Great Diversity Of Plant Species Research Articles

Grazing and right-of-way affect native rangeland 12 years after pipeline construction in southern Alberta

ABSTRACT Over the past 100 years, large areas of native grasslands have been lost due to human activities and natural disturbances. Construction of pipelines for oil and gas transportation continues to pose significant challenges to grassland ecosystems. Thus, reclamation of disturbed native grasslands is critical for their existence in North America and around the world. This study investigated long-term (12 years) effects of grazing and right-of-way (RoW) treatments on revegetation of native rangeland on two pipelines in southeastern Alberta, Canada. Grazing and RoW treatments influenced soil and vegetation parameters; and plant species group responded differently at Milo and Porcupine Hills. Grazing was associated with significantly greater bare ground and decreased litter at both sites and increased vegetation cover at Porcupine Hills. At Milo grass density and biovolume increased as RoW disturbance increased, but not at Porcupine Hills. Trenching increased rhizomatous grasses and all RoW disturbances reduced tufted grasses. Vegetation was dissimilar on the RoW from undisturbed prairie with intermediate levels of disturbance (work, storage) having greater plant species diversity, whereas grazing had no effect. This study suggests 12 years may not be long enough for restoration of native rangelands after pipeline construction although there was some progress.

Newbouldia’s Laevis biological effects against metabolic syndrome components: A review

This study focused on a review of existing data on Newbouldia laevis and its potential effects on metabolic syndrome. Progressive changes in lifestyle that promote sedentary lifestyle, nutritional imbalances associated with excessive levels of refined sugars and fat that promote excess calories, and genetic factors have contributed significantly to the increase in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and the emergence of the concept of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome refers to an aggregation of factors that intervene, most often together, it is defined as a set of biological and clinical disorders whose metabolic aberrations are mainly: Insulin resistance and dysglycemia, obesity (general and abdominal), atherogenic dyslipidaemia, high blood pressure pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic states. The management of metabolic syndrome is very complex, because the components are associated differently in each patient due to the genetic susceptibility of each to develop one component over another, and the many environmental factors influencing the development of the pathology. The African continent is full of a great diversity of plant species, most of which are used by people as medicines to solve their health problems, because they are readily available. The African hyssop or Newbouldia laevis is a plant in the family Bignoniaceae. The qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenes, flavonoids, and cardiac glycosides anthraquinones in Newbouldia laevis leaf extract. Several therapeutic properties have been attributed to the plant Newbouldia laevis including anti-hyperglycemic, cardio-protective and hypotensive activity, body weight reduction, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, hepato-protective, antiparasitic, antibiotic. Herbal medicine is an alternative way to treat metabolic syndrome, and its importance is growing.

Biostimulant effects of lanthanum (La) on crop growth, yield, and quality

Objective: To analyze the various effects that the use of La as an inorganic biostimulant has on growth, yield and quality of different crop plants.
 Design/methodology/approach: A search in recent literature related to the effects of lanthanum on various economically important crops was conducted. Subsequently, the most relevant information was selected, analyzed and grouped by type of effect.
 Results: The addition of lanthanum at low doses has been tested in different crop plants. It has been proven that La increases growth, development and quality in various species. Likewise, positive effects have been reported in germination, in the absorption of nutrients, in mitigating the deficiencies of some essential elements, as well as in the promotion of physiological and biochemical responses.
 Limitations/implications of the study: The analyzed results have been generated in a great diversity of plant species, under different production systems, with dissimilar doses, as well as with different sources and application methods. This situation represents a challenge, since it hinders the possibility to issue general recommendations.
 Findings/conclusions: Lanthanum improves yield and quality, as well as some physiological, biochemical and nutritional responses in different crops of economic importance.

A cool spot in a biodiversity hotspot: why do tall Eucalyptus forests in Southwest Australia exhibit low diversity?

Background and aimsSouthwest Australia is a biodiversity hotspot, with greatest plant species diversity on the most severely phosphorus (P)-impoverished soils. Here, non-mycorrhizal species with highly-effective carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies coexist with mycorrhizal species that are less effective at accessing P on these soils. Non-mycorrhizal carboxylate-releasing species facilitate P acquisition of mycorrhizal neighbours that are better defended against pathogens. In the Southwest Australian Biodiversity Hotspot, there are also ‘cool spots’ of low-diversity tall mycorrhizal Eucalyptus communities on P-impoverished soils. These Eucalyptus trees obviously do not require facilitation of their P acquisition by carboxylate-releasing neighbours, because these are only a minor component of the low-diversity communities. We hypothesised that in low-diversity tall Eucalyptus forests, mycorrhizal species release carboxylates to acquire P. Thus, they would not depend on facilitation, and must be strong competitors. However, because they would not depend on external mycorrhizal hyphae to acquire P, they would also not be able to access soil organic nitrogen (N), for which they would need external hyphae.MethodsSince carboxylates not only mobilise P, but also manganese (Mn), we used leaf Mn concentrations ([Mn]) in the natural habitat to proxy rhizosphere carboxylates. To verify this proxy, we also measured carboxylate exudation of targeted species with high leaf [Mn] using seedlings grown in low-P nutrient solutions.ResultsUsing these complementary approaches, we confirmed our hypothesis that dominant Eucalyptus species in ‘cool spots’ release carboxylates. Since mineralisation of organic N is associated with fractionation of N, enriching organic N with 15N while nitrate is depleted in 15N, we measured the stable N isotope composition of leaf material. The results show that dominant Eucalyptus species did not access organic N, despite being ectomycorrhizal.ConclusionsThe low diversity of tall Eucalyptus forests in southwest Australia can be explained by dominant mycorrhizal species exhibiting a carboxylate-releasing strategy. The tall eucalypts are therefore strong competitors that do not require facilitation, but also do not access organic N.

Homegarden and coffee agroforestry systems plant species diversity and composition in Yayu Biosphere Reserve, southwest Ethiopia

Agroforestry systems are among the promising land use systems that enable to address both the development and livelihood issues of the community all over the world. In southwestern Ethiopia, homegarden and coffee agroforestry systems are widely used farming systems. Despite the fact that the systems are widely used and important, there are little studies on the subject. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess homegarden and coffee agroforestry systems plant diversity and composition in Yayu Biosphere Reserve. To achieve the study's goal, data was collected through forest inventories and household surveys. A total of 101 plant species from 49 families were identified, with 74 from homegardens (37 families) and 57 from coffee agroforestry systems (34 families). In terms of dominating plants in agroforestry systems, home gardens are dominated by herbaceous plants, accounting for 51 percent, whereas coffee agroforestry systems in the study region are dominated by trees, accounting for 72 percent. About 38 percent of household gardens and 77 percent of coffee agroforestry are made up of indigenous plant species. According to the findings, both agroforestry systems at the research site have a great diversity of plant species. As a result, the systems may be able to provide a wide range of services to farmers. Farmers, professionals, and legislators must collaborate to improve the systems' components, composition, and arrangements in order to maximize and protect the systems' multiple benefits.

Changes in plant community composition and functional plant traits over a four-year period on an extensive green roof

Constructed ecosystems like green roofs are increasingly deployed in cities to mitigate issues associated with urbanization. To minimize the cost of green roof infrastructure, shallow growing media (substrate) for plants is often employed. Spatial heterogeneity in substrate depth has also been hypothesized to allow greater plant species diversity without adding to the weight. Stress and competition can change green roof plant communities after initial planting, but little is known about the long-term effects of spatial heterogeneity on vegetation composition and functional characteristics. Our goal was to determine how green roof plant communities and, in turn, functional plant traits, change over time in response to environmental stress and substrate heterogeneity. This four-year experiment used four substrate depth treatments: three with homogenous substrate depths of 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm, and one treatment with a heterogenous substrate depth that varied between 5 cm and 15 cm (5/15 cm). The volume of the substrate in the 10 cm treatment and 5/15 cm treatment was equal. By the end of this four-year experiment, variation occurred between treatments for community composition and functional diversity, with the greatest species richness observed in the least stressful treatment (15 cm) and the greatest functional diversity and evenness observed in the most stressful treatment (5 cm). Additionally, each treatment had lower functional diversity after four years compared to the initially planted community. When the heterogenous 5/15 cm treatment was compared to the homogenous 10 cm treatment, there were no differences in the number of plant species, but the treatments contained two distinct plant communities. Furthermore, the 5/15 cm treatment supported taller species, a trait value associated with reduced stormwater runoff and substrate temperature. This finding indicates that creating green roofs with a heterogenous substrate depth could improve overall green roof function without increasing roof weight. Substrate depth can be manipulated by green roof designers to alter vegetation characteristics, but species and functional diversity showed opposite trends along the depth gradient.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plant Extracts against Some Bacterial Pathogens Isolated from Raw and Processed Meat.

Background and aim: The poultry meat and its products are considered ideal media for bacterial growth and spoilage, as they are highly nutritive with a favorable pH. The food industry has focused its attention on a great diversity of plant species as food preservatives. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157: H7, and Klebsiella pneumonia in food samples and to evaluate of the antibacterial activity of some medicinal plant extracts against these bacteria. Methods: Raw and processed meat samples (n = 60) were collected from abattoirs and local markets. S. aureus, E. coli O157: H7, and K. pneumonia were isolated, identified by phenotypic methods, and then confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The antibacterial activity and spectrum of essential oils and spices powder of cumin, black seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and marjoram was determined against the isolated strains in this study by microbial count and well-diffusion techniques. Results: A total of 33 isolates have been identified as S. aureus, 30 isolates were identified as E. coli O157: H7, and 15 isolates were identified as K. pneumonia. S. aureus, E. coli O157: H7, and K. pneumonia could be detected in both fresh and processed food with higher prevalence in the processed meat. There was a significant decrease in microbial count in treated samples either with the spices powder or essential oils of the tested medicinal plants compared to control samples during storage time period. Furthermore, while the microbial count increased in the control samples, the microbial count decreased to reach zero in almost all treated samples with essential oils after 15 days of storage. Conclusion: S. aureus, E. coli O157: H7, and K. pneumonia are associated with food from animal sources, in either fresh or processed meat samples. The prevalence of them was higher in the processed meat than in fresh meat. The essential oils and spices powder of cumin, black seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and marjoram have an in vitro wide spectrum antibacterial activity with the highest antibacterial activity for the black seeds.

An Update on Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Activities of the Genus Persicaria and Polygonum.

The discovery of new pharmaceutical identities, particularly anti-infective agents, represents an urgent need due to the increase in immunocompromised patients and the ineffectiveness/toxicity of the drugs currently used. The scientific community has recognized in the last decades the importance of the plant kingdom as a huge source of novel molecules which could act against different type of infections or illness. However, the great diversity of plant species makes it difficult to select them with probabilities of success, adding to the fact that existing information is difficult to find, it is atomized or disordered. Persicaria and Polygonum constitute two of the main representatives of the Polygonaceae family, which have been extensively used in traditional medicine worldwide. Important and structurally diverse bioactive compounds have been isolated from these genera of wild plants; among them, sesquiterpenes and flavonoids should be remarked. In this article, we firstly mention all the species reported with pharmacological use and their geographical distribution. Moreover, a number of tables which summarize an update detailing the type of natural product (extract or isolated compound), applied doses, displayed bioassays and the results obtained for the main bioactivities of these genera cited in the literature during the past 40 years. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anticancer, antiviral, antiparasitic, anti-diabetic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, gastroprotective and neuropharmacological activities were explored and reviewed in this work, concluding that both genera could be the source for upcoming molecules to treat different human diseases.

Preliminary Angiosperm Checklist in an Area South of the Madeira River, Manicoré, Amazonas, Brazil

Due to the large extent of the Amazon rainforest, research has historically focused on easily accessible locations. Thus, much of this region has little information available about its richness and plant distribution. Located south of the Madeira river, Municipality of Manicoré has a high number of phytophysiognomies, which may indicate the existence of a greater diversity of plant species. Therefore, from the compilation of previously collected records and based on botanical expeditions, this study evaluated the diversity and richness of angiosperms in Manicoré. We found 801 species, 409 genera and 106 families. Our data record 47 new occurrences for Amazonas State. Of these new occurrences, 12 are also the first record for the northern region. In addition, we have identified a new vine species of the genus Mandevilla Lindl. Given the well-known sample deficiency of the Amazon region, and considering the countless anthropogenic pressures that cities south of the Madeira river have been facing, knowledge of flora becomes increasingly urgent.

Medicinal plants for the "nerves": a review of ethnobotanical studies carried out in South Brazil

ABSTRACT Among the medicinal purposes for which plants have been used is the treatment of “nerves. The objective of this study was to search for species of plants used in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (South Brazil) for the relief of symptoms related to central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Twenty-seven ethnobotanical studies were compiled, in which a total of 94 species were cited. The five most cited species were Cymbopogon citratus (81.5 %), Melissa officinalis (77.7 %), Aloysia citriodora (66.6 %), Matricaria chamomilla (62.9 %) and Passiflora edulis (51.8 %). Scientific studies have corroborated the popular use of these plants as sedatives, but most studies are preclinical and very few have been clinical (M. chamomilla and M. officinalis), and these were mainly exploratory or were performed against placebo. In addition to efficacy data, there are also indications of toxicity for M. chamomilla and P. edulis. In conclusion, there is a great diversity of plant species used in the treatment of symptoms related to CNS disorders, and they are most frequently used as a sedative. Data indicate that M. officinalis possesses clinical efficacy in the treatment of symptoms associated with anxiety without signs of toxicity.

Phytochemical Profile of Pasture Weeds from the Brazilian Cerrado

ABSTRACT: The great diversity of plant species in pastures of the Brazilian Cerrado with distinct ecophysiological characteristics indicates the possibility of finding, in the cellular content of this flora, chemical compounds with potential for use in agriculture and human and animal health. Three steps are necessary to prove this hypothesis: phytochemical prospecting, characterization of secondary metabolites, and studies on the biological activities of these metabolites present in these plants. The chemical profile of secondary metabolites present in five species of the Brazilian Cerrado (Davilla elliptica, Remijia ferruginea, Luehea paniculata, Anacardium occidentale, and Acosmium dasycarpum) was traced in this research. These plant species were collected in pasture areas of Felício dos Santos, Minas Gerais. The samples were dried and submitted to two types of extract (ethanolic and hexanic). By using specific chemical reactions, the presence of coumarins, triterpenes/steroids, and anthracenosides was observed in the hexanic extracts, while the presence of alkaloids, triterpenes/steroids, flavonoids, tannins, reducing compounds, and anthocyanins was observed in the ethanolic extracts. The species presented diverse classes of compounds. However, triterpenes/steroids, tannins, reducing compounds and anthocyanins were found in all species, being the use of the solvent ethanol the most efficient in extracting the compounds. The species D. elliptica presented the highest number of classes of compounds. The widespread application in folk medicine justifies further studies on the biological activity of different metabolites in agriculture and health areas.

HISTOMETRIC STUDY OF TETRACLINIS ARTICULATA (VAHL.) MASTERS IN THE AREA OF TLEMCEN (NORTH-WEST ALGERIA)

Ponte Academic JournalOct 2019, Volume 75, Issue 10 HISTOMETRIC STUDY OF TETRACLINIS ARTICULATA (VAHL.) MASTERS IN THE AREA OF TLEMCEN (NORTH-WEST ALGERIA)Author(s): BARKA FATIHA ,TERRAS MOHAMED, BOUAZZA MOHAMED, ALI NEHARI ABDEL KADERJ. Ponte - Oct 2019 - Volume 75 - Issue 10 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2019.10.7 Abstract:The Mediterranean basin has a great diversity of plant species and constitutes a point of great interest for any scientific study, whether biological or ecological, due to its vast wealth and the heterogeneity of historical, geological and ecological factors.\r\nA rich variety of medicinal plants grows around this basin, including Barbary Thuya, subject of our study. It is an endemic species of North West Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). Most of the Tetraclininis area is situated in a temperate semi-arid and warm bioclimatic level.\r\nThe anatomical study enables us to know internal organization and structures of primary and secondary plants, various organs, as well as their modifications or adaptations. It remains one of the most essential parts of plant biology. It also allows making useful comparisons between existing plants [1].\r\nUnfortunately, in Algeria and more specifically in the North-West region, namely in Tlemcen�s littoral matorral, no study has been published on the anatomical and histometric characteristics of Tetraclinis articulata, despite being an endemic species in this area.\r\nInsofar as no precise data on tissues anatomy and measurements are available, we have tried to make a contribution by providing a brief survey of the forms and the average size of the various organs tissues (leaves, stems and roots).\r\nAs a first step, we have tried to give an overview on the average size of the observed Tetraclinis articulata tissues, and as a second step, we tried to advance some ecophysiological explanations concerning ten feet that have been chosen randomly, in the same region of Tlemcen but in two different stations (Honaine and Beni Snous).\r\nOur work is aiming to carry out a comparison between the different tissues structures, differentiate between different organs, use the anatomical sections for a statistical treatment and consequently to interpret explanation of certain histological phenomena as possible adaptations of the plant to environmental constraints such as water stress, climate change ... etc. This requires making microscopic sections from suitably chosen samples. As for any histological approach, four successive stages are necessary: The choice of the material to be studied; the technique that will allow to visualize the targeted structures or phenomena; producing images of these structures or phenomena by optical means, both the interpretation of these images and the methods used in histology vary according to the samples to be studied and the study objectives.\r\nThe histological study reveals an adaptation that we have noticed in Thuya, based on activity alternation between the tissues of the leaf, the stem and the root, here expressed by the correlation coefficient between them.\r\nTo develop a better understanding of Thuya�s behavior, we have calculated the correlation coefficient between the different tissues measured for statistical calculations, which helped us to better interpret the obtained results. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Fine roots of Prosopis flexuosa trees in the field. Plant and soil variables that control their growth and depth distribution

Fine root growth in natural vegetation is difficult to predict due to its regulation by soil and plant factors. Field studies in arid ecosystems show a variety of root responses to soil resources and to plant aboveground phenology that sometimes differ from root responses predicted by controlled experiments. There is a pressing need to cover a greater diversity of plant species and ecological scenarios in field studies. In this paper, we have studied fine roots of Prosopis flexuosa trees living with or without access to phreatic water in an inter-dune valley and a dune flank, respectively, in the Central Monte Desert, Argentina. We have described fine root growth over time and at different depths by rhizotron observations and soil core auger samples in relation to soil water and nutrients, tree crown phenology, plant water and nutrient status. We have found that surface soil moisture from rainfall is the variable that best predicts seasonal topsoil fine root growth. Access to groundwater advanced leaf sprouting with respect to rainfall, but did not advance root growth that stayed linked to rainfall in valley and dune flank trees. Trees without access to phreatic water produced deeper and thicker or denser roots, which is consistent with the poor soil resource content of dunes. Variations in rainfall dynamics due to global climate change may have a particular impact on fine roots and ecosystem processes such as biogeochemistry and carbon budget in dune flank trees as well as in valley trees.

Soil erosion control, plant diversity, and arthropod communities under heterogeneous cover crops in an olive orchard.

A 3-year experiment compared in an olive orchard the effect of different cover crops' composition on runoff, water erosion, diversity of annual plants, and arthropod communities which could provide an alternative to conventional management based on tillage (CT). The cover crops evaluated were a seeded homogeneous grass (GC), a seeded mix of ten different species (MCseeded), and a non-seeded cover by vegetation naturally present at the farm after 20years of mowing (MCnatural). The results suggest that heterogeneous cover crops can provide a viable alternative to homogeneous ones in olives, providing similar benefits in reducing runoff and soil losses compared to management based on bare soil. The reduction in soil loss was particularly large: 46.7 in CT to 6.5 and 7.9tha-1year-1 in GC and MCseeded, respectively. The heterogeneous cover crops resulted in greater diversity of plant species and a modification of the arthropod communities with an increased number of predators for pests. The reduction of the cost of implanting heterogeneous cover crops, improvement of the seeding techniques, and selection of species included in the mixes require additional research to promote the use of this practice which can deliver enhanced environmental benefits.

Distribution of invasive plants in urban environment is strongly spatially structured

Context Urban environments create a wide range of habitats that harbour a great diversity of plant species, many of which are of alien origin. For future urban planning and management of the green areas within the city, understanding of the spatial distribution of invasive alien species is of great importance.

Effects of soil properties and humidity regimes on semi-natural meadow productivity

ABSTRACTThe research has been conducted for four years in five phytocenoses affected by the processes of naturalization. Two of them are located in non-flooded, relatively abandoned meadows and the remaining - flooded meadows in different parts of the Nemunas delta (Western Lithuania). The aim of the research was to estimate the influence of ecological conditions (humidity regimes, soil agrochemical parameters) on semi-natural meadow productivity. Humidity regimes and nitrogen amount in the soil influenced dry matter (DM) yield of meadow phytocesosis. The biggest DM yield (8.64 ± 0.77 t ha-1) was found in flooded meadow in the central part of the Nemunas delta in Terric Histosol (HSs) soil, which had moderate acidity and was rich in nitrogen. The economic value depended on the prevailing plant species and was the highest in non-flooded meadows. Botanical composition and plant species number depended on agrochemical characteristics of the soil and management activities: the greatest plant species diversity and the best plant population stability were established in flooded meadow in the riverside part of the Nemunas delta behind a levee in soil rich in phosphorus and potassium and low acidity. A similar number of plant species and similar ecological stability parameters were found in non-flooded meadow, whose soil was low in nutrients, but there was intensified farming.

PLANTAS DA AMAZÔNIA BRASILEIRA COM POTENCIAL LEISHMANICIDA in vitro

A preocupação em buscar novos fármacos para o tratamento da leishmaniose é cada vez maior em virtude da toxicidade dos existentes e do aumento da resistência do parasito, o que representa uma ameaça ao controle da doença. O presente estudo apresenta uma revisão bibliográfica sobre as plantas da Amazônia brasileira com potencial atividade leishmanicida in vitro. Constatouse uma grande diversidade de espécies vegetais da Amazônia brasileira com potencial para a investigação de novos fitoterápicos e metabólitos secundários com ação leishmanicida, além do tratamento de outras parasitoses negligenciadas. A presente revisão demonstrou que as espécies dos gêneros Casearia, Croton e Physalis são fortes candidatas para busca de novos fármacos, visto que apresentaram um IC50 menor que 1?g/mL em testes in vitro contra as formas promastigotas ou amastigotas de Leishmania spp. Ressalta-se a importância de estudos futuros sobre espécies que apresentem metabólitos terpenoides ou esteroides em virtude do potencial leishmanicida que têm demonstrado.

Coexistence of Two Congeneric Praying Mantids: A 7-Year Field Study of Reproductive Success and Failure.

Two species of Asian praying mantids, Tenodera angustipennis (Saussure) and Tenodera aridifolia sinensis (Saussure), which have become common to old fields in the northeastern United States, share a common resource base that raises the question of how they can coexist in the same habitat. We studied the reproductive output measured by numbers of oothecae of naturally established populations of these two species in an old field during 7 yr (2009–2015) of secondary succession. During the initial herbaceous vegetation-dominated stage, T. angustipennis oothecae were more abundant than those of its congener, but numbers steadily declined, until it had nearly disappeared by 2014. In contrast, numbers of T. a. sinensis oothecae increased from 2007 until 2014, and then sharply declined in 2015. The steady increase in abundance of this species throughout most of the successional development during the study may be owing to greater diversity of plant species used for oviposition. We believe that the most likely reasons for the continuous decline in T. angustipennis were a combination of intraguild predation by the larger T. a. sinensis, and egg parasitism by the wasp Podagrion mantis, which is not able to parasitize oothecae of T. a. sinensis. The later decline in T. a. sinensis may reflect the fact that the site had become dominated by trees, and neither of these species is typically found in forest habitats.

Estudo Etnobotânico de plantas medicinais utilizadas pela Comunidade do Sisal no município de Catu, Bahia, Brasil

A utilização de plantas medicinais é instintiva nos animais, visto que alguns destes buscam raízes, cascas, folhas ou frutos na tentativa de resolver seus males. O homem, por sua vez, aprendeu a utilizar estas informações empiricamente para fazer uso destes vegetais. A medicina popular é uma importante alternativa, provavelmente, a mais usada para a cura de doenças por parte de populações indígenas, quilombolas ou rurais. A Etnobotânica, por sua vez, encarrega-se de estudar e interpretar essa relação dos homens com o mundo vegetal. Devido ao seu grande potencial biológico e cultural, o Brasil apresenta uma infinidade de conhecimentos tradicionais e espécies vegetais importantes, o que torna esse país uma grande fonte de pesquisa na área. Visando avaliar o conhecimento tradicional da população rural do Sisal, Catu/Bahia, relacionado ao uso de plantas medicinais, este trabalho iniciou-se em julho de 2009, constando de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e estruturadas, gravações, registros fotográficos, coleta do material botânico indicado nas entrevistas com os informantes, tratamento do material coletado e incorporação ao Herbário da Universidade do Estado da Bahia (HUNEB). Foram identificadas e coletadas 54 espécies distribuídas em 46 gêneros e 28 famílias, sendo Lamiacaeae e Asteraceae as mais representativas. A maioria das plantas é constituída de ervas e cultivada nos quintais dos moradores. O estudo revelou que a comunidade apresenta uma medicina popular bastante rica, com grande diversidade de espécies vegetais e usos por parte da população.

The effects of substrate depth heterogeneity on plant species coexistence on an extensive green roof

Green roofs are often planted with mixtures of plant species. Studies of green roof plant community composition over time show that species diversity often declines, in part due to competition between plant species. The incorporation of substrate depth heterogeneity into green roof designs is expected to increase habitat heterogeneity, and could reduce interspecific competition among plants, but this has not been tested empirically. Two species with contrasting responses to substrate depth and water availability, Festuca rubra and Sedum acre, were planted in a rooftop substrate depth heterogeneity experiment. There were a total of four treatments: three homogeneous treatments (substrate depth 5cm, 10cm, and 15cm) and one heterogeneous treatment (patches with substrate depths of 5cm and 15cm), with the same substrate volume and average depth as the 10cm homogeneous treatment. By the end of the study period there was little difference in the ratio of species’ cover between the 10cm and 5/15cm treatment. However, there was significantly less spread of each species into areas planted with the other species in the 5/15cm treatment compared to the 10cm treatment, and the 5/15cm (heterogeneous treatment) had significantly greater overall plant cover. The results suggest that, while the effects are subtle, soil depth heterogeneity could allow coexistence of species associated with different conditions for longer than homogeneous conditions, and could result in greater plant species diversity in green roof ecosystems.