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The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Rumex acetosella invasion on the growth performance, rumen fermentation parameters and serum indexes of the main vegetation and grazing black goats in the artificial grassland. In Weining County, Guizhou Province, four artificial grasslands with different invasion degrees of Rumex acetosella were selected, and the main vegetation density and height of different grasslands were analyzed. A total of 120 male lambs were selected with an average weight of (22.69±1.43) kg. According to the complete randomization block design, the goats were randomly divided into four groups with three replicates per group and 10 goats per replicate. The black goats in each group were naturally grazed in four artificial grasslands for three months, and the rumen fermentation parameters and serum indexes were analyzed. The results showed that with the increase of the density of Rumex acetosella in the artificial grassland, the density and height of duck grass and white clover gradually decreased. The average daily gain of naturally grazing black goats in group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅳ (P<0.05). The content of total volatile fatty acids in the rumen of black goats in group Ⅳ was significantly lower than that in group Ⅱ and group Ⅲ (P<0.05). The rumen butyric acid content of black goats in group Ⅰ was the highest, but the contentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid were lower than those in the other three groups. In the group Ⅳ, the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) contentrations were the highest, and the growth hormone (GH) content was the lowest. The serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in group Ⅳ were significantly lower than those in other groups (P<0.05), and the contentrations of tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) were higher than those in the other three groups. The serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of black goat in group Ⅰ was significantly lower than that in other three groups (P<0.05), and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly higher than that in other groups (P<0.05). The result shows that the rumen fermentation function, immunity and growth performance of grazing black goats are decreased when the density of Rumex acetosella reaches 560 plants/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to determine the bioaccumulation of the metals in Rumex acetosella L. collected from the tailings of abandoned mine in Žitkovac (near Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo and Metohija), and to establish the possibility of using those plants for medicinal purposes. Concentrations of heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Cd, Zn, Ca and Mg) in soil, roots and aboveground parts of R. acetosella were determined by wet mineralization with nitric and perchloric acid. The results of the research indicate that R. acetosella accumulates large amounts of Ni, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Mn. The total phenol content, the total amount of flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of three different extracts of the root and aboveground parts of R. acetosella were determined by spectrophotometric methods. The acetone extracts contain the highest concentration of phenols and flavonoids. Ethyl acetate has proven to be a solvent that releases the least amount of phenols and flavonoids. The methanol extract of aboveground parts has the highest, while acetone root extract has the lowest antioxidant activity. Rumex acetosella can be used for medicinal purposes, but only collected from uncontaminated soil.

The contamination of water resources by effluents from various industries often contains heavy metals, which cause irreversible damage to the environment and health. The objective was to evaluate different biosorbents from the weed Rumex acetosella to remove metal cations in wastewater. Drying, grinding and sieving of the stems was carried out to obtain the biomass, retaining the fractions of 250 to 500 µm and 500 to 750 µm, which served to obtain the biosorbents in natura (unmodified), acidic, alkaline, and mixed. Proximal analysis, PZC, TOC, removal capacity, influence of pH, functional groups, thermal analysis, structural characteristics, adsorption isotherms, and kinetic study were evaluated. The 250 µm mixed treatment was the one that presented the highest removal percentages, mainly due to the OH, NH, -C-H, COOH, and C-O functional groups achieving the removal of up to 96.14% of lead, 36.30% of zinc, 34.10% of cadmium and 32.50% of arsenic. For contact times of 120 min and an optimum pH of 5.0, a loss of cellulose mass of 59% at 328 °C and a change in the surface of the material were also observed, which allowed for obtaining a topography with greater chelating capacity, and the Langmuir and pseudo-second order models were better fitted to the adsorption data. The new biosorbents could be used in wastewater treatment economically and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination of water resources by effluents from various industries often contains heavy metals, which cause irreversible damage to the environment and health. The objective was to evaluate different biosorbents from the weed Rumex acetosella to remove metal cations in wastewater. Drying, grinding and sieving of the stems was carried out to obtain the biomass, retaining the fractions of 250 to 500 µm and 500 to 750 µm, which served to obtain the biosorbents in natura (unmodified), acidic, alkaline, and mixed. Proximal analysis, PZC, TOC, removal capacity, influence of pH, functional groups, thermal analysis, structural characteristics, adsorption isotherms, and kinetic study were evaluated. The 250 µm mixed treatment was the one that presented the highest removal percentages, mainly due to the OH, NH, -C-H, COOH, and C-O functional groups achieving the removal of up to 96.14% of lead, 36.30% of zinc, 34.10% of cadmium and 32.50% of arsenic. For contact times of 120 min and an optimum pH of 5.0, a loss of cellulose mass of 59% at 328 °C and a change in the surface of the material were also observed, which allowed for obtaining a topography with greater chelating capacity, and the Langmuir and pseudo-second order models were better fitted to the adsorption data. The new biosorbents could be used in wastewater treatment economically and efficiently.

The cross-compliance mechanism of the European Union (EU)'s common agricultural policy (CAP) makes the approval of the direct payments to the European farmers subject to compliance with the requirement to maintain the land in good agricultural and environmental condition. One of the obligations of the Romanian land owners and farmers is to avoid the installation of unwanted vegetation on their land plots. This vegetation is represented by some species of herbaceous or woody plants, annual or perennial, that spontaneously invade the agricultural lands, diminishing the production capacity of the cultivated plants. Included in this category are 10 meadow weeds, without fodder value or even toxic to animals: Arctium lappa L., Carduus nutans L., Conium maculatum L., Eryngium campestre L., Euphorbia cyparissias L., Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn, Rumex acetosella L., Veratrum album L., Xanthium spinosum L., and Xanthium strumarium L. Various and multiple uses in traditional medicine of these meadow weed species have been reported for Romania and other nine neighboring East European countries, i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Kosovo, Russia, Turkey, Serbia, and Ukraine. For A. lappa were recorded the highest number of ethnomedicinal uses, in the largest number of East European countries, including Romania. C. maculatum and V. album are not recommended for human consumption but can be further investigated as potential sources of pharmaceutically active compounds. Once removed by landowners and farmers from their land, the raw plant material of these 10 species become readily and easily available to the Romanian local communities and the industry of herbal food supplements, while the biodiversity of the agro-ecosystems is maintained.

Type II diabetes mellitus is a common and costly disease worldwide, characterized by hyperglycemia. Alpha (α)‐amylase and α‐glucosidase are important targets in diabetes therapy. Inhibition of these enzymes may lessen hyperglycemia, preventing diabetic complications. Oxidative stress is another factor involved in the disease's etiology. In the present study, we investigated antidiabetic profiles of the various extracts and phytochemicals of Rumex acetosella. Since the plant has been traditionally used for the antidiabetic purposes. α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory studies in addition to DPPH•, ABTS•+, NO2- radical scavenging, and phosphomolybdate antioxidant assays were performed to evaluate the antidiabetic property. Specifically, the ethanol and ethanol‐water extracts remarkably inhibited α‐glucosidase than that of acarbose, unlike their slight/no inhibition on α‐amylase. Convincing α‐glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant potential of alcohol‐including extracts verified the ethnobotanical use of R. acetosella as an antidiabetic agent. Practical applications: The incidence of Type II DM is rising globally. Reducing hyperglycemia holds great importance to prevent devastating outcomes of diabetic complications. Ethnobotanical use of natural sources for medical purposes provides a basis for their potential activity against various diseases. The introduction of herbal agents may lead to the development of new drug candidates with convincing activity. Rumex acetosella L. has been traditionally used for the antidiabetic purposes. The research pointed out various extracts and phytochemical constituents from R. acetosella may act as antihyperglycemic agents. Particularly, alcohol‐including extracts of R. acetosella may be considered as promising alternatives in the prevention or treatment of type II DM. The study puts emphasis on the therapeutic value of the plants for antidiabetic medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use change in the form of extensive Pinus plantations is currently altering the natural vegetation cover at the forest–steppe ecotone in northern Patagonia. Providing recommendations for conservation efforts, with respect to this recent and earlier land-use changes, requires a longer time perspective. Using pollen analysis, we investigated to what degree the colonization of the area by Euro-American settlers changed the forest composition and the vegetation cover, and to explore the spread of the European weed Rumex acetosella. This study is based on short sediment cores from six lakes in the Araucaria araucana forest region, across the vegetation gradient from the forest to the steppe. Results document that although Araucaria araucana has been extensively logged elsewhere, near the investigated sites, populations were rather stable and other elements of the vegetation changed little with the initiation of Euro-American settlements. A reduction of Nothofagus dombeyi- type pollen occurred at some sites presumably due to logging Nothofagus dombeyi trees, while toward the steppe, Nothofagus antarctica shrubs may have been removed for pasture. The appearance of Rumex acetosella pollen is consistent with the initiation of land use by Euro-American settlers in all cores, probably indicating the onset of animal farming. The rise of the Rumex acetosella pollen curve during the 1950s marks more recent land-use change. These observations indicate that the spread and local expansion of the weed requires disturbance. Overall, the study shows that the initial colonization of the area by Euro-American settlers had little effect on the natural vegetation structure, while developments since the 1950s are strongly altering the natural vegetation cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cross-compliance mechanism of the European Union (EU)'s common agricultural policy (CAP) makes the approval of the direct payments to the European farmers subject to compliance with the requirement to maintain the land in good agricultural and environmental condition. One of the obligations of the Romanian land owners and farmers is to avoid the installation of unwanted vegetation on their land plots. This vegetation is represented by some species of herbaceous or woody plants, annual or perennial, that spontaneously invade the agricultural lands, diminishing the production capacity of the cultivated plants. Included in this category are 10 meadow weeds, without fodder value or even toxic to animals: Arctium lappa L., Carduus nutan s L., Conium maculatum L., Eryngium campestre L., Euphorbia cyparissias L., Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn, Rumex acetosella L., Veratrum album L., Xanthium spinosum L., and Xanthium strumarium L. Various and multiple uses in traditional medicine of these meadow weed species have been reported for Romania and other nine neighboring East European countries, i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Kosovo, Russia, Turkey, Serbia, and Ukraine. For A. lappa were recorded the highest number of ethnomedicinal uses, in the largest number of East European countries, including Romania. C. maculatum and V. album are not recommended for human consumption but can be further investigated as potential sources of pharmaceutically active compounds. Once removed by landowners and farmers from their land, the raw plant material of these 10 species become readily and easily available to the Romanian local communities and the industry of herbal food supplements, while the biodiversity of the agro-ecosystems is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A novel preconcentration method based on the magnetic chitosan hydrogels (MCH) was developed for trace level determination of cadmium in sorrel (Rumex acetosella) and rocket (Eruca sativa) as edible plants. Magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @chitosan composites were synthesized, characterized and used to obtain lower detection limits for cadmium by slotted quartz tube (SQT) - atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). The Box Behnken multivariate design was used to optimize the experimental variables. Under the optimum conditions, developed method provided 97.5 fold enhancements in detection power when compared to conventional FAAS. Proposed method also provided low detection and quantification limits (0.20 and 0.68 ng/mL, respectively), high precision with %RSD of 5.3 and high accuracy with recoveries ranged from 96.0–110.4% for Rumex acetosella and Eruca sativa matrices, respectively. The results demonstrated that magnetic chitosan hydrogels could be promising materials to be used as sorbent material in solid phase microextraction yielding simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly preconcentration process. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Magnetic chitosan hydrogel was used as sorbent in preconcentration process for the determination of Cd element. • Hydrogel based preconcentration process was combined with slotted quartz tube – flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. • The developed method provided 97.5-fold enhancement in detection power. • The application of developed method to the sorrel and rocket plants was resulted in high recoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has highly rich floras of medicinal and aromatic plants because of having various climate conditions in different regions. One of these regions is Middle Black Sea Region, especially Ordu Province. Extracts of 10 edible plants (Arum maculatum L., Hypericum orientale L., Ornithogalum sigmoideum Freyn et Sint., Silene vulgaris Garcke var. macrocarpa, Plantago lanceolata L., Achillea millefolium L. subsp. pannonica, Rumex crispus L., Rumex acetosella L., Capsella bursa-pastoris L., Coronopus squamatus Asch.), grown in Ordu, Turkey, were prepared with different solvents (hexane, ethanol and water, separately) and their anticholinestrase and antiaflatoxigenic activities were evaluated. Additionally, the cupric reducing antioxidant capacities (CUPRAC) and ABTS cation radical scavenging abilities of the extracts were assayed. The ethanol extract of R. acetosella exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (A0.5 value of 25.31 μg/mL, for CUPRAC activity; IC50 value of 23.73 μg/mL, for ABTS activity). The hexane extract of C. bursa-pastoris showed the strongest inhibition against AChE enzyme with IC50 value of 7.24 μg/mL, and the hexane extract of A. millefolium subsp. pannonica had the highest BChE activity with IC50 value of 6.40 μg/mL. The ethanol extract of P. lanceolata exhibited the strongest inhibition against aflatoxin with 88% inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural phenolics, which are ubiquitously distributed in plants, have been reported as functional factors in phytotherapy. We have examined phenolic compounds in the leaves and inflorescences of five significant medicinal plants of different plant families: Salvia officinalis (Lamiaceae); Achillea clypeolata (Asteraceae); Nymphaea alba (Nymphaeaceae); Rumex acetosella (Polygonaceae) and Allium ursinum (Alliaceae). The examined species were rich in total phenolics (up to 30.88 mg/g dry weight). According to their total phenolics contents, the plants can be arranged in the following order: A. clypeolata>N. alba>S. officinalis>R. acetosella>A. ursinum. Free phenolics prevailed in all species in comparison to the bound forms (63.72-82.68% of total phenolics). The highest content of total free phenolics was measured in the tissues of A. clypeolata and N. alba, and the lowest in A. ursinum. Five phenolic acids were isolated and measured. p-Coumaric and ferulic acids as derivatives of cinnamic acid prevailed in the leaves of R. acetosella and A. ursinum (up to 4.81%). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173018]

In the study, structural features of flowers of the following allergenic plant species were analysed: Betula verrucosa, Secale cereale, Rumex acetosella, Plantago major and Artemisia vulgaris. Pollen production was established by calculating the number of pollen grains produced by the stamen, flower and inflorescence. The dates of occurrence and pollen grains concentration in the air of Lublin were determined. A positive correlation was found between the length of anthers and the number of pollen grains produced. The largest number of pollen grains per anther is produced by Secale cereale (22 360), whereas the smallest one by Plantago major (5 870). The other species produced intermediate numbers of pollen grains in the anther: Betula verrucosa - 11 160, Rumex acetosella - 10 850, Artemisia vulgaris - 9 580. The birch pollen season in Lublin lasts about a month, and pollen of this taxon reaches the highest airborne concentrations among the studied taxa. Low values of pollen concentrations are characteristic for rye and plantain, whereas slightly higher values are recorded for sorrel pollen. Mugwort pollen reaches high concentrations which are noted at the beginning of August.

Weeds are one of the most limiting factors in the commercial production of lowbush blueberries Vaccinium angustifolium ( Ericaceae). Sheep sorrel ( Rumex acetosella) and hairy fescue ( Festuca tenuifolia) are prominent weeds in lowbush blueberry fields., Because the granivorous insects Harpalus rufipes ( Carabidae) and Gryllus pennsylvanicus ( Gryllidae) are common in lowbush blueberry fields when sheep sorrel and hairy fescue are dispersing seeds, we examined how granivorous insects can contribute to the biocontrol of these weeds., In the laboratory, H. rufipes and G. pennsylvanicus consumed a significant number of seeds of sheep sorrel and hairy fescue, and a field experiment found that insects probably consume a significant number of sheep sorrel and hairy fescue seeds in blueberry fields., Additional experiments found that H. rufipes was highly susceptible to field rates of phosmet and acetamiprid, although not to field rates of spirotetramat, which are insecticides that may be used in blueberry fields when the beetle is active., Natural populations of granivorous insects probably provide a valuable ecological service in commercial lowbush blueberry fields and should be conserved in the development of integrated weed management programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, the implications of the predicted greater intra-annual variability and extremes in precipitation on ecosystem functioning have received little attention. This study presents results on leaf-level physiological responses of five species covering the functional groups grasses, forbs, and legumes in the understorey of a Mediterranean oak woodland, with increasing precipitation variability, without altering total annual precipitation inputs. Although extending the dry period between precipitation events from 3 to 6 weeks led to increased soil moisture deficit, overall treatment effects on photosynthetic performance were not observed in the studied species. This resilience to prolonged water stress was explained by different physiological and morphological strategies to withstand periods below the wilting point, that is, isohydric behavior in Agrostis, Rumex, and Tuberaria, leaf succulence in Rumex, and taproots in Tolpis. In addition, quick recovery upon irrigation events and species-specific adaptations of water-use efficiency with longer dry periods and larger precipitation events contributed to the observed resilience in productivity of the annual plant community. Although none of the species exhibited a change in cover with increasing precipitation variability, leaf physiology of the legume Ornithopus exhibited signs of sensitivity to moisture deficit, which may have implications for the agricultural practice of seeding legume-rich mixtures in Mediterranean grassland-type systems. This highlights the need for long-term precipitation manipulation experiments to capture possible directional changes in species composition and seed bank development, which can subsequently affect ecosystem state and functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Red sorrel ( Rumex acetosella L.) is a ramet-producing herbaceous creeping perennial species commonly found as a weed in commercially managed lowbush blueberry ( Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) fields in Nova Scotia, Canada. Flowering and seed production occur primarily in overwintering ramets of this species, indicating a potential vernalization requirement for flowering. This study was therefore initiated to examine the role of vernalization, photoperiod, and pre-vernalization stimulus on ramet flowering. Red sorrel ramets propagated from creeping roots and seeds collected from established red sorrel populations in lowbush blueberry had an obligate requirement for vernalization to flower. Ramet populations maintained under pre- and post-vernalization photoperiods of 16 h flowered following 12 weeks of vernalization at 4 ± 0.1 °C, whereas those maintained under constant 16, 14, or 8 h photoperiods without vernalization did not flower. Vernalization for 10 weeks maximized, but did not saturate, the flowering response. Pre-vernalization photoperiod affected flowering response, with increased flowering frequency observed in ramet populations exposed to decreasing, rather than constant, photoperiod prior to vernalization. This study represents the first attempt to determine the combined effects of vernalization and photoperiod on red sorrel flowering, and the results provide a benchmark for the future study of flowering and sexual reproduction in this economically important perennial weed species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Seed bank persistence plays a highly relevant role for population dynamics. The impact of interacting environmental factors on seed longevity has only scarcely been investigated. We aimed to analyse the effects of varied soil substrate type and moisture on soil seed survival. Methods: Seeds of three Rumex species native to different habitats were buried in pots placed in open-air basins. The factors substrate (sand, loam, mud), water table depth (WTD; high, intermediate, low), time, and their interactions were investigated. Viability was tested after 6, 12, and 18 months. Results: Seeds of R. acetosella (dry habitat) were short-term persistent with highest survival in low WTD on sand. Survival in R. acetosa (moist habitat) was very strongly reduced after 6 months with highest survival under wet conditions. R. maritimus (wet habitat) had overall long-term seed survival, where 'substrate type' had the strongest impact. Significant interactions of 'substrate type' and WTD were detected. Conclusions: Seed bank longevity is not a fixed species trait, but varies with environmental factors. Soil moisture, substrate type and their interactions have different effects on the studied species. Persistence-classifications ought to consider the impact of environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This paper integrates pollen-analytical data from sites across southern Greenland to revisit the debate regarding which plants may have been introduced during the Norse colonization or landnám c. ad 985. Location Palynological data are drawn from 14 sites (lakes and mires) located within the former Eastern Settlement of Norse Greenland ( c. 60.9° N, 45.5° W). Methods Maps are presented displaying palynological data for three taxa ( Rumex acetosella, Polygonum aviculare and Achillea millefolium), which earlier scholars have argued are 'Old Norse' anthropochores. The maps display pollen frequencies at regular ( c. 100-year) intervals across a period ( ad 800-1500) encompassing Norse settlement. Results Maps for c. ad 800 and 900 (prior to Norse arrival) display the taxa as locally absent, with the appearance and expansion of their pollen at multiple sites from c. ad 1000 ( landnám) providing support for the assumption that each taxon arrived with the first settlers. A general and widespread decline in pollen frequencies for these 'Old Norse' elements on the c. ad 1500 map (following Norse abandonment) demonstrates a close connection between these plants and a cultural landscape that was shaped and maintained predominantly via animal husbandry. Main conclusions Patterns emerging from this exercise may initiate wider debates related to the pattern and character of the Norse colonization of Greenland. It is suggested that differences in the function or role of farm sites could have led to the creation of greater areas of favourable habitat for ' Old Norse' flora in some locations relative to others, and that uneven patterns of colonization and the spread of ' Old Norse' plants might be explained if their introduction - presumably from Iceland - first occurred at only a few locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ther article discusses results of a study that examines the biology of Canadian weeds, Rumex acetosella which is a perennial herb that originated from southwestern Asia and Europe and appears in pastures, waste areas, grasslands and along North American roadsides. It notes that the herb thrives on acidic, poor and disturbed soil under various climatic conditions. The ability of the plant to tolerate different methods of control is attributed to persistent seed bank and vegetative reproduction.

We investigated clonal traits in the dioecious herb Rumex acetosella to characterize sexual dimorphism in clonal forms and to correlate below-ground clonal patterns and above-ground ramet distributions. We recorded creeping root length, branching patterns, ramet and clump (caespitose ramets from the same position on the root) sprouting patterns, and biomass allocations in three females and males. We also estimated the patch size of flowering ramets within a quadrat. No sexual dimorphism was detected in the frequencies of branches and flowering ramets per root length. Male plants allocated proportionally more biomass to below-ground organs. Total root length did not differ between the sexes. Females sprouted more clumps with fewer flowering ramets per root length than males, which sprouted fewer clumps with more flowering ramets, which meant that clump sprouting patterns were phalanx-like in females and guerrilla-like in males. Flowering ramets were aggregately distributed in both females and males and patch sizes were similar between sexes, indicating that the spreader propagations were not found in the guerrilla-like males. We assumed that sexual dimorphism occurred in response to physiological integration for higher reproductive effort in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the complex issue of reversing long-term improvements of fertility in soils derived from heathlands and acidic grasslands using sulfur-based amendments. The experiment was conducted on a former heathland and acid grassland in the U.K. that was heavily fertilized and limed with rock phosphate, chalk, and marl. The experimental work had three aims. First, to determine whether sulfurous soil amendments are able to lower pH to a level suitable for heathland and acidic grassland re-creation (approximately 3 pH units). Second, to determine what effect the soil amendments have on the available pool of some basic cations and some potentially toxic acidic cations that may affect the plant community. Third, to determine whether the addition of Fe to the soil system would sequester PO4− ions that might be liberated from rock phosphate by the experimental treatments. The application of S0 and Fe(II)SO4− to the soil was able to reduce pH. However, only the highest S0 treatment (2,000 kg/ha S) lowered pH sufficiently for heathland restoration purposes but effectively so. Where pH was lowered, basic cations were lost from the exchangeable pool and replaced by acidic cations. Where Fe was added to the soil, there was no evidence of PO4− sequestration from soil test data (Olsen P), but sequestration was apparent because of lower foliar P in the grass sward. The ability of the forbRumex acetosellato apparently detoxify Al3+, prevalent in acidified soils, appeared to give it a competitive advantage over other less tolerant species. We would anticipate further changes in plant community structure through time, driven by Al3+ toxicity, leading to the competitive exclusion of less tolerant species. This, we suggest, is a key abiotic driver in the restoration of biotic (acidic plant) communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]