Article
Plant Sciences
Patricia Sperotto, Nadia Roque, Pedro Acevedo-Rodriguez, Thais Vasconcelos
Summary: Climbers need external support for their stems, which are attached to supports through climbing mechanisms. However, different mechanisms do not significantly affect the distribution or diversification rates of neotropical climbers. The climbing habit itself promotes spatiotemporal diversification rather than specific traits such as climbing mechanisms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Haiwu Xu, Siyuan Wang, Liang Tang, Yan Wang, Zhongyue Li, Wenna Wang
Summary: Root tip diameter is significantly positively correlated with cortex thickness and stele diameter in climbing plants. Cortex thickness is positively correlated with mean cortical cell diameter and number of cortical cell layers. Stele diameter is positively correlated with mean conduit diameter and number of conduits per stele, and negatively correlated with conduit density. Climbing plants have closer relationships between root diameter and cortex thickness and stele diameter compared to vines. Lianas have higher stele proportion and denser conduits, lower cortex proportion, and smaller conduit size than vines.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shukherdorj Baasanmunkh, Magsar Urgamal, Batlai Oyuntsetseg, Alisa Grabovskaya-Borodina, Khurelpurev Oyundelger, Zagarjav Tsegmed, Vanjil Gundegmaa, Alexey A. Kechaykin, Andrey I. Pyak, Li Qing Zhao, Hyeok Jae Choi
Summary: The study updated the checklist of vascular plants endemic to Mongolia, revealing that most endemic species are distributed in western and central Mongolia, with high species richness in the Mongolian Altai, Khangai, Dzungarian Gobi, and Gobi Altai phytogeographical regions.
Article
Zoology
Erdogan Cicek, Ronald Fricke, Soheil Eagderi, Sevil Sungur, Brian W. Coad, Mohammad Hamid Hamdard
Summary: This article presents a revised status and updated checklist of the ichthyofauna of Afghanistan. A total of 121 species belonging to 11 orders, 22 families, and 68 genera have been confirmed in Afghanistan. Among these, 18 species (14.9%) are alien, and 7 species (5.8%) are considered endemic to Afghanistan.
Article
Ecology
Vivek Pandi, Kanda Naveen Babu, Munisamy Anbarashan, C. Sudhakar Reddy, Jishnu Borgohain, Khumukcham Shynyan, Anju Achamma Mathew, H. Rakshith, Jibin Joseph, Vishal Nandha Kennedy, Narayanaswamy Parthasarathy
Summary: This study presents the first-ever attempt to estimate the taxonomic diversity of climbing plants in India. The researchers compiled an extensive list of climbers using more than 100 published and unpublished sources. The study revealed that climbing plants in India are phylogenetically diverse, with 2624 species representing 585 genera and 104 spermatophyte plant families. Two-thirds of the climbers are lianas. The researchers also provide a revised list of global climbing plant families.
Article
Biology
Camille S. Delavaux, Patrick Weigelt, Wayne Dawson, Franz Essl, Mark van Kleunen, Christian Koenig, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Anke Stein, Marten Winter, Amanda Taylor, Peggy A. Schultz, Robert J. Whittaker, Holger Kreft, James D. Bever
Summary: Delavaux et al. used global plant databases to examine how different types of mycorrhizal fungi influence plant colonization on islands. They found that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis limits plant establishment on islands more than other mycorrhizal associations. The proportion of native AM plant species on islands decreases with increasing isolation.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lirong Cai, Holger Kreft, Amanda Taylor, Julian Schrader, Wayne Dawson, Franz Essl, Mark Van Kleunen, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Marten Winter, Patrick Weigelt
Summary: Assessing the distribution and drivers of phylogenetic endemism in seed plants worldwide, this study finds that tropical and subtropical islands and tropical mountain regions have the highest phylogenetic endemism. Tropical rainforest regions are centers of paleoendemism, while Mediterranean-climate regions show high levels of neoendemism. Factors such as warm and wet climates, geographic isolation, and long-term climatic stability are key drivers of phylogenetic endemism. The study provides insights into the evolutionary underpinnings of biogeographical patterns and identifies areas of high evolutionary and biogeographical uniqueness for global conservation priorities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Huifu Zhuang, Chen Wang, Yanan Wang, Tao Jin, Rong Huang, Zihong Lin, Yuhua Wang
Summary: This study presents an inventory of plant uses in China based on a comprehensive survey of the literature. Analysis of the data reveals that the most commonly used plant families in China are also the most species-rich. It also shows that rare and endangered species are being over-exploited, with a high number of used species being Chinese endemics.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jose A. Medina-Vega, Frans Bongers, Lourens Poorter, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Frank J. Sterck
Summary: In dry tropical forests, lianas have a more acquisitive strategy than trees, with more productive leaves and more efficient display for light interception. However, in wet tropical forests, lianas and trees overlap in leaf and stem characteristics, with lianas not being more acquisitive than trees. This suggests that variation in resource acquisition strategies between lianas and trees may be constrained in wet environments with low light availability and nutrient-poor soils.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rafael Govaerts, Eimear Nic Lughadha, Nicholas Black, Robert Turner, Alan Paton
Summary: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants is a vital scientific tool for research, conservation, and management of plant diversity. It meets standards of accessibility, evidence-based, expert-reviewed and regularly updated, providing detailed information freely online.
Article
Biology
Abhishek Gopal, D. K. Bharti, Navendu Page, Kyle G. Dexter, Ramanathan Krishnamani, Ajith Kumar, Jahnavi Joshi
Summary: The Western Ghats is a biodiversity hotspot with high diversity and endemicity of woody plants. The southern region of the Western Ghats acts as both a museum and cradle of evolutionary diversity, with a higher proportion of old and young lineages restricted to this area. The high geo-climatic stability and moist climate in the south contribute to the diversity gradient in this region.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Analu Souza, Giovanna C. Giudicelli, Marcelo C. Teixeira, Caroline Turchetto, Sandro L. Bonatto, Loreta B. Freitas
Summary: Population genetic structure is influenced by historical events, ecological conditions, and life traits. The three rare species of Petunia in subtropical highland grasslands show low gene exchange and are considered endangered according to IUCN criteria, with anthropic activity posing the main risk to their survival.
BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Matilda J. M. Brown, Barnaby E. Walker, Nicholas Black, Rafael H. A. Govaerts, Ian Ondo, Robert Turner, Eimear Nic Lughadha
Summary: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) is a valuable resource utilized in various fields such as plant science, conservation, ecology, and evolution. However, the size of these databases presents a challenge for many users without the necessary data manipulation skills. RWCVP is an open-source R package that aims to address this issue by providing user-friendly functions for common tasks, including taxonomic name reconciliation, geospatial integration, mapping, and generation of summaries. Extensive documentation and tutorials are provided, making it accessible even for users with minimal programming experience. RWCVP is available on CRAN and GITHUB.
Article
Plant Sciences
Moises Guardiola, Llorenc Saez
Summary: This study calculated taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics for the endemic flora of the Balearic Islands and identified spatial patterns and environmental factors that explain the endemism. Hotspots of species and phylogenetic endemism were identified, and gaps in the protected areas were highlighted. This study demonstrates the importance of considering both taxonomic and phylogenetic information in conservation planning.
Article
Plant Sciences
Silvio Fici, Leonid V. V. Averyanov, Danh Thuong Sy
Summary: This article presents an updated classification of Capparis species in Vietnam, including a newly discovered species from the island of Hon Tre. Vietnam is home to 37 species of Capparis, with 10 of them being endemic. The article also provides a detailed description of a new species and discusses its classification and conservation status.