Shrub Plant Research Articles

Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk.) Sch.Bip instigates the ROS/FADD/c-PARP expression that triggers apoptosis in breast cancer cell (MCF-7).

Achillea fragrantissima is a shrub plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family in Arabia and Egypt. It is used as folk medicine and is a good source of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and some active compounds. To investigate the anti-cancer effect of A.fragrantissima on breast cancer MCF-7 cells and find the critical mechanism involved in apoptosis. The toxicity and pharmacokinetic studies of ethanolic extract of A.fragrantissima was examined for anti-breast cancer properties. In turn, cytotoxicity and cell viability were achieved by the MTT method. Furthermore, the trypan blue exclusion and microscopy examination proved the presence of apoptotic cells. Again, fluorescent staining such as AO/EtBr, DCFH-DA, Rho-123, and Hoechst-33342 reveals the cellular cytoplasmic disciplines upon A. fragrantissima effect. Moreover, cellular functioning tests like wound healing, colony formation, and Transwell invasion assay were demonstrated. In addition, the qRT-PCR technique authenticates the A. fragrantissima -induced apoptotic network genes (Caspase-3, Caspase-8, Caspase-9, Cytochrome c, BCL-2, BID, BAX, PARP, PTEN, PI3K, and Akt) expression were evaluated. Mainly, the Immunoblot technique proved the expressed level of apoptotic proteins such as cleaved PARP, CYCS, and FADD. This study confirmed that the A. fragrantissima exerts cytotoxicity at 20 μg/mL for 24 hrs in MCF-7 cells. Also, decreases cellular viability, producing apoptotic cells and damaged cellular surfaces with dead matter. Consequently, it creates ROS species accumulation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and fragmentation of DNA in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, it arrests cell migration, induces colony-forming ability loss, and suppresses cell invasion. In addition, A. fragrantissima significantly upregulates genes such as caspase-3, 9, cytochrome c, BID, BAX, and PTEN while downregulating the Pi3K/ Akt signaling. Nonetheless, A.fragrantissima induced cleaved PARP, CYCS, and FADD proteins in MCF-7 cells to avail apoptosis.

Lespedeza bicolor root extract exerts anti-TNBC potential by regulating FAK-related signalling pathways.

Lespedeza bicolor is a shrub plant that has been widely distributed in East Asia. The methanol extract from its LBR has been shown to exhibit anticancer and anti-bacterial effects. However, its anticancer efficacy in TNBC remains uncertain. This work aimed to study the anti-TNBC effect of LBR ethanol extract and its underlying mechanism. LBR triggered the cell death in TNBC through inhibiting cell proliferation, S-phase cell arrest, and induction of apoptosis. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the genes altered by LBR treatment were predominantly enriched in the cell adhesion. Notably, LBR inhibited phosphorylation and distribution of FAK. Furthermore, LBR demonstrated significant anticancer activity in xenograft tumors in mice through inhibiting cancer cell growth and inducing apoptosis. This work demonstrated the anticancer efficiency of LBR in TNBC without causing significant adverse effect, which providing a foundation for developing LBR based chemotherapeutic agents for breast cancer therapy.

Characteristics of vegetation and soil in Caragana korshinskii plantations in the hilly and sandy areas of northwestern Shanxi Province, China

We investigated the changes of soil nutrients and plant communities in the artificial sand fixation forests of Caragana korshinskii with different ages. The results showed that soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen contents increased with the stand ages, and were significantly higher in 40 and 50 year-old than other ages. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents recovered much faster in the surface layer (0-10 cm) than in others. Soil nutrient stoichiometric ratios (C:P, N:P) in the 0-10 cm soil layer differed significantly among different stand ages. With the increases of stand age, C and N contents in C. korshinskii leaves increased significantly, and reached the maximum at 50 year-old. Leaf P content increased first and then decreased, being maximum at 18 year-old. Leaf C:N first increased and then decreased, being maximum at 12 year-old. The contents of photosynthetic pigments and leaf C:P and N:P decreased first and then increased, being minimum at 18 year-old. C. korshinskii was mainly influenced by N availability before 40 year-old, but mainly limited by P after. The species number, density, and vegetation cover of annual and perennial herbaceous plants increased with stand ages, and the community shifted from a simple shrub plant community to a complex shrub-herb community. The biomass of C. korshinskii and herbaceous plants increased significantly with stand age, and had a significant positive correlation with the contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and N:P.

Trial for the propagation method in Flemingia spp., a shrub plant and a lac insect host in Thrissur, Kerala

Due to the challenges posed by the poor availability and germination of Flemingia spp. for lac insect cultivation, the Kerala Forest Research Institute in Thrissur experimented with the air layering method and stem cutting (Vegetative Propagation) to enhance the number of seedlings. The layering method was successful for all three treatments, although it is observed variations in the length of the roots. The plant treated with coco peat exhibited longer roots and a greater number of roots, followed by the plants treated with only soil and vermiculite. The stem cutting method (vegetative propagation) was also successful for both plants, suggesting that both techniques can be used as alternatives for cultivating lac insect host plants instead of relying on seed germination.

Results of reconnaissance surveys of arboretum of A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh research institute of forestry

The article presents the results of the inventory of trees and shrubs of arboretum of A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh research institute of forestry. The paper presents the taxonomic composition of 23 quarters with the identification of dominant plant forms and an assessment of the sanitary condition of plants by category. The taxonomic composition of tree and shrub plantations is represented by 42 genera, 22 families of 14 orders from the departments – Gymnospermae, Angiospermae. Of the identified 22,489 trees and shrubs, 89.6% are deciduous and 10.4% coniferous. The greatest taxonomic diversity was noted in the families Rosaceae and Pinaceae. It has been established that most plants belong to the first category. Quarters 18, 19.2, 22, 23 turned out to have the largest number of plants belonging to 5, 6 categories, which are recommended for removal. The arboretum has a large resource of trees and shrubs, acclimatized and adapted to the climatic features of Northern Kazakhstan, and can serve as a key object for the concentration of genetic diversity.

FEATURES OF ROADSIDE LANDSCAPING DESIGN OF CITIES

The article focuses on a detailed analysis of the legislative and regulatory framework and theoretical sources of domestic and foreign experts on the problem of making urban planning decisions on the organization of greening of the street and road network of urban settlements. The main functions of greening - urban planning and ecological - are singled out and characterized. A study of the street and road network of Kyiv was carried out with a decomposition of problem areas related to urban improvement and landscaping, namely: an inefficient surface drainage system, increased soil salinity along the roadway and pedestrian zones, a limited life span of tree and shrub plantings.
 The foreign experience of greening city streets was studied, where the main attention is paid to the restoration of biodiversity due to the sowing of onion grasses with a ban on mowing, planting trees and shrubs for nitrogen fixation and soil retention from landslides, erosion, significant wind load, preservation of soil moisture due to the use of various types of mulching for the vital activity of beneficial microorganisms and provision of water-soluble plant nutrients, arrangement of rain gardens and ditches, where moisture can accumulate after significant atmospheric precipitation and directly feed the plants that grow nearby, and already the excess rainwater is subject to extraction in the surface drainage network. 
 A principle model of the stages of selection of green spaces for the street and road network of cities is presented according to the following aspects: urban planning conditions and restrictions, agrotechnical and decorative properties of green spaces, performance of ecological and urban planning functions by green spaces. When organizing landscaping, the importance of taking into account the needs of different users of public spaces (drivers and passengers of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians), as well as the nature and function of adjacent buildings, is emphasized. The range of problems of the organization of greening of urban transport hubs and races of the city of Kyiv has been determined. The importance of developing uniform standards for the organization of greening of the street and road network of cities, criteria and indicators of the quality of greening, taking into account the functions and principles of greening organization, is emphasized. The development of the specified quality indicators will make it possible to approach the choice of plant assortment on city streets and roads in a balanced and rational manner, and the implementation of such urban projects will meet the requirements of time and the ecological state of urban settlements.

Assessment of Biological Activities, Acute and Sub-chronic Toxicity of Liang (Gnetum gnemon var. tenerum) Leaves Powder, a Natural Product.

Gnetum gnemon var. tenerum (Gnetaceae) is a shrub plant native to South-East Asia. In Thailand, Liang leaves are commonly consumed in South of Thailand as vegetable. According to literature, they have an antihyperglycemic capacity because of their rich chlorophyll, fiber, and protein. However, there is need to assess the safety since natural food products are not completely devoid of toxicity. This study aimed to assess the biological activities as well as the acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity of Liang leaves powder (LLP). The evaluation of LLP for acute oral toxicity was performed at dose level 2000 mg/kg body weight in Wistar rats while the sub-chronic oral toxicity of LLP was performed at the effective dose (1.47 g/kg) for antihyperglycemic property according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-425. The results showed that LLP demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities. It also showed no clinical signs of toxic effects and mortality in rats throughout 90 d. Thus, LLP could be classified in GHS category 5 which are of relatively low acute toxicity and then the lethal dose, 50% (LD50) cut off at 5000 mg/kg body weight to infinity (∞). Administration of LLP to the experimental rats significantly increased (p < 0.05) the concentration of triglyceride and increased concentration of creatinine as a result of kidney malfunction was also noticed in the experimental rats. Hematological alteration was not noticed in the treated female rats, but red blood cell, hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations significantly increased in the treated male rats. The study concludes that sub-chronic administration of 1.47 g/kg LLP is relatively safe.

Positive effects of mixed-species plantations on soil water storage across the Chinese Loess Plateau

Soil water storage (SWS) is a key variable influencing hydrological processes and vegetation function in arid and semiarid regions. Although convincing evidence indicated that mixed forests have higher resistance and resilience to climate change and natural disturbance than monocultures, it is unclear how mixed-species plantations affect SWS. By conducting a meta-analysis of 1071 paired observations in mixed-species plantations and monoculture plantations from 45 studies, we showed that, on average, the SWS of mixed-species plantations at 0–500 cm was 10.81% higher than that of monoculture plantations. Importantly, these positive mixture effects increased over time, with greater positive effects in mixed tree and shrub plantations. The effects of mixed-species plantations on SWS shifted from positive to negative with increasing soil depth, and these mixing effects in the topsoil layer (0–100 cm) became more pronounced with increasing stand age. However, the mixture effects on SWS did not vary with the mean annual temperature and precipitation. Moreover, mixed-species plantations were more conducive to enhancing the SWS capacity in areas with a low initial SWS. Structural equation models demonstrated that stand age was the main factor controlling the change in SWS, and soil depth also reduced the effect size of SWS by influencing the initial SWS. Our findings highlight that protecting and promoting functionally diverse forests improves SWS capacity, thereby alleviating soil moisture stress in arid and semiarid regions.

PSXIII-13 Effect of Supplementation of Red Osier Dogwood Extract on Feed Intake and Growth Performance of Newly Weaned Beef Calves

Abstract Red osier dogwood (ROD) is a Canadian native shrub plant that is rich in phenolic compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The high phenolic compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties would be beneficial to reduce oxidative stress, hence improve animal growth performance when animals are stressed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding ROD extract and the residue after extraction to newly weaned calves on feed intake and growth performance. Eighty crossbred Angus steers [initial body weight (BW), 254 ± 5.4 kg] were used and housed in individual feedlot pen. The experiment was a randomized complete block design in five treatments (16 steers/treatment). Five treatments were: 1) Control (without ROD); 2) 20 g/d ROD extract (RODLow); 3) 40 g/d ROD extract (RODHigh); 4) 100 g/d ROD residue (RODRes); and 5) 330 mg monensin/d (MON). The MON was used as positive control because it is commonly fed to feedlot cattle to improve feed efficiency and animal health. The experiment diet consisted of 60% silage and 40% concentrate (DM basis) and fed for 84 d. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of ROD extracts and the residue after extraction were determined. The high DPPH scavenging was observed for both ROD extracts (60.6 ± 4.7%) and residue (80.6 ± 1.7%) at the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. Dry matter (DM) intake (kg/d) overall did not differ between control (6.44) and ROD supplemented calves (average, 6.27), whereas the DM intake tended (P = 0.10) to be greater with ROD extract (4.97 kg/d) than control (4.56 kg/d) at the first 28 d. The final BW averaged daily gain and feed efficiency were not affected by increasing dose of ROD extract (0, 20, 40 g/d) or by adding 100 g/d ROD residue. The calves fed MON had reduced (P = 0.04) DM intake (5.72 vs. 6.32 kg/d) and decreased (P = 0.07) daily gain (0.81 vs. 0.94 kg/d) than other treatments. Fecal pH ranged from 6.98 to 6.17 and did not differ among treatments. These results indicate that feeding ROD extract or its residue to newly weaned calves may increase feed intake when the animals are stressed; however, its effect on growth performance and feed efficiency is not apparent under current feeding conditions.

Survey of Missouri Landowners to Explore the Potential of Woody Perennials to Integrate Conservation and Production

The state of Missouri, USA offers a unique opportunity for tree planting under several federal conservation programs. However, many landowners remain hesitant to enroll and take land out of agricultural production. This study explores the willingness of landowners to adopt agroforestry systems with food producing tree and shrub species through federal conservation program funding using mail and online surveys. Surveys followed the Dillman Tailored Design Method to collect data on landowners’ farm characteristics, production practices, and land management choices. Survey participants were sampled on a county basis within each of the six major geographic regions of the state. Twelve counties were randomly selected, and surveys were mailed to a proportional sampling of farm addresses gathered from each of the county tax assessor offices. The goal of the survey was to (1) identify landowners’ current land management practices and goals, (2) understand landowners’ perceptions of and preferences for different planting plans for their farm, and (3) capture landowners’ interest in participating in conservation programs to assist in the planting of trees and shrubs on their land. Our analysis of this survey found that landowners are receptive to agroforestry plantings, rating them higher on average than traditional agricultural land management practices. Landowner age, past participation in a conservation program, and presence of marginal land all had significant correlation with willingness to adopt agroforestry. The inclusion of technical assistance or federal conservation funding was found to increase the willingness of landowners to plant multifunctional agroforestry designs.

Greenness and biodiversity of open spaces in primary schools and their local surroundings in England

SummaryThere is increasing disconnect between children and nature in the UK. Given that childhood nature experiences are important for the development of nature connection, well-being benefits and aspects of children’s development, mapping the existing biodiversity that children are exposed to on a daily basis in schools and their grounds is vital to identifying areas of low biodiversity and to developing strategies to increase exposure to nature. Despite children spending a large portion of time at schools, there has not yet been an in-depth, in situ assessment of the biodiversity present in school grounds. Using a sample of 14 English schools, including state-funded and non-state-funded schools, we used remote images to quantify green-space area within a 3–km buffer around (buffer greenness) and within (school greenness) each school, including the school’s grounds surrounding the buildings, and in situ images to quantify vegetation visible to children within each school’s grounds (visible vegetation). We also surveyed trees, ground plants, ground invertebrates and birds within school grounds. School greenness correlated positively with visible vegetation, but buffer greenness was not related to either school greenness or visible vegetation. Buffer greenness correlated positively with plant richness, and school greenness correlated positively with tree abundance and richness. Visible vegetation correlated positively with tree abundance and richness, maximum tree diameter at breast height, plant richness and invertebrate abundance. Non-state-funded schools had higher visible vegetation than state-funded schools. Our sample indicates that schools can support considerable biodiversity and that this is broadly consistent across state-funded and non-state-funded schools. We suggest that increasing the amount of vegetation, through planting of trees, shrubs and borders, may be the most effective method of increasing school biodiversity, as visible vegetation had effects on the greatest number of taxa.

First Report of Leaf blight Caused by Colletotrichum karstii on Banana Shrub (Michelia figo) in Sichuan, China.

Banana Shrub (Michelia figo (Lour.) Spreng.) is widely cultivated in most of southern China (Wu et al, 2008). It can be used to make essential oil and flower tea（Ma et al, 2012; Li et al, 2010）.The first symptoms were observed in Sept. 2020 at a grower's field in Banana shrub seedlings (0.6 ha), Ya'an city (29°30'N, 102°38'E), Hanyuan county. The symptoms re-occurred in May-June of 2021 and became prevalent from August to September. the incidence rate and the disease index were 40% and 22%, respectively. Initially, purplish-brown necrotic lesions appeared at the leaf tip with dark-brown edges. Progressively, necrosis spread, to the middle of the leaves, and the older area turned gray-white. Dark sunken lesions appeared in the necrotic areas and orange conidial masses were visible under humid conditions. Ten isolates were obtained on potato dextrose agar (PDA) from 10 leaf samples using previously described tissue isolation method (Fang et al. 1998). All the 10 isolates exhibited similar morphological characteristics. Grey to white aerial mycelium at the center and in dispersed tufts, with numerous dark conidiomata scattered over the surface, reverse was pale orange with numerous dark flecks corresponding to the ascomata, orange conidial masses were formed from mature conidiomata. Conidia were hyaline, smooth-walled, aseptate, straight, cylindrical, apex round, the contents appearing granular 14.8 to 17.2 × 4.2 to 6.4 μm (average: 16.26 × 4.84 μm, n=30) as Colletotrichum spp. (Damm et al. 2012). For molecular identification, DNA was extracted from a representative isolate HXcjA using a plant genomic DNA extraction kit (Solarbio, Beijing). and the partial sequences of internal transcribed spacer region (ITS, OQ641677), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, OL614009), actin (ACT, OL614007), beta-tubulin (TUB2, OL614011), histone3 (HIS3, OL614010), and calmodulin (CAL, OL614008) were amplified and sequenced using the primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), GDF/GDR (Templeton et al. 1992), ACT-512F/ACT-783R, CAL 228F/CAL 737R (Carbone et al. 1999), TUB1F/Bt2bR, CYLH3F/CYLH3R (Crous et al. 2004), respectively. BLASTn analysis for ITS, GAPDH, CAL, ACT, TUB2 and HIS3 sequences showed ≥99.7% identity to C. Karstii, namely, NR_144790 (532/532 bp), MK963048 (252/252 bp), MK390726 (431/431 bp), MG602039 (761/763 bp), (KJ954424, 294/294 bp), (KJ813519, 389/389 bp), respectively. The fungus was identified as C. karstii based on morphology and a multigene phylogeny. The conidial suspension (1 × 107 conidia/mL) with 0.05% Tween 80 buffer was used for pathogenicity test, by spraying 2-year-old Banana Shrub plants. Ten plants were inoculated with spore suspensions (approximately 2ml per plant). An equal number of plants were sprayed with 0.05% Tween 80 buffer to serve as a control. Fifteen days later, the inoculated plants showed similar symptoms as the original diseased plants but the controls remained asymptomatic. C. karstii was re-isolated from the infected leaves and identified by morphology and a multigene phylogeny. The pathogenicity test was repeated three times with similar results, confirming Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Banana Shrub leaf blight caused by C. karstii in China. This disease reduces the ornamental and economic value of Banana Shrub, and this work will provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of the disease in the future.

Effects of clearcutting on species composition and community renewal of Rhododendron shrubs in northwest Guizhou Province, China

Tree base sprouting is the main reproduction and expansion mode of Rhododendron plants. By leveraging the plot survey method, the species composition, community renewal, and species diversity in three Rhododendron shrub communities in control, and before and after clearcutting (CK, D3yr, and D6yr, respectively) were studied. Moreover, the dissimilarity of Rhododendron communities in CK, D3yr and D6yr were analyzed. The results showed that there were 26 plant species belonging to 14 families and 22 genera, in 3 communities in total, with 19 species of shrub plants and 7 species of herbaceous plants. The number of species increased from 13 in CK to 23 in D3yr and then decreased to 20 in D6yr. The height and coverage of D3yr and D6yr reached 39.3% and 58.9% of that of CK, respectively. The relative height of CK, D3yr, and D6yr was 43.79%, 65.4%, and 58.54%, respectively. The coverage of D3yr and D6yr reached 60.8% and 114.70% of that of CK, respectively. The relative coverage of CK, D3yr, and D6yr was 19.05%, 83.24%, and 77.32%, respectively. The important value of Rhododendron plants in the communities increased from 0.42 in CK to 0.74 in D3yr, and then decreased to 0.67 in D6yr. The α diversity in the shrub layer of D3yr and D6yr were generally lower than those of CK except Pielou evenness index. The β diversity indicates that the similarity between CK and D3yr was lower, that between CK and D6yr was moderate, and that between D3yr and D6yr was higher. The sprouting height and coverage of Rhododendron plants was significantly correlated with age and sprouting time. The sprouting ability of Rhododendron plants increased first and then decreased with age, while the sprouting ability of Rhododendron plants with age of 10–12 years was the strongest. Clearcutting measures can improve the dominance of Rhododendron plants in the communities, promote the sprouting and renewal of Rhododendron population, and accelerate the succession rate of communities.

Stemflow temporal dynamics differ significantly between standing live and dead branches of two xerophytic shrub species

Shrub mortality due to self-thinning and climate change is a natural consequence of the long residence times of standing dead branches in unmanaged shrub plantations. Stemflow (SF) represents a key point source of input water and nutrients into the soil in shrub ecosystems. However, little information is available about how shrub mortality affects SF variables. In this study, we measured the SF volume (SFV), funneling ratio (FR), SF intensity, time lag to rain, and rainfall characteristics for live and standing dead branches of two major shrub species comprising Caragana korshinskii and Salix psammophila during the rainy season in 2022 on the Chinese Loess Plateau. The results demonstrated that the SF variables and temporal dynamic processes differed between standing live and dead branches of the two shrubs. For C. korshinskii, the mean SFV and FR were 1.9 and 1.8 times higher for live branches than dead branches, respectively, whereas for S. psammophila, the mean SFV and FR were 1.3 and 1.6 times higher for dead branches than live branches. These contradictory results can be explained by differences in the canopy structures of the species, such as the surface area that contributes to the generation of SF in the upper canopy, branch angles, and the degree of branch bark decomposition and decay. In addition, the SF variables were significantly temporally dependent on the rainfall characteristics. SFV, SFI, and SFD were positively and linearly correlated with the rainfall amount, intensity, and duration at the inter-event scale (P < 0.001). The influence of rainfall intensity on SF time lag to rain were not significant at the intra-event scale (P > 0.05). Considering the enrichment ratio due to canopy dry deposition and bark decomposition, the periodic flattening of dead S. psammophila branches to restore their growth is less significant than allowing them to die and renew naturally. These findings may serve as a reference for developing management practices for shrub species in areas with soil water and nutrient deficiencies.

Olax subscorpioidea prevented scopolamine-induced memory impairment through the prevention of oxido-inflammatory damage and modulation of cholinergic transmission

Ethnopharmacological relevanceOlax subscorpioidea oliv. is a shrub plant of the Olacaceae family with reported usage in ethnomedicine as a nootropic agent for the management of Alzheimer’s-like dementia. AimThe aim of this study is to investigate the nootropic potential of methanol extract of Olax subscorpioidea (MEOS) in scopolamine-induced Alzheimer’s-like dementia. Materials and methodsThirty male mice, assigned into six groups (n = 8), were used for this study. Group, I received distilled water, group II received scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.), groups iii-v received 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o. of MEOS and scopolamine (1 mg/kg/i.p.), and group vi received donepezil 5 mg/kg, p.o.and scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.). The animals were pre-treated with MEOS and Donepezil for 14 days, and scopolamine from the 8th to 14th day. Followed by cognitive, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and histology assessments. Results100 mg/kg MEOS significantly reduced transfer latency and increased discrimination index in the elevated plus maze and novel object recognition test cognitive assessments. 100 mg/kg MEOS, significantly reduced oxidative stress, protect endogenous antioxidants, suppressed neuroinflammation, and acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) activity. The histomorphometry study of the hippocampus revealed that MEOS prevented extensive pyknosis, karyolysis, chromatolysis, and loss of hippocampal neurons that accompanied scopolamine treatment. ConclusionMEOS protected against Alzheimer’s-like dementia via the suppression of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress associated with scopolamine-induced amnesic behavior.

Coordination of available soil water content and root distribution modifies water source apportionment of the shrub plant Caragana korshinskii

Stable isotopes have been widely used to identify root water uptake (RWU) by classifying potential water sources as distinct endmembers and evaluating their contributions to xylem water. However, the estimated contributions of endmembers (mainly soil layers) are usually based on variations in soil water isotopes alone. Available soil water and root distributions are key limiting factors of RWU but are rarely considered in water source apportionment. Thus, we have compared the relative contributions of distinct soil layers based on mean soil water isotope values, and values weighted by both available soil water content (AWC) and root weight density (RWD), to RWU of Caragana korshinskii. We derived these values (hereafter mean and weighted contributions, respectively) using three Bayesian mixing models (SIAR, simmr and MixSIAR) at three sites with different water conditions. We calculated the differences between the mean and weighted contributions (DC) and the accumulation of the absolute value of DC (AADC) to analyse the differences between them and their relationships with AWC and RWD. Both the weighted and mean contributions varied with sites and models. We obtained the following AADC values: 27, 8 and 11 % for Sites 1–3, respectively, using SIAR; 39, 13 and 14 %, respectively, using simmr; 68, 40 and 25 %, respectively, using MixSIAR. We detected a significant correlation between DC and RWD when AWC ≤ 6 %, as well as a significant correlation between DC and AWC when AWC > 6 %, indicating that the influence of RWD on DC depended on soil water conditions. Based on our findings, endmembers weighted by AWC and RWD altered the proportion of water source allocation relative to non-weighted endmembers, while the magnitude of the effect was related to the model used. Thus, we suggest careful consideration of the characterisation of endmember isotopes and model selection when partitioning plant water sources using δ2H and δ18O.

Beyond shrub dieback: Understory plant diversity, soil water and soil carbon storage were improved in a semi-arid region

Shrub plantation is an effective approach for controlling soil erosion and land degradation. However, the extensive dieback on shrubs as a result of climatic changes or soil drought may impair shrub plantations’ ecosystem functions in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, we sampled brown C. korshinskill plantations (shrub dieback > 90%), green plantations (shrub dieback was rarely < 10%) and an over-100 years’ natural grassland as the reference. The changes in plant biomass and diversity of understory vegetation, soil water storage (SWS) and carbon storage (SOCs) across of 0–10 m soil profile were analyzed. The results showed that, (i) the understory herbaceous biomass in brown plantations was 134.1 g m−2 and significantly higher by 49.5% than green plantations. The biomass and diversity of perennial forbs and annual/biennial grasses in brown plantations was also increased significantly; (ii) shrub dieback replenished soil water within 1–5 m depth. The SWS under brown plantations was significantly increased by 44.6% compared with green plantations, and reached 84.7% of that in natural grassland; (iii) the SOCs was notably higher in shrub plantations in the 0–10 m soil profile, increasing by 6.68% and 10.3% compared with natural grassland, respectively. SOC accumulation was mostly occurred at depths below 5 m under brown plantations. Overall, beyond shrub dieback, ecosystem functions of plantations were enhanced unexpectedly. The findings suggest that it was a blessing in shrub dieback disguise, understory herbaceous vegetation may maintain ecosystem functions of plantations in the semi-arid region alternatively.

Biochar amendment for reducing the environmental impacts of reclaimed polluted sediments

Dredging activities produce large amounts of polluted sediments that require adequate management strategies. Sediment reuse and relocation can involve several environmental issues, such as the release of CO2 and nitrogen compounds in the environment, the transfer of metals to plant tissues and the persistence of phytotoxic compounds. In this framework, the aim of the present work is to evaluate the use of biochar at different doses, in combination with plant growth, to reduce the environmental impacts polluted dredged sediments.Irrespective to the plant treatment, the amendment of the sediment with the lowest dose of biochar (3%) reduced by 25% the CO2 emissions of the substrate, by 89% the substrate carbon loss and by 35% the amount of nitrogen released into the environment (average values of the three plant treatments). The negative priming effect of biochar on organic matter mineralization can be responsible for the beneficial reduction of carbon and nitrogen release in the environment. The lack of similar effects observed at the higher biochar doses can depend on the low albedo of the biochar particles, causing the substrate warming (+1 °C for highest biochar dose) and accelerating the organic matter mineralization. Finally, shrub growth in combination with 3% biochar was able to offset the CO2 emission of the sediment and to reduce the amount of nitrogen lost.This work provides new insight on the potential benefit related to the biochar amendment of organic matter-rich dredged sediments, suggesting that the use of moderate dose of wood biochar in combination with shrub plantation can reduce the release of CO2 and nitrogen compounds in the environment.

Inhibitory effects of the anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum Murray on angiotensin-I-converting enzyme: in vitro and molecular docking studies.

Lycium ruthenicum Murray (LRM), a perennial shrub plant belonging to the Solanaceae family, is rich in anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, lipid-lowering, intestinal flora regulating, and other pharmacological qualities. This study was primarily aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of different anthocyanin purities from LRM on angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in vitro. Moreover, the inhibitory mechanism was further analyzed by molecular docking technology. Two main anthocyanin isomers were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and proton/carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, namely petunidin-3-O-[rhamnopyranosyl-(trans-p-coumaroyl)]-5-O-(β-d-glucopyranoside) (trans-Pt3R5G) and petunidin-3-O-[rhamnopyranosyl-(cis-p-coumaroyl)]-5-O-(β-d-glucopyranoside) (cis-Pt3R5G), with a molar ratio of 9:1. Three purification grades of Pt3R5G all showed excellent inhibitory effects on ACE, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) values being 0.562, 0.421, and 0.106 mg·mL-1 . Increasing the purity may reduce the IC50 within a certain concentration range. An enzymatic kinetic experiment showed that the inhibitory effect of Pt3R5G on ACE was reversible and non-competitive: Pt3R5G and substrate were not in competition for the active sites of ACE. Molecular docking technology further revealed the possible mechanism was that Pt3R5G and ACE amino acid residues were interacting by hydrogen bonds to exert the inhibitory effect. The results indicated that Pt3R5G from LRM was highly effective at inhibiting ACE activity in vitro, with the hydrogen bonds of Pt3R5G and ACE amino acid residues exerting the inhibition. As a potential plant-based ACE inhibitor, Pt3R5G can be used as a functional ingredient for antihypertensive effects. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cytotoxic Potential of Essential Oil Isolated from Clibadium Surinamese L Leaves Against T47D Breast and HeLa Cervical Cancer Cells

Semambu (C. surinamense L) plant is a shrub plant that is easy to find. Several terpenoid compounds have been isolated from this plant, previous studies have shown cytotoxic activity of terpenoid class compounds. Terpenoid compounds in a plant are mostly found in essential oils (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes). So far, there has been no report on the cytotoxic potential of essential oils from the leaves of this plant. It is necessary to isolate the essential oils from C. surinamense L leaves and test their cytotoxic potential. Isolation of essential oil of C. surinamense L leaves was carried out by hydrodistillation method, the oil was obtained in the form of a light yellow liquid with a specific gravity of 0.968 g/mL. Analysis of chemical components with Gas Chromatography-Mass-Spectrometry (GC-MS) through comparison of data from the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) found that there were 55 compounds (monoterpene and sesquiterpene groups) with six main compounds, namely β-caryophyllene (30.4%), β-sesquiphellandrene (8.46%), 3 carene (8.16%), α-bisabolene (4.05%), α-humulene (4.0%), and epi- bicyclosesquiphellandrene (4.0%). The potential cytotoxic test of essential oil from isolation showed highly cytotoxic activity with the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) method against Artemia salina L shrimp larvae with LC50 value of 0.9261 μg/mL and Microculture tetrazolium test (MTT) method against T47D breast cancer cells and HeLa cervix with IC50 values of 12.72 μg/mL and 30.14 μg/mL.