Herb Diversity Research Articles

Significant Shifts in Predominant Plant Dispersal Modes in Pine Forests of the Southern Urals (Russia): Responses to Technogenic Pollution and Ground Fires

The purpose of this work was to assess the functional diversity of herb–shrub layer com munities determined by their dispersal mode in pine boreal forests depending on two factors: (i) the degree of technogenic heavy metal pollution and (ii) the time passed since the last fire. We tested two hypotheses: (1) the functional diversity of communities determined by their diaspore dispersal mode decreases in polluted forests and in forests disturbed by recent fires; (2) the abundance, i.e., participation of anemochorous species in communities, is relatively greater in polluted forests and in forests disturbed by recent fires than in unpolluted or in forests that have not burned for a long time. We analyzed 77 vegetation relevés made in polluted and unpolluted pine forests to obtain the impact gradient of the Karabash copper smelter (South Urals, Russia). The studied forests also had different durations of time since the last ground fire—from 1 to 60 years. Two classifications of the diaspore dispersal modes were used. We found that community functional diversity and predominant dispersal modes changed significantly in response to technogenic pollution and, to a lesser extent, in response to ground fires. In polluted forests, the importance of species with a long diaspore dispersal distance—anemochores and zoochores—increased. This result suggests conducting a specific study of long-distance diaspore migration as a possibly underestimated factor of community formation under severe technogenic disturbances. The importance of zoochores in a broad sense, including species with diaspores dispersed by vertebrates and invertebrates, increased in post-fire succession. This result coincides with the known pattern of increasing abundance of zoochorous plants in regenerative successions in tropical forests. Therefore, the data on plant–animal interactions can possibly provide valuable information on succession mechanisms in taiga forests.

Urbanization and plant diversity in urban fringes: Differential responses across life forms

Urban fringe areas, as critical transition zones between urban expansion and natural environments, provide essential ecosystem services that enhance the overall health and sustainability of urban environments. However, previous studies have focused on urban built–up areas while neglecting the unique conditions of urban fringe zones. This study investigated the spatial distribution patterns of plant diversity across different life forms in Jiangdong New District and their responses to urbanization levels. The results indicate that hot and cold spots of diversity for trees and shrubs show similarity, while diversity in herbaceous plants differs significantly. Nighttime light intensity, POI (Point–of–Interest) density, and road density are primary influencing factors, with nighttime light intensity and POI density having the greatest combined impact, and herbs showing the highest sensitivity to these factors. Further analysis reveals that in the northwestern forest, grassland, and farmland mosaic areas, urbanization levels are positively correlated with tree and shrub diversity but negatively correlated with herb diversity. In the southeastern nursery planting area, urbanization levels consistently relate to the diversity of these three plant types. These findings underscore the necessity of adopting diverse conservation and management strategies in urban fringe areas to address the ecological needs and functional contributions of different plant types. This provides new perspectives on urban planning and ecological conservation that can help improve the overall health and sustainability of urban ecosystems.

Aridity and Soil Properties Drive the Shrub–Herb Interactions Along Drought Gradient in Desert Grassland in Inner Mongolia

Environmental conditions can control the structure and composition of plant communities by changing the direction and intensity of plant–plant interactions. In extreme arid regions, accompanied by water and soil nutrient limitation, positive shrub–herb interactions may vary along an aridity gradient, leading to changes in the ecological consequences of shrub encroachment. We investigated the vegetation and soil within 60 shrub patches and their paired interspaces at 20 sites from the northeast to southwest desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China, encroached by the Caragana microphylla shrub. The results show that aridity, soil organic matter (SOM), and soil total phosphorus (TP) were the main factors driving shrub–herb interactions. The positive shrub–herb interaction first increased and then decreased with increasing aridity (in the range of De Martonne Index (DMI) 0.54 to 1.85). The DMI indirectly affected shrub–herb interaction through TP, and the facilitation of shrubs on herbs coverage and biomass increased with the increase in TP. The SOM can directly affect the shrub–herbs interaction, and the facilitation of shrubs on herb diversity decreases with the increase in SOM. Our results indicate that the shrub–herb interaction changes along the environmental stress gradient; in general, shrubs have a positive effect on herbaceous communities along the aridity gradient. This study underscores the positive effects of shrubs on vegetation restoration in desert steppes, and changing environmental conditions by increasing precipitation, increasing TP content, and reducing SOM content can enhance the facilitation of shrub on herbs to accelerate the ecological restoration of degraded desert steppe.

Distribution, species richness, and relative importance of different plant life forms across drylands in China

Studies on plant diversity are usually based on the total number of species in a community. However, few studies have examined species richness (SR) of different plant life forms in a community along large-scale environmental gradients. Particularly, the relative importance (RIV) of different plant life forms in a community and how they vary with environmental variables are still unclear. To fill these gaps, we determined plant diversity of ephemeral plants, annual herbs, perennial herbs, and woody plants from 187 sites across drylands in China. The SR patterns of herbaceous plants, especially perennial herbs, and their RIV in plant communities increased with increasing precipitation and soil nutrient content; however, the RIV of annual herbs was not altered along these gradients. The SR and RIV of ephemeral plants were affected mainly by precipitation seasonality. The SR of woody plants had a unimodal relationship with air temperature and exhibited the highest RIV and SR percentage in plant communities under the harshest environments. An obvious shift emerged in plant community composition, SR and their critical impact factors at 238.5 mm of mean annual precipitation (MAP). In mesic regions (> 238.5 mm), herbs were the dominant species, and the SR displayed a relatively slow decreasing rate with increasing aridity, which was mediated mainly by MAP and soil nutrients. In arid regions (< 238.5 mm), woody plants were the dominant species, and the SR displayed a relatively fast decreasing rate with increasing aridity, which was mediated mainly by climate variables, especially precipitation. Our findings highlight the importance of comparative life form studies in community structure and biodiversity, as their responses to gradients differed substantially on a large scale.

Genetic diversity, population structure, and phylogenetic relationships of a widespread East Asia herb, Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk. (Apiaceae) based on genomic SNP data generated by dd-RAD sequencing.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) represent the most prevalent form of genomic polymorphism and are extensively used in population genetics research. Using dd-RAD sequencing, a high-throughput sequencing method, we investigated the genome-level diversity, population structure, and phylogenetic relationships among three morphological forms of the widely distributed taxon Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk., which is native to East Asia. Our study aimed to assess the species status of C. japonica according to its genetic structure and genetic diversity patterns among 66 naturally distributed populations, comprising 26C. japonica f. japonica, 36C. japonica f. dissecta (Y. Yabe) Hara and 4C. japonica f. pinnatisecta S. L. Liou accessions. Based on genomic SNP data generated by dd-RAD sequencing, we conducted genetic diversity, principal component, neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic, admixture clustering, and population differentiation analyses. The findings revealed the following: (1) 5,39,946 unlinked, high-quality SNPs, with mean π, H O, H E and F IS values of 0.062, 0.066, 0.043 and -0.014, respectively, were generated; (2) population divergence was unaffected by isolation through distance; (3) six main distinct regions corresponding to geographic locations and exhibiting various levels of genetic diversity were identified; (4) pairwise F ST analysis showed significant (P < 0.05) population differentiation in 0%-14% of populations among the six regions after sequential Bonferroni correction; and (5) three migration events (historical gene flow) indicated east‒west directionality. Moreover, contemporary gene flow analysis using Jost's D, Nei's G ST, and Nm values highlighted the middle latitude area of East Asia as a significant contributor to genetic structuring in C. japonica. Overall, our study elucidates the relatively low genetic differentiation and population structure of C. japonica across East Asia, further enhancing our understanding of plant lineage diversification in the Sino-Japanese Floristic Region.

Climate and vegetation changes in southern Primorye (Russian Far East) since the Last Glacial Maximum: A quantitative analysis

The climate and vegetation for southern Primorye during the last 21 kyr are studied for the first time in detail using quantitative techniques on high-temporal resolution pollen record. The data obtained showed a clear relationship with global climate events: Last Glacial Maximum, Heinrich 1, Bølling/Allerød, Younger Dryas and the warmest climate event around ca. 8.0 ka. A moderate monsoon-type climate persisted in Primorye during the last 21 kyr. The mean annual temperature did not fall below 0°C. The magnitude of the glacial–interglacial mean temperature difference in southern Primorye was ca. 7°C. Cold and cool temperate climate existed between ca. 21.0 and 11.6 ka and after 4.3 ka respectively. Climate variables of the Last Glacial Maximum were slightly below present-day values, and drier conditions prevailed compared to the late Holocene. Moderately cool conditions with excessive moisture existed during the cold events of the late Pleistocene, i.e., Younger Dryas and Heinrich 1, and in the late Holocene. Humidification did not occur due to heavy rainfall, but due to less evaporation because of low average annual temperatures during these cold events. During the last 21 kyr, there existed dry and wet seasons in Primorye, as at present, associated with monsoon circulation. The summer monsoon was more intense at ca. 16.6 ka, 14.4 ka, 11.6 ka and from ca. 11.0 to 4.3 ka.The southern Primorye during last 21 kyr had a diverse spatial vegetation pattern with conifer and broadleaved deciduous forests of warmer or colder temperate type, dry and humid grasslands, open woodlands and riparian vegetation. Both today and in the past, the heterogeneity of the relief and climate created a diverse vegetation cover. The warmest component, broadleaved summergreen warm temperate trees, had a high proportion from 10.4 to 4.6 ka. Late Pleistocene plant communities, especially during the Last Glacial Maximum, were characterized by a high diversity of dry herbs, which indicates a dry steppe. There are indications of forest-steppe during LGM based on PFT and IPR analyses.

Response of Soil Fungal-Community Structure to Crop-Tree Thinning in Pinus massoniana Plantation

To address the ecological challenges arising from pure forest plantations and the wood supply–demand imbalance, implementing sustainable forest management is paramount. Accordingly, we studied crop trees at three densities (100, 150, and 200 N/ha) in a subtropical Pinus massoniana plantation. Our study revealed that the dominant phyla and genera within the fungal community remained largely consistent, with Basidiomycota and Ascomycota occupying prominent positions. Notably, the β diversity of the fungal community exhibited significant changes. Ectomycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi emerged as crucial functional guilds, and crop-tree thinning contributed to increased complexity within the fungal network, with a prevalence of positive rather than negative correlations among genera. The significant roles played by Camphor plants and ferns were evident in the fungal networks. Additionally, under crop-tree thinning, plant diversity experienced a significant boost, fostering interactions with the fungal community. Herb diversity played a vital role in the fungal community, affecting it either directly or indirectly, by altering the content of total phosphorus or organic matter in the soil. This study underscores the relationship between undergrowth plants and soil fungal communities, offering a scientific basis for evaluating the sustainability of restoring inefficient forest-plantation ecosystems.

Seasonal variations in the mechanisms of understory herb diversity in a temperate forest in Northeast China

Herbaceous plants contribute greatly to plant diversity and play an important role in regulating the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems. Comparing with woody species, herbs exhibit higher sensitivity to seasonal changes from spring-growth to autumn-mortality. Despite extensive research on understory herb diversity (e.g., abundance and richness) in forests, how the underlying mechanisms change across seasons remain unclear, especially in temperate forests. We explored the seasonal dynamics of herb diversity (here abundance and richness) by surveying herbs of 174 quadrats (1 m × 1 m) in a 25-ha (500 m × 500 m) temperate forest in spring, summer, and autumn of 2022, respectively. We examined the effects of overstory trees (diversity, composition, and three-dimensional (3D) structural complexity detected by LiDAR), topography (elevation, slope, and aspect), and microsite conditions (light availability, soil nutrients, and soil water content) on herb diversity in different seasons. We found a similar seasonal pattern for herb abundance and richness, i.e., both decreased from spring to summer and then to autumn, but the driving mechanisms differed remarkably across seasons. Specifically, the importance of overstory trees, topography, and microsite conditions on herb abundance vs. richness varied inversely across seasons. For herb abundance, the importance of overstory trees (primarily 3D structural complexity) increased from spring to autumn, while the importance of topography decreased. Conversely, for herb richness, the importance of overstory trees decreased from spring to autumn, while the importance of topography increased. Microsite conditions governed spatial variations of herb abundance in all seasons but only in autumn for herb richness, with importance of soil nutrients remaining relatively constant while that of soil water content and light availability changed greatly across seasons. Our results demonstrate substantial seasonal variations in driving mechanisms of herb diversity in the temperate forest. These differentiated responses of herb abundance and richness to different drivers across seasons further highlight the significance of considering seasonal variations of the mechanisms underlying understory plant diversity in forest biodiversity conservation.

Effects of woody plant mycorrhizal types on understory herb diversity in temperate forests at different successional stages in Changbai Mountains

Effects of woody plant mycorrhizal types on understory herb diversity in temperate forests at different successional stages in Changbai Mountains

Evaluation of secondary metabolites and antibacterial effect of Boerhavia diffusa roots with chromatographic studies

India has a vast diversity of medicinal herbs. Around 3,000 years ago, these herbs were acknowledged and used as medicinal plants helpful for treating people. New scientific research has established that some plants and herbs have presence of many active compounds and possess specific pharmacological properties.Boerhavia diffusa is one of the renowned medicinal plants used to treat large number of human ailments as mentioned in Ayurveda. The plant in whole or its peculiar parts (aerial parts and roots) have a numerous medicinal properties. It shows antibacterial, hepato-protective, antistress and also in treatment of stress, abdominal pain, inflammation and jaundice. Various phytochemical, Pharmacological, experimental and clinical investigations were done on Boerhavia diffusa by many scientists to clearly understand the ancient ayurvedic usage of punarnava. The evaluation of secondary metabolites and antibacterial activities of punarnava root extract were investigated on pathogens using the well diffusion method. HPTLC analysis of Boerhavia diffusa extracts were also carried out in different solvent.

Soil toxicity and species dominance rather than nutrient availability drive plant species richness in swamp forests of Central Europe

AbstractAimA resource based conceptual model of plant diversity (RBCM) assumes direct relationships between resource supply and the diversity of a local plant assembly. However, the RBCM largely ignores variation in soil toxicity imposed by climatic effects. Both soil limiting resources and soil toxicity vary along climatic gradients but their net and interactive effects on plant species diversity remain unknown. We asked how climatic gradients shape resource availability, soil toxicity and dominance of herb‐layer graminoids, and how these predictors control local species diversity of herbs and bryophytes.LocationSwamp forests, Central Europe.TaxonVascular plants, bryophytes.MethodsAlpha taxonomic diversity of vascular plants and bryophytes was counted for 101 vegetation plots sampled in temperate swamp forests distributed along an 800‐km geographical gradient across the Continental, Alpine and Pannonian biogeographical regions. Path analysis (structural equation modelling) was used to quantify the direct and indirect effects of climatic variable (potential evapotranspiration; PET), limiting resources (soil N/P, Ca, C/N, proxies for light and water availability) and soil toxicity (Mn) on graminoid dominance and community diversity.ResultsPET negatively influenced species richness of both groups analysed either directly or indirectly through its positive effect on the cover of graminoid species. Alpha diversity of herbs was additionally reduced by soil toxicity (Mn). Limiting resources correlated either with species dominance (canopy shading, soil Ca) or with PET (soil N/P ratio), but they did not control species richness pattern.Main ConclusionsClimate, soil toxicity and species dominance determined alpha diversity instead of the expected importance of soil limiting resources. These results are key to advancing the theoretical framework of the RBCM. Increased soil toxicity (Mn) in well‐watered regions favours the dominance of plant competitors at the expense of less tolerant species. This implies a potential threat to wetland diversity under ongoing climate change.

Long-term N addition reduced the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and understory herbs of a Korean pine plantation in northern China

With the development of agriculture and industry, the increase in nitrogen (N) deposition has caused widespread concern among scientists. Although emission reduction policies have slowed N releases in Europe and North America, the threat to biodiversity cannot be ignored. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play an important role in the establishment and maintenance of plant communities in forest ecosystems, and both their distribution and diversity have vital ecological functions. Therefore, we analyzed the effects of long-term N addition on AM fungi and understory herbaceous plants in a Korean pine plantation in northern China. The soil properties, community structure, and diversity of AM fungi and understory herbaceous plants were detected at different concentrations of NH4NO3 (0, 20, 40, 80 kg N ha−1 year−1) after 7 years. The results showed that long-term N deposition decreased soil pH, increased soil ammonium content, and caused significant fluctuations in P elements. N deposition improved the stability of soil aggregates by increasing the content of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) and changed the AM fungal community composition. The Glomus genus was more adaptable to the acidic soil treated with the highest N concentration. The species of AM fungi, understory herbaceous plants, and the biomass of fine roots were decreased under long-term N deposition. The fine root biomass was reduced by 78.6% in the highest N concentration treatment. In summary, we concluded that long-term N deposition could alter soil pH, the distribution of N, P elements, and the soil aggregate fractions, and reduce AM fungal and understory herb diversity. The importance of AM fungi in maintaining forest ecosystem diversity was verified under long-term N deposition.

Effects of Stand Structure of Artificial Shelter Forest on Understory Herb Diversity in Desert-Oasis Ecotone

The relationship between the spatial structure of shelter forests and the diversity of understory herbaceous plants in desert–oasis ecotones is important for maintaining biodiversity indices and protecting the oasis ecosystem. In this paper, we explore the coupling relationship between tree layer structure (competition index, angle scale, neighborhood comparison, DBH, etc.) and understory herb diversity in the transition zone of shelter forest plots near oases and near deserts; in addition, we also aim to elucidate the dominant stand structure factors affecting herb biodiversity. The results indicated the following: A total of 13 herbaceous plant species were discovered in the transitional zone, with 11 species found near the oasis area and 4 species near the desert region. The Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices of understory herbaceous plants were significantly higher near the oasis area compared to the desert region. The Margalef index mean was higher in the oasis area compared to the desert region. Pearson and canonical correlation analyses revealed significant associations between specific stand structure indicators and diversity in the herbaceous layer. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the competition index had a significant impact on the Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou diversity indices of the herbaceous layer in the understory of the shelterbelt forest near the oasis, with corresponding impact coefficients of 0.911, 0.936, and 0.831, respectively. The mingling degree was found to be the primary influencing factor for the Margalef index, with an impact coefficient of 0.825. However, in the understory of the shelterbelt forest near the desert, the neighborhood comparison ratio negatively affected the Shannon and Margalef indices, with impact coefficients of −0.634 and −0.736, respectively. Additionally, tree height negatively impacted the Simpson and Pielou indices, with impact coefficients of −0.645 and −0.677, respectively. In order to enhance the diversity of understory herbaceous species in the transitional zone and preserve the ecological system of the oasis, specific modifications to the forest structure and arrangement are essential. Pruning and thinning are necessary for shelterbelt forests located near desert regions, while shelterbelt forests near oases should use a suitable mix of tree species. These measures can help preserve or enhance the diversity of understory herbaceous plants.

Local and landscape context affects bee communities in mixed fruit orchards in Southern Thailand

Abstract Bees play an important role by contributing to the pollination of a diverse range of crops and wild plants. However, bees are threatened by deforestation and habitat degradation caused by urbanization and agricultural intensification, which reduce floral and nesting resources. In this study, the effects of local (orchard size, flowering plant abundance and richness and floral abundance) and landscape factors (surrounding agricultural, forest and urban cover) on bee richness and abundance in mixed fruit orchards were determined from 28 mature orchards interspersed along a gradient of landscape complexity. Bees were observed for 15 min in 2 × 2 m plots. We categorized all bees into one of the three groups: (a) honey bees, (b) solitary bees and (c) stingless bees. Several local and landscape factors were found to influence bee richness and abundance. Honey bee abundance was positively affected by orchard size, whereas honey bee richness was not. Stingless bee richness and abundance were positively correlated with floral abundance. Forest cover within a 3‐km radius positively affected solitary bee richness. Solitary bee abundance was positively affected by forest cover within a 3‐km radius and negatively impacted by urban cover within a 1.5‐km radius. In our study area, small forest patches are found in abundance; thus, the high proportion of forest edge, relative to the forest interior, greatly supports solitary bee abundance and richness in this landscape. Moreover, most solitary bees are soil‐nesting species that may be excluded from environments that are converted from natural to anthropogenically developed areas. Recommendations to protect pollinators included conserving existing forest patches, especially forest margins; restoring forest patches within farmland landscapes; maintaining a diversity of herbs and grasses within mixed fruit orchards; establishing live fences composed of diverse plant species and retaining dead trees within farmland. For urban areas, augmenting floral resources in green spaces is suggested.

Effects of nitrogen addition on species composition and diversity of early spring herbs in a Korean pine plantation.

Under the background of global nitrogen deposition, temperate forest ecosystems are suffering increasing threats, and species diversity is gradually decreasing. In this study, nitrogen addition experiments were conducted on Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) plantations in Northeast China to explore the effect of long-term nitrogen addition on herb species diversity to test the following hypothesis: long-term nitrogen addition further reduced plant species diversity by affecting plant growth, which may be due to soil acidification caused by excessive nitrogen addition. Experimental nitrogen addition was conducted from 2014 to 2021, and the nitrogen treatment levels were as follows: N0 (control treatment, 0/(kg N ha-1 year-1)), N20 (low nitrogen treatment, 20/(kg N ha-1 year-1)), N40 (medium nitrogen treatment, 40/(kg N ha-1 year-1)) and N80 (high nitrogen treatment, 80/(kg N ha-1 year-1)). A herb community survey was conducted in the region from 2015 to 2021. The results showed that long-term nitrogen addition decreased soil pH, changed the species and composition of herbaceous plants, and decreased the species diversity of understory herbaceous plants. With the increase in nitrogen application years, middle- and high-nitrogen treatments significantly reduced the diversity of early-spring flowering herbs and early-spring foliating herbs, and their diversity decreased with the decrease in soil pH, indicating that soil acidification caused by long-term nitrogen addition may lead to the decrease of plant diversity. However, for early-spring growing herbs, adequate nitrogen addition may promote their growth. Our results show that plants have evolved different life-history strategies based on their adaptation mechanisms to the environment, and different life-history strategies have different responses to long-term nitrogen addition. However, for most plants, long-term nitrogen application will have a negative impact on the growth and diversity of herbs in temperate forests.

Drivers of vegetation and soil determine natural regeneration of a single plantation at different slope positions

Promoting natural regeneration in artificial forest ecosystems is crucial for sustainable management. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms and drivers of tree regeneration is the prerequisite for promoting it effectively. This study worked with Larix principis-rupprechtii, a species considered difficult to regenerate. Twenty-four sample plots measuring 30 m × 30 m were established, with eight plots at each of the lower, middle, and upper slope positions, respectively. Field investigation and multivariate analysis were performed to uncover the regeneration traits in the plantations with abundant seedlings on the continuous slope. The results revealed that ground diameter and height of the regeneration (RGD and RH) were larger at the lower slope, with significant positive correlations to available nitrogen (contribution rate, CR: 0.858) and slope (CR: 0.652). In contrast, regeneration density (RD), representing the quantity of regeneration, was greater at the middle slope. Its significant impact factors were slope position (CR: −0.648) and herb diversity, represented by Pielou index (CR: 0.961). Stand density had a significant negative effect on regeneration, particularly at the upper slope, with CRs of −0.842 and −0.764 to RGD/RH and RD, respectively. Common contribution was found among the factors, with the largest contribution groups being the topographical and soil factors (CR: 0.358). These findings provide valuable insights into the single species regeneration progress on northern mountainous slopes and offer essential information for developing facilitation methods for the natural regeneration in artificial forests.

Taxonomic Diversity and Distribution of Herbs and Shrubs in Sringeri Forest Range, Western Ghats, Karnataka

Taxonomic Diversity and Distribution of Herbs and Shrubs in Sringeri Forest Range, Western Ghats, Karnataka

The Practice of Herbs Integration Among Patients With Hypertension Attending Primary Care Facilities: A Systematic Review

Introduction: The practice of integrating herbs among patients with hypertension to manage their condition has become more evident across many countries. This systematic review was conducted primarily to determine the prevalence and diversity of herbs used by patients with hypertension attending primary care facilities. Data Sources: Studies were obtained from five electronic databases (September 2019) and references of included studies. Review Methods: Studies performed on patients with hypertension attending outpatient clinics and hospitals that reported prevalence or diversity of herbs were included. Two independent researchers performed screening, quality appraisal and data extraction. Results: Sixteen studies were included in this review. The prevalence of herbs used ranged from 6.5% to 69.0%. The two most common herbs reported were Allium sativum and Vernonia amygdalina. The main reasons patients’ took herbs were to reduce blood pressure, to relieve symptoms of the disease and perception that allopathic medicine was a failure. Age, education level, presence of other family members with hypertension and gender were significantly associated (p&lt;0.05) with the use of herbs. Conclusion: Patients with hypertension who attend outpatient clinics tend to use herbs to complement their allopathic medicine. Further evaluation in the form of randomized controlled trials should be conducted to determine the effectiveness of herbs and herbal medicine in improving hypertension among patients.

Overview of COVID-19 Pandemic: Its Management and Prevention in Light of the Indian Traditional Medicine System

Abstract: With the global death toll nearing 3.3 million, India being amongst the top 4 countries, the condition is more than fearsome. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends one doctor per 1000 population ratio, but India lags it by one doctor to 1456 people, which sets a lot of pressure on the healthcare system. Traditional remedies are becoming increasingly popular in India as a result of the lack of a proper medical system. Due to the rich diversity of medicinal herbs and drugs, India has been managing health issues with its 5000 years old medication system. Amidst all this, the traditional medicine system has given relief to plenty of diseases and remains the primary defence system against COVID-19. Therefore, COVID-19 is also managed by its different medicinal systems, which are collectively known as the AYUSH regime. It had been a recognized system to tackle diseases in the past. In this mini-review, we performed a deep study of the Indian traditional medicine system in managing the COVID-19 situation.

Far-reaching effects on soil properties and underground microbial ecosystem after the introduction of black locusts in forest

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), a common woody afforestation species, may threaten native biodiversity and ecosystems. Its invasive nature has not been examined in Asia, and links between aboveground and underground ecosystems have been inadequately established. Here, to figure out its effect on native ecosystems along the afforestation chronosequence, we selected three age class mixed forests of Robinia pseudoacacia/Platycladus orientalis stands (M7, M13, and M23) and a pure native forest of Platycladus orientalis stands (P0) as the control group on the Loess Plateau in China. The results exhibited that Black locust significantly increased the shrub diversity by 23.24%, herb richness by 10.79%, total carbon by 6.14%, organic carbon by 16.05%, and total nitrogen by 36.24% in 13 years of introduction. While the decrease in the diversity and richness of shrubs and herbs, soil pH, and total phosphorus emerged after the introduction of 13 years. Despite the increasing richness and diversity of soil bacteria, total phosphorus was inferred to be a limiting factor for microbes after 23 years. The partial least squares path models showed strong correlations and remarkable aboveground–underground associations. Moreover, vegetation, the main driving force, had the most decisive influence on soil properties and microbial communities. Taken together, these results will contribute to assessments and management of black locust plantations and provide insights into the biological invasion and aboveground–underground theories.