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The use of biodegradable plastics has been proposed as an alternative to mitigate the pollution problem caused by traditional non‐biodegradable plastics. However, the relative impacts of both types of microplastics on plant community productivity and diversity is not known. Moreover, it is unclear whether soil biota can differentially mediate the impacts of biodegradable and non‐biodegradable microplastics on plant communities.In this study, we investigated the effects of biodegradable and non‐biodegradable microplastics on plant community biomass production and diversity, and whether soil biota mediate these effects. We employed a fully crossed factorial design, growing six plant communities in the presence or absence of 10 individual microplastics, and in live soil versus sterilized soil. We hypothesized that: (1) Biodegradable microplastics have a less negative effect on plant community biomass production and diversity compared to non‐biodegradable microplastics. (2) Soil biota differentially mediate the effects of biodegradable and non‐biodegradable microplastics on plant community biomass production and diversity.Statistical analyses that included all 10 microplastics yielded two main findings. First, live soil ameliorated the negative effects of biodegradable microplastics on community shoot biomass. Second, the presence of microplastics, rather than their biodegradability, significantly reduced community diversity. Separate analyses of individual microplastics suggest that these patterns were driven by specific microplastics. The biodegradable microplastic polybutylene succinate (PBS) was the main driver of the pattern observed in community shoot biomass. In contrast, the biodegradable microplastic polycaprolactone (PCL) and non‐biodegradable microplastics ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were the main drivers of the pattern observed in community diversity. Further analyses excluding PBS from the global models, but including the other nine microplastics, revealed no significant differences in community shoot biomass and diversity between biodegradable and non‐biodegradable microplastics in live versus sterilized soil.Synthesis and applications. Our findings suggest that biodegradable microplastics, often considered environmentally friendly, are not necessarily less harmful than non‐biodegradable microplastics to the growth and diversity of plant communities. Some individual biodegradable microplastics, such as PBS, still pose significant ecological risks to plant community structure and productivity. However, the results also suggest that soil biota may mitigate the negative effects of some biodegradable microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, numerous ecosystems have been co‐invaded by multiple exotic plant species that can have competitive or facilitative interactions with each other and with native plants. Invaded ecosystems often exhibit spatial heterogeneity in soil moisture and nutrient levels, with some habitats having more nutrient‐rich and moist soils than others. The stress‐gradient hypothesis predicts that plants are likely to engage in facilitative interactions when growing in stressful environments, such as nutrient‐deficient or water‐deficient soils. In contrast, when resources are abundant, competitive interactions between plants should prevail. The invasional meltdown hypothesis proposes that facilitative interactions between invasive species can enhance their establishment and amplify their ecological impact. Considering both hypotheses can offer insights into the complex interactions among invasive and native plants across environmental gradients. However, experimental tests of the effects of soil moisture and nutrient co‐limitation on interactions between invasive and native plants at both interspecific and intraspecific levels in light of these hypotheses are lacking. We performed a greenhouse pot experiment in which we cultivated individual focal plants from five congeneric pairs of invasive and native species. Each focal plant was subjected to one of three levels of plant–plant interactions: (1) intraspecific, in which the focal plant was grown with another individual of the same species; (2) interspecific, involving a native and an invasive plant; and (3) interspecific, involving two native or invasive individuals. These plant–plant interaction treatments were fully crossed with two levels of water availability (drought vs. well‐watered) and two levels of nutrient supply (low vs. high). Consistent with the stress‐gradient and invasional meltdown hypotheses, our findings show that under low‐nutrient conditions, the biomass production of invasive focal plants was facilitated by invasive interspecific neighbors. However, under high‐nutrient conditions, the biomass production of invasive focal plants was suppressed by invasive interspecific neighbors. When competing with native interspecific neighbors, high‐nutrient conditions similarly enhanced the biomass production of both invasive and native focal plants. Invasive and native focal plants were neither competitively suppressed nor facilitated by conspecific neighbors. Taken together, these results suggest that co‐occurring invasive exotic plant species may facilitate each other in low‐nutrient habitats but compete in high‐nutrient habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are typically small, endogenous, non-coding RNAs molecules that regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level by mRNA degradation or translational repression. They are composed of 18-26 nucleotides and are conserved during evolution for the development of new miRNAs in a variety of plants. Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is generally a valuable food and forage crop grown all over the world. Until now, different sugarcane miRNAs have been characterized for plant development and stress responses. In this research, 50 unique conserved sugarcane miRNAs from 44 different miRNA families have been predicted using a variety of genomics-based tools. The predicted sugarcane miRNAs were validated using a set of 15 randomly chosen primers and RT-PCR. Stem loop secondary structures are created using MFOLD tool. The psRNA-Target algorithm identified 7,976 various protein targets of sof-miRNAs including 55 specific GO terms. They have significant targets in biological, cellular, and molecular functions. Moreover, the sof-miR5205a regulates sulfur compound biosynthetic process and 9653a directs ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process. Consequently, the RNA binding and thylakoid membrane are controlled by sof-miR9657b and 2091, respectively. As a result, the outcomes of the novel sugarcane miRNAs target a variety of substantial genes that aid in controlling the environment for sugarcane to produce a higher quality crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions by alien and range-expanding native plant species can suppress native plants through allelopathy. However, the homeland security hypothesis suggests that some native plants can resist invasion by producing allelopathic compounds that inhibit the growth of invasive plants. Most research has focused on allelopathic interactions between individual native and invasive plant species, with less emphasis on how allelopathy helps entire native communities resist invasions. Additionally, limited knowledge exists about allelopathic interactions between range-expanding native species and recipient native communities, and their influence on invasion success. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted two greenhouse competition experiments to test reciprocal allelopathic effects between a native woody range-expanding species, Betula fruticosa , and a community of four native herbaceous species (Sanguisorba officinalis , Gentiana manshurica , Sium suave and Deyeuxia angustifolia) in China. We assessed whether B. fruticosa and the native community differed in their competitive effects and responses, and whether these were influenced by activated carbon, which neutralizes allelochemicals in the soil. Activated carbon reduced the suppressive effects of the native community on the above-ground biomass of B. fruticosa , which indicates that the native community exerted a strong allelopathic effect on B. fruticosa. In contrast, activated carbon only marginally enhanced the suppressive effects of B. fruticosa on the native community, which indicates that allelopathy is not the primary mechanism by which B. fruticosa exerts its suppression. Overall, these findings support the homeland security hypothesis and suggest that biotic resistance from the native herbaceous community may limit the invasion success of the woody range-expander B. fruticosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Freshwater ecosystems are susceptible to invasion by alien macrophytes due to their connectivity and various plant dispersal vectors. These ecosystems often experience anthropogenic nutrient enrichment, favouring invasive species that efficiently exploit these resources. Propagule pressure (reflecting the quantity of introduced individuals) and habitat invasibility are key determinants of invasion success. Moreover, the enemy release hypothesis predicts that escape from natural enemies, such as herbivores, allows alien species to invest more resources to growth and reproduction rather than defense, enhancing their invasive potential. Yet, the combined impact of propagule pressure, herbivory, and nutrient enrichment on the competitive dynamics between invasive alien macrophytes and native macrophyte communities is not well understood due to a paucity of studies. Methods: We conducted a full factorial mesocosm experiment to explore the individual and combined effects of herbivory, nutrient levels, propagule pressure, and competition on the invasion success of the alien macrophyte Myriophyllum aquaticum into a nativemacrophyte community comprising Vallisneria natans, Hydrilla verticillata, and Myriophyllum spicatum. This setup included varying M. aquaticum densities (low vs. high, simulating low and high propagule pressures), two levels of herbivory by the native snail Lymnaea stagnalis (herbivory vs no-herbivory), and two nutrient conditions (low vs. high). Myriophyllum aquaticum was also grown separately at both densities without competition from native macrophytes. Results: The invasive alien macrophyte M. aquaticum produced the highest shoot and total biomass when simultaneously subjected to conditions of high-density intraspecific competition, no herbivory, and low-nutrient availability treatments. Moreover, a high propagule pressure of M. aquaticum significantly reduced the growth of the native macrophyte community in nutrient-rich conditions, but this effect was not observed in nutrient-poor conditions. Discussion: These findings indicate that M. aquaticum has adaptive traits enabling it to flourish in the absence of herbivory (supporting the enemy release hypothesis) and in challenging environments such as intense intraspecific competition and low nutrient availability. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that when present in large numbers, M. aquaticum can significantly inhibit the growth of native macrophyte communities, particularly in nutrientrich environments. Consequently, reducing the propagule pressure of M. aquaticum could help control its spread and mitigate its ecological impact. Overall, these findings emphasize that the growth and impacts of invasive alien plants can vary across different habitat conditions and is shaped by the interplay of biotic and abiotic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Petroleum Research & Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Insights into ecological drivers of alien plant invasions can be gained through comparative studies of growth and fecundity of invasive alien plants versus those of co‐occurring non‐invasive alien plants and native plants across environmental conditions in common garden settings. Habitats that harbour alien plant species in many ecosystems globally are presently experiencing light pollution resulting from artificial light at night (ALAN) and increased rates of nutrient enrichment of the soil. However, the potential interactive effects of ALAN and nutrient enrichment on invasiveness of alien plant species remain unknown.Here, we performed a common‐garden experiment to test the interactive effects of ALAN and soil nutrient enrichment on the growth of a random set of ten alien (five invasive and five non‐invasive naturalized) and seven co‐occurring native ornamental plant species that are commonly cultivated within urban and peri‐urban areas of Nairobi city in Kenya. We predicted that a simultaneous increase in photoperiod via ALAN and nutrient enrichment will favour growth of invasive alien plant species over that of non‐invasive alien and native plant species. We grew the 17 plant species under natural daylight (ALAN−) versus natural daylight followed by ALAN (ALAN+) and fully crossed with two levels of nutrient enrichment (low vs. high) and competition (competition vs. no‐competition against a native plant Ocimum gratissimum) treatments.Under simultaneous high‐nutrient and no‐competition treatments, ALAN enhanced mean total biomass of invasive and non‐invasive naturalized alien species by 61.1% and 131.4%, respectively but decreased that of native plant species by 34%. In contrast, under simultaneous high‐nutrient and competition treatments, ALAN enhanced mean total biomass of invasive alien plant species by 68.6% and that of non‐invasive naturalized alien species by 51.9% and native species by 35.4%. High‐nutrient treatment enhanced flower formation more strongly in invasive and non‐invasive naturalized alien plants than in native plants. The invasive and non‐invasive naturalized alien species grew taller than native species across the light, nutrient, and competition treatments.Synthesis: The present findings suggest that light pollution and nutrient enrichment may jointly confer growth advantage to invasive alien plant species over that of co‐occurring native plant species and enhance invasiveness of alien plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecological Applications is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ecological Applications is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ecological Applications is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Adsorption via various organic and inorganic amendments is a principal mechanism to remediate cadmium contamination and decrease its entry into food chain. In present study, alkaline sandy clay loam soil, the cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs), rice husk biochar (RHB), rock gypsum (RGy) and farm manure (FYM) and alkaline sandy clay loam soil amended (1%) with these amendments were tested for effective Cd adsorption-desorption properties. The soil Langmuir estimated maximum Cd adsorption (Qmax) was found to be 0.60 mg g–1 (linear isotherm) and 0.65 mg g–1 (non-linear isotherm) while among different amendments, CeO2-NPs had the maximum (88.23, 89.33 mg g–1) Qmax and addition of this to soil resulted in 166% and 128% increase, while RHB, RGy and FYM also resulted in substantial increment in Cd Qmax of soil. Second model was Freundlich isotherm (linear and nonlinear) which shows significant adsorption capacity (Kf) and adsorption intensity (N) on the amended soils. The Temkin isotherm gave us information about equilibrium binding (A) and latent heat of sorption (B) suggesting the adsorption reaction were overall exothermic in nature. The Cd adsorption trend as estimated by pseudo second order kinetic model (PSO) suggest that soil has a net adsorbed Cd (Qa) of 0.76 mg g–1 while a net desorption (Qd) of 0.23 was observed making a net 30% desorption. The inclusion of CeO2-NPs in soil (1%) resulted Qa of 1.97 mg g–1 and Qd of 0.42 mg g–1 which is a net 21% desorption. Other amendments RHB, RGy and FYM also resulted in net lower Cd desorption with 22, 27 and 26% Qd respectively. The CeO2-NPs is best amendment for effective Cd removal from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large parts of the Earth are experiencing environmental change caused by alien plant invasions, rising atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), and nutrient enrichments. Elevated CO2 and nutrient concentrations can separately favour growth of invasive plants over that of natives but how herbivory may modulate the magnitude and direction of net responses by the two groups of plants to simultaneous CO2 and nutrient enrichments remains unknown. In line with the enemy release hypothesis, invasive plant species should reallocate metabolites from costly anti‐herbivore defences into greater growth following escape from intense herbivory in the native range. Therefore, invasive plants should have greater growth than native plants under simultaneous CO2 and nutrient enrichments in the absence of herbivory. To test this prediction, we grew nine congeneric pairs of invasive and native plant species that naturally co‐occurred in grasslands in China under two levels each of nutrient enrichment (low‐nutrient vs. high‐nutrient), herbivory (with herbivory vs. without herbivory) and under ambient (412.9 ± 0.6 ppm) and elevated (790.1 ± 6.2 ppm) levels of CO2 concentrations in open top chambers in a common garden. Elevated CO2 and nutrient enrichment separately increased total plant biomass, while herbivory reduced it regardless of the plant invasive status. High‐nutrient treatment caused the plants to allocate a significantly lower proportion of total biomass to roots, while herbivory induced an opposite pattern. Herbivory suppressed total biomass production more strongly in native plants than invasive plants. The plants exhibited significant interspecific and intergeneric variation in their responses to the various treatment combinations. Overall, these results suggest that elevated CO2 and nutrients and herbivory may separately, rather than synergistically, impact productivity of the invasive and co‐occurring native plant species in our study system. Moreover, interspecific variation in resource‐use strategies was more important than invasive status in determining plant responses to the various treatment combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess knee pain and ROM in distal third femoral Fracture managed with RG intramedullary nailing technique. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital, Lahore. Period: November 2020 to March 2021. Material & Methods: 38 patients with extra-articular distal femoral Fracture were surgically treated in our center with an RG IM nail. The functional Outcome of the knee for knee pain and knee ROM was assessed using a modified Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Knee Score. Results: In this study, a total of 38 patients were diagnosed with distal third femur shaft fractures managed with retrograde (RG) intramedullary locking nail; among these, 31(81.6%) were males, and 7(18.4%) were females. The mean age of patients was 29.76±11.87, ranging from 16-50 years. In more than half of the cases, 30(78.9%) had a history of injury as road traffic accident and 8(21.1%) sustained fall. The right side affected 65.8% of cases compared to the left side. 60.53% of cases had excellent functional Outcomes due to HSS sore between 85-100, 7.89% had good outcomes because of scores ranging from 70-84, 26.32 had fair, and 5.285 had poor outcomes, respectively. There was no case with extension lag. Conclusion: Based on this study, RG IM nail fixation of distal extra-articular femur fracture can be safely performed, and improved knee function score can be anticipated with meticulous patient selection and adherence to proper postoperative physical therapy protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trait evolution in invasive plant species is important because it can impact demographic parameters key to invasion success. Invasive plant species often show phenotypic clines along geographic and climatic gradients. However, the relative contributions of natural selection and neutral evolutionary processes to phenotypic trait variation among populations of invasive plants remain unclear. A common method to assess whether a trait has been shaped by natural selection or neutral evolutionary processes is to compare the geographical pattern for the trait of interest to the divergence in neutral genetic loci (i.e., QST–FST comparisons). Subsequently, a redundancy analysis (RDA) can facilitate identification of putative agents of natural selection on the trait. Here, we employed both a QST–FST comparisons approach and RDA to infer whether natural selection shaped traits of invasive populations of Solidago canadensis in China and identify the potential environmental drivers of natural selection. We addressed two questions: (1) Did natural selection drive phenotypic trait variation among S. canadensis populations? (2) Did climatic, latitudinal, longitudinal, and altitudinal gradients drive patterns of genetic variation among S. canadensis populations? We found significant directional selection for several morphological and reproductive traits (i.e., QST > FST) and stabilizing selection for physiological traits (i.e., QST < FST). The RDA showed that stem biomass of S. canadensis was strongly positively correlated with longitude, while leaf width ratio and specific leaf area were significantly positively correlated with the mean diurnal range. Stem biomass had a strong negative correlation with annual precipitation. Moreover, height of S. canadensis individuals was strongly positively correlated with altitude and precipitation of the wettest quarter. A longitudinal shift in precipitation seasonality likely selected for larger stem biomass in S. canadensis. Overall, these results suggest that longitudinal and altitudinal clines in climate exerted strong selection pressures that shaped the phenotypic traits of S. canadensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the role of electron quantization effects on the dispersion characteristics of the oblique electron Bernstein wave (EBW) in an electron‐ion plasma using Vlasov‐Poisson model. Our analysis shows that large thermal effects (as compared to quantization effects) give rise to the usual classical results while in the limit of strong magnetic field, the dispersion characteristics changes. The existence of a quantum Bernstein mode has been proposed which appears purely due to the electron quantization effects. The damping of the oblique EBW has also been analyzed in detail and we found that the magnitude of the damping of the wave decreases as we decrease the obliqueness parameter (parallel to perpendicular wavenumber ratio) which agrees with the earlier theoretical and experimental findings. Moreover, the strong quantization effects (ℏΩe>>2T$$ \mathrm{\hslash}{\Omega}_e>>2T $$) also tend to suppress the damping of EBW which contributes to the stabilization of the waves. The present findings are relevant to the laboratory laser‐produced plasmas where strong external magnetic fields exist, and also to the dense astrophysical plasma environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have shown that invasive plant species respond more negatively to drought than native plant species, but little remains understood of how and whether drought‐rewetting events may affect growth of invasive and co‐occurring native plant species both directly and indirectly through soil microorganisms.In a fully crossed factorial design, we grew individuals of four congeneric pairs of invasive and native plant species in 2.5 L pots that contained live or sterilized field soil under one of three drought treatments: no‐drought, drought, drought‐rewetting.Results show that drought caused a significantly greater decline in total biomass of invasive plant species than that of native plant species regardless of the presence of live soil microorganisms. However, total biomass of the invasive plant species exhibited a greater recovery from drought following rewetting than did that of the native plant species. Moreover, recovery from drought in invasive plant species tended to be stronger in live soil than in sterilized soil, while for the native plant species, recovery from drought was stronger in sterilized soil than in live soil.Overall, these results suggest that in ecosystems that experience cycles of drought and rewetting, invasive plant species may grow larger than co‐occurring native plant species. Moreover, soil microorganisms may facilitate greater recovery from drought in invasive plant species than in co‐occurring native plant species. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: The enemy release hypothesis predicts that release from natural enemies, including soil‐borne pathogens, liberates invasive plants from a negative regulating force. Nevertheless, invasive plants may acquire novel enemies and mutualists in the introduced range, which may cause variable effects on invader growth. However, how soil microorganisms may influence competitive ability of invasive plants along invasion chronosequences has been little explored. Methods: Using the invasive plant Solidago canadensis, we tested whether longer residence times are associated with stronger negative plant‐soil feedbacks and thus weaker competitive abilities at the individual level. We grew S. canadensis individuals from 36 populations with different residence times across southeastern China in competition versus no competition and in three different types of soils: (1) conspecific rhizospheric soils; (2) soils from uninvaded patches; and (3) sterilized soil. For our competitor treatments, we constructed synthetic communities of four native species (Bidens parviflora, Solanum nigrum, Kalimeris indica, and Mosla scabra), which naturally co‐occur with Solidago canadensis in the field. Results: Solidago canadensis populations with longer residence times experienced stronger positive plant‐soil feedbacks and had greater competitive responses (i.e., produced greater above‐ground biomass and grew taller) in conspecific rhizospheric soils than in sterilized or uninvaded soils. Moreover, S. canadensis from older populations significantly suppressed above‐ground biomass of the native communities in rhizospheric and uninvaded soils but not in sterilized soil. Conclusions: The present results suggest that older populations of S. canadensis experience stronger positive plant‐soil feedbacks, which may enhance their competitive ability against native plant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, neuroimaging has become a ubiquitous tool in basic research and clinical studies of the human brain. However, no reference standards currently exist to quantify individual differences in neuroimaging metrics over time, in contrast to growth charts for anthropometric traits such as height and weight1. Here we assemble an interactive open resource to benchmark brain morphology derived from any current or future sample of MRI data (). With the goal of basing these reference charts on the largest and most inclusive dataset available, acknowledging limitations due to known biases of MRI studies relative to the diversity of the global population, we aggregated 123,984 MRI scans, across more than 100 primary studies, from 101,457 human participants between 115 days post-conception to 100 years of age. MRI metrics were quantified by centile scores, relative to non-linear trajectories2 of brain structural changes, and rates of change, over the lifespan. Brain charts identified previously unreported neurodevelopmental milestones3, showed high stability of individuals across longitudinal assessments, and demonstrated robustness to technical and methodological differences between primary studies. Centile scores showed increased heritability compared with non-centiled MRI phenotypes, and provided a standardized measure of atypical brain structure that revealed patterns of neuroanatomical variation across neurological and psychiatric disorders. In summary, brain charts are an essential step towards robust quantification of individual variation benchmarked to normative trajectories in multiple, commonly used neuroimaging phenotypes.MRI data from more than 100 studies have been aggregated to yield new insights about brain development and ageing, and create an interactive open resource for comparison of brain structures throughout the human lifespan, including those associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed priming (halo- and hydro-priming) and magnetic seed treatments have been used to invigorate seeds. Primed seeds cannot be stored for long duration due to start of gemination processes, although dried to initial seed moisture content at the end of lag phase of germination. On the other hand, magnetic seed treatment invigorates the seeds without starting germination processes and so considered safe for storage of seeds. The comparative evaluation as well as their impact on various physiological aspects of okra plant has been scarcely evaluated. A field experiment was conducted to compare the impact of seed priming (hydro-priming and halo-priming) and magnetic field seed treatments, on growth, photosynthesis related attributes and yield of two okra cv. Sabz Pari and Super Green during summer 2016. Seeds of both cultivars, primed in water (hydro-priming), salt solution (halo-priming using NaCl 1%, ZnSO4 0.1%, CuSO4 0.1%, H3BO3 1%, KNO3 1% and 2%), or exposed to magnetic field of 100 or 200 mT for 10 or 20 minutes, were sown in field according to randomized complete block design under factorial arrangements. Results revealed that magnetic field seed treatment, specifically 100 mT for 20 minutes, improved emergence (25-34% over control), seedling fresh and dry weight, leaf weight, pod length, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant (27-38% over control). Chlorophyll contents of both okra cultivars were highest in response to seed priming with 1% KNO3. Transpiration rate and net photosynthetic rate of both okra cultivars were also high for plants grown using 100 mT for 20 minutes treated seeds of both cultivars. While, sub-stomatal conductance of cv. Sabz Pari and Super Green was highest in response to 100 mT for 10 minutes and 1% NaCl, respectively. However, water use efficiency of Sabz Pari and Super Green was highest for plants raised using seeds primed in 1% KNO3 and 1% H3BO3, respectively. It may be inferred that pre-sowing magnetic field treatment of seed (100 mT for 20 minutes) can be effectively used to improve okra crop stand establishment, growth and yield followed by seed priming in 1% KNO3. Moreover, magnetic seed treatment, being less damaging to seed, is more suitable than priming; the later one decreases storage life of seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel-weapons and homeland-security hypotheses are based on the idea that aliens and natives are not adapted to each other's allelochemicals as they did not co-evolve. However, as only a few studies have tested this, it remains unclear how important co-evolutionary history is in determining the strength of allelopathic interactions between aliens and natives. Here, we tested for potential pairwise allelopathic effects on each other of five alien and five native herbaceous species in China. We did a germination experiment and a competition experiment. In the germination experiment, we tested whether aqueous extracts of the ten study species had allelopathic effects on each other's seed germination. In the competition experiment, we tested whether the alien and native species differed in their competitive effects and responses, and whether these were changed by the presence of activated carbon—a presumed allelopathy neutralizer– in the soil. Plant extracts had negative allelopathic effects on seed germination. This was particularly the case for extracts from the native species. Moreover, aqueous extracts had slightly stronger negative effects on germination of the aliens than on germination of the natives. In the competition experiment, on the other hand, the natives suffered more from competition than the alien species did, but we could not relate this to allelopathy. Alien plants had negative competitive and allelopathic effects on native plants, but the reverse was also true. These alien-native interactions, however, were not consistently stronger or weaker than native-native or alien-alien interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the diamagnetic flow in a non-uniform partially ionized plasma with non-Maxwellian electron population to explain the dynamics of ion velocity shear-induced low-frequency drift mode and associated instabilities. The dispersion relations are found, and instability threshold conditions are pointed out along with ion-parallel momentum transport due to drift motion with relative phase shift of fluctuating quantities in a non-conservative system. The real frequencies and instability growth rates are studied numerically and illustrated for typical space and laboratory plasmas. This study should be useful in understanding some aspects of low-frequency time-delayed perturbations with sheared flow leading to drift instabilities and cross-field parallel ion momentum transport in nonuniform magnetoplasmas containing a non-Maxwellian electron population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsequent to escape from intense herbivory in the native range, invasive plants are expected to reduce allocation to costly anti‐herbivory defences and have greater competitive ability than co‐occurring native species. Given that invasive alien plants often occur in open habitats where light is less limited, it is reasonable to hypothesize that invasive plants should express high concentrations of gibberellins that enable them to allocate more biomass to roots, and thus have higher competitive ability than native plants. To test this prediction, we grew five congeneric pairs of invasive alien plants and native plants under two levels of nutrient availability (low versus high) and treated a half of the plants with a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol. Paclobutrazol significantly decreased aboveground, belowground and total biomass of the test plants. Interestingly, the effects on belowground biomass were significantly stronger for invasive plants than for native plants. A similar pattern was found for total biomass (marginally significant effect p = 0.0592). Additionally, paclobutrazol decreased root mass fraction for invasive plants, but tended to increase it for native plants. Our findings suggest that plant hormones can differently regulate biomass allocation of invasive and native plants, and thus contribute to greater growth of invasive plants compared to native plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explores the features of thermal radiation on ferromagnetic Jeffrey fluid flow within the frame of gyrotactic microorganisms and magnetic dipole. Microorganism is employed just to stabilize the suspended nanoparticles through bioconvection which has been induced by combined effects of buoyancy forces and magnetic field. Nonuniform heat generation/absorption, stratification, dissipation and chemical reaction are accounted. The attained system is solved numerically by means of the shooting method in conjunction with Runge–Kutta method (RKF-45). The obtained numerical results are then presented in graphical and tabular form and are discussed at length. In addition, the validation of present outcomes is achieved by developing comparison with existing published work. The present analysis reveals that the temperature profile enhances in view of radiation and ferrohydrodynamic interaction parameters. Moreover, space- and temperature-dependent heat absorption are more suitable for cooling purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present article, we have considered the incident wave on a finite symmetric plate under the imposition of Dirichlet boundary conditions in the presence of cold plasma. The boundary value problem is formulated through employing the Fourier transform on Helmholtz equation. The technique of Wiener–Hopf analysis is used to sort out the problem proposed for this model. The separated field is evaluated and then effects of various physical parameters are discussed through graphical analysis in the presence of cold plasma. A comparative study with previous analysis of non-symmetric finite plate is discussed graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we have investigated 3D incompressible steady MHD flow of Oldroyd-B material in a rotating frame. The flow is caused through linearly stretched sheet. Applied magnetic field is accounted. Cubic autocatalytic chemical reaction is considered at the surface. Convective conditions at the boundary are considered for heat transport. Flow problem is modeled with the help of boundary layer approximations. Homotopy method is utilized for the series solutions. Impacts of physical variable are interpreted graphically. Heat transfer rate is presented in tabulated form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas are vital for biodiversity conservation although some have been criticized for not providing adequate socio‐economic benefits to local people. Yet, empirical studies on socio‐economic impacts of protected areas that control for confounding factors are rare.Here, we assessed the potential impacts of Maasai Mara National Reserve in south‐western Kenya on welfare (indicated by levels of income, consumption and assets) of, and poverty incidence among, 423 randomly selected local households. We used descriptive statistics to summarize demographic and socio‐economic statuses of the households. Then, we estimated effects of the protected area on welfare of the households using ordinary least‐squares regression models and entropy balancing.The protected area did not have a statistically significant effect on welfare of, and poverty levels among the households. Households that lived within a 5 km radius of the protected area boundary incurred significantly higher economic costs related to crop destruction and livestock depredation than households that lived 5–25 km from the boundary. Nevertheless, the majority of the households (86%) held positive views about the protected area due to its conservation role and direct and indirect benefits that they had already gained and expected to gain from it in the future.These results suggest that interventions are needed to reduce economic losses caused by wildlife from the protected area and improve its social and economic benefits to local households. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: The novel‐weapons hypothesis predicts that some plants are successful invaders because they release allelopathic compounds that are highly suppressive to naïve competitors in invaded ranges but are relatively ineffective against competitors in the native range. For its part, the evolution of enhanced weaponry hypothesis predicts that invasive populations may evolve increased expression of the allelopathic compounds. However, these predictions have rarely been tested empirically. Methods: Here, we made aqueous extracts of roots and shoots of invasive (North American) and native (European) Brassica nigra plants. Seeds of nine species from North America and nine species from Europe were exposed to these extracts. As control solutions, we used pure distilled water and distilled water with the osmotic potential adjusted with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to match that of root and shoot extracts of B. nigra. Results: The extracts had a strong negative effect on germination rates and seedling root lengths of target species compared to the water‐control. Compared to the osmolality‐adjusted controls, the extracts had a negative effect on seedling root length. We found no differences between the effects of B. nigra plant extracts from the invasive vs. native populations on germination rates and seedling root growth of target plant species. Responses were largely independent of whether the target plant species were from the invaded or native range of B. nigra. Conclusions: The results show that B. nigra can interfere with other species through allelochemical interactions, but do not support predictions of the novel‐weapons hypothesis and evolution of increased allelopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many analysts and researchers claim that nanomaterials can be employed to improve the thermal performance of base material. Nanomaterials are mainly utilized for their increased thermal attributes as coolants in heat transport equipment like radiators and electronic cooling system (flat plate). Heat transport over stretchable surface has been examined by numerous engineers due to their vast applications, i.e., paints and coatings, paper and printing, drug delivery, power generation, food products and cancer therapy and so on. Keeping such applications of nanofluid in mind we aimed to consider three-dimensional nanomaterial flow of Maxwell material over a stretchable moving sheet. The flow in rotating frame is generated by linear stretched sheet. Furthermore, nanofluid mechanism is addressed subject to thermophoresis and Brownian diffusions. Chemical reaction at a stretchable surface is accounted via modified Arrhenius energy. Boundary layer approximation is utilized. Suitable variables lead to strong nonlinear ODEs. Numerical approach is implemented for solution development. The velocity components, temperature and mass concentration are scrutinized. Computational iterations for mass and heat transfer rates are discussed through tabulated forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research article communicates an analytical investigation for the three-dimensional steady incompressible flow of Oldroyd-B fluid subject to stretchable surface. The flow of material induced through stretchable surface with Darcy-Forchheimer medium. Homogeneous–heterogeneous reactions is considered. Convective boundary conditions and heat source/sink effects are considered for the heat transport. Boundary layer concept is used in the development of flow problem. Series solutions are obtained of the nonlinear system through homotopy technique. Physical significance of pertinent parameters are discussed and plotted graphically. Heat transfer rate is discussed numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this article is to investigate three-dimensional steady rotating flow of rate type fluid (Maxwell fluid) over an exponential stretching surface. The Maxwell fluid saturates the porous space via Darcy–Forchheimer relation. Flow caused by the exponential stretchable surface of sheet. Chemical reaction along with Arrhenius energy is considered at the surface. Energy expression is modeled subject to heat source/sink and radiation flux. Appropriate transformations leads to ordinary ones. Homotopy method is implemented for the series solutions. Pertinent parameters are discussed graphically. Special consideration is given to the engineering quantities such as Sherwood and Nusselt numbers and discussed numerically through tabular form. Temperature distribution enhances versus higher radiation and heat source/sink parameter while decays for larger Prandtl number. Furthermore, velocity shows decreasing trend through larger porosity and Deborah number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal aim of present analysis is to investigate three-dimensional rotating mixed convective flow of nanomaterial. Chemical reaction associated with Arrhenius energy is also accounted. Flow is created through exponential stretchable sheet. Slip mechanisms to nanomaterial such as Brownian and thermophoresis diffusions are considered. Moreover, heat transfer analysis is developed in the existence of heat source/sink and radiative flux. Similarity transformations are implemented to develop the system of nonlinear ordinary ones. Numerical approach (Built-in-Shooting) has been utilized to handle the governing mathematical system. Graphical impacts of pertinent parameters on the velocity, mass concentration and temperature are deliberated. Local Nusselt number and Sherwood number are examined and analyzed. It is noticed that temperature field enhances versus radiation and heat source/sink parameters while it decays through larger Prandtl number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidy can cause variation in plant functional traits and thereby generate individuals that can adapt to fluctuating environments and exploit new environments. However, few empirical studies have tested for an association between ploidy level and climatic tolerance of invasive cytotypes relative to conspecific native‐range cytotypes. Here, we used an invasive plant Solidago canadensis to test whether invasive populations had a higher proportion of polyploids, greater height and stem‐base diameter, and occupied a wider range of climatic conditions than conspecific native‐range populations. We also tested whether the invasive populations had overcome genetic founder effects. We sampled a total of 80 populations in parts of the invaded range in China and native range in North America for in situ measurements of plant height and stem‐base diameter in the field and for population genetic and cytotype analyses. To examine climatic correlates, we augmented our field‐sampled data with occurrence records obtained from Global Biodiversity Information Facility. All, except one, of the populations that we sampled in China occurred in a humid subtropical climate. In contrast, the North American populations occurred in humid continental, humid subtropical, and semi‐arid climatic zones. All populations of S. canadensis in China were purely hexaploid, while the North American populations were diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid. The invasive hexaploids were significantly taller and had a larger stem‐base diameter than native hexaploids. Native hexaploids were significantly taller and had larger stem‐base diameter than native diploids. Climatic correlate assessment found that invasive and native populations occupied different climatic envelopes, with invasive populations occurring in warmer and less seasonal climates than native populations. However, there was no significant correlation between ploidy level and climatic envelope of S. canadensis. Molecular phylogeography data suggest reduced genetic founder effects in the invaded range. Overall, these results suggest that polyploidy does not influence S. canadensis climatic tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research article presents the investigation of diffraction phenomenon of EM-plane wave by a non-symmetric plate of finite length under the influence of cold plasma. The Wiener–Hopf equation is formulated by boundary value problem related to this model and Fourier transform. The standard way of Wiener–Hopf procedure is used to tackle the resulting equation. Asymptotic expansion and modified stationary phase method are used to find the result for the diffracted wave by finite plate under the assumption of Neumann boundary conditions in an anisotropic medium. The case of an isotropic medium has been obtained by assigning the particular values to elements of permittivity tensor. The high-frequency signal can be assumed only when very large operating frequency is taken into account as compared to the cyclotron frequency. Various physical parameters for isotropic and anisotropic medium are discussed graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the intention to augment better management of human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) in Kenya, we assessed a national HWC pattern using a decade-long (2005–2016) monitoring data series. The results demonstrate that out of 29,647 reported HWC cases, crop raiding was the most frequent type (73%) followed by livestock depredation (23%) and infrastructure damage (4%). Different crops, livestock and wildlife species involved in the conflicts were also identified. Although HWC cases were reported from all the 47 counties that make up Kenya, about 75% of the incidences occurred in 10 counties, with the highest number of cases being in Taita Taveta County. Human-wildlife conflicts exhibited variations across the seasons and years. Overall, from the HWC cases reported, the number of crop raiding incidences decreased, livestock depredation increased, while property damage was constant. We suggest counties that experienced most HWC cases should be given a priority when implementing measures to mitigate HWC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plants often interact with antagonists that include native parasitic plants and pathogenic soil microbes, which may reduce fitness of the invaders. However, to date, most of the studies on the ecological consequences of antagonistic interactions between invasive plants and the resident biota focused only on pairwise interactions. A full understanding of invasion dynamics requires studies that test the effects of multiple antagonists on fitness of invasive plants and co‐occurring native plants. Here, we used an invasive plant Mikania micrantha, a co‐occurring native plant Coix lacryma‐jobi, and a native holoparasitic plant Cuscuta campestris to test whether parasitism on M. micrantha interacts with soil fungi and bacteria to reduce fitness of the invader and promote growth of the co‐occurring native plant. In a factorial setup, M. micrantha and C. lacryma‐jobi were grown together in pots in the presence versus absence of parasitism on M. micrantha by C. campestris and in the presence versus absence of full complements of soil bacteria and fungi. Fungicide and bactericide were used to suppress soil fungi and bacteria, respectively. Findings show that heavy parasitism by C. campestris caused the greatest reduction in M. micrantha biomass when soil fungi and bacteria were suppressed. In contrast, the co‐occurring native plant C. lacryma‐jobi experienced the greatest increase in biomass when grown with heavily parasitized M. micrantha and in the presence of a full complement of soil fungi and bacteria. Taken together, our results suggest that selective parasitism on susceptible invasive plants by native parasitic plants and soil microorganisms may diminish competitive ability of invasive plants and facilitate native plant coexistence with invasive plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we have numerically examined the effects of EMHD in flow of nanofluid past a porous Riga surface with gyrotactic microorganism and nanoparticles. Modeling is presented via Grinberg term and a Lorentz force parallel to the wall of a Riga plate. The fluid is electrically conducting, and the Lorentz force decreases exponentially. Using shooting method, the obtained governing nonlinear coupled ODEs are solved. Physical impact of all the pertinent parameters are examined using graphs and tables. In particular, we discussed the behavior of temperature, velocity, motile microorganism density and nanoparticle concentration profile. Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are examined with the help of tables. This analysis motivates the recent researchers, and it provides a platform for further study on nanofluid flow with gyrotactic microorganism past a Riga plate. A comparison is also presented with previously published results as a special case of our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have discussed energy densities and energy flow speed in a spin polarized plasma when longitudinal waves [Spin electron acoustic wave (SEAW) and Langmuir wave] propagate through the plasma. Employing the separate spin evolution quantum hydrodynamic model, we have derived the expression for energy densities and energy flow speed. It is found that the spin polarization changes the profiles of various energy densities. Specifically, we find that the spin polarization broadens the profile of the electrostatic energy density retaining the same peak value. In the case of kinetic and quantum energy densities, the profiles become narrower with the decrease in the peak value for the former case and increase for the latter. On the other hand, in the case of Langmuir waves, the spin polarization effect is similar for electrostatic energy density but opposite to the peak values of kinetic and quantum energy densities. The corresponding profiles become narrower as in the case of SEAW. Furthermore, energy flow speed associated with the SEAW and Langmuir wave is reduced for higher values of spin polarization. It is also noted that the contribution of Bohm potential in the dispersion compensates the reduction of energy flow due to spin polarization. The results are graphically analyzed for the choice of solid state plasma parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting dynamic substructuring schemes is a common practice in the field of structural dynamics, where the dynamic behaviour of a structure is predicted by combining the multiple subsystems that are analysed individually. This paper investigated the dynamic behaviour of a structure with doubled bolted joints using the frequency based substructuring (FBS) method. In the attempt, the substructures were combined with the frequency domain that can be numerically derived or experimentally measured. However, the applicability of this method suffered from several issues where most of them were related to the frequency response function (FRF) of the rotational degree of freedom (DOF) at the subsystem's interface. In some cases, the system's interface vibrated in the rotary motion of certain modes, for instance, a car side rear view mirror. Therefore, excluding the rotational FRF during the coupling process could lead to a completely different result. This paper presents the use of the FBS method for a structure with double bolted joints by using the equivalent multipoint constraint (EMPC) method through which rotational DOFs can be completely neglected. The actual tested structure for this study was an assembled structure consisting of two substructures: a simple beam and an irregular plate steel structure. The FRFs of both substructures were derived from using the FRF synthesis from finite element models and combined together via the FBS method. This study reveals that the use of the FBS method with the EMPC method for a structure double bolted joints has led to very promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective here is to examine the characteristics of non-Fourier flux theory in flow induced by a nonlinear stretched surface. Constitutive expression for an incompressible Walter-B liquid is taken into account. Consideration of thermal stratification and variable thermal conductivity characterizes the heat transfer process. The concept of boundary layer is adopted for the formulation purpose. Modern methodology for the computational process is implemented. Surface drag force is computed and discussed. Salient features of significant variables on the physical quantities are reported graphically. It is explored that velocity is enhanced for a larger ratio of rate constants. The increasing values of thermal relaxation factor correspond to less temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal is a key component of a species' life history, by influencing population persistence, genetic structure, adaptation and maintenance of genetic diversity. The Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans) is a widespread species in east Asia. However, we still have no knowledge of what kind of geographical scale equates to genetic differentiation within B. gargarizans. In this study, the population genetics of B. gargarizans was studied at five localities, with the Yangtze River running through the sampling area, in order to detect the level of genetic differentiation and the natural barriers to the species' dispersal on a small geographic scale, by means of the development and use of novel microsatellite loci. These markers revealed a relatively high level of genetic diversity. Distinct genetic structure among populations in B. gargarizans was observed, as described by genetic distance, AMOVA, PCA and Geneland results. A weak but significant positive correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance. The combination of these findings suggests that the Yangtze River and geographic distance may act as effective barriers for B. gargarizans. These results serve as benchmark data for understanding the impacts of dispersal barriers and continued landscape research on B. gargarizans. In this study, the population genetics of Bufo gargarizans were studied in five localities with the Yangtze River running through the sampling area to draw inference about the genetic differentiation level and natural barriers to species dispersal in small geographic scale with landscape features using novel microsatellite loci. Significant genetic structure and weak but significant positive correlation between genetic and geographical distances were found, which indicates that the Yangtze River and geographic distance may act as an effective barrier for B. gargarizans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasion by exotic plant species and herbivory can individually alter native plant species diversity, but their interactive effects in structuring native plant communities remain little studied. Many exotic plant species escape from their co-evolved specialized herbivores in their native range (in accordance with the enemy release hypothesis). When these invasive plants are relatively unpalatable, they may act as nurse plants by reducing herbivore damage on co-occurring native plants, thereby structuring native plant communities. However, the potential for unpalatable invasive plants to structure native plant communities has been little investigated. Here, we tested whether presence of an unpalatable exotic invader Opuntia ficus-indica was associated with the structure of native plant communities in an ecosystem with a long history of grazing by ungulate herbivores. Along 17 transects (each 1000 m long), we conducted a native vegetation survey in paired invaded and uninvaded plots. Plots that harboured O. ficus-indica had higher native plant species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity H′ than uninvaded plots. However, mean species evenness J was similar between invaded and uninvaded plots. There was no significant correlation between native plant diversity and percentage plot cover by O. ficus-indica. Presence of O. ficus-indica was associated with a compositional change in native community assemblages between paired invaded and uninvaded plots. Although these results are only correlative, they suggest that unpalatable exotic plants may play an important ecological role as refugia for maintenance of native plant diversity in intensely grazed ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current communication, the problem of plane wave diffraction by a conductible plate of finite length in the presence of cold plasma is investigated. The boundary-value problem corresponding to this model is formulated by Fourier transform which then leads to the Wiener−Hopf equation. The resulting equation has been solved by the Wiener−Hopf procedure in a standard way. The separated field (diffracted field) is analyzed in an anisotropic medium using asymptotic expansion and modified stationary phase method. The problem can be made simple by assuming ε2→0, where ε2 is the element of permittivity tensor. This happens, if the operating frequency is assumed to be very large as compared to ωc (cyclotron frequency) while it is of same order of ωp (the plasma frequency). The case ε1 =1, ε2→0 leads to the results for soft plate of finite length in an isotropic medium. Graphical study is performed to investigate the behavior of separated field for various physical parameters for isotropic and anisotropic media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation explores the characteristics of Maxwell nanofluid over a stretched sheet possessing variable sheet thickness. The model utilized for nanofluid contains the combined impacts of thermophoresis and Brownian motion. Effects of melting heat transfer and magnetohydrodynamics are included in the analysis as well. For the formulation procedure, we have adopted the concept of usual boundary layer approximation. Convergent homotopic solutions are presented for the developed nonlinear systems. Impact of different pertinent variables on the non-dimensional equations of velocity, temperature, concentration, local Sherwood and local Nusselt numbers is analyzed and discussed in detail. It is revealed that larger Deborah and Hartman numbers retard the flow. The melting and nonlinear parameters have reverse effects for velocity and temperature. Moreover, it observed that temperature and concentration distributions augment for higher values of Brownian motion parameter; however, temperature and concentration distributions have opposite behavior for thermophoretic parameter. Besides this, in limiting sense the accuracy of outcoming results is also affirmed by comparing them with the results already available in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]