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Abstract One of the main goals of ecological studies is to disentangle the dynamics that underlie the spatiotemporal distribution of biodiversity and further functions of the ecosystem. However, due to many ecological and geopolitical reasons, many remote areas with high plant species diversity have not been assessed using newly based analytical approaches for vegetation characterization. Here, we classified and characterized different vegetation types (i.e., major plant communities) based on indicator species and on the influence of different environmental gradients in the Himalayan mixed coniferous forest, Pakistan. For that, we addressed the following questions: Does the vegetation composition of the Himalayan mixed coniferous forest correlate with climatic, topographic, geographic, and edaphic variables? Is it possible to identify plant communities through indicator species in relation to environmental gradients using multivariate approaches? Can this multivariate be helpful for conservation planning? During four consecutive years we assessed the vegetation composition and environmental variables (21 variables divided in geographic, climatic, topographic, and edaphic groups) of 156 50 m-trasects between an elevation of 2000–4000 m. Using newly based analytical approaches for community characterization, we found a total of 218 plant species clustered into four plant communities with the influence of environmental gradients. The highest index of similarity was recorded between Pinus-Cedrus-Viburnum (PCV) and Viburnum-Pinus-Abies (VPA) communities, and the highest index of dissimilarity was recorded between PCV and Abies-Juniperus-Picea (AJP) communities. Among these four communities, highest number of plant species (156 species) was recorded in PCV, maximum alpha diversity (H’ = 3.68) was reported in VPA, highest Simpson index (0.961) and Pielou’s evenness (0.862) were reported in VPA and AJP. The edaphic gradients (i.e., organic matter, phosphorous, pH and soil texture) and climatic factors (temperature, humidity) were the strongest environmental gradients that were responsible for structuring and hosting the diverse plant communities in mixed coniferous forest. Finally, the Himalayan mixed coniferous structure is more influenced by the spatial turnover beta-diversity process (βsim) than by the species loss (nestedness-resultant, βsne). Our analysis of the vegetation structure along the environmental gradient in the Himalayan mixed coniferous forest supported by sophisticated analytical approaches reveled indicator species groups, which are associated to specific microclimatic zones (i.e., vegetation communities). Within this focus, we side with the view that these results can support conservation planning and management for similar and different areas providing mitigating and preventive measures to reduce potential negative impacts, such as anthropic and climatic.

The beef tapeworm, also known as Taenia saginata, is a zoonotic tapeworm from the genus Taenia in the order Cyclophyllidea. Taenia saginata is a food-borne zoonotic parasite with a worldwide distribution. It poses serious health risks to the host and has a considerable negative socioeconomic impact. Previous studies have explained the population structure of T. saginata within the evolutionary time scale and adaptive evolution. However, it is still unknown how synonymous codons are used by T. saginata. In this study, we used 90 T. saginata strains, applying the codon usage bias (CUB). Both base content and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that AT-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of T. saginata. Further low CUB was observed from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested that the dominant factor of natural selection was involved in the structuring of CUB in T. saginata. Further analysis showed that T. saginata has adapted host-specific codon usage patterns to sustain successful replication and transmission chains within hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens). Generally, both natural selection and mutational pressure have an impact on the codon usage patterns of the protein-coding genes in T. saginata. This study is important because it characterized the codon usage pattern in the T. saginata genomes and provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them.

Abstract Background The Republic of Georgia is part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, and human agricultural plant use dates back at least 6000 years. Over the last years, lots of ethnobotanical research on the area has been published. In this paper, we analyze the use of food plants in the 80% of Georgia not occupied by Russian forces. We hypothesized that (1) given the long tradition of plant use, and the isolation under Soviet rule, plant use both based on home gardens and wild harvesting would be more pronounced in Georgia than in the wider region, (2) food plant use knowledge would be widely and equally spread in most of Georgia, (3) there would still be incidence of knowledge loss despite wide plant use, especially in climatically favored agricultural regions in Western and Eastern Georgia. Methods From 2013 to 2019, we interviewed over 380 participants in all regions of Georgia not occupied by Russian forces and recorded over 19,800 mentions of food plants. All interviews were carried out in the participants’ homes and gardens by native speakers of Georgian and its dialects (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian, Tush, Khevsurian, Psavian, Kakhetian), other Kartvelian languages (Megrelian, Svan) and minority languages (Ossetian, Ude, Azeri, Armenian, Greek). Results The regional division was based primarily on historic provinces of Georgia, which often coincides with the current administrative borders. The total number of taxa, mostly identified to species, including their varieties, was 527. Taxonomically, the difference between two food plant groups—garden versus wild—was strongly pronounced even at family level. The richness of plant families was 65 versus 97 families in garden versus wild plants, respectively, and the difference was highly significant. Other diversity indices also unequivocally pointed to considerably more diverse family composition of wild collected versus garden plants as the differences between all the tested diversity indices appeared to be highly significant. The wide use of leaves for herb pies and lactofermented is of particular interest. Some of the ingredients are toxic in larger quantities, and the participants pointed out that careful preparation was needed. The authors explicitly decided to not give any recipes, given that many of the species are widespread, and compound composition—and with it possible toxic effects—might vary across the distribution range, so that a preparation method that sufficiently reduces toxicity in the Caucasus might not necessary be applicable in other areas. Conclusions Relationships among the regions in the case of wild food plants show a different and clearer pattern. Adjacent regions cluster together (Kvemo Zemo Racha, and Zemo Imereti; Samegrelo, Guria, Adjara, Lechkhumi and Kvemo and Zemo Svaneti; Meskheti, Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli; Mtianeti, Kakheti, Khevsureti, Tusheti. Like in the case of the garden food plants, species diversity of wild food plants mentioned varied strongly. Climate severity and traditions of the use of wild food plants might play role in this variation. Overall food plant knowledge is widely spread all-across Georgia, and broadly maintained.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) causes lumpy skin disease (LSD) in livestock, which is a double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. LSDV is an important poxvirus that has spread out far and wide to become distributed worldwide. It poses serious health risks to the host and causes considerable negative socioeconomic impact on farmers financially and on cattle by causing ruminant-related diseases. Previous studies explained the population structure of the LSDV within the evolutionary time scale and adaptive evolution. However, it is still unknown and remains enigmatic as to how synonymous codons are used by the LSDV. Here, we used 53 LSDV strains and applied the codon usage bias (CUB) analysis to them. Both the base content and the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that the AT-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of LSDV. Further low codon usage bias was calculated from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested that the dominant factor of natural selection played a role in the structuring of CUB in LSDV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis suggested that the LSDV has adapted host-specific codon usage patterns to sustain successful replication and transmission chains within hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens). Both natural selection and mutational pressure have an impact on the codon usage patterns of the protein-coding genes in LSDV. This study is important because it has characterized the codon usage pattern in the LSDV genomes and has provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the success rate of ultrasound guided hydrostatic reduction of intussusception using normal saline as an alternative to laparotomy. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Pediatric Surgery department, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from January-September 2018. Eighty patients aged between 3-24 months with clinical signs, symptoms and confirmatory sonographic evidence of intussusception were included in study. Procedure was carried out under ultrasound guidance using normal saline as medium for reduction. Maximum, three attempts were made each lasting 5-10 minutes. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 11.9±4.8 months. Majority (n=60/80; 75%) of patients were males. Thirty-five percent of patients (n=28/80) presented on second day followed by 32.5% (n=26/80) on first day. Mean time for presentation was 2.1±0.9 days. Most common type of intussusception was Ileo-colic (n=72/80; 90%). Overall success rate was 82.5% (n=66/88). Success rate for patients presented within first day was 96.2% (n=25/26) as compared to 85.7% (n=24/28) in patients presented ≥1-2 days and 65.3% (17/26) in patients presented after two days. Reduction time of Intussusception ranged from 5-30 minutes with mean time of 17.5±1.4 minutes. In 76.3% (n=61/80) cases, intussusception was reduced within 20 minutes. In 14 (17.5%) patients, reduction could not be achieved (gangrenous gut=5, Meckel’s diverticulum=3, illeo-illeal intussusception=1, perforation=5). Recurrence rate of intussusception was 7.5% (n=6/80), including 4 (5%) cases within 24 hours and 2 (2.5%) cases within 2 months after reduction. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound guided hydrostatic reduction of intussusception is an effective way to reduce intussusception, especially in patients presenting within two days.

Introduction: Doctors and pharmaceutical companies are the major components of the health care system. Their interdependency on such a large scale calls for a better relationship between two stakeholders of the health care system. Most of the time the relationship has a bad impact on the reputation of the prestigious medical profession as well as affects the health of the poor patient causing the malafied relationship. Materials and Methods: In order to see how the relationship works in the hospitals of Azad Kashmir, the study was conducted on the doctors of Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences, Muzaffarabad. A mixed type of study was conducted from January through June 2017. In this study, 100 doctors were selected for data collection by questionnaire method. While three different focus groups involving doctors from different specialties were made. Results: Out of 100 doctors, 36 doctors agreed that the doctors in AIMS are aware of such guidelines, 92 doctors agreed that there is a need for national guidelines to monitor the doctor and pharmaceutical company’s relationship, and 67 responded that doctors' prescription is influenced by the gifts given by pharmaceutical companies, 52 doctors agreed that pharmaceutical companies should be banned from giving gifts to physicians, 88 responded that the information provided by those representatives is only superficial and they don’t know the core information like side effects and mode of action of the drugs, 15 thought that yes it is ethical to accept the gifts from the pharmaceutical companies but only to the extent of samples of medicines. Out of 100, 89 doctors responded in favor of the incorporation of bioethics in the curriculum of medical education. During focus group discussion on the topic, three themes were finalized after detailed deliberation and these themes were, Doctor-Pharma Regulations, Accepting the gifts from Pharmaceutical Companies, and the influence of these Interactions on Physicians’ drug prescribing Behaviors and how the prescribing behaviors of doctors. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical companies have hijacked our whole health system to some extent and are polluted because of these Pharmaceutical companies’ representatives. There is a need to ascertain the fact that if this phenomenon is not controlled, in near future we will have to face very severe consequences and our patients will be at the mercy of pharmaceutical companies rather than the doctor.

Introduction: Recently many medical institutes have been shifted to integrated curriculum; however, the implementation of integrated curriculum has faced problems due to both faculty and student’s satisfaction. Though faculty gives value to it, still certain believe that it’s not as effective as the traditional system. This study aims to evaluate the satisfactory level regarding modular teaching among faculty members at three different medical institutes in Pakistan. Material and Methods: This was a descriptive study where the senior faculty members from three different medical institutes were included. After written consent from participants the data was collected through semi-structured questionnaire. Total of 88 faculty members were included through convenient sampling technique. Data analyzed by SPSS version-22. Results: Overall 50% participants agreed that strength of modular teaching is the integration process & clinical application. 38% agreed that modular teaching provides better understanding & clarity of concepts. Regarding weaknesses 44% agreed that modular teaching requires more trained faculty, 27% said that more resources are required. On the other hand, 84% showed satisfaction that students get more benefits from modular teaching as compare to conventional teaching & 72% agreed that teacher biasness is less, 82% agreed that students become a lifelong learner, 85% agreed that more applied knowledge is delivered through this system. Conclusion: The majority of participating faculties were satisfied with modular teaching as it has a good clinical application, provides better understanding & a student-centered approach.

Domestic animals play a vital role in the development of human civilization. Plants are utilized as remedies for a variety of domestic animals, in addition to humans. The tribes of North Waziristan are extremely familiar with the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants as ethnoveterinary medicines. The present study was carried out during 2018–2019 to record ethnoveterinary knowledge of the local plants that are being used by the tribal communities of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In all, 56 medicinal plant species belonging to 42 families were identified, which were reported to treat 45 different animal diseases. These included 32 herbs, 12 shrubs, and 12 trees. Among the plant families, Asteraceae contributed the most species (5 spp.), followed by Amaranthaceae (4 spp.), Solanaceae (4 species), and Alliaceae, Araceae, and Lamiaceae (2 spp. each). The most common ethnoveterinary applications were documented for the treatment of blood in urine, bone injury, colic, indigestion, postpartum retention, skin diseases, constipation, increased milk production, mastitis, foot, and mouth diseases.

By assessing plant species composition and distribution in biodiversity hotspots influenced by environmental gradients, we greatly advance our understanding of the local plant community and how environmental factors are affecting these communities. This is a proxy for determining how climate change influences plant communities in mountainous regions ("space-for-time" substitution). We evaluated plant species composition and distribution, and how and which environmental variables drive the plant communities in moist temperate zone of Manoor valley of Northwestern Himalaya, Pakistan. During four consecutive years (2015–2018), we sampled 30 sampling sites, measuring 21 environmental variables, and recording all plant species present in an altitudinal variable range of 1932–3168 m.a.s.l. We used different multivariate analyses to identify potential plant communities, and to evaluate the relative importance of each environmental variable in the species composition and distribution. Finally, we also evaluated diversity patterns, by comparing diversity indices and beta diversity processes. We found that (i) the moist temperate zone in this region can be divided in four different major plant communities; (ii) each plant community has a specific set of environmental drivers; (iii) there is a significant variation in plant species composition between communities, in which six species contributed most to the plant composition dissimilarity; (iv) there is a significant difference of the four diversity indices between communities; and (v) community structure is twice more influenced by the spatial turnover of species than by the species loss. Overall, we showed that altitudinal gradients offer an important range of different environmental variables, highlighting the existence of micro-climates that drive the structure and composition of plant species in each micro-region. Each plant community along the altitudinal gradient is influenced by a set of environmental variables, which lead to the presence of indicator species in each micro-region.

The strength of subgrade layer plays an important role in achieving a sound and economic pavement design. To explore novel methods for improving the engineering properties of weak subgrade soils, this research study used bentonite, a naturally occurring pozzolanic material and compared its performance with commercially available cementitious materials such as cement and lime. For this purpose, these pozzolanic and cementitious additives were added in different percentages to representative weak subgrade soils for studying different parameters such as Optimum Moisture Content (OMC), Maximum Dry Density (MDD), California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and Resilient Modulus (MR). The experimental results revealed that the addition of cement lowered the OMC and increased MDD substantially compared to lime and bentonite. The CBR of soil samples enhanced by almost 19 times for 12 % cement addition, followed by lime, which enhanced CBR by 15 times for 15 % addition. The addition of bentonite and lime also enhanced the MR values by almost 3 and 7 times the control specimen for 15 % bentonite and 8% lime addition, respectively. These results indicate that; similar to cement and lime, addition of bentonite can improve the mechanical properties of weak soils by reducing its plasticity and swell potential.

Ulmus villosa Brandis ex Gamble, an economically and ecologically important forest tree, is native to the western Himalayas of Pakistan. The long pressure imposed by unsustainable utilization and market demands has resulted in the rapid decline of the U. villosa population in the wild. To date, very limited information on the genomic diversity of U. villosa is available and this can tremendously limit our understanding of distribution and future conservation of U. villosa. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess genetic diversity within U. villosa wild populations of the Hazara Division using four barcoding markers (i.e., rbcL, matK XF + 5R, matK 390F + 1326R and trnH-psbA). A total of six high quality sequences were obtained with rbcL, four with matK XF + 5R, four with matK 390F + 1326R, and fourteen with trnH-psbA. The sequenced regions contained insertions and deletions as well as several SNPs across the length of sequences, and PCR-based markers may be developed from these novel SNPs markers. The phylogenetic results supported the polyphyletic origin of the genus Ulmus, and the data indicated that multiple speciation events may have led to the evolution of U. villosa in this region. For deeper understanding of the origin and evolution of U. villosa, sequencing of the complete nuclear and chloroplast genomes will be pivotal. The results herein provide novel insights into the genomic diversity as well as phylogenetic relationships of U. villosa with other species, and may facilitate both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts for this endangered species.

Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), transmitted by chrysomelids, is one of the major viral pathogens that has devastated rice production in Sub-Saharan Africa. RYMV is a member of the genus Sobemoviruses in the family Solemoviridae and harbors a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA). Here, we used 50 RYMV strains, applying the codon usage bias (CUB). Both base content and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that GC-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of RYMV. Further low codon usage bias was observed from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested the dominant factor of natural selection was involved in the structuring of CUB in RYMV. Based on RSCU values, the RYMV and its host relationship indicate that the RYMV develops codon usage patterns similar to its host. Generally, both natural selection and mutational pressure impact the codon usage pattern of the protein-coding genes in RYMV. This study is important because it characterized the codon usage pattern in the RYMV genomes and provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them. Additionally, we recommend that experiments such as whole genome sequencing (WGS) or dual RNA sequencing (DRS) should be considered in order to correlate these in-silico findings with viral diseases in the future.

This research addresses groundwater management challenges in southeastern Punjab Province, Pakistan, focusing on over-exploitation, contamination, and climate change impacts. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, it integrates hydro geology, ecology, economics, and policy studies. The study emphasizes particularly on vertical electrical sounding (VES) enhanced with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm and other advanced electrical geophysical techniques. This innovative method improves VES data inversion, vital for understanding aquifer characteristics and identifying salinity-free zones, supporting sustainable groundwater strategies. Covering 200 square kilometers in the Indus Plain, an area with alluvial deposits from the Ravi and Beas rivers, the research offers insight into complex groundwater dynamics. PSO's efficiency in generating accurate resistivity models is key for locating new wells, ensuring water availability and sustainable agriculture. The methodology includes aquifer parameters, borehole logs, and analysis of aquifer properties and salinity distribution, mapping crucial aquifer features to assess groundwater potential and contamination risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are vital and dynamic components of the global ecosystem, providing a wide range of ecosystem services such as water control and biodiversity. During 2015–2019, plant diversity and distribution of wetlands were studied in forty areas of the Mardan division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 282 vascular wetland plant species were identified, divided into 192 genera and 73 families. Poaceae, with 41 species, is the most diverse family of wetland plants, followed by Asteraceae, with 26 species. In the present study, wetland plants are classified based on the Cook classification system. It is interesting to note that all the life forms were present in the study area except Plankton. Helophyte life form was represented by the highest number of plants with 177 plants and 62.5 percent of total wetland plants, followed by Tenagophyte with 42 plant species (14.8%) and Hyperhydate with 27 plant species (9.5%). Based on the distribution pattern of 282 species in 40 wetland sites, the most common plant species found was Euphorbia helioscopia, recorded from 36 locations, followed by Cynodon dactylon which was found in 32 locations. In Mardan division, the Gulshan Abad Khuwar had the highest number of species occurrences (83 species) accounting for 32% of all species, followed by Alo Khwar (59 species, 23%) and Hathian Khwar (50 species, 19%). The current work presents a comprehensive and field-based detailed survey of wetland plant distribution in this region, filling knowledge gaps in the Himalayas in particular, and having broader implications for wetland management policy and practice. Unfortunately, wetlands of the research area are facing high pressure due to an increase in human population, overgrazing, deforestation, construction of buildings and roads. The filling up of these water bodies is resulting in the loss of hydrophytic species diversity. Therefore, these wetlands need proper attention and effective protection from anthropogenic disturbances.

Plant resources have always been valuable in human life, and many plant species are used in medicine, food, and ritual, and resource utilization is closely related to cultural diversity. Our study was conducted from June 2019 to April 2021, during which we aimed to document the local knowledge of plant resources of five ethnic groups, i.e., the Gujjar, Bakarwal, Kashmiri, Pahari, and Dogra communities of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region, Western Himalayas. Through semi-structured interviews (N = 342) and group discussions (N = 38), we collected data on the ethnobotanical uses of plant resources. The data was subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and ordination techniques (Principal Component Analysis) via, R software of version 4.0.0. Traditional uses were classified into three groups, i.e., single-, double-, and multi-use groups. The study recorded a total of 127 plant species, belonging to 113 genera and distributed among 64 botanical families. The dominant plant families were the Asteraceae, with 8% of all species, followed by Lamiaceae (6%), Polygonaceae (5%) and Ranunculaceae (4%). The recorded plant taxa were frequently used for medicine (51.4% responses), followed by food (14.9%), and fodder (9.5%). Principal component analysis (PCA) separated three groups of provisioning services depending on plant consumption preference levels. Comparative analysis showed remarkable similarities in plant uses (food, medicinal) among the Gujjar and Bakarwal ethnic groups, as both groups share a common culture. Some plants like Azadirachta indica, Brassica campestris, Ulmus wallichiana, Amaranthus blitum, and Celtis australis were also used for magico-religious purposes. We also recorded some medicinal uses that are new to the ethnobotanical literature of the J&K Himalayas, such as for Betula utilis, Sambucus wightiana, and Dolomiaea macrocephala, in our case for example local medicinal recipe, which is derived from Dolomiaea macrocephala, often known as Nashasta, used to treat weakness, back pain, and joint pain. Similarly, we also recorded new food uses for Eremurus himalaicus. Moreover, we also observed some plants for instance, Fragaria nubicola, Betula utilis and Juniperus communis have spiritual significance (i.e., amulets and scrolls) for this part of the Himalayan region. The present study provides a useful tool for resource management and can help in developing scientifically informed strategies for the conservation of plant resources.

The current research was carried out to characterize the phytosociology of the forests of one of Pakistan’s most valuable tree species (Deodar) across its native range. In this context, our main hypothesis was that, along the altitudinal gradient, we would find different plant communities that would be driven by different environmental variables (climatic, edaphic, and physiographic). Therefore, to assess the vegetation structure of the pure Deodar forests of the unexplored Manoor Valley (Northwestern Himalaya), Pakistan, frequent field visits were carried out during different seasons of 2015–2018. Ecological methods: Line transects sampling (23 stands) and phytosociological attributes were evaluated in relation to geographical and environmental variables. Various statistical software applications (i.e., PCORD, RStudio 4.0, and R 3.6.1) were used to examine all of the gathered data of plant species and environmental variables. A total of three different plant communities (Cedrus–Isodon–Cynodon, Cedrus–Cynodon–Dryopteris, and Sambucus–Cedrus–Desmodium) were identified by grouping 162 species and 23 stands in pure Deodar forests under the influence of geographic, slope, edaphic, and climatic variables, ranging from 1580.8 to 2373.8 m. The altitude (1936–2373 m), slope angle (25–85°), sandy (29–48%) and loamy soil texture, wind speed (1.45 ms−1), and temperature (25.8 °C) all had a strong influence on the Sambucus–Cedrus–Desmodium community. In contrast with this, the Cedrus–Cynodon–Dryopteris community showed a positively significant relationship with the northeastern slope, silty (32–58%) and sandy (15.8–55%) loamy soil texture, and barometric pressure (814.3 pa). Nonetheless, the Cedrus–Isodon–Cynodon community revealed a significant positive association with the northeastern to southwestern slope, pH (6.3), wet bulb (19.7), and dew point (17.7). We found significant differences (p < 0.001) among the three communities found in the pure Deodar forests in the four diversity indexes. The Sambucus–Cedrus–Desmodium community has the maximum number of plants (129 species), Shannon’s diversity (H’ = 3.7), and Simpson’s dominance (0.98) values among the recorded communities. The Pielou’s evenness index value was led by the Cedrus–Isodon–Cynodon community (0.97). Beta diversity showed a dissimilarity lower than 50% among the three communities. Simple term effects in the canonical correspondence analysis model revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences in altitude, slope angle, slope (southeastern), and wind speed variables. The present investigation sheds light on vegetation pattern and species contribution as a function of environmental gradients and provides a baseline for future studies.

Abstract Background This study contributes to the current ethnomedicinal knowledge of the Swat Valley, Pakistan. District Swat possesses remarkable biodiversity owing to its varied topographical and climatic conditions, prompting a distinct human-plant association. Our hypothesis is that the presence of such a great biodiversity has shaped into a formal ethnobotanical culture in the area transmitted through generations. We suspect that the versatility of some plant species has greater influence on the culture. Therefore, the prime objective of the study is to understand this unique human-plant relationship in the valley and to create scientific roots for the selection and practice of herbs in the ethnobotanical domain of the district. Methods Primary data were collected using questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with the locals. The data collected were used for calculating some important indices, i.e. relative frequency of citation (RFC), participant agreement ratio (PAR), frequency of citation (FC), Smith’s Salience Index (SI), Relative Importance Index (RII), Cultural Value Index (CVI) and a newly proposed, Ali’s Conservation Priority Index (CPI). Index scores were used as key identifier of the ethnobotanically important plants of the area. Results Residents of the Swat Valley have listed plant uses in 15 use categories. Around 9% of the respondents have a common consensus on the selection and use of plants for the treatment of evil eye with similar results for body cuts (8.2%) followed by psychological/neural ailments (8.0%). Respondents agree that Berberis lyceum Royle. dominates in all five indices. Skimmia laureola Franch. also constitutes one of the central plants of the ethnobotanical domain, ranking second in the SI, fifth in the RII, seventh in CVI, and third in the Cultural Importance Index. It holds the thirty-fifth position in the CPI. Over 80% of the population treat different diseases with herbal remedies. In the common ethnobotanical domain of the area, plants like Mentha longifolia L., Berberis lyceum, and Skimmia laureola are very important and have high salience and importance values, thus suggesting these plants are versatile for their uses in the study area. Conclusion In conclusion, only some plant species are prioritised for their use in the ethnobotanical domain of the community. Medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) usage is widespread in the Swat Valley. The ethnobotanical knowledge could be used as a tool to understand the adaptability of a specific taxon in the area and the possible conservation risk to their existence.

The forest ecosystem has understory vegetation that plays a vital role in sustaining diversity, providing nutrients, and forming a useful association for developing a balanced ecosystem. The current study provides detailed insights into the plant biodiversity and species classification of the understory vegetation of Swat, Pakistan. The floral diversity of the area was comprised of 58 plant species belonging to 32 families. The physiognomy of the studied area was dominated by herbaceous growth form with 47 species. The dominant life-form class was hemicryptophytes with 19 species (33%), followed by nanophanerophytes with 15 species (26%) and therophytes with 13 species (22%). Of the 58 species, 43 plant species were associated with group III clustered by applying Ward’s agglomerative clustering that indicated wide sociability of the species in the studied oak-dominated forests. Group III had higher species richness (10.3), α-diversity (2.74) and β-diversity (9.85), and Margalef index values (3.95). While the group I had maximum Pielous and Simpson index values of 0.97 and 7.13, respectively. Redundancy analysis revealed that seven variables (i.e., latitude, elevation, clay, wilting point, bulk density, saturation, and electric conductivity) were significantly influential concerning the understory vegetation of oak-dominated forests. The understory vegetation of these forests plays an important role in the forest ecosystem of the region. The present study reveals floral divergence and physiognomic scenario of the unexplored study area, which could be an important reference for future ethnobotanical, phytosociological, and conservational endeavors. Moreover, this information is important to the success of efforts intended to prevent the loss of species diversity in these forests by destroying their natural habitats.

Plant species are distributed in different types of habitats, forming different communities driven by different sets of environmental variables. Here, we assessed potential plant communities along an altitudinal gradient and their associations with different environmental drivers in the unexplored Manoor Valley (Lesser Himalaya), Pakistan. We have implemented various ecological techniques and evaluated phytosociological attributes in three randomly selected 50 m-transects within each stand (a total of 133) during different seasons for four years (2015–2018). This phytosociological exploration reported 354 plant species representing 93 different families. The results revealed that the Therophytic life form class dominated the flora, whereas Nanophyll dominated the leaf size spectra. There were a total of twelve plant communities identified, ranging from the lowest elevations to the alpine meadows and cold deserts. The maximum number of species were found in Cedrus–Pinus–Parrotiopsis community (197 species), in the middle altitudinal ranges (2292–3168 m). Our results showed that at high altitudes, species richness was reduced, whereas an increase in soil nutrients was linked to progression in vegetation indicators. We also found different clusters of species with similar habitats. Our study clearly shows how altitudinal variables can cluster different plant communities according to different microclimates. Studies such as ours are paramount to better understanding how environmental factors influence ecological and evolutionary aspects.

The ecotonal zones support populations that are acclimated to changing, fluctuating, and unstable conditions, and as a result, these populations are better equipped to adjust to expected change. In this context, a hypothesis was tested that there must be vegetation dominated by unique indicator plant species under the influence of ecological gradients in the ecotonal zone of Manoor Valley (northwestern Himalaya), Pakistan. Keeping the aforementioned hypothesis in mind, detailed field studies were conducted during different seasons in 2015-18. Line transect sampling and phytosociological characteristics (density, frequency, cover, and their relative values and Importance Value) were implemented as ecological methods. This investigation documented 97 plant species recorded from seven sampling sites. The community distribution modelling revealed that the ecological variables separate the seven sampling sites into two major plant communities (Indigofera-Parrotiopsis-Bistorta and Ziziphus-Leptopus-Quercus) recognized by TWINSPAN. The IBP communities showed a positive and significant correlation with altitude (1789.6–1896.3 m), sandy soil texture with a slightly acidic pH (6.4–6.5), and higher phosphorous (9–13 mg kg−1). In contrast with this, the ZLQ community was recognized on the southern slope under the strong influence of high electrical conductivity (2.82–5.4 dsm−1), organic matter (1.08–1.25%), calcium carbonate (5.8–7.6 mg kg−1), potassium (202–220 mg kg−1), and temperature (28.8–31.8 °C). Hence, both communities were found on opposite axes with clear differences based on the ecological gradients. NMDS clustered different species with similar habitats and different stands with common species, showing that plant species and stands were in a linear combination with ecological gradients. The IPB community has the maximum number of plant species (87 species), Shannon value (H’ = 4), Simpson value (0.98), and Pielou’s evenness value (0.96). Thus, the multivariate approaches revealed unique vegetation with sharp boundaries between communities which might be due to abrupt environmental changes.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 after emerging in China has caused a global pandemic that is risking the lives of millions. COVID-19 has spread across the world at a very rapid rate raising concerns of capacity limitations and lack of unified responses at the global level, particularly from the world’s most developed countries. The spread of further infection has been curtailed by lockdown and mass social distancing that has been enforced in most parts of the world. There are no clinical data yet suggesting that any available candidate vaccine will be effective for COVID-19 which will be a critical need for eventually preventing this disease. Extensive research is underway with some success in identification of monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 recovered patients, which may inform on vaccine development. The clinical evaluations of COVID-19 vaccines need to follow standardized protocols that are essential for safeguarding humans. In absence of a vaccine or a widely available effective therapy, quarantine and other preventive measures are essential in curtailing the risk of pandemic spread.

The nomadic pastoral indigenous communities of the Ladakhi people share roots with Tibetan culture in terms of food, clothing, religion, festivals, and habits, and rely widely on plant resources for survival and livelihood. This survey was conducted during 2019–2021 to document the indigenous knowledge about plant resources of the Balti, Beda, and Brokpa communities of the Ladakh region, trans-Himalayas. Open- and close-ended semi-structured interviews (N = 184) and group discussions (N = 17) were used to collect the data. Quantitative data was further analyzed using various statistical tools. A total of 105 plant species belonging to 82 genera and 39 families were used as medicine, fuel wood, fragrance, oil, food, flavor, fodder, decoration, and dye. Among these, medicinal use was most prevalent, with 70% of use reports, followed by fodder and fuel wood. Leaves (27%) were the most preferred plant part used, followed by roots and flowers. The principal component analysis revealed five clusters of ethnobotanical usage, i.e., food, medicine, fuel wood, fodder, and fragrance, oil, dye, and flavor. The maximum number of plant species used was reported by the Brokpa, while the Beda reported the minimum number of plant species uses. Delphinium brunonianum, Waldheimia tomentosa, and Juniperus indica played a significant role in the cultural and religious ritual aspects, whereas Allium przewalskianum, Waldheimia tomentosa, Juniperus indica, and Hippophae rhamnoides were commonly used as a livelihood source among Ladakhi communities. The local people collected most plants (65%) for self-consumption, while the rest (35%) were sold in markets as a source of income. The sustainable utilization and management of plant resources by local people is a strategy to boost livelihoods and food security and alleviate poverty.

The graphical dataset in this paper is related to the research article entitled “A novel survey of the ethno medicinal knowledge of dental problems in Manoor Valley (Northern Himalaya), Pakistan” (I.U. Rahman, F. Ijaz, Z. Iqbal, A. Afzal, N. Ali, M. Afzal, M.A. Khan, S. Muhammad, G. Qadir, M. Asif, 2016) [1]. This article describes how the local community of Manoor Valley practices cultural / traditional knowledge for dental problems. For the recorded data of 25 medicinal plants, six quantitative ethnomedicinal statistical approaches / equations were used. Out of these indices, four were used to measure the most imported and cited medicinal plant species while two for the comparative analysis to evaluate the novelty of work.

Domestic animals play a very important role in the human civilization. Besides human being, plants are used as medicines for many domestic animals. The therapeutic practices are very common among the tribes of Chamla, rich in ethnoveterinary medicinal plants. Due to poor availability of modern healthcare facilities and poverty of indigenous people, they depend on local medicinal plants for the healthcare of their domestic animals. This study is the first attempt to document the indigenous knowledge and evaluate the conservation status of medicinal plants and practices of herbal remedies by the local people of Chamla Valley in the treatment of their livestock. Semi-structured questionnaire was used and 120 local inhabitants were interviewed to note the traditional practices regarding plant species uses. Well-known statistical indices, Use Value formula and Relative Frequency Citations were used for quantification of the recorded data. It was observed that 50 medicinal plants belonging to 38 families were reported, where Poaceae was the most cited. The common livestock are goats, sheep, buffalos, cows, bulls, and donkeys. Most of the herbs, which are used in livestock treatment, are wild and few plants are cultivated. The common livestock diseases are red water, 3 days sickness, diarrhea, tympany, and indigestion among others. Most of the plants are used in fresh condition. According to the results, Brassica nigra was used for placenta retention, Butea monosperma for constipation, Calotropis procera for indigestion and 3 days sickness. Canabis sativa, Cedrella serrata, Allium sativum, and Origanum vulgare were used for fever. The traditional plant collection techniques have resulted in huge losses of these valuable plant resources. The ethnobotanical conservation assessment revealed that due to increased exploitation and un-sustainable harvesting, 49% of these economically valued medicinal plant species are decreasing in last 30 years. Some of the plants are only present on high altitudes while they had been finished in the foothills like Paeonia emodi and Berberis lycium. Lack of scientific knowledge, ignorance, poverty, and joblessness, as well as land development, construction and fires, add more pressure on flora and fauna of the area and various species are under the threat of extinction.

This study quantified the effect of environmental variables on plant species composition in the Peochar Valley, located in the Hindu Raj mountains of the Hindu Kush. A mixture of quadrat and transect methods were used. Quadrat sizes were 10 × 10 m, 2 × 5 m, and 1 m2 for trees, shrubs, and herbs, respectively, determined using the minimal area method. Twenty-seven stations were established along 6 elevation transects on slopes with various aspects. Density, cover, and frequency were recorded for all species in each quadrat. Aspect, elevation, rock types, soil nature, and grazing pressure were also considered as edaphic and topographic variables. Preliminary results showed that the Peochar Valley hosts 120 species. Presence/absence data for these species were analyzed with cluster and 2-way cluster techniques to elaborate species composition in the study area; this resulted in 4 plant communities. Species abundance and environmental data matrices were developed to evaluate the ecological gradient of vegetation through canonical correspondence analysis. Of the environmental variables, elevation, aspect, grazing pressure, soil depth, and rock type showed a significant effect on species composition and diversity. We also identified the dominant and rare plant species in each plant community based on their low importance value indexes. Conservation measures are recommended for all flora of this valley and for rare species in particular.

Heavy metals contaminated soil is a serious environmental concern that has a negative impact on agriculture and ecosystem. Economical and efficient ways are needed to address this problem worldwide. In this regard, exploration and application of proficient microbial strains that can help the crop plants to thrive in agricultural soils that are greatly contaminated with heavy metals. The present study mainly focused on the effect of IAA producing endophytic fungi Penicillium ruqueforti Thom., on wheat plants cultivated in soil rich in heavy metals (Ni, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb). P. ruqueforti has induced great resistance in wheat inoculated plants grown in heavy metal contaminated soil. Application of the isolated strain of P. ruqueforti restricted the transfer of heavy metals from soil to the plants by secreting indole acetic acid (IAA). Furthermore, P. ruqueforti inoculated wheat seedlings watered with waste water had higher plant growth, nutrient uptake and low concentrations of heavy metals in shoot and roots. On the contrary, non-inoculated wheat plants under heavy metal stress had stunted growth with symptoms of chlorosis. From the results, it is concluded that P. ruqueforti inoculation can establish a symbiotic relationship with host plants, which is useful for phytostabilization of heavy metals or in other words helping the host crops to flourish through soil that are highly contaminated with heavy metals.

Plants have evolved several metabolic pathways as a response to environmental stressors such as low temperatures. In this perspective, it is paramount to highlight physiological mechanisms of plant responses to altitudinal gradients as a proxy to evaluate changing environments. Here, we aimed to determine the impact of elevation on the physiological attributes of two plant species along an altitudinal gradient. Our hypothesis was that the altitudinal gradient influences proline, protein, and sugar contents, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) concentrations. We studied these physiological components in leaves collected from four different altitudinal ranges in Himalayan region of Pakistan from two native herbs, namely Bistorta affinis and Sibbaldia procumbens. Leaves were collected at the initial blooming phase from each altitudinal range, viz. 2850 m, 3250 m, 3750 m and 4250 m. We observed that most abiotic factors decrease with altitude which induces cold acclimation. A significant increase in the concentration of physiological components was observed as altitude increased, except for IAA, which decreased. Furthermore, we did not find variations in proline, ABA and IAA concentrations between species; only sugar and protein, with higher values for B. affinis. We conclude that altitudinal gradients significantly affect the physiological components of B. affinis and S. procumbens in Himalayan region. This result contributes to the understanding of how plants adapt to environmental pressures, acting as a proxy for the evaluation of impacts caused by climate changes.