Sphagnum Research Articles

Egg-laying habitat selection of the invasive slug Krynickillus melanocephalus Kaleniczenko, 1851 (Gastropoda: Eupulmonata: Agriolimacidae)

Invasive slugs cause damage to biodiversity as well as to horticultural and agricultural crops. To develop methods to mitigate problems with recently emerging invasive species, basic ecological knowledge about them in their new environment is crucial. We investigated the egg-laying substrate preference of Krynickillus melanocephalus in a laboratory experiment in which the slugs could choose between four different substrates. Slugs were mainly observed in contact with birch leaf compost, and less so with gravel, potting soil and sphagnum moss. Almost 90% of the eggs were found buried in birch leaves, although eggs were found also in the other substrates. In addition, we tested the winter survival of the eggs by examining their susceptibility to low temperatures. Eggs subjected to freezing temperatures did not survive, and at 8 °C, 60–70% of the eggs hatched after three months (640 degree days). In areas where K. melanocephalus is present, transporting any soil, gravel or compost material could potentially contribute to spreading the species. Particularly, leaf composts may warrant attention in this areas.

The effect of casing and gypsum on the yield and psychoactive tryptamine content of Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer

Psychedelic fungi have experienced a surge in interest in recent years. Most notably, the fungal secondary metabolite psilocybin has shown tremendous promise in the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. The mushroom species that produce this molecule are poorly understood. Here we sought to examine for the first time, the response of a psilocybin-producing species Psilocybe cubensis to casing (peat moss and vermiculite) and supplementation with gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate), two common practices in commercial mushroom cultivation. Mycelial samples of genetically authenticated P. cubensis were used to inoculate popcorn grain bags. The fully colonized bags of popcorn grain (0.15 kg) were transferred to bins of 0.85 kg pasteurized horse manure, with or without 1 cm thick layer of casing and/or 5 % gypsum. Our results indicate that the use of a casing layer significantly increases the biological efficiency (161.5 %), by approximately four fold, in comparison to control (40.5 %), albeit with a slight delay (∼2 days) for obtaining fruiting bodies and a somewhat reduced total tryptamine content (0.85 %) as gauged by High Performance Liquid Chromatography measurements. Supplementation with both casing and gypsum, however, appears to promote maximal yields (896.6 g/kg of dried substrate), with a biological efficiency of 89.6 %, while also maintaining high total tryptamine expressions (0.95 %). These findings, revealing methods for maximizing yield of harvest and expressions of psychoactive tryptamines, may prove useful for both home growers and commercial cultivators of this species, and ultimately support the growth of a robust industry with high quality natural products.

Vegetation composition regulates the interaction of warming and nitrogen deposition on net carbon dioxide uptake in a boreal peatland

Abstract Peatlands are carbon sinks and have the potential to mitigate global warming. However, it is unclear whether peatlands will remain carbon sinks or switch to carbon sources under global changes, such as climate warming, elevated nitrogen (N) deposition and vegetation composition change. In this study, these global changes were mimicked in a boreal peatland for 7 years to explore the interactions of climate warming, elevated N deposition and vegetation composition on the carbon sink function of peatlands. The results showed that warming has a limited effect on net ecosystem production (NEP), while N addition decreased NEP by 65% owing to the detrimental effect on Sphagnum mosses. The negative impact of N addition on NEP could be mitigated by warming under intact vegetation. Under the treatment of graminoid removal, warming and elevated N addition (WN) decreased NEP by 80%–106%. Under the treatment of shrub removal, 7 years of WN treatment did not affect NEP. These results highlight the importance of vegetation composition in regulating net CO2 flux in peatlands. If peatlands shift to shrub‐dominated ecosystems, the net CO2 uptake in peatlands would be decreased under climate warming and elevated N deposition. If peatlands shift to graminoid‐dominated ecosystems, the net CO2 uptake in peatlands would be unaltered under climate warming and elevated N deposition. This study sheds new light on the interactions of climate warming, elevated N deposition, and vegetation composition change on the CO2 uptake of peatlands; and could help accurately evaluate the carbon sink function of peatlands under future global change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Effect of Organic Matter Application to the Soil and Spray its Extracts to Shoot on the Elements Availability and Yield of Pumpkin Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)

A field experiment was conducted in autumn season of 2012 in a private farm in Anbar state/city of Ramadi, in the soil of sedimentary soil (silty loam alluvial ) categorized as Typic Torrifluvent to study the effect of added organic sources of different fertilizers Peat moss and reeds and straw fermented aerobically level (10 tons H-1) and spray extracts of fertilizer after fermentation mentioned with four concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 g liter -1) on the total vegetative plant pumpkin squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) cv. Amjid. The factorial experiment was used according to Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. The total yield and early yield and NPK concentration was estimated in the shoot and the soil after planting. The Peat moss fertilizer showed a normally superior level of probability of 0.05 in the rate of overall early yield and yield of (4.23 tons h-1, 3546 kg Plant-1), respectively compared with other fertilizers. The Peat moss treatment give the highest concentration of N (1.60%), while Peat moss and straw gave the highest concentration of P in the shoot plant (0.53%), and reeds fertilizer gave the highest rate of concentration of K (1.28%). Peat moss gave the highest concentration of NPK in the soil after harvest(122.17 mlg kg-1, 12.40 mlg kg-1, 212.72 mlg kg−1) compared with other fertilizers. The (15 g L-1) concentration a significant superiority in the rate of overall and early yield of (3.35 tons h-1, 2.627 kg plant-1) respectively, compared with other concentrations, the same concentration had the highest concentration of NPK in shoot vegetation of ( 1.60, 0.54, 1.28 %). As well as, the concentration (15 g L−1) gave the highest rate in NPK concentration in the soil after planting at a rate of ( 112.91 mlg kg−1, 11.37 mlg.kg−1, 197.51 mlg.kg−1), respectively, compared to other treatments. The interaction between the (Peat moss and concentration 15 g. L−1) treatments, gave a significant superiority on the interaction of fertilizers and levels of other additions in the rate of overall yield and the concentration of NPK in the shoot of the plant and inside the soil after planting (4.92 tons h−1, 1.64 %,0.56%, 1.31 %, 130.00 mg kg−1,13.64 mlg kg−1, 223.29 ml kg−1), respectively. While the early yield characters excelled in the interaction treatment of (Peat moss and 10 g L−1 concentration) at a rate of (3.893 kg plant−1).

Studying of the Amount of Energy Required to Operate the Nursery Tray Planting Machine

A study was conducted at the University of Baghdad-College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences - Department of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment for the agricultural season 2023 with the aim of designing, manufacturing and testing a machine used to planting agricultural nursery tray with different types of vegetable or horticultural seeds or forest seeds of various forms, and using different agricultural media where they are conducted The planting process is by pulling the seeds with a negative pressure vacuum system, and then they are feding to the dishes in their right place to complete the planting process. The study included three factors: The speed of the main belt in three levels: 0.43, 0.66 and 0.90 m.sec−1 and three types of agricultural media: Petmus, mix of Petmos and silt 1:1 and silt, and three types of seeds that were planted. A factorial experiment was carried out using a design (CRD) with three replications using the least significant difference and a probability level (LSD = 0.05) to compare the mean of the coefficients. Some performance indicators of the machine were studied, including: Consumed electrical power, electric power, the productivity of the machine, and the efficiency of the machine in picking seeds. The results indicated The peat moss medium excelled in recording the least consumed electric power, which amounted to 2075.8 watts, and the lowest electric power, which amounted to 0.007751 kWh. And the third speed of the conveyor belt excelled in achieving the highest productivity of dishes per hour, amounting to 105.08 dishes.hour−1, and the first speed achieved the least consumed power, amounting to 2047.3 watts, and the least consumed electrical energy at the third speed, which amounted to 0.007703 kWh.

Sun-induced fluorescence spectrum as a tool for assessing peatland vegetation productivity in the framework of warming and reduced precipitation experiment

Northern peatlands store a large amount of carbon in the form of partially decomposed organic matter. Because the majority of northern peatlands are located in remote areas, remote sensing serves as a suitable alternative to traditional surveys, enabling to enhance our understanding of peatland vegetation. Among various optical remote sensing signals, sun-induced fluorescence (SIF) is the most directly connected to carbon assimilation by plants, making it a promising early-response indicator for assessing the impact of climate change on natural ecosystems. However, the behavior of SIF throughout the season and the strength of the relationship between SIF and carbon assimilation for peatland vegetation, which consists of peat mosses and vascular plants with diverse anatomy, morphology, physiology, and phenology, have not yet been studied. Therefore, we conducted the first comprehensive assessment of the full spectrum SIF, reflectance, and gross primary production (GPP) for two distinct peatland vegetation communities under control (C), warming (W), and warming with reduced precipitation (WP) conditions throughout an entire season. While we could detect clear differences in SIF and reflectance between the two vegetation communities for original, C, vegetation during the main growing season, these differences diminished when W and WP were applied. The W and WP conditions caused a more pronounced change in plant biomass for vegetation characterized by a higher proportion of peat mosses and low creeping shrubs, which resulted in significant changes in the SIF and reflectance spectrum. Our findings demonstrate that the domination of peatland by vascular plants that is expected due to future warmer conditions causes stronger seasonal variation of SIF, reflectance, and GPP. We observed that far-red SIF and the spectrally integrated full SIF spectrum strongly correlate (r2 > 0.85) with GPP regardless of vegetation community, temperature, and precipitation regime. However, the use of a novel multiple wavelength regression model using ten bands from the full SIF spectrum allowed for higher accuracy in the estimation of GPP compared to the use of single bands or integrated total SIF value. Moreover, such a model has a more stable performance when transferring from one vegetation community to another. Conversely, the correlation strength of traditional vegetation indices like the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index or MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index depends on the peatland vegetation community. While the SIF:GPP relationship exhibits similar r2 values for vegetation communities with different ratios of planophile and electrophile leaves, the slope of the linear model depends on this ratio. This study performed at the ground level shows for the first time the importance of full spectrum SIF for the monitoring of a heterogeneous ecosystem like peatland, which will help to better utilize the SIF products obtained through current and future satellite missions.

Treatment of cow manure from exercise pens: A laboratory-scale study of the effect of air injection on conventional and alternative biofilters

Woodchips in stand-off pads for wintering cows have been applied in countries like Ireland and New Zealand. Their primary role is to protect soils by effectively filtering nutrients during wet conditions, while ensuring a healthy and comfortable environment for the cows. The stand-off pad concept has the potential to be adopted in Canada to provide year-long outdoor access to tie-stall dairy cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of alternative filtering materials and bed aeration under controlled laboratory conditions. Twelve biofilter columns (0.3 m in diameter and 1-m high) were installed in 12 environmentally-controlled chambers (1.2-m wide by 2.4-m long), and divided into four treatments: a bed of conventional woodchips or an alternative mix of organic materials (sphagnum peat moss, woodchips and biochar) with and without aeration (flux rate set at 0.6 m3/min/m2). Approximately 0.6 L of semi-synthetic dairy manure and 1 L of tap water were poured on the biofilters during two experimental periods of 4 weeks, simulating the effect of either winter or summer conditions (room temperature below or over 10 °C) on the retention of nutrients and fecal bacteria. Results showed that the alternative biofilters under both summer and winter conditions were more efficient in removing COD, SS, TN, and NO3–N than conventional biofilters (maximum efficiencies of 97.6%, 99.7%, 96.4%, and 98.4%, respectively). Similarly for E. coli, they achieved a minimum concentration of 1.8 Log10 CFU/100 ml. Conventional biofilters were more efficient for PO4–P removal with a maximum efficiency of 88.2%. Aeration did not have any significant effect under the tested temperature conditions. Additional factors such as media adaptation time as well as aeration flow during this period should be considered.

The Implementation of Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Networks to Find the Best Germination Conditions for Lycopersicon esculetum Based on Its Phenological Development in a Greenhouse

The incorporation of biodegraded substrates during the germination of horticultural crops has shown favorable responses in different crops; however, most of these studies evaluate their effect only in the first days of seedling life, and do not follow up on the production process under greenhouse or open field conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenological development of Lycopersicon esculetum (tomato) seedlings in greenhouses that were germinated with biodegraded substrate mixed with peat moss. To find the best plant performance condition and determine whether the biodegraded substrate allows tomato plants to be obtained with the conditions for their production, the response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were used. Three response surface models and three neural network models were developed to analyze the plant growth, the leaf length and the leaf width. The results obtained show that plant height during the first days presented statistically significant differences among the different treatments, with an initial average height of 5.3 cm. The length of the leaves at transplantation was statistically different, maintaining a length of 2.4, and the width of the leaves at transplantation measured 1.8 cm. The RSM and ANN models allowed the estimation of the optimal value of the adequate amount of degraded substrate to germinate Lycopersicon esculetum and reduce the use of peat moss. The coefficient of determination (r2) indicates that the ANNs presented a better data fit (r2 > 0.99) to predict the experimental conditions that maximize the study variables; in this sense, the plants obtained with 100% biodegraded substrate showed a better development, which suggests its use as an alternative substrate in the germination process and to reduce the use of peat moss.

Effect of root imbibition with selenium and iodine on antioxidant compounds in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop

The use of trace elements such as iodine and selenium in agriculture is gaining great importance due to the benefits in plants before different types of biotic or abiotic stress. This research aimed to evaluate the seedling root priming with Na2SeO3 (0, 0,5, 1, 2, 3 mg L-1) and KIO3 (0, 100, 150, 200, 250 mg L-1) on the antioxidant compounds of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits and leaves. The crop was established under greenhouse conditions in 10-L polyethylene containers containing peat moss and perlite 1:1 (v/v), in a randomized complete block experimental design with a 52 factorial arrangement. In the fruits, the Na2SeO3 influenced the GHS, flavonoids, lycopene and β-carotene contents, while the KIO3 influenced the GHS, vitamin C and lycopene contents. The KIO3-Na2SeO3 interactions affected the GSH, phenols, flavonoids, lycopene and β-carotene contents in fruits. In the leaves the GHS content increased with the Na2SeO3, while the GSH, flavonoids, and chlorophyll contents increased with the KIO3 factor and KIO3-Na2SeO3 interactions. The evaluated enzymes in fruits and leaves decreased with the both the KIO3 and Na2SeO3 concentrations. The Na2SeO3 influenced the hydrophilic compounds by ABTS and DPPH, while the KIO3 influenced the hydrophilic compounds by ABTS. In the leaves, the KIO3 influenced the lipophilic compounds by ABTS. The KIO3-Na2SeO3 interactions influenced the hydrophilic compounds by ABTS in both the fruits and leaves. Seedling root imbibition in KIO3 and Na2SeO3 is a method that implemented in the tomato crop presents interesting aspects in the increase of the antioxidant capacity and the non-enzymatic compounds, such as vitamin C, phenols, flavonoids and GSH contents. However, this method presented an inhibition in the antioxidant enzymes.

Effect of Organic Additives on the Micropropagation of Asparagus officinalis

In vitro propagation is one of the most promising techniques for the large-scale clonal propagation of Asparagus officinalis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of organic additives, including coconut water (CW), banana homogenate (BH), and potato homogenate (PH), on A. officinalis shoot and root proliferation. The results revealed that CW, specifically at 20% (v/v), was the most effective organic additive for promoting shoot and root formation in the in vitro plantlets. Furthermore, the longest shoot and root lengths were also observed in the MS medium supplemented with 20% (v/v) CW. In the supporting medium of 1:1 peat moss and vermiculite, the in vitro plantlets exhibited a high survival rate with a morphology comparable to that of the mother plant. The results of this study demonstrate that CW can be applied as a supplemental material for large-scale A. officinalis micropropagation.

Sources, spatial-distributions and fluxes of PAH-contaminated dusts in the Athabasca oil sands region

Atmospheric deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has increased in northern Alberta, Canada, due to industrial development in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR). However, the sources, summertime deposition fluxes and associated spatial patterns are poorly characterized, and the magnitude of contamination has not been directly contrasted with comparable measurements around large Canadian cities. PAHs were measured in Sphagnum moss collected from 30 bogs in the AOSR and compared with reference moss collected from various remote, rural and near-urban sites in Alberta and Ontario. At all 39 locations, strong correlations between depositional fluxes of PAHs and accumulation rates of ash (n = 117, r = 0.877, p < 0.001) implied that the main source of PAHs to moss was atmospheric deposition of particles. Average PAH concentrations at near-field AOSR sites (mean [SD], 62.4 [24.3] ng/g) were significantly higher than at far-field AOSR sites (44.9 [20.8] ng/g; p = 0.038) or the 7 reference sites in Alberta (20.6 [3.5] ng/g; p < 0.001). In fact, average PAH concentrations across the entire AOSR (7,850 km2) were approximately twice as high as in London, Ontario, or near petroleum upgrading and major traffic corridors in Edmonton, Alberta. A chemical mass balance model estimated that both delayed petcoke (33 % of PAHs) and fine tailings (38 % of PAHs) were the major sources of PAHs in the AOSR. Over the 2015 summer growing season, we estimate that 101–110 kg of PAHs (on 14,300–17,300 tonnes of PAH-containing dusts) were deposited to the AOSR within a 50 km radius of surface mining. Given that the highest PAH deposition was to the northern quadrant of the AOSR, which includes the First Nations community of Fort MacKay, further dust control measures should be considered to protect human and environmental health in the region.

Molecular identification and in vitro propagation of the endangered medicinal Cleome droserifolia plant of Saint Katherine

The protectorate of Saint Katherine considers one of the biggest protected areas in Egypt characterized by a unique location and environment. It supports a high number of rare and endangered species. Cleome droserifolia (Rorida droserifolia) is an endangered plant found in Saint Katherine, Sinai, Egypt. It has been known for its medicinal uses so it becomes rare due to over-grazing and over-collection for use in traditional medicine, research and trade home use. DNA barcoding analysis and in vitro culture tools were conducted for saving the plant. This research supports the goal number 15 of the United Nations Sustainable Development (SDGs); aimed at preserving, restore and reinstate sustainable usage of terrestrial ecosystems and halting biodiversity deterioration. Two pairs primers of three DNA markers: [ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL), maturase K (matK) and trnH-psbA] were used for PCR amplification and sequencing. BLAST results and phylogenetic analysis proved a correct authentication of Cleome droserifolia on both; species and genus levels and confirms the involvement of Cleome droserifolia in Cleome genus. For in vitro propagation, cotyledonary node explants of germinated seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 0.27 µM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and 2.32 µM of kinetin (Kin). The highest mean number of axillary shoots was 8.16 shoots/explant. 85% of multiple shoots were successfully rooted on ¼ MS medium fortified with 7.42 µM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The successfully rooted plants were transferred to a mixture of sand, soil, and peat moss (1: 1: 1) and efficiently acclimatized in the greenhouse.

Density‐dependent emergence success of a tephritid fruit fly eclosed in soil as a factor contributing to density‐dependent pupation depth

AbstractThe oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), pupates in the soil, and the average pupation depth increases with the number of concurrently pupating individuals at the same location. This study aimed to explain the density‐dependent pupation depth in B. dorsalis. Previous studies demonstrated that increasing pupation depth has the benefit of reduced parasitism and predation risk and the cost of reduced emergence success (i.e., eclosed adults in the soil fail to reach above ground). It was hypothesized that density‐dependent pupation depth is governed by density‐dependent cost. That is, emergence success of eclosed adults increases with density because the soil is more easily loosened as the number of individuals increases. Pupating larvae can reduce parasitism and predation risk by increasing pupation depth, but only those in high density can afford to pupate at deep depths due to the associated cost. To test the hypothesis, density‐dependent emergence success in B. dorsalis was examined in the laboratory. Newly pupated individuals were buried in peat moss approximately 5 cm below the surface, and the relationship between the number of buried pupae (four levels: 1, 25, 50, and 100 pupae) and their emergence success was recorded. To manipulate the difficulty of emergence, the level of peat moss compaction was also varied. Emergence success was uniformly high when peat moss was not heavily compacted regardless of the number of pupae, but the number of pupae had a positive effect on emergence success when the peat moss was heavily compacted. In addition, the timing of emergence was more synchronized in the highest density than in the lower densities. The results of this study, in combination with the previous findings, support the hypothesis.

Effect of Foliar Spraying with Triacontanol and Iron Sulfate on the Growth and Flowering of Zinnia

The experiment was carried out during the spring season 2022 in the nursery of the Diyala Agriculture Directorate, to study the effect of foliar spraying with Triacontanol and iron on the growth and flowering of the zinnia plant -1, and denoted by Tr0, Tr5, Tr10, and Tr15 respectively, the research was carried out as a factorial experiment (4 × 4) according to the Randomized Compelet Block Design (RCBD), the research steps began by planting seeds in cork dishes containing peat moss On 3/14/2022, one seed was planted in each eye. The results of the experiment were summarized as follows: The foliar spraying with Triacontanol led to a significant superiority in all studied traits, as the concentration exceeded 15 mg.L-1 by recording the best results for the characteristic of plant height (24.71 cm), number of leaves (29.80 leaves. plant-1), and number of branches (7.80 branch. Plant-1), flowering time (21.00 days), inflorescence diameter (99.13 mm), and foliar spraying with iron sulfate led to a signficant superiority in all studied traits, as the concentration exceeded 0.4 g.l-1 by recording the best results for the plant height trait (26.79 cm).), the number of leaves (26.30 leaves.plant-1), the number of branches (7.22 branches.plant-1), the flowering date (23.76 days), and the diameter of the inflorescence (80.01 mm), while the interaction between the foliar spraying with Triacontanol and iron sulfate 1ed to superiority Signficant in all studied traits, as concentration treatment 15 mg.L-1 and 0.4 g.L-1 excelled by recording the best results for the characteristic of plant height (30.35 cm), number of leaves (30.90 leaves. plant-1), and number of branches (8.00 branches). Plant-1), flowering time (18.00 days), and inflorescence diameter (110.00 mm).

Effective Treatments for the Successful Establishment of Milkweed (Calotropis procera L.) under Water Deficit

The application of superabsorbents to soils and seed coatings is a pre-sowing seed treatment method that is commonly used to improve early vigor and establish stability and uniformity under water deficit conditions. To evaluate the interaction of seed coating and superabsorbent on Calotropisprocera L. (milkweed) under water deficit conditions, a greenhouse experiment was conducted. The experiment was conducted with four coating material levels (non-coated seeds and seeds coated with peat moss, vermicompost, and canola residue), four growth medium levels (soil, sand + soil, soil + 2 g superabsorbent, and soil + 4 g superabsorbent), and three field capacity regimes (25, 50%, and 100%) in a completely randomized design factorial arrangement with four replications. Reducing the field capacity from 100 to 25% led to decreased growth (shoot and root dry weights and leaf area) and chlorophyll content. The activities of SOD, CAT, APX antioxidant enzymes, and proline increased under drought stress. The use of superabsorbent polymers in growth media enhanced growth indices and chlorophyll content and decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline under water deficit conditions. The highest chlorophyll and growth indices were observed when 4 g of superabsorbent was added to the growth medium under drought stress. The application of 4 g of superabsorbent to the growth medium reduced the activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline. The use of seed coatings improved the growth indices, antioxidant enzyme activity, and chlorophyll content under drought stress. The most adaptive morphological and physiological responses to water stress were observed in the vermicompost-coated seeds. The vermicompost coating containing a superabsorbent polymer (4 g/kg soil) proved to be the best for establishing milkweed under mild (50% FC) and severe water deficits (25% FC).

Sphagnum cultivation sites as habitat for beetles (Coleoptera) and the effect of vegetation structure on species occurrence and abundance

The cultivation of peat mosses (‘Sphagnum farming’) is a new wet and climate-friendly agricultural use of degraded bog sites. However, it is largely unknown to what extent these surrogate habitats are used by bog fauna. This study investigated the potential of Sphagnum cultivation sites as surrogate habitats for beetles and evaluated the relationship between the vegetation structure and the occurrence of beetle species. In 2017 and 2018, comparative surveys were carried out at different sub-areas of two Sphagnum cultivation sites and one near-natural bog. Beetles living in and on the upper Sphagnum layer were studied by manually extracting quadrat samples. Vegetation surveys were conducted in the same quadrats to analyze the occurrence of beetle species based on vegetation parameters. We collected 926 individuals of beetles belonging to 89 species out of 17 families. At the different sections of the cultivation sites, 8–16 bog-typical beetle species were found, while at the sub-areas of the near-natural bog, there were 15 and 19 bog-typical species, respectively. The statistical analyses showed that vegetation structure influenced the numbers of beetle species and individuals at both the cultivation and near-natural sites.Implications for insect conservationA dense and high Sphagnum carpet is a fundamental habitat structure for the beetle fauna of cultivation sites, while vascular plants initially help to create habitat structures on bare peat. Conversely, if the vascular plants overgrow and shade the Sphagnum, this can have a negative effect on bog-typical beetle species, as shown at the near-natural site.

Sphagnum mosses, the impact of disturbances and anthropogenic management actions on their ecological role in CO2 fluxes generated in peatland ecosystems.

Mosses of the genus Sphagnum are the dominant vegetation in most pristine peatlands in temperate and high-latitude regions. They play a crucial role in carbon sequestration, being responsible for ca. 50% of carbon accumulation through their active participation in peat formation. They have a significant influence on the dynamics of CO2 emissions due to an efficient maximum potential photosynthetic rate, lower respiration rates, and the production of a recalcitrant litter whose decomposition is gradual. However, various anthropogenic disturbances and land use management actions that favor its reestablishment have the potential to modify the dynamics of these CO2 emissions. Therefore, the objective of this review is to discuss the role of Sphagnum in CO2 emissions generated in peatland ecosystems, and to understand the impacts of anthropogenic practices favorable and detrimental to Sphagnum on these emissions. Based on our review, increased Sphagnum cover reduces CO2 emissions and fosters C sequestration, but drainage transforms peatlands dominated by Sphagnum into a persistent source of CO2 due to lower gross primary productivity of the moss and increased respiration rates. Sites with moss removal used as donor material for peatland restoration emit twice as much CO2 as adjacent undisturbed natural sites, and those with commercial Sphagnum extraction generate almost neutral CO2 emissions, yet both can recover their sink status in the short term. The reintroduction of fragments and natural recolonization of Sphagnum in transitional peatlands, can reduce emissions, recover, or increase the CO2 sink function in the short and medium term. Furthermore, Sphagnum paludiculture is seen as a sustainable alternative for the use of transitional peatlands, allowing moss production strips to become CO2 sink, however, it is necessary to quantify the emissions of all the components of the field of production (ditches, causeway), and the biomass harvested from the moss to establish a final closing balance of C.

Modifying the Growing Media and Bio Stimulants Supply for Healthy Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) Flowers

AbstractGerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) cv. Jaguar Yellow is an ornamental plant of the Asteraceae family. Ordinarily, farmers use expensive materials such as peat moss as a media substrate in gerbera production, in addition to application high nitrogen fertilizers. Therefore, the current study was designed to assess the yield and quality changes of gerbera flowers owing to utilizing environment-friendly inputs under unheated plastic greenhouse conditions for two seasons of 2017/18 and 2018/19. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replicates, each replicate involved 5 pots per treatment. For preparing the soil substrate mixtures, four substances were used which involved peat moss (P), sand (S), vermicompost (V), and compost (C). P + S, P + S + V and P + S + C were assembled whether with or without Azotobacter+Azospirillum as bio stimulant (Bio) addition to obtain six combinations. Results showed that P + S + V + Bio was the effective practice for enhancing gerbera plant height, leaf width, root weight plant plant-1 and leaves weight plant-1. Also, P + S + V + Bio produced the maximum values of leaf chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents. The differences in flowering initiation between P + S and each of P + S + V, P + S + V + Bio, P + S + C and P + S + C + Bio were not significant. P + S + V + Bio (for flowering duration and flower yield), in addition to P + S + V (for flowering duration) recorded the highest values in both seasons.

Water table level controls methanogenic and methanotrophic communities and methane emissions in a Sphagnum-dominated peatland.

Peatlands are important sources of the greenhouse gas methane emissions equipoised by methanogens and methanotrophs. However, knowledge about how microbial functional groups associated with methane production and oxidation respond to water table fluctuations has been limited to date. Here, methane-related microbial communities and the potentials of methane production and oxidation were determined along sectioned peat layers in a subalpine peatland across four Sphagnum-dominated sites with different water table levels. Methane fluxes were also monitored at these sites. The results showed that mcrA gene copies for methanogens were the highest in the 10- to 15-cm peat layer, which was also characterized by the maximum potential methane production (24.53 ± 1.83 nmol/g/h). Copy numbers of the pmoA gene for type Ia and Ib methanotrophs were enriched in the 0-5 cm peat layer with the highest potential methane oxidation (43.09 ± 3.44 nmol/g/h). For the type II methanotrophs, the pmoA gene copies were higher in the 10- to 15-cm peat layer. Hydrogenotrophic methanogens and type II methanotrophs dominated the methane functional groups. Deterministic process contributed more to methanogenic and methanotrophic community assemblages in comparison with stochastic process. The level of water table significantly shaped methanogenic and methanotrophic community structures and regulated methane fluxes. Compared with vascular plants, Sphagnum mosses significantly reduced the methane emissions in peatlands. Collectively, these findings enhance a comprehensive understanding of the effect of the water table level on methane functional groups, with consequential implications for reducing methane emissions within peatland ecosystems.IMPORTANCEThe water table level is recognized as a critical factor in regulating methane emissions, which are largely dependent on the balance of methanogens and methanotrophs. Previous studies on peat methane emissions have been mostly focused on spatial-temporal variations and the relationship with meteorological conditions. However, the role of the water table level in methane emissions remains unknown. In this work, four representative microhabitats along a water table gradient in a Sphagnum-dominated peatland were sampled to gain an insight into methane functional communities and methane emissions as affected by the water table level. The changes in methane-related microbial community structure and assembly were used to characterize the response to the water table level. This study improves the understanding of the changes in methane-related microbial communities and methane emissions with water table levels in peatlands.

Establishment of An in Vitro Mass Propagation System for Dendrocalamus asper.

Dendrocalamus asper is a species of bamboo that has high commercial value and is the bamboo of choice for large scale agro-forestry plantations in the tropical regions of the world. Micropropagation using tissue culture is essential to generate uniform clones that are amenable to establishment in industrial agro-forestry projects for bamboo biomass, habitat restoration or in carbon sequestration. This paper reports on the establishment of D. asper invitro using commercially available seeds. The seeds were surface sterilized using three different chemical agents which were Sodium Hypochlorite (20%), Mercuric Chloride (0.1%) and Ethanol (70%) followed by shoot initiation on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) with a concentration ranging from 1.0 - 5.0 mg/L. Propagules were multiplied on MS media supplemented with different concentration of IBA Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) and Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA), and finally rooted and hardened in peat moss. The findings of our study indicate that the sterilization protocol eliminated all the plant pathogens, resulting in an axenic culture. Full strength MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L BAP yielded the highest number of shoots (11.46 per explant) after four weeks of inoculation. The highest multiplication rate (3.95 shoots per explant) was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 3 mg/L BAP. The time required from initiation to hardening was 70 to 90 days, following which the plantlets were ready for field trials. The findings of this study will facilitate the establishment of plant tissue culture programmes dedicated to the production of D. asper locally, thus eliminating the need for imports and the possible entry of plant pathogens that can be detrimental to the local agro-forestry industry.