Semi-aquatic Plant Research Articles

Floristic component of ecosystem of the Karalyk River

Karalyk River the right tributary of the river Big Irgiz. The channel has no permanent watercourse, in summer it occasionally dries up, so along the entire course meet earthen dams, retarding flood flows. The task of this work included a comprehensive assessment of the flora of the river, the characteristics of systematic, ecological and biomorphological composition. Furthermore, the authors investigated the resource value of the riparian-aquatic plants. A study of the flora revealed 53 species of semi-aquatic plants, hydrophytes amount to 11,3%, hygrogelophytes 7,5%, galofity (15%), hygrophytes 30,8%, hygromesophyte and mesophytae of 39,6%. The types of plants growing in the bed of the river Karalic and the coast represented by 28 genera from 24 families. The taxa belong to the classes Liliiopsida (11 families) and are represented by a (13 families). The greatest number of species observed for the Asteraceae Salicaceaе, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Lemnaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Polygonaceae, Lamiaceae, and Typhaceae, they contain from 7 to 2 species, the remaining 14 families represented by one species. Analysis of the flora of the river Karalic showed that the aquatic flora contains 18 species or 34% of the total species composition. Low species diversity is due to the high degree of erosion processes, active processes of sedimentation as a result of failure of coastal protection zones. Low water clarity inhibits the development of the typical aquatic plants.

RNA-seq of Ranunculus sceleratus and Identification of Orthologous Genes among Four Ranunculus Species.

Ranunculus L. is an early diverging clade in the Angiosperm phylogeny. The split between terrestrial and aquatic/semi-aquatic lineages within the genus occurred within 20 Ma (Emadzade and Horandl, 2011), which is much younger than for some well-known aquatic lineages such as Ceratophyllum and Potamogeton. Ranunculus sceleratus Linn. is a semi-aquatic plant commonly found in paddy fields, streams and lakes in Asia, Europe and North America (eFlora of China, http://www.efloras.org/). The plant has also been studied for its unique toxicological and pharmacological properties (Prieto et al., 2003). Its karyotype is 2n = 32, x = 8 in mainland China (Yang, 2000). It usually roots in inundated soils, with stems and leaves emergent. The semi-aquatic R. sceleratus has been hypothesized to be an inter-mediate type in the transition from a terrestrial to aquatic habitat within the genus (Barrett et al., 1993; Prieto et al., 2003). In this study, we generated RNA-seq data of R. sceleratus and analyzed this in relation to the RNA-seq data of Ranunculus bungei Steud., Ranunculus cantoniensis DC., and Ranunculus brotherusii Freyn (Chen et al., 2015). Our aim was to generate RNA-seq data of R. sceleratus and identify the orthologous genes among the four species. Links to deposited data RNA-seq data of R. sceleratus was deposited at NCBI sequence Reads Archive (no. SRP072329). It is in SRA format. ITS sequence of R. sceleratus was deposited in GenBank (no. {type:entrez-nucleotide,attrs:{text:KT957621,term_id:949478889,term_text:KT957621}}KT957621). All the unigenes of R. sceleratus, data matrices of ITS and chloroplast DNA, sequences of the 3455 putative orthologous clusters identified using the program OrthoMCL, and 884 clusters after filters were deposited in figshare (https://figshare.com/s/f40d8f9bd8f894f2d630; sequences in fasta format). These data can be used for further transcriptome assembly, selective pressure estimation, phylogenetic analyses, etc.

Oxidative Injury and its Detoxification in Rice Plants after Submergence Stress

Excess toxicity due to oxygen deficiency during natural submergence or flash flooding poses a potential hazard. Oxygen is essential of being alive for all the aerobic organisms. On the other hand, though the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can affect both positive and negative roles, or that the ROS acts as an oxidative molecule, yet it does have enough potential to cause toxicity in plants, such as rice (Oryza sativa L.) treated as semi-aquatic plant and is adapted to survive submergence for a considerable period of time. Further, rice can withstand submergence stress either by its inherent metabolic adaptations or by keeping its leaves above the water surface by continuously elongating the stem. The present work intends to review the physiological and biochemical adaptations of rice plants on re-oxygenation or re-aeration after the submergence stress.

A Decrease in Ambient Temperature Induces Post-Mitotic Enlargement of Palisade Cells in North American Lake Cress.

In order to maintain organs and structures at their appropriate sizes, multicellular organisms orchestrate cell proliferation and post-mitotic cell expansion during morphogenesis. Recent studies using Arabidopsis leaves have shown that compensation, which is defined as post-mitotic cell expansion induced by a decrease in the number of cells during lateral organ development, is one example of such orchestration. Some of the basic molecular mechanisms underlying compensation have been revealed by genetic and chimeric analyses. However, to date, compensation had been observed only in mutants, transgenics, and γ-ray–treated plants, and it was unclear whether it occurs in plants under natural conditions. Here, we illustrate that a shift in ambient temperature could induce compensation in Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae), a semi-aquatic plant found in North America. The results suggest that compensation is a universal phenomenon among angiosperms and that the mechanism underlying compensation is shared, in part, between Arabidopsis and R. aquatica.

Appraisal of ethnobotanical uses of the wetland plants of Punjab, Pakistan

Background: Aquatic and semiaquatic plants have a multiplicity of traditional and ethnopharmacological uses ranging from medicinal, famine food to fodder and others. Therefore, the present study was carried out during the years 2008-2011 to document the locally used medicinal, ethnobotanical and traditional data of aquatic and semiaquatic plants of the Punjab, Pakistan.Material and Method: Various visits of the study area were made to collect the data of these plants included local name, habit and habitat with special emphasis on their therapeutic uses against different human ailments. The local elderly, knowledgable people and herbal healers were also interviewed during the visits.Results: A total of thirty-four aquatic and semiaquatic plants were collected and out of these, eighteen plants belonging to the three monocotyledonous and fourteen dicotyledonous families were reported to medicinal and food value as well as found useful in making ropes, mats, baskets and soil binding.Conclusion: The wetland of Punjab (Pakistan) possesses a variety of medicinal plants that are being utilized against various human diseases, e.g.Respiratorial, dermatological, gastrontological, neurological and cardio-vascular diseases.Key Words: Ethnobotanical uses, wetland plants, and herbal medicines.

Impact of landscape structure on propagule dispersal in mangrove forests

Although many riparian and semi-aquatic plant species disperse via water currents, little is known about how this process interacts with the landscape matrix. In mangroves, the dense aerial root network could act as a strong dispersal barrier for the morphologically diverse propagules found in these trees. In this study, we combined field and laboratory experiments to test the effect of root density, propagule morphology and hydrodynamic variables on retention rates and trajectories of the propagules of 4 common species. Overall, flume experiments showed that larger propagules were more frequently retained than smaller ones. For the larger propagules, retention rates increased with increasing obstacle density in the landscape matrix. In elongated propagules, intraspecific variation was linked to floating orientation. Experimental wave action and increased water flow velocity reduced retention. Dispersal in the field was constrained by major tidal currents and experiments confirmed less retention of smaller propagules, which moved farther than larger ones. Overall, our results reveal that the pronounced morphological variation in mangrove propagules interacts with the landscape matrix, contributing to strong differences in dispersal capacity among species and morphotypes. These results may help to explain observed mangrove distribution patterns, including zonation at local, regional and global scales. Additionally, given that many mangrove biotopes are currently strongly threatened by human pressure and fragmentation, this information is important as an input variable for dispersal models that aim to predict dispersal patterns at multiple scales and species responses to environmental change.

Genetic Variability of Maryland and West Virginia Populations of the Federally Endangered PlantHarperella nodosa(Rose) (Apiaceae)

Abstract Riparian landscapes are dynamic systems and exhibit considerable spatio-temporal variation in stream flow and physical composition of stream substrates that provide habitats for many species. We investigated genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Harperella nodosa (Harperalla; Apiaceae), a federally endangered semi-aquatic plant. We employed a unique study design that involved sampling at regional, stream, and fine scales in 3 riverine systems in Maryland and West Virginia. Using intersimple sequence repeats (ISSRs), we found high levels of genetic diversity at all scales and pronounced fine-scale genetic structure. Pairwise correlation between geographic and genetic distance was scale-dependent. This study illustrates that temporal monitoring and multiple-scale plans are essential for conservation management programs for Harperella.

The Distribution, Biological and Ecological Features of Typha shuttleworthii (Typhaceae) in the Vyatka-Kama Cis-Urals, Russia

Typha shuttleworthii is the semi-aquatic plant in the modern areal which embraces mainly the ocean districts of Europe. The eastern border of the area of this species is located in Eastern Europe on the territory of Vyatka-Kama Cis-Urals (VKCU). Almost everywhere species is considered rare and is included in the Red Data Books in many European countries. However, on the territory of Russia, T. shuttleworthii is not protected. The rarity of this species makes it necessary to study its natural populations for their protection. In the paper, we present the materials on some biological and ecological features of the Typha shuttleworthii, growing on the territory of Vyatka-Kama Cis-Urals, where the species is represented by its extreme eastern populations. This species is offered to the protection on the territory of the European part of Russia within the Republic of Tatarstan and Udmurtia.

A developmental model for branching morphogenesis of lake cress compound leaf.

Lake cress, Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae), is a semi-aquatic plant that exhibits a variety of leaf shapes, from simple leaves to highly branched compound leaves, depending on the environment. Leaf shape can vary within a single plant, suggesting that the variation can be explained by a simple model. In order to simulate the branched structure in the compound leaves of R. aquatica, we implemented reaction-diffusion (RD) patterning onto a theoretical framework that had been developed for serration distribution in the leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana, with the modification of the one-dimensional reaction-diffusion domain being deformed with the spatial periodicity of the RD pattern while expanding. This simple method using an iterative pattern could create regular and nested branching patterns. Subsequently, we verified the plausibility of our theoretical model by comparing it with the experimentally observed branching patterns. The results suggested that our model successfully predicted both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the timing and positioning of branching in growing R. aquatica leaves.

Earliest record of semi-aquatic fern leaves (Family Marsileaceae) in the Mesozoic of Eurasia (Lower Cretaceous, Spain)

In this paper we present new macrofossils of semi-aquatic fern Family Marsileaceae consisting of leaves and leaflets from the upper Hauterivian- lower Barremian Pinilla de los Moros Formation, Salas de los Infantes village, Burgos province, north of Spain. The leaves show two elliptic to flabellate-shaped leaflets that are joined to a petiole. Leaflets present entire margins and dichotomous anastomosed vein pattern. Comparison between the studied leaves and other marsileaceous leaves indicates close similarities with Regnellites nagashimae species. These leaves were deposited in a related fluvial environment near to the place where semi-aquatic plants grew. The studied macrofossils constitute at present the earliest record of leaves of Family Marsileaceae in the Mesozoic of Eurasia at the moment.

Nutrient removal by Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. In the constructed wetland system

Significant results are achieved with the use of semiaquatic vegetation for purification of municipal wastewater as well as other types of waste waters. The first constructed system for purification of municipal wastewater was made at the end of 1970s years in the United Kingdom, with semiaquatic plants playing the role of phytoremediation plants. In Serbia, municipal waste water purification based on constructed wetland system method was applied for the first time in the village of Glo an near Novi Sad and it was put in operation in 2004. The recipient of purified municipal wastewater has been the Danube River. Biological factors in this anthropogenic ecosystem are emergent plants, with dominance of the common reed. This emergent plant with its roles in phytofiltration and phytoaccumulation positively influences the quality of waters finally discharged into the Danube. The paper presents the results of nutrients (N, P, K), organic matter and total ash contents in dry matter of dominant plant species Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. in Glo an constructed wetland system in the period from 2004 to 2007.

Host Plant Selection byRomalea microptera(Orthoptera: Romaleidae)

The eastern lubber grasshopper, Romalea microptera (Palisot de Beauvois) (Orthoptera: Romaleidae)[also known as R. guttata (Houttuyn)], is known to be polyphagous, but little else is known about its diet. Choice and no-choice tests were conducted to determine plant preference. In choice tests, 104 different plants were presented and relative preference was determined using ‘Romaine’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia; Asteraceae) as a standard. These included representative plants from several categories, including ornamental plants, weeds, shrubs, trees, vines, aquatic or semiaquatic plants, and vegetable crops. The grasshoppers did not display a statistically significant difference in selection, relative to ‘Romaine’ lettuce, for 20% of the plants evaluated; these should be considered very susceptible to injury because lettuce is a readily accepted plant. A few plants (3%) were more preferred than lettuce, and of course would also be at high risk for consumption. The majority of plants tested (77%) were significantly less preferred, but even some of these are at risk because, like other polyphagous insects, lubbers sometimes will feed on less acceptable plants when preferred plants are not available. A subset of these (n = 25) was also presented in no-choice tests, and the choice and no-choice responses compared. Plant preference in choice and no-choice tests was significantly correlated. A selection of ornamental plants (n = 10) that scored least-preferred in choice tests was assessed in no-choice ‘starvation’ tests, and 9 of the 10 proved to be quite resistant to grasshopper feeding. Several plants (n = 5) that produce foliage asynchronously were assessed in choice tests, with the grasshoppers preferring young foliage relative to old foliage. In field cage studies, the acceptability of plants significantly affected the efficacy of insecticide-containing baits, with significantly higher mortality found in cages containing non-preferred plants. Thus, host plant selection affects damage directly by regulating the amount of feeding, and indirectly by influencing acceptance of bait.

Effect of defoliation treatment on Mimosa pigra L. seedling survivability and resilience

Current advancements in the study of the theoretical basis of species interactions are helping scientists understand the basic parameters governing the dynamics of the interactions between generalist herbivores and their target plants. In practice, however, both inter- and intra-specific interactions between plants (as well as between herbivores and plants) within multispecies systems that are under the influence of interrelated biotic and abiotic variables are difficult to predict. Here, we discuss our findings on the effect of simulated herbivory on Mimosa pigra L. leaves on seedling survivability. In Malaysia, M. pigra, a semi-aquatic invasive plant introduced from the South American region, is already creating an ecological problem, especially in wetland habitats. To better understand the impact of herbivores on the M. pigra population, a simulated experiment of the herbivory effect on Mimosa seedlings was conducted. This experiment combined two treatments of simulated herbivory on the leaves of established Mimosa seedlings, that is, a two-level intensity treatment (50 and 100 % defoliation) and a seven-level frequency treatment (one to seven defoliations). The data suggest that Mimosa is highly resilient against herbivory. This plant was able to compensate for repeated losses, thus suggesting that the introduction of herbivores in an effort to totally eradicate the Mimosa population is unlikely to be successful.

Phytoremediation Potential and Nutrient Status of Barringtonia acutangula Gaerth. Tree Seedlings Grown Under Different Chromium (CrVI) Treatments

To investigate the effect of different chromium (CrVI) treatments on seedlings of semi-aquatic plant Barringtonia acutangula, hydroponic experiments were conducted. Results revealed that B. acutangula could tolerate much higher CrVI concentration accumulated about 751-2,703mgkg(-1) dry weight in roots and 50-1,101mgkg(-1) dry weight in shoots, respectively, under 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0mM chromium treatments. CrVI exposure at 1.0-4.0mM does not exhibit toxicity signs; however, up to 4.0mM CrVI exposure causes significant decline in growth parameters. Content of macronutrients such as Ca and K decreased under different Cr treatments in roots and shoots, while Mg content of roots and shoots did not influence at the range of 1.0-4.0mM Cr; however, significant decrease at 5.0mM Cr, besides P content, significantly shows increasing trends, respectively. Interestingly, sulfur content of roots and shoots show increasing trends at 1.0-2.0mM Cr; however, severe decrease of up to 3.0-5.0mM is shown in CrVI treatments. Furthermore, micronutrients content were enhanced under CrVI treatments excluding Cu and Fe since they show significant reduction in shoots as well as in roots. Bioaccumulation factor were also calculated on the basis of results obtained which shows the value of >1 without viewing chromium toxicity symptoms. This study demonstrated that B. acutangula could tolerate CrVI concentrations up to 1.0-4.0mM Cr which may be useful in chromium phytoremediation programs.

ORNAMENTAL AQUATIC AND SEMI- AQUATIC PLANTS IN COIMBATORE DISTRICT

The present study highlights the ornamental potential of aquatic and semi aquatic plant species collected from Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu. A total of 67 plant species belonging to 36 families distributed in 56 genera have been documented. From phytodiversity point of view, many aquatic and semi aquatic plants still remain unexplored.

PLANTS WITH TOXIC PRINCIPLES EATEN BY THE AMAZONIAN MANATEE (<i>Trichechus inunguis</i>) (MAMMALIA, SIRENIA)

In the Amazon, a large number of native and exotic toxic plants and of suspected toxicity has been described (see Tokarnia et al., 2007). Amazonian aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are consumed by a variety of aquatic organisms, including the Amazonian manatee, an herbivorous aquatic mammal of wide distribution in the Amazonian ecosystem. This species has been historically hunted by local communities until current days. In a recent study about the diet of Amazonian manatees in the Mamiraua and Amana sustainable development reserves, Guterres-Pazin (2010) reported on up to 49 plant species consumed by the manatee, most of which previously undescribed in the literature. Here we identify those plants of the Amazonian manatee diet that contain toxic principles and the effects of the toxic components on other (terrestrial) mammals.

Soil Texture Effects on Methane Emissions From Direct-Seeded, Delayed-Flood Rice Production in Arkansas

AbstractRice (Oryza sativa L.) is a semiaquatic plant produced globally as a staple food crop under flooded-soil conditions for the majority of the time it is actively growing. Prolonged flooding results in the rapid depletion of oxygen and renders the soil highly anaerobic and reduced, both of whic

Leaf optical properties in amphibious plant species are affected by multiple leaf traits

The amphibious plant species Sagittaria sagittifolia and Ranunculus lingua here serve as model systems to study differences in leaf optical properties of different leaf types that develop in aquatic and terrestrial environments. We aimed to determine leaf traits that explain most of the variability in the reflectance and transmittance spectra in the range from 280 to 880 nm. Comparisons of leaves of the same form revealed marked differences in their structures and particularly in the content of total methanol-soluble UV-absorbing compounds. Submerged leaves transmit radiation over the whole range measured, but emerged leaves transmit only at wavelengths from 500 to 650 nm, and above 690 nm. Redundancy analysis shows that biochemical leaf traits, namely the UV-absorbing compounds chlorophyll a and b, together with the specific leaf area (SLA), significantly affect the reflectance spectra, explaining 60% of the spectra variability. Pigment levels negatively affect reflectance, while the effect of SLA is positive. Physical traits like thickness of the palisade mesophyll, SLA, and thickness of the lower and upper epidermis, along with anthocyanin content, explain 62% of the transmittance spectra variability. This study provides new insight into the understanding of data collected for aquatic and semi-aquatic plants based on spectral analyses.

Reactive oxygen species mediate growth and death in submerged plants

Aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are well adapted to survive partial or complete submergence which is commonly accompanied by oxygen deprivation. The gaseous hormone ethylene controls a number of adaptive responses to submergence including adventitious root growth and aerenchyma formation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as signaling intermediates in ethylene-controlled submergence adaptation and possibly also independent of ethylene. ROS levels are controlled by synthesis, enzymatic metabolism, and non-enzymatic scavenging. While the actors are by and large known, we still have to learn about altered ROS at the subcellular level and how they are brought about, and the signaling cascades that trigger a specific response. This review briefly summarizes our knowledge on the contribution of ROS to submergence adaptation and describes spectrophotometrical, histochemical, and live cell imaging detection methods that have been used to study changes in ROS abundance. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is introduced as a method that allows identification and quantification of specific ROS in cell compartments. The use of advanced technologies such as EPR spectroscopy will be necessary to untangle the intricate and partially interwoven signaling networks of ethylene and ROS.

What do Local People Know About Amazonian Manatees? Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Trichechus inunguis in the Oil Province of Urucu, AM, Brazil

During 2005-2007, a series of interviews were carried out with the riverside populations of the Oil Province of Urucu (AM, Brasil). The main goal of this work was to characterize the knowledge of the inhabitants of this area regarding the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) (listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List). Interviews were conducted with 74 local inhabitants from 33 communities. Between 2004 and 2007, 20 poached or entangled Amazonian manatees were reported in the area. Poaching with harpoon is the principal cause of mortality, but manatees are also incidentally caught in fishing nets. Interviewers described details of manatee hunting techniques in the area. The trade of manatee meat, although currently forbidden by Brazilian laws, still occurs in the area. Data obtained from the interviews suggest a dietary preference of the manatee for at least 29 species of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. The interviewed fishermen showed a sound knowledge of Amazonian manatee biology and behavior. This information may be important to assist future conservation plans in the Amazon.