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Prescribed burning is frequently used in savanna vegetation in Australia and worldwide. In north‐east Queensland savanna burning has been proposed for the control of woody weeds including Cryptostegia grandiflora (rubbervine), an invasive shrub/vine of riparian savanna. However, burning as a management tool can have non‐target impacts on ecosystems, particularly where associated with additional invasive species, such as the exotic stoloniferous grass species Bothriochloa pertusa (Indian couch). For this reason, an experiment was established to test for non‐target impacts of prescribed burning on herbaceous vegetation. The experiment consisted of wet and dry season burning, and single and double burning treatments during a 4 year study. Annual herbaceous surveys were conducted, both before treatments applied, and then annually. We addressed alternative hypotheses, that (i) burning would exacerbate grazing impacts resulting in negative outcomes for native herbaceous vegetation, or alternatively (ii) burning would be neutral or beneficial to native herbaceous assemblages due to savanna co‐evolution with fire. Burning treatments resulted in subtle but beneficial responses for native herbaceous vegetation. Native legume biomass, percent composition and percent frequency, and forb species richness, increased 4–5 months following wet season burning with above average rainfall. There was a delayed (8–18 months) positive response of burning (both wet and dry season) in percent composition of native grazing sensitive perennial grasses. There was a slight short‐term decline in introduced perennial grass percent composition and biomass following treatment. Results were consistent with predominantly positive or neutral responses to prescribed burning. There was no evidence to support the hypothesis that invaded native savanna herbaceous assemblages declined with burning treatment applications. These results are discussed in relation to other savanna studies in northern Australia and to the role of fire in the maintenance of herbaceous vegetation in savanna biomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In autumn, temperate herbs begin to senesce and gradually shed their litter. However, surprisingly large amounts of dead biomass remain standing, that is, marcescent. The consequences of marcescence for the decomposition of biomass once it finally reaches the soil are largely unknown.Here, we aimed to determine whether marcescence affects subsequent litter decomposition in the organic layer to such an extent that its mass loss and chemistry are distinguishable from those of directly shed biomass. We further aimed to disentangle the role of plant functional traits and groups (forbs vs. grasses) concerning the marcescence effect on decomposition.To this end, we sampled the living, marcescent and shed senescent biomass of 39 herbaceous plant species grown in a common garden experiment, determined plant functional traits and incubated the marcescent and shed plant tissues in the field in an allochthonous organic layer for 6 months. We determined the mass loss, C and N contents, chemical composition and microbial community structure of the decomposed tissues.Our results show that marcescent tissues decomposed more slowly than directly shed tissues (mass loss 37.3% vs. 63.2% for forbs, 43.5% vs. 45.5% for grasses), likely due to more favourable conditions for decomposition in the organic layer. These were reflected in a significantly higher microbial colonization of shed (~333 and 708 μg biomass C g−1 for forbs and grasses, respectively) than marcescent tissue (~189 and 543 μg biomass C g−1 for forbs and grasses, respectively) even after 6 months in the organic layer. Moreover, higher relative contributions of aliphatics and polyphenolics in shed tissues indicated a more advanced stage of decomposition. Notably, marcescent tissues of forbs, with a more complex growth architecture (being composed of stems [marcescent] and leaves [shed]), decomposed substantially more slowly than directly shed tissues. In contrast, differences in decomposition between marcescent and shed tissues of grasses, with a more uniform growth architecture, were substantially less pronounced.These findings highlight that marcescence in the temperate herbaceous flora can strongly affect litter decomposition and thus C and nutrient cycling through temperate ecosystems, but that the extent to which marcescence affects decomposition depends on plant functional group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay the author discusses the limitations of a segmented human rights approach, and traces her own commitment to women's wellbeing and her deep dive into cross-cultural religious literacy (CCRL). The essay then focuses on the case of FoRB Women's Alliance, emphasizing CCRL's necessity in addressing complex women's rights violations, cultural biases, and the importance of grassroots initiatives. Through interviews with Alliance co-founders, the essay unveils the essential role of CCRL in advancing women's freedoms at the juncture of human rights and religious freedom. The conclusion underscores CCRL's significance in empowering women to challenge norms through religiously grounded narratives of empowerment, especially in culturally restrictive contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding plant responses to temperature is critical for predicting their vulnerability to global warming and for planning management responses. Germination is a key life‐stage, strongly regulated by temperature, that affects the potential for plant populations to persist. Here, we compared the thermal germination niches of three unrelated, declining woodland forb species – Arthropodium fimbriatum (Asparagaceae), Bulbine bulbosa (Asphodelaceae), Microseris walteri (Asteraceae) – across common temperature and precipitation gradients, to characterize the relationships with home‐site climate, and associated implications for ecological restoration in a changing climate. Open‐pollinated seed were sampled from 14–15 populations per species across an aridity gradient in south‐eastern Australia. Germination responses for each population were tested in controlled temperature cabinets under five temperature regimes encompassing contemporary and projected future temperatures. Optimum germination temperature and thermal germination niche were characterized and assessed for associations with home‐site climate and potential germination under projected climate change. The three species showed significant intra‐specific variation in the thermal germination niche. Optimum germination temperature was correlated with home‐site climate, suggesting adaptive variation among populations in germination requirements. However, the pattern of variation in optimum germination across the environmental gradients was not always consistent among the species. Future temperatures projected under climate change tended to be outside the current thermal germination niche for all species, indicating potential benefits of incorporating pre‐adapted populations in ecological restoration. Climate‐related intra‐specific variation in the thermal germination niche provides evidence for local adaptation to climate in all three forb species and suggests potential differences among populations in vulnerability to global warming. These results emphasize the importance of understanding the extent of intra‐specific variation in key life history traits to better manage and conserve populations and restore their ecosystems as climates change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pollinators are in population decline due to environmental and chemical stressors. Including native forbs in pastures could benefit grazers and pollinators; however, their forage and flowering characteristics are not fully documented. The objectives of our research were to evaluate 12 native forbs for persistence, forage mass, nutrient composition, and flowering patterns under repeated defoliation. Twelve species were planted in a small-plot experiment in 2018. Response variables were measured from 2020 to 2022. Annual (partridge pea, PPEA, Chamaecrista fasciculata) and biennial (black-eyed Susan, BESU, Rudbeckia hirta) species established high (p < 0.05) plant populations during the first season; however, the PPEA declined (p < 0.05) in forage mass during 2021. Tall species (Maximilian sunflower, MSUN, Helianthus maximiliani; cup plant, CUPP, Silphium perfoliatum) increased in forage mass, produced high-quality forage, and flowered during early fall. Lanceleaf coreopsis (LCOR, Coreopsis lanceolata) produced consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered in spring. The purple coneflower (PURC, Echinacea purpurea), Illinois bundleflower (ILBF, Desmanthus illinoensis), and oxeye sunflower (OSUN, Helopsis helianthoides) produced high-quality, consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered mid-season. Interseeding the BESU, ILBF, PPEA, LCOR, PURC, OSUN, and MSUN or CUPP would produce high-quality forage and floral resources throughout summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arie de Pater is the Brussels representative of the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) and the European representative of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF). An alumnus of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, he has now more than 20 years of experience as an advocate for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), both at the national and the international level.

Abstract Background The savannah ecosystems of Sahel have experienced continuous and heavy grazing of livestock for centuries but still, their vegetation response to grazing pressure remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the herbaceous plant dynamics, measured by species diversity, composition, cover, and biomass in response to grazing pressure in the savannah ecosystems of Sahel. In Senegal, we selected four savannah sites represented with high, moderate, light and no grazing intensity levels. Transect survey methods were used for sampling the vegetation data within each of the sites. Species richness and composition were analysed using species accumulation curve and multivariate analyses. Furthermore, we used General Linear Models and a piecewise Structural Equation Model (pSEM) to examine the relationships between grazing intensity, vegetation cover, diversity and biomass. Results The herbaceous species diversity and composition varied significantly among the different grazing intensity levels (p

Soil temperature and moisture are important regulators of a broad range of biotic and abiotic processes in terrestrial ecosystems. Vegetation can, in turn, play a role in regulating soil microclimate, which creates potential for powerful and interactive feedbacks from soil and vegetation on the atmosphere. Although the regulatory effect of vegetation on soil microclimatic conditions has been quite extensively and empirically assessed, most studies have determined the net effect of intact woody vegetation versus bare ground. However, for other plant functional groups we lack a clear understanding of their role and any climate‐context dependency in controlling microclimatic conditions. We investigated the role of three major plant functional groups – graminoids, forbs and bryophytes – in regulating soil microclimate in semi‐natural alpine grasslands. Using a fully factorial above‐ground biomass removal experiment, we assessed the role of these plant functional groups in regulating soil temperature amplitude, soil moisture, and number of freezing days. The experiment was replicated across orthogonal temperature and precipitation gradients in Norway to assess whether the effects of functional group abundance varied with climate. The effect of plant biomass on soil microclimate varied among functional groups across the climatic gradients. Bryophytes reduced growing season soil temperature, whereas graminoids and forbs did not (0.5ºC compared to 0ºC), and with a stronger effect in colder climates at higher elevations and on days with high solar radiation. Bryophyte biomass further reduced the number of soil freezing days at boreal and sub‐alpine sites. Finally, graminoid biomass partly explained variation in soil moisture: soils dried more under graminoids at drier sites. Our findings highlight that functional group identity plays a key role in regulating soil microclimate in alpine grasslands across seasons. The strong effect of bryophytes on soil temperature points to their importance in the plant community for a variety of ecosystem functions, some of which may be indirectly vulnerable to future warming via biomass reductions of bryophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed species are ecological models that recently received considerable attention due to their particular strategies linked to their ruderal‐competitive traits. They are known to have the potential to provide additional floral resources for insects in flower‐poor agroecosystems. However, their floral traits are much more scarcely studied than those of plants found in other habitats, such as grasslands. The aim of this study was to describe the floral phenotype of weeds and to determine to what extent their floral traits match their ecological strategies as described based on leaf traits. We cultivated 19 forb weeds from perennial agroecosystems, previously identified in Mediterranean fields, in a greenhouse for seven months and collected data on 12 floral and five leaf traits. We tested whether these traits covaried and exhibited an ecological strategy at the phenotype scale. We found that in matters of flower production, weed species face a tradeoff: either numerous small, low‐stature flowers with small quantities of pollen and nectar, or few, large, higher‐held flowers with more pollen and nectar. The floral traits were found to reflect Grime's CSR strategies: the weed species producing fewer but costlier flowers belonged to C‐strategy species, whereas those producing more but less costly flowers belonged to species dominated by an R strategy. These findings indicate that the potential of weeds as floral resources for insects is related to their ecological strategies, which are known to be affected by agricultural practices that filter species composition. This implies that, as for the provision of other ecosystem services, weed communities can be managed to select species with floral traits matching the requirements of flower‐visiting insects like pollinators or parasitoid wasps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although bush encroachment in rangelands is a widely reported phenomenon, particularly in the arid and semi‐arid regions of southern Africa, the knowledge of the impact of bush encroachment in montane rangelands is inadequate to support the sustainable management of these important ecosystems. This study assessed how herbaceous vegetation changes along a bush encroachment intensity gradient in the montane rangelands of Sehlabathebe in the Qacha's Nek District of Lesotho. Fifty 16 m2 vegetation plots were randomly selected on a bush‐encroached rangeland area. In each plot, bush species data, including canopy cover, richness, density and height, were recorded. The Braun‐Blanquet method was used to assess herbaceous vegetation. The data were analysed using regression analysis, correlation analysis and ordination. Forb and graminoids attributes (Shannon‐Wiener diversity, species richness, evenness and percentage cover) together with bush attributes (height, density, diversity, evenness, richness and cover %) were subjected to regression and ordination. Results revealed that bush cover was negatively correlated with both forb and graminoids vegetation cover. While forb species richness, evenness and Shannon‐Wiener diversity increased with an increase in bush encroachment intensity, graminoid species abundance and diversity decreased. Overall, bush encroachment negatively impacted the structure and composition of graminoids. This implies that bush encroachment compromises the condition of montane rangelands because graminoids contribute to grazable forage more than forbs in these montane ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The savannah ecosystems of Sahel have experienced continuous and heavy grazing of livestock for centuries but still, their vegetation response to grazing pressure remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the herbaceous plant dynamics, measured by species diversity, composition, cover, and biomass in response to grazing pressure in the savannah ecosystems of Sahel. In Senegal, we selected four savannah sites represented with high, moderate, light and no grazing intensity levels. Transect survey methods were used for sampling the vegetation data within each of the sites. Species richness and composition were analysed using species accumulation curve and multivariate analyses. Furthermore, we used General Linear Models and a piecewise Structural Equation Model (pSEM) to examine the relationships between grazing intensity, vegetation cover, diversity and biomass. Results: The herbaceous species diversity and composition varied significantly among the different grazing intensity levels (p <0.001). The plant species composition shifted from the dominance of grass cover to the dominance of forb cover with increasing grazing pressure. Moreover, the attributes of species diversity, herbaceous biomass, and ground cover were higher on sites with low grazing than sites with high and moderate grazing intensity. Across all sites, species diversity was positively related to total biomass. The pSEM explained 37% of the variance in total biomass and revealed that grazing intensity negatively influenced total biomass both directly and indirectly through its negative influence on species diversity. Conclusions: Managing grazing intensity may lead to higher plant production and higher mixed forage establishment in the dryland savannah ecosystems. This information can be used to support land management strategies and promote sustainable grazing practices that balance the needs of livestock with the conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Enicostema axillare has a long history of medicinal use in south Africa. • It is used to treat cough, congestion, alleviation of fever, diabetes, and a range of other diseases. • This review summarizes its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. • Swertiamarin, a secoiridoid glycoside, is considered the major chemotaxonomical marker. • E. axillare subsp. littorale studied in clinical trials showed potential treatment for diabetes. Enicostema axillare (Lam.) A. Raynal, commonly known as the Indian whitehead, has a long history of medicinal use in India and some parts of Africa, including South Africa. In ancient times, the plant was often used to treat cough, congestion, alleviation of fever, diabetes, and a range of other diseases. The plant has also demonstrated various pharmacological activities. However, these reports have not been reviewed. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively summarize the botany, traditional medicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of E. axillare , providing reference to discover its therapeutic values for further research. To this end, relevant information on E. axillare was retrieved from scientific databases, including Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and World Flora Online. At present, 60 phytoconstituents have been identified and isolated from E. axillare , including flavonoids, steroids, saponins, triterpenoids, flavonols, phenolics, glycosides, volatile oil, and other compounds. Swertiamarin, a secoiridoid glycoside, is considered the major chemotaxonomical marker of the plant responsible for its diverse bioactivities. The extracts and the active constituents of E. axillare have been investigated and reported to demonstrate some pharmacological activities in preclinical studies, including but not limited to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, and antinociceptive activities. In addition, E. axillare subsp. littorale has undergone some clinical trials with effective outcomes on diabetes. The phytoconstituents and diverse pharmacological activities of E. axillare and its subspecies (littorale) reported in this study provide researchers with a valued context and reference on the current research status of this medicinal plant and direction for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss and fragmentation are critical threats to biodiversity. Consequent decreases in population size and connectivity can impact genetic diversity and, thus, future adaptability and resilience to environmental change. Understanding landscape patterns of genetic diversity, including patterns of adaptive variation, can assist in developing conservation strategies that maximise population persistence and adaptability in the face of environmental change. Using a reduced-representation genomic approach, we investigated genetic diversity, structure, and adaptive variation across an aridity gradient in the woodland forb Arthropodium fimbriatum. Moderate levels of genetic diversity (HS = 0.14–0.23) were found in all 13 sampled provenances. Inbreeding varied among provenances (FIS = 0.08–0.42) but was not associated with estimated population size. Four genetic clusters were identified, including one highly differentiated cluster. Higher pairwise FST (0.23–0.42) between the three provenances of this cluster and the remaining 10 provenances (pairwise FST between 10 provenances 0.02–0.32) suggested two highly divergent lineages or potentially a cryptic species. After excluding the three highly differentiated populations, outlier and genotype-environment association analysis identified 275 putatively adaptive loci suggesting genomic signatures of climate adaptation in A. fimbriatum is primarily associated with changes in aridity. Combined, these results suggest that all provenances have conservation value, contributing to the maintenance of genetic diversity and adaptive variation in this species. The uncovering of a potential cryptic taxon highlights the power of genomics approaches in conservation genetics and the importance of understanding the role of landscape variation shaping genetic variation to effectively define conservation management units in an era of rapid biodiversity decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freedom of Religion or Belief, or FoRB, provides for autonomy of religious communities, including freedom to organise themselves, to train their leadership, and to educate their members, without government interference. Tensions between the tenets of the religious community and the wider society are inevitable. In this article, we justify religious autonomy through three lenses: transactional, traditional FoRB, and minorities. If people are free to join and leave the community, religious autonomy should prevail. We then analyse European cases that illustrate the tension between religious autonomy and non-discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of a law that strictly prohibits female genital mutilation in Indonesia has increased the number of women and girls victimized by this practice. While some communities may justify female genital mutilation as a religious practice, there is no religious justification for this, and neither is Islam, the dominant religion in Indonesia. The United Nations has defined female genital mutilation as a harmful practice that can cause physical and psychological harm to women and girls. Moreover, it is also closely linked with violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief. This qualitative research uses a normative approach by analyzing Indonesian laws related to female genital mutilation and its compatibility with international human rights legal obligations. This research describes Indonesia's role in preventing, addressing, and protecting women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation. The results show that Indonesian laws on female genital mutilation do not comply with international human rights laws, which prohibit all types of female genital mutilation practices. This research suggests that the Indonesian government should take all measures to eliminate the practice of female genital mutilation through legal action, creating binding and gender-perspective regulations and policies. Eliminating female genital mutilation will contribute to achieving gender equality and women's empowerment in Indonesia, as the country's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

In an age of fear, insecurity, and multiple and overlapping crises, the fortunes of ESG—the idea that companies should include environmental, social, and governance standards of good performance—are now steadily growing. This is all the truer in the West, where corporate financial misconduct and, more worryingly, corporate political activities impacting democratic processes, have become a matter of evident concern. Business scholars and policymakers are, however, still uncertain about which corporate activities merit an ESG label, with pressure groups pushing for their own ESG definitions and standards according to their agendas and beliefs. Against this background, this paper contributes to this Special Issues' guiding question of how religions can act as agents of civic mobilisation by critically examining their role in addressing sustainability topics due to religious concerns from a legal perspective. This current paper hopes to create a preliminary intellectual bridge between two apparently unrelated fields of research (law and religion; corporate governance) that could help scholars in both areas to develop expertise and sophistication in applying their respective specialities to an otherwise unfamiliar area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the concept of intersectionality, this paper examines the marginalisation, exclusion and disciplining by dominant institutions and systems, of Muslim women in Bosnia and Herzegovina who wish to wear the headscarf in the country's public service. It contributes to the conceptualisation of a larger situational framework that captures the complex positions and lived experiences of Bosniak Muslim women, through the case of Emela Mujanović Kapidžija of the Armed Forces of Bosna and Herzegovina. Mujanović Kapidžija's repeated requests to wear the headscarf while in uniform triggered reactions that revealed the underlying Islamophobic and sexist culture that has long dominated the country's social, political, legal and psychological spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pollinators are in population decline due to environmental and chemical stressors. Including native forbs in pastures could benefit grazers and pollinators; however, their forage and flowering characteristics are not fully documented. The objectives of our research were to evaluate 12 native forbs for persistence, forage mass, nutrient composition, and flowering patterns under repeated defoliation. Twelve species were planted in a small-plot experiment in 2018. Response variables were measured from 2020 to 2022. Annual (partridge pea, PPEA, Chamaecrista fasciculata) and biennial (black-eyed Susan, BESU, Rudbeckia hirta) species established high (p < 0.05) plant populations during the first season; however, the PPEA declined (p < 0.05) in forage mass during 2021. Tall species (Maximilian sunflower, MSUN, Helianthus maximiliani; cup plant, CUPP, Silphium perfoliatum) increased in forage mass, produced high-quality forage, and flowered during early fall. Lanceleaf coreopsis (LCOR, Coreopsis lanceolata) produced consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered in spring. The purple coneflower (PURC, Echinacea purpurea), Illinois bundleflower (ILBF, Desmanthus illinoensis), and oxeye sunflower (OSUN, Helopsis helianthoides) produced high-quality, consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered mid-season. Interseeding the BESU, ILBF, PPEA, LCOR, PURC, OSUN, and MSUN or CUPP would produce high-quality forage and floral resources throughout summer.

Extreme droughts such as the one that affected California in 2012-2015 have been linked to severe ecological consequences in perennial-dominated communities such as forests. In annual communities, drought impacts are difficult to assess because many species persist through facultative multiyear seed dormancy, which leads to the development of seed banks. Impacts of extreme drought on the abundance and composition of the seed banks of whole communities are little known. In 80 heterogeneous grassland plots where cover is dominated by ~15 species of exotic annual grasses and diversity is dominated by ~70 species of native annual forbs, we grew out seeds from soil cores collected early in the California drought (2012) and later in the multiyear drought (2014), and analyzed drought-associated changes in the seed bank. Over the course of the study we identified more than 22,000 seedlings to species. We found that seeds of exotic annual grasses declined sharply in abundance during the drought while seeds of native annual forbs increased, a pattern that resembled but was even stronger than the changes in aboveground cover of these groups. Consistent with the expectation that low specific leaf area (SLA) is an indicator of drought tolerance, we found that the community-weighted mean SLA of annual forbs declined both in the seed bank and in the aboveground community, as low-SLA forbs increased disproportionately. In this system, seed dormancy reinforces the indirect benefits of extreme drought to the native forb community.

Abstract Roadsides are targeted for restoration of pollinator‐friendly plants. Yet, roads are sources of macronutrient, micronutrient and heavy metal pollution that may contaminate roadside plants. Adjacent landscape features such as railroads and agriculture provide additional macronutrient and heavy metal pollution that may exacerbate traffic effects. However, we lack perspective on how roads combine with rural landscape features to influence nutrition of roadside plants, which could have implications for pollinator health. We surveyed roadsides across Minnesota, USA and measured foliar levels of dietary macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium), a micronutrient (sodium) and metals (iron, zinc, copper, chromium, nickel, lead, aluminium and cadmium) in six abundant roadside forb species used by insect pollinators: Asclepias syriaca, Dalea purpurea, Monarda fistulosa, Ratibida pinnata, Solidago spp. and Trifolium pratense. We aimed to determine (1) how road variables (traffic volume and distance from road) combine with adjacent land use (railroad and agriculture) to influence element content of roadside forbs and (2) whether some forb species show consistent differences in their accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals, which could inform selection of species to plant along roadsides. We found that foliar concentrations of nine elements increased with greater traffic volume (nitrogen, phosphorous, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, nickel, lead and aluminium), and concentrations of six elements declined with distance from the road (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, iron, zinc and copper). Leaves collected adjacent to railroad had less phosphorous, potassium, iron, nickel and aluminium than leaves collected from sites not adjacent to railroad. Additionally, leaves collected from sites adjacent to agriculture had lower copper levels than leaves from sites without adjacent agriculture. We found no evidence that particular ford species along roadsides consistently rank higher than other species in their accumulation of heavy metals. Our results show that traffic alters more elements in roadside plants than does adjacent landscape context, alleviating concerns that landscape features exacerbate pollutant levels in roadside pollinator habitat. However, nutrient contamination of most roadside plants is unlikely to reach toxic levels for insect pollinators. This work is consistent with the positive conservation potential of low to moderate traffic roadsides for pollinators.

Native rangeland forbs are in demand among Intermountain restorationists, but they are underrepresented in revegetation projects because of high seed cost, limited availability, and poorly understood establishment requirements. Curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal [Asteraceae]) is a short-lived forb, native to semi-arid sites in the Intermountain West, with potential for broadscale use in restoration activities. We conducted a glasshouse experiment examining seedling emergence of curlycup gumweed planted at depths of 0, 1, and 2 cm (0, 0.4, and 0.8 in) in 3 different soil textures (sand, loam, and clay loam). We also compared 3 seed harvest methods of curlycup gumweed in a replicated field trial and evaluated seed yield, purity, and viability. In a third experiment, we tracked viability of seed stored under dry, cool conditions over 3 y using tetrazolium (TZ) staining. Our seedling emergence experiment indicated that maximum emergence can be achieved by planting seed on the soil surface (0 cm) regardless of soil texture. Soil texture had no effect on seedling emergence at any depth. Seed yields from harvesting once via mechanical swathing, simulated using a hedge clipper, were comparable to yields from multiple hand harvests using a racquet-and-hopper, while harvesting with a Flail-Vac resulted in poor yields. Average seed purity and viability did not differ among harvesting methods. Finally, seedling vigor changed little under storage conditions and stayed above 95% over 3 y. Our results suggest curlycup gumweed has excellent potential for larger scale seed production and marketability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between freedom of religion or belief and international development continues to be severely under-explored in the literature, despite the copious body of scholarship that distinctively deals with each separately. The relevance of exploring this nexus is particularly significant in view of the increasing visibility of multilateral, bilateral, and non-governmental action aimed towards advancing freedom of religion or belief through development or humanitarian aid. Western development thinking, policy, and practice has always struggled with how to engage with religion. This article analyses the sources of confusion between religion and freedom of religion and belief, and the challenges of addressing religious inequalities in theory, policy, and praxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over a quarter of the world's land surface is grazed by cattle and other livestock, which are replacing wild herbivores, potentially impairing ecosystem structure, and functions. Previous research suggests that cattle at moderate stocking rates can functionally replace wild herbivores in shaping understory communities. However, it is uncertain whether this is also true under high stocking rates and the effects of wild herbivore on plant communities are moderate, enhanced, or simply additive to the effects of cattle at high stocking rates. To evaluate the influence of cattle stocking rates on the ability of cattle to functionally replace wild herbivores and test for interactive effects between cattle and wild herbivores in shaping understory vegetation, we assessed herbaceous vegetation in a long‐term exclosure experiment in a semi‐arid savanna in central Kenya that selectively excludes wild mesoherbivores (50–1000 kg) and megaherbivores (elephant and giraffe). We tested the effects of cattle stocking rate (zero/moderate/high) on herbaceous vegetation (diversity, composition, leafiness). We also tested how those effects depend on the presence of wild mesoherbivores and megaherbivores. We found that herbaceous community composition (primary ordination axis) was better explained by the presence/absence of herbivore types than by total herbivory, suggesting that herbivore identity is a more important determinant of community composition than total herbivory at high cattle stocking rates. The combination of wild mesoherbivores and cattle stocked at high rates led to increased bare ground and annual grass cover, reduced perennial grass cover and understory leafiness, and enhanced understory diversity. These shifts were weaker or absent when cattle were stocked at high stocking rates in the absence of wild mesoherbivores. Megaherbivores tempered the effects of cattle stocked at high rates on herbaceous community composition but amplified the effects of high cattle stocking rate on bare ground and understory diversity. Our results show that cattle at high stocking rates do not functionally replace wild herbivores in shaping savanna herbaceous communities contrary to previous findings at moderate stocking rates. In mixed‐use rangelands, interactions between cattle stocking rate and wild herbivore presence can lead to non‐additive vegetation responses with important implications for both wildlife conservation and livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steep increase in sectarian violence in Western European refugee centers caused uproar throughout the continent. European citizens wondered how this could happen in their backyard. Even though policy changes have been implemented to counter this threat, problems persist. The dominant secular discourse on humanitarianism seeks to address these challenges through a materialist approach. An analysis of the current discourse and its effect on humanitarian policy practice both internationally and at the national level reveals its limitations, suggesting that a reassessment of religion within humanitarianism is of paramount importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an age of fear, insecurity, and multiple and overlapping crises, the fortunes of ESG—the idea that companies should include environmental, social, and governance standards of good performance—are now steadily growing. This is all the truer in the West, where corporate financial misconduct and, more worryingly, corporate political activities impacting democratic processes, have become a matter of evident concern. Business scholars and policymakers are, however, still uncertain about which corporate activities merit an ESG label, with pressure groups pushing for their own ESG definitions and standards according to their agendas and beliefs. Against this background, this paper contributes to this Special Issues’ guiding question of how religions can act as agents of civic mobilisation by critically examining their role in addressing sustainability topics due to religious concerns from a legal perspective. This current paper hopes to create a preliminary intellectual bridge between two apparently unrelated fields of research (law and religion; corporate governance) that could help scholars in both areas to develop expertise and sophistication in applying their respective specialities to an otherwise unfamiliar area.

Salt marshes currently play an important role as filters for upslope nitrogen (N) inputs. This could change in the future with sea level rise, warming and eutrophication, which are expected to favor monocultures over diverse plant communities. We explored patterns in gross N cycling, dissimilatory nitrate (NO3-) reduction to ammonium (NH4+) (DNRA), and denitrification in a salt marsh soil under two typical redox conditions (aerobic and anaerobic), and in soils under plant communities manipulated to simulate potential future composition (forb and graminoid monocultures). Natural salt marsh soils exhibited high potential gross N mineralization rates. Averaging 50.4 6 5.7 lg N g-1 d-1 under aerobic conditions; rates declined to 23.6 6 3.4 lg N g-1 d-1 under an N2 headspace. Microbial NH4+ uptake and gross nitrification together accounted for only 14 % of gross N mineralization. Nitrogen retention via DNRA and microbial uptake greatly exceeded N losses via denitrification. Gross nitrification rates were greater in the forb and graminoid monocultures than in the control. This effect may be mediated by the lower plant biomass in the monocultures than in the control, which may have reduced competition between plants and nitrifiers for NH4+. Soil NO3- concentrations and net nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes were greatest for the forb monoculture, likely due to higher soil oxygen (O2) concentrations in these plots. Our results suggest that salt marsh soils with a diverse plant community have high potential rates of N mineralization and microbial N retention, and the establishment of forb monocultures could lead to greater ecosystem N losses.

Sedentarization of pastoralist communities is reshaping the structure and functioning of tropical savannas. Of particular concern is how permanent pastoral settlements change grassland vegetation inside "protected" areas. In this study, we investigate the spatial impact of pastoral settlements on grassland regrowth in Nech Sar National Park, Ethiopia. Within the National Park, we established herbivore exclosures across the central grassland plains at varying distances from a high concentration of pastoral settlements. Plant species composition, biomass, and regrowth after clipping were measured every 6 months, inside and outside exclosures in close proximity and further away from pastoral settlements. After 18 months, close proximity to high densities of pastoral settlements negatively influenced grassland regrowth compared to further away from pastoral settlements. Excluding herbivores resulted in lower regrowth compared to grazed swards independent of distance from high densities of pastoral settlements. Cover of the dominant grass species Bothriochloa insculpta was lower when grazed and following clipping, whereas Chrysopogon plumulosus cover was higher closer to settlements. These grasses were dominant across the plain; yet further away from settlements there was a higher number of co‐dominant grassland species. These findings suggest that subtle changes in grassland community composition, likely following livestock grazing, contribute to spatial differences in savanna grassland regrowth near to and far from pastoral settlements. Furthermore, specific grassland species may be used as indicators of the wider spatial impact of pastoral settlement sedentarization on savanna regrowth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Herbivory is a fundamental ecological interaction underlying energy and mass flow between primary producers and consumers. Ecological theory describes plant biomass quality in terms of food for herbivores as a functional effect trait. We asked how leaf functional traits affect insect herbivory in a species-rich meadow community. Location: Čertoryje National Nature Reserve, Bílé Karpaty (White Carpathians) Protected Landscape Area, Czech Republic. Methods: We assessed herbivory of 24 plant species co-occurring in a species-rich semi-natural grassland by measuring herbivore damage caused by leaf-chewing insects. Identification of trait-herbivory links was conducted by a comparative analysis based on a phylogenetically informed regression. Results: Plant species strongly differed in leaf-chewer herbivory. Interspecific differences in herbivory and most traits displayed a strong phylogenetic signal associated with the deep evolutionary split between monocot graminoids and dicot forbs. There were also pronounced correlations among individual traits. Herbivory was tightly related to an intercorrelated trait set describing fibre composition and Ca content. There was also a less pronounced negative effect of leaf biomass C:N ratio on herbivory. However, the observed association between traits and herbivory was phylogenetically structured in agreement with the univariate tests of phylogenetic signal. Conclusion: Herbivory was associated with a whole syndrome of intercorrelated traits, among which it is not possible to choose a single best trait predictor. Moreover, the principal pattern in this trait syndrome was related to a macro-evolutionary singularity. Such linkage among an ecosystem process, traits, and phylogeny complicates linking ecosystem processes with particular functional traits and may also occur elsewhere in natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, chronic nitrogen (N) deposition into terrestrial ecosystems has resulted in changes in community composition, depending on the responses of co-existing species to increasing soil N availability. The levels of plant non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) produced by photosynthesis are associated with leaf N content, and together they represent the capital of a plant for its life including competitive ability. However, the specific ways that concentrations of plant NSCs, and also N, influence the growth of plants, and thus their productivity, are still abscue. Here, we explored the effect of variations in plant leaf NSCs (starch and soluble sugars) and N concentrations on the growth of plants with different soil N uptake capacities, i.e. two grasses (Leymus chinensis and Stipa baicalensis), two forbs (Potentilla tanacetifolia and Galium verum), and one legume (Thermopsis lanceolate) in Inner Mongolian grasslands subjected to three N addition rates (i.e., 0, 10, or 20 g N m−2 yr−1) and three N forms [i.e., NH4NO3, (NH4)2SO4, or CO(NH2)2] for four years. Irrespective of N addition rate and N form, N addition significantly increased aboveground biomass of the grasses, but not that of the forbs or the legume. The grasses had higher increase in N concentrations than the forbs and the legume. N addition increased the starch concentrations of grasses, but decreased that of forbs and the legume. Changes in the aboveground biomass of all tested plant species were significantly positively correlated with changes in concentrations of both NSCs and N. Our results indicate that, irrespective of the N addition rates and N forms, greater increase in NSCs and N concentrations contributed to higher aboveground productivity in grasses, but not in forbs and legumes. These results imply that future nitrogen deposition will benefit grasses over other plant forms, and thus the former may become more dominant in grasslands in northern China.

Agropyron pectiniforme and Elymus hispidus var hispidus are important and palatable species in Mazandaran province rangelands. This study aimed to select top populations for forage production and use them in rangeland breeding and rehabilitation programs. Seeds of native populations of Agropyron pectiniforme and Elymus hispidus var. Hispidus was planted in reticulated plastic trays and operated after emergence for a short period. In early spring, in the area of Poshtkuh research station in the southeastern altitude of Sari, were planted on two lines (repetitions) with a length of 20 meters so that 40 plants of each accession were placed on the planting line. Their distance on planting rows was 0.50 m, and the distance between the lines was considered one meter. The experiment was conducted during the years 2011-2015. In the first and second year, no plant data were recorded because of plant establishment. Evaluation criteria for plant selection were plant height at the time of cluster emergence, canopy cover, survival rate, forage production and seed production. Different phenological stages including vegetative stage, flowering, seed formation and fall regrowth were recorded in 7-10 days. The obtained data were statistically analyzed in SPSS16 software. The results of combined analysis of variance of data related to the performance of the evaluated factors showed that there was a significant difference at the (p<0.01) between the populations of the studied species in terms of forage production yield, longitudinal growth, canopy cover, survival percentage, seedling strength, and seed production. There was no significant difference between different years in terms of the studied factors. There is a difference between some populations of the studied species in terms of phenological stages and these populations; the phenological stages have a delay of about seven days. Therefore, to produce and strengthen forage vegetation, the seeds of these populations can be used in the mountain rangelands of Mazandaran province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Woody encroachment is increasingly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of savannah ecosystems worldwide, yet the direction and magnitude of these impacts often seem context‐dependent. Here, we investigated the potential of a trait‐based framework to understand the effect of the encroaching shrub Dichrostachys cinerea on plant species diversity and litter decomposition in a savannah system. Location: Savannah plains of Nech Sar National Park, South‐Ethiopian rift valley. Methods: We conducted a three‐month litter burial experiment using two standard 'tea bag index' litter types and three local litter types across 45 vegetation plots, equally spread across unencroached, sparsely encroached and densely encroached savannah locations. We additionally quantified the specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen content and leaf area of both D. cinerea and all common savannah species in each plot, and surveyed soil characteristics and species diversity and composition at the plot level. Using this set‐up we explored the potential of the four recorded plant traits to predict changes in litter decomposition following D. cinerea encroachment, in addition to changes in soil characteristics and savannah species diversity and composition. Results: Dichrostachys cinerea encroachment introduced novel functional trait values that reoriented community level resource use towards a more acquisitive strategy. These trait changes were partly associated with a reduction of decomposition rates within encroached areas compared to unencroached areas. Unexpectedly, encroachment resulted in increased, rather than decreased, herbaceous species diversity in sparsely invaded plots, but not in densely invaded plots. Species composition nonetheless shifted strongly following encroachment, indicating a strong species turnover, likely towards more shade‐tolerant species. Conclusions: Functional traits can partly help explain effects of encroachment on litter decomposition, but other environmental and biotic drivers nonetheless seem to additionally impact decomposition rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low altitude Mopaneveld savanna in the northeastern parts of South Africa is generally well conserved. However, extensive copper mining, agricultural practices and urbanisation in the Phalaborwa region prompted research on the possible effects of land-use change on plant community diversity and function. Species diversity measures are usually considered adequate to assess disturbance effects to inform conservation efforts and management practices. However, diversity measures based on species level accounts often limit the outcomes of these studies as this approach fails to quantify how disturbances affect ecosystem functioning when community assembly, and not species diversity alone, is altered by land-use change. Objectives: The aim of this study was to apply both species and functional diversity measures to a data set derived from various land-use types (i.e. areas exposed to strip mining activities, communal farming practices and conservation) in the Phalaborwa region to examine the effects of land-use change on the community ecology of the herbaceous layer. Results: Land-use change, particularly severe top-soil disturbances through strip mining activities, had a significant filtering effect on all measures of species diversity, though functional evenness was maintained across land-use types. Conclusion: These results suggest that, despite initial species loss, this particular savanna ecosystem is buffered against anthropogenic disturbances through functional stability. Indicator species analyses, as well as relationships between plant functional types and land-use change, revealed that forb species are largely responsible for ecosystem stability in areas exposed to anthropogenic disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We estimated the age of four geoxylic taxa by 14C dating B. insignis, C. laureola, P. simplex and T. kraussiana xylopodia. • The relatively medium to large xylopodia of all forbs tested were older than a decade, and up to five decades old. • Xylopodia showed no ring structure or unclear structures only visible at 7X magnification, which did not match 14C dates. • We recommend Radiocarbon dating using AMS, with sample treatment improvements, to calculate geoxyle age. Annual growth rings are absent in many long-lived grassland geoxyles. Thus, estimates of age for individuals are largely based on non-benchmarked assessments by experienced botanists. We wished to obtain a more precise estimate of age from the xylopodia of four geoxylic taxa (i.e. Berkheya insignis, Callilepis laureola, Protea simplex and Tephrosia kraussiana) growing in a Pondoland grassland, using both the gas proportional counting and Accelerated Mass Spectroscopy radiocarbon dating techniques. Plants sampled in 2008 fell within modern concentrations of carbon 14; therefore, radiocarbon dating generally yielded two ages for each plant, an older age (range: 45–51 years, mean=49, CV=3.6%) corresponding with the nuclear testing period, and a younger age (range: 10–29 years, mean=18, CV=35%), corresponding to the period after the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Hence the older ages are much less variable than the younger ages. All plants had the older age estimate, and all but two had the younger age estimate. In addition, two plants each, had two similar older age estimates. P. simplex plants were 16, 24, 27 and 29, or 45, 46–49, 47 and 49 years, T. kraussiana 13, 15 and 16, or 50 and two of 51 years, C. laureola 12, 15 and 21, or 49–50 and two of 50 years and B. insignis were 10, or 49, 50 and 51 years old. Growth rings were not visible with the naked eye. However, using stereomicroscopy, ring-like patterns were visible to some extent at 7X magnification for B. insignis, P. simplex and T. kraussiana , but not C. laureola. Counts of these structures were much lower than the younger 14C dates, and hence are unlikely to be annual rings. Despite the ambiguity of multiple ages, these estimates are a useful starting point or benchmark for future empirical investigations of age for forbs with no clear annual rings. Most studies have used radiocarbon dating to estimate the age of woody tree stem tissue, whereas this study is one of few to measure the age of below-ground modern tissues of South African forbs. Suggestions for further refinement during collection and processing of geophytic sample material are made based on lessons learned from this investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seedling emergence method (SEM) is the most frequently used method for studying the soil seed bank. The main problem with this method is that it cannot provide a complete assessment of the seed flora present in the soil because its results are influenced by seed dormancy. In order to break seed dormancy of the soil seed bank, SEM can be combined with some chemical treatments. The objectives of this study were to determine the best chemical treatment which is able to overcome seed dormancy, and to study the effects of different chemical treatments on soil seedling emergence of different plant functional groups. Therefore, twenty soil samples were collected in the early spring in subalpine rangelands in northern Iran. Each soil sample was divided into four equal subsamples, and each subsample was treated by one of the dormancy-breaking treatments including gibberellic acid (GA3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium nitrate (KNO3) and distilled water as control. The emergent species from the soil samples were categorized into functional groups, i.e., annual forbs, perennial forbs and perennial grasses. The results showed that the highest total seedling emergence was observed in the soil samples treated with GA3 (5465 seedlings/m2), whereas the lowest seedling emergence was found in the soil samples by KNO3 application (586 seedlings/m2). The perennial forbs were the only functional group that responded to all chemical treatments. We concluded that the use of GA3 for breaking seed dormancy can be useful for providing a more reliable estimation of the soil seed bank characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the local (within site) scale, soil heterogeneity can influence ecosystem function. However, in former agricultural systems, soil heterogeneity can be low as a legacy of tillage (that is, via the process of soil homogenization). We investigated the relationship between soil homogenization and three ecosystem functional response variables—aboveground productivity, nitrogen retention (assessed via 15N tracer addition) and plant litter decomposition (assessed using litter bags)—during the first 2 years following a tallgrass prairie restoration in a former agricultural field. We compared plots with substrate heterogeneity (topsoil patches enriched with sand or woodchips) with homogeneous plots that contained the same overall ratios of the component materials. We also compared plots with topographic heterogeneity (pits and mounds) with flat plots. The ecosystem response variables varied significantly with soil homogenization, but the effect depended on the type of heterogeneity (sand vs. woodchips vs. microtopography), which was consistent with these sources of heterogeneity having variable effects on soil water and nutrient availability. Soil homogenization reduced aboveground productivity by 50% for the woodchip treatment, but it had the opposite effect for the topography treatment. Homogenization also reduced plant 15N retention for the woodchip treatment by 50%, but the rate of litter decomposition increased by 8%. Overall, variation in nitrogen retention and decomposition were associated with the treatment effects on aboveground productivity and the relative abundances of forbs and grasses. The latter results suggest that the influence of soil homogenization on ecosystem function may occur indirectly as a result of its effects on plant community assembly. Moreover, forb productivity and N retention along woodchip and mound edges differed from the means of the adjacent patches, which revealed that complementarity along microsite edges can contribute to soil heterogeneity effects on ecosystem function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: (a) How did seedling numbers and species composition change in the first year after a wildfire during drought, relative to pre‐fire variation? (b) Has the community returned to pre‐fire composition after five years? (c) Has the degree of dominance by exotic annual grasses changed? (d) Is there any evidence that drought conditions affected community cover, before or after fire? Location: Exotic‐dominated annual grassland in southern California, USA. Methods: We monitored community cover and native annual forb densities for four years before and four (cover) to five (densities) years after an unintentional fire (fall 2013) coinciding with the spring 2012–2019 California drought. We also measured seedling emergence both before and during the first year post‐fire. We assessed post‐fire changes in cover and density relative to pre‐fire variation, and tested correlations between community cover and annual rainfall measures. Results: Seedling emergence declined strongly after fire for exotic grasses, but remained stable for exotic forbs. Seedling densities of the most common native forbs declined, but several previously‐rare natives increased. Community cover initially shifted towards the exotic forbs Erodium spp., then returned to higher exotic grass densities. Yet the previously dominant Bromus diandrus declined steeply, even as other exotic grasses and some native forbs increased. Up to five years after fire, relative cover and abundance of the most common exotic and native species still differed from pre‐fire composition. Common species were uncorrelated with annual precipitation, but several may have responded to shorter growing seasons. Conclusions: Immediate post‐fire conditions favoured exotic and native forbs over grasses, as predicted. Yet in contrast to many previous studies, the community did not return quickly to pre‐fire composition but showed persistent changes that favoured neither natives nor exotics. Our results suggest post‐fire recovery in this habitat may be contingent on abiotic conditions, with drought one potential explanation for changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock grazing has been used for conservation management in some situations to reduce exotic plant cover, but supporting empirical evidence is scant. This is particularly true for eastern Australian semiarid woodlands and forests. We surveyed 451 sites across three broad semiarid vegetation communities (cypress pine, black box, red gum) in eastern Australia to examine the effects of recent and longer-term (historic) grazing by livestock on exotic (and native) plant cover. Because our focus was the use of domestic livestock for conservation management, our sites were mostly located in conservation reserves, travelling stock routes and native production forests where domestic grazing is approved via permit. We also included recent grazing by kangaroos and rabbits, which occur widely with livestock across the study sites. Structural equation modelling revealed that recent sheep and cattle grazing was associated with increased exotic plant cover in two of the three communities (cypress pine, black box), and historic grazing was associated with lower exotic (and native) plant cover across all communities. Recent cattle grazing-induced reductions in exotic plant cover in the red gum community resulted from declines in the palatable exotic annual grass Ehrharta longiflora. Higher intensity grazing by rabbits, sheep and cattle in the cypress pine community increased exotic plant cover by suppressing the negative effect of native cover on exotic cover. Higher intensity rabbit grazing reinforced the negative effect of nitrogen on native plant cover, resulting in increases in exotic cover. Overall, we found strong evidence that domestic livestock grazing reduces native plant cover either directly or indirectly in all three communities, but limited evidence that it would be a useful conservation management strategy to reduce exotic plant cover in these communities. Livestock grazing has been used for conservation management in some situations to reduce exotic plant cover, but supporting empirical evidence is scant. We found strong evidence that domestic livestock grazing reduces native plant cover either directly or indirectly in three extensive woodland communities, but limited evidence that it would be a useful conservation management strategy to reduce exotic plant cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To complete the syntaxonomic scheme for tall-forb vegetation of the montane and alpine belts in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with some remarks on its environmental predictors. Study area: Middle Asia: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Methods: A total of 244 relevés were sampled in 2013-2019 using the seven-degree cover-abundance scale of the Braun-Blanquet approach. These were classified with a modified TWINSPAN algorithm with pseudospecies cut-levels 0%, 5% and 25%, and total inertia as a measure of cluster heterogeneity. Diagnostic species were identified using the phi coefficient as a fidelity measure. NMDS was used to explore the relationships between the distinguished groups. Results: Our classification revealed 19 clusters of tall-forb vegetation in Middle Asia. Among others we found forb communities typical for Tian Shan, western Pamir-Alai, forb-scree vegetation of Pamir-Alai, dry tall-forbs and typical forbs of the alpine belt. A total of eight new tall-forb associations and five communities were distinguished. The forb vegetation of Middle Asia has been assigned to the class Prangetea ulopterae Klein. The main factors differentiating the species composition of the researched vegetation are elevation, mean annual temperature, sum of annual precipitation and inclination of the slope. Conclusions: The paper presents the first insight into the comprehensive classification of the alpine forb vegetation in Middle Asia and fosters progress in explaining the relationship of boreo-temperate and Mediterranean-like (Irano-Turanian) vegetation in western Asian and central Asian subregions of the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperate grasslands can be highly productive. However, those that are productive are generally heavily dependent on high inputs of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Including legumes such as white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in the sward can reduce reliance on N fertilizer. Recent investigations have evaluated the potential of multispecies swards, which are defined as agronomically improved grasslands that include multiple plant functional groups, e.g., grasses, legumes, and forage forbs. Several of the benefits and challenges of multispecies swards are summarized in this review. To date, the most prominent forb species included in multispecies swards are chicory (Cichorum intybus L.) and ribgrass/ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.). Multispecies swards grown under reduced N fertilizer input conditions can produce as much biomass as monocultures receiving large quantities of N fertilizer. The nutritive value of multispecies swards may potentially be greater than grass-only swards, especially since forbs may contribute additional micro and macro minerals to livestock diet. While challenges associated with multispecies swards may include weed management and facilitating persistence of the forb species in particular, the overall evidence suggests that well-managed multispecies swards can enhance the productivity as well as environmental sustainability of grazing systems.

In a time of growing transformations of the definition of religious minorities, the chapter aims to investigate the different trajectories of development of this topic in international law. To explore this issue, I propose an analysis divided into four paragraphs corresponding to the evolution of religious minorities’ rights (the traditional definition; the enlargement; the inclusion; the intersection). The chapter aims to develop the following contents: (a) an analysis of the traditional criteria defining religious minorities in international documents between 1947 and 1985; (b) a model of investigation of new religious minorities within specific trajectories of transformation of this category (implementation; inclusion; intersection); (c) a vocabulary test concerning the innovations in the linguistic approach to religious minorities; (d) the effects of the different dynamics of innovation on the rights of religious minorities.

Interactions between distantly related herbivores exert powerful influences on ecosystems, but most studies to date have only considered unidirectional effects. Few have simultaneously examined the mutual effects that vertebrate herbivores and insect herbivores have on one another.We conducted a set of manipulative experiments to evaluate the potential competition and facilitation between two pairs of distantly related herbivore taxa: an insect caterpillar (Gynaephora alpherakii) and two large vertebrate herbivores, yak (Bos grunniens) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries tibetica).We found that these large herbivores consistently increased the density of caterpillars likely by improving the habitat for caterpillars. The caterpillars, in turn, decreased yak but increased Tibetan sheep foraging time and intake bites by differently changing available food resources of the two large herbivores. Diet preferences of herbivores modified the habitat and food resources, thereby causing a diet‐mediated competition between yak and caterpillars, and facilitation between sheep and caterpillars. The vertebrate herbivores non‐feeding upon Lamiophlomis rotata and Gentiana straminea, the caterpillars preferred habitat, increased densities of the two plant species, thus favouring the caterpillars. In turn, the caterpillar preference for Kobresia pygmaea significantly reduced food resources for yak, while promoting food resources (multiple forbs) for sheep.Synthesis. Our study indicates that two different mechanisms (the changes in habitat and food availability) induced by herbivore foraging jointly determine competitive and facilitative interactions between distantly related herbivore species. We also suggest that examining the bi‐directional effects between herbivores offers a better understanding of competition and facilitation in terrestrial animal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is expected to significantly influence soil respiration. When limited, rainfall and nitrogen (N) deposition strongly modify soil respiration in a broad range of biomes, but uncertainty remains with regards to the influence of the interactions of seasonal rainfall distribution and N deposition on soil respiration in an arid steppe. In the present study, we manipulated precipitation using V-shaped plexiglass gutters (minus 50%, control, and plus 50% treatments) and tested various N additions (control and plus 35 kg N ha−1 yr−1) to evaluate their impact on soil respiration, measured using a Li-Cor 8100, in a desert steppe in China. Increased precipitation stimulated soil respiration by 26.1%, while decreased precipitation significantly reduced soil respiration by 10.8%. There was a significant increase in soil respiration under N addition at 11.5%. Statistical assessment of their interactions demonstrated that N supplementation strengthened the stimulation of soil respiration under increased precipitation, whereas decreased precipitation offset the positive impact of N addition and led to a reduction in soil respiration. Contrasting interannual precipitation patterns strongly influenced the temporal changes in soil respiration as well as its response to N addition, indicating that the desert steppe plant community was co-limited by water and N. Net primary productivity (aboveground and belowground) predominantly drove soil respiration under altered precipitation and N addition. As grasses are better equipped for water deficit due to their previous exposure to long periods without water, there could be a shift from forb to grass communities under drier conditions. These findings highlight the importance of assessing the differential impacts of plant traits and soil physiochemical properties on soil respiration under altered precipitation and N addition. Unlabelled Image • Increased precipitation enhanced the positive impact of N addition on soil respiration. • Decreased precipitation weakened the positive impact of N addition, and thus soil respiration was still slightly increased. • The shift in forb to grass community is a key mechanism for understanding the change in soil respiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of the Study: Freezing and drought both result in cellular dehydration, and similar physiological responses to these stressors may result in cross acclimation, whereby prior freezing exposure increases subsequent drought tolerance. We examined how spring freezing influences summer drought tolerance for a range of herbaceous old field species: 6 graminoids (Agrostis stolonifera, Arrhenatherum elatius, Bromus inermis, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne, Poa compressa) and 2 forbs (Plantago lanceolata, Securigera varia), with the goal of examining the generality of cross acclimation responses. Methods: We exposed the plants to –5°C in the spring and to a 3‐week summer drought, and harvested the plants after a 3‐week watering/recovery period. We also measured leaf soluble proteins and sugars to explore the potential mechanisms before and during drought stress. Key Results: For Agrostis stolonifera, Bromus inermis, Lolium perenne, Plantago lanceolata, and Poa compressa there was evidence of cross acclimation based on aboveground or belowground biomass, with a reduction in the severity of the drought effect for the plants previously exposed to freezing. Freezing and drought effects were additive for Arrhenatherum elatius, and for the remaining two species the test of the freezing‐drought interaction was inconclusive, because significant drought and freezing effects did not co‐occur. When present, freezing‐drought interactions were not correlated with changes in leaf soluble protein or sugars. Conclusions: Our results reveal that the phenomenon of freezing‐drought cross acclimation appears to be common in herbaceous species, and variation among species in cross acclimation indicates that multiple stresses could alter relative species abundances in plant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated CO2 is widely accepted to enhance terrestrial carbon sink, especially in arid and semi‐arid regions. However, great uncertainties exist for the CO2 fertilisation effects, particularly when its interactions with other global change factors are considered. A four‐factor (CO2, temperature, precipitation and nitrogen) experiment revealed that elevated CO2 did not affect either gross ecosystem productivity or ecosystem respiration, and consequently resulted in no changes of net ecosystem productivity in a semi‐arid grassland despite whether temperature, precipitation and nitrogen were elevated or not. The observations could be primarily attributable to the offset of ecosystem carbon uptake by enhanced soil carbon release under CO2 enrichment. Our findings indicate that arid and semi‐arid ecosystems may not be sensitive to CO2 enrichment as previously expected and highlight the urgent need to incorporate this mechanism into most IPCC carbon‐cycle models for convincing projection of terrestrial carbon sink and its feedback to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A serious gap exists in research into the religious dimensions of the "new Silk Road," which stretches from the east coast of China to the heart of Europe. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever conceived. Yet it is more than a commerce and communications corridor. Religious peoples, beliefs, ideas, and practices transverse the BRI, challenging China and the United States as they advance competing visions of religious freedom. This article offers an historical and policy perspective on the religious challenges facing the BRI rather than an advocacy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the potential for vegetation recovery from buried seed banks following exclusion of deer after different periods of chronic herbivory in a beech forest. Using the seedling emergence method, I surveyed the floor vegetation, buried seed banks and compared survey results with that of past flora. The study areas were an area within two deer exclosure fences, one established in 1997 and the other in 2003, and the area outside the fences. With regard to floor vegetation, species diversity and dominance of vulnerable (VUL) species were higher in F1997 than in F2003, and species frequency was different among the three plots. In the soil seed banks, species richness, seed density and life form composition were different among the three plots. However, when I excluded Rubus illecebrosus, which is a VUL shrub species, seed density of VUL species was not greatly different among the plots. In addition, the species composition of soil seed banks compared with that of past flora was similar among the plots. This may be because almost no VUL herb species formed the buried seed banks. In contrast, invulnerable (INV) species formed numerous seed banks. These results demonstrate that chronic deer herbivory causes a negative effect on the composition of floor vegetation through VUL herb species, and a positive effect on the seed density of soil seed banks through INV species. Conservation measures are needed while there are still plant organs remaining aboveground. This study revealed that almost no vulneravle (VUL) herb species formed the buried seed banks in a beech forest, which floor mainly composed of forbs. In contrast, invulnerable (INV) species formed numerous seed banks. These results indicate that restoration of the forest cannot rely only on seed germination from the soil seed bank despite chronic deer herbivory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]