Article
Environmental Sciences
Haikun Zhang, Yanyu Sun, Manman Cheng, Xiaori Sui, Yanyan Huang, Xiaoke Hu
Summary: This study investigated the effects of Fe-bearing minerals on the biological reduction of antimony (Sb) and found that the presence of hematite, magnetite, and ferrihydrite can decrease the concentration of Sb. Proteomic analysis revealed the involvement of certain proteins in the electron transport pathway of Sb reduction. These findings contribute to our understanding of the environmental fate of Sb in the presence of Fe-bearing minerals and provide guidance for controlling Sb pollution using bacteria/enzyme-mediated strategies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shahrokh Namjoyan, Abazar Rajabi, Ali Sorooshzadeh, Majid AghaAlikhani
Summary: This study showed that under drought stress conditions, TEB application can increase antioxidant and alpha-amino-nitrogen contents, improve plant growth traits, and contribute to higher sugar yield.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Carlos Fernandez R. Pulido, Jim Rasmussen, Jorgen Eriksen, Diego Abalos
Summary: This study found that cover crops can reduce nitrogen leaching, but little research has been done on their potential to reduce N2O emissions and the main traits that drive both N losses. The effects of cover crop species and root traits on plant nitrogen uptake, N losses, and soil inorganic N were significant, while the differences within functional groups were small. Therefore, the best choice in selecting cover crops to reduce N losses should be based on species-specific traits and high root N uptake.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maria L. Castillo, Urs Schaffner, Brian W. van Wilgen, Johannes J. Le Roux
Summary: The study in Kenya identified individuals that founded invasive Prosopis juliflora and non-invasive P. pallida populations still present in original plantations. By comparing the functional traits and plasticity between these two species, differences were found in key traits, phenotypic plasticity, and post-introduction evolution, which may explain the differential invasiveness. Offspring of invasive P. juliflora showed higher seed mass, germination, and plasticity compared to founder individuals, indicating rapid post-introduction evolution contributing to its success as an invasive species.
Article
Biology
Paraskevi K. Karachle, Anthi Oikonomou, Maria Pantazi, Konstantinos Stergiou, Argyro Zenetos
Summary: The study analyzed the biological traits of fish species in the Mediterranean Sea and examined factors influencing the entry of non-indigenous and neonative species. The results provide a baseline for future research and offer a useful tool for planning protection measures for native Mediterranean fish.
Article
Ecology
Charl Deacon, Michael J. Samways, James S. Pryke
Summary: Ecological and biological traits interact to shape the geographical ranges of dragonfly species in Africa. Single traits are weak predictors of species range sizes, and investigating multiple traits simultaneously is recommended for more accurate predictions.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Vijay Kumar, Cherukuri Raghvendra Babu
Summary: The functional response traits of four perennial grass species growing on fly ash dumps were evaluated, and it was found that these grass species showed significant plasticity in root and shoot traits, enabling them to adapt to harsh environments. This has implications for the rapid development of vegetation cover on fly ash dumps.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lee R. Lynd, Gregg T. Beckham, Adam M. Guss, Lahiru N. Jayakody, Eric M. Karp, Costas Maranas, Robert L. McCormick, Daniel Amador-Noguez, Yannick J. Bomble, Brian H. Davison, Charles Foster, Michael E. Himmel, Evert K. Holwerda, Mark S. Laser, Chiam Yu Ng, Daniel G. Olson, Yuriy Roman-Leshkov, Cong T. Trinh, Gerald A. Tuskan, Vikas Upadhayay, Derek R. Vardon, Lin Wang, Charles E. Wyman
Summary: This article identifies the technology challenges and opportunities for developing economically viable, scalable, and sustainable technologies for converting lignocellulosic polysaccharides to liquid fuels. The overview of feedstocks, processes, and products highlights the potential of anaerobic processing for fuel production and the distinctive challenges associated with microbial processing of cellulosic biomass. The article also discusses opportunities to increase product tolerance and decrease the cost of product recovery, as well as pathways for converting anaerobic fermentation products to larger fuel molecules using chemo-catalysis.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jinniu Wang, Jing Gao, Yan Wu, Bo Xu, Fusun Shi, Haiyan Zhou, Neha Bisht, Ning Wu
Summary: This study aimed to understand phenotypic plasticity and ecological adaptability in three shrub species affected by deforesting in different environments. The results showed that different shrub species exhibited varying leaf traits and biomass allocation plasticity in response to heterogeneous environments, with Hydrangea aspera demonstrating the strongest adaptability.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Justin C. Luong, Karen D. Holl, Michael E. Loik
Summary: The study found that plant species with resource conservative traits were more likely to survive under climate change conditions. Leaf traits and phylogenetics were closely related to plant mortality risk in a coastal grassland, indicating the importance of trait-based selection and phylogenetic relationships in improving restoration outcomes in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Silvia E. Braslavsky
Summary: This article provides short biographical sketches of women born before 1955 who have made significant contributions to our understanding of the function, structure, and molecular basis of biological photoreceptors, including both energy converters and photosensors.
PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Jing Li, Gengtong Luo, Abdulwahab S. Shaibu, Bin Li, Shengrui Zhang, Junming Sun
Summary: This study investigated the effects of fertilization on soybean yield in arid areas under a drip irrigation system. The results showed that nitrogen fertilizer had the greatest impact on grain yield, while phosphorus and potassium fertilizers influenced other growth traits. The optimal fertilizer combination for high yield and quality was determined using quadratic polynomial regression analysis. The findings provide guidance for effective fertilizer application and promoting large-scale cultivation of soybean under drip irrigation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. Maleki, A. Beheshti-Alagha, F. Ranjbar, R. Sharifi
Summary: This study investigated the combined effects of composted poultry manure on the chemical and biological parameters of soil. The results showed that the application of poultry manure compost reduced soil pH and increased several important chemical parameters, as well as improved soil microbial activity. However, to prevent excessive nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, the level of application should be considered.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Astra Jekabsone, Una Andersone-Ozola, Andis Karlsons, Lasma Neiceniece, Maris Romanovs, Gederts Ievinsh
Summary: This study examines the importance of legume-rhizobacterial symbiosis in temperate grasslands for soil nitrogen and investigates the dependence of T. fragiferum on native rhizobia and nitrogen fertilization. The results show that nitrogen deficiency can be prevented by the addition of nitrogen or inoculation with native rhizobia, leading to increased plant biomass and tissue nitrogen concentration. The degree of response varies among genotypes, with a similar level of nitrogen dependence but a range of growth response to rhizobial inoculation. The study also highlights the effects of nitrogen and rhizobial inoculation on mineral nutrition in different plant parts.
Article
Biology
Kavita Khatri, Bhawna Negi, Kiran Bargali, Surendra Singh Bargali
Summary: This study examined the morphological and functional trait variations of the invasive weed Ageratina adenophora along an altitudinal gradient in the Kumaun Himalaya, India. The results showed that the plasticity of plant traits allowed A. adenophora to take advantage of available invasion windows, contributing to its success as an invasive species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Arkadiusz Nowak, Sebastian Swierszcz, Sylwia Nowak, Agnieszka Nobis, Ewelina Klichowska, Marcin Nobis
Summary: The study presents the vegetation communities in mountainous and hilly areas of Central Asia, identifying 11 new associations and showcasing the high diversity and richness of endemisms in the region. Environmental conditions, species composition, and factors such as phytogeography, altitude, bedrock type, and exposition play key roles in determining the vegetation composition.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Anna Rucinska, Sebastian Swierszcz, Marcin Nobis, Szymon Zubek, Maja Boczkowska, Marcin Olszak, Jan G. Kosinski, Sylwia Nowak, Arkadiusz Nowak
Summary: This study used eDNA metabarcoding and observer surveys to analyze the proportion of above-and belowground parts of vegetation in different grassland types and the factors affecting them. The results showed that belowground plant communities had higher species richness compared to aboveground parts, but the difference decreased to about 25% when eDNA-derived taxonomic assignments were applied to the aboveground part.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Szymon Zubek, Pawel Kapusta, Katarzyna Rozek, Janusz Blaszkowski, Igor Gielas, Marcin Nobis, Sebastian Swierszcz, Arkadiusz Nowak
Summary: Recent studies have shown that mowing intensity does not affect fungal root colonization, but most fungal parameters in roots and soils vary across different types of grassland and/or seasons. The results suggest that plant colonization by AMF, DSE, and Olpidium spp., as well as AMF diversity in soils, are resilient to mowing disturbances in the studied grasslands.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Arkadiusz Nowak, Marcin Nobis, Sylwia Nowak, Marcin Kotowski, Ewelina Klichowska, Agnieszka Nobis, Sebastian Swierszcz
Summary: In this paper, the first syntaxonomic classification for the thermophilous open wood and scrub vegetation in Tajikistan is presented, along with remarks on its environmental gradients. The plant communities were classified into three main groups and a new class was proposed. Detrended Correspondence Analysis was used to determine the relation between samples, vegetation units, and species composition. The main factors determining the species composition were identified as elevation, temperature, precipitation, slope, and aspect.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Magdalena Szymura, Sebastian Swierszcz, Tomasz H. Szymura
Summary: Most semi-natural grasslands are threatened by invasive plants. A 6-year experiment showed that mowing twice a year and spreading fresh hay can effectively reduce the cover of invasive plants and restore valuable species-rich grasslands.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sebastian Swierszcz, Marcin Nobis, Sylwia Nowak, Marcin Kotowski, Ewelina Klichowska, Agnieszka Nobis, Arkadiusz Nowak
Summary: This paper proposes the first syntaxonomic classification for the mesophilous scrub vegetation in Tajikistan and provides some insights into their environmental variability. The research results fill the knowledge gap about shrubland vegetation in Tajikistan and contribute to the classification of shrubland vegetation in Central Asia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Demetra Rakosy, Elena Motivans, Valentin Stefan, Arkadiusz Nowak, Sebastian Swierszcz, Reinart Feldmann, Elisabeth Kuehn, Costanza Geppert, Neeraja Venkataraman, Anna Sobieraj-Betlinska, Anita Grossmann, Wiktoria Rojek, Katarzyna Pochrzast, Magdalena Cielniak, Anika Kirstin Gathof, Kevin Baumann, Tiffany Marie Knight
Summary: Complex socio-economic, political and demographic factors have led to the conversion of Europe's semi-natural grasslands to intensive pastures, causing a decrease in species diversity and alteration of plant and insect communities. In traditional hay meadows and intensive pastures in Central Europe, intensive grazing has been found to result in lower taxonomic and functional diversity of plants and insects, as well as significant compositional differences between grassland management types.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arkadiusz Nowak, Sebastian Swierszcz, Alireza Naqinezhad, Alla Aleksanyan, Georgi Fayvush, Marcin Kotowski, Ewelina Klichowska, Marcin Nobis
Summary: This study aims to define the vegetation of Paradise, predict its future in a changing climate, and determine the most probable archetype of Eden's vegetation. Through analyzing functional traits, taxonomic and ethnobotanical diversity, the researchers identified the Pistacia khinjuk grove as the most likely archetype. It is crucial to preserve and study the vegetation that provided safe shelter for humanity during the dawn of civilization.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Rajsz Adam, Wojtun Bronislaw, Samecka-Cymerman Aleksandra
Summary: This study investigated the N biogeochemistry of four neighboring high mountain plant communities and identified the main factors driving variability among them. The results showed that different vegetation types had different N transformations and that there were multiple N-environments along an elevational gradient. Elevation, soil N-NH4+, soil pH, and soil total C were identified as the primary drivers of variability among the vegetation types.
Article
Plant Sciences
Arkadiusz Nowak, Marcin Nobis, Sylwia Nowak, Marcin Kotowski, Sebastian Swierszcz
Summary: This paper presents the first syntaxonomic classification for juniper wood communities in Tajikistan and discusses their environmental gradients. Through sampling, classification analysis, and examination of influential factors, two main groups of juniper wood communities were identified.
Correction
Agronomy
Adam Rajsz, Bronislaw Wojtun, Aleksandra Samecka-Cymerman
Article
Agronomy
Marcin Andrzej Kotowski, Sebastian Swierszcz, Colin K. Khoury, Murodbek Laldjebaev, Barfiya Palavonshanbieva, Arkadiusz Nowak
Summary: This study compiles the first inventory of food crop wild relatives (CWR) of Tajikistan and finds a rich diversity of CWR in the country, distinguishing it from surrounding countries. The results also reveal a clear gradient of food CWR taxonomic richness from the eastern to the western part of the country. This provides important new information for previous research.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Arkadiusz Nowak, Sebastian Swierszcz, Sylwia Nowak, Marcin Nobis
Summary: This paper provides the first syntaxonomic overview of the semi-deserts and desert steppes in the alpine belt of Pamir and southwestern Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, with a focus on their environmental conditions. A total of 285 releves were classified into eight associations and four communities using the modified TWINSPAN method. The composition of the vegetation is primarily influenced by latitude, longitude, mean annual temperature, and precipitation seasonality.
Article
Plant Sciences
Arkadiusz Nowak, Sebastian Swierszcz, Sylwia Nowak, Vitezslav Plasek, Agnieszka Nobis, Ewelina Klichowska, Marcin Nobis
Summary: This study conducted research on chasmophytic vegetation in the alpine belt of the eastern part of Middle Asia. Five main groups of vegetation were identified, representing 16 specific plant communities. The study suggests a weak relationship between the rock vegetation in the study area and that in neighboring regions.
ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE
(2022)
