Sympatric speciation has long been of key interest among biologists, investigating how selection drives speciation in the absence of geographic isolation. However, the evolutionary trajectories and genetic architectures that underlie sympatric ecological divergence remain poorly understood. For the annual fish, Neosalanx brevirostris, from lakes in the Yangtze River basin, two sympatric ecotypes exhibit differences in reproductive season, with one breeding in spring and the other in autumn. Reproductive timing is considered a 'magic trait' in sympatric speciation, as it is both ecologically relevant and facilitates assortative mating. Using population genomic approaches, we investigated the genetic architecture of the adaptive sympatric divergence in reproductive season and the evolutionary forces driving this divergence by comparing two breeding ecotype pairs from two lakes and their ancestral anadromous population. Population genetic structure results provided strong evidence that sympatric ecological divergence has evolved independently and repeatedly in both lakes. Furthermore, we identified a set of genome-wide candidate adaptive SNPs, which were present as standing genetic variations in ancestral population with high frequencies, and changes of allele frequency support that disruptive natural selection, induced by intensive resource competition, drove the reproductive season divergence. These adaptive SNPs were involved in various biological functions pertinent to reproductive timing, including photosensory, circadian entrainment, temperature sensing, and hormone signalling, highlighting the complex genetic architecture underlying reproductive seasonality. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolutionary trajectories and genetic architecture in the early stages of sympatric ecological divergence and speciation.

Reversed seasonality and distinct navigation cues in the Earth's two hemispheres may shape the evolution of migratory behaviour in animals. Migratory divides-contact zones where populations have evolved alternative migratory strategies-are well-documented in birds and typically occur longitudinally. We hypothesise that insect migratory divides are less likely to emerge longitudinally, but may exist latitudinally, driven by hemisphere-specific sensory adaptations that lead to spatial and temporal isolation. Here, we examine this hypothesis in the cosmopolitan painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui), whose Southern Hemisphere dynamics remain unexplored. Investigating the genomes of 300 individuals across Africa and Europe, we identify a 9 Mb chromosomal inversion on chromosome 8, which exhibits strong haplotype structure aligned with hemispheric origin, with a few potential heterozygotes near the equator. The inversion harbours 336 genes, including several directly relevant to migration. Notably, one inversion breakpoint intersects the gene encoding the GABA-B receptor, which responds to the neuropeptide γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), crucial for insect navigation. Our findings provide genomic evidence of a migratory divide in insects and highlight the role of inverted seasonality in the two hemispheres and genomic rearrangements as isolating barriers for highly mobile species.

Understanding why closely related species co-occur is one fundamental question in ecology. The seabream genus Acanthopagrus Peters, 1855 (Sparidae) is broadly distributed across the Indo-Pacific, with four species, A. arabicus and A. sheim (yellowfin group), and A. bifasciatus and A. catenula (doublebar group), coexisting in the Arabian/Persian Gulf. To investigate how phenotypic divergence facilitates coexistence, a comparative analysis of these four species was conducted across multiple morphological and life-history traits. Differences in body shape, otolith mass and maximum age separated the two species groups, indicating divergence in morphology, auditory characteristics and life-history strategies along the r-K continuum. Intra-group variation was also significant. Divergent growth trajectories and dentition patterns between A. bifasciatus and A. catenula suggest dietary niche partitioning as a potential driver of speciation, while the differences in the monthly gonadosomatic index patterns between A. arabicus and A. sheim indicate the role of temporal reproductive isolation in their speciation. These findings advance our understanding of ecological and evolutionary divergence within Acanthopagrus, highlighting that phenotypic diversification may emerge at multiple nodes across the genus's phylogeny.

Cereals and pulses are essential commodities for human nutrition in Africa. Seed quality is the vital input and precondition for good agricultural production. Good seeds are mainly supplied by the formal system, which is struggling to ensure its sustainability in Africa. Providing solutions to this systemic problem first requires making a diagnosis. This study aims to characterize the cereal and pulse formal seed production system in Cameroon. The study was conducted in the Sudano-Sahelian (SSZ) and Western highlands (WHZ) agroecological zones (AEZs) of Cameroon and consisted of a triangulation of information: (1) documentary research, (2) semi-structured interviews with seed certification managers and, (3) administration of questionnaires to seed producers. Cross-tabulations and chi-square tests revealed a statistically significant differential distribution of many seed system variables between AEZs, botanical category, cereal types, and legume types. Results reveal that seed production activity is strongly dominated by men with however a considerable proportion of women observed in WHZ (23.3%) compared to SSZ (1.5%). In this latter zone, the declared areas are much larger than in WHZ. Therefore, in order to preserve the purity of crops intended to be seeds, spatial isolation (72.2%) is mainly observed in SSZ against temporal isolation (58.1%) in WHZ. Diversity estimates of varieties and species in seed production were significantly higher in SSZ [H’ (variety) =2.86; H’ (species) = 1.68); richness (variety = 25); richness (species) = 6] compared to WHZ [H’ (variety) =2.31; H’ (species) = 1.13); richness (variety = 19); richness (species) = 6]. Seeds are mostly produced in monocropping system in both zones (95% in SSZ and 62% in WHZ) in comparison to intercropping system. Average yields are relatively low in both AEZs (1 to 2 t/ha for cereals and less than 32 1 t/ha for pulses). Although the low yield coupled with the unsold of all the seeds produced during the cropping season weakens the production system, the marked diversity observed in both AEZs is important for strengthening the sustainability of the seed production system in Cameroon.

ABSTRACTCoral species abundance and biodiversity estimates are typically based on colony macromorphology. However, such measurements often underestimate the true diversity within coral communities because morphology does not necessarily reflect behavioral or genetic divergence. We previously reported on the unusual spawning behavior of the brain coral Diploria labyrinthiformis (Linnaeus, 1758) in Curaçao, Southern Caribbean, where this species spawns in both spring and autumn. Here, using data collected from 2013 to 2021, we show that in Curaçao, D. labyrinthiformis comprises two behaviorally and genetically distinct lineages, with 93% of colonies spawning exclusively in one season or the other. The two lineages could not be distinguished based on obvious macromorphological differences or depth but represented clearly distinct genetic clusters (FST = 0.098) based on genome‐wide sequencing. We tested for prezygotic and postzygotic gametic barriers between them by fertilising eggs released in spring 2019 with sperm collected and cryopreserved in autumn 2018. Fertilisation in this unidirectional cross was successful and the resulting larvae developed normally, thus eliminating complete gametic incompatibility or early life postzygotic barriers as explanations for their divergence. Using observations from 19 other localities across the Wider Caribbean Region, we confirmed the co‐occurrence of discrete spring‐ and autumn‐spawning populations across a range of latitudes. Thus, we show that seasonal, temporal reproductive isolation (allochrony), but not gametic reproductive isolation, is a strong barrier to gene flow in sympatric lineages of this critically endangered reef‐building coral. More broadly, our findings underscore the role of allochrony in the creation and maintenance of cryptic coral lineages and the urgency of identifying, quantifying, and conserving this diversity before it is lost.

Abstract This study proposes and tests five temporally explicit models of message evaluation derived from work on supportive communication. Although most empirical work in this area is based on a limited number of time-scales (temporal isolation of messages or temporal aggregation of conversations), theories that direct that work have the potential to make much more sophisticated predictions of how supportive messages, and the conversations within which they occur, are evaluated. Using data produced by pairs of friends who engaged in 5-min supportive conversations, we articulated a series of theoretically informed models that examined how type, accumulation, and timing of conversational moves impacted how disclosers evaluated the supportiveness of the statements made throughout the conversation (evaluated by the discloser using video-assisted recall) and how they felt after the conversation. Results confirmed that (a) evaluations made throughout a conversation are related to post-conversation reports of supportiveness and emotional improvement, (b) different types of speaking acts are generally not differentially supportive, and (c) timing of some speaking acts matters—altogether suggesting we pay more attention to how we conceptualize and measure time in studies of enacted support.

Certification on a component level is highly beneficial in industrial automation because it allows for independent verification and updates without compromising the reliability of the overall system. Containerization technologies naturally address this demand by providing isolation between software modules. In particular, WebAssembly-based (Wasm) containerization is gaining popularity in industrial automation due to its inherent advantages, including cross-platform interoperability and secure execution of untrusted third-party code. However, Wasm’s strict sandboxing poses a significant limitation as it severely limits interaction with hardware devices, making it difficult to interface with sensors and actuators. This is a substantial barrier to adoption in industrial automation, where real-time and low-level hardware interactions are critical. To address this challenge, we present Wasm-IO , a framework designed to facilitate peripheral Input/Output (I/O) operations within WebAssembly (Wasm) containers. Wasm-IO allows the development of isolated device drivers in Wasm, explicitly moving hardware interaction to the container level. Our architectural approach facilitates containers with hardware interaction to be independently certified, updated, and maintained without adversely affecting each other. This article elucidates foundational methodologies and practical implementations supporting synchronous and asynchronous I/O operations and methods for embedding platform-independent peripheral configurations within Wasm binaries. Additionally, we present an extended priority model enabling interrupt handling in Wasm while maintaining temporal isolation. Our evaluation demonstrates that Wasm-IO significantly reduces latency and overhead compared to existing methods and traditional user-level driver implementations, effectively addressing certification and functional requirements critical to industrial automation systems.

BackgroundReproductive isolation mechanisms in flowering plants are fundamental to preserving species’ evolutionary independence and to enabling the local coexistence of closely related species. These reproductive barriers are expected to contribute to maintaining local diversity of highly diverse plant guilds, such as bromeliads in neotropical ecosystems. We evaluated how strong and effective these barriers are by analyzing different mechanisms that act before and after pollination in a guild of four epiphytic bromeliads from the genus Werauhia (Tillandsioideae) pollinated by bats in a Costa Rican montane forest.MethodsWe employed several reproductive isolation indices proposed in the literature to estimate the effect of flowering phenology, floral morphology, interspecific compatibility, production, and viability of hybrid seeds as barriers to gene flow between species pairs.ResultsThe overall reproductive isolation between species was complete or nearly so. We found that temporal isolation due to different flowering schedules between species significantly contributed to preventing interspecific gene flow. However, flowering data from four reproductive seasons showed interannual variation in the intensity of this temporal barrier due to fluctuations in the species’ blooming patterns. For species with overlapping flowering, mechanical isolation caused by differences in flower size and position of reproductive organs was significant, and such differences in flower architecture are thought to influence pollen deposition on different areas of the pollinator’s body. Postpollination barriers showed varying intensity, from full to partial interspecific incompatibility. When hybrid progeny was produced, the number of seeds and their germination capacity were lower compared to progeny from intraspecific crosses.ConclusionsOverall, prepollination mechanisms (phenology and floral design) were of great importance to eliminate pollen transfer between species and, when present, postpollination barriers had a redundant effect. Our results contradict previous reports that suggested a weak effect of premating barriers among bromeliad species. Additional studies involving other pollination guilds are required to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of different reproductive isolation mechanisms in the highly diverse Bromeliaceae family.

Meiosis is required for the formation of gametes in all sexually reproducing species and the process is well conserved across the tree of life. However, meiosis is sensitive to a variety of external factors, which can impact chromosome pairing, recombination, and fertility. For example, the optimal temperature for successful meiosis varies between species of plants and animals. This suggests that meiosis is temperature sensitive, and that natural selection may act on variation in meiotic success as organisms adapt to different environmental conditions. To understand how temperature alters the successful completion of meiosis, we utilized two species of the budding yeast Saccharomyces with different temperature preferences: thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae and cold-tolerant Saccharomyces uvarum. We surveyed three metrics of meiosis: sporulation efficiency, spore viability, and recombination rate in multiple strains of each species. As per our predictions, the proportion of cells that complete meiosis and form spores is temperature sensitive, with thermotolerant S. cerevisiae having a higher temperature threshold for completion of meiosis than cold-tolerant S. uvarum. We confirmed previous observations that S. cerevisiae recombination rate varies between strains and across genomic regions, and add new results that S. uvarum has comparably high recombination rates. We find significant recombination rate plasticity due to temperature in S. cerevisiae and S. uvarum, in agreement with studies in animals and plants. Overall, these results suggest that meiotic thermal sensitivity is associated with organismal thermal tolerance and may even result in temporal reproductive isolation as populations diverge in thermal profiles.

Mine ventilation systems are critical for ensuring operational safety, yet air leakage remains a pervasive challenge, leading to energy inefficiency and heightened safety risks. Traditional tracer gas methods, while effective in simple networks, exhibit significant errors in complex multi-entry systems due to static empirical parameters and environmental interference. This study proposes an integrated methodology that combines multi-path airflow analysis with dynamic longitudinal dispersion coefficient correction to enhance the accuracy of air leakage detection. Utilizing sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as the tracer gas, a phased release protocol with temporal isolation was implemented across five strategic points in a coal mine ventilation network. High-precision detectors (Bruel & Kiaer 1302) and the MIVENA system enabled synchronized data acquisition and 3D network modeling. Theoretical models were dynamically calibrated using field-measured airflow velocities and dispersion coefficients. The results revealed three deviation patterns between simulated and measured tracer peaks: Class A deviation showed 98.5% alignment in single-path scenarios, Class B deviation highlighted localized velocity anomalies from Venturi effects, and Class C deviation identified recirculation vortices due to abrupt cross-sectional changes. Simulation accuracy improved from 70% to over 95% after introducing wind speed and dispersion adjustment coefficients, resolving concealed leakage pathways between critical nodes and key nodes. The study demonstrates that the dynamic correction of dispersion coefficients and multi-path decomposition effectively mitigates errors caused by turbulence and geometric irregularities. This approach provides a robust framework for optimizing ventilation systems, reducing invalid airflow losses, and advancing intelligent ventilation management through real-time monitoring integration.

Over long-term evolutionary processes, sympatric affinities may develop reproductive isolation mechanisms, such as temporal isolation and ecological divergence, to maintain species independence. However, due to lacking strict geographic isolation barriers, sympatrically distributed closely related species may experience interspecific gene flow and genetic introgression, which can blur species boundaries. Here we focus on two sympatrically distributed Cycas species along the Lancang (Mekong) River in three populations from Southwest China, Cycas pectinata and C. simplicipinna, to investigate the extent of genetic introgression between them and how they maintain species boundaries. Using 16 microsatellite markers, we first genotyped and assessed the introgression patterns between the two species and their seedlings in each population. We further compared their geographical and ecological divergence, including the fine-scale spatial distribution, habitats, reproductive phenology, and pollinators, based on a systematic field survey across its entire range in China. We found that sympatric populations of C. pectinata and C. simplicipinna, along with their seedlings, showed no genetic admixture. Further evidence supports that the two species exhibited significant variations in habitat indicators such as slope position and soil pH. Additionally, significant differences were observed in pollinator communities and coning behavior. These findings indicate that there is no hybridization between C. pectinata and C. simplicipinna under natural conditions. Instead, they maintain species boundaries primarily through reproductive isolation driven by divergent coning times and pollinator specificity, coupled with niche differentiation. This study not only provides a representative case for understanding mechanisms of plant species boundary maintenance but also offers critical theoretical support for the reintroduction and conservation of cycads.

Mammalian circadian rhythms are driven by the transcriptional-translational feedback loop of clock genes in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus. However, chronic methamphetamine treatment induces circadian activity rhythms in arrhythmic animals with suprachiasmatic nucleus lesions or clock gene deletions. Activation of dopaminergic neurotransmission by methamphetamine is considered to induce activity rhythms. Adenosine antagonizes the actions of dopamine at heteromers of dopamine and adenosine receptors (dopamine D1 and adenosine A1 receptors, dopamine D2 and adenosine A2A receptors). In this study, we considered that adenosine inhibition acts similarly to methamphetamine and administered an antagonist of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors, caffeine, in drinking water. Chronic caffeine treatment extended the circadian activity period of wild-type mice under constant darkness. The circadian period extension continued for 3 weeks after the replacement of caffeine with water. Chronic caffeine treatment induced circasemidian (~12 h), circadian, and longer-period activity rhythms in clock gene deficient, cryptochrome (Cry) 1 and Cry 2 double knockout mice under constant darkness. These activity rhythms changed periods spontaneously over time and became arrhythmic upon caffeine withdrawal. In humans, rhythms with periods shorter or longer than 24 h are hypothesized to cause internal desynchronization of the sleep-wake rhythm from the ~24 h body temperature rhythm under temporal isolation. Circasemidian rhythms are hypothesized to cause afternoon sleepiness and naps. Caffeine-induced rhythms may help understand rhythms with periods shorter or longer than 24 h in humans.

ABSTRACTAimA major goal of island biogeography is to understand how island communities are assembled over time, and temporal isolation has been shown to affect species diversity. However, our knowledge of the indirect effect of temporal isolation on species diversity through other island characteristics is still limited, constraining our understanding of assembly processes on islands, particularly land‐bridge islands. The purpose here was to disentangle the direct and indirect effects of temporal isolation on three dimensions of diversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity) of small mammals on land‐bridge islands.LocationZhoushan Archipelago, China.TaxonSmall mammals.MethodsWe performed small mammal censuses on 39 land‐bridge islands and a nearby mainland site. We first used univariate linear regressions to test the relationships between diversity indices of small mammals and island characteristics, and then built piecewise structural equation models (SEMs) to disentangle direct and indirect effects of temporal isolation on multifaceted diversity.ResultsIn line with our expectation, temporal isolation directly affected taxonomic diversity and indirectly affected all three dimensions of diversity. The indirect effects of temporal isolation arose because young islands have larger island area and lower spatial isolation than old ones, and larger or remoter islands suffer stronger human activities, all of which affect species diversity. Importantly, the indirect effects of temporal isolation were strong for all three dimensions of diversity.ConclusionThe diversity indices respond differently to island characteristics, with mechanisms that directly and/or indirectly relate to temporal isolation. Future studies on temporal isolation effects should attempt to quantify indirect effects rather than only direct effects. Furthermore, considering multifaceted diversity will contribute to identifying the underlying processes for community assembly and planning effective conservation strategies for species diversity.

Factors outside the breeding season can affect population trends for migratory species. Yet information on population‐specific migration and nonbreeding ecology for most species is lacking, complicating conservation efforts. Louisiana waterthrush Parkesia motacilla and worm‐eating warblers Helmitheros vermivorum are Nearctic–Neotropical migratory songbirds that share breeding habitat associations, and occur in sympatry throughout most of their breeding distributions. Yet these species exhibit variable regional population trends on the breeding grounds, suggesting that processes outside of the breeding period may impact population growth. We used light‐level geolocators to track Louisiana waterthrush and worm‐eating warblers from four sites spanning their breeding distributions (Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, USA). We describe the geographic distribution of populations during the nonbreeding period and quantify interspecific variation in the timing of migration to assess the potential for factors outside the breeding period to impact population dynamics. From 2016 to 2020, we marked 153 individuals (85 Louisiana waterthrush and 68 worm‐eating warblers) across the four sites, and estimated migration timing, nonbreeding locations, and migratory connectivity for 24 Louisiana waterthrush and 21 worm‐eating warblers. We observed moderately strong migratory connectivity (MC) in both species (Louisiana waterthrush MC = 0.40 [0.25 SE], worm‐eating warbler MC = 0.44 [0.13 SE]) between breeding and nonbreeding sites, and a high degree of overlap (i.e. > 50%) among most populations' nonbreeding core‐use areas. Moreover, populations experienced largely similar environmental conditions (measured by enhanced vegetation index) during the nonbreeding period. On average, Louisiana waterthrush initiated migration ~ 40 days earlier than worm‐eating warblers across the annual cycle, and this trend was strongest in southern breeding populations. These findings emphasize the value of leveraging multiple species into full‐annual cycle studies to identify when and where factors limiting populations of migratory species may occur. Additionally, we demonstrate that migratory species that co‐occur during stationary periods of the annual cycle (i.e. breeding and nonbreeding periods) can experience strong temporal isolation during seasonal migration.

Nocturnists are clinicians from multiple specialties who work predominantly at night. Although the nocturnist role has expanded, little to no literature addresses their career trajectories. Given their temporal isolation from diurnal colleagues, nocturnists have noted concerns of career stagnation and lack of mentorship, highlighting an inability to harness career development and promotion opportunities without leaving night work. This article outlines strategies for nocturnists to leverage their unique clinical and educational experiences to develop scholarly niches, enhance job satisfaction, and build promotion-worthy portfolios. Drawing on real-world examples from academic nocturnists, the authors explore opportunities in 3 key domains-educational service, clinical care, and health systems leadership-and how each can be leveraged to enhance scholarly productivity. Strategies to address barriers, such as the physical hardships of night shift work, the need to sleep during daytime professional development activities, frequent turnover, and generally negative attitudes from trainees regarding night shift work, include flexible scheduling, structured mentorship programs, and institutional recognition of nocturnist contributions. By leveraging these approaches and receiving institutional support, nocturnists can achieve academic success, contribute to the medical literature, and advance toward promotion.

Urbanization modifies ecosystems by fragmenting natural habitats and increasing isolation between populations. Therefore, a reduction in gene flow among isolated populations is expected with greater distance and time since fragmentation. Changes in the structure, density, or community composition of the remaining habitats often result in species' differences in acoustic and morphological traits. However, the relationship between genetics, vocalizations, and morphological divergence in urban areas over time remains poorly understood. We analyzed ten years of genetic, acoustic, and morphological data from isolated populations of the white-eared ground-sparrow. We recorded and measured five acoustic traits, six morphological traits, and used seven microsatellites (SSRs) to compare the effect of urban expansion on the acoustics, morphology, and gene flow patterns across populations over a 10-year period. We found an increase in inbreeding, song duration, number of elements, and frequency of maximum amplitude, but a decrease in female body size and changes in male beak, decreasing size in one population and increasing in another. In general, we found changes in all characteristics studied but only found a significant correlation between genetic diversity and the acoustic characteristics of songs. Our results corroborate that urbanization acts as an important barrier for white-eared ground sparrows, which leads to significant divergence in genetic and behavioral traits.

Hole C0020A during Ocean Drilling Expedition 337 is the deepest hole in scientific ocean drilling (depth of 2466 m below the seafloor). The presence of microbial and fungal communities serves as firm evidence for life within sediments. The isolated from the core and cultivable in the laboratory strain S. commune 20R-7-F01, which has existed in a deep subseafloor environment for over 20 million years, is being considered a high-quality genome model for studying its evolution and environmental adaptation mechanism. We questioned the origin of the strain from the sediments using high mutagenic simple sequence repeats of DNA. The full genome analysis of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-motifs of DNA revealed no regularities in the quantitative distribution of motifs in different S. commune genomes. At of common trinucleotide motifs loci, strain 20R-7-F01 has the highest percentage of similarity (48.8%) among East Asian strains, which indicates an intensive genetic exchange. According to a multidimensional scaling of 1938 common simple sequence repeats of DNA loci, no signs were found that would indicate the spatial and temporal isolation of the 20R-7-F01 strain. The extreme insufficient of water, and oxygen, high temperature and pressure at the level of 2 km below the ocean floor, and the tetrapolar mating system make it impossible growth of mycelium with different nuclear status and formation of basidiocarps. The general obtained data confirm the terrestrial origin of S. commune strain 20R-7-F01 and the territory of the Far East of the Russian Federation (approximately Khabarovsk, Primorsky Krai) is the probable place of origin.

Hardware-assisted virtualization extensions for LEON processors in mixed-criticality systems

Background: Parasitism is an abiotic stress that significantly threatens plant growth and severely impacts crop productivity. Plants have developed complicated regulatory mechanisms to cope with stressful conditions, undergoing morphological and biochemical changes. Objective: The article presents the first comprehensive analysis of the Medicago sativa response to the penetration of flowering parasites Orobanche lutea and Cuscuta alba. The outcome of this study aim to enhance crop quality comprehend their bioactive properties and pinpoint optimal strategies for their utilization in preventing and treating human and animal health issues. Methods: Medicago sativa, Orobanche lutea and Cuscuta alba were collected in the Ararat province, located in southeastern Armenia. The plants’ morphological structures and leaf parameters were observed. The prooxidant activity was determined by the potentiometric method. The content of total phenols, flavonoids and catechins were determined by a spectrophotometric method. Pigments were separated and identified using thin layer chromatography and a spectrophotometric method. Results: The in-situ observations of M. sativa plant and ex-situ measurements of its leaves infected by O. lutea and C. alba reveal a significant negative impact on both the reproductive success and the vegetative aspects. Infected plants exhibited minimal inflorescence development, also, substantial reductions in leaf dimensions were observed. The analysis of prooxidant activity revealed that M. sativa exhibits inherent prooxidant properties, which are amplified in the presence of parasites. The influence of dodder on prooxidant activity is much more significant (14-38%) than that of broomrape (8-42%). The percentage changes in total phenolic content were more pronounced in the presence of C. alba, but flavonoid decline was more pronounced in the presence of O. lutea, suggesting a differential impact of the two parasites. Although catechin content was not affected, photosynthetic pigments of the host plant were significantly (28-57%) reduced by the parasites. Conclusion: Findings indicate a clear morphological alteration induced by parasitic infestation. The parasites, particularly O. lutea can cause temporal isolation and allochronic speciation in M. sativa populations. Biochemical analysis highlighted a complex interplay between the host and the parasite. The biochemical impact of the parasite is reflected on the host’s primary and secondary metabolism. The observed morphological and biochemical changes highlight the need for further research to explore potential mitigation strategies, selective herbicide development, and biocontrol measures against parasitic plant infestations in agricultural ecosystems. Keywords: alfalfa; Orobanche lutea; Cuscuta alba; parasites plants; morphophysiological observations; bioactivity.

Improved NaS Battery State of Charge and State of Health Estimation: A Novel Integration of Temporal Fusion Transformer, Isolation Forest, and Support Vector Regression