<i>Hemerocallis</i> spp. exhibit distinct flower opening times, categorized into nocturnal and diurnal types. Previous studies have demonstrated that the circadian clock and <i>CONSTANS</i> (<i>CO</i>) genes play crucial roles in regulating flowering in <i>Hemerocallis</i>. However, the key genes that integrate flowering pathways remain largely unknown. To address this gap, we identified potential homologs of the <i>FLOWERING LOCUS T</i> (<i>FT</i>) gene in <i>Hemerocallis</i>. A yeast one-hybrid assay revealed that HfCOL2 and HfLHY directly bind to the <i>HfFT1</i> and <i>HfFT2</i> promoters, thereby activating <i>FT</i> transcription. The expression analysis reveals that <i>HfCOL2</i> expression rhythms not only display opposing patterns between nocturnal and diurnal opening types of <i>Hemerocallis</i> but also between leaf and flower tissues. The peak expression of <i>HfCOL2</i> in flowers aligns closely with the respective opening times of diurnally and nocturnally flowering <i>Hemerocallis</i>. The overexpression of <i>HfCOL2</i> in tobacco plants led to early flowering and prolonged flower longevity. In <i>Hemerocallis</i>, the <i>HfCOL2</i> gene plays a pivotal role not only in photoperiod-induced flowering but also in the circadian rhythm-mediated regulation of flower opening time. Due to the limited availability of plant materials exhibiting distinct flower opening rhythms, research in this area has been constrained. Identifying the key genes in the flowering pathway of <i>Hemerocallis</i> can facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms by which plants respond to circadian rhythms.
The foraging environment is a critical source of microbes for wild birds, yet its role in shaping the gut microbiota of sympatric crane species remains poorly understood. This study investigated this relationship in the Yellow River Delta wetland by analyzing the microbial communities of paired foraging environments and fecal samples from Common Cranes (<i>Grus grus</i>) and White Cranes (<i>Grus leucogeranus</i>) via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Significant inter-group differences in alpha diversity (ACE, Chao1, Shannon, Simpson) indicated strong environmental filtering effects. Beta diversity (PCoA) revealed pronounced segregation between foraging and fecal samples (PC1 = 25.0%), underscoring a significant microbial turnover between the environment and the gut. Dominant phyla included Proteobacteria (24.6–37.4%), Firmicutes (4.8–29.0%), and Actinobacteriota (12.4–23.3%). LEfSe identified genus-level biomarkers highly specific to sample type and host, including <i>Ligilactobacillus</i> (12.1% in Common Crane feces) and <i>Cryobacterium</i> (9.2% in White Crane feces). SourceTracker analysis indicated that >70% of gut microbial sources remained unknown, suggesting a vast uncharacterized environmental reservoir. Functional prediction highlighted group-specific adaptations, such as elevated amino acid transport metabolism in Common Cranes (9.8% vs. 7.1%; <i>p</i> < 0.05), potentially linked to local dietary resources. Our findings demonstrate that the gut microbiota of cranes is synergistically shaped by host-specific factors and the unique saline–alkaline foraging environment of the wetland.
Equity in urban greenery is essential to improving residents’ well-being and contributing to environmental justice. Research on equity in street-scale urban greenery remains limited, but this study addresses it by employing the green view index (GVI), a widely recognized indicator for assessing green space quality from a pedestrian perspective, using semantic segmentation methods and Baidu Street View (BSV) images to quantify street-level greenery. Through spatial clustering and hot spot analysis, the visibility and spatial distribution of street greenery in Hangzhou’s central urban area were examined. Furthermore, the Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient, and location entropy were applied to evaluate disparities in green visibility across urban spaces. The results show that the average GVI at the sample point level, road level, and district level in the study area are 0.167, 0.142, and 0.177, respectively. Meanwhile, the spatial heterogeneity of the GVI is highly pronounced, with distinct clustering characteristics. The Gini coefficient of street greenery visibility is 0.384, indicating a moderate level of inequality in the distribution of greenery resources. Notably, a higher GVI does not necessarily correspond to better internal greenery equity, highlighting disparities in the distribution of urban greenery. This study offers a more precise and refined quantification of urban greenery equity, providing critical insights for addressing spatial disparities and informing urban planning strategies aimed at promoting equitable green infrastructure.
To investigate the regioselectivity of lipase-catalyzed synthesis of important sugar-laurate esters and their functionalities as emulsifiers and antimicrobial agents, glucose, galactose, mannose, maltose and trehalose were used. 6-O-lauryl glucose (Glu-L), 6-O-lauryl galactose (Gal-L), 6-O-lauryl mannose (Man-L), 6′-O-lauryl maltose (Mal-L) and 6-O-lauryl trehalose/6’-O-lauryl trehalose (Tre-L) were synthesized using lipase from Candida antarctica. The Glu-L and Man-L achieved the highest yields (65.49 % and 58.16 %, respectively). The synthesized esters produced smaller-particle-size (1.9–3.1 μm), but less stable emulsions than the commercial sucrose esters (4.2–8.1 μm). The zeta-potential data revealed Man-L and Gal-L had higher surface coverage than the Glu-L on the oil droplets, while the Mal-L and Tre-L had similar surface coverage. The Man-L, Mal-L and Tre-L demonstrated the superior foamability and foam stability. The Gal-L, Man-L, Mal-L, and Tre-L inhibited E.coli 12024 (MIC 1–4 mg/mL), while only Man-L, Mal-L, and Tre-L inhibited B.subtilis 5009 (MIC 0.5–2.0 mg/mL).
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Food processing and manufacture
Phosphate-solubilizing microbes (PSMs) in soil play a crucial role in converting insoluble phosphates into plant-available soluble phosphorus. This paper systematically presents a comprehensive array of qualitative and quantitative techniques to assess the phosphate-decomposing capabilities of microbes. Additionally, it introduces two optimized media, namely improved Monkina medium No. 1 and No. 2, which are particularly suitable for detecting the solubilization abilities of microbes toward insoluble organic phosphates. <i>Talaromyces nanjingensis</i>, a novel fungal species recently isolated from the rhizosphere soil of <i>Pinus massoniana</i>, demonstrates remarkable phosphate-solubilizing abilities. Across multiple temperature gradients (15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, and 37 °C), it effectively decomposes both insoluble inorganic and organic phosphates. This is achieved through the secretion of organic acids, including gluconic acid (6.10 g L<sup>−1</sup>), oxalic acid (0.93 g L<sup>−1</sup>), and malonic acid (0.17 g L<sup>−1</sup>), as well as phosphate-solubilizing enzymes. Moreover, under low-, medium-, and high-temperature conditions, <i>T. nanjingensis</i> can decompose insoluble phosphates in three types of soil with varying pH levels, thereby enhancing the overall soil fertility. Genomic analysis of <i>T. nanjingensis</i> has identified approximately 308 genes associated with phosphate decomposition and environmental adaptability, validating its superior capabilities and multi-faceted strategies for phosphate mobilization. These findings underscore the wide applicability of <i>T. nanjingensis</i> in maintaining soil phosphorus homeostasis and optimizing the phosphorus use efficiency, highlighting its promising potential for agricultural and environmental applications.
RESUMO A presença de clareiras na floresta gera uma heterogeneidade na vegetação uma vez que nelas serão favorecidas as espécies mais adaptadas a estabelecerem-se nestas condições. O uso das características adaptativas das espécies em relação a sua capacidade de germinar, crescer e se reproduzir em vários habitats na floresta, pode ser empregada para se diagnosticar como estão ocorrendo os seus processos naturais de renovação e regeneração. Dentre estes, os conceitos de grupos ecológicos e as síndromes de dispersão apresentam-se como parâmetros promissores para a análise mais detalhada dos processos ecológicos. A presença de espécies de um determinado grupo ou a dominância de uma síndrome indicam que estão ocorrendo condições que propiciam seu estabelecimento. É a partir deste conhecimento que podem ser definidas as ações a serem executadas, baseadas no diagnóstico efetuado.
The eight-toothed spruce bark-beetle Ips typographus is the most damaging insect pest of Norway spruce in Europe, and it poses a serious risk to spruce in other countries where it is not currently present but might be introduced. The beetle is not native to the UK and before 2018 it had not been found established anywhere within the country. In November 2018, however, several adult Ips typographus were found in a billet trap set up as part of annual surveys that the UK carries out to monitor for this and other quarantine bark beetle pests. The finding of adult beetles in the billet trap, a few miles south of Ashford in Kent, led to the discovery of a breeding population in an adjacent woodland. Delimiting surveys to 1 km and further surveys to 50 km showed that the infestation was confined to a single stand of Norway spruce. The stand was felled in January and February 2019, and the material destroyed, and beetles emerging on the site were trapped out using pheromone traps, billet piles and trap trees. These prompt actions eradicated the breeding population, but small numbers of adult Ips typographus continued to be caught on the outbreak site in 2020 and 2021. These captures, and numerous adult Ips typographus caught in pheromone traps set up across the region in response to the outbreak, indicate that incursions of adult Ips typographus are occurring on a regular basis, most likely from source populations in northern France and Belgium. The arrival of adult Ips typographus over a wide area and the potential for further outbreaks represents a continuing threat to spruce woodlands in south-east England, and has important implications for surveillance and monitoring and the management of spruce in this part of the UK.
This study proposes an improved link prediction model for predicting the “suitable for people” relationship within the knowledge graph of tea. The relationships between various types of tea and suitable target groups have yet to be fully explored, and the existing InteractE model still does not adequately capture a portion of the complex information around the interactions between entities and relationships. In this study, we integrate SENet into the feature layer of the InteractE model to enhance the capturing of helpful information in the feature channels. Additionally, the GCN layer is employed as the encoder, and the SENet-integrated InteractE model is used as the decoder to further capture the neighbour node information in the knowledge graph. Furthermore, our proposed improved model demonstrates significant improvements compared to several standard models, including the original model from public datasets (WN18RR, Kinship). Finally, we construct a tea dataset comprising 6698 records, including 330 types of tea and 29 relationship types. We predict the “suitable for people” relationship in the tea dataset through transfer learning. When comparing our model with the original model, we observed an improvement of 1.4% in H@10 for the WN18RR dataset, a 7.6% improvement in H@1 for the Kinship dataset, and a 5.2% improvement in MRR. Regarding the tea dataset, we achieved a 4.1% increase in H@3 and a 2.5% increase in H@10. This study will help to fully exploit the value potential of tea varieties and provide a reference for studies assessing healthy tea drinking.
Abstract Flowering is an important process in higher plants and is regulated by a variety of factors, including light, temperature, and phytohormones. Flowering restriction has a considerable impact on the commodity value and production cost of many horticultural crops. In Arabidopsis, the FT/TFL1 gene family has been shown to integrate signals from various flowering pathways and to play a key role in the transition from flower production to seed development. Studies in several plant species of the FT/TFL1 gene family have revealed it harbors functional diversity in the regulation of flowering. Here, we review the functional evolution of the FT/TFL1 gene family in horticulture plants and its unique regulatory mechanisms; in addition, the FT/TFL1 family of genes as an important potential breeding target is explored.
Seiring dengan meningkatnya permintaan dunia terhadap komoditas getah pinus, maka salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan untuk meningkatkan produksi getah pinus yaitu menggunakan zat perangsang getah/stimulansia. Selama ini, dalam kegiatan penyadapan getah pinus digunakan stimulansia anorganik yang tetapi komponen utamanya adalah asam sulfat dan asam nitrat atau campurannya yang bersifat sebagai oksidator kuat yang dapat merusak kulit manusia, kayu dan lingkungan jika digunakan dalam jangka panjang dan secara berlebihan. Alternatif penggunaan stimulansia dari bahan alami yang aman, harga relatif murah, dan mudah didapat seperti lengkuas (Alpinia galanga) dan jahe (Zingiber officinale). Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian stimulansia ekstrak lengkuas dan jahe terhadap peningkatan produktivitas getah pinus. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan produktivitas getah yang paling tinggi dihasilkan oleh pohon pinus menggunakan stimulansia organik jahe konsentrasi 50% yaitu sebesar 11,15 g/koakan/hari. Kualitas getah pinus yang memiliki mutu terbaik dihasilkan oleh stimulansia jahe, sedangkan pada penggunaan stimulansia lengkuas memiliki mutu II berdasarkan SNI 7837:2016. Stimulansia organik lengkuas dan jahe bersifat aman bagi kesehatan pekerja, pohon, dan lingkungan sehingga keuntungan yang diperoleh akan lebih besar. Berdasarkan hal tersebut perlu dilakukan penelitian lanjutan untuk mengetahui analisis biaya penggunaan stimulansia organik terhadap stimulansia anorganik dalam upaya meningkatkan produktivitas getah pinus.
In this paper, C50 high-performance concrete (HPC) containing manufactured sand was prepared. First, three different gradations of aggregates and three different types of admixtures with significant differences in specific surface area, porosity, and water ratios were used to prepare nine groups of concrete mixtures. Second, the effect of the aggregate gradation and admixture on the workability of fresh HPC and compressive strength of hydration-hardened HPC was investigated. Finally, microscopic tests were conducted to examine the hydration product pore structure (mercury injection porosimeter (MIP)), hydration product surface appearance (scanning electron microscope (SEM)), and element qualitative analysis (energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS)), and the mechanism of the C50 HPC was discussed. The results show that the types of gradation aggregates and admixtures significantly affect the workability and strength of C50 HPC. When the slump of fresh HPC is specified, the workability of the mixture can be controlled by a homemade high-performance lignin sulfonate water reducer. The aggregate gradation biased toward the median of the gradation curve can be used to prepare the C50 HPC. In this paper, the maximum compressive strength of C50 HPC is 58.3 MPa at 90 days. In addition, the microscopic test results show that the composite compound of C50 HPC has a dense hydration product and a high bond strength interface transition zone (ITZ).
Dominika Gornik Bučar, Peter Prislan, Pavel Smolnikar
et al.
We produced pellets from five invasive non-native tree species growing in Slovenia on a laboratory pelleting device, namely: wild chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), boxelder maple (Acer negundo), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), thorny locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), as well as mixtures of the raw material from the above non-native invasive species and spruce (Picea abies) in the ratios 70:30 and 50:50. Under the same production conditions, we produced a total of 15 different types of pellets. The most important physical and mechanical properties (water content, bulk density, mechanical stability and ash content) were determined for the pellets produced. The results were compared with the limits defined in the international standard SIST EN ISO 17225-2:2014. The water content and bulk density of all produced pellet types met the requirements of the standard for the highest quality class A1. The mechanical durability of the pellets produced did not meet the requirements of the standard and did not exceed 96.5% (which is the limit value for quality class B). The results suggest that black locust, thorny locust and tree of heaven have the highest potential for further optimization of the pelleting process.
Research has been carried out to study the effect of the first thinning on the overall productivity of mature pine stands in the forest-steppe zone of the Krasnoyarsk Kray. The results of the influence of felling from low to very high volume intensity on the value of the current periodic growth in mature pine stands of different initial basal area are presented. In pine forests of forb-green moss and lingonberry-forb-green moss types, a comparative analysis of the average annual periodic increase in the stock for 5–10 years was carried out. It was found that the increase is due to both the intensity of felling and the initial density of stands and varies within wide limits (from 2.4 to 7.3 m3/ha per year). On control plot, this value was 2.6–4.9 m³/ha per year. A positive dependence of the average current annual increment per 1 m3 of stand volume after the first thinning with the felling intensity was revealed. Thinning intensity optimums were determined for stands of different initial density at the age of 100–120 years. For initial densities of 500, 600, 700 and 800 trees/ha, it will be equal to 100 (20 %), 200 (33 %), 300 (43 %) and 400 trees/ha (50 %), respectively, which can be used for practical recommendations for the renewal felling. At the same time, the main criterion for the intensity of thinning of forest stands is their purpose (protective forests) and their condition (natural regeneration and wind sustainability).
Conrad Trollip, Angus J. Carnegie, Quang Dinh
et al.
Abstract The ophiostomatoid fungi are an assemblage of ascomycetes which are arguably best-known for their associations with bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculonidae) and blue stain (sap stain) of many economically important tree species. These fungi are considered a significant threat to coniferous forests, which has resulted in numerous studies characterising the diversity of bark beetles and their ophiostomatoid associates globally. The diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi present in Australian pine plantations, however, remains largely undetermined. The aims of this study were therefore to reconsider the diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Pinus in Australia, and to establish the baseline of expected taxa found within these plantation ecosystems. To achieve this, we reviewed Australian plant pathogen reference collections, and analysed samples collected during forest health surveillance programs from the major pine growing regions in south-eastern Australia. In total, 135 ophiostomatoid isolates (15 from reference collections and 120 collected during the current study) were assessed using morphological identification and ITS screening which putatively distinguished 15 taxonomic groups. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of representative isolates from each taxon was performed to obtain high-quality sequence data for multi-locus phylogenetic analysis. Our results revealed a greater than expected diversity, expanding the status of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Pinus in Australia to include 14 species from six genera in the Ophiostomatales and a single species residing in the Microascales. While most of these were already known to science, our study includes seven first records for Australia and the description of one new species, Graphilbum ipis-grandicollis sp. nov.. This study also provides an early example of whole genome sequencing (WGS) approaches replacing traditional PCR-based methods for taxonomic surveys. This not only allowed for robust multi-locus sequence extraction during taxonomic assessment, but also permitted the rapid establishment of a curated genomic database for ophiostomatoid fungi which will continue to aid in the development of improved diagnostic resources and capabilities for Australian biosecurity.
Shiekh Marifatul Haq, Eduardo Soares Calixto, Irfan Rashid
et al.
Globally, biodiversity-rich forest ecosystems are facing higher risk of climate and land-use changes. Therefore, understanding the role of anthropogenic factors in affecting forest community composition and vegetation patterns assume urgent research priority and are prerequisites for conservation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems. We used a systematic random sampling method to obtain data on floristic diversity within four forest compartments of Pir Panchal Range in Kashmir Himalaya. We characterized the comparative disturbance levels based on a visual assessment within and around each of the forest compartment. The importance value indices along with environmental data of the sampled compartments were obtained and analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis and ordination techniques. Floristically, in all the compartments, we found 74 species distributed among 33 families and 4 life forms. The species number per hectare showed a declining trend with an increase in disturbance level. Plant community diversity indices were positively correlated with decreasing levels of anthropogenic disturbances. The phytosociological features such as tree basal area and density were negatively correlated with increasing levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Our study, using standard statistical methods, has empirically characterized the intensity of anthropogenic impacts in each forest compartment, and analyzed the relationship between these impacts and the forest vegetation patterns. Our results will help in a better understanding of the role of anthropogenic factors in affecting forest community composition, which in turn will foster the sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation in this Himalayan region.
In sustainable forestry, forests should produce multiple ecosystem services for society, such as timber, carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Therefore, in the evaluation of forest management strategies, we have to consider the impacts of management on several ecosystem services. In this study, we compared the effects of five different forest management strategies on timber drain, carbon stocks, carbon balance and biodiversity indicators, while maximizing economic revenues from timber production. The assessment was carried out in a boreal landscape of 43 000 ha over a 100-year calculation period. The five management strategies were rotation forest management (with thinning from below or above), continuous cover forestry, a combination of rotation forest management and continuous cover forestry and any-aged forestry. Rotation forest management with thinning from below was less profitable than the other strategies, which were close to each other in economic profitability. Rotation forest management with thinning from below was also the poorest in terms of carbon stocks, carbon balance and biodiversity indicators. Any-aged and continuous cover forestry were the best in terms of carbon sequestration and biodiversity indicators. In general, management strategies that used thinning from above and that were not restricted to rotation forest management as the only option provided more ecosystem services and were also economically profitable. Such management strategies may help to satisfy the increasing demand for diverse uses of forests.
Supawat Khaewphakdee, Achara Simcharoen, Somphot Duangchantrasiri
et al.
Abstract The primary prey of tigers across much of South‐East Asia has been depleted, reducing the ability of already limited habitat to support tigers. To better understand the extent to which two of the largest prey species, gaur (Bos gaurus) and banteng (Bos javanicus), contribute to the tiger's diet, we estimated the average size of these species killed by tigers. This information is needed to more accurately calculate biomass of these species in the tiger's diet and to devise strategies to increase tiger carrying capacity where habitat is fragmented and limited in west‐central Thailand. We used temporally clumped locations of 24 satellite radio‐collared tigers to identify their kill sites and obtained mandibles from 82 gaur and 79 banteng. Kills were aged by teeth eruption sequence, sectioning the M1 molar and counting cementum annuli. Of all gaur killed, 45.2% were adults; of all banteng killed, 55.7% were adults. The average weight of banteng killed was 423.9 kg, which was similar to the 397.9 kg average weight for gaur. The mean weight of both prey species is 3.5–4.5 times greater than the predicted 1:1 preferred prey to predator ratio. In the absence of medium‐sized prey, killing these larger animals may be especially critical for female tigers provisioning nearly independent young when male offspring are already larger than the mother. This is the first study to present data on the average weights of gaur and banteng killed in South‐East Asia, and these results suggest that these are key prey species to target in tiger prey recovery efforts.
Rad istražuje mogućnost unapređenja kvaliteta života i prirodnog okruženja u procesu razvoja gradova planiranjem zelene infrastrukture na lokacijama napuštenih željezničkih koridora. Teoretsko istraživanje obuhvata elaboraciju definicije, funkcije i podjele zelenih koridora sa naglašavanjem njihovih ekoloških, socio-ekonomskih i zdravstvenih beneficija kako za pojedinca tako i zajednicu, koje se prije svega odnose na podsticanje očuvanja kulturnog i prirodnog nasljeđa, promociju zdravog načina života i održivog ekološkog turizma. Preispitani su osnovni aspekti razvojnih procesa gradova, a poseban akcenat je stavljen na urbanu matricu Trebinja. U posljednjoj etapi razvojnih tokova Trebinje je pod snažnim uticajem opštih društveno-političkih promjena koje su ga postavile u sasvim drugi kontekst prostorno-funkcionalnih relacija u odnosu na okruženje. Uspostavljanjem snažnih državnih granica Bosne i Hercegovine i Hrvatske je onemogućen istorijski kontinuitet razvoja grada oslonjen na saobraćaje, trgovačke i kulturne veze sa južnim zaleđem. Smanjene ekonomske aktivnosti i radikalna promjena privredne strukture grada, uzrok su napuštanja proizvodnih kapaciteta, a samim tim stvaranja značajnih prostornih resursa i braunfild lokacija. Istraživanje je fokusirano na poligon nekadašnje željezničke stanice Trebinje. Ovaj neaktivni željeznički koridor ukazuje na mogućnost transformacije u linearni park, sa ciljem postizanja ekoloških, socio-ekonomskih i zdravstvenih beneficija, jer vrijednost gradskog prostora zavisi od kvantitativnog, ali i kvalitativnog udjela pejzaža u fizičkoj strukturi grada. Dakle, rezultati teoretskog istraživanja ovog rada su aplicirani kroz diskurs o razvoju i dizajnu zelene infrastrukture na konkretnoj studiji slučaja.