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Constructed wetlands use vegetation and microorganisms to remove contaminants like nitrogen and phosphorus from water. For mariculture, the impact of salinity on the efficiency of wastewater treatment of wetlands is unneglectable. However, little is known about their impact on the microbiome in constructed wetlands. Here, we set four salinity levels (15, 22, 29, and 36) in Salicornia constructed wetlands, and the experiment was conducted for a period of 72 days. The 15 group exhibited the highest removal rates of nitrogen compounds and phosphate, compared to the other salinity groups, the nosZ gene exhibited significantly higher expression in the 22 group (p < 0.05), indicated that microorganisms in 22 salinity have higher denitrification abilities. The three dominant phyla identified within the microbiomes were Proteobacteria, known for their diverse metabolic capabilities; Cyanobacteria, important for photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation; and Firmicutes, which include many fermenters. The ecological network analysis revealed a 'small world' model, characterized by high interconnectivity and short path lengths between microbial species, and had higher co-occurrence (45.13%) observed in this study comparing to the Erdös-Réyni random one (32.35%). The genus Microbulbifer emerged as the sole connector taxon, pivotal for integrating different microbial communities involved in nitrogen removal. A negative correlation was observed between salinity levels and network complexity, as assessed by the number of connections and diversity of interactions within the microbial community. Collectively, these findings underscore the critical role of microbial community interactions in optimizing nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands, with potential applications in the design and management of such systems for improved wastewater treatment in mariculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The heat stress is a significant environmental challenge and impede the plant growth, development and productivity. The characterization and utilization of novel genes for improving stress tolerance represents a paramount approach in crop breeding. In the present study, we report on cloning of a novel heat-induced chaperonin 10-like gene (SbCPN10L) from Salicornia brachiata and elucidation of its in-planta role in conferring the heat stress endurance. The transgenic tobacco over-expressing SbCPN10L gene exhibited enhanced growth attributes such as higher rate of seed germination, germination and vigor index at elevated (35 ± 1 °C) temperature (eT). The SbCPN10L tobacco exhibited greenish and healthy seedling growth under stress. Compared with control tobacco at eT, the transgenic tobacco had higher water contents, membrane stability index, stress tolerance index and photosynthetic pigments. Lower electrolyte leakage and less accumulation of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide and reactive oxygen species indicated better heat stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco over-expressing SbCPN10L gene. Transgenic tobacco accumulated higher contents of sugars, starch, amino acids and polyphenols at eT. The negative solute potential observed in transgenic tobacco contributed to maintain water content and support improved growth under stress. The up-regulation of NtAPX, NtPOX and NtSOD in transgenic tobacco under stress indicated higher ROS scavenging ability and better physiological conditioning. The results recommend the SbCPN10L gene as a potential candidate gene with an ability to confer heat stress tolerance for climate resilient crops., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

With the increasing industrialization and urbanization, the ecological environment is suffering from severe deterioration in Liaohe coastal wetland, and petroleum spill is one of the pollution sources. Suaeda salsa (L.) Pall (S. salsa), one of the predominant plants in Liaohe coastal wetland, is facing the increasing degradation. Terpenes are a class of inherent compounds in plants, and play key role in maintain the growth of plants. However, the environmental stress on the terpene metabolism remained unclear in the plants. In the present study, the influence of petroleum spill on terpene metabolism in S. salsa was systematically investigated by analysis of concentrations, compositions and stable carbon isotope. Under the stress of petroleum spill, terpene concentrations showed the decreasing trend, indicating the inhibition effect of petroleum spill on terpene synthesis in S. salsa. The proportions of Sabinene and A-humulene showed the obviously increased with the influence of petroleum spill, implying that these congeners were more sensitive to petroleum spills. The significant changes in stable carbon isotope compositions were observed for Borneol, Dl-menthol, A-humulene and (-) -@-bisabolol, with the enrichment in heavier isotopes in residual fractions. This result indicated that the heavier 13 C was preferentially fixed on terpene by S. salsa under the petroleum stress. The similar change trends along the incubation time was observed for A-humulene and (-) - trans caryophyllene, which might imply that A-humulene was one of the products of (-) - trans caryophyllene in S. salsa. Overall, the findings of present study verified the influence of petroleum spill on terpene metabolism in S. salsa, and were meaningful for protecting the plants in the petroleum-pollution wetlands., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Orenburg Region is located in the South Urals, mostly in the steppe zone and is characterised by various landscapes suitable for many Chenopodiaceae. The species of Chenopodiaceae are present in all major plant communities (saline vegetation, steppes, on limestone, chalk and sand, and as degraded or ruderal communities). In the steppe zone, many native subshrubby species (Atriplex cana, Caroxylon laricinum, Suaeda physophora) playing a crucial role in semi-deserts (known as southern steppes in the recent Russian literature) located southwards of Orenburg Region are locally found, and several annuals (Salicornia perennans, Suaeda spp.) are most common dominants in plant communities. Some typical semi-desert species (Kalidium foliatum, Bassia hyssopifolia, Soda foliosa, Spirobassia hirsuta) are found in the easternmost part of the region. New information: We compiled a checklist of Chenopodiaceae in Orenburg Region, with two new records ( Chenopodium virgatum, Corispermum laxiflorum), based on our critical revision, comprehensive inventory of herbarium specimens and documented observations and field research. In total, we report 76 species in the Region, which is the third-highest number of the Chenopodiaceae species compared with other administrative territories of European Russia, North Caucasus and West Siberia. Alien and native taxa are distinguished. Zonal patterns of species distributions are confirmed. A preliminary conservation status is proposed for each native species. Three species are recommended for exclusion from the Red Data Book of Orenburg Region: Petrosimonia triandra (because of its extensive distribution), Kalidium foliatum and Anabasis salsa (because of the lack of actual threat to their populations). Arthrophytum lehmannianum and Salsola rosacea are considered threatened (Vulnerable) because of their restricted occurrence and population size and because their localities are under anthropogenic pressure. Atriplex hortensis, Atriplex rosea, Chenopodium acuminatum, C. karoi, C. praetericola, C. vulvaria, Climacoptera affinis, C. crassa, Halimocnemis karelinii, Salsola paulsenii and Xylosalsola arbuscula are excluded from the checklist, based on various reasons as discussed in the paper. Point distribution maps are provided for each species. Agriophyllum pungens (Vahl) Link is accepted as the correct authorship instead of "M.Bieb. ex C.A.Mey." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The digitization of herbarium collections is an important process that allows access to sometimes huge amounts of data that can be used in various natural sciences. In recent years, the collections of one of the thirty oldest herbariums in the world—the herbarium of the Jagiellonian University—have been digitized. This paper presents the resources of the economically very important Amaranthaceae family, which include 8801 herbarium sheets. They were analyzed in taxonomic, geographical, historical, and functional terms. Herbaria constitute a form of documentation, store and secure comparative material, as well as constitute an extra original gene bank. They are an invaluable database among others for the biological, ethnobotanical and agricultural sciences. The digitization of herbarium collections significantly facilitates access to archival materials; however, searching them is still time-consuming. Therefore, our work aims to analyze the herbarium collection of 8801 sheets for specimens representing the economically important family Amaranthaceae (Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae clade) deposited the oldest herbarium in Poland, the herbarium of the Jagiellonian University (KRA). These specimens have been collected from almost all the continents in dozens of countries for over 200 years. The analyses conducted, including the taxonomic coverage, geographical characteristics and origin, temporal coverage and utility importance of representative species, present the discussed resources in a more accessible way and may become a more attractive form for scientists potentially interested in more advanced research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exotic species Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) are widely invaded in the coastal zones of China and threaten the native ecosystem functions. In this study, phosphorus-magnesium modified BC (P-Mg modified BC) included PA-Mg-BC and DAP-Mg-BC derived from S. alterniflora were successfully prepared by co-pyrolysis of biomass and diammonium phosphate (DAP) or phosphoric acid (PA) and magnesium oxide (MgO). The preparation process markedly improved the surface morphologies, P loading amount, and P-containing functional groups of modified BC. The characterization results indicated that stable and low-solubility Mg-P complex formed on the surface of PA-Mg-BC and DAP-Mg-BC, which delayed the rapid release of P. Moreover, the MgO improved the buffering capacity of PA-Mg-BC and DAP-Mg-BC to competitive anions (SO 4 2- and CO 3 2- ) during P release. Meanwhile, pot experiment showed that the suitable applications of PA-Mg-BC and DAP-Mg-BC could improve soil quality and fertility by enhancing SOC, DOC, TN, TP and AP contents, as well as β-glucosidase activities. The amended soil pH and salinity compared to the original soil also declined through precipitation and acid-base neutralization. In addition, P-Mg modified BC could improve bacterial community structure and promote the growth and biomass of Suaeda salsa (S. salsa). This study could provide a feasible method for realizing ecological restoration of coastal wetland and resource utilization of S. alterniflora., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Canopy interception loss affects the local water budget by removing a non-negligible proportion of rainfall from the terrestrial surface. Thus, quantifying interception loss is essential for thoroughly understanding the role of vegetation in the local hydrological cycle, especially in dryland ecosystems. However, sparse shrubs in dryland ecosystems have not been sufficiently studied, owing to time- and labor-intensive field experiments and challenging model parameterization. In this work, 4-year growing season field experiments on rainfall partitioning were conducted for three dominant shrub species (Haloxylon ammodendron, Nitraria sphaerocarpa, and Calligonum mongolicum) in an oasis-desert ecotone in northwestern China. The revised Gash analytical model was well parameterized, which reliably simulated the cumulative interception loss for sparse shrubs, and the validated model performed better for H. ammodendron, followed by C. mongolicum and N. sphaerocarpa, with relative errors of 8.4%, 15.4%, and 23.9%, respectively. The mean individual interception loss percentage for H. ammodendron (28.4%) was significantly higher than that for C. mongolicum (11.0%) and N. sphaerocarpa (10.9%) (p < 0.05), which could be ascribed to the higher canopy storage capacity and wet-canopy evaporation rate of H. ammodendron. For all shrub species, the majority proportion of interception loss occurred during canopy saturation and drying-out periods, accounting for approximately 79-85% of the cumulative interception loss. Overall, the mean local interception loss of three dominant shrub species in the ecotone removed nearly 17% of the corresponding cumulative rainfall during the growing season. These results not only provide methodological references for estimating the interception loss of sparse vegetation in dryland ecosystems, but also provide scientific insights for water resource management and ecosystem restoration in water-limited regions similar to the experimental site., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents new data on the salt tolerance and avoidance mechanisms among various groups of halophytes in India. The halophytic flora in general has positive effect of high saline environments on growth and physiology. The coastal area of the Kachchh district in Gujarat includes about 350 km of shoreline along the Gulf of Kachchh. This study presents data on the elemental accumulation mechanisms in soil and halophytic flora (succulent and non-succulents). The halophytes were divided into two groups namely succulent with thick and fleshy leaves and stems as well as non-succulents with thin leaves and stem. The succulent halophytes included species such as Salicornia brachiata, Suaeda fruticosa and Suaeda nudiflora. The non-succulent halophytes include Aeluropus lagopoides and Urochondra setulosa. Plant parts namely leaves (Phylloclade for Salicornia), stems and roots were analyzed during the monsoon season. The results of soil and plant mineral ion contents differed widely across the intertidal zones in the same habitat. Likewise, the intra species have varied in all nutrient levels and salt concentration. The accumulation of elemental concentration was high during the monsoon season in the succulent Salicornia brachiata, especially in leaves that showed Na + reaching high up to 7.6 meq g -1 , whereas Cl - was noted to be 4.34 meq g -1 . In the non-succulent halophytes, the accumulation of mineral ion concentration was lower when compared to succulent plants., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Coastal wetlands are being greatly affected by global climate change, and understanding how tides influence plant connectivity can provide a basis for plant conservation and wetland restoration decisions in degraded and at-risk areas. In our study, we quantified the structural and functional connectivity of Suaeda salsa in the Yellow River Delta and explored the impact of tidal action on connectivity. The results showed that plant structural connectivity increased with distance inland from the sea. Similarly, seed connectivity was enhanced but gene connectivity was diminished when moving inland. An increase in the tidal channel branching rate was associated with a significant reduction in plant structural connectivity, and tidal inundation frequency significantly promoted gene connectivity. Tidal action was found to reduce seed circulation and germination, but this effect was not significant. Overall, it was established that plant structural connectivity is not equivalent to functional connectivity and that the effects of tides on structural and functional connectivity are inconsistent. In terms of achieving effective plant connectivity, tides can promote connectivity. In addition, when studying plant connectivity, temporal and spatial scales should be considered. This study provides a more comprehensive and insightful understanding tidal drivers of plant connectivity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chromium (Cr) is a highly toxic element adversely affecting the environment, cultivable lands, and human populations. The present study investigated the effects of Cr (VI) (100-400 μM) on plant morphology and growth, photosynthetic pigments, organic osmolytes, ionomics, and metabolomic dynamics of the halophyte Suaeda maritima to decipher the Cr tolerance mechanisms. Cr exposure reduced the growth and biomass in S. maritima. The photosynthetic pigments content significantly declined at higher Cr concentrations (400 μM). However, at lower Cr concentrations (100-300 μM), the photosynthetic pigments remained unaffected or increased. The results suggest that a high concentration of Cr exposure might have adverse effects on PS II in S. maritima. The enhanced uptake of Na + in S. maritima imposed to Cr stress indicates that Na +  might have a pivotal role in osmotic adjustment, thereby maintaining water status under Cr stress. The proline content was significantly upregulated in Cr-treated plants suggesting its role in maintaining osmotic balance and scavenging ROS. The metabolomic analysis of control and 400 μM Cr treated plants led to the identification of 62 metabolites. The fold chain analysis indicated the upregulation of several metabolites, including phytohormones (SA and GA 3 ), polyphenols (cinnamic acid, sinapic acid, coumaric acid, vanillic acid, and syringic acid), and amino acids (alanine, leucine, proline, methionine, and cysteine) under Cr stress. The upregulation of these metabolites suggests the enhanced metal chelation and sequestration in vacuoles, reducing oxidative stress by scavenging ROS and promoting photosynthesis by maintaining the chloroplast membrane structure and photosynthetic pigments. Furthermore, in S. maritima, Cr tolerance index (T i ) was more than 60% in all the treatments, and Cr bio-concentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (T f ) values were all greater than 1.0, which clearly indicates the Cr-hyperaccumulator characteristics of this halophyte., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Haloxylon ammodendron, a xero-halophytic shrub of Chenopodiaceae, is a dominant species in deserts, which has a strong drought and salt tolerance and plays an important role in sand fixation. However, the codon usage bias (CUB) in H. ammodendron is still unclear at present. In this study, the codon usage patterns of 38,657 coding sequences (CDSs) in the newly released whole-genome sequence data of H. ammodendron and 3,948 CDSs in the previously obtained transcriptome sequencing data were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the CDSs with the total guanineandcytosine(GC)content in the range of 40-45 % was the most in the genome and transcriptome. Among which, the GC1, GC2, and GC3 contents of genomic CDSs were 50.83 %, 40.56 %, and 40.23 %, respectively, and those of CDSs in the transcriptome were 47.16 %, 39.02 %, and 39.59 %, respectively. Therefore, the bases in H. ammodendron were rich in adenine and thymine, and the overallcodonusage was biasedtoward A- and U-ending codons. The analysis of neutrality plot, effective number of codon (ENC) plot, and parity rule 2 (PR2) bias plot showed that both natural selection and mutation pressure had great influences on the CUB of H. ammodendron, but natural selection was the most important determinant. Besides, gene expression level and the function and protein length of some specific genes also had influences on the codon usage pattern. Finally, a total of 25 common optimal codons were found in the genomic and transcriptomic data, and AU/GC-ending codons ratio was 24:1. It should be noted that the salt-tolerant unigenes had similar codon usage, and the highly expressed genes had higher usage frequency of optimal codons and lower GC content than the lowly expressed genes. In addition, there was no difference in the ENC values of salt-tolerant unigenes in H. ammodendron, and the expression level of the genes had no correlation with CAI. This study will help to elucidate the formation mechanism of H. ammodendron codon usage bias, and make contributions to the identification of new genes and the genetic engineering study on H. ammodendron., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lyophilization is the "gold standard" for drying plant extracts, which is important in preserving their quality and extending their shelf-life. Compared to other methods of drying plant extracts, lyophilization is costlier due to equipment, material and operational expenses. An alternative method is post-extraction oven-drying, but the effects of this process on extract quality are unknown. In this study, crude extracts from Arthrocnemum macrostachyum shoots were compared using three post-extraction drying methods (lyophilization and oven drying at 40 and 60 °C) and two extraction solvents (water and aqueous 50% ethanol). Untargeted metabolomics coupled with chemometrics analysis revealed that post extraction oven-drying resulted in the loss of up to 27% of molecular features when compared to lyophilization in water extracts only. In contrast, only 3% of molecular features were lost in aqueous 50% ethanol extracts when subjected to oven drying. That is to say, ethanol used as a solvent has a stabilizing effect on metabolites and enhances their resistance to thermal transformation in the oven. Collectively, oven-drying of extracts was as effective as lyophilization in preserving metabolites in extracts only when 50% ethanol was used as a solvent. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the value of selecting solvent-appropriate post-extraction drying methods., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

In this work, eight plants of Juncus sp. and ten of Salicornia europaea were used for an uptake assay of pharmaceuticals (flumequine, cirpofloxacin, enrofloxacin, carbamazepine, diclofenac and ibuprofen) by irrigation at three concentration levels: 10 ng mL -1 (low level); 700 ng mL -1 (medium level) and 10 μg mL -1 (high level). Two plants irrigated with pharmaceutical-free water were set up as controls. For each level, two plants were watered every day with 50 mL (Juncus sp.) and every two days with 20 mL (Salicornia europaea) of aqueous solutions containing all the analytes at the described concentrations. Plants irrigated at 10 μg mL -1 were significantly the most affected, whereas the rest of the plants remained, in general, largely displayed no apparent physiological effects throughout the 30 days (Juncus sp.) and 21 days (Salicornia europaea) assays. Leaves and stems were cut every seven days and roots were collected at the end of the assay. The samples were lyophilized, submitted to a microwave assisted extraction using 5 mL of acetonitrile:water mixture (1:1, v/v) and they were analyzed (in triplicate) in a liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry instrument. Most of the analytes were quantified in many of the samples corresponding to the three exposure levels with the highest concentrations obtained at high exposure levels. Ibuprofen was not detected in any sample and enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and diclofenac were not detected in the samples from Salicornia europaea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Halimione portulacoides plants were exposed to dissolved cerium (Ce) in a hydroponic medium for five days. Ce accumulation in plants followed the metal's increase in the medium although with a very low translocation factor (TF < 0.01) between roots and shoots. Ce median concentrations in roots were 586, 988 and 1103 μg/g (dry wt.), while in shoots the median values reached 1.9, 3.5 and 10.0 μg/g (dry wt.), for plants exposed to 300, 600 and 1200 μg/L of Ce, respectively. No significant differences occurred in the length of roots and shoots among treatment groups, albeit plants exposed to the highest Ce concentration showed a clear loss of turgor pressure on the fifth day. An increase of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels were observed in the plant shoots at 1200 μg/L of Ce. The highest concentration also triggered an answer by the shoots' antioxidant enzymes with a decrease in the activity of superoxide dismutase and an increase in peroxidase. However, no significant change in catalase activity was observed, compared to the control group, which may indicate that peroxidase played a more crucial role against the oxidative stress than catalase. Combined results indicate that H. portulacoides was actively responding to a toxic effect imposed by this higher Ce concentration. Nevertheless, changes in normal environmental conditions, may increase the bioavailability of Ce, while in areas where acid mine drainage may occur, the highest Ce concentration tested in this study may be largely exceeded, placing the sustainability of halophytes and estuarine marshes at risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Coastal wetlands are ecologically and economically important; however, they are currently faced with fragmentation and loss. Plants are a fundamental element of wetlands and previous researches have focused on wetland plant connectivity; however, these researches have been conducted at the landscape but not species level. Here, given that tidal flats are important areas in coastal wetlands, we investigated the connectivity characteristics of typical plant species and environmental factors in different wetland regions influenced by various tidal conditions to reveal vegetation connectivity and its relationship with environmental factors on a small-patch scale. We found that tides negatively affect plant connectivity because both the Tamarix chinensis and Suaeda salsa have the highest connectivity on river banks, which are not influenced by tides. Of two tidal regions, different tides conditions have different influence on two plant species. T. chinensis had higher connectivity in the supratidal zone, whereas S. salsa had higher connectivity in the intertidal zone. Besides, the soil water content and soil salinity were significantly different in the three regions, but the soil total nitrogen and phosphorous were not. Soil water content and soil salinity were two factors that significantly affected plant connectivity. Specifically, soil water content positively affected the connectivity of T. chinensis and S. salsa, whereas soil salinity negatively affected the connectivity of T. chinensis. Taken together, these results indicate that tidal conditions affect plant connectivity on a small-patch scale. River banks and supratidal zone are beneficial for the recovery and growth of T. chinensis, intertidal zone and river banks are more conducive to the recovery and growth of S. salsa. Based on the above research, this study provides insights that could be applied to vegetation restoration in coastal wetlands., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are the ubiquitous contaminants in the coastal wetlands, with high persistence and toxicity. Environmental behaviors of PBDEs in sediment-plant system is a hot research area, where much uncertainties still occurred in field environment. In this study, the sediments and Suaeda heteroptera were synchronously collected to investigate the bioaccumulation and translocation of PBDEs in Liaohe coastal wetland. Mean concentrations of PBDEs in sediments, roots, stems and leaves were 8.37, 6.64, 2.42 and 1.40 ng/g d.w., respectively. Tissue-specific accumulation of PBDEs were detected in Suaeda heteroptera, with predominant accumulation in roots. Congener patterns of PBDEs were similar between sediments and roots, demonstrating root uptake as the key pathway of PBDE bioaccumulation. The proportions of lower brominated congeners increased from roots to leaves, implying the congener-specific translocation. Meanwhile, the lower brominated congeners exhibited higher sediment-tissue bioaccumulation (AFs) and translocation factors (TFs) compared to higher brominated congeners in Suaeda heteroptera, further verifying their preferential translocation. AFs and TFs of PBDEs were both not correlated with their log K ow , which was inconsistent with those of laboratory studies, reflecting the complicated behaviors of PBDEs in field environment. This is the first comprehensive report on bioaccumulation and translocation of PBDEs within Suaeda heteroptera in Liaohe coastal wetland., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to investigate the biological activities of endemic plant Anabasis aretioïdes harvested in eastern Morocco. Various extracts were prepared from aerial part by aqueous and organic extraction using a Soxhlet and cold maceration. Preliminary phytochemical analysis was carried out on the powder and on the different extracts by standard phytochemical tests, and was confirmed by a quantitative analysis based on the determination of total polyphenols and cathechic tannins. Antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro by five methods: H 2 O 2 , DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and RP, and the antibacterial activity was carried out by disc diffusion method and the determination of MIC and MBC. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of cathechic tannins, saponins, and sterols and quantitative analysis showed that Ethyl acetate extract presented the high level of phenolic and cathechic tannins contents (46.79 ± 0.75  µ g GAE/mg E and 46.46 ± 0.67  µ g CE/mg E). A highest hydrogen peroxide activity was observed in aqueous macerated extract (7.84 ± 0.44%) and the macerated methanol extract has the highest rates for the other four antioxidant activity tests: It was able to reduce DPPH with an IC 50 of 52.91 ± 0.24  µ g/ml, the highest ABTS•+ radical scavenging capacity (48.99 ± 1.316  µ g TE/mg E), it showed also the highest antioxidant activity by the FRAP and reducing power test (99.73 ± 3.570  µ g TE/mg E and 72.176 ± 0.540  µ g AAE/mg E). Antibacterial screening showed that the maximum zone of inhibition was noted for ethyl acetate extract against Staphylococcus aureus (13.5 mm). The lowest MIC value was obtained with methanolic and macerated methanolic extracts against Protéus mirabilis strain (MIC = 3.125 mg/ml). Principal component analysis showed that the four methods ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and RP are highly correlated and a correlation between the antioxidant activity and the total phenolic contents of the extracts indicated that phenolic compounds were the dominant contributors to the antioxidant activity of the plant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Souad Senhaji et al.)

Southwest Asia is climatically and topographically a highly diverse region in the xeric belt of the Old World. Its diversity of arid habitats and climatic conditions acted as an important area for the evolution and diversification of up to 20 (of 38 known) independent Eudicot C4 origins. Some of these lineages present unique evolutionary strategies like single-cell functioning C4 and C3–C4 switching mechanisms. The high diversity of C4 taxa in Southwest (SW) Asia is also related to the presence of seven phytogeographic zones including the Irano-Turanian region as a center of diversification of many Caryophyllales lineages and the Somali-Masai region (Southern Oman and Yemen) as a center of diversification for C4 Monocots. Nevertheless, the C4 flora of SW Asia has not received detailed attention. This paper presents a comprehensive review of all known C4 species in the area based on a literature survey, own floristic observations, as well as taxonomic, phylogenetic and herbarium data, and δ13C-isotope ratio analysis. The resulting checklist includes a total number of 923 (861 native, of which 141 endemic, and 62 introduced) C4 species, composed of 350 Eudicots and 509 Monocots, most of which are therophytic and hemicryptophytic xerophytes with pluriregional and Irano-Turanian distribution. Two hundred thirty-nine new δ13C-isotope ratios of C4 and C3 plants, as well as some taxonomic changes are presented. An analysis of the distribution of the three main C4 plant families (Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae) in the region in relation to climatic variables indicates that the increase of C4 species follows more or less a latitudinal gradient similar to global patterns, while separate taxonomic groups seem to depend on specific factors as continentality (Chenopodiaceae), average annual temperature (Cyperaceae), and the presence of summer precipitation (Poaceae). An increase of C4 Eudicots in W-E direction even in similar longitudinal belts is explained by a combination of edaphic and climatic conditions. The provided data should encourage a deeper interest in the evolution of C4 lineages in SW Asia and their adaptation to ecological and climatical conditions and awaken interest in the importance of local C4 crops, the conservation of threatened C4 taxa, and awareness of human impacts on the rapid environmental changes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to justify the use of the universal scenario method of strategic planning and forecasting the development of the agroindustrial complex of the regional rural economy. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the application of a set of theoretical and methodological provisions for scenario planning and forecasting the development of agriculture in the regions, taking into account the assessment of their existing potential and constructing a territorial planning scheme for the priority of participation in the implementation of strategic directions of rural development in agricultural production. The paper presents a territorial model of the priority of participation of the municipal regions of the Republic of Bashkortostan in the implementation of strategic areas in the areas of development of production of grain crops, sugar beet, and oilseeds. The developed scenario method, reflecting the qualitatively heterogeneous directions of the development of enterprises, is formed taking into account the achievement of the strategic goal and potential opportunities of rural areas. This allows determining strategic decisions for the further development of rural areas and integrating them into a uniform industry development strategy. The developed approach is recommended to be used as a guideline in the development of long-term programs for the development of the crop production industry, as well as for adjusting the activities of ongoing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water uptake into seeds is a fundamental prerequisite of germination and commonly influenced by commercial seed enhancement technologies. The effect of fruit orientation and contrasting pelleting materials on germination and biological performance of sugar beet was assessed. The results indicated there was orientation dependent fruit shrinkage of 37% for the operculum side supplied by moisture compared to 4% for the basal pore side. The expansion rate of 5% compared to the original size, which was also observed for non-shrinking seeds, indicated this was a temporary effect. This behaviour has importance for the application pelleting materials to seeds. Pellets composed of materials exhibiting low levels of swelling act as a water distribution layer which increased germination rates. Careful selection of pelleting material is crucial as it has direct implications on germination speed and subsequent establishment rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of Atriplex canescens var. gigantea were found in Lamta, Bouficha-Enfidha (central Tunisia), and Medenine (southern Tunisia). Literature data concerning the presence of this species in Tunisia are contradictory but now our data confirm its occurrence in the country. On the other hand, this variety is reported in the present paper for the first time both in Tunisia and in North Africa in general. Morphological characters and ecological data are presented, as well as notes about patterns of infraspecific variability of A. canescens. Nomenclatural notes on infraspecific names in A. canescens, as well as on the closely related species A. garrettii, are provided. The types of the names A. canescens var. laciniata, A. canescens var. macilenta, A. garrettii, Obione occidentalis var. angustifolia, and Pterochiton occidentale, that in earlier publications were erroneously considered to be holotypes, are in fact lectotypes (for most of taxa) under Art. 9.10 of the ICN. Isolectotypes were found at CAS (A. canescens var. laciniata and A. canescens var. macilenta), GH (A. canescens var. macilenta), and YU (Atriplex nuttallii). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Beta diversity (variation of the species composition of assemblages) may reflect two different phenomena, spatial species turnover and nestedness of assemblages, which result from two antithetic processes, namely species replacement and species loss, respectively. The aim of this paper is to provide a unified framework for the assessment of beta diversity, disentangling the contribution of spatial turnover and nestedness to beta-diversity patterns. Innovation I derive an additive partitioning of beta diversity that provides the two separate components of spatial turnover and nestedness underlying the total amount of beta diversity. I propose two families of measures of beta diversity for pairwise and multiple-site situations. Each family comprises one measure accounting for all aspects of beta diversity, which is additively decomposed into two measures accounting for the pure spatial turnover and nestedness components, respectively. Finally, I provide a case study using European longhorn beetles to exemplify the relevance of disentangling spatial turnover and nestedness patterns. Main conclusion Assigning the different beta-diversity patterns to their respective biological phenomena is essential for analysing the causality of the processes underlying biodiversity. Thus, the differentiation of the spatial turnover and nestedness components of beta diversity is crucial for our understanding of central biogeographic, ecological and conservation issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data presented in this paper provide direct microbotanical evidence concerning the early use of potato (Solanum tuberosum) within its botanical locus of origin in the high south-central Andes. The data derive from Jiskairumoko, an early village site in the western Titicaca Basin dating to the Late Archaic to Early Formative periods (~3,400 cal y BC to 1,600 cal y BC). Because the site reflects the transition to sedentism and food production, these data may relate to potato domestication and early cultivation. Of 141 starch microremains recovered from 14 groundstone tools from Jiskairumoko, 50 are identified as consistent with cultivated or domesticated potato, based on reference to published materials and a study of wild and cultivated potato starch morphology. Along with macro- and microbotanical evidence for chenopod consumption and grinding tool data reflecting intensive use of this technology throughout site occupation, the microbotanical data reported here suggest the intensive exploitation, if not cultivation, of plant resources at Jiskairumoko. Elucidating the details of the trajectory of potato domestication is necessary for an overall understanding of the development of highland Andean agriculture, as this crop is central to the autochthonous agricultural suite. A paucity of direct botanical evidence, however, has hindered research efforts. The results of the modern and archaeological starch analyses presented here underscore the utility of this method in addressing questions related to the timing, mode, and context of potato origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceratocarpus arenarius (Chenopodiaceae) is an under-investigated annual plant that occurs in dry areas stretching from eastern and south-eastern Europe to East Asia. This article presents the botanical characterization and examination of proximate parameters, minerals and cytotoxic activity of C. arenarius that grows wild in Kazakhstan. The results of morphological analysis using a light microscope, based on cross-sections of stems, roots and leaves, provide the necessary data to develop a regulatory document for this herbal substance as a raw material for use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. The investigated proximate characteristics included moisture content (6.8 ± 0.28%), ash (5.9 ± 0.40%), fat (12.5 ± 21.28%) and protein (392.85 ± 25.50). The plant is also rich in minerals (mg/100 g dry weight); Na (20.48 ± 0.29), K (302.73 ± 1.15), Zn (4.45 ± 0.35), Fe (1.18 ± 0.03), Cu (0.11 ± 0.02), Mn (0.76 ± 0.01), Ca (131.23 ± 0.09) and Mg (60.69 ± 0.72). The ethanolic extract of C. arenarius showed no acute toxicity against the brine shrimp nauplii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgreens combine visual, taste, flavor and bioactive qualities based on genetic selection, making them a gastronomic novelty. In the present study, ten microgreen genotypes were investigated in terms of biometrical traits (fresh yield, dry matter concentration, and main color indices) alongside compositional analyses, involving cations, nitrate, vitamin C, phenols, and glucosinolate profile. The genotypes were selected from Brassicaceae (five), Chenopodiaceae (one), Portulacaceae (one) and Asteraceae (two) families, according to the availability of unexploited local varieties beyond the commercial ones. The microgreens were cultivated hydroponically in a controlled environment. Distinct genotypic variations were observed for each measured biometric and qualitative trait, with substantial differences noted between and within species. Among the ten genotypes, the underutilized purslane stood out for vitamin C (30 mg 100 g-1 f.w.), Mg (39 mg 100 g-1 f.w.), and the remarkably low nitrate content (7 mg 100 g-1 f.w.). White mustard exhibited the highest levels of glucosinolates (171 mg kg-1 f.w.), phenols (190 mg g.a.e. 100 g-1 f.w), and notable concentrations of cations such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. From a nutritional perspective, 'Mugnolo' (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck) proved less suitable as a microgreen due to its highest Na/K ratio (2.28) and generally the low content of other minerals, phenols, vitamin C, and glucosinolates. The findings of this study hold significance for selecting new microgreen species/varieties that align with the preferences and requirements of both consumers and producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-proxy analysis (spore-pollen, dinoflagellate cysts, other non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), radiocarbon dating and lithology) was performed on marine sediments from three new cores retrieved during the two cruise expeditions on board the Research Vessel "Akademik" in 2009 and 2011. The Varna transect comprises three cores extending from the outer shelf, continental slope and deep-water zone. The record spans the last 26000 years (all ages obtained in this study are given in calendar years BP (cal. yrs BP)). The pollen record reveals the spreading of steppe vegetation dominated by Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae, suggesting cold and dry environments during the Late Pleniglacial – Oldest Dryas (25903–15612 cal. yrs BP). Stands of Pinus and Quercus reflect warming/humidity increase during the melting pulses (19.2–14.5 cal. ka BP) and the Late Glacial interstadials Bølling and Allerød. The Younger Dryas (13257–11788 cal. yrs BP) coldest and driest environments are clearly demonstrated by the maximum relative abundance of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae. During the Early Holocene (Preboreal and Boreal chronozones, 11788–8004 cal. yrs BP), Quercus appeared as a pioneer species and, along with other temperate deciduous arboreal taxa, formed open deciduous forests as a response to the increased temperature. The rapid expansion of these taxa indicates that they survived in Glacial refugia in the coastal mountains. During the Atlantic chronozone (8004–5483 cal. yrs BP), optimal climate conditions (high humidity and increased mean annual temperatures) stimulated the establishment of species-rich mixed temperate deciduous forests. During the Subboreal chronozone (5483–2837 cal. yrs BP), Carpinus betulus and Fagus expanded simultaneously and became more important components of mixed oak forests and probably also formed separate communities. During the Subatlantic chronozone (2837 cal. yrs BP to pre-industrial time), climate-driven changes (an increase of humidity and a cooling of the climate) appear to be the main drivers of the specific vegetation succession expressed by increased abundance of Alnus, Fraxinus excelsior and Salix along with lianas, suggesting formation of flooded riparian forests (so called 'Longoz') lining the river valleys along the Black Sea coast. The first indicators of farming and other human activities have been recorded since 7074 cal. yrs BP. The dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) assemblages have been analysed to assess the changes in the Black Sea environment over the last 26000 years in terms of fluctuation in paleoproduction and surface water conditions related to changes in climate, freshwater input and Mediterranean water intrusion. Two major dinocyst assemblages were distinguished: one dominated by stenohaline freshwater/brackish-water species and a successive one dominated by euryhaline marine species. The changes in the composition of the assemblages occurred at 7668 cal. yrs BP. The abrupt decrease of stenohaline freshwater/brackish-water species Pyxidinopsis psilata and Spiniferites cruciformis was followed upwards by a gradual increase in euryhaline marine species, such as Lingulodinium machaerophorum, Spiniferites belerius, S. bentorii and acritarch Cymatiosphaera globulosa. The first occurrence of euryhaline marine species took place synchronously with the onset of sapropel deposition. Modern marine conditions were established after 6417 cal yrs BP when an abundance of Mediterranean-related species, such as Operculodinium centrocarpum and Spiniferites mirabilis, along with other heterotrophic species, occurred. After the stable cold and dry environment during the Last Glacial Maximum, the phytoplankton record of core AKAD 11-17 shows that Pediastrum boryanum var. boryanum has a cyclical abundance associated with the deposition of four red-brown clay layers between 19.2 and 14.5 cal. ka BP. This event is associated with the major melting phase of European Ice drained by the Danube and Dnieper Rivers in response to climate warming observed after the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. During the Early Holocene, P. psilata, characterised by a preference to warmer temperatures, demonstrates its ecological optimum for growth concerning SST reaching maximum relative abundance of 94% between 11072 and 8638 cal. yrs BP. This maximum was interrupted by an abrupt significant short-term decrease in the relative abundance of P. psilata centred between 8500 and 8300 cal. yrs BP reflecting cold conditions similar to those of Younger Dryas. This finding, also confirmed by the rapid significant decrease of arboreal pollen, particularly of Quercus in the same studied core, is considered a regional expression of the well-known '8.2 ka cold event' which is commonly linked to a meltwater-related perturbation of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and associated collapse of oceanic northward heat transport. Our fossil pollen and dinocyst data confirm that the high amplitude temperature anomaly associated with 'the 8.2 ka cold event' may have also occurred in south-eastern Europe, at lower latitudes of the western Black Sea coastal area, most probably due to atmospheric transition and/or river discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two formerly broadly distributed woody Atriplex species now occur as fragmented populations across a range of microhabitats in the San Joaquin Valley Desert, southern California. We hypothesized that A. lentiformis and A. polycarpa exhibit inter- and intra-specific differences in their leaf and stem structural and functional traits corresponding with differences in soil salinity and aridity. Water potential, xylem structure and function and leaf traits were compared between three populations of A. lentiformis and four populations of A. polycarpa. The two species significantly differed in their xylem traits, with A. lentiformis displaying lower xylem density, wider mean and maximum vessel diameters and higher hydraulic conductivity (K s). They also differed in their leaf traits, such that A. lentiformis had larger leaves with higher specific leaf area (SLA) than A. polycarpa. Significant intra-specific differences occurred among leaf traits (leaf area, SLA) in A. lentiformis populations. In contrast, populations varied in their stem xylem structural traits (mean vessel wall thickness, mean vessel diameter, maximum vessel length) among A. polycarpa populations. Many of these differences were associated with soil salinity in A. lentiformis , and with minimum seasonal water potential in A. polycarpa. Overall, both saltbush species showed high intra- and inter-specific trait variation. This could be a critical consideration in understanding the evolution of these native species and has important implications for their conservation and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Aims: Information on the initial growth characteristics of annuals found in Chinese deserts is very limited. The aim of this study was to investigate seed germination and interactive effects of irrigation and seed burial depth in sand on seedling emergence and seedling survival in three annuals (Agriophyllum squarrosum, Bassia dasyphylla and Aristida adscensionis) commonly growing on sand dunes in these regions., Methods: Effects of temperature, light and polyethylene glycol-6000 on seed germination were examined by irrigating seeds sown on filter paper in Petri dishes. Seedling emergence was examined for seeds sown on the surface of, or at different depths (5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mm) in, sand-filled pots, which were irrigated under different regimes. For seeds buried at a depth of 50 mm, seed viability was examined after irrigation of the pots., Key Results: Seeds of three species germinated at most temperatures recorded between spring and autumn in their native habitats. No seed dormancy was found in any species. For all three species, seedling emergence was most favoured when seeds were buried at a depth of 10 mm. When seeds sown on the sand surface were irrigated, seed germination was considerably suppressed due to water deficiency, but many seeds remained viable. For A. squarrosum and B. dasyphylla, many seeds that were deeply buried and irrigated remained ungerminated but viable, while for A. adscensionis deeply buried seeds germinated, but the seedlings did not emerge due to unfavourable seedling growth in deep sand., Conclusions: Precipitation is the most crucial factor in determining the seasonal emergence of seedlings of the three tested species in the field. The vertical distribution of seeds in sand determines the proportion of seeds that germinate after precipitation and acts to maintain seed banks over multiple years.

Background: Temperature and salinity effects on the germination and seedling growth of two subspecies of Atriplex halimus were studied in order to select the best one for the rehabilitation of degraded lands at risk of desertification. Methods: Influence of salinity levels (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mM) and temperature (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C) on seed germination of two subspecies of Atriplex halimus, halimus and Schwein furthii, were assessed. Results showed optimal germination at NaCl concentration of 100 mM that decreases above 200 mM for both subspecies. In sp Schwein furthii the germination capacity is higher at NaCl concentration of 100 mM and temperatures varying between 20 and 30°C. Result: High doses of salt (300 and 400 mM) strongly decrease the number of seeds germinated at all temperature regimes. In contrast, at temperatures between 30 and 35°C, seed germination appears to be strongly affected in sphalimus. Salinity levels of 300 and 400 mM with temperatures of 15, 20 and 35°C, reduce germination and increase mean germination time. The presence of 100 mM of NaCl in the culture medium sometimes appears to be beneficial for the growth of the seedlings. However, at high doses of salt (300 and 400 mM), length, fresh and the dry weight of the seedlings are reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]