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Societal Impact Statement: Protecting diversity is critical to maintaining functional and adaptive ecosystems. However, research groups that explore these relationships tend to lack diversity themselves. To address the challenges of our changing world, it is crucial to consider a wide range of perspectives and knowledge. We propose that just as greater diversity in ecosystems relates to a variety of functions and, consequently, enhances resilience, stability, and efficiency, a comparable diversity within research teams results in a broader spectrum of creative endeavors. Thus, it is important to re‐evaluate our scientific communities' openness toward greater diversity to meet the diverse problems of our changing world. Summary: Ecosystems face multiple threats, jeopardizing natural and human well‐being. Biodiversity loss can increase ecosystem vulnerability to global change, risking abrupt and irreversible changes. Protecting biodiversity can prevent ecosystems from crossing tipping points, preserving their functions and resilience, which sustain life on our planet. In addressing these challenges, society demands creativity, innovation, and diverse perspectives. Yet, our societal structures often neglect the full range of voices and experiences, limiting problem‐solving. Understanding how research teams with diverse demographics may stimulate creative solutions to global change challenges may help. In this context, we emphasize examples from plant ecology, where the advantages of diverse ecosystems are well recognized, and we draw an analogy of these features to the innovation of research teams. In ecosystems, biodiversity can maximize productivity and function but can also serve as a protective "insurance" against disruptions. Similarly, in a time of multifaceted environmental changes, diverse research groups play a critical and analogous role, resembling the biodiversity within ecosystems. Diverse research teams not only bring complementary strengths, fostering creative problem‐solving by embracing various perspectives, but also drive scientific innovation by integrating a wide range of research topics (e.g., ecosystems, taxa, and conservation priorities). These human‐centered dynamics are congruent with the mechanisms in ecosystems, with a diversity of solutions promoting resilience, stability, and efficiency, all of which ultimately provide a counterbalancing effect on global change. Much like biodiverse ecosystems, a diverse spectrum of knowledge, and expertise within the scientific community can enrich a dynamic landscape of innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises—together with other global sustainability challenges—include the identification, design and implementation of nature‐based solutions (NbS). Living organisms mediate biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas fluxes from land and sea, and provide NbS to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Plants, as the primary producers in ecosystems, lie at the heart of NbS. Plant ecology provides the foundation for developing and evaluating NbS based on an understanding of the ecological processes that underlie ecosystem service flow to people. In this Special Feature, we provide a collection of mini‐reviews that presents concise and focused analysis of the plant ecology of NbS. The mini‐reviews highlight key insights, challenges and opportunities for future research. The development of NbS that target specific ecosystem functions (e.g. carbon storage), or aim at increasing ecosystem resilience against perturbations (e.g. those associated with climate change), requires unification of ecological theory from areas such as biodiversity‐ecosystem function, plant–animal interactions, resilience and functional traits of organisms. Synthesis. Plant ecology and nature‐based solutions (NbS) research are complementary. Plant ecology can inform the design and management of effective NbS, and provide insights for the creation of novel ecosystems that provide NbS; while learning from the implementation of NbS can progress theory. To deploy NbS at the speed and scale needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change, we must rapidly integrate ecological concepts into the design of NbS. At the same time, the design and deployment of NbS in different ecological contexts provides an unprecedented opportunity to learn how performances of individual NbS sites can be explained in an integrated way, leading to the development of general concepts. Ultimately, a mechanistic understanding of how plants and their functional traits contribute to ecosystem function and service provision is critical for the design, verification of benefits from and avoidance of adverse effects of NbS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article details the significance of Cycas revoluta in the cultural ecology of the Amami Islands, Japan. Although this plant was never domesticated, multiple lines of evidence elucidate a long history of its alimentary, ethnoecological, and symbolic saliency within Amami culture. Despite this fact, Amami cycad culture remains understudied and virtually unknown outside of Japan. This article summarizes previous and current research on the social roles and environmental significance of C. revoluta in the Amami Islands, with a specific focus on current threats to these plants and the cultural ecologies that surround them, including the ongoing biological invasion by the cycad aulacaspis scale. In doing so, the article seeks to highlight a unique form of biocultural heritage and ancestral cultural traditions that are in danger of being lost. It concludes with brief observations on potential avenues for future research that can both foment interest in and promote the holistic conservation of Amami cycad culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Understanding the drivers of assemblages of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is essential to leverage the benefits of AMF for plant growth and health. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are heterogeneously distributed in space even at small scale. We review the role of plant distribution in driving AMF assemblages (the passenger hypothesis), using a transposition of the conceptual framework of landscape ecology. Because rooting systems correspond to habitat patches with limited carrying capacity that differ in quality due to host‐preference effects, we suggest considering plant communities as mosaics of AMF microhabitats. We review how predictions from landscape ecology apply to plant community effects on AMF, and the existing evidence that tests these predictions. Although many studies have been conducted on the effect of plant compositional heterogeneity on AMF assemblages, they mostly focused on the effect of plant richness, while only a few investigated the effect of configurational heterogeneity, plant connectivity or plant community temporal dynamics. We propose key predictions and future prospects to fill these gaps. Considering plant communities as landscapes extends the passenger hypothesis by including a spatially explicit dimension and its associated ecological processes and may help understand and manipulate AMF assemblages at small spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Integrating traits across above‐ and belowground organs offers comprehensive insights into plant ecology, but their various functions also increase model complexity. This study aimed to illuminate the interspecific pattern of whole‐plant trait correlations through a network lens, including a detailed analysis of the root system.Using a network algorithm that allows individual traits to belong to multiple modules, we characterize interrelations among 19 traits, spanning both shoot and root phenology, architecture, morphology, and tissue properties of 44 species, mostly herbaceous monocots from Northern Ontario wetlands, grown in a common garden.The resulting trait network shows three distinct yet partially overlapping modules. Two major trait modules indicate constraints of plant size and form, and resource economics, respectively. These modules highlight the interdependence between shoot size, root architecture and porosity, and a shoot–root coordination in phenology and dry‐matter content. A third module depicts leaf biomechanical adaptations specific to wetland graminoids. All three modules overlap on shoot height, suggesting multifaceted constraints of plant stature. In the network, individual‐level traits showed significantly higher centrality than tissue‐level traits do, demonstrating a hierarchical trait integration.The presented whole‐plant, integrated network suggests that trait covariation is essentially function‐driven rather than organ‐specific. See also the Commentary on this article by Li & He, 244: 337–340. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of alien species that can suppress resident species via biotic interactions represents a growing concern worldwide. Yet, how above‐ and below‐ground communities simultaneously respond to plant invasion, particularly across large spatial scales, remains poorly explored. We hypothesized plant invasion has a greater impact on recipient above‐ and below‐ground communities at lower than higher latitudes given that biotic interactions play a more significant role in shaping communities in more favourable, lower latitude environments.To test this hypothesis, we conducted a comprehensive field survey of 124 sites spanning a 1700‐km latitudinal gradient in China, to explore the effects of invasion of Alternanthera philoxeroides, a globally widespread invasive plant, on plant, soil fungal and above‐ground arthropod communities.Invasion of A. philoxeroides had divergent effects on beta diversity (i.e. variation in taxa composition among sites) of plants, above‐ground arthropods and soil saprotrophic fungi, with negative, neutral and positive responses, respectively. Notably, the compositional dissimilarity of plant and arthropod communities between adjacent invaded and non‐invaded sites remained constant across latitudes. In contrast, the compositional dissimilarity of the entire and pathogenic fungal communities between adjacent invaded and non‐invaded sites increased with latitude. This resulted in a decreasing difference in invasion effects on the composition of plant and fungal communities with increasing latitude.Synthesis. Our study provides novel insights into the complexities of invasion effects by revealing contrasting responses of above‐ and below‐ground communities to plant invasion across latitudes. The contrasting responses could weaken or reshape above‐ and below‐ground interactions, and, in turn, affect future species invasions and the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Even though they share many thematical overlaps, plant metabolomics and stable isotope ecology have been rather separate fields mainly due to different mass spectrometry demands. New high‐resolution bioanalytical mass spectrometers are now not only offering high‐throughput metabolite identification but are also suitable for compound‐ and intramolecular position‐specific isotope analysis in the natural isotope abundance range. In plant metabolomics, label‐free metabolic pathway and metabolic flux analysis might become possible when applying this new technology. This is because changes in the commitment of substrates to particular metabolic pathways and the activation or deactivation of others alter enzyme‐specific isotope effects. This leads to differences in intramolecular and compound‐specific isotope compositions. In plant isotope ecology, position‐specific isotope analysis in plant archives informed by metabolic pathway analysis could be used to reconstruct and separate environmental impacts on complex metabolic processes. A technology‐driven linkage between the two disciplines could allow us to extract information on environment–metabolism interaction from plant archives such as tree rings but also within ecosystems. This would contribute to a holistic understanding of how plants react to environmental drivers, thus also providing helpful information on the trajectories of the vegetation under the conditions to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's main objective was to characterize the spontaneous vascular flora of the Asjen region and Brikcha forest. It was conducted in the study area Moroccan Atlantic North-1 (Man-1) in 2021-2022. The stratified sampling method combined with the records of the surface and itinerant survey methods were used as a basis to collect floristic data. Three hundred and eighty-four taxa belonging to 270 genera and 80 families were recorded, of which five species distributed among four families were new additions to the flora of the study area: Crepis vesicaria L. subsp. stellata (Ball) Babc and Scorzonera hispanica L. subsp. Hispanica (Asteraceae), Glinus lotoides L. (Molluginaceae), Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. oxycedrus (Cupressaceae) and Quercus coccifera L. (Fagaceae). The biological spectrum indicates the dominance of therophytes (47.66%), followed by hemicryptophytes (16.93%). Dicotyledons represent the most dominant systematic group (305 taxa, 79.43%), followed by Monocotyledons (72 taxa, 18.75%). Six families are dominant and represent 46.62% of all identified species: Asteraceae (61 species, 15.89%), Fabaceae (32 species, 8.33%), Poaceae (30 species, 7.81%), Lamiaceae (26 species, 6.77%), Apiaceae (17 species, 4.43%) and Caryophyllaceae (13 species, 3.39%). The most species-rich genus is Plantago, with six species, followed by Teucrium, with five species. The rate of endemism is 6.51%, with 25 species, eight of which are strictly endemic to Morocco. Rare or threatened species represent 3.12% of total species (12 species), with seven taxa on the national red list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials have been generalized and a systematic analysis of the elemental composition of 110 species and 28 families of plants that form the tree–shrub tiers of forest phytocenoses, as well as the structure of urban landscaping in southern Primorye, has been performed in this article. A high differentiation of the species composition in the accumulative abilities to the weight of the metal, especially Zn and Mn, is found. The most stable parameters among the species are recorded for the Cu content. The species and families of high, low, and background content of heavy metals are distinguished based on the author's indicator, i.e., "the relative intensity of accumulation (RIA)" of chemical elements. A low content of heavy metals is more typical for the main arboriflora composition. At the same time, about half of the studied species accumulate some metals above background (average) values. The maximum content of metals, exceeding background values five times or more, is recorded in leaves (needles) of the concentrator species: Zn, Salix udensis, Populus maximowiczii, P. nigra, P. tremula, and Syringa wolfii; Mn, Salix udensis, Sorbus pochuashanensis, and Picea sp.; and Fe, Crataegus pinnatifida. A high heavy metal content the families is the most typical for Hydrangeaceae and Salicaceae; a low content is typical for Fabaceae, Pinaceae, Tiliaceae, and Aceraceae; and the background level is typical for Rosaceae. Based on the results, a phytogeochemical systematics of the main species and families of arboriflora has been developed for the first time for the vegetation of the Russian Far East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large mammalian herbivores exert strong top‐down control on plants, which in turn influence most ecological processes. Accordingly, the decline, displacement, or extinction of wild large herbivores in African savannas is expected to alter the physical structure of vegetation, the diversity of plant communities, and downstream ecosystem functions. However, herbivore impacts on vegetation comprise both direct and indirect effects and often depend on herbivore body size and plant type. Understanding how herbivores affect savanna vegetation requires disaggregating the effects of different herbivores and the responses of different plants, as well as accounting for both the structural complexity and composition of plant assemblages. We combined high‐resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) with field measurements from size‐selective herbivore exclosures in Kenya to determine how herbivores affect the diversity and physical structure of vegetation, how these impacts vary with body size and plant type, and whether there are predictable associations between plant diversity and structural complexity. Herbivores generally reduced the diversity and abundance of both overstory and understory plants, though the magnitude of these impacts varied substantially as a function of body size and plant type: only megaherbivores (elephants and giraffes) affected tree cover, whereas medium‐ and small‐bodied herbivores had stronger effects on herbaceous diversity and abundance. We also found evidence that herbivores altered the strength and direction of interactions between trees and herbaceous plants, with signatures of facilitation in the presence of herbivores and of competition in their absence. While megaherbivores uniquely affected tree structure, medium‐ and small‐bodied species had stronger (and complementary) effects on metrics of herbaceous vegetation structure. Plant structural responses to herbivore exclusion were species‐specific: of five dominant tree species, just three exhibited significant individual morphological variation across exclosure treatments, and the size class of herbivores responsible for these effects varied across species. Irrespective of exclosure treatment, more species‐rich plant communities were more structurally complex. We conclude that the diversity and architecture of savanna vegetation depend on consumptive and nonconsumptive plant–herbivore interactions; the roles of herbivore diversity, body size, and plant traits in mediating those interactions; and a positive feedback between plant diversity and structural complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like alien plant invasion, range expansion of native plants may threaten biodiversity and economies, rendering them native invaders. Variation in abiotic and biotic conditions across a large geographic scale greatly affects variation in traits and interactions with herbivores of native plant invaders, which is an interesting yet mostly unexplored issue. We used a common garden experiment to compare defensive/nutritional traits and palatability to generalist herbivores of 20 native (23.64° N–30.18° N) and introduced range (31.58° N–36.87° N) populations of Reynoutria japonica, which is a native invader following range expansion in China. We analyzed the relationships among herbivore pressure, climate, plant chloroplast haplotypes, leaf traits, and herbivore performance. Of the 16 variables tested, we observed range differences in 11 variables and latitudinal clines in nine variables. In general, herbivores performed better on the introduced plants than on the native plants, and better on the high‐latitude plants than on the low‐latitude plants within the introduced populations. Three key traits (leaf thickness, specific leaf area, and carbon‐to‐nitrogen [C:N] ratio) determined palatability to herbivores and were significantly associated with temperature and/or precipitation of plant provenance as well as with plant haplotypes but not with herbivore pressure. Our results revealed a causal sequence from plant‐range‐based environmental forces and genetic context to plant quality and palatability to herbivores in R. japonica. These findings suggest a post‐introduction evolution of R. japonica, which may partly explain the colonization success of this important native, but invasive plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinopodium polycephalum (Vaniot) C. Y. Wu & S. J. Hsuan, a vital plant in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for its hemostatic properties since 1220 AD. Despite its recognizedmedicinal benefits including anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular applications and increasing market demands, research on this plant remains limited, particularly from the perspective of plant ecology. Due to global warming and the resultant climate change, studies on the distribution and conservation of C. polycephalum are of great importance, especially when a clear trend that its habitat shifts to the north was observed. To predict the potential distribution of C. polycephalum under distinct climate situations, the MaxEnt model was used along with the ArcGIS software. As a result, an AUC value of 0.931 was achieved, indicating high predictive accuracy of the model. By analyzing 135 occurrence points and their corresponding bioclimatic factors (including precipitation), soil data, and other environmental variables (49 in total), 16 key factors including pH value and basic saturation were selected for downstream analysis. It was found that solar radiation in May, precipitation in May and April, and the lowest temperature in the coldest month are important factors influencing the growth and distribution of C. polycephalum. Compared to the current climate scenario, the future suitable habitat for C. polycephalum is expected to shift northwest, and under the SSP245-2061-2080 climate scenario, its highly suitable habitat area is projected to increase by 886,000 km2. These findings provide crucial insights into the environmental drivers of C. polycephalum distribution and aid in its preservation and sustainable use in traditional medicine. Based on the findings of this study, future research should focus on factors such as solar radiation in May and the lowest temperature in the coldest month within the suitable habitat to ensure its effective conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant community ecology guides restoration of degraded lands, yet seed‐based restorations sometimes fail or result in unpredictable outcomes, necessitating a better understanding of community trajectory and stability. Western yarrow (Achillea millefolium) declined suddenly in two separate restoration projects after initial high relative abundance. To assess the potential role of soil pathogens, we surveyed plant and soil fungal communities in these restorations, and used an 8‐year‐old field experiment that crossed yarrow planted in varying densities with a fungicide treatment. Two greenhouse experiments then evaluated whether the suppressive effect in yarrow soil spread to native species used in restoration. Lower yarrow cover in a restoration project 5 years compared to 3 years after seeding coincided with higher relative abundance of fungal taxa that can cause disease, particularly Crown‐rot fungi (Paraphoma spp.). Paraphoma increased over time in experimental plots and coincided with yarrow decline. Decline onset was density‐dependent, occurring faster in plant communities where yarrow density was higher. Fungicide applications altered fungal pathogen communities and promoted yarrow cover relative to control plots. In the greenhouse, yarrow grew larger with fungicide, consistent with suppression of fungal pathogens. However, biomass of natives grown in yarrow‐conditioned soil was not affected by fungicides, suggesting pathogens did not spread. The rapid establishment and competitive nature of yarrow, followed by pathogen‐induced decline, make it an attractive early transitional “bridge species,” so long as its pathogens are species‐specific. Our results suggest negative plant‐soil feedback can drive rapid decline of individual species, and considering plant–soil feedback could improve restoration predictability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is affecting plant photosynthesis and transpiration processes, as well as increasing weather extremes impacting socio‐political and environmental events and decisions for decades to come. One major research challenge in plant biology and ecology is the interaction of photosynthesis with the environment. Stomata control plant gas exchange and their evolution was a crucial innovation that facilitated the earliest land plants to colonize terrestrial environments. Stomata couple homoiohydry, together with cuticles, intercellular gas space, with the endohydric water‐conducting system, enabling plants to adapt and diversify across the planet. Plants control stomatal movement in response to environmental change through regulating guard cell turgor mediated by membrane transporters and signaling transduction. However, the origin, evolution, and active control of stomata remain controversial topics. We first review stomatal evolution and diversity, providing fossil and phylogenetic evidence of their origins. We summarize functional evolution of guard cell membrane transporters in the context of climate changes and environmental stresses. Our analyses show that the core signaling elements of stomatal movement are more ancient than stomata, while genes involved in stomatal development co‐evolved de novo with the earliest stomata. These results suggest that novel stomatal development‐specific genes were acquired during plant evolution, whereas genes regulating stomatal movement, especially cell signaling pathways, were inherited ancestrally and co‐opted by dynamic functional differentiation. These two processes reflect the different adaptation strategies during land plant evolution. Summary statement: We review stomatal diversity and functional evolution in the context of environmental stresses. Our analyses suggest that novel stomatal development‐specific genes were acquired during plant evolution, whereas genes regulating stomatal movement were co‐opted by dynamic functional differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dose–response curves hold promise in capturing environmental complexity. Conceptual developments now allow dose–response curves to be produced via syntheses of smaller studies. Dose–response meta-analyses should allow us to consider doses and responses that are laborious to assay. We present an example of a dose–response meta-analysis of how photoperiod alters mycorrhizal responsiveness. A large fraction of experimental work in plant ecology, and thus also on ecosystem functioning and the delivery of ecosystem services, describes experiments that have been carried out under controlled (glasshouse) conditions. Controlled growth settings commonly sacrifice realism through, for example, reducing the densities of plant species in the pots and controlling how environmental settings such as moisture and light vary in favor of a higher mechanistic resolution, which makes these studies particularly suitable for subsequent syntheses. We explore the possibility that further integration of dose–response curves can maximize the impact of existing studies. We suggest that we can expand considerably the scope of the dose and response variables that are considered in plant ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecotone zone, located between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes, has been under intensive anthropogenic pressures due to the expansion of commodity agriculture and extensive cattle ranching. This has led to habitat loss, reducing biodiversity, depleting biomass, and increasing CO2 emissions. In this study, we employed an artificial neural network, field data, and remote sensing techniques to develop a model for estimating biomass in the remaining native vegetation within an 18,864 km2 ecotone region between the Amazon and Cerrado biomes in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. We utilized field data from a plant ecology laboratory and vegetation indices from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and trained artificial neural networks to estimate aboveground biomass (AGB) in the study area. The optimal network was chosen based on graphical analysis, mean estimation errors, and correlation coefficients. We validated our chosen network using both a Student's t-test and the aggregated difference. Our results using an artificial neural network, in combination with vegetation indices such as AFRI (Aerosol Free Vegetation Index), EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index), and GNDVI (Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), which show an accurate estimation of aboveground forest biomass (Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 15.92%), can bolster efforts to assess biomass and carbon stocks. Our study results can support the definition of environmental conservation priorities and help set parameters for payment for ecosystem services in environmentally sensitive tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatio-ecological heterogeneity has a significant impact on various ecosystem properties, such as biodiversity patterns, variability in ecosystem resources, and species distributions. Given this perspective, remote sensing has gained widespread recognition as a powerful tool for assessing the spatial heterogeneity of ecosystems by analyzing the variability among different pixel values in both space and, potentially, time. Several measures of spatial heterogeneity have been proposed, broadly categorized into abundance-related measures (e.g., Shannon's H) and dispersion-related measures (e.g., Variance). A measure that integrates both abundance and distance information is the Rao's quadratic entropy (Rao's Q index), mainly used in ecology to measure plant diversity based on in-situ based functional traits. The question arises as to why one should use a complex measure that considers multiple dimensions and couples abundance and distance measurements instead of relying solely on simple dispersion-based measures of heterogeneity. This paper sheds light on the spatial version of the Rao's Q index, based on moving windows for its calculation, with a particular emphasis on its mathematical and statistical properties. The main objective is to theoretically demonstrate the strength of Rao's Q index in measuring heterogeneity, taking into account all its potential facets and applications, including (i) integrating multivariate data, (ii) applying differential weighting to pixels, and (iii) considering differential weighting of distances among pixel reflectance values in spectral space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new extinction risk assessments of the mosses of Serbia have been completed. Based on the available data, 27.18% of Serbian moss flora (174 species) is under threat (status 2024). Nearly 20% (129 species) of Serbian moss flora is considered to be Data Deficient (DD) and 5.16% (33 species) Near Threatened (NT). These findings clearly indicate the urgent need for field investigation and species biology research in order to define the major threats and adequate conservation measures.

The agricultural industry is constantly searching for new solutions to increase the productivity and nutritional value of crops under various conditions. Microbial inoculants have emerged as an alternative to traditional chemical fertilisers which could enhance crop productivity in acid soils - a major problem in modern agriculture. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus megaterium and Mesorhizobium sp. on the seed germination of bird’s foot trefoil and orchardgrass under low pH (in vitro), as well as the nutrient composition of plants grown in acid soil. A positive impact of bacterial inoculation on seed germination was observed at pH 5 and 6 for both plant species. The content of macro- and microelements was within the range of optimal values for both plant species. This research provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of using bacterial inoculants to improve the seed germination and nutrient composition of plants grown in acid soils.

The in vitro seed propagation of small seeded Campanula species often incurs complications in the manual handling of the tiny seed material from seed sterilisation to seedling transplantation in soil. The lack of a simple and effective protocol which minimises manual operations makes the propagation of such species both challenging and inefficient. This study aimed to develop a protocol for the seed reproduction of threatened Campanula and other threatened small-seed plant species. The method was successfully tested on Campanula bayerniana subsp. bayerniana. The saplings were cultivated over a 5-month period through seed germination under in vitro conditions followed by their transfer to containers with a soil mix. The protocol employs small filter paper discs on which the seeds germinate and continue their development in soil substrate until the full biodegradation of the discs. The method involves surface treatment of the seeds with potassium permanganate solution, thus avoiding additional washing phases and direct contact with the seeds and seedlings, thereby preventing mechanical damage. This also facilitates the handling of each seed separately, minimising seed loss particularly when working with a small number of seeds. This study is also the first known example of the ex situ propagation of Campanula bayerniana.

Junipers are one of the most diverse groups of gymnosperms today. They are adapted to arid areas of the world. In this study, we analysed the chemical composition of the leaf n-alkanes of 170 individuals belonging to Juniperus communis subsp. communis, J. communis var. saxatilis, J. deltoides and J. macrocarpa from the Balkans. Localities with at least two sympatric populations were chosen to study the chemical composition in order to limit the influence of environmental factors on the chemical composition. The leaf n-alkanes were extracted from the leaves with n-hexane and analysed using GC-MS. In all of the samples, n-C33 was the dominant alkane, with n-C29, n-C31 and n-C35 comprising over 80% of the n-alkane profile. The percentages of these dominant n-alkanes were taxon-specific, thus indicating their chemotaxonomic significance. In all the multivariate statistical analyses, samples belonging to different taxa were separated from each other. While the n-alkane profile can be used as a chemotaxonomic tool in the differentiation of these four taxa, it did not carry a phylogenetic signal. Instead, it reflected ecological adaptations, showing how different taxa have adapted to different arid environments within the study area.

In this study an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in western Serbia (Mt. Tara) with the aim of collecting and preserving the traditional botanical knowledge. A group of local inhabitants (56) was interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and Jaccard Index (JI) were calculated. There are 78 wild plant species recorded. The reported plant species belong to 34 families, where the families Rosaceae (41.18%), Asteraceae (23.53%) and Lamiaceae (20.59%) were dominant. Out of 78 documented plants, 70 plants (89.74%) are used in folk medicine, 42 (53.85%) in human nutrition, 22 (28.20%) in animal nutrition, 14 (17.95%) plants are used for miscellaneous purposes, while two plants (2.56%) are used in ethnoveterinary medicine. The highest RFC was recorded for Vaccinium myrtillus (0.38), followed by Urtica dioica (0.34), and Hypericum perforatum (0.25) and Fragaria vesca (0.25). The most frequently used mode of preparation was as an infusion (70.51%), while the most used plant part was the leaf (56.41%) followed by the flower/inflorescences (37.18%) and aboveground parts (28.21%). The highest degree of similarity was determined with studies conducted in close proximity (Mt. Zlatibor, JI 33.04). Local recipes and new usage of some well-known traditional plants in Serbia and the Balkans were documented.

Aegilops tauschii is a wild diploid goat-grass which occupies a vast range in Central Eurasia and comprises three different gene-pools: TauL1, TauL2, and TauL3. Multivariate statistical analysis of the transcriptomes from the leaf tissue of 40 A. tauschii accessions, 18 of TauL1, 20 of TauL2, and 2 of TauL3, revealed that the gene-pools of A. tauschii distinctly and essentially differ in their genetic expression patterns. Statistically significant differential gene expression of 2349, 376, and 272 were observed between TauL1 and TauL2; TauL1 and TauL3; TauL2 and TauL3, respectively. These findings indicate substantial adaptive intraspecies divergence in A. tauschii.

A new species of Centaurea sect. Acrocentron (Asteraceae) was found on the Ozren mountain in southwestern Serbia near Sjenica and named as Centaurea ozrenii. It inhabits xerophilous and steppe-like habitats, on ultramafic geological substrate. Morphologically, it is close to C. calocephala, C. chrysolepis, C. orientalis, C. murbeckii, C. kotschyana and the recently described C. zlatiborensis. The most distinctive morphological features of the new species are undivided to simply pinnatisect (non lyrate) subglabrous leaves, with linear segments, upper leaves with an aristate apex and cream coloured to pale yellow florets of which the outer are much longer than the inner ones. The phyllaries are intermediate in relation to C. calocephala and C. kotschyana. The chromosome number of the new species is 2n = 22. Thorough field investigations confirmed the presence of C. ozrenii only at this localized site on Mt. Ozren with a population of 13 clusters of individuals with 23–52 flowering stems in an area of about 50 m 2 . Applying the IUCN Red List categories and criteria to the available data categorised C. ozrenii as a Critically Endangered (CR) species.

Centaurea sect. Acrocentron comprises several taxonomically intricate groups of taxa, including the Balkan endemic obligate serpentinophytes: C. melanocephala, C. candelabrum and C. albertii. Despite its distinctive morphological characteristics, C. candelabrum was considered conspecific with C. melanocephala. A similar situation pertains to C. albertii, which has largely been considered a synonym of C. melanocephala. Considering that several recent floristic works treat these taxa as separate species distributed in different serpentinite areas of the Balkans, the main objectives of our study were to analyse the taxonomic and chorological relationships between them, and to propose a new taxonomic concept. Our study was based on an extensive revision of herbarium material, including the type specimens, personal field data and observations of living plants. Our comprehensive study showed that the plants previously recognised as C. melanocephala from the Stolovi mountain in central Serbia and those previously recognised as C. candelabrum from northern Albania deserve the rank of distinct species. These species can be easily distinguished from each other by a number of characters, including their general habitus, the dimensions and shape of the basal leaves, and the indumentum of the involucral bracts. Given the only slight differences observed between the populations in Kosovo and Albania, the question of whether C. albertii is conspecific with C. candelabrum or deserves an independent taxonomic status remains unresolved until further detailed integrative studies are conducted. In view of the clear differences in morphological and ecological characteristics which exist within this group compared to other representatives of sect. Acrocentron, we propose the separation of the studied taxa into a separate C. melanocephala complex, as outlined in this paper.

A number of advancements have been made in algal technology in different fields, such as medical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical. Green algae (Chlorophyta) are a group of photosynthetic organisms which live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. They are a potential source of bioactive compounds for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of infectious diseases caused by microorganisms. These compounds also possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticoagulant, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties. A wide variety of bioactive compounds are produced, including polysaccharides, which exhibit antimicrobial properties capable of interfering with the cell walls, membranes, and nucleic acids of microorganisms. Membrane fluidity, permeability, or integrity can be affected by polyphenols and fatty acids which scavenge free radicals, chelate metal ions, or disrupt enzymes and membranes. Proteins and peptides form pores within the membranes which bind to specific receptors or inhibit enzymes. Adaptation to adverse environmental conditions, such as temperature extremes, photooxidation, salinity, or osmotic stress, results in the formation of bioactive compounds by altering the physiological and biochemical pathways of algae for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. With changing consumer preferences and an increase in the number of resistant microorganisms, it is critical to seek novel antimicrobial compounds from green algae. The search for novel bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties from green algae may serve as an alternative in the light of increased drug resistance in microorganisms. However, in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of the antimicrobial compounds from green algae require more research. Providing an overview of previous endeavours in this emerging field, this review provides perspectives and a summary of the bioactive compounds responsible for the antimicrobial properties of green algal extracts.

Vincetoxicum members offer important qualities in both conventional and modern medicine. In the present study, V. scandens from the northeast of Turkey (Trabzon city) was investigated for its phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, DNA cleavage and binding effects. Phenolic compounds of the V. scandens methanol extract were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD), while their total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were determined spectrophotometrically. The antioxidant potential of the extract was characterised using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2 ́-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power assay) tests. In addition, the DNA cleavage and binding features of the V. scandens extract were studied using pBR322 DNA and CTDNA, respectively. The results indicated that the V. scandens methanol extract contained a large amount of catechin, as well as a high total phenolic and total flavonoid content. On the other hand, the DPPH and ABTS antioxidant tests revealed that V. scandens did not exhibit high antioxidant activity. The methanol extract of the studied plant was also rich in catechin, p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid. While the V. scandens methanol extract exhibited weak antioxidant and DNA cleavage activity, it showed DNA binding activity at 50 μM, thus demonstrating the potential to be an intercalation agent in this concentration. This study provides the first report on the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, DNA cleavage and DNA binding activity as well as antioxidant activity of V. scandens.

While soil pH is known to be a key driver of plant species composition, we still have a poor understanding of the quantification of the responses of leaf traits to different soil types, especially in highly sensitive alpine environments susceptible to global environmental changes. By combining traditional and modern geometric morphometrics we aimed to bridge the existing gap and determine whether certain leaf traits reliably separate evergreen Dryas octopetala populations residing in the subalpine-alpine zone of the Kazbegi region, in the eastern part of the Central Great Caucasus in Georgia. To achieve this aim, three populations of D. octopetala were analysed through traditional and, for the first time, modern geometric morphometrics. Both methods revealed congruent results indicating significant differences in leaf shape and size in locations with similar climatic conditions but different soil pH environments (acid vs neutral to slightly alkaline) thus suggesting that D. octopetala exhibits stronger leaf morphological plasticity (wider and larger leaves vs narrower and smaller leaves) to respond to changes in the soil pH gradient. In addition, modern geometric morphometrics, with its high degree of precision as an accessible and inexpensive method, could be advantageous for researchers and scientists seeking to gain a deeper understanding of plant species’ unique responses to varying environmental conditions.

This study aims to investigate the composition of the leaf essential oil and the total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as the antioxidant activity of the n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of Vaccinium myrtillus leaves collected from two different locations (Muğla and Mersin, Turkey). In addition, the antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (SS), Fusarium oxysporum f sp. melonis (FOM), Fusarium oxysporum f sp. cucumerinum (FOC), and Rhizoctonia solani (RS) and the bioherbicidal activity against Taraxacum officinale and Rumex crispus were evaluated for the first time. The methanolic extract inhibited mycelium growth of SS, FOM, FOC, and RS in a dose-dependent manner. No significant difference was observed in antifungal activity between the two different collection sites. In the bioherbicidal activity tests, the methanol extract of the fruits completely suppressed the root-shoot development of Taraxacum officinale, while also significantly inhibiting the root-shoot development during the seed germination of Rumex crispus compared to the control group at 3 mg/mL concentration for both locations. Based on the results of the GC/MS analysis, the major constituents identified in the leaf essential oils collected from the Muğla and Mersin locations were α-pinene (29.16%/15.75%), eucalyptol (22.19%/26.46%), linalool (12.66%/25.27%), and linalyl acetate (7.43%/2.71%). The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the plant extracts for the Muğla and Mersin samples were determined as (42.80‒157.58 GAE/g extracts), (29.38‒151.44 GAE/g extracts) and (10.52‒37.88 QE/g extracts), (14.81‒44.18 QE/g extracts) respectively. In addition, the plant exhibited significant antioxidant activity. These findings indicate quantitative differences in the chemical composition of the essential oils between the two geographical locations. These findings are significant as they provide insights for the development of new natural antifungal agents with potential applications in agriculture.

This paper presents new records and noteworthy data on the following taxa in SE Europe and adjacent regions: cyanobacteria Pseudanabaena thermalis, lichenised fungi Acrocordia gemmata, parasitic fungi Peniophora tamaricicola, saprotrophic fungi Hyphonectria buxi, diatom alga Diatoma elongata, mosses Sphagnum medium, Rhizomnium magnifolium, and Weissia squarrosa, monocots Gymnadenia frivaldii, Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, Orchis × angusticruris and Pistia stratiotes, and dicots Astragalus angustifolius subsp. balcanicus, Broussonetia papyrifera, Datura innoxia and Montia arvensis.

The compositional dependency of the essential oil of Clinopodium menthifolium subsp. menthifolium (Lamiaceae) on ecological conditions has not yet been investigated. In pursuit of this objective, we assessed the quantity and quality of the essential oil in plants from 11 natural populations from the Central Balkans and one cultivated plant. In order to determine the correlations between essential oil variations and environmental conditions, each habitat was characterised by 36 climatic and 19 bioclimatic parameters. Despite inhabiting diverse climatic zones, altitudes, and biogeographical regions, no significant differences were observed in the yield and qualitative and quantitative composition of the essential oils among the analysed plants. All the samples exhibited essential oil yield ≥ 0.5%, V/w, with piperitone epoxide as the major compound. Among the identified compounds, only limonene and (E)-caryophyllene demonstrated dependence on bioclimatic parameters. The bioclimatic parameters which influence the presence of a larger number of compounds are annual temperature range and the precipitation of the wettest quarter. The consistent quantity and quality of the essential oils of C. menthifolium subsp. menthifolium indicate their probable adaptive significance and could serve as chemotaxonomic features of this taxon.

This paper presents new records and noteworthy data on the following taxa in SE Europe and adjacent regions: mycorrhizal fungus Russula sapinea, parasitic fungus Podosphaera polemonii, saprotrophic fungi Ophiognomonia melanostyla and Plagiostoma apiculatum, diatom alga Nitzschia reskoi, stonewort Nitellopsis obtusa, liverwort Mannia triandra, mosses Buxbaumia viridis and Leptodon smithii, monocots Epipactis purpurata and Orchis × beyrichii and dicots Euphorbia orjeni, Fallopia × bohemica, Nuphar lutea and Saxifraga pedemontana subsp. cymosa.

The suction traps of aquatic Utricularia species are discoid bladders, 1–6 mm long, with their lumen isolated by a mobile trapdoor from the ambient medium. Water is pumped out of the traps to maintain the negative pressure in the reset traps. When a prey animal touches the sensory hairs on the trapdoor it opens, the ambient water along with the prey is sucked inside and the trapdoor is closed again. Utricularia humboldtii is a robust, semiaquatic–epiphytic or terrestrial species from the generic section Orchidioides from South America. The efficiency of its aquatic traps was measured based on trap firing and resetting rates as well as changes in trap thickness due to both mechanically stimulated and spontaneous firings using an electronic sensor. The U. humboldtii traps exhibited relatively low firing and resetting rates. These values are 2 to 20 times lower than those in other aquatic Utricularia species reported in the literature. These results together with the low aerobic respiration rate of sliced traps indicate that the less efficient aquatic traps in U. humboldtii are specialised for catching fine prey items in bromeliad water tanks. A marked lag-period in trap resetting was found to occur during the first 30 min after firing, contradicting the accepted concept of continuous water pumping. Spontaneous trap firings were also observed with the same magnitude as that in stimulated firings. This implies that spontaneous firings occur consistently in all the tested aquatic Utricularia species. However, although they relate to the continuous water pumping mechanism of the traps, their physiological importance has not been fully elucidated.

Cold stress is one of the main abiotic stress factors which restricts pepper growth and development. Thus, identifying alternative strategies is critical to reduce cold damage in peppers. This study evaluated the effect of exogenous proline in reducing cold stress damage in pepper callus. For this purpose, callus was obtained from the hypocotyl explants of germinated seedlings under in vitro conditions. 0,12 and 24 mM proline were applied to the callus and developed under the same photoperiodic settings at 4°C, 8°C, 16°C and 24°C. Low temperatures increased H 2 O 2 and MDA production with the highest H 2 O 2 and MDA amounts determined at 4°C. Proline applications decreased the content of H 2 O 2 at low temperatures, whereby 24 mM proline caused a significant decrease in the amount of H 2 O 2 at 4°C. The lowest MDA accumulation was determined in the 12 mM proline application. The data indicated that the total phenolic content of pepper callus decreased with decreasing temperatures. However, the application of proline increased the total phenolic amounts with the increase in its concentration. DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAC and total protein content decreased with decreasing the temperature to 4°C and 8°C. However, both exogenous proline applications increased DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAC and total protein at 4°C and 8°C. The results indicated that the metabolic pathways are triggered by the application of exogenous proline.

Background and aims – Chaerophyllum hirsutum represents a complex of taxa with varying treatments and ranks across floras. Using both morphometric and molecular markers, we assessed the robustness of C. hirsutum, C. elegans, C. villarsii, and C. villarsii var. cicutariiforme. Material and methods – Ten morphometric variables and two ratios were calculated. Based on the sequencing of six plastomes, the rps16 intron was selected as the more variable region and sequenced on a broader sampling. Additionally, we also sequenced the nrDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) using Illumina technology to obtain intra-individual allelic diversity. Key results – Morphologically, the most easily differentiated taxon was C. elegans, especially using the number of subterminal umbels. The distinction between C. hirsutum and C. villarsii was rather clinal, but is mainly based on the degree of carpophore division. Finally, C. villarsii var. cicutariiforme was less easily distinguishable from the three others, but partly using the carpophore length and the total length of basal leaf blade. The cpDNA rps16 clearly distinguished C. elegans from the three other taxa of the complex, which rather showed a geographical pattern of cpDNA diversity. The nrDNA ITS2 partially distinguished C. villarsii from the other taxa, without distinction of C. elegans. Conclusions – The present study supports the species differentiation of C. elegans based on both morphology and chloroplast genome. Furthermore, C. villarsii var. villarsii and C. villarsii var. cicutariiforme could potentially be recognized as distinct varieties within C. hirsutum. This will need to be confirmed by future studies using a larger sampling size and more comprehensive markers, covering a broader portion of the nuclear genome.

Extended Abstract Background: Forests are one of the complex ecosystems of natural resources with an important role in the environment and multiple production capacities and functions. The benefit of different human societies from these resources in various forms has various effects and consequences. Without accurate and complete identification of all its stakeholders, logical and acceptable results cannot be achieved in decision-making and policy-making. Therefore, it is essential to fully understand the stakeholders (actors) and their identification criteria in line with basic policies for planning, decision-making, and success in this field. Because decision-making in the management of forest resources always faces challenges and is often associated with complexity, immutability, and uncertainty due to the multi-purpose nature of the benefits and services of these resources, the difficulty of monetary valuation of ecological services, and the great diversity of the stakeholders of their services. Therefore, the stakeholders in the fields of natural resources and forests are considered vital components, and their presence and activity in these fields are undeniable and provide a guarantee of success in cooperative management for the protection of forests. The advancement of the sustainable management goals of natural resources and forests is realized by identifying an active presence of key actors and the most important and effective groups involved, i.e. forest producers and users, along with other identified stakeholders. The primary purpose of identifying those involved is the names of all those who can and should have a role in the planning and management process, and their identification is an important part of the participatory planning process because it is considered a part of the prerequisite for participation. Therefore, identifying and determining the stakeholders make it possible to take advantage of their cooperation in a planned way in the implementation and management of forestry projects and to facilitate the implementation process of the programs. Methods: To identify, weight, and prioritize the stakeholders involved in the Hyrcanian forest ecosystem services using multi-criteria decision-making models, the stakeholders involved in the Hyrcanian forest ecosystem services were first identified and gathered based on the review of various studies. Then, the research questionnaire was designed to answer two important questions in this study: a) who are the people involved in Hyrcanian forest areas? and b) what is their priority? Therefore, the beneficiaries of the economy of Hyrcanian forests were identified by designing a questionnaire scored with a Likert scale, designing items with five priority options, and determining the individuals or groups of stakeholders. In this research, the opinions of 50 experts, academics, and experts of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization at the provincial and regional levels were used to identify the beneficiaries of the ecosystem services of Hyrcanian forests. The questionnaire was validated and confirmed by experts, and its reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha statistic of α = 0.97. The stakeholders of the forest ecosystem services were weighted with the Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method, the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), and Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS), and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to prioritize them. Results: By analyzing the findings of the questionnaire using experts' opinions, the Hyrcanian forest ecosystem goods and services stakeholders were identified in 19 groups and five levels, such as international, national, regional, stakeholders outside the forest, and stakeholders inside the forest. Based on the results of the weighting of the stakeholders using the SWARA technique, the forest dwellers and communities downstream of the forest edge are among the most important Hyrcanian forest ecosystem goods and services stakeholders with the highest weight, and other stakeholders were placed in the next priorities based on the received weight. The prioritization of the stakeholders of the goods and services of the Hyrcanian forest ecosystem in the TOPSIS, ARAS, and SAW models showed similar results in terms of the prioritization of the stakeholders of the surveyed services. Conclusion: The results of stakeholder prioritization models were compared using the slope of the service weight curve (R2) in three models. The slope of the relative closeness curve of the weights in the ARAS model was a descending exponential function with an explanatory degree of 0.93, which indicated an obvious difference between the stakeholders of Hyrcanian forest ecosystem services. The slope of the curve of the relative closeness of the weights is higher and closer to one in the ARAS model than in the other two models from different points of view. Based on this result and the consensus of some experts, the prioritization of stakeholders in the ARAS model is closer to reality. Therefore, the ARAS model was proposed as a suitable model for prioritizing the stakeholders of Hyrcanian forest ecosystem services. According to the results of this model, forest dwellers, downstream communities on the edge of the forest, and the off-site users of the forests are considered the major stakeholders of Hyrcanian forest services. Therefore, the role, presence, and influence of these stakeholders cannot be ignored in the management of natural resources and the environment, especially in forestry projects, and it is recommended to optimally use the presence of these communities in cooperative forest management. Furthermore, the human relationship with the natural ecosystem should be at the top of policies and comprehensive management of forest resources. It is necessary to support wood planting projects through subsidy policies and to grant facilities and low-interest loans to forest dwellers and communities downstream of the forest edge. Other necessary measures include efforts to reduce deprivations and increase the socioeconomic development of the villages on the edge of the forest, holding training entrepreneurship courses and classes, introducing handicrafts and non-wood products, identifying target markets, and strengthening the marketing network for the export of non-wood products to increase the share of the forest in the growth and economic development of rural communities on the edge of the forest. Employment programs should also be developed for local communities in the forest protection sectors.

Extended Abstract Background: Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) is one of the well-known industrial species of Hyrcanian forests that spreads from the west to east of these forests. Human activities have caused significant damage to Hyrcanian forests, and this issue highlights the importance of identifying factors affecting the structural characteristics of trees, especially beech, for the optimal management of these forests and the restoration of degraded areas. Considering the effect of environmental factors on the structural characteristics (the basal area and number per hectare) and the distribution of trees, the knowledge of their ecological requirements can be used to prepare programs for the protection and development of forests. Previous research about factors affecting the distribution of this species focused on topographical variables and the effects of climate change. Thus, No research has so far investigated the effect of the frequency of fog occurrence on the structural characteristics of this species. Therefore, the effect of topographical variables (height above sea level, slope, and direction), temperature, relative humidity, and fog on the number per hectare, basal area, and the presence of beech species was investigated in the present study using a generalized linear model (GLM). The results of this research and other studies on the future data from the forests of northern Iran can help predict possible changes in the distribution of species, especially beech species, under the effect of global warming. Methods: To carry out this research, beech species data were obtained from the forest inventory data bank in the north of Iran. Because no meteorological station was available for the whole region of Hyrcanian forests, meteorological data were obtained from the POWER project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the USA. Since fog is defined as water droplets suspended near the earth's surface, which reduces horizontal visibility to less than one kilometer, the occurrence of fog was determined using the horizontal visibility index. After preparing the data, first the number of trees per hectare and then the basal area of trees were calculated in each sample plot. The collected data were separated based on the presence or absence of beech. Data were analyzed using GLM and cross-validation evaluation in R software and the caret package. Results: The results of the correlation between the independent variables showed that the amount of precipitation had a significant and high correlation with relative humidity, hence the precipitation variable was removed from the modeling. The GLM showed acceptable accuracy for predicting the number of trees per hectare (R2 = 0.16), basal area (R2 = 0.16), and the presence of beech species (AUC = 0.75). The fog, height above sea level, and relative air humidity variables had a positive relationship with all three traits (number per hectare, basal area, and the presence of beech species) while temperature was negatively related only to the presence of beech species. The aspect variable had a positive and significant relationship with the number of beech trees per hectare and basal area, respectively, but it was not significantly related to the presence of this species. The height above sea level was the most important variable for predicting the number of trees per hectare, the basal area, and the presence of beech species. Relative humidity was the second most important variable for predicting the number of trees per hectare and basal area while fog was the second most important variable for the presence of beech species. The temperature, slope, and aspect had a significance of less than 20%. Conclusion: The reason for the higher relative importance of the height above sea level can be attributed to low temperature and high rainfall as the optimal conditions for the growth of the beech tree; these conditions are directly related to the height above sea level. Our results also determine the importance of relative humidity and the occurrence of fog in the distribution of beech species. The high importance of the relative humidity variable may result from the fact that beech is generally described as adapting to full-shade to partial-shade conditions. Since the northern aspect (in the Northern Hemisphere) generally receives less direct sunlight and is usually cooler, this species usually establishes in the northern direction in the Hyrcanian forest. On the other hand, since relative humidity increases with decreasing temperature, it can be concluded that beech prefers higher relative humidity. In the forests of mountainous areas and near the coast, the number of fog occurrences is high due to high air humidity and altitude. Finally, this phenomenon leads to rain fog and increases the amount of water reaching the forest floor. Therefore, it can be stated that the occurrence and production of fog play a pivotal role in providing the water needs of beech trees due to the high moisture requirement of this species. The high importance of relative air humidity and the occurrence of fog in the distribution of beech species necessitate additional studies regarding the accurate estimation of the occurrence and amount of fog in Hyrcanian forests. Studies on fog and its effects on vegetation, particularly in temperate regions, can provide valuable insight into the potential benefits of fog for this species. Given the lack of studies, it is suggested to investigate the effects of other environmental factors, including soil properties, on the distribution of beech species.

Extended Abstract Background: The leaf area index (LAI) is one of the structural indices of forests and a key variable in the state of forest ecosystems. This index is one of the major structural indices of forests that plays an important role in the processes of evaporation and transpiration and in monitoring the growth of trees. The role of LAI is very important in the changes in the structural quantitative characteristics of forest stands. There is a general relationship between the LAI and the quantitative characteristics of the mass. The leaf area of each tree can be estimated using allometric equations of quantitative characteristics. This research focuses on the effects of changes in the quantitative characteristics, such as tree density (n.ha-1), basal area (m2.ha-1), volume (m3.ha-1), mean height (m), mean diameter at breast height (DBH, cm), crown area (m2.ha-1), and crown volume (m3.ha-1) on the LAI and preparation of their allometric equations in the broadleaf forests of Golestan province. Methods: To collect ground information on LAI, 227 circular sample plots with an area of 1000 m2 with a systematic sampling method and a 100 × 100 m grid were dismounted in five habitats from west to east (Kordkoy, Shasat Kalathe, Zarrin, Gol, Sorkhdari, and Loveh). In the center of each sample plot, the LAI was measured using a leaf harvesting trap with dimensions of 60 × 60 cm. The geographic center of each sample was recorded using a Differential Global Positioning System device. The species type, breast diameter greater than 12.5 cm, the height of trees, large diameter, and small crown diameter are measured, then as tree density (n.ha-1), basal area (m2.ha-1), volume (m3.ha-1), mean height (m), mean DBH (cm), crown area (m2.ha-1), and crown volume (m3.ha-1) located in each sample plot were calculated in each plot. To calculate the LAI, it is first necessary to measure the specific leaf area of all species in the study area. To calculate the LAI, 20 trees were separated from each tree in each habitat and five leaf samples were separated from each tree in four geographical directions. In total, more than 15,000 leaf samples were analyzed and scanned in five habitats. The area of each leaf was measured using ImageJ software. The wet and dry weight and surface area were measured simultaneously using a digital scale with an accuracy of 0.01 and then scanned with a high-resolution scanner. After scanning, the leaves were dried in an oven at 72 °C for 48 hours to obtain their dry weights. Non-linear rational function, Gaussian, hyperbolic, heat capacity, and exponential models were used to investigate the relationship between LAI and the structural characteristics of the stand. Results: The results of the analysis of descriptive statistics showed that the minimum, maximum, average, and standard deviation of the LAI were calculated for 227 samples (1.86, 13.45, 6.33, and 2.33), respectively. The results of the analysis of descriptive statistics also showed that the mean and standard deviation for the characteristics of volume (m3.ha-1), tree density (n.ha-1), basal area (m2.ha-1), crown area (m2.ha-1), crown volume (m3.ha-1), mean height (m), and mean DBH (cm) were respectively (96.96) 298 and 18.205), (24.05 and 12.82), (24.05 and 12.82), (51.148 and 54.155), (2.781 and 05.95), (41.36 and 9.97), and (25.81 and 4.93). The results of the relationships between the LAI and the quantitative characteristics of the volume (m3.ha-1), tree density (n.ha-1), basal area (m2.ha-1), crown area (m2.ha-1), crown volume (m3.ha-1), mean height (m), and mean DBH (cm) of the coefficients of determination showed (36-0.96) R2 = 0.00 with a mean square error of MSE = 0.48-2.06. Among the investigated quantitative traits, the average height, crown volume per hectare, and volume per hectare gained the highest R2 values (0.36-0.96) and the MSE (0.48-2.06) with Gaussian, Richard, and heat capacity allometric models, and the tree density trait (n.ha-1). The lowest R2 (0.36) and MSE (2.06) in the study of LAI were obtained with the Gaussian model. The results also showed large changes in the LAI for the crown volume trait up to 400 (m3.ha-1), followed by a uniform trend. For the average height of up to 40 (m), many changes were found in the LAI. For the volume trait (m3.ha-1), the LAI increased up to 800 (m3.ha-1) and then showed a uniform and even downward trend until 1200 (m3.ha-1). Conclusion: The results of this research demonstrate that the three quantitative traits, viz. crown volume (m3.ha-1), mean height, and volume (m3.ha-1), have the greatest effect on the changes in the LAI. Thus, these three traits can better explain the LAI. The LAI can estimated using the three crown volume (m3.ha-1), mean height, and volume (m3.ha-1) traits. Based on these three traits, the LAI can explained on a large scale, and the estimated results can be used in climate models and the development of appropriate climate change policies.

Extended Abstract Background: In contemporary times, the increasing population growth in large urban areas, industrial development in these cities, and the need for expanding urban green spaces and green belts have drawn the attention of managers to the use and cultivation of multipurpose tree species more than ever before. In many advanced countries, the use of chemical fertilizers has been discontinued in urban green spaces, parks, agriculture, and horticulture. The major reasons for this include undesirable environmental effects, disruption of soil chemical balance and structure, disruption of the ecology of plant and animal communities, and pollution of freshwater bodies. For this reason, the utilization of various organic fertilizers has been highlighted as one of the important strategies in improving horticultural and agricultural production and reducing the risk of environmental pollution, especially pollution of surface and groundwater resources. Humic acid (HA) is among the main types of organic fertilizers and a type of stabilized organic acid derived from the main compounds of humus, considered one of the most abundant organic compounds in nature. The use of HA for plants can directly and indirectly promote better plant growth, thereby increasing production levels and improving crop quality. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the possibility of enhancing the growth and viability components of white mulberry seedlings as the most commonly used tree species for planting in the green belt of Mashhad using HA fertilizer and animal manure. Methods: For this research, two-year-old and uniform-sized mulberry seedlings were prepared as bare-root. Then, they were transferred to prepared beds in the green belt nursery of Mashhad for planting in pits with planting distances of 1.5 × 1.5 m in a completely randomized design. In five separate experimental plots, the nursery soil was thoroughly and uniformly mixed with animal manure. Subsequently, HA fertilizer in liquid form (at 50 and 300 mg/l) was mixed with the soil in two plots in addition to the animal manure. In the other two plots, foliar spraying at 50 and 300 mg l-1 on the leaf surfaces of the seedlings was carried out at the beginning of the growing season. Only animal manure treatment was considered for the seedlings in the fifth plot. Ten seedlings were selected for each treatment as replicates for examination. The seedlings were irrigated uniformly throughout a six-month growing period for measurement purposes. The growth and physiological characteristics of the seedlings, including plant height, collar diameter, root length, leaf and branch numbers, dry weight of aerial and root parts, gas exchange rates, photosynthesis rate, and seedling survival, were measured and statistically compared after 6 months of applying the treatments. To measure biomass, the seedlings were carefully removed from the soil, and the soil was washed from around the roots, followed by counting the number of branches and leaves. Each seedling was then divided into two parts of roots and stems, which were dried at 70 °C for 48 h and weighed using a digital scale. Finally, the data were analyzed in a completely randomized design, and their means were statistically compared using Tukey's test. The gas exchange rates (stomatal conductance) and photosynthesis rate in outdoors and under natural conditions of temperature, light, and relative humidity were measured using a portable device for gas exchange measurements. For this purpose, 3-6 mature leaves were selected from each replicate. All measurements were conducted between 9 am and 12 pm on a sunny day with a light intensity of 1400 µmol m-2 s-1. Results: The HA treatment added to the soil at a concentration of 300 mg/l resulted in the highest average values of the variables, namely the highest values of radial growth (3.2 mm), sapling height growth (35.1 cm), number of leaves (45), number of branches (16), dry root weight (31.3 g), and shoot weight (38.1 g). A comparison of physiological variables, such as photosynthesis intensity (14.5 μmol m-2 s-1) and stomatal conductance rate (0.23 mol m-2 s-1), revealed that the treatment with 300 mg/l of HA added to the soil led to the highest values. Subsequently, the treatment of 50 mg l-1 of HA added to the soil and then foliar spraying with an HA solution of 300 mg l-1 showed better effects than the other treatments. Overall, increasing HA in the soil resulted in better performance than foliar spraying on the leaf surface of white mulberry seedlings. Animal manure created the lowest averages in all evaluated variables. Conclusion: The positive effects of HA on plant growth and biomass are attributed to its ability to increase water and nutrient absorption by plants, as well as its pseudo-hormonal effects on plants. Based on the results of the present study, HA application positively influenced growth characteristics, photosynthesis intensity, and biomass increase (variables such as leaf number, branch number, sapling length growth, radial growth, root growth, and aerial parts growth). Therefore, adding HA fertilizers to the soil during mulberry planting is highly recommended in urban green spaces, horticulture, and urban green belts.

Extended Abstract Background: Human activities, climate variability, and environmental stress have strongly affected forest ecosystems worldwide. Forest fires are among the major factors of global ecosystem destruction. Fires in the forest, whether of human or natural origin, have been raised as a serious crisis in recent years. Hence, fire risk assessment plays an important role in forest fire management because knowing where the highest risk is essential to minimize threats to resources, lives, and property. Integration of spatial information from different sources using statistical analysis in the GIS environment is a suitable tool for managing and spreading forest fires, which is one of the main natural hazards in northern Iran. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a fire risk assessment map for the planning and protection of forests. Methods: The current practical research concerning its nature is a combination of documentary, descriptive, and quantitative model-based methods regarding the research method. In this study, fuzzy and hierarchical (AHP) logic models were combined to investigate the risk of forest fire in Mazandaran province in five classes, very high, high, medium, low, and very low, respectively, using four main criteria and nine sub-criteria, namely topography (height, slope, direction, and rivers), climatic factors (peak temperature and precipitation), human factors (residential areas and the network of communication roads), and biological factors (vegetation). To obtain the net vegetation cover, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was applied to the Sentinel-2 satellite image set in a 5-year period (2017-2022) in the GEE web system. The height, slope, and slope direction maps of the study area were prepared from the digital elevation model (DEM) of 12.5 m from the ALOS AVNIR-2 dataset. The distance from rivers, residential areas, and the road network was calculated using the Euclidean distance tool in ArcMAP software. The geographic location of meteorological synoptic stations was obtained from the Meteorological Organization, and its information was used as meteorological input data. In the ArcMap environment, a map of average annual precipitation and maximum temperature was prepared from synoptic stations through interpolation for the period from 2007 to 2021. Based on this modeling method, experts' opinions were used for the relative importance and priority of criteria and sub-criteria in the risk of forest fire in the study area to obtain the fuzzy weight of criteria and sub-criteria. Based on the weighting coefficients applied in the present plan, the final weights of the criteria and sub-criteria affecting forest fire from the highest to the lowest weights belong to the topographical, biological, climatic, and human criteria. Among the sub-criteria, the highest and lowest weights belong to vegetation and slope, respectively. The consistency rate (CR) for the matrices of the affecting factors is equal to 6.25%, which is less than 10%, actually indicating that the weight of the criteria is proportionate and reliable. The highest weights were obtained for the vegetation cover and the slope direction, and the lowest weights belonged to the distance from the river and the slope. Finally, the fire risk assessment map was prepared by combining the fuzzy maps of the sub-criteria in GIS. Results: Overall, medium to very high fire risk potential was found in 72% of the studied area. From a total area of about 2373189 hectares, very low (8.4%), low (18.3%), medium (23.66%), high (25.62), and very high (24%) vulnerability rates were identified in Mazandaran province. Higher fire potential was detected in the East and Southeast parts than in other parts of the study area. The aforementioned fuzzy layers clearly show that the height, slope, and amount of precipitation are low and the density of residential areas and the network of communication roads are high in these parts, with high temperatures. In fact, these factors have increased the risk of fire in these areas. In the present study, the highest fire potential was observed at low altitudes, which could have resulted from the concentration of human activities at low altitudes. Moreover, most fires occurred on low slopes in the studied area. The distance layer from waterways also plays a dual role in the occurrence of fire. The results of the model show an inverse correlation between the distance from roads and fire potential. Based on the results of the fuzzy AHP model, the probability of fire increased with the decrease in precipitation and the increase in annual temperature. A decrease in the amount of precipitation causes a decrease in soil moisture and vegetation, elevating the possibility of fire. On the other hand, the increase in temperature causes the drying of vegetation and reduces humidity, thereby increasing the possibility of fire. Conclusion: It can be concluded that preparing a fire risk assessment map can help managers and planners in identifying areas with high potential and in crisis management in vulnerable areas. The obtained fire risk assessment map can be used as a decision-making support system to predict future fires in the study area.

Extended Abstract Background: Because human and non-human factors are present in most part of the Iranian northern Zagros Forests, an extensive portion of the forests in these areas have been lost or are at risk of destruction, making forestry initiatives increasingly important for the environment. Even enriching the existing forests is a particular approach to dealing with the quantitative and qualitative degradation processes. Furthermore, afforestation is a strategy for recovering degraded areas and is recognized as a method of protecting soil and water, combating desertification, providing wood, and increasing carbon and nitrogen stores. The selection of suitable tree/shrub species based on expert opinion and decision-making model criteria is one of the most effective factors in the success of afforestation and reforestation projects. The current study aimed to enhance the Iranian northern Zagros Forests in the Perdanan area of Piranshahr and to restore its destroyed regions (empty spots) by finding the most appropriate forest tree/shrub species. Methods: In this research, all destroyed spots, clearings, and empty spots of tree and shrub species were first identified and extracted as destroyed spots using the satellite images of 2022 from ESRI and the Google Company. To prepare the homogeneous units of the investigated area in the Pardanan forest lands of Piranshahr (northwest of Iran, the starting point of the Zagros forests), the topographical layers of the area, including slope, direction, height above sea level, geological maps, land ecology, and the map of micro-ecosystems, were combined to prepare the map of the ecological unit (homogeneous units) of the studied area. Because of the existence of destroyed spots, gaps, and empty spots of tree plant species, three one-kg soil samples from a depth of 0-30 cm were prepared from each of the environmental units. The soil samples passed through a two-mm sieve and thensubjected to measurements of soil physicochemical properties, including pH, electrical conductivity, texture, moisture, lime, nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bulk density, and particle density factors. The findings of the soil samples were then analyzed with SPSS software to categorize the region based on soil properties by generating a dendrogram of the retrieved parameters using the K-Means Cluster technique. The acquired parameters were split into three good, medium, and poor stands after being separated into distinct groups and identifying the limiting characteristics of the studied region. The best species were selected through an extensive literature review of studies conducted in the area of Zagros forests. A list of 29 species of the most important and best species as final options was prepared and delivered to the questioners, which included university members and forestry experts in Iran. The most suitable species were selected based on the examined criteria and the soil properties of the region. Finally, the introduced species (options) were prioritized independently for each habitat by the TOPSIS method utilizing the opinions of the respondents (university members and forestry specialists in the forest areas of Iran), the AHP approach, and the decision-making criteria (viz. power of adaptation, the cost of keeping seedlings and seeds in afforested regions, water and soil protection, drought and natural element resistance (e.g., wind, pests, fire, etc.), growth rate, and seedling or seed purchase price). Results: The findings of extracting damaged spots, clearings, and vacant spots of tree and shrub species using remote sensing data revealed the presence of 141 places covering a total area of 685 ha. Decomposing the decision-making problem into smaller elements created a hierarchy on three levels. The first level contained the purpose of decision-making, and the second level comprised six criteria (maintenance cost, purchase price, growth rate, resistance, compatibility, and soil and water protection). In the third level, options with 29 native species were examined through a questionnaire among five experts, and finally, the most suitable species (option) was selected for each habitat (good, medium, and poor habitats) determined by examining the results of the sample dendrogram. The soil patches were separated and selected using the TOPSIS method. The results of the TOPSIS ranking technique showed that Arjan and Ars species were the most preferred species, with closeness indexes of 0.63, 0.65, and 0.64, respectively, in good/medium and poor habitats, respectively. Walnut, sand, and hackberry species (with closeness indices of 0.489, 0.487, and 0.484, respectively) were selected as the most unfavorable species for afforestation and forest restoration in these areas. Conclusion: The adaptability of the selected species for afforestation and forest enrichment projects to the region's current environmental conditions, as well as its low demands in comparison to other tree species, are the primary success factors for these programs. Plants, on the other hand, prefer certain conditions over others based on their biology and ecological demands, such as the quantity of light in different life stages, humidity, bedrock, and soil depth. Knowing these requirements will undoubtedly improve the accuracy of species selection and planting site selection and increase the chances of achieving a satisfactory result. According to the findings of this study, the studied region may be divided into good, medium, and poor stands based on its soil properties, and each of these areas has the necessary potential for afforestation. Nevertheless, given that each species has unique ecological demands, the relatedness of the species' ecological needs to the current ecological circumstances in the region is a prerequisite for the success of afforestation and reforestation projects. According to our findings, native species are the best alternative for recovering destroyed forest areas, and nursing species are more important than climax species in restoring degraded forest areas. The findings of this study can help forest managers plan effective forestry operations, particularly in Zagros ravaged areas (particularly in Iranian Northern Zagros forests).

Extended Abstract Background: In the third millennium, the consequences of human intervention in forest ecosystems have been revealed more than ever. Today, the protection of forest ecosystems is essential not only in our country but also for the entire world of humanity. This importance comes from the fact that human life is basically tied to forest ecosystems, and a healthy person cannot be imagined, except in clean and healthy forest ecosystems. An issue that has unfortunately been neglected with the departure of mankind from the path of balance and has been unwisely and shortsightedly forgotten with the expansion of the process of industrialization and the growth of human technology and knowledge. The damage posed to the forest ecosystem during the past decades is by no means comparable to the previous ones and has posed human society to destructive and fragile crises. Encroachment of government agencies on public property, arbitrary seizure of natural resources by various institutions, production of non-standard cars by government factories, failure of the Environmental Protection Organization to protect protected areas, and the like can be the subject of complaints and lawsuits of non-governmental organizations in the Court of Administrative Justice. This research aims to identify the principles of rights related to forest ecosystems using the Delphi method and interpretive structural modeling to answer the question about the relationships between these principles. Methods: The Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) method was used to identify the principles of ecological rights of forest organisms and stratify and interpret the relationships between indicators. As one of the system analysis methods, ISM is based on nonparametric methods and the frequency mode. The main principles of rights related to forest ecosystems were initially identified using the opinions of specialists and experts in this field and by reviewing the research conducted on environmental rights and forest ecosystems. The statistical population consisted of 40 experts in the field of law and advocacy. In the next step, the Delphi method was used to reach group consensus. To carry out this method, questionnaires in the form of a Likert scale were distributed among the statistical population on four occasions. In this questionnaire, the experts were asked to specify the importance and priority of each principle on a scale of 1-5 (not important to very important). In the next step, a questionnaire was distributed among the statistical population aiming at examining the mutual effects of the principles proposed in pairs, as well as the influence and effectiveness of these principles on each other. The mode of opinions was used to reach a consensus among the experts, and the Structural Self-Interaction Matrix (SSIM) was made from the results of the answers. After that, the final matrix of structured self-interaction was made using the mode of experts' responses. Then, the primary access matrix was obtained by transforming the SSIM into a two-valued matrix (0 and 1). After forming the initial access matrix, the final access matrix was formed by intervening transferability in the relationships between the variables. Thereafter, the indicators were ranked using the final access matrix by defining leading and last or accessible sets. After determining these sets, the indicators were ranked and the final matrix of the ISM diagram was drawn based on the determined levels. Finally, the MICMAC method was used to analyze the obstacles. Results: To analyze the indicators of civil responsibility in the rights of forest ecosystems, 18 out of 30 identified indicators were selected using the Delphi method and experts' opinions. The prioritization of civil responsibility indicators in the rights related to forest ecosystems according to the results of the Delphi questionnaires (second and third stages) showed that the least and utmost importance levels belonged to the principles of non-retroactivity and sustainable development, respectively. The selected indicators were the no-harm rule, the waste rule, the attribution rule, the theory of fault, the general rules of civil liability in accordance with Article 1 of the Civil Liability Law, and the principles of non-harmful use of land, prevention, sustainable development, commitment to Cooperation, information and assistance in environmental emergencies, duty and generality of protection of forest ecosystems, exploitation of forest ecosystems, sovereignty over natural resources, the necessity of protection, payment by the polluter, responsibilities Common but different, participation, dealing with environmental damage at the source, and common concern. The results showed that all indicators of civil responsibility in the rights related to forest ecosystems, except for the rule of waste (influence power 10) and the principle of payment by the polluter (influence power 16), possessed an influence power of 18 with the most effectiveness. The results of the final access matrix and the power of dependence (the effectiveness of each indicator on the other indicators) showed that all the indicators, except for the principles of sustainable development and governance over natural resources (power of dependence 16) had the power of dependence values of 18 and 17. Conclusion: The principles of civil responsibility in the rights related to forest ecosystems, including environmental rights, international environmental rights, and forest rights, can have mutual effects that affect the management of natural resources and the protection of forest ecosystems.

Extended Abstract Background: Forest fire is very common in all ecosystems of the world that affects both vegetation and soil and is also helpful in maintaining the diversity and stability of ecosystems. The effect of forest fires and prescribed fires on forest soil is very complex. It affects the organic matter, macro and micronutrients, and physical properties of soil, such as texture, color, pH, and bulk density, as well as soil biota. Fire is a natural factor in the forest that temporarily reduces the vegetation on the soil surface. After a fire, the soil can experience long-term, medium-term, and short-term changes, which are different depending on the type of soil characteristics, weather conditions, duration, intensity, and frequency of the fire. The Zagros forest ecosystem is generally in the coppice form, and these forests are not safe from fire, which constantly affects them. Considering that the long-term stability of these forests depends on maintaining the soil quality, it is essential to investigate the effects of fire on soil properties. This study aimed to investigate the effect of fire on Zagros forests in Kermanshah province, Gahvareh city in the Lerini region. Methods: The studied area is a part of Zagros forests in Kermanshah province, Gahvareh city, the Lerini region located at 34° 10' 35″ E and 46° 34' 28″ N, with an average height of 1468 m above sea level. In this research, the points were determined by measuring with a meter on transects, and they were sampled regularly in specific time intervals (October, November, February, April, and June). The distance between the samples in each row was 20 m and the distance between the rows was 50 m, and three rows were determined in each of the burnt and control areas. Some soil characteristics, such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon, absorbable phosphorus, soil respiration, microbial biomass carbon, substrate-induced respiration, and metabolic quotient, were measured in soil samples. The effect of the treatments on all measured variables was investigated by the two-way ANOVA. Means were compared by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Data were analyzed using the Windows version of SAS (version 9.4, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Results: The soil pH decreased with the passage of time and a decrease in air temperature under the crown (unburnt and burned) and outside the unburnt crown. An upward trend in the pH of the soil in these three places occurred after the cold season. The soil pH ranged from 7.31 to 7.66 in all treatments from October to June. The results of the two-way ANOVA showed that the fire and sampling location did not affect the soil EC in different months of sampling. The amount of absorbable phosphorus increased with the occurrence of fire. The highest and lowest amounts of absorbable phosphorus occurred under and outside the burnt and the control crowns, respectively. The range of organic carbon changes indicates that soil organic carbon has increased over time in all treatments. The highest and the lowest increases were observed under the burnt (1.51%) and the control (unburned) crowns, respectively. Examining the changes indicates that the basic soil respiration was high at the beginning of the fire but decreased gradually, and then the initial value also increased in the last months of sampling. In this research, the amount of basic respiration in the soil of burned areas is not higher than that of unburned areas despite the occurrence of fire and the negative effect on soil organic carbon. According to the results, the amount of substrate-induced respiration decreases under and outside the crown (burnt and control) with the passage of time and the decrease in temperature. According to the ANOVA results, the effects of fire and the sampling location were significant on the microbial metabolic quotient of the soil, although no significant interaction effects on the microbial metabolic quotient were observed in February and June. The highest and the lowest microbial metabolic quotients were measured under (0.94 mg C/mg MBC.day) and outside (0.26 mg C/mg MBC.day) the unburned crown, respectively. With the passage of time and a decrease in temperature, the amount of this parameter decreased in the treatment under the crown of the unburnt area and increased in the three treatments under and outside the burned crown and outside the unburnt crown. At the end of the period, the highest and the lowest microbial metabolic quotients were measured under (0.72 mg C/ mg MBC. day) and outside (0.59 mg C/ mg MBC. day) the crown of the burned area, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that the fire was superficial in both places under and outside the crown and did not significantly affect the soil’s chemical and biological characteristics. Therefore, no significant changes occurred in indicators such as soil organic carbon and EC, and the fire only increased phosphorus in the burned areas compared to the control. Due to the occurrence of surface fire, combustion did not significantly increase biological indicators. The results of this research demonstrate that the fire changes the soil’s chemical and biological characteristics when it occurs with a higher intensity and at a higher temperature.

Extended Abstract Background: It is essential to investigate the depth, strength, and main mechanisms of edge effects and recreational activities to preserve species diversity in forest ecosystems. This study aimed to evaluate edge effects and recreation on woody and herb species composition, richness, and diversity in Hyrcanian broad-leaved forests. Methods: Two treatments (control and recreational regions) were determined in the Noor forest park, Mazandaran Province, to achieve research objectives. Five transects from the edge to the forest interior were established in each region. Measurements of herb and tree layers were collected at -5 (out of the forest stand), 0 (forest edge), 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 m along each transect. In total, 45 sample points were assigned to each treatment. To collect data on tree and shrub canopy cover, two rectangular sample plots of 200 m2 (20 × 10 m) were laid out perpendicular to the transect on the left and right sides at each point. The count, diameter at breast height (> 5 cm), height, and canopy cover percentage were the variables measured in the identified tree and shrub species. For sampling herbaceous species, 10 one-m2 (1×1 m) subplots, with five subplots on each of the right and left sides spaced one m apart, were determined at each sampling point. The type and abundance of herbaceous species were recorded. Using a light sensor device (model Lycor 250), the amount of light entering the forest floor at a height of > 1 m above the ground surface was recorded at each sampling point. The species richness and diversity of tree and herbaceous strata in the sample plots were evaluated using the total number of species present in each sample plot, the rarefaction method, Shannon-Wiener species evenness, and species diversity indices. The SHE method was used to determine the contribution of species richness and evenness to the measurement of species diversity. After calculating species diversity indices, GLM analysis and the Tukey test were used to compare means between treatments. The magnitude of edge influence (MEI) and DEI for all were calculated for species diversity indices and environmental variables. DEI for each variable was calculated using the randomization test of edge influence (RTEI). Data were analyzed with R software version 4.3.1. Results: The light near the edge was more than the interior in the study areas, and the edge positively affected the amount of light. Based on the results of the Rarefaction method and overlap of confidence intervals of the curves related to the study areas, no species richness differentiation was observed between the control and recreational areas. However, the non-overlap of the tree diagrams reveals the highest and the lowest tree species richness in the recreational and control areas, respectively. DEI values of light were -5, 0, 10, and 50 m in the control forest and -5 and 0 in the recreational area. The number of trees per hectare in distances from 10 to 150 m and the volume and basal area per hectare at a distance of 10 m were higher in the control area than in the recreational area. In general, a positive effect of the edge was observed on the species diversity indices of herb and tree layers. The results for the comparison of species diversity indices between the control and recreational areas showed that species richness and diversity of the herb layer were higher in the distances of 10-300 m of recreational areas than in the control area. In the tree layer, higher species richness was recorded in edges of 10-200 m of the control area than in the recreational area. For the evenness index, DEI values were 10 and 0 m in recreational and control areas, respectively. Moreover, DEI values of herb species richness and diversity were 0 and -5 m in control forests. Conclusion: Based on the results, the forest edge is considered an essential part of the forest landscape structure that significantly affects the structure, functions, and species diversity. Regarding the tourism and recreation industry as one of the largest industries in the world and its increasing importance, it is necessary to understand and improve the knowledge about its effects and the severity of its impact (due to the construction of roads) on different variables for better management and biodiversity conservation.

Extended Abstract Background: The plant biodiversity of any ecosystem is directly affected by its vegetative characteristics and diversity of plant species, which always guarantees the ecosystem’s stability against variable environmental and biological factors. Biodiversity indices are measured to compare the biodiversity of different masses and estimate the changes in biodiversity over time at the mass level. The Hyrcanian forests of northern Iran are a legacy left from the third geological period, and today a large part of them has been destroyed in the plains due to destructive human activities. These forests have a special importance for the protection and management in the south of the Caspian Sea. Hyrcanian boxwood (Buxus hyrcana Pojark.), which belongs to the Buxaceae family, is the only species of boxwood in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran. It has unique values from various aspects, including economics, tourism, preservation of biodiversity, etc. This valuable species has been threatened by human and natural factors for a long time and its area has decreased in the country. The present research investigates the floristic-physiognomic status of boxwood habitats in Cheshme Bulbul, Sangdeh, Si-Sangan, and Shafarood regions. Methods: In this research, the important habitats of Hyrkanian boxwood were sampled from the protected area of Cheshme Bulbul, Bandar Gaz, Golestan province, as the easternmost distribution area of this species in Hyrkanian forests to Shafarood forests in Gilan province. In total, 125 sample plots of 400 m2 (20 × 20 m) were planted in the four identified areas (35, 30, 40, and 20 sample plots in Bandar Gaz (Cheshme Bulbul), Frame (Sangdeh), Si Sangan, and Shafarood, respectively). To measure the herbaceous cover of the forest floor in each sample plot, five small plots of four m2 (2 × 2 m) were walked in the center and four corners of each sample plot to harvest their herbaceous cover. Biodiversity indices, including Shannon, Simpson, and Fisher diversity, Margalf and Menhinik richness, and Pilou, Simpson, and Shannon uniformity, were measured for each of the sample plots. The plants were identified very carefully using the Persian Flora of Iran, the Flora of Iranica, the Flora of Türkiye, and the Flora of Europe. The biological form of any plant was determined and recorded based on the Rankier method. The range of geographical distribution was determined according to the mentioned flora. Then, the belonging of each species to the existing phytochorions was determined and the geographical distribution diagram of the regional plants was drawn using floristic data in the division of the vegetative regions of the earth's surface. Species diversity between habitats was compared with the one-way analysis of variance. Means were compared using the Tukey-HSD test in SPSS software. Graphs were drawn using Excel software (2013). Results: In total, 186 plant species belonging to 68 plant genera were identified in the studied regions. The hemi-cryptophytes (65 species, 34.94%), phanerophytes (40 species, 21.5%), geophytes (37 species, 19.90%), trophytes (36 species, 19.35%), and cryptophytes (5 species, 69.2%) dominated the vegetation composition of Hyrkanian boxwood habitats. Kamephytes were the rarest biological form in the region with a percentage (3 species). The results of the geographical distribution of plant species in the region showed that the entire flora was mainly of European Siberian (55 species) and multi-regional (38 species) elements, which accounted for more than 50% of the species (93 species). This was followed by Europe-Siberian/Turanian Iran/Mediterranean vegetation areas (25 species, 13.44%), Europe-Siberian/Turanian Iran (25 species, 13.44%), Turanian Iran (16 species, 60.8%), Europe-Siberian/Mediterranean (13 species, 6.70%), and cosmopolitan (8 species, 4.3%) species. The lowest presence in the region was observed for the vegetation areas of Mediterranean/Turanian Iran (5 species, 2.70%), considering that the northern forests are geographically located in the Auxin-Hyrcania state of the Pontic sub-region, which is a large vegetation area belonging to Europe-Siberia. The presence of species belonging to this geographical spectrum in the flora of these regions is not far from expected. Moreover, the presence of species in other geographical areas is a result of the natural patterns of the accidental presence of plant elements from other vegetation areas of the world. Conclusion: The results of this research show higher indices of diversity, uniformity, and species richness in Shamshad Frame and Shafarood habitats, which have a higher average height above sea level than Cheshme Bulbul and Sisangan habitats. The review of the sources shows that physiographic factors play an important role in the indicators of species richness and diversity. Changes in altitude above sea level often lead to changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, and soil characteristics. This diversity in habitat conditions increases its heterogeneity and allows a wider range of species to coexist. As a result, more habitat heterogeneity leads to higher species diversity, which is also reflected in the biodiversity index.

Extended Abstract Background: Currently, forests are not only considered an economic pole but also a support for the survival of other sectors. For this reason, decision-making, as the core of management, is an inseparable part of the tasks of managers and planners in natural resource units. Forest management planning is an important decision-making tool in forestry. The result is a management plan that defines the expected activities, their timing, and their control to achieve the objectives of forest management in a forested area. However, climate change over time affects the biological and ecological conditions of plant communities. Considering the importance of sustainable development, it is necessary to pay attention to this issue to offer solutions to adapt to these changes and reduce the risks. Global climate change is increasing with the rise in temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, as well as changes in precipitation. These changes also affect forest ecosystem services, growth, harvest patterns, and forest structure, posing new challenges to forest ecosystems. Predicting the future growth of forests and their performance under different scenarios is a key element in planning sustainable forest management. It is also essential to study and model the quantitative characteristics of forests to target the ecosystem toward desirable goals and implement conservation and restoration measures. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the basal area growth model of trees under climatic conditions for the next five decades. Methods: This study was conducted in the Jojadeh section of the Farim Forest in Mazandaran Province. This section covers approximately 2803 hectares with elevations between 782 and 1750 m above sea level. The climate of the region was classified as humid according to the Ivanov method. The annual rainfall and average annual temperature are approximately 833 mm and 11 °C, respectively. Forest species include Fagus orientalis, Carpinus betulus, Alnus subcordata, Quercus castaneifolia, Acer velutinum and other species. In this study, circular fixed sample plots (1 are) were established and measured in the deciduous and uneven‑aged Farim forest. A 200 m × 150 m rectangular census was established in the forest. The diameter and tree species of all living trees with a diameter of more than 12.5 cm were measured with calipers. The basal areas of both the trees and thickest trees were two important competitive factors used as independent variables in this study. The trees measured at the beginning of the study period were re-measured and identified at the end of the study period (10 years later). Finally, the forest growth rate and growth model were calculated, analyzed, and modeled using the R software. The relationships between these factors were determined using the growth model of the basal area and the climatic information of the study area. Using the HadCM3 general circulation model data, three scenarios, A1B, A2, and B1, were used to program and analyze the relationship between the basal area growth and climate factors for the next 50 years. Results: The basal area growth model has good accuracy, with a 94% correlation. In addition, the basal area, basal area of the thickest trees, and precipitation were the most important features in the growth changes at the sample plot level. The results of climate prediction for the next 50 years were analyzed separately by species. The results indicate that each scenario creates different conditions for each species, which is an important issue in forest management as each species depends on its biological conditions, and the habitat itself responds differently in the region. Because of the rise in temperature in the region, competition will increase among heliophyte species, and, to the same extent, sciophytes species will be rarely seen in the region in the future. Conclusion: The results of this study can serve as a su itable tool to support management decisions and plans for the conservation and rehabilitation of Syrian forests in line with the effects of climate change. This is because the trend of climatic conditions indicates that torrential rains and floods will likely not increase significantly in Mazandaran province in the coming decades compared to the current and past situation while the temperature increase will take a faster pace. According to the results, the development of vegetation models for the tree basal area is strongly influenced by climatic variables, especially precipitation, which should be considered in forest management. Because climate change is regarded as one of the most important factors for tree growth, it is highly useful to carry out such studies to understand future changes in forest stands under the influence of this phenomenon and to apply them in the management and planning of forests and their management.

Extended Abstract Background: Road construction in the forest causes changes in the microclimatic and biological conditions of the roadsides, which lead to positive and negative consequences. Forest fragmentation leads to the creation of smaller habitats and changes in the ecological reactions of the forest, which are different at the distance from the road. These types of changes are called marginal effects. Marginal effects on tree growth indices are different and have been reported from positive to negative in many studies. A review of research records indicates that a few Iranian studies have investigated the marginal effects of forest roads on chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in leaves. Therefore, the current research intends to determine the consequences of forest roads in a part of Zagros forests by examining the marginal effects of forest roads. The contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and the specific leaf area index (LAI), as well as the relative humidity of leaves and pollution caused by traffic and the amount of chlorophyll lost in leaves, were evaluated in this research. Methods: To evaluate the positive and negative consequences of road construction, specific LAI, leaf relative humidity, chlorophylls a, b, and carotenoids in leaves, and the amount of leaf pollution caused by dust were studied in the Shoy Forest of Baneh City, Kordestan province. The climate of the region is semi-humid based on the Dumarten climate factor. To carry out this research, a forest road with heavy traffic passing through these forests was selected and three transects were made at a distance of 100 m perpendicular to the road on both sides. At different distances from the road (0, 50, and 100 m), samples of oak (Quercus infectoria Olive.) leaves were collected along the transects. In each transect, the first sample plot of 10 × 10 m was adjacent to the road, and the second and third sample plots were located at distances of 30 and 50 m from the road, respectively. In each plot, leaf samples were collected from all parts of the crown, including infected, damaged, and healthy leaves. The contents of chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids were measured by the Avon method. Oak leaves were taken to the laboratory immediately after collection and their fresh weight was calculated using a digital scale (accuracy of 0.001 g). The surface of the leaves was measured by a leaf surface meter, and the humidity of the leaves was calculated through the weight relationships of the dry and wet weight of the leaves. The total means were compared with the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the group means were compared using Duncan's test. All statistical tests were performed using SPSS software Ver. 22, and graphs were drawn with Excel software. Results: The marginal effects of road construction on the specific LAI showed that the value of this index decreased with increasing distance from the road, and the highest value was observed at distances of 0 and 50 m from the road. The highest leaf relative humidity was measured at a distance of 50 m from the road, and there was no significant difference at the edge and at a distance of 100 m from the road. No consistent trend was observed in the relative humidity changes, but this variable noticeably decreased on the roadside, which seemed probable. The results of the effect of road construction on the leaf chlorophyll a and b contents showed a decrease in thisvariable with increasing the distance from the road, and the maximum chlorophyll content was obtained at zero distance from the road. Moreover, the highest leaf carotenoids were recorded at distances of 0 and 50 m from the road, and the lowest amount was observed at a distance of 100 m. According to these results, the forest road construction has reduced the light competition between the trees, and those near the road contain more chlorophyll, which can lead to an increase in leaf photosynthesis. The highest contents of chlorophylls a and b were obtained at zero distance (2.01 and 0.97 mg/g of fresh weight, respectively), and carotenoids (0.15 mg/g fresh weight) were maximal at a distance of 50 m from the road, which was not significantly different from carotenoids in the zero distance (0.14 mg/g fresh weight). The results of dust volume caused by the traffic of vehicles showed more pollution of leaves (0.845 g) on the roadside while a leaf contamination level of 0.13 g was recorded at a distance of 100 m from the road. The present findings on the effects of road construction on the amount of chlorophyll lost in leaves showed a significant difference in this variable only at a distance of 0 m from the road, but these differences were not significant at distances of 50 and 100 m from the road. Conclusion: Overall, the marginal effects of forest roads in the investigated area were positive regarding the contents of chlorophylls a and b and carotenoids, as well as the specific LAI, while these effects were negative in terms of pollution. The lost amount of chlorophyll in leaves and the leaf relative humidity index demonstrate the negative consequences of road construction.

Background and aims – Lethocolea (Acrobolbaceae) is a small liverwort genus of seven species distributed in temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere and on tropical mountains. The taxonomic history of the genus has been chaotic, the species were described under many different names and have been distinguished mainly based on geography. Here, we undertook a taxonomic revision of the genus based on a reassessment of morphological characters and a molecular analysis. Material and methods – Type material and additional collections from 17 herbaria were examined in the morphological study. Sequences of the rps4 chloroplast region and maximum likelihood analyses were used to reconstruct the phylogeny. Key results and conclusions – Two fully supported clades were resolved within Lethocolea lending support to the recognition of two subgenera, subgen. Lethocolea and subgen. Symphyomitra. Lethocolea congesta from Africa, and L. glossophylla and L. radicosa from America exhibited considerable morphological overlap and were not distinguishable based on rps4 sequences. The latter two species are reduced into synonymy with L. congesta, whose range spans across Africa, the Neotropics and southern South America. In Australasia, where only one species, L. pansa, is recognized, two morphotypes were found. The first one, with a smooth cuticle, wingless gemmae, and leaf cells without trigones, is identical to the type of L. pansa and occurs in Australia and New Zealand. In addition, the species is newly reported from South Africa. The second morphotype has a papillose cuticle, winged gemmae, and leaf cells with distinct trigones, and is assigned to L. javanica, which ranges across Australasia and furthermore occurs in Java and India. The recognition of these two species is supported by molecular analysis. Altogether, we recognize four species within Lethocolea, which are thoroughly described, illustrated, and keyed. We present 12 new lectotypifications.

Despite the accumulating evidence showing the essential role of pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins in organellar biogenesis and plant development in Arabidopsis thaliana and maize (Zea mays), the functions of most PPR proteins in rice (Oryza sativa) are still unknown. A former study demonstrated that the mitochondria-localized Arabidopsis PPR19 is crucial for mitochondrial function and normal plant growth and development. In this study, we characterized the functional role of a rice ortholog (LOC_Os12g04110) of Arabidopsis PPR19 protein. The loss-of-function osppr19 mutant displayed delayed seed germination and stunted root and seedling growth compared with wild-type. The height of the osppr19 mutant was significantly shorter, and the grain mass of the mutant was lower than that of the wild-type. The osppr19 mutant carried few filled grains and a higher number of aborted seeds than the wild-type. The structures of mitochondria in the osppr19 mutant were abnormal, and more reactive oxygen species were accumulated in the mutant, suggesting defective mitochondrial biogenesis and function in the osppr19 mutant. Importantly, the amount of mature mitochondrial transcripts was significantly decreased in the mutant. Taken together, these results suggest that the mitochondrial OsPPR19 is essential for mitochondrial biogenesis and function, which is crucial for plant growth and development of rice grain.

Background and aims – Variation in flower color among individuals within plant populations has long fascinated horticulturalists and evolutionary biologists alike. Nevertheless, the diversity of genetic factors and ecological interactions that act to maintain flower-color polymorphisms over time are understood for very few species. Here, we suggest that Solanum carolinense (horsenettle) makes an excellent model system for studying the evolutionary ecology of a flower-color polymorphism, and we begin to shed insight into factors that might affect the stability of the polymorphism. Material and methods – We transplanted 24 horsenettle ramets of each of 40 field-collected genets (10 genets per each of four source fields) into a common-garden plot (in an oldfield with an existing horsenettle population). For each ramet, we visually characterized petal color and quantified production of flowers, fruits, seeds, and damage by 11 species of herbivores. Key results – Rather than varying continuously within ramets and among genets, petal color fell into three relatively discrete categories that are common in most horsenettle populations: purple, white, and mauve. In the common-garden experiment, purple-petalled morphs initiated significantly more flower buds, opened more flowers, and produced more fruits and seeds than did the mauve-petalled or white-petalled morphs. Petal-color morphs differed only slightly in resistance to a minority of the herbivore community, with no consistent advantage for color morphs across species of herbivores or types of tissues fed upon. Conclusion – Horsenettle has numerous characteristics that make it an excellent system for studying the genetics and ecology that drive the maintenance of flower-color polymorphisms. Although pleiotropic effects of flower-color on resistance to herbivory appear to be minimal in horsenettle, potential pleiotropies that differentially affect maternal and paternal reproduction, or sexual and vegetative reproduction, are worthy of further study.