1% and 58.1%, respectively. Trema orientalis seedlings emerged from buried seed concurrently in 1984, but they almost all died within a few years in P2. Many seedlings of S. mertensiana germinated in 1985 and 1986 in P1 and P2, and Psidium cattleianum (an introduced species) followed, especially in P2. Psidium attained a dominant position in the canopy of P2 as a result of the disturbances. In contrast, the structure and composition of the forest in P3, which consisted of emergent trees of Casuarina equisetifolia, did not change to any large extent. All of the individuals found in the plots, with the exception of the parent trees, were classified as advanced saplings (existing from 1980) and new seedlings (germinated during the survey period), and survival rates at 1, 10, and 20 years and growth following the disturbances were compared between them. By 1999, the advanced saplings, but not the new seedlings, overwhelmingly occupied the vacant spaces created in the canopy. Some seedlings became new advanced saplings following the disturbances. Based on these results, a two-step regeneration model that is related to the disturbances is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the Bonin Islands of the western Pacific where the light environment is characterized by high fluctuations due to frequent typhoon disturbance, we hypothesized that the invasive success of Bischofia javanica Blume (invasive tree, mid-successional) may be attributable to a high acclimation capacity under fluctuating light availability. The physiological and morphological responses of B . javanica to both simulated canopy opening and closure were compared against three native species of different successional status: Trema orientalis Blume (pioneer), Schima mertensiana (Sieb. et Zucc.) Koidz (mid-successional) and Elaeocarpus photiniaefolius Hook.et Arn (late-successional). The results revealed significant species-specific differences in the timing of physiological maturity and phenotypic plasticity in leaves developed under constant high and low light levels. For example, the photosynthetic capacity of T. orientalis reached a maximum in leaves that had just fully expanded when grown under constant high light (50% of full sun) whereas that of E . photiniaefolius leaves continued to increase until 50 d after full expansion. For leaves that had just reached full expansion, T. orientalis , having high photosynthetic plasticity between high and low light, exhibited low acclimation capacity under the changing light (from high to low or low to high light). In comparison with native species, B . javanica showed a higher degree of physiological and morphological acclimation following transfer to a new light condition in leaves of all age classes (i.e. before and after reaching full expansion). The high acclimation ability of B . javanica in response to changes in light availability may be a part of its pre-adaptations for invasiveness in the fluctuating environment of the Bonin Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]