Botanical Groups Research Articles

CmSN Regulates Fruit Skin Netting Formation in Melon

Melon (Cucumis melo) includes more than ten botanical groups, many of which feature netting ornamentation on the surface of mature fruit. Ripe melons display a netted skin that signifies their ripeness and readiness for consumption. Previously, we identified SKIN NETTING (CmSN), which encodes an EamA-like transporter family protein, as the candidate gene controlling fruit skin netting formation in melon, while its biological functions remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of the CmSN gene was considerably lower in netted melons compared to smooth-skinned melons, indicating a negative correlation between CmSN expression and netting formation. Subsequently, we employed transient overexpression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiments to explore the role of CmSN gene during fruit development. Overexpression of the CmSN gene inhibited netting development, whereas silencing it promoted netting formation. Using heterologous transformation in tomato, we further confirmed the effect of the CmSN gene on rind texture and toughness, as these tomatoes exhibited rougher and tougher skins. Analysis with near-isogenic lines (NILs) revealed that CmSN gene-bearing fruits (NIL_CmSN) possessed significantly harder rinds than the control smooth-skinned variety HB42, underscoring the role of CmSN in enhancing rind protection. Together, our research offers essential insights into the netting formation and genetic improvement of melon fruits.

Productivity of Spring-Autumn Pastures in Mountainous Areas in Nakhchivan

The article presents information about productivity of spring-autumn pastures in mountainous areas of Nakhchivan. Meadows of the territory of Günnut-Kapicik physical-geographical region, species composition and structure of multi-grass formation, indicators related to biochemical composition of meadows by plant formations, area of meadows by formations, productivity, Nutrition and capacity, productivity by botanical groups were studied in the conducted research. The article also studied the average three-year productivity in the main botanical groups for Babek, Shahbuz, and Ordubad districts.

Weed Species Identification: Acquisition, Feature Analysis, and Evaluation of a Hyperspectral and RGB Dataset with Labeled Data

Site-specific weed management employs image data to generate maps through various methodologies that classify pixels corresponding to crop, soil, and weed. Further, many studies have focused on identifying specific weed species using spectral data. Nonetheless, the availability of open-access weed datasets remains limited. Remarkably, despite the extensive research employing hyperspectral imaging data to classify species under varying conditions, to the best of our knowledge, there are no open-access hyperspectral weed datasets. Consequently, accessible spectral weed datasets are primarily RGB or multispectral and mostly lack the temporal aspect, i.e., they contain a single measurement day. This paper introduces an open dataset for training and evaluating machine-learning methods and spectral features to classify weeds based on various biological traits. The dataset comprises 30 hyperspectral images, each containing thousands of pixels with 204 unique visible and near-infrared bands captured in a controlled environment. In addition, each scene includes a corresponding RGB image with a higher spatial resolution. We included three weed species in this dataset, representing different botanical groups and photosynthetic mechanisms. In addition, the dataset contains meticulously sampled labeled data for training and testing. The images represent a time series of the weed’s growth along its early stages, critical for precise herbicide application. We conducted an experimental evaluation to test the performance of a machine-learning approach, a deep-learning approach, and Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) to identify the different weed traits. In addition, we analyzed the importance of features using the random forest algorithm and evaluated the performance of the selected algorithms while using different sets of features.

YNU Flower: A market-oriented benchmark dataset for flower classification

The great cultural values of flowers in our life have nourished a highly developed flower industry. However, our current flower trade is still labour-intensive mainly due to a lack of effective automated classification systems. While several image datasets have been established and are widely used for developing visual flower classification models, they are of little practical value to the industry as, in these datasets, few flowers of market value are included, and intra-class and temporal variabilities are also not taken into consideration. Here, we present a large-scale flower image dataset named YNU Flower for flower classification. A total of 91 commercial flower varieties belonging to eleven favoured botanical groups were purchased from the Dounan flower market, the largest flower trading centre in Asia, and 17,806 images were captured. Notably, the YNU Flower dataset includes many commercial varieties with subtle appearance distinctions but significantly different price tags. Using this newly established dataset, we trained several representative models for classification and object detection tasks. By making YNU Flower publicly available to the community, we anticipate that this benchmark dataset will expedite translational research on flower classification and ultimately benefit the flower industry.

Spectral mixture analysis for weed traits identification under varying resolutions and growth stages

Spectral and spatial resolutions are critical factors in Site-Specific Weed Management (SSWM) applications, which aim to adjust and apply herbicides according to the weed composition and coverage during early growth. Thus, a reliable SSWM requires high spectral and spatial resolution data to create informative maps indicating and spatially localizing the weed species. Besides, upscaling and improving the mapping process are essential to motivate farmers to adopt SSWM practices. However, high-resolution data in spectral and spatial domains is not always available, and mixed pixels are highly probable. Therefore, evaluating approaches that deal with such pixels that pose a significant problem for weed classification tasks is vital. In this regard, Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) can exploit subpixel information from coarse-resolution data. However, despite its potential, SMA has not been examined for subpixel weed mapping. In this work, we aim to evaluate the potential advantages of SMA for coverage estimation of different weed traits (weed botanical group, photosynthetic pathway, and species). For this purpose, we first created a dataset containing weed species characterized by different botanical groups and photosynthetic pathways. Then, we evaluated the performance of SMA in estimating the weed’s coverage at varying growth stages and spectral and spatial resolutions. The experimental results revealed that using botanical weed groups as Endmembers (EM) is advantageous over other traits. A quantitative evaluation revealed strong correlation values between the actual and predicted weed coverage and a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) lower than 10 % for the different EM at all resolutions and growth stages. Besides, SMA outperformed the traditional classification-based approach in estimating weed coverage with up to ∼ 30 % lower Mean Absolute Error. Finally, our study establishes a basis for incorporating SMA in various SSWM practices.

Unveiling the botanical treasures of the amazon: the magnificent legacy of the fabaceae family

The Amazon, as one of the most diverse and vitally important ecosystems on the planet, remains a crucial focus of study to understand the richness of plant biodiversity. In this study, we conducted a survey of botanical diversity in the Amazon region, to understand the richness and distribution of plant species present. We identified a remarkable variety of species adapted to the Amazon environment. We analyze the diversity and distribution of local flora. The main finding highlights the significant role of the Fabaceae botanical group in the ecology and structuring of Amazonian ecosystems. This study contributes to the understanding of the Amazon flora and reinforces the importance of deepening knowledge about biodiversity in the region. The data presented offer valuable support for the conservation and management of natural resources in the Amazon, highlighting the continued need for environmental preservation policies and studies in the region.

How many species of algae are there? A reprise. Four kingdoms, 14 phyla, 63 classes and still growing.

To date (1 November 2023), the online database AlgaeBase has documented 50,589 species of living algae and 10,556 fossil species here referred to four kingdoms (Eubacteria, Chromista, Plantae, and Protozoa), 14 phyla, and 63 classes. The algae are the third most speciose grouping of plant-like organisms after the flowering plants (≈382,000 species) and fungi (≈170,000 species, including lichens) but are the least well defined of all the botanical groupings. Priority is given to phyla and class names that are familiar to phycologists and that are nomenclaturally valid. The most species-rich phylum is the Heterokontophyta to which 18 classes are referred with 21,052 living species and which is dominated by the diatoms in three classes with 18,673 species (16,427 living; 2239 fossil). The next most species-rich phyla are the red algae (7276 living), the green algae (6851 living), the blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria, 5723 living), the charophytes (4950 living, including the Charophyceae, 511 species living, and the Zygnematophyceae, 4335 living species), Dinoflagellata (2956 living, including the Dinophyceae, 2828 extant), and haptophytes (Haptophyta 1722 species, 517 living).

Impact of fertilizing on biodiversity in pasture ecosystems

Biodiversity in grazing systems determines production efficiency, system stability and resilience, and nutrient retention. In this relation during the period 2016-2018, a scientific research experiment was conducted on a natural grass stand of the Nardus stricta L. type at an altitude of 1400 m in the area of Chuchul (Bulgaria) of the following rates of fertilization: 1. Untreated (Control); 2. Annual fertilizing with N60P60; 3. First-year fertilizing with N60, and second and third with P60; 4. First-year fertilizing with P60, and second and third with N60; 5. First and second year fertilizing with N60, and third with P60; 6. First and second year fertilizing with P60, and third with N60; 7. First year fertilizing with N60, second year with P60, third year with N60; 8. First-year fertilizing with P60, second year with N60, third year with P60. The aim of the article is to analyze the impact of fertilizing with mineral fertilizers on the biodiversity of a pasture ecosystem and to propose an appropriate way of fertilizing to improve the species diversity of useful components in the grass stand. Biodiversity was determined by the indicator botanical composition of the grass stand, and the species diversity of the components in the grass stand by botanical groups was observed under eight variants of variable mineral fertilizing. It was found that the fertilization increased share of perennial grasses and motley grasses. The species Nardus stricta L., defining the type of pasture, was replaced from the more useful types of grasses, such as: Nardus stricta L., Agrostis capillaris L., Phleum alpinum L., Festuca ovina L., Festuca rubra L., Agrostis alba L., Chrysopogon gryllus L., Dactylis glomerata L., Lolium multiflorum L. The fertilizing effect is most significant in the third year, when both the representatives of grasses and legumes were significantly increased.

Концепция обмолота кукурузы роторным молотильно-сепарирующим устройством с воздушной завесой выгрузного окна

To increase the efficiency of harvesting corn for grain, some improvement is necessary in the design of the rotary threshing-and-separating unit, which has a massive rotor and an increased length of the path of active separation of grain mass during threshing. Reducing the size of rotary threshing units is possible by stopping the free grain flow into the discharge port at the output of the threshing chamber. This can be achieved by using an air curtain of the discharge port. At the same time, the free grain flow will be within regulated rates with a reduced rotor length and, accordingly, a shortened path length of the active separation of the grain mass. The stopping effect on the free-flowing grain in the discharge port should ensure its movement to the lower part of the threshing zone, where it is advisable to install a vibrating section of the deck that intensifies separation. Controlling the air curtain operation requires determining the shape of the grain profile common to the main botanical groups of corn and its effective area of contact with the air flow. The authors constructed the approximation of frontal and profile projections of dent and flint corn grains, taken from the lump, middle and toe of the cob, in the Compas‑3D environment. The values of generalized coefficients in polynomials determining the averaged geometry for the corn grain profile and the effective area of grain contact with the air flow were established. At the same time, the average value of the effective area of contact with the air flow is within 76 to 82 mm2 . The obtained coefficient values are necessary to calculate the parameters of the air curtain of the discharge port of a rotary threshing and separating unit for corn with a rotor length reduced by 10 to 15%. The authors propose to test an improved rotary threshing and separating unit in conditions of threshing corn cobs with a moisture content of more than 14% and without previous husk removing

Phylogenetics Study to Compare Chloroplast Genomes in Four Magnoliaceae Species.

Magnoliaceae, a family of perennial woody plants, contains several endangered species whose taxonomic status remains ambiguous. The study of chloroplast genome information can help in the protection of Magnoliaceae plants and confirmation of their phylogenetic relationships. In this study, the chloroplast genomes were sequenced, assembled, and annotated in Woonyoungia septentrionalis and three Michelia species (Michelia champaca, Michelia figo, and Michelia macclurei). Comparative analyses of genomic characteristics, repetitive sequences, and sequence differences were performed among the four Magnoliaceae plants, and phylogenetic relationships were constructed with twenty different magnolia species. The length of the chloroplast genomes varied among the four studied species ranging from 159,838 bp (Woonyoungia septentrionalis) to 160,127 bp (Michelia macclurei). Four distinct hotspot regions were identified based on nucleotide polymorphism analysis. They were petA-psbJ, psbJ-psbE, ndhD-ndhE, and rps15-ycf1. These gene fragments may be developed and utilized as new molecular marker primers. By using Liriodendron tulipifera and Liriodendron chinense as outgroups reference, a phylogenetic tree of the four Magnoliaceae species and eighteen other Magnoliaceae species was constructed with the method of Shared Coding Sequences (CDS). Results showed that the endangered species, W. septentrionalis, is relatively genetically distinct from the other three species, indicating the different phylogenetic processes among Magnoliaceae plants. Therefore, further genetic information is required to determine the relationships within Magnoliaceae. Overall, complete chloroplast genome sequences for four Magnoliaceae species reported in this paper have shed more light on phylogenetic relationships within the botanical group.

Effect of Sowing Method on Yield of Different Plants Grown as a Catch Crop

Currently, the most important task of stubble catch crops, as an element of sustainable agriculture, is to provide the soil with organic matter. The basic problem in the implementation of this task is the shortage of precipitation during the sowing period, which, combined with high temperatures in Europe in August, results in the loss of soil water and, consequently, weakening of germination and delay in plant emergence. The development of agrotechnics to increase the reliability of germination of seeds of plants grown as a catch crops is very important for the use of this valuable source of organic matter in regions with low and irregular rainfall, especially in the case of light soils with low water retention capacity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the response to furrow sowing of plants from various botanical groups grown as a stubble catch crop. Field studies were carried out on lessive soil in 2013–2015 at the Research Station in Mochełek near Bydgoszcz. The subject of the research was the sowing method (factor I): furrow sowing versus traditional (row) sowing. Sowing methods were tested for four crops (factor II): white mustard, tansy phacelia, common buckwheat, and common vetch. Certain plants reacted differently to the use of furrow sowing, and this reaction was different in various years of the study. In years with average soil moisture during the sowing period, furrow sowing made it possible to increase the yield of green mass and post-harvest residues of catch crop. In a year with very low soil moisture in this period, the desired effect of this method was not obtained. Furrow sowing allows seeds to be placed in a deeper, more moist soil layer, which can contribute to the acceleration of plant emergence. However, it requires refinement in terms of the precision of covering the sown seeds with soil.

Diversidade morfoagronômica e identificação botânica de acessos de melão do nordeste brasileiro

ABSTRACT Melon (Cucumis melo L.) crops are grown in the Semiarid region of Brazil by small, medium, and large farmers, focused on domestic and international markets. However, melon is also grown by family farmers using their own seeds, which are important germplasm for melon breeding programs. Samples of these seeds were collected and stored in the Active Germplasm Bank of Cucurbitaceae from the Northeast Region at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Semiarid), and require more thorough studies for a better understanding of the existing variability. Thus, the objective of this work was to characterize sub-accessions and their respective endogamic progenies to assess the genetic variability between and among these accessions. Two experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design, with three replications, using 11 quantitative and 8 qualitative descriptors: the first using seeds from 17 accessions from natural pollination, and the second using seeds from S1 progenies. Morphological data were used for comparisons between generations. The 17 accessions evaluated originated 24 sub-accessions, denoting variability between and among accessions and sub-accessions. A dendrogram developed based on the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) showed the existing variability and, according to the newest melon classification, the groups identified were: makuwa, subgroup nashi-uri; and momordica and cantalupensis, subgroup prescott. The results showed a probable existence of introgression of alleles between different botanical groups, and some sub-accessions were not identified regarding their group by presenting variations in morphological characteristics, indicating the presence of new botanical groups.

Genomic-assisted breeding for climate-smart coffee.

Coffee is a universal beverage that drives a multi-industry market on a global basis. Today, the sustainability of coffee production is threatened by accelerated climate changes. In this work, we propose the implementation of genomic-assisted breeding for climate-smart coffee in Coffea canephora. This species is adapted to higher temperatures and is more resilient to biotic and abiotic stresses. After evaluating two populations, over multiple harvests, and under severe drought weather condition, we dissected the genetic architecture of yield, disease resistance, and quality-related traits. By integrating genome-wide association studies and diallel analyses, our contribution is four-fold: (i) we identified a set of molecular markers with major effects associated with disease resistance and post-harvest traits, while yield and plant architecture presented a polygenic background; (ii) we demonstrated the relevance of nonadditive gene actions and projected hybrid vigor when genotypes from different geographically botanical groups are crossed; (iii) we computed medium-to-large heritability values for most of the traits, representing potential for fast genetic progress; and (iv) we provided a first step toward implementing molecular breeding to accelerate improvements in C. canephora. Altogether, this work is a blueprint for how quantitative genetics and genomics can assist coffee breeding and support the supply chain in the face of the current global changes.

Cactaceae Inventory of Venezuela: Estimates from Herbarium Collections

Cactaceae-Angiospermae, of American origin, with worldwide naturalized distribution, includes promising species in economics and ecology; being a threatened group, it requires floristic studies that support conservation programs. This study estimates the number of cacti species present in Venezuela, and it contributes to the knowledge of the family in the country by reviewing herbaria specimens. The information came from the herbaria (FLASA, IUTAG, HERZU, HMBLUZ, MER, MY, MYF, PORT and VEN) of the country. It was transcribed into a database and organized by herbaria, genus and species, based on the labels of the exsiccatae and digital photographs of the specimens. In addition, foreign specialists were consulted to resolve doubts about the identity of some taxa. The botanical specimens reviewed totaled 2,293. In Venezuela the family Cactaceae is represented by 26 genera, 63 species, 13 synonymies, six subspecies, one variety and 17 genera with unidentified species, including wild, cultivated and endemic species. Opuntia stood out for its greatest number of species (15), followed by the genera Melocactus (10), Epiphyllum and Cereus (6), Selenicereus, Pilosocereus and Cylindropuntia (4), Hylocereus (3), Rhipsalis, Mammillaria, Pereskia and Leuenbergeria (2). The other genera presented one species. The information generated here can be an input for the design of strategies for conservation, selection, production or other uses of the species of this important botanical group.

Specific botanical groups of fruit and vegetable consumption and liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundBeyond alcohol and coffee, the relationship between other dietary factors, including specific vegetables and fruits, and liver outcomes remains poorly understood. ObjectiveTo evaluate the associations between fruit and vegetable intake with the risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality. MethodsThis study was based on the National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study, including 485,403 participants aged 50–71 y from 1995 to 1996. Fruit and vegetable intake was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the multivariable hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for liver cancer incidence and CLD mortality. ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 15.5 y, 947 incident liver cancers and 986 CLD deaths (other than liver cancer) were confirmed. A higher intake of total vegetables was associated with a lower risk of liver cancer (HRQuintile 5 vs. Quintile 1 = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.89; Ptrend < 0.001). When further subclassified into botanical groups, the observed inverse association was mainly driven by lettuce and the cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.) (Ptrend < 0.005). Additionally, higher total vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of CLD mortality (HRQuintile5 vs. Quintile1 = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.76; Ptrend < 0.001). Inverse associations were observed for lettuce, sweet potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, and carrots with CLD mortality (all Ptrend < 0.005). In contrast, total fruit intake was not associated with liver cancer or CLD mortality. ConclusionsHigher intakes of total vegetables, especially lettuce and cruciferous vegetables, were associated with lower liver cancer risk. Higher intakes of lettuce, sweet potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, and carrots were associated with a lower risk of CLD mortality.

Assessment and Reserve of Some Feed Phytocoenoses

The studies were carried out on the floristic, geobotanical and resource assessment in Zardab and Ujar districts in 2020-2021 and 87 species belonging to 12 families were registered in the composition of coenosis. 12 species (Poa bulbosa L., Poa pratensisL., Artemisia lerchiana Weber, Chenopodium album L., Bromus scoparius L., Alhagi maurorum Medik., Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Climacoptera crassa (M. Bieb.), Stipa capillata L., Brassica napus L., Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Alyssum tortuosum Willd. (= Odontarrhena tortuosa (Waldst. et Kit. ex Will.) C. A. Mey.)) distinguished for their long-term participation in the composition of the groupings were determined. The dynamics of productivity in coenoses were assessed by seasons and it was found that they changed in the range of 1.44-1.91 hwt/ha (in spring), 0.65-1.55 hwt/ha (in summer), 1.02-1.76 hwt/ha (in autumn). The dominance of forbs on botanical groupings was revealed.

Insights into the domestication of avocado and potential genetic contributors to heterodichogamy.

The domestication history of the avocado (Persea americana) remains unclear. We created a reference genome from the Gwen varietal, which is closely related to the economically dominant Hass varietal. Our genome assembly had an N50 of 3.37 megabases, a BUSCO score of 91%, and was scaffolded with a genetic map, producing 12 pseudo-chromosomes with 49,450 genes. We used the Gwen genome as a reference to investigate population genomics, based on a sample of 34 resequenced accessions that represented the 3 botanical groups of P. americana. Our analyses were consistent with 3 separate domestication events; we estimated that the Mexican group diverged from the Lowland (formerly known as "West Indian") and Guatemalan groups >1 million years ago. We also identified putative targets of selective sweeps in domestication events; within the Guatemalan group, putative candidate genes were enriched for fruit development and ripening. We also investigated divergence between heterodichogamous flowering types, providing preliminary evidence for potential candidate genes involved in pollination and floral development.

The effect of soil type on yield and micronutrient content of pasture species.

The use of multispecies swards on livestock farms is growing due to the wide range of benefits they bring, such as improved biomass yield and animal performance. Preferential uptake of micronutrients by some plant species means the inclusion of legumes and forbs in grass-dominated pasture swards could improve micronutrient provision to livestock via careful species selection. However, although soil properties affect plant micronutrient concentrations, it is unknown whether choosing 'best-performing' species, in terms of their micronutrient content, needs to be soil-specific or whether the recommendations can be more generic. To address this question, we carried out an experiment with 15 common grass, forb and legume species grown on four soils for five weeks in a controlled environment. The soils were chosen to have contrasting properties such as texture, organic matter content and micronutrient concentrations. The effect of soil pH was tested on two soils (pH 5.4 and 7.4) chosen to minimise other confounding variables. Yield was significantly affected by soil properties and there was a significant interaction with botanical group but not species within a botanical group (grass, forb or legume). There were differences between botanical groups and between species in both their micronutrient concentrations and total uptake. Micronutrient herbage concentrations often, but not always, reflected soil micronutrient concentrations. There were soil-botanical group interactions for micronutrient concentration and uptake by plants, but the interaction between plant species (within a botanical group) and soil was significant only for forbs, and predominantly occurred when considering micronutrient uptake rather than concentration. Generally, plants had higher yields and micronutrient contents at pH 5.4 than 7.4. Forbs tended to have higher concentrations of micronutrients than other botanical groups and the effect of soil on micronutrient uptake was only significant for forbs.

Revisiting the supposed oldest bilaterian trace fossils from Uruguay: Late Paleozoic, not Ediacaran

Grazing trails found in the rhythmite beds attributed to the Ediacaran Tacuarí Formation (northern Uruguay) had been identified as the oldest evidence of bilaterians in the world. However, a diverse and abundant invertebrate, mostly arthropod, trace fossil assemblage is found associated with Upper Paleozoic palynomorphs in these same beds at the original localities from where the oldest bilaterian burrows were reported. These ichnoassemblages include Arborichnus repetita, Crescentichnus tesiltus, Cruziana problematica, Diplichnites aff. gouldi, Diplopodichnus biformis, Gluckstadtella cooperi, Helminthoidichnites tenuis, Kingella aff. natalensis, Maculichna varia, Rusophycus isp., Treptichnus pollardi, and Umfolozia sinuosa. The palynological assemblages yielded 89 species composed of 33 spores, 49 pollen grains, four chlorophycean algae, a fungal spore, an acritarch, and an indeterminate species. These occurrences point to a Phanerozoic record. The dominant botanical groups recorded are Lycophyta, Cordaitean, Coniferalean, Glossopteridalean, Corystospermaceae/ Peltaspermaceae, Pteridophyta, algal (Botryococcus, Tetraporina, Brazilea, Quadrisporites), and other groups (Deusilites tenuistriatus, Portalites gondwanensis). The high ichnodiversity, the prevalence of unquestionable arthropod biogenic structures, along with the abundance of ichnotaxa suggests a Carboniferous–Permian age. Therefore, the ichnoassemblages indicate that these strata are not Ediacaran in age and belong to the San Gregorio Formation, which represents the Upper Paleozoic Gondwanan glacial deposits in Uruguay. The ichnofauna is equivalent to others that are well known in deposits of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age from Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa. Furthermore, the new palynologic data from the trace-fossil bearing strata show that they can be correlated to the latest Carboniferous–early Cisuralian Cristatisporites inconstans-Vittatina saccata (IS) Zone of Paraná Basin in Uruguay.

High Altitude Rangelands Invasion by Non-Palatable Plant Species in the Perception of Yak Herders

The biological and socio-ecological dimensions of alpine rangelands degradation by invasive species have been considered in a field survey conducted in two yaks (Bos grunniens) rearing areas i.e., Langtang National Park (LNP) and Kanchanjunga Conservation Area (KCA). Data were collected by herder’s interview using the well-prepared and pretested set of questionnaires (60), followed by a focus group discussion (FGD) and key informants survey (KIS) each five at each site by following a set of checklists. There was a common perception about the invasive species among the herders in the study sites. The Rumex nepalensis was the most invasive species reported (75% of the respondents) at altitudes up to 3000 m in the KCA, while it was additionally with Eupatorium adenophorum (60%) in the LNP, while the Lyonia and Juniperus were the common invasive species in both sites. Altogether, twelve plant species were reported as invasive and non-palatable species from various botanical groups were indifferent to the changes made by invasive species in rangelands soil characteristics but gave well insight into the declining productivity of grasslands and herbage productivity and quality. Herders established bush clearance and slash and burn agriculture in rangelands as traditional adaptation measures to control the invasive species. Mapping of risk zones of invasive and alien species in the alpine rangelands is necessary across the alpine rangelands of Nepal and a long-term monitoring framework is desirable to confirm the herder's information on invasive alpine species of Nepalese Himalayas.