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Copyright of Polish Statistician / Wiadomości Statystyczne is the property of State Treasury - Statistics Poland 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.)

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi 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.)

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department 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.)

Taxonomic revision and morphometrics are two crucial facets for the proper identification, updating of taxa, and strengthening phenetic relationships of angiosperms. This study focused on the systematics and morphometrics of the subfamily Byttnerioideae Burnett (Family Malvaceae) for the first time in Bangladesh, revealing eight taxa under seven genera, namely Abroma Jacq., Ayenia L., Guazuma Mill., Kleinhovia L., Melochia L., Theobroma L. and Waltheria L. These seven genera fall into three tribes: Byttnerieae, Theobromateae, and Hermannieae. Dichotomous bracketed keys to genera and species were generated. Detailed nomenclature, diagnostic characteristics, illustrations, representative specimens, notes on distribution and uses for each species were provided. Morphometrics study was conducted employing cluster and principal components analysis (PCA). Cluster analysis revealed close relationships between Theobromateae and Hermannieae tribes compared to Byttnerieae tribe in the form of UPGMA dendrogram. Similarity matrix revealed the highest affinity between Ayenia elegans Ridl. and Ayenia grandifolia (DC.) Christenh. & Byng. In the PCA analysis, the first two principal components explained approximately 82.26% cumulative variance. PCA-derived scatter and projection plots supported the topology and inter-relationships in the cluster analysis. These findings will enhance future conservation strategies, especially for the threatened and medicinally important taxa of Byttnerioideae in Bangladesh, and support molecular phylogenetic studies of the subfamily Byttnerioideae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) profiles of biology teachers in their learning process after participating in numerical taxonomy and its training program. TPACK is a construction of knowledge that must be possessed by teachers in the 21 century. Numerical taxonomy and its training aim to develop biology teachers' TPACK in the classification of living things. This training equips biology teachers with the knowledge needed to integrate TPACK components into the learning process, including contents related to TPACK and to the classification of living things, especially numerical taxonomy, learning technology, learning strategies, and methods to integrate TPACK into the learning process. This research is a descriptive study in which the data of biology teachers' TPACK during the learning process were obtained from PaP-eRs and the results of the learning performance assessment. The results showed that biology teachers' TPACK during the learning process after numerical taxonomy training had good results, and there has been an interactive phase between the TPACK components in the learning process. This is proven by teachers' ability to develop good PaP-eRs and teachers' performance based on the learning assessment results. It was further found that the use of technology in the learning process has been optimally applied by teachers. Meanwhile, the delivery of motivation and misconception were less developed by the teachers during the implementation of the TPACK learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The younger generations of Indonesia are usually uninterested in studying biodiversity because the teaching process at schools tends to use the one-way lecture method, and the students tend to memorize. This paper discusses the implementation of numerical taxonomy into learning about biodiversity, which is likely more sustainable than existing teaching methods. Numerical taxonomy is a grouping system that consists of two approaches, phenetics and cladistics. The implementation of numerical taxonomy in biodiversity learning promoted students to be active, participative, and engaged in hands-on experience as required by sustainability education. Numerical taxonomy in biodiversity learning is characterized by student-centered learning, a lot of hands-on activities, exploring the 21st-century skill (4Cs), and imitating. In addition, it demonstrated quite good concept mastery of students and positive responses from the students. The results suggested that feeling fun and excited was a further simple meaning of sustainability itself. There is a strong connection between numerical taxonomy, 21st-century skills, and education for sustainable education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the price of fossil fuels, unreliability of fossil fuels for a secure supply of demand in future and their relevant environmental concerns provide an attitude toward substituting renewable energies with fossil fuels for reaching sustainable development in societies. Biofuels as a type of renewable energies can be easily transferred between supply chain's centers and do not have limitation for transportation after their production. Among various types of biofuels, biodiesel, which can be mainly produced from the non-edible feedstocks, such as Jatropha Curcas L. (JCL), is preferred to other biofuels because biodiesel production from JCL which can be cultivated in marginal lands, improves three pillars of sustainability. Since biofuel supply chain's costs can mainly be affected by its feedstock location optimization, this paper used a common weight data envelopment analysis (CWDEA) method for location optimization of feedstock cultivation for a biodiesel supply chain by considering a comprehensive set of sustainability criteria for investigating locations. A case study of Iran is provided for assessing the model's application, and its results in ranking potential locations for JCL cultivation are validated by a numerical taxonomy (NT) approach. In fact, this paper not only specifies the optimum locations for the feedstock cultivation of a biofuel supply chain regarding to sustainability criteria, but also discuss the balanced socioeconomic development and environmental benefits which can be attained by JCL cultivation in marginal and mostly underdeveloped lands. Provided results imply that vast area of Iran's marginal lands has suitable climate for JCL cultivation and policy makers can address all aspect of sustainability simultaneously by investment on those specified lands as well as supplying countries' demand for biodiesel which will be produced from this feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. is a plant species native to Java and one of the main basic materials in traditional and modern medicine. This study is the first to report the intraspecific variation and taxonomic relationships of C. asiatica accession from natural populations in Central Java. The purpose of this study was to reveal phenotypic variations of C. asiatica populations and to asses phenetic relationships based on morphological characters. Thirty-two accessions of C. asiatica were collected from natural populations from eight mountains in Central Java. Observation on vegetative organs resulted in 25 morphological characters as a basis for assessing phenetic relationships using cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Result of cluster analysis showed that the grouping of accessions was not correlated to the localities from where the samples were collected, although there was a tendency that accessions from the same localities grouped in one cluster. The results of this study confirmed the existence of intraspecies morphological variability in C. asiatica which was not affected by geographical aspects. Results of principal component analysis indicated that the grouping of accessions was mainly determined by similarities in petiole color, stolon color, leaf margin, petiole length, stolon length, and leaf color. Given that the characters contributing to the grouping of accessions were mainly qualitative characters, the results indicated a genetic basis underlying phenotypic variations of C. asiatica accession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ziziphus is a tropical genus that is native to the Northern hemisphere. The identification of the species in the genus is confusing due to their phenotypic diversity. In this study, numerical taxonomic approach was employed to identify the species in Katsina and to evaluate the useful characters to be use in delimiting the species. A total of 40 specimens were collected and subjected to morphological examination using both qualitative and quantitative characters. The result of the multivariate analysis revealed four major clusters at Euclidean distance of 0.58 and cophenetic correlation coefficient value of (r)=0.675. The result revealed that Ziziphus is represented by four species in Katsina, namely: Z. spina-christi, Z. mauritiana, Z. mucronata and Z. abyssinica. The petiole length, seed weight, leaf length are the important characters that were useful in delimiting the species with coefficient of variation of 41.06 %, 39.08 % and 33.67 %, respectively.

Today, one of the positions that can play a significant role in the geopolitical and geoeconomic importance of Iran is a crossing position, and in this regard, the geographical position of the south and north of Iran with geopolitical, economic, security, access, and regional communication capacities and opportunities. and international, has been qualified for transit functions at different national and international levels, which has not been properly considered until now. Using the descriptive-analytical and survey method, the current research has studied the role of geopolitical opportunities for the development of the South-North transit corridor on increasing the convergence of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The statistical population of this research consists of experts in the field of geopolitics and international relations. Its sample size was estimated to be 40 people based on Cochran's model. The analysis of the research findings was done based on the numerical taxonomy model in Matlab software. The results of the research showed that the geopolitical opportunities for the development of the North-South corridor can be highly convergent for China and Russia, convergent for Tajikistan, India and Uzbekistan, least convergent for Pakistan and Kazakhstan, and non-convergent for Kyrgyzstan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. is a plant species native to Java and one of the main basic materials in traditional and modern medicine. This study is the first to report the intraspecific variation and taxonomic relationships of C. asiatica accession from natural populations in Central Java. The purpose of this study was to reveal phenotypic variations of C. asiatica populations and to asses phenetic relationships based on morphological characters. Thirty-two accessions of C. asiatica were collected from natural populations from eight mountains in Central Java. Observation on vegetative organs resulted in 25 morphological characters as a basis for assessing phenetic relationships using cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Result of cluster analysis showed that the grouping of accessions was not correlated to the localities from where the samples were collected, although there was a tendency that accessions from the same localities grouped in one cluster. The results of this study confirmed the existence of intraspecies morphological variability in C. asiatica which was not affected by geographical aspects. Results of principal component analysis indicated that the grouping of accessions was mainly determined by similarities in petiole color, stolon color, leaf margin, petiole length, stolon length, and leaf color. Given that the characters contributing to the grouping of accessions were mainly qualitative characters, the results indicated a genetic basis underlying phenotypic variations of C. asiatica accession.

Genealogical classification, also described in different contexts as "genetic", "phylogenetic", "historical" or "evolutionary", is the classification of any set of entities according to their origin from pre-existing entities. Entities that share a common ancestry are thus grouped together. Scientific taxonomies of organisms are famously based on this principle, especially after Darwin's introduction of historical methodology in biology. The competing biological schools of cladistic, evolutionary and phenetic taxonomy are good examples of general issues involved in taking genealogy as, respectfully, the only principle, or just one principle along with diversity, or a completely excluded principle. However, a variety of other special sciences have also considered genetic principles for classification, including astronomy, Earth sciences, linguistics, cultural anthropology and musicology; tentative applications of "phylomemetics" to LIS have also been proposed. Many library classifications, notably the Bliss Bibliographic Classification, have applied evolutionary principles to the general order of disciplines. Other authors have suggested that historical relationships among disciplines themselves, or among individual scholars and works, can be represented by an analogous genealogical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emphasis was placed on studying the numerical classification of some genera of the Leguminosae family because of its great importance in the field of classification unit character is a characteristic or characteristic possessed by any object through which a particular situation can be described. Thus, the main objective of the numerical classification is clear, which is to prepare or provide an accurate classification that contains the largest amount of information. The species under study have a high medical and economic importance, as it was shown through the results of the research the extent of similarity and difference between them from the tree diagram and the selected traits, as the highest percentage of similarity between the two genus of vigna and Vicia reached 55%. And the Vicia of it for the genus Albizia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented research aimed to study the numerical taxonomy of the genus Rosa L. and to identify and differentiate its various species grown in different regions in Kurdistan, Iraq. This study proceeded in the 2021-2022 season at the College of Education of Pure Science, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq. Forty morphological quantitative and qualitative characteristics, including vegetative and reproductive traits (leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and pollen grains), gained taxonomic analysis. From there, selection of 12 morphological features finally drew polygonal shapes for the concerned species. The analysis of the polygonal shapes revealed the species owned significant variations in these forms. The similarity among these species ranged between 0.5% to 91.0%, and the highest level of similarity (91.0%) occurred between the two species Rosa canina var. 'canina,' and Rosa canina var. 'verticillacantha,' and the lowest (0.05%) emerged from the species. R. elyamaitica and R. dumalis subsp. boissieri. From the cluster analysis, the UPGMA dendrogram separated the 13 species into three main groups and subgroups. The first main groups, divided into two subgroups, included the species R. canina var. 'canina,' R. canina var. 'verticillacantha,' R. canina var. 'dumetorum,' R. canina var. 'deseglisei,' and R. dumas subsp. boissieri. The second main groups included the species R. eiyamaitica and R. heckeliana subsp. orientalis. The second subgroup included the species R. gallica, R. centifolia, and R. damascena. Moreover, the third main group included the species R. foetida, R. foetida var. bicolor, and R. hemisphareaca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiller leaf anatomical features of nine Alopecurus species collected from high mountainous areas in Turkey were evaluated in the present study. Detailed leaf anatomical descriptions of the studied taxa and an identification key generated using the anatomical features are given. Clustering and principal coordinate analysis (PCA) methods based on a total of 14 leaf anatomical characters were applied. Anatomical differences among species were detected and anatomical characters of taxonomic interest were identified in this genus. With clustering analyses, a unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) tree was obtained to show the relationship between the species studied. Based on the results of PCA, the arrangement of adaxial sclerenchyma cells, the number of adaxial ribs, the number of abaxial sclerenchyma strands, the size of epidermal cells and the number of vascular bundles are designated as the most reliable characters to separate the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomic importance of seed, embryo and seedling characters in the cotyledonary leaf and first prophyll leaf stage was studied in 15 species of Melilotus (Fabaceae). Morphological features related to shape of cotyledons and first prophyll leaf provided additional taxonomic characters at juvenile stage to distinguish M. officinalis from closely related M. albus and M. suaveolens and M. speciosus from closely related M. infestus and M. sulcatus. Variations in the embryo and seedling characters were used to prepare a key for the investigated species. With the exception of M. elegans, phenetic analysis was consistent with morphotaxonomic classification as annuals and biennials but failed to support the classification at sectional level. The phenogram was congruent with phylogenetic groupings of these taxa. Results of the present investigation show that embryo and seedling characters are taxonomically significant in Melilotus though not sufficient to support interspecies relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the integration of useful statistical methods from different disciplines for analyzing the forest community of the Lienhuachih area of central Taiwan was attempted. We employed a seriated heat map to confirm the presence of multiple community patterns in the area and used the gap statistics and a clustplot to confirm the number and structure of the patterns, respectively. A minimum spanning tree was used to display a succession series among the quadrats, and Renyi diversity was used to indicate the species composition of these patterns. The results confirmed the existence of six patterns with different biodiversity structures in which pattern C was the succession prototype of the local community patterns. Next, we used the patterns as nodes of a social network to perform bipartite network analysis. The results showed that a community network consisted of 108 taxa and six syntaxa. The syntaxa were highly vulnerable to extinction; therefore, the optimal conservation strategy for local species would be to first protect the syntaxa. The random forest method and bipartite modularity were used to analyze the dominant characteristic species of the six syntaxa. The results showed that these two methods are useful for detecting characteristic species of the syntaxa. Therefore, this study proposed a new nomenclature system, namely the Mathematic Code of Syntaxonomic Nomenclature, to support the results of numerical vegetation analysis. Finally, the potential for an apparently competitive network was examined, the role of an apparently competitive network in the local structuring community was explored, and six new associations in the Lienhuachih area were described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the application of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) for evaluating what technologies using renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity production have the chance to develop in Poland under the current socio-economic conditions. First, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to determine the weights of the optimization criteria. Five main criteria and 30 sub-criteria were identified. Next, the authors modified numerical taxonomy (NT) to rank eight RES technologies (such as onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaics, or biogas plants). The results show that offshore wind farms are the RES technology with the greatest development opportunities in Poland. The following three technologies: distributed photovoltaic energy, biogas plants, and biomass power plants, respectively, received a similar rating in the ranking. Hydropower and geothermal were the lowest-ranked technologies. The ranking, which is the result of multi-criteria analysis, in several respects, is significantly different from the directions of activities indicated in the state energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative anatomical study of the stems in 32 taxa assigned in the two related genera; Matricaria (4 taxa) and Tripleurospermum (28 taxa, 30 accessions), was carried out in Turkey by using cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA) to address generic classification and taxa delimitation. All the studied taxa have the following stem characteristics: one layer of epidermal cells with a sparse distribution of non-glandular trichomes, a cortex composed of interchanging collenchyma and chlorenchyma cells, a number of schizogenous secretory ducts near the bundles, ovate to oblong and open collateral vascular bundles which are arranged in a ring and are variable in size, and parenchymatous pith. The differences among the taxa are mainly the thickness of the xylem in the vascular bundle, the length of the epidermal cells and the pith cell size. The taxonomic and ecological values of the anatomical data are discussed in light of the current framework

This study aims at examining and confirming the patterns of phenetic relationships and the levels of variations within and among the species of Lotus L., 1753 in Egypt by using morphometric analysis techniques. We have evaluated 24 morphological characters from about 300 herbarium specimens representing 19 species of Lotus that are currently recognized. Based on numerical analyses of macromorphological characters (cluster analysis, principal coordinate analysis and principal component analysis), 19 species of Lotus were recognized from Egypt. These species were clustered in six species-specific groups: (I) Lotus halophilus Boiss. & Spruner, L. angustissimus L., L. glinoides Delile and L. schimperi Steud. ex Boiss., (II) Lotus glaber Mill.and L. palustris Willd., (III) Lotus polyphyllos E. D. Clarke, L. creticus L. and L. cytisoidesL., (IV) Lotus gebelia Vent., L. lanuginosus Vent. and L. arenarius Brot., (V) Lotus edulis L., L. tetragonolobusL. and L. conjugatus L. and (VI) Lotus ornithopodioides L., L. peregrinusL., L. arabicusL. and L. hebranicus Hochst. ex Brand. As a result of this study, we proposed that some characters, not previously examined in detail, showed significant characters in species delimitation: pod length, seed dimensions, features of upper and lower leaflets, calyx, length of corolla, length of style, numbers of flowers and ovules.

The categories of Ginkgophyta fossil plants are varied and distributed all over the world. Due to wide variations in leaf division along with the relatively similar epidermal structure between genera and species, it is difficult to identify Ginkgophyta fossils accurately. At this point, the current study sheds light on the quantitative numerical taxonomy of these plant fossils, depending on characterisation of fossil morphology and epidermal microstructures. Through principal component analysis and correlation analysis of specific characters, 15 traits are determined as the key characters in the identification of Ginkgophyta fossils. Cluster analysis was also used to divide the operational taxonomic units into 3 categories and 16 representative groups, which mostly correspond to the traditional classification, with some inconsistencies. Consequently, 8 genera of Ginkgophyta fossils are established as two new taxa: Ginkgophyllum, Rhipidopsis, Sinophyllum,Psygmophyllum and Pseudotorellia, Vittifoliolum, Eretmophyllum, Glossophyllum. In addition, Dicranophyllum should be assigned to Coniferophytina, and Saportaea nervosa can be temporarily attributed to Ginkgo.Finally, the Bayes discriminant model was established for the 38 species of Ginkgophyta fossil plants in 7 genera with relatively certain classification positions, and the discriminant model was tested using literature data. It is believed that the discriminant model has certain accuracy and can be applied to the classification and identification of Ginkgophyta fossil plants in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progress towards mathematization or, in a broader context, towards an increased "objectivity" is one of the main trends in the development of biological systematics in the past century. It is commonplace to start the history of numerical taxonomy with the works of R. R. Sokal and P. H. A. Sneath that in the 1960s laid the foundations of this school of taxonomy. In this article, I discuss the earliest research program in this field, developed in the 1920s by the Russian entomologist and biometrician Eugen (Evgeniy Sergeevich) Smirnov. The theoretical and methodological grounds of this program are considered based on the published works of Smirnov as well as some archival sources. The influence of Smirnov's evolutionary (mechano-Lamarckian) convictions on the development of this project of "exact systematics" is analyzed as well as the author's attempts to establish a novel concept of "mathematical essentialism" in animal taxonomy. The probable causes of the failure of Smirnov's project are viewed from both externalist and internalist perspectives, including the opposition to the use of quantitative methods in biology by some of the Lysenkoist ideologists in the USSR. A brief comparison of Smirnov's research program with that developed 40 years later by Sokal and Sneath is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In angiosperms, phenotypic variation of floral organs is often considered as the traditional basis for the evolutionary relationship of different taxonomic groups above the species level. However, little is known about that at or below the species level. Here, we experimentally tested the phenotypic variation of Malus floral organs using combined methods of intraspecific uniformity test, interspecific distinctness analysis, principal component analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and Q-type cluster analysis. The ancestor-inclined distribution characteristic analysis of Malus species and cultivars floral attributes was also carried out, so as to explore its taxonomic significance. Results 15/44 phenotypic traits (e.g., flower shape, flower type, flower diameter, ...) were highly consistent, distinguishable, and independent and could be used as the basis for Malus germplasm taxonomy. The studied 142 taxa were divided into two groups (A, B) and five sub-groups (A1, A2, B1, B2, B3), with significantly variable floral phenotypic attributes between groups and within sub-groups. Malus natural species were relatively clustered in the same section (series) while homologous cultivars showed evidence of ancestor-inclined distribution characteristics. However, no significant correlation between the evolutionary order of sections (Sect. Docyniopsis → Sect. Chloromeles → Sect. Sorbomalus → Sect. Eumalus) and group/sub-groups (B3 → B2 → B1 → A). Conclusions Phenotypic variation of floral organs could better explore the genetic relationship between Malus taxa. The findings improved our cognition of floral phenotypic variation taxonomic significance under the species level.

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department 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.)

Implementation of health protection requires effective quantitative methods of its evaluation. Assessment could be based on usage of synthetic indices which aggregate couple input variables into a single measure. In this paper, the exploitation of a new synthetic index (by the author called HAI—the Healthcare Aggregated Index) was proposed with the aim of the assessment and long-term interstate comparisons of healthcare systems of the EU countries. Using taxonomic methodology, HAI involves three variables: the number of hospital beds, the number of physicians and the public expenditures on healthcare. HAI utilisation includes dynamic interstate comparisons of national healthcare systems of the different exploitations of human, physical and financial resources. The HAI application to assessment of twenty European Union Member States’ healthcare systems revealed an effect of substitution between health-care resources within the slight international differentiation of the health protection level and the minor dynamic of changes in time series.

Bryophytes are small, non-vascular, and non-flowering plants. Neckera complanata (Hedw.) Huebener and Neckera crispa Hedew.are one of the most prominent species in the Hyrcanian wetland found in glossy pale or yellowish-green patches. There is no evidence for morphometry and isoenzymes biochemical markers (Peroxidase/Superoxide dismutase) works on this genus in Iran. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences and similarities among Neckera complanata and Neckera crispa moss populations in the north of Iran using morphometry and isoenzymes biochemical markers (Peroxidase / Superoxide dismutase). For this purpose, 18 populations from three provinces including Golestan, Mazandaran, and Guilan were collected at the same altitudes in autumn 2017. The results of morphometry were shown leaf length and leaf apex width/length were the most effective traits for the separation of populations. The results of the morphometry method and the results of isozyme banding patterns were the same, although very minor differences were observed. The largest diversity of Shannon (H́) belongs to the population of Neckera crispa from Hezarjarib while other populations have low genetic diversity. Because of the destruction of many habitats in the northern provinces of Iran and the increase in pollution in these areas, it can be said as a general result that perhaps the reason for low genetic diversity in Neckera complanata and Neckera crispa populations is the gradual extinction of these two species.

Copyright of Botanica Serbica is the property of University of Belgrade, Institute of Botany & Botanical Garden Jevremovac 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.)

In this study, the integration of useful statistical methods from different disciplines for analyzing the forest community of the Lienhuachih area of central Taiwan was attempted. We employed a seriated heat map to confirm the presence of multiple community patterns in the area and used the gap statistics and a clustplot to confirm the number and structure of the patterns, respectively. A minimum spanning tree was used to display a succession series among the quadrats, and Renyi diversity was used to indicate the species composition of these patterns. The results confirmed the existence of six patterns with different biodiversity structures in which pattern C was the succession prototype of the local community patterns. Next, we used the patterns as nodes of a social network to perform bipartite network analysis. The results showed that a community network consisted of 108 taxa and six syntaxa. The syntaxa were highly vulnerable to extinction; therefore, the optimal conservation strategy for local species would be to first protect the syntaxa. The random forest method and bipartite modularity were used to analyze the dominant characteristic species of the six syntaxa. The results showed that these two methods are useful for detecting characteristic species of the syntaxa. Therefore, this study proposed a new nomenclature system, namely the Mathematic Code of Syntaxonomic Nomenclature, to support the results of numerical vegetation analysis. Finally, the potential for an apparently competitive network was examined, the role of an apparently competitive network in the local structuring community was explored, and six new associations in the Lienhuachih area were described.

This paper presents the application of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) for evaluating what technologies using renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity production have the chance to develop in Poland under the current socio-economic conditions. First, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to determine the weights of the optimization criteria. Five main criteria and 30 sub-criteria were identified. Next, the authors modified numerical taxonomy (NT) to rank eight RES technologies (such as onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaics, or biogas plants). The results show that offshore wind farms are the RES technology with the greatest development opportunities in Poland. The following three technologies: distributed photovoltaic energy, biogas plants, and biomass power plants, respectively, received a similar rating in the ranking. Hydropower and geothermal were the lowest-ranked technologies. The ranking, which is the result of multi-criteria analysis, in several respects, is significantly different from the directions of activities indicated in the state energy policy.

Background: In angiosperms, phenotypic variation of floral organs is often considered as the traditional basis for the evolutionary relationship of different taxonomic groups above the species level. However, little is known about that at or below the species level. Here, we experimentally tested the phenotypic variation of Malus floral organs using combined methods of intraspecific uniformity test, interspecific distinctness analysis, principal component analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and Q-type cluster analysis. The ancestor-inclined distribution characteristic analysis of Malus species and cultivars floral attributes was also carried out, so as to explore its taxonomic significance. Results: 15/44 phenotypic traits (e.g., flower shape, flower type, flower diameter,...) were highly consistent, distinguishable, and independent and could be used as the basis for Malus germplasm taxonomy. The studied 142 taxa were divided into two groups (A, B) and five sub-groups (A1, A2, B1, B2, B3), with significantly variable floral phenotypic attributes between groups and within sub-groups. Malus natural species were relatively clustered in the same section (series) while homologous cultivars showed evidence of ancestor-inclined distribution characteristics. However, no significant correlation between the evolutionary order of sections (Sect. Docyniopsis → Sect. Chloromeles → Sect. Sorbomalus → Sect. Eumalus) and group/sub-groups (B3 → B2 → B1 → A). Conclusions: Phenotypic variation of floral organs could better explore the genetic relationship between Malus taxa. The findings improved our cognition of floral phenotypic variation taxonomic significance under the species level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arisaema serratum group sensu stricto (Araceae) is a Japanese species assemblage characterized by a well‐developed leaf rachis and a long pseudostem. It has been regarded as a complex including many species with few decisive traits. They were previously considered as a single species due to their wide intraspecific variation, but recent monographs have recognized about 13 species. In this group, A. maekawae and A. pseudoangustatum var. pseudoangustatum were recently divided from A. angustatum from the type localities. An earlier study found sympatric populations of the three species in the Chugoku region, far from the type localities, and distinguished them by qualitative observations, but there are no quantitative data to delimit the species boundaries objectively. Since high phenotypic plasticity hinders species delimitation in the A. serratum group s.s. using just a few quantitative traits, I investigated the morphological discontinuity among them using principal component analysis with eleven quantitative characters. In an ordination space including the three species, the morphological variation was roughly divided into A. maekawae and the others, and largely overlapped between A. angustatum and A. pseudoangustatum var. pseudoangustatum. However, the morphological variation clearly distinguished the two latter species when A. maekawae was excluded from the PCA. To conclude, the three Arisaema species appeared to be morphologically distinct. The strong reproductive isolation reported previously also ensures the species distinction according to the biological species concept. The discriminating traits between A. angustatum and the other two species partly differed from those in the type localities, suggesting that examination of intraspecific variation is needed between geographically isolated populations. This study showed that a combination of quantitative traits effectively supports tentative species identifications using qualitative traits and reinforces the usefulness of multivariate morphometrics for future systematic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: One of the main pillars of sustainable development is health and wellness which is an integral part of improving the quality of life. Lack of hygiene facilities and human resources and their inadequate distribution in urban and rural areas are major problems in providing health services in third world countries. The main and important reasons for inequalities in the distribution of health sector resources include inappropriate and poor budget allocation to the health sector, inadequate and long-term planning. This study was conducted to determine the degree of development of Abadan, Khorramshahr and Shadegan cities in terms of health indicators using numerical taxonomy model. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in 3 cities of Abadan, Khorramshahr and Shadegan in Khuzestan province in 2016. The data collection tool was a checklist containing information needed to calculate 15 health indices that were collected from Abadan Medical School Deputy of Health. The numerical taxonomy of these cities was evaluated in terms of degree of development of health indicators. Results: According to the values of the upper and lower limits of homogeneity distance and the values of the shortest distance between cities, it was found that all cities (regions) were homogeneous and were in the same group. Finally, the results showed that Abadan is considered to be developed (0.47), Shadegan under developed (0.78) and Khorramshahr undeveloped (0.81). Conclusion: Regarding the results obtained for improving the health status and managing the health sector, it is suggested that a comprehensive development-based program to be developed for reducing gaps and inequalities in terms of health indicators and to pay specific attention to the main development indicators of health care system based on population in each region.

The current morphometric research was conducted collecting Rhamnus cathartica and Rhamnus pallasii from the natural habitats in North and West of Iran. In order to clarify the relationships in studied species and understand taxonomicall values, 58 morphological characters were employed (26 quantititative and 32 qualitative characters) using numerical taxonomy, Principal Component Analysis (CPA), and cluster analysis. In this study, leaf shape, color fruit have been found to significantly contribute to the determination of the studied species (Rhamnus pallasii & Rhamnus cathartica). The results confirmed more diversity in Rh. pallasii and three sub-species. But, in Rh. Cathartica, diversity features in the two varieties were not effective. Rh. × spathulifolia were collected from sandy hill of North of Iran which was determined by morphometric features e.g., leaflet, abaxial, adaxial leaflet trichrome, and fruit color. Overall, Rh. × spathulifolia can not be considered.

In today’s society, achieving development and reducing regional inequalities is one of the most important challenges facing governments. The role and position of villages in the process of economic, social and political development on a local, regional and national scale and the consequences of underdevelopment of rural areas such as widespread poverty, growing inequality, rapid population growth, unemployment, migration, and urban marginalization has attracted attention to rural development, and many experts believe that the cause of urban problems in developing countries is underdevelopment of rural areas. In the current research, in order to determine the degree of development of villages in Lorestan province, various economic, social and cultural sectors were considered and their ranking based on the development level using numerical taxonomic analysis method has been done. To do this, we using the latest statistics and information related to 2016, and 101 variables in the form of 8 indicators (educational, demographic, infrastructure, economical, health, service, cultural, welfare and agricultural performance) have been evaluated. According to our results, it was observed that the distribution of facilities and services in the villages of Lorestan province is unbalanced, as out of 87 villages of Lorestan province, four villages were identified as heterogeneous areas and Bazvand village has a development coefficient of 0;765 as a most provided village in this province. The rest of the villages in Lorestan province are being deprived as semi-provided and deprived villages. In conclusion, it has been said that most of the villages in this province need proper management and planning to develop and increase facilities and services.

Summary: Whilst investigating plant-parasitic nematodes in Urmia City, West Azerbaijan, Iran, soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of willow trees (Salix babylonica) known to have a population of cyst nematodes. Morphological, numerical and molecular approaches revealed that this population represented the willow cyst nematode, Heterodera salixophila , the first report of this species from Iran. Reproduction of the nematode on S. babylonica was confirmed by inoculating 5000 viable eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2) per kg soil on 2-year-old seedlings of S. babylonica grown in pots containing sterilised soil and incubated under glasshouse conditions. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis of morphometric characters of J2 and vulval plates of species within the Humuli group supported the separation of H. salixophila from other species in this group. In the ITS-rRNA phylogenetic tree, the Iranian population of H. salixophila formed a cluster with two other populations of the species from Belgium and Ukraine, while in the D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rRNA tree, it grouped with a population from Belgium as a basal clade in the Humuli group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]