Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Scott N. Johnson, Susan E. Hartley, Ben D. Moore
Summary: Silicon accumulation in plants is a key defense against herbivorous pests, but may have wider detrimental impacts if plants become unpalatable for livestock. Some herbivores are better adapted to silicon-rich diets than others, with herbivore anatomy and physiology, and the nature of silicon deposition playing crucial roles in understanding these differences.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jairam Singh Yadav, Sameer K. Tiwari, Anshuman Misra, Santosh K. Rai, Ravi K. Yadav
Summary: This review synthesizes results and inferences from several studies conducted in the Indian Himalayan Region, highlighting climate change trends, scientific gaps, and potential impacts on water reservoirs in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Ayushi Gupta, Prashant K. Srivastava, George P. Petropoulos, Prachi Singh
Summary: Taxol drugs extracted from various taxaceae family species are used for cancer treatment and their content is influenced by multiple factors. Advanced statistical methods using hyperspectral data were developed to understand the influencing factors for Taxol content in high altitude Himalayan region.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arup Giri, Vijay K. Bharti, Sahil Kalia, Bhuvnesh Kumar, O. P. Chaurasia
Summary: The study found that zinc levels were significantly higher in dairy milk during the summer season, but all heavy metals did not have a significant impact on health risk. However, the carcinogenic risk levels of arsenic and cadmium were near the threshold level, indicating that cow milk consumption in high-altitude regions could be a future health concern.
BIOLOGICAL TRACE ELEMENT RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elin Linden, Mariska te Beest, Ilka Aubreu, Thomas Moritz, Maja K. Sundqvist, Isabel C. Barrio, Julia Boike, John P. Bryant, Kari Anne Brathen, Agata Buchwal, C. Guillermo Bueno, Alain Currier, Dagmar D. Egelkraut, Bruce C. Forbes, Martin Hallinger, Monique Heijmans, Luise Hermanutz, David S. Hik, Annika Hofgaard, Milena Holmgren, Diane C. Huebner, Toke T. Hoye, Ingibjorg S. Jonsdottir, Elina Kaarlejarvi, Emilie Kissler, Timo Kumpula, Juul Limpens, Isla H. Myers-Smith, Signe Normand, Eric Post, Adrian Rocha, Niels Martin Schmidt, Anna Skarin, Eeva M. Soininen, Aleksandr Sokolov, Natalia Sokolova, James D. M. Speed, Lorna Street, Nikita Tananaev, Jean-Pierre Tremblay, Christine Urbanowicz, David A. Watts, Heike Zimmermann, Johan Olofsson
Summary: Spatial variation in plant chemical defence can help understand herbivore top-down control and shrub responses to global warming. This study measured defense compounds and leaf digestibility in shrub birches across the Arctic and found biogeographical patterns in defense composition and resin gland density. The results indicate a trade-off between triterpene- or tannin-dominated defenses and highlight the importance of previously neglected tannins in anti-herbivore defense.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ayushi Gupta, Prachi Singh, Prashant K. Srivastava, Manish K. Pandey, Akash Anand, K. Chandra Sekar, Karuna Shanker
Summary: The study processed hyperspectral radiometer data of Taxus wallichiana in the highly complex terrain of the Pindari region of the Himalaya using several sophisticated algorithms to deduce Taxol content in the plants. The results showed that the Average Mean filter in combination with feature selection performed best for Taxol spectral indices generation, model development, and Taxol content prediction.
GEOCARTO INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Guillaume Minard, Aapo Kahilainen, Arjen Biere, Hannu Pakkanen, Johanna Mappes, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: Many herbivores have developed strategies to cope with plant defenses, and gut microbiota may play a role in these adaptations. This study found that the history of plant use and microbiota may interact with plant defense adaptation. The gut microbiota were significantly impacted by both larval population origin and host plant defense compound levels.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Vijay Kumar, Prakriti Kashyap, Subhash Kumar, Vikas Thakur, Sanjay Kumar, Dharam Singh
Summary: Bacterial adaptation to high-altitude niches in the Himalayas involves multiple adaptive strategies, such as synthesizing specific substances, activating defense mechanisms, and maintaining physiological stability.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Scott N. Johnson, Ximena Cibils-Stewart, Jamie M. Waterman, Fikadu N. Biru, Rhiannon C. Rowe, Susan E. Hartley
Summary: This study found that elevated CO2 concentrations can promote plant growth and cause wheat to change its allocation of anti-herbivore defences. Despite lower levels of silicon, resistance to the global pest Helicoverpa armigera remained. Overall, shifts in defence allocation under future climate change may not compromise herbivore resistance in wheat.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
K. Sandeep, A. S. Panicker, Alok Sagar Gautam, G. Beig, Naveen Gandhi, Sanjeev, R. Shankar, H. C. Nainwal
Summary: The study found that black carbon concentrations in the glacier region of Central Himalaya decrease during monsoon months, related to limited long-range transport and rapid wet scavenging processes. The high BC concentrations in June, September, and October are mainly attributed to air transport from the polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain region, wildfires, and vehicular emissions in the valley region.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ziqiang Bao, Cheng Li, Cheng Guo, Zuofu Xiang
Summary: The study reveals that Himalayan marmots have adapted to high-altitude environments partly through convergent evolution of the ND3 protein with other plateau animals, indicating it is not the sole strategy for adaptation to high altitudes.
Article
Agronomy
Xiaoxia Li, Sergio Rossi, Shalik Ram Sigdel, Binod Dawadi, Eryuan Liang
Summary: This study found a close relationship between cambial phenology and hydraulic diameter in Himalayan birch trees, indicating that climate changes may lead to earlier growth resumption and larger, more efficient hydraulic diameters, but also make them more vulnerable to drought-induced cavitation.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fikadu N. Biru, Christopher I. Cazzonelli, Rivka Elbaum, Scott N. Johnson
Summary: The uptake and accumulation of silicon in grass plants can alleviate both biotic and abiotic stresses. Si supplementation increases antioxidant enzyme activity, which reduces oxidative stress caused by herbivore attacks. Atmospheric CO2 levels affect Si accumulation in grasses. Si accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activity are highest under reduced CO2 conditions and lowest under projected CO2 levels. Grasses may become more susceptible to herbivory under future CO2 conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roisin Fattorini, Paul A. Egan, James Rosindell, Iain W. Farrell, Philip C. Stevenson
Summary: This study characterizes the expression of GTX I in leaves, petals, and nectar of seven Rhododendron species. The results show interspecific variation in GTX I concentration, with higher concentrations in leaves compared to petals and nectar. This suggests functional trade-offs between herbivore defense and pollinator attraction in Rhododendron species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joerg Albrecht, Torsten Wappler, Susanne A. Fritz, Matthias Schleuning
Summary: Herbivorous arthropods are the most diverse group of multicellular organisms on Earth. The two main factors influencing their diversity are the diversity of host plants and the partitioning of niches among herbivores. However, the relative contributions of these factors to herbivore diversity throughout Earth's history remain unresolved.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Veronika Kosova, Tomas Hajek, Veroslava Hadincova, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: The study revealed strong phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation in the clonal grass Festuca rubra, suggesting its potential ability to adapt to new climatic conditions. The main challenge for the plants is increasing moisture leading to hypoxia exposure, but they can respond by altering stomatal size and density and osmotic potential. Despite weak selection pressure, the plants do not exhibit strong local adaptation, indicating their capacity to adjust to novel conditions.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tomas Vlasta, Zuzana Muenzbergova
Summary: The study found that lowland populations of the Tofieldia calyculata species have lower genetic diversity compared to mountain populations, but there is no clear genetic differentiation between the two. The species likely survived the last glaciation in refugia in the margins of the Alps and the western Carpathians, and some lowland populations may have originated after the glaciation. The low genetic diversity of lowland populations is likely due to population size reduction, limited gene flow, and selfing. Despite the reduced genetic diversity, lowland populations have unique alleles and have a chance to survive in the long-term.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Anna Aldorfova, Tomas Dostalek, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Plant-soil feedback is an important mechanism shaping plant communities and determining plant abundance and coexistence. Root and shoot litter have contrasting roles in plant-soil interactions, and understanding their separate and interactive effects is crucial for assessing the complexity of PSF.
Article
Ecology
Jiaxin Quan, Zuzana Munzbergova, Vit Latzel
Summary: This study found that plants can remember stress through a stress legacy, which can be passed on to offspring. DNA methylation is likely involved in mediating this legacy. The study also demonstrated that the stress legacy can persist for a relatively long time in plants and can affect the phenotype of offspring. Therefore, the impact of stress legacy should be considered in ecological studies on clonal plants.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tomas Dostalek, Jana Knappova, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: This study investigates the effects of plant-soil feedback on plant competition and drought stress, and finds that soil conditioning plays a more important role in the early stages of plant life, while competition and drought stress become more important later on. The study also shows that predicting species coexistence based solely on data from a single time point is inaccurate and that realistic environmental conditions should be considered.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anna Florianova, Jana Knappova, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: This study explores how temporal variation and context dependency of competition can explain the alternations in dominance of four dry-grassland species. The researchers found that the competitive abilities of these species changed over time and depended on soil origin, providing opportunities for each species to dominate locally.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Veronika Kosova, Vit Latzel, Veroslava Hadincova, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is expected to play a role in the ecophysiological adaptations of species to changing climates. This study explored the effects of epigenetic regulation on a clonal grass's adaptations to different climates using the DNA demethylation agent 5-azaC. The results suggest that epigenetic modifications may facilitate rapid adaptations to temporal fluctuations in the environment rather than long-term adaptations to climate origin.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Aigi Ilves, Karin Kaljund, Erkki Sild, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: The maintenance of genetic variation is crucial for species in marginal populations. This study focused on the genetic patterns and plant fitness of the clonal legume Trifolium alpestre in marginal populations compared to the distribution centre. The study revealed high genetic diversity and unique alleles in both central and marginal populations, indicating the need for conservation actions.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shalik Ram Sigdel, Eryuan Liang, Maan Bahadur Rokaya, Samresh Rai, Nita Dyola, Jian Sun, Lin Zhang, Haifeng Zhu, Nakul Chettri, Ram Prasad Chaudhary, J. Julio Camarero, Josep Penuelas
Summary: This study investigated the functional traits of Koenigia mollis in different elevational zones of the central Himalayas and found that elevation influenced the plant's functional traits. The plant's height, leaf morphology, and chemical properties were closely related to elevation, climate, and ecosystem productivity. The results provide insights into how plants modify their functional traits in response to changing environments.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Dinesh Thakur, Veroslava Hadincova, Renata Schnablova, Helena Synkova, Daniel Haisel, Nada Wilhelmova, Tomas Dostalek, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Exploring patterns and causes of intraspecific trait variation is crucial for understanding the effects of climate change on plant populations and ecosystems. However, our current understanding is mainly based on structural traits, and we have limited knowledge on variation in biochemical traits and their response to climate.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eliska Kut'akova, Lenka Meszarosova, Petr Baldrian, Zuzana Muenzbergova, Tomas Herben
Summary: Plant-soil feedbacks play a crucial role in species coexistence in dynamic and low-diversity communities. This study investigates whether the feedbacks of a dominant species can be detected in a diverse plant community and to what extent they are influenced by co-occurring species.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nikita Rathore, Vera Hanzelkova, Tomas Dostalek, Jaroslav Semerad, Renata Schnablova, Tomas Cajthaml, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Root traits, including root exudates, play a crucial role in plant interactions with soil and ecosystem processes. This study investigated the relative importance of phylogeny and species ecology in determining root traits and the predictability of root exudate composition based on other root traits. The findings showed that phylogeny was more influential than species ecology in determining root traits, and root exudate composition could only be partially predicted by certain root traits.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dina in 't Zandt, Zuzana Kolarikova, Tomas Cajthaml, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Soil microbial networks are crucial for plant community stability. However, the topologies and forming pathways of these networks are not well understood. This study found that plant communities on abandoned agricultural soil exhibited destabilizing properties and were associated with coupled prokaryote and fungal soil networks. On the other hand, plant communities on natural grassland soil showed high stability and were associated with decoupled prokaryote and fungal soil networks. Plant-soil interactions played a significant role in mediating plant community stability.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)