Shrub Plant Research Articles

Planting native trees in degraded grassy woodland does not restore species composition

SummaryRestoration of degraded former Cumberland Plain Woodland by planting of native trees and shrubs was undertaken by Greening Australia (NSW) on the Cumberland Plain, west of Sydney, Australia, from the mid‐1990s. Our study examined the success of this restoration in stands of two ages using species composition as the criterion. The starting point (pasture) and the target (reference woodland) were sampled to document the extent of progress of species composition from pasture through young (3–5 years) and old (9–11 years) restoration stands to reference woodland across three sites at two surveys. Comparisons showed restored stands of both ages differed significantly from pasture, and from each other, showing decreasing similarity between the restoration stands and pasture at all sites. Despite this, species composition in restored stands at all three sites was still significantly different from reference sites, showing that none had achieved the target reference state after 11 years. The trajectory of restored sites between the two surveys was not towards the reference state. Restoration resulted in the establishment of 20 (71%) of the planted species. Recruits from five planted species were found. A further 40 unplanted native ground layer species were found in restoration. Structurally, tree cover increased with time since restoration and was higher in the restored sites. Ground cover, which was very high in pasture was lower in some restored sites. The majority of the unplanted native species were resprouters, and their presence in the above‐ground vegetation was most likely by vegetative resprouting from the bud‐and‐tuber bank as ground cover was lower with the increase in tree cover and shade. Tree and shrub planting by itself has not yet progressed the restored areas to the species composition of reference sites. Additional tools will be needed to assist restoration, specifically the addition of re‐seeder native plants not able to persist through vegetative resprouting after restoration. Measures to control the burden of weeds present in the pasture seed bank are also required.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of an expressway sand protection system in a gobi region—case study of the Ceke–Ejina expressway, Ejina banner, China

Sand protection systems are widely used to shelter roads from blowing sand. Therefore, it's very important to evaluate their effectiveness. To provide some insights, we used field investigations, measurements of accumulated sand, work logs from sand-removal workers, and wind speed data to analyze a system's performance using China's Ceke–Ejina expressway as a case study. Our results demonstrated that the critical wind speed required to deposit sand on the expressway was 8.6 m s-1 (cumulative frequency 12.1%) before implementing the sand protection system. After implementing the system, the critical wind speed required to deposit sand on the road increased to 14.8 m s-1 (0.3%). However, the critical wind speed decreased to 11.1 m s-1 (3.5%) the next year. Additional work, such as digging ditches, increasing the fence height, and planting shrubs, would help the sand protection system retain its function. Nonetheless, the system continued to function well. The volume of sand removed decreased from ca. 10,000 m3 in 2015 to ca. 100 m3 in 2020. Our results quantify the effectiveness of the sand protection system and reveal how its effectiveness decreases over time. They therefore provide an empirical basis for improving the design and maintenance of sand protection systems.

Water Niche Characteristics of Subalpine Shrub in Eastern Qilian Mountains, China

ABSTRACTThe investigation and research of plant niche provide new ideas for understanding the extent of resource utilization by plants and the coexistence relationship among species. Taking the subalpine shrub plants in the eastern Qilian Mountains as the research object, the contribution rate of each potential water source to the shrub plants was estimated using the Bayesian mixed modelling (MixSIAR), and the spatial and temporal characteristics of their water niche were analysed quantitatively using Levins' niche breadth index and Pianka's niche overlap index. The results showed that shrub plants on the semi‐shady slope exhibited larger water niche breadth and overlap compared to those on the semi‐sunny slope, which indicated that shrub plants on the semi‐shady slope had strong adaptability to the water environment, but the competition for water among them was more intense. Furthermore, the water niche breadth and overlap of shrub plants decreased with the promotion of the growth stage, which was related to changes in precipitation and plant physiological characteristics during their growth cycle. Among the studied species, Potentilla fruticosa Linn., Salix oritrepha Schneid., Salix cupularis Rehd. and Rhododendron thymifolium Maxim. had broader water niche breadth in different habitats, indicating superior adaptability to the subalpine environment. Despite that the water niche overlap among shrub plants was high and their competition for water resources was intense, there was no absolute positive correlation between niche breadth and overlap. The research can provide a theoretical reference for the rational allocation of species during vegetation restoration in Qilian Mountain National Park.

Phytochemical contents and antioxidant activity Paliurus spina-christi Miller leaf and seed extracts: PASS predictions, in silico studies on xanthine oxidase and cytochrome P450 1A1

Paliurus spina-christi Miller (PSC) is a shrub plant with important biological activities. For this reason, the phytochemical and biological activities of the PSC leaf and seed extracts were investigated in our study. This study performs phytochemical analyses (total phenol and flavonoid content, LC-ESI-MS/MS, and GC-MS/MS) and bioactivity assays (antioxidant) for the PSC leaves and seeds. In silico study and PASS prediction of main compounds in LC-ESI-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS analysis were also investigated. The leaf extract showed a high total phenolic and flavonoid content. In addition, the contents of hesperidin (25.548 mg/g extract) were high in the LC-ESI-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS analyses. It was noted that the leaf extract's antioxidant activities were higher than standard. The molecular docking of hesperidin with xanthine oxidase and cytochrome P450 1A1 had high MolDock score (-179.68, -149.156) and binding energy (-11.40 kcal/mol, -9.90 kcal/mol), respectively. This investigation pioneered using PSC leaf extracts as food supplements and medicine.

Dynamics of soil water, temperature, and salt and their coupled effects in Haloxylon ammodendron forests of different ages in an arid desert oasis ecotone

Study regionThe study region is a typical desert oasis ecotone of the Hexi Corridor, Northwest China. Study focusBased on four years of in situ observational data of soil water, temperature, and electrical conductivity obtained from three Haloxylon ammodendron (H. ammodendron) forests (20, 30 and 50 years) in a typical desert oasis ecotone (DOE) of the Hexi Corridor, in this study, the mechanisms of change and coupled effects of water, heat, and salt in frozen desert soils along a long-term shrub plantation in a typical desert oasis ecotone are presented. New hydrological insights for the regionThis study revealed that changes in soil water, heat, and salt and their coupling effects were completely different between shallow (0–80 cm) and deep (160–200 cm) depths. At 0–80 cm, soil water gradually decreased in the 50-year-old H. ammodendron plot, but soil salt first increased in the 30-year plot and then decreased in the 50-year plot. When the freezing process occurred in the 0–80 cm depth interval, the soil water and salt contents decreased nonlinearly with the absolute value of the soil temperature (|T|), following a power function and logarithmic function, respectively. For the thawing process in the 0–80 cm depth interval, soil water and salt increased with increasing temperature, and there was a significant linear relationship between soil water and salt (P<0.01). In the 160–200 cm layer, soil water and salt significantly increased after 30–50 years during the growing season.

Carbon Sequestration Characteristics of Typical Sand-Fixing Plantations in the Shiyang River Basin of Northwest China

A predominant management practice to reduce wind erosion in the arid deserts of northwest China is the planting of shrubs. However, the carbon sequestration capacity of these sand-fixing plantations has not received much attention. In this study, the carbon sequestration capacity of six typical sand-fixing plantations (Haloxylon ammodendron (C. A. Mey.) Bunge, Caragana korshinskii Kom., Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb., Calligonum mongolicum Turcz., Artemisia desertorum Spreng. and Hedysarum scoparium Fisch. &amp; C. A. Mey.) in the Shiyang River Basin were compared and analyzed. We evaluated how carbon sequestration may vary among different species, and examined if plantation age or management style (such as the additional construction of sand barriers, enclosure) positively or negatively influenced the carbon storage potential of these plantation ecosystems. Our results showed that all six plantations could store carbon, but plant species is the controlling factor driving carbon stock accumulation in plantations. The actual organic carbon stored beneath 25-year-old T. ramosissima, H. ammodendron, C. korshinskii, H. scoparium, C. mongolicum and A. desertorum plantations was 45.80, 31.80, 20.57, 20.2, 8.24 and1.76 Mg ha−1, respectively. Plantations using a clay–sand barrier had 1.3 times the carbon sequestration capacity of plantations that only used wheat straw and sand barriers. Similarly, enclosed plantations had 1.4 times the carbon storage capacity of unenclosed plantations. Plantation age greatly impacts carbon sequestration capacity. A 25-year-old H. ammodendron plantation has a carbon sequestration capacity three times greater than that of 3-year plantation. We conclude that while afforesting arid areas, H. ammodendron and T. ramosissima should be prioritized, and priority also should be given to using clay–sand barrier and enclosure.

Research on the Effect of Planting Design on the Thermal Comfort of Campus Sidewalk in Tunghai University, Taiwan

The objective of this study is to elucidate the principal determinants influencing the thermal comfort of campus sidewalks, and to discern the nexus between sidewalk planting configurations and thermal comfort. Initially, thermal environment simulations are conducted across various temporal intervals, predicated upon the extant sidewalk planting configuration. Subsequently, an analysis is undertaken to delineate the causative factors contributing to suboptimal thermal comfort within the prevailing milieu. Finally, an evaluation of configurations conducive to enhancing campus thermal comfort through divergent planting design solutions is undertaken, thereby engendering discourse on sidewalk planting design. The findings show that impermeable pavement, encompassing sidewalks and driveways, emerges as the pre-eminent precipitant of diminished thermal comfort within the study locale. The implementation of a double-row staggered tree-planting approach, coupled with multi-layered shrub planting, emerges as the optimal solution for augmenting thermal comfort. Consequently, the outcomes of this study proffer discernibly superior alternatives for ameliorating the heat island effect and fostering the establishment of a sustainable campus paradigm.

Characteristics of inter-root soil bacterial community structure and diversity of different sand-fixing shrubs at the southeastern edge of the Mu Us Desert, China

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the effects of different shrub plants on the structure and diversity of inter-root soil bacterial communities, in order to provide scientific support for ecological restoration and revegetation of the Mu Us Desert.MethodsThree major shrub plants (Artemisia ordosica, Salix psammophila, Caragana microphylla) in the Mu Us Desert were selected for this study. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, the bacterial community structure and diversity in the inter-root soils of these plants were analysed in depth, and combined with the determination of soil physicochemical and microbiological properties, the response characteristics of the bacterial diversity in the inter-root soils of the different plants were assessed comprehensively.ResultsIt was found that although the soil pH did not show significant differences among different plant growths, the SOC, TN and TP contents were higher in Salix psammophila sample plot and Artemisia ordosica sample plot, which indicated that the plant growths had a positive effect on the soil nutrient contents. Through Venn diagram analysis, it was observed that the number of OTUs of bacteria in the soils of different shrubland sites varied, and all of them were higher than those in the soils of the sample sites where no plants grew, which indicated that plants had an effect on soil bacterial diversity. The bacterial Chao1 index were higher in the Artemisia ordosica sample plot sample site, suggesting that the growth of Artemisia ordosica contributes to the enhancement of soil bacterial richness. Soil bacterial communities showed compositional differences among different sample plots, especially the higher relative abundance of Betaproteobacteria in the Artemisia ordosica sample plot sample plot, which may be related to the increase of soil organic matter content.ConclusionThe results of the study revealed that specific plants, such as Artemisia ordosica, can significantly improve the soil nutrient status of windy sandy soils, increase soil organic matter and nitrogen content, and thus enhance the diversity and abundance of soil microorganisms. The bacterial community structure in the inter-root soils of different plants differed significantly, with changes in the relative abundance of the dominant phyla, such as Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria, reflecting the differences in soil nutrient status. These findings emphasise the important role of plants on soil chemical properties and microbial community structure, providing an important basis for soil management and ecological restoration.

Growth and productivity of stevia variety Cibodas Manis 3 (Stevia rebaudiana) in 40 days planting with agroforestry

Abstract. Choeriah MN, Wijayanto N, Batubara I. 2024. Growth and productivity of stevia variety Cibodas Manis 3 (Stevia rebaudiana) in 40 days planting with agroforestry. Biodiversitas 25: 3277-3283. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.) is a shrub plant that can be used as a substitute for sugar cane and has the potential to be cultivated in agroforestry ways. This study aims to analyze the growth and productivity of stevia in agroforestry systems compared to monocultures. Stevia was planted in 2 types of land, namely agroforestry and monoculture. The research location's soil and area's climatic conditions were observed stevia agroforestry was grown under pine, eucalyptus, and coffee trees. During stevia planting, the height was measured. Stevia was harvested 40 days after planting, and leaf area, number of leaves, leaf weight, and harvest productivity were measured. In addition, chlorophyll and stevioside yields were analyzed using UV VIS and LC-MS/MS spectrometry. Stevia in agroforestry land had higher chlorophyll and stevioside content than monoculture, although not as good as stevia in monoculture, which had higher height, number of leaves, leaf area, wet weight, dry weight, and productivity compared to agroforestry. The total stevioside produced from agroforestry land was 1.63 kg/ha, while it was 2.19 kg/ha from monoculture land. Stevia in agroforestry land also has a higher secondary metabolite content than in monoculture. This is related to the growing conditions that stress stevia. Pearson correlation test results also show a relationship between the amount of chlorophyll and the stevioside content in stevia plants.

Response of Soil Fungal Community to Reforestation on Shifting Sand Dune in the Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China.

Reforestation of native shrub on shifting sand dunes has been widely used for desertification control in semi-arid grassland in Northeast China. Previous studies have confirmed that plantation establishment facilitates fixing sand dunes, restoring vegetation, and improving soil properties, but very few have focused on the response of the soil fungal community. In this study, a chronosequence of Caragana microphylla (CM) shrub sand-fixation plantations (8-, 19-, and 33-year-old), non-vegetated shifting sand dunes (0 years), and adjacent natural CM forests (NCFs; 50-year-old) in the Horqin sandy land were selected as experimental sites. Soil properties including enzymatic activities were determined, and the composition and structure of the soil fungal community were investigated using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing technique based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA. This study aimed to (1) describe the response of the soil fungal community to revegetation onto a moving sand dune by planting a native shrub plantation; (2) determine the main soil factors driving the succession of the fungal community; and (3) discuss whether the soil fungal community can be restored to its original state by reforestation. The reforestation of CM significantly ameliorated soil properties, increased soil fungal diversity, and altered the composition and structure of the soil fungal community. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zoopagomycota were the dominant phyla in all sites. Ascomycota did not respond to plantation development, whereas the other two dominant phyla linearly increased or decreased with the plantation age. The relative abundance of dominant genera varied with sites and showed a waning and waxing characteristic. The composition and structure of the soil fungal community in the 33-year CM plantation were very close to that of the NCF, indicating the restorability of the soil fungal community. The succession of the soil fungal community was directly driven by soil properties, of which soil moisture, organic matter, total N, urease, and protease were the main affecting factors.

Is urbanization a driver of aboveground biomass allocation in a widespread tropical shrub, Turnera subulata (Turneroideae - Passifloraceae)?

Plant biomass allocation is mainly affected by the environment where each individual grows. In this sense, through the rapid global expansion of impermeable areas, urbanization has strong, albeit poorly understood, consequences on the biomass allocation of plants found in this environment. Nevertheless, the comprehension of biomass allocation processes in urban shrubs remains unclear, because most studies of urban ecology focus on tree species. This is an important gap of knowledge because a great part of urban vegetation is composed of shrubs and their association with trees have positive impacts in urban ecosystem services. In this study, we explored the ecological and potential selective pressure effects of an urbanization gradient on the biomass allocation patterns of aboveground organs of Turnera subulata, a widely distributed tropical shrub. We have demonstrated that, for certain reproductive organs, biomass allocation decreases in locations with higher urbanization. Unlike expected, the biomass of vegetative organs was not affected by urbanization, and we did not observe any effect of urbanization intensity on the variance in biomass allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs. We did not record urbanization-mediated trade-offs in biomass allocation for reproductive and vegetative organs. Instead, the biomass of these structures showed a positive relationship. Our data suggest that urbanization does not result in radical changes in biomass allocation of T. subulata, and neither in the variation of these traits. They indicate that the ability of T. subulata to thrive in urban environments may be associated with life history and morphological mechanisms. Our findings contribute to the understanding of shrub plant responses to urbanization and highlight urbanization as a potential factor in resource allocation differences for different structures and functions in plants living in these environments.

СЕЗОННЫЙ РИТМ РАЗВИТИЯ ЕВРОПЕЙСКИХ ВИДОВ РОДА SORBUS L. В ЮЖНО-УРАЛЬСКОМ БОТАНИЧЕСКОМ САДУ

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the results of phenological observations of introduced Sorbus L., their adaptation; to highlight the most stable and promising species for cultivation in the Bashkir Cis-Urals. A brief description of nine European rowan species from the collection of the South Ural Botanical Garden-Institute of the UFRC RAS (Ufa) is given, included in the sections: Sorbus C. Koch – S. aucuparia L.; Lobatae Gabr. – S. × thuringiaca (Ilse) Fritsch, S. × hybrida L., S. intermedia (Ehrh) Pers., S. mougeotii Soy – Willem. et Godr., S. teodorii Liljef.; Aria Pers. – S. aria L.; S. × latifolia (Lam.) Pers.; Chamaemespilus G. Hedi – S. chamaemespilus (L.) Crantz. The average growing season for European species is 151–171 days, the shortest for Western European S. aria is 151 days, the longest for local S. aucuparia is 171 days. As a result of cluster analysis of phenophases, the studied species were divided into 4 groups: early-blooming and early-flowering, mid-blooming and mid-finishing, late-blooming and late-blooming and late-ending. Differences in the timing of the onset of the main phenological phases may be genetically associated with species characteristics or with their origin, which, in different natural conditions of continental Europe, bloom, blossom, bear fruit and end the growing season at different times. Most of the studied European species (with the exception of S. aria) are characterized by unpretentiousness, so they can be used as an ornamental crop when creating landscape compositions and in private gardens. New to the collection, S. teodorii and S. × latifolia have proven themselves to be promising species with high winter hardiness and resistance, which will expand the range of tree and shrub plants in the Bashkir Cis-Urals.

Tissue-Specific Accumulation Profiles of Phorbol Esters in Response to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses in Jatropha curcas

Jatropha curcas L. (J. curcas), a shrub plant of the Euphorbiaceae family, has received enormous attention as a promising biofuel plant for the production of biodiesel and medical potential in ethnopharmacology. However, the tumor-promoter toxin phorbol esters present in J. curcas raise concerns for health and environmental risk as its large-scale cultivation limits the use of meal obtained after oil extraction for animal feed. Here, we determined the variation of phorbol ester profiles and contents in eight J. curcas tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and found phorbol esters present in all parts of the plant except the seed shell. We showed tissue-specific patterns of accumulation of phorbol esters and associated terpenoids at the transcriptional level with high transcript levels in reproductive and young tissues. Genes involved in the same module of terpenoids biosynthesis were positively correlated. We further present diverse abiotic and biotic stresses that had different effects on the accumulation of transcripts in terpenoids shared and branched terpenoid pathways in plant seedlings. The fine-tuning of terpenoids biosynthesis may link with ecological functions in plants under extreme environments and defense against pathogens.

CLARIFICATION TO "COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INDICATORS OF ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF CULTIVATION OF CHERRY SEEDLINGS WITH DRIP IRRIGATION" DOI: 10.12731/2658-6649-2024-16-1-722

Nikolskaya O.A., Semenchenko E.V., Solonkin A.V. Comparative Analysis of Indicators of Economic Efficiency of Cultivation of Cherry Seedlings with Drip Irrigation. Siberian Journal of Life Sciences and Agriculture, 2024, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 102-118. DOI: 10.12731/2658-6649-2024-16-1-722 The authors clarify the source of funding: The research was carried out within the framework of the state assignment of research work of the Federal Research Center of Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences № 122020100448-6 “Creation of new competitive forms, varieties and hybrids of cultivated, woody and shrub plants with high productivity, quality and increased resistance to adverse environmental factors, new innovative technologies in seed and nursery production taking into account varietal characteristics and soil and climatic conditions of arid territories of the Russian Federation” The original article can be found under DOI: https://doi.org/10.12731/2658-6649-2024-16-1-722

Microclimatic effects of introduced tree plantings in urban environment

Ecological role of urban green spaces is increasing in order to provide citizens with comfortable and safe living conditions in the new climatic realities through the use of ecosystem services of tree and shrub stands in the setting of reduced forest areas, native forest decline and acceleration of urbanization processes. However, in Europe and, in particular, in Ukraine, deterioration of the environmental condition and loss of ecological functions of urban green spaces are observed. One of the reasons for the loss of ecological potential of tree and shrub plantings is unbalanced approach to the development of green infrastructure in cities, when socio-cultural ecosystem services (decorative, aesthetic) are preferred over environmental and regulatory ones, including over climate-regulating services. The active use of introduced tree species has always been driven by the development of green infrastructure in modern cities; the share of these species in dendroflora of urban ecosystems is steadily increasing in Europe. Introduced tree species comprise the basis of urban green infrastructure; therefore, the issue of determining the potential microclimatic effects of these species becomes relevant. The influence of tree species (Acer pseudoplatanus, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Gleditsia triacanthos, Morus alba, Quercus rubra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia platyphyllos) introduced in the Steppe zone of Ukraine on the formation of microclimatic parameters (light intensity, temperature and relative air humidity) in the space beneath the tree canopy within monodominant group plantings is analyzed in Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University and park areas of Dnipro city. Beneficial effect of group plantings consisting of introduced tree species on the processes of optimizing the microclimatic conditions of the urban environment is revealed. Beneath the canopy of introduced tree species (compared to the reference open sites), light intensity decreased from 86.9% to 97.9% at midday in late July. The air temperature decreased from 3°C to 6.5°C, and the relative humidity increased by 2.5–9.8%, depending on the species of the tree. By increasing the microclimatic efficiency, the studied tree introducents were determined to form the following series: Gleditsia triacanthos – Robinia pseudoacacia – Fraxinus pennsylvanica – Quercus rubra – Tilia platyphyllos – Acer pseudoplatanus – Morus alba. Along with a significant climate-regulating effect, monodominant group plantings consisting of dense- and semi-dense crowned introduced tree species become "cooling islands" and play a significant role in optimizing the microclimatic conditions of urban ecosystems during the daytime and summer periods. At the same time, introduced tree species with naturally developed dense and semi-dense crowns can be prioritized for creating and reconstructing green spaces with recreational purposes in the cities situated in Steppe zone. The results obtained regarding the microclimatic effects of introduced tree species expand the scientific and theoretical base for the development of methods for optimizing the functionality of green infrastructure in cities by the construction of green spaces using tree species that have significant climate-regulating properties.

Intraspecific Trait Variation Regulates Biodiversity and Community Productivity of Shrublands in Drylands

Intraspecific variation (Intra-V) has played an important role in determining the responses of ecosystem functions to climate change. However, its specific role in the regulation of ecosystem functions during community assembly is less investigated. In this study, we conducted a transect survey in northwest China and determined different plant functional types, namely resource-conservative, medium, and resource-acquisitive strategies, which describe resource-use strategies of plants in multi-functional dimensions. Plant functional traits including canopy, wood density (WD), height, specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations were determined. Ecological filters, including external filtering (assembly processes at the regional scale), internal filtering (assembly processes within a certain community), and functional redundancy, were employed to examine plant environment interactions. We found that with the decrease in environmental pressure, dominant shrub plants changed from conservative to acquisition species in drylands. Specifically, a benign environment (such as stable and adequate precipitation, loose soil, and increased acid deposition) significantly increased plant mean traits, such as SLA and WD of shrubs, especially for conservative strategy plants. In addition, a benign environment mainly reduced the functional redundancy of SLA (FRedSLA) by strengthening internal filtering and, ultimately, increased aboveground biomass but decreased species richness. Our results suggest that conservative strategy plants with stronger adaptability to the external environment may exhibit more competitive advantages and play a more important role in community construction under future climate scenarios of gradual warming and wetting in northwest China. Our results also revealed that trait-based Intra-V may be a more reasonable ecological filter than plant mean traits for predicting the structure and function of dryland ecosystems.

Botanical and ecological characteristics of the floristic core of woody-shrub plant communities on technogenically devastated lands (Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine)

The long-term effect of man-made impact on the environment leads to a radical change in the biogeocenotic cover, among which a special place is given to the devased lands of the Kryvyi Rih region. Their area has increased significantly over the past fifty years and continues to grow and today is more than 30 thousand hectares. hectare. The process of restoring these lands, in particular the quarry-dump type, which were formed during open-pit mining, is usually slow, the natural vegetation cover here quite specific. The present study examines the results of assessing the floristic composition, ecomorphic characteristics, and vitality of woody and shrub plants that constitute the floristic core on technogenically devastated lands. The study utilized the results of our own research conducted from 2019 to 2023 on the territory of the disturbed areas in the Kryvyi Rih iron ore region. It has been determined that the floristic core on the devastated lands of the Kryvyi Rih region consists of 19 species belonging to 15 genera and 11 families. Within the ecological spectrum of the floristic complex (core) comprising woody and shrubby species, mesoxerophytes are prevalent, succeeded by mesotrophs, with a consistent occurrence of sciophytes and heliophytes. Our results indicate that the ecological conditions of the devastated lands are relatively favorable for the growth and development of woody and shrub plant species. It was found that the vital condition of the floristic complex (core) was assessed as «weakened». The condition of woody plants suggests the relative favorability of the ecological conditions of the dump for their growth and development.

The seasonal dynamics of cross-sectional tissue characteristics of Corylus mandshurica twig, petiole, and leaf vein are inconsistent

This study aims to explore how the environment affects the variation and trade-offs of anatomical traits in shrub plants, contributing to a deeper understanding of plant survival strategies and mechanisms of adaptation to the environment. The dominant shrub species Corylus mandshurica in the broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forest was selected as the research subject. Current-year twigs and leaves of C. mandshurica were collected in spring (May), summer (July), and autumn (September). Anatomical traits, including non-vascular column proportion (NVP), vascular column proportion (VP), phloem proportion (PP), and xylem proportion (XP), were measured for twigs, lower part of petioles, upper part of petioles, and leaf veins. We found that (1) Compared with seasons, organ type explained most of the variation in the four traits (NVP = 96 %, VP = 87 %, PP = 81 %, XP = 76 %). Lower part of petioles served as the turning point in the variation trend of tissue proportions in cross-sectional structure along the sequence of twigs, lower part of petioles, upper part of petioles, and leaf veins. (2) In spring, C. mandshurica exhibits higher NVP but lower VP and PP, while the results in summer and autumn are opposite to those in spring. Among different organs, twigs show lower NVP but higher VP and XP; whereas petioles and leaf veins show the opposite pattern. (3) Both hydrothermal conditions (monthly precipitation and mean monthly temperature) and light (canopy openness and total transmitted radiation) were the dominant environmental factors influencing anatomical trait variation. In different seasons, the response of NVP and VP in C. mandshurica twigs to dominant environmental factors was opposite to that of lower part of petioles, upper part of petioles, and leaf veins. The response of cross-sectional anatomical traits of current-year twigs, petioles, and leaf veins in C. mandshurica to seasonal changes exhibits distinct characteristics. Furthermore, twigs, petioles, and leaf veins demonstrate distinct survival strategies. Future research should focus on the variation of traits in different plant organs and their connecting parts.

Classification and Status by Geological Periods Relicts, Rare Species of Zakatala and Belokan Districts

The article provides data on period III relicts and rare tree and shrub species common in the forest ecosystems of the Zakatala and Belokan districts of Azerbaijan, and their classification and status by geological periods is given. As a result of research and analysis, the species Taxus baccata L., Hedera pastuchovii Woronow ex Woronow and Smilax excelsa L. were included in the relicts of the Poltava flora. In the forest ecosystems of the study areas, 6 tree and shrub relict species belonging to 6 families and 6 genera of the subtropical evergreen Poltava flora (mesothermal relicts of the Arctic flora of the III period) were identified: Taxus baccata L., Platanus orientalis L., Punica granatum L., Hedera pastuchovii Woronow ex Woronow, Smilax excelsa L. and Diospyros lotus L. With the exception of Smilax excelsa L., other 5 species are listed in the Red Book of the Azerbaijan Republic. In the Zakatala and Belokan districts, relict tree and shrub plants belonging to 15 families, 23 genera and 30 species of Arctic and deciduous Turgai flora (mesothermal relicts of the Arctic flora of the III period) are widespread. Of these, 10 species (Pinus kochiana Klotzsch ex K. Koch = Pinus sylvestris var. hamata Steven, Fraxinus coriariifolia Scheele, Castanea sativa Mill., Quercus iberica Steven ex M. Bieb., Pterocarya pterocarpa (Michx.) Kunth ex Iljinsk., Juglans regia L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Acer hyrcanum Fisch. ex C. A. Mey., Corylus colurna L., Vitis vinifera L., are considered rare plants of Azerbaijan. It was established that 38 rare tree and shrub species belonging to 35 there are 23 families.

Bioactivities of Prunus mahaleb: A Mini Review

The mahaleb cherry, which has the scientific name Prunus mahaleb L., is a fragrant shrub plant belonging to the Rosaceae family. The plant is commonly cultivated in the Mediterranean area. The people cultivated it for its essential oil and seeds, which have great therapeutic and nutritional value. It is widely distributed over North Africa, Central Asia, and Central-South Europe. The plant contains a variety of active constituents like coumarins, vital oils, polyphonic ingredients, and other phytochemical compounds that possess many pharmacological activities capable of improving people’s health. These activities include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, gastro-protective, neuroprotective, and diabetic management actions. Overall data for this literature review was collected from online sources such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, Research Gate, Elsevier, PubMed, and Web Science. In addition to that, the library of the pharmacognosy department was utilized to collect supplementary information on photochemical constituents, pharmacognosy, and pharmacological applications of mahaleb cherry. The gathered data was carefully examined and authenticated. The main aim of this review article is to uncover potential therapeutic activities of this plant that could be valuable in the future for therapeutic nutrition, as well as food and pharmaceutical industries.