Search

Abstract Understanding divergent perceptions of ethnic groups to climate change in mountainous regions home to multi-ethnic cultures and the factors influencing these perceptions is crucial for policymakers to predict the trending impacts of climate change and make long-term decisions. Based on the case of Southwest China, 1216 households were interviewed by questionnaire surveys to gain insight into the perceptions of local people on the dynamic evolution characteristics of climate events in the uplands of Yunnan, China, which is an area home to rich ethnic diversity, and also to determine the factors that influence these perceptions. Results indicated that climate events have now become important events for farmers’ livelihoods, ranking only after family diseases and livestock diseases. Drought, long-term drought, and erratic rainfall are the three kinds of climatic events with the most significant increase in frequency and severity in mountainous areas. Farmers’ perceptions on whether drought, long-term drought, and erratic rainfall occurred 10 years ago as well as changes in frequency and severity are significantly influenced by characteristics of respondents, ethnic culture, geographical environment of farmer residences, farmland characteristics, and sources of livelihood. Ultimately, taking ethnic differences into consideration for long-term planning will be an important part of the local response to climate change in the future.

This article presents the results of an ongoing inventory of Ascomycota in Yunnan, China, carried out as part of the research project series “Exploring ascomycete diversity in Yunnan”. From over 100 samples collected from diverse host substrates, microfungi have been isolated, identified and are currently being documented. The primary objective of this research is to promote the discovery of novel taxa and explore the ascomycete diversity in the region, utilising a morphology-phylogeny approach. This article represents the second series of species descriptions for the project and introduces three undocumented species found in the families Bambusicolaceae, Dictyosporiaceae and Periconiaceae, belonging to the suborder Massarineae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes). These novel taxa exhibit typical morphological characteristics of Bambusicola, Periconia and Trichobotrys, leading to their designation as Bambusicola hongheensis, Periconia kunmingensis and Trichobotrys sinensis. Comprehensive multigene phylogenetic analyses were conducted to validate the novelty of these species. The results revealed well-defined clades that are clearly distinct from other related species, providing robust support for their placement within their respective families. Notably, this study unveils the phylogenetic affinity of Trichobotrys within Dictyosporiaceae for the first time. Additionally, the synanamorphism for the genus Trichobotrys is also reported for the first time. Detailed descriptions, illustrations and updated phylogenies of the novel species are provided, and thus presenting a valuable resource for researchers and mycologists interested in the diversity of ascomycetes in Yunnan. By enhancing our understanding of the Ascomycota diversity in this region, this research contributes to the broader field of fungal taxonomy and their phylogenetic understanding.

Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns and variations in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is essential for effective water resource management in the face of climate change. VPD serves as a fundamental indicator of atmospheric dryness, directly impacting plant evapotranspiration rates, thereby affecting overall ecosystem functioning. In this study, VPD changes in five subregions and four ecological types of land in Yunnan from 1980 to 2021 were investigated using data from 108 meteorological stations. We found increasing trends in annual VPD that were larger during warmer spring and summer seasons. Among the subregions, the highland subtropical southern broadleaved evergreen forest ecoregion exhibited the largest drying trend (0.04 kPa / decade), while the subtropical (eastern) humid broadleaved evergreen forest ecoregion had the smallest drying trend (0.01 kPa / decade). Among the ecological barriers, the dry-hot valleys had significantly higher increases in VPD compared to other Yunnan regions. Increases in VPD from 1990s to 2000s in several regions of Yunnan exceeded atmospheric drying trends reported elsewhere. Additionally, we documented smaller VPD declines at higher elevations. Across different ecological land types, Shrubland exhibited the largest VPD trend (0.07 kPa / decade), while Forest displayed the smallest (0.03 kPa / decade). Decreased relative humidity through time explained 65% of the increase in VPD in Yunnan, while increasing temperatures accounted for 25%. These findings provide valuable insights into climatic dynamics of Yunnan, with implications for ecological, hydrological, and atmospheric studies.

Whilst conducting surveys of lignicolous microfungi in Yunnan Province, we collected a large number of taxa that resemble Montagnula (Didymosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales). Our phylogenetic study on Montagnula involved analysing sequence data from ribosomal RNA genes (nc18S, nc28S, ITS) and protein-coding genes (rpb2, tef1-α). We present a biphasic approach (morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence) that supports the recognition of four new species in Montagnula viz., M. lijiangensis, M. menglaensis, M. shangrilana and M. thevetiae. The global diversity of Montagnula is also inferred from metabarcoding data and published records based on field observations. Metabarcoding data from GlobalFungi and field observations provided insights into the global diversity and distribution patterns of Montagnula. Studies conducted in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America revealed a concentration of Montagnula species, suggesting regional variations in ecological preferences and distribution. Montagnula species were found on various substrates, with sediments yielding a high number of sequences. Poaceae emerged as a significant contributor, indicating a potential association between Montagnula species and grasses. Culture-based investigations from previously published data revealed Montagnula species associations with 105 plant genera (in 45 plant families), across 55 countries, highlighting their wide ecological range and adaptability. This study enhances our understanding of the taxonomy, distribution, and ecological preferences of Montagnula species. It emphasizes their role in the decomposition of organic matter in grasslands and savannah systems and suggests further investigation into their functional roles in ecosystem processes. The global distribution patterns and ecological interactions of Montagnula species underscore the need for continued research and conservation efforts.

IntroductionMedicinal plants, rich in phytochemicals like phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins, offer potential benefits in enhancing productivity, quality, and animal health. Amla fruit (Phyllanthus emblica) is one such plant with promising attributes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of fresh Amla fruit (FAF) supplementation on ruminal microbial composition and its correlation with rumen fermentation in lactating dairy cows.MethodsThe study employed a repeated crossover design involving eight ruminally cannulated mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows. Animals received varying levels of fresh Amla fruit supplementation (0, 200, 400, and 600 g/d).ResultsWhen 400 g/d of FAF was added to the diet, there was a significant increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes (p = 0.02). However, at 200 g/d, the relative abundance of ruminal Bacteroidota was higher than the 0 and 400 g/d FAF supplementation (p

Calotropis gigantea (Giant milkweed, GM) has the potential to be utilized as a new feed additive for ruminants, however, the presence of unpalatable or toxic compounds decreases animal feed intake. This study aimed to valorize GM as a potential new feed resource through the chemical and microbial biotransformation of toxic compounds that will henceforth, make the plant palatable for cows. After GM’s ensiling using fermentative bacteria, the plant was sampled for UHPLC-MS/MS to analyse the metabolomic changes. Illumina Miseq of the 16 S rRNA fragment genes and ITS1 were used to describe the microbial composition and structure colonizing GM silage and contributing to the biodegradation of toxic compounds. Microbial functions were predicted from metataxonomic data and KEGG pathways analysis. Eight Holstein dairy cows assigned in a cross-over design were supplemented with GM and GM silage to evaluate palatability and effects on milk yield and milk protein. Cows were fed their typical diet prior to the experiment (positive control). After ensiling, 23 flavonoids, 47 amino acids and derivatives increased, while the other 14 flavonoids, 9 amino acids and derivatives decreased, indicating active metabolism during the GM ensiling process. Lactobacillus buchneri, Bacteroides ovatus, and Megasphaera elsdenii were specific to ensiled GM and correlated to functional plant metabolites, while Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus were specific to non-ensiled GM and correlated to the toxic metabolite 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.''Xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism'', ''cancer overview'' and ''neurodegenerative disease'' were the highly expressed microbial KEGG pathways in non-ensiled GM. Non-ensiled GM is unpalatable for cows and drastically reduces the animal’s feed intake, whereas ensiled GM does not reduce feed intake, milk yield and milk protein. This study provides essential information for sustainable animal production by valorizing GM as a new feed additive.

Road construction and strip mining in mountainous regions inevitably causes the destruction of vegetation and soil, leading to large ranges of exposed slopes. Although soil spray-sowing has become a promising method to accelerate community assembly in humid regions, the application of microbial fertilizers and shading in slope recovery during soil spray-sowing are rarely reported in dry-hot valleys. This study compared the effectiveness among artificial seeding, arch column + planting bags, and soil spray-sowing by slope restoration trials in the Yuanjiang dry-hot valley, southwest China. Additionally, we explored the effect of slope degrees, shade, and microbial fertilizers on seedling survival and growth after soil spray-sowing. Results indicated that soil spray-sowing displayed better species survival and growth performance than artificial seeding and arch column + planting bags. The richness, density, and height of seedlings dropped dramatically with the increasing of slope degrees after soil spray-sowing, especially when the slope degree was greater than 1. Although shading observably improved the species density, it inhibited the growth of Albizia julibrissin and Crotalaria pallida. Moreover, microbial fertilizers Penicillium chrysogenum and Bacillus aryabhattai markedly enhanced the density and growth of species Azadirachta Indica, Cajanus cajan, Indigofera cassioides, and Sophora xanthanth. Soil spray-sowing, combined with shading and microbial fertilizers, contributes to species survival and growth when the slope degree is less than 1.73 and the soil spray-sowing process coincides with the rainy season, which provides the theoretical basis and technical support for ecological restoration in the dry-hot river valley.

Yunnan, located in southwestern China, is known for its high fungal diversity, and many of which are endemic to the region. As part of our ongoing studies on fungi in Yunnan, we introduce two new genera in Phaeothecoidiellaceae (Mycosphaerellales), to accommodate one Repetophragma-like and another Stomiopeltis-like taxa. Pseudorepetophragma gen. nov. is introduced herein as a monotypic genus to accommodate P. zygopetali comb. nov.(≡ Repetophragma zygopetali), whereas Pseudostomiopeltis gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate Ps. xishuangbannaensis gen. et sp. nov. and Ps. phyllanthi comb. nov.(≡ Stomiopeltis phyllanthi), based on a new collection from Yunnan. In addition, Stomiopeltis sinensis is transferred to Exopassalora as E. sinensis comb. nov. due to its phylogenetic affinity and grouped with E. zambiae, the generic type of Exopassalora. This study provides new insights into the biodiversity of fungal species in this region and adds to our understanding of their ecological roles, as well as the resolution to ambiguous taxa in Phaeothecoidiellaceae.

Fungi are considered among the most efficient microbial degraders of plastics, as they produce salient enzymes and can survive on recalcitrant compounds with limited nutrients. In recent years, studies have reported numerous species of fungi that can degrade different types of plastics, yet there remain many gaps in our understanding of the processes involved in biodegradation. In addition, many unknowns need to be resolved regarding the fungal enzymes responsible for plastic fragmentation and the regulatory mechanisms which fungi use to hydrolyse, assimilate and mineralize synthetic plastics. This review aims to detail the main methods used in plastic hydrolysis by fungi, key enzymatic and molecular mechanisms, chemical agents that enhance the enzymatic breakdown of plastics, and viable industrial applications. Considering that polymers such as lignin, bioplastics, phenolics, and other petroleum-based compounds exhibit closely related characteristics in terms of hydrophobicity and structure, and are degraded by similar fungal enzymes as plastics, we have reasoned that genes that have been reported to regulate the biodegradation of these compounds or their homologs could equally be involved in the regulation of plastic degrading enzymes in fungi. Thus, this review highlights and provides insight into some of the most likely regulatory mechanisms by which fungi degrade plastics, target enzymes, genes, and transcription factors involved in the process, as well as key limitations to industrial upscaling of plastic biodegradation and biological approaches that can be employed to overcome these challenges.

Measurement(s) evapotranspiration Technology Type(s) Geographic Information System Sample Characteristic - Environment climate system

Tropical forests provide important ecosystem services and biodiversity for the world. With human activities and economic growth, tropical forests are becoming the primary sources of new plantations, making tropical regions hotspots of ecosystem service degenerations and biodiversity losses. Understanding the driving forces of ecological consequences is the key to local sustainable development and human well-being improvements. Therefore, we spatially quantified the changes in ecosystem services in tropical China in the past twenty years by remote sensing and InVEST model. The driving forces were further investigated by using Geodetector. We found that: 1) in the past twenty years, the area of evergreen broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, and rubber forests have increased by 13.01%, 43.39%, and 101.23%, respectively. The shrublands and agricultural lands are the major contributors to these increased areas; 2) with the area increasing of forests, carbon storage and soil retention have increased by 9.40% and 0.30%, while nitrogen export and water yield have decreased by 43.30%, and 12.27%. This pattern of increase in carbon storage and soil retention was found in the highlands, while not in the lowlands, where large areas of evergreen broad-leaved forests have been converted to rubber forests; 3) NDVI was highly correlated to the carbon storage (q value = 0.201) and nitrogen export (q value = 0.109), while slope and precipitation mainly affected the soil retention (q value = 0.253) and water yield (q value = 0.073), respectively. This study provides a reference for ecological protection and management in tropical China.

The Tibetan Kobresia pastures store 2.5% of the world’s soil organic carbon. Here the authors show that soil degradation and microbial shifts may irreversibly diminish the carbon sink function and accelerate nutrient losses.

Phytoremediation that depends on excellent plant resources and effective enhancing measures is important for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils. This study investigated the cadmium (Cd) tolerance and accumulation characteristics of Dahlia pinnata Cav. to evaluate its Cd phytoremediation potential. Testing in soils spiked with 5–45 mg kg–1 Cd showed that D. pinnata has a strong Cd tolerance capacity and appreciable shoot Cd bioconcentration factors (0.80–1.32) and translocation factors (0.81–1.59), indicating that D. pinnata can be defined as a Cd accumulator. In the rhizosphere, Cd stress (45 mg kg–1 Cd) did not change the soil physicochemical properties but influenced the bacterial community composition compared to control conditions. Notably, the increased abundance of the bacterial phylum Patescibacteria and the dominance of several Cd-tolerant plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (e.g., Sphingomonas, Gemmatimonas, Bryobacter, Flavisolibacter, Nocardioides, and Bradyrhizobium) likely facilitated Cd tolerance and accumulation in D. pinnata. Comparative transcriptomic analysis showed that Cd significantly induced (P < 0.001) the expression of genes involved in lignin synthesis in D. pinnata roots and leaves, which are likely to fix Cd2+ to the cell wall and inhibit Cd entry into the cytoplasm. Moreover, Cd induced a sophisticated signal transduction network that initiated detoxification processes in roots as well as ethylene synthesis from methionine metabolism to regulate Cd responses in leaves. This study suggests that D. pinnata can be potentially used for phytoextraction and improves our understanding of Cd-response mechanisms in plants from rhizospheric and molecular perspectives.

The carotenoids are the most widely distributed secondary metabolites in plants and can be degraded by carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) to form apocarotenoids including an important C13 compound beta-ionone. Volatile beta-ionone can confer the violet and woody fragrance to plant essential oils, flowers, fruits, and vegetables, which therefore has been used in various industries. Dendrobium officinale is a traditional medicinal plant. However, there was limited information on the key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of beta-ionone in D. officinale. In the present study, beta-ionone was detected in stems and leaves of D. officinale and genome-wide identification and expression profiles of CCD genes were subsequently carried out. There were nine DoCCD members in D. officinale. According to the phylogenetic relationship, DoCCD proteins were classified into six subfamilies including CCD1, CCD4, CCD7, CCD8, nine-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) and zaxinone synthase (ZAS). DoCCD genes showed distinctive expression profiles and DoCCD1 gene was abundantly expressed in eight tissues. Induced expression of DoCCD1 gene resulted in discoloration of Escerichia coli strains that can accumulate carotenoids. Analysis of Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer showed that DoCCD1 enzyme can cleave lycopene to produce 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and pseudoionone and also catalyze beta-carotene to form beta-ionone. Expression of DoCCD1 gene in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf resulted in production of abundant beta-ionone. Overall, the present study first provides valuable information on the CCD gene family in D. officinale, function of DoCCD1 gene as well as production of beta-ionone through genetic modification.

Screening for superior cadmium (Cd) phytoremediation resources and uncovering the mechanisms of plant response to Cd are important for effective phytoremediation of Cd-polluted soils. In this study, the characteristics of Coreopsis grandiflora related to Cd tolerance and accumulation were analyzed to evaluate its Cd phytoremediation potential. The results revealed that C. grandiflora can tolerate up to 20 mg kg−1 of Cd in the soil. This species showed relatively high shoot bioconcentration factors (1.09–1.85) and translocation factors (0.46–0.97) when grown in soils spiked with 5–45 mg kg–1 Cd, suggesting that C. grandiflora is a Cd accumulator and can potentially be used for Cd phytoextraction. Physiological analysis indicated that antioxidant enzymes (i.e., superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase) and various free amino acids (e.g., proline, histidine, and methionine) participate in Cd detoxification in C. grandiflora grown in soil spiked with 20 mg kg–1 of Cd (Cd20). The overall microbial richness and diversity remained similar between the control (Cd0) and Cd20 soils. However, the abundance of multiple rhizospheric microbial taxa was altered in the Cd20 soil compared with that in the Cd0 soil. Interestingly, many plant growth-promoting microorganisms (e.g., Nocardioides, Flavisolibacter, Rhizobium, Achromobacter, and Penicillium) enriched in the Cd20 soil likely contributed to the growth and vitality of C. grandiflora under Cd stress. Among these, some microorganisms (e.g., Rhizobium, Achromobacter, and Penicillium) likely affected Cd uptake by C. grandiflora. These abundant plant growth-promoting microorganisms potentially interacted with soil pH and the concentrations of Cd and AK in soil. Notably, potassium-solubilizing microbes (e.g., Rhizobium and Penicillium) may effectively solubilize potassium to assist Cd uptake by C. grandiflora. This study provides a new plant resource for Cd phytoextraction and improves our understanding of rhizosphere-associated mechanisms of plant adaptation to Cd-contaminated soil.

The soil microbial community is a key indicator to evaluate the soil health and productivities in agricultural ecosystems. Monoculture and conversions of forests to tea plantations have been widely applied in tea plantation globally, but long-term monoculture of tea plantation could lead to soil degradation and yield decline. Understanding how long-term monoculture systems influence the soil health and ecosystem functions in tea plantation is of great importance for soil environment management. In this study, through the comparison of three independent tea plantations across eastern China composed of varying stand ages (from 3 to 90 years after conversion from forest), we found that long-term tea monoculture led to significant increases in soil total organic carbon (TOC) and microbial nitrogen (MBN). Additionally, the structure, function, and co-occurrence network of soil bacterial communities were investigated by pyrosequencing 16S rRNA genes. The pyrosequencing analysis revealed that the structures and functions of soil bacterial communities were significantly affected by different stand ages, but sampling sites and land-use conversion (from forest to tea plantation) had stronger effects than stand age on the diversity and structure of soil bacterial communities. Soil bacterial diversity can be improved with increasing stand ages in tea plantation. Further RDA analysis revealed that the C and N availability improvement in tea plantation soils led to the variation of structure and function in soil bacterial communities. Moreover, co-occurrence network analysis of soil bacterial communities also demonstrated that interactions among soil bacteria taxa were strengthened with increasing stand age. Our findings suggest that long-term monoculture with proper managements could be beneficial to soil ecosystems by increasing the C and N content and strengthening bacterial associations in tea plantations. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the impact of land-use change and long-term monoculture stand age on soil environments in tea plantation.

The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces represent the coexistence between natural and cultural systems. Despite being listed as a World Heritage Site in 2013, certain natural and anthropogenic factors have changed land use/land cover, which has led to a reduction in the size of the paddy rice area. It is difficult to accurately assess these changes due to the lack of historical maps of paddy rice croplands with fine spatial resolution. Therefore, we integrated a random forest classifier and phenological information to improve mapping accuracy and stability. We then mapped the historical distribution of land use/land cover in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces from 1989–1991 to 2019–2021 using the Google Earth Engine. Finally, we analyzed the driving forces of land use types in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. We found that: (1) forests, shrubs or grasslands, and other croplands could be discriminated from paddy rice during the flooding and transplanting period, and water bodies and buildings could also be discriminated from paddy rice during the growing and harvesting period. (2) Inputting phenological feature data improved mapping accuracy and stability compared with single phenological periods. (3) In the past thirty years, 10.651%, 8.810%, and 5.711% of paddy rice were respectively converted to forests, shrubs or grasslands, and other croplands in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. (4) Lower agricultural profits and drought led to problems in identifying the driving mechanisms behind paddy rice distribution changes. This study demonstrates that phenological information can improve the mapping accuracy of rice terraces. It also provides evidence for the change in the size of the rice terrace area and associated driving forces in Southwest China.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly affects plant responses to heavy metals in hydroponics or culture media, but its corresponding effects in plant–soil systems remain unknown. In this study, different GABA dosages (0–8 g kg−1) were added to the rhizosphere of Coreopsis grandiflora grown in Cd-contaminated soils. Cd accumulation in the shoots of C. grandiflora was enhanced by 38.9–159.5% by GABA in a dose-dependent approach because of accelerated Cd absorption and transport. The increase in exchangeable Cd transformed from Fe-Mn oxide and carbonate-bound Cd, which may be mainly driven by decreased soil pH rather than GABA itself, could be a determining factor responsible for this phenomenon. The N, P, and K availability was affected by multiple factors under GABA treatment, which may regulate Cd accommodation and accumulation in C. grandiflora. The rhizospheric environment dynamics remodeled the bacterial community composition, resulting in a decline in overall bacterial diversity and richness. However, several important plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, especially Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, were recruited under GABA treatment to assist Cd phytoextraction in C. grandiflora. This study reveals that GABA as a soil amendment remodels the rhizospheric environment (e.g., soil pH and rhizobacteria) to enhance Cd phytoextraction in plant–soil systems.

Wild fodder plants are valuable because they provide an important livestock feed resource globally, especially for smallholder farmers, and have important roles in natural resource management. In-depth knowledge of wild forage plants can motivate local people for feed resource and habitat conservation of threatened herbivores such as Mithun (Bos frontalis). Mithun occur in small patches in the mountains of Dulongjiang, nearby villagers domesticated this animal but left animal to freely graze in the mountains. Many fodder plants occur in these mountains, however, little is known about their nutritional value. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to document important wild fodder plants consumed by mithun in the Dulongjiang Township. The nutritional content of 21 highly mentioned wild fodder plants in an ethnobotanical survey was examined. Laboratory analysis showed that Fagopyrum dibotrys were the fodder species with the highest crude protein (CP) content (26.89%), followed by Polygonum molle (21.88%) and Hydrangea longipes (21.12%). Synthesis of relative feed value index and grey relational grade, P. molle, H. longipes and Tetrastigma obtectum were ranked the top three nutritional fodders. There was a significant difference between 21 species on their in vitro digestibility and the most highly digestible fodder species was Elatostema hookerianum. Linear model analysis on relationship between frequency of citation of 21 wild forage plants by local farmers and their nutrient composition showed that the frequency was significantly positively correlated with the nutritional value of the feed (R2 = 0.28, P

Disease is the main reason for the use of antimicrobials in calf rearing, and antibiotics are commonly used to treat calves, including for unknown diseases. This leads to antimicrobial resistance, which is a challenge to the livestock industry and public health. Plant products containing high levels of phytochemicals may improve the immunity and resistance of calves against infections, thereby reducing the use of antimicrobials. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Phyllanthus emblica (Amla) fruit powder (PE) supplementation on antioxidant capacity and immune response of preweaning dairy calves. One hundred, 2-day-old, male Holstein calves were randomly assigned into five treatment groups receiving 0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g/d PE supplementation. Antioxidant and immune indices and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were analyzed from serum samples, whereas 16S rRNA was analyzed from rumen fluid and fecal samples. PE supplementation, at 5 g/d, protected calves against oxidative stress and improved antioxidant enzymes and immune and anti-inflammatory responses, showing its immunity-enhancing and protective roles against infections. However, the antioxidant capacity and immune response decreased with increasing PE levels, illustrating the adverse effects of PE supplementation at higher doses. The analysis of ruminal and fecal bacterial community abundance detected higher proportions of Firmicutes at an early age, and a higher Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio at weaning, in calves supplemented with 5 g/d PE. This contributed to the development of the immune system in early life, and improved immune and anti-inflammatory responses at a later age. The overall results suggest that PE could be supplemented at 5 g/d for preweaning dairy calves to protect against oxidative stress and infections while maintaining normal gut microbial hemostasis.

Purpose – This paper aims to document the adaptation strategies developed by local farmers to adjust to climate change and related hazards in Lijiang Prefecture in Southwest China, and quantify the determinants of the adaptation measures. Design/methodology/approach – The study conducted a household survey with 433 respondents in Lijiang to documents adaptation measures. The authors used a multivariate probit model to quantify five categories of adaptation measures against a set of household features, extension and information, resources, social network, financial assets and perception variables. Findings – The most significant determinants consisted of information on early climate warnings and impending hazards, ownership to land and livestock, irrigation membership in community-based organisations, household savings, cash crop farming and perceptions of climate change and its related hazards. Adaptation strategies and policies highlighting these determinants could help to improve climate change adaptation in the region. Originality/value – This study quantified the determinants of adaptive strategies and mapped important determinants for the region that will provide farmers with the appropriate resources and information to implement the best practices for adapting to climatic changes. The method and findings could be useful and easily replicable for future agriculture policies.

ABSTRACTVirulent infectious fungal diseases, in natural and managed landscapes, are increasing. Fungal diseases in humans, animals and plants have caused die-off and extinction events and have become a threat to food security. A caving expedition in Yunnan Province, China, revealed two bat carcasses covered in fungal mycelia. Eleven fungal isolates were obtained from these bat carcasses, and morphological observations and multigene phylogenetic analyses revealed they were Fusarium incarnatum, Mucor hiemalis and Trichoderma harzianum and four new species, Mortierella rhinolophicola, M. multispora, M. yunnanensis and Neocosmospora pallidimors. One of the more alarming findings is that a number of infections related to Neocosmospora, previously associated with human and animal mycotoxicoses, are reported to be increasing, and here we present a new species from this genus, isolated from dead bats. Due to the ecosystem services provided by bats, and the close relationship between bats and humans, future research should focus on the impacts and significance of N. pallidimors to human and animal health, examining its pathogenicity and secondary metabolites. Taxonomic descriptions, color images of the habitat, in situ samples, microstructures and cultures are presented. SEM photographs of microstructures and phylogenetic trees showing the placement of new and known species are also provided.

Simplicillium species have a wide host range and an extensive distribution. Some species are associated with rusts, as well as other plant pathogenic fungi and play an important role in biological control. In this study, two specimens of Simplicillium were collected from Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Simplicillium formicae sp. nov. was isolated from an infected ant and S. lanosoniveum from Ophiocordyceps unilateralis which is a new host record. Species were initially identified using ITS gene sequences and confirmed using morphology coupled with phylogenetic analyses of a combined nrLSU, nrSSU, TEF and RPB1 dataset. Simplicillium formicae differs from other species in the genus by the presence of flask-shaped synnemata and phialides with intercalary nodes. Simplicillium lanosoniveum resembles other collections of the species by its completely solitary, tapering phialides and globose to ellipsoidal conidia which adhere in a slimly head. A key to species of Simplicillium is also provided.

A survey of mushrooms was conducted in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China, in the rainy season (May to October) of 2012, 2013, and 2014, during which 16 specimens of Termitomyces were collected. Preliminary macro- and micro-characteristics, together with ITS sequence data, showed that four of the specimens belonged to a new species (Termitomyces fragilis), while the other 12 belonged to T. aurantiacus, T. eurrhizus, T. globules, T. microcarpus, and T. bulborhizus. In this paper, T. fragilis is introduced as a species new to science based on morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses. Macro- and micro- morphological descriptions, color photographs and line drawings of the new species, and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of the new species are provided. T. fragilis is then compared with other closely related taxa in the genus Termitomyces.

Ganoderma is a cosmopolitan genus of mushrooms, which can cause root and butt rot diseases on many tree species. Members of this genus are particularly diverse in tropical regions. Some Ganoderma spp. are medicinally active and therefore are used to treat human diseases or as a dietary supplement. In this study, three Ganoderma strains were collected in tropical southern Thailand. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, TEF1α and RPB2 sequence data indicated that the three strains grouped in a distinct lineage within laccate Ganoderma. One strain was collected from Surat Thani Province clustered in the G. casuarinicola clade with high statistical support (MLBS = 100% / MPBS = 98% / PP = 0.96), while the other two strains of Ganoderma, collected from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, formed a distinct well-supported clade (MLBS = 100% / MPBS = 100% / PP = 1.00) and are described here as a new species. Ganoderma casuarinicola is reported here as a new record to Thailand. Morphological differences of the two taxa and their closely related taxa are discussed. Colour photographs of macro and micro morphological characteristics and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of the new record and new species are provided.

Objective This study was designed to investigate the effect of diet supplementation with rubber seed oil and flaxseed oil on serum fatty acids profile, oxidation stability of serum and milk, and immune function of dairy cows. Methods Forty-eight mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows were randomly assigned to one of four treatments for 8 wk, including basal diet (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with 4% rubber seed oil (RO), 4% flaxseed oil (FO) or 2% rubber seed oil plus 2% flaxseed oil (RFO) on a dry matter basis. Results Compared with CON, all the oil groups increased the levels of trans-11 C18:1 (vaccenic acid), cis-9, trans-11 C18:2 (conjugated linoleic acid, CLA) and C18:3 (α-linolenic acid, ALA) in serum. Both the activity of glutathione peroxidase and catalase in serum and milk in oil groups were decreased, which were negatively correlated with the levels of cis-9, trans-11 CLA and ALA. The concentrations of proinflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor α and interferon γ) in serum of oil groups were lower than that from the CON cows. Conclusion These results indicate that diet supplementation with RO or FO could alter serum fatty acid profile and enhance the immune function of dairy cows. However, the negative effect on milk oxidation stability should be considered when feeding these n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched oils in dairy production.

Using animal manure as organic fertilizer to grow fodder crops is causing public health concerns because animal manure is the major reservoir of veterinary antibiotics. In this study, we used a mathematical model to estimate the risk of human exposure to veterinary antibiotics when using swine manure as organic fertilizer to grow alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Alfalfa was planted in a greenhouse and fertilized with swine manure spiked with oxytetracycline (OTC, at 0, 150, and 1500 mg/kg of manure), ofloxacin (OFL, at 0, 15, and 150 mg/kg), or sulfamonomethoxine (SMM, at 0, 5, 15 and 150 mg/kg). Alfalfa was harvested at the budding stage and ensiled for 60 days. Results showed that OTC and OFL could be detected in the alfalfa root, stem, and leaf with a concentration ranging from 8.85 to 59.17 μg OTC /kg and from 1.50 to 4.10 μg OFL/kg dry matter, but SMM could only be detected in the root ranging from 29.10 to 63.75 μg/kg dry matter. The ensiling for 60 days decreased the OFL concentration by 68.7% but only slightly decreased the OTC concentration. The maximum daily exposures of humans to OTC and OFL through liquid milk consumption were estimated to be 5.84E-8 and 1.63E-8 μg, respectively, both of which are well below the intake levels of OTC (72 μg) and OFL (54 μg) mandated by the European Union. The results of the present study indicate that using swine manure as organic fertilizer to grow alfalfa poses a limited risk for human exposure to veterinary antibiotics through the consumption of liquid milk.

Background: Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) Kuntze is an important medicinal, edible, and indigo-yielding plant species. It has been cultivated for centuries and it is often the only natural dye still used in many places of East and Southeast Asia. Although S. cisia is extensively cultivated and widely used, the ecological factors of its environmental demands are poorly understood. Moreover, with the increasing demand and growing habitat degradation, its wild populations are in sharp decline. It is therefore imperative to understand the socio-ecological interactions of this species regarding its climatic niche, ethnobotanical importance, and human relations in order to meet its demand. Methods: We first collected S. cusia occurrences from plant species databases, literatures and ethnobotanical surveys. 244 wild occurrences and 10 variables were used to predict its suitable habitats using the MaxEnt model. Furthermore, for a better understanding of socio-ecological interactions regarding its distribution and use, we also collected use reports and calculated the relative importance level (RIL). Results: Strobilanthes cusia is valued for many reasons, as it contains numerous health benefits as a medicinal plant and use in tea alongside its indigo dying and tattooing properties. Indigo dye, Southern Banlangen, and Indigo Naturalis are its most important usages. Its suitable habitats are chiefly located in Western and Central Himalayas, Southern China, and Southern Japan. The ‘temperature seasonality (standard deviation × 100)’ (bio4), the ‘precipitation of coldest quarter’ (bio19), and the human footprint index showed the strongest association with the relative contributions of 38.5%, 32.4%, and 9.1%, respectively.

There is a special interaction between the environment, soil microorganisms, and tea plants, which constitute the ecosystem of tea plantations. Influenced by environmental factors and human management, the changes in soil microbial community affected the growth, quality, and yield of tea plants. However, little is known about the composition and structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities in 100-year-old tea plantations and the mechanisms by which they are affected. In this regard, we characterized the microbiome of tea plantation soils by considering the bacterial and fungal communities in 448 soil samples from 101 ancient tea plantations in eight counties of Lincang city, which is one of the tea domestication centers in the world. 16S and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rRNA high-throughput amplicon sequencing techniques were applied in this study. The results showed that the abundance, diversity, and composition of the bacterial and fungal communities have different sensitivity with varying pH, altitude, and latitude. pH and altitude affect soil microbial communities, and bacterial communities are more sensitive than fungi in terms of abundance and diversity to pH. The highest α-diversity of bacterial communities is shown in the pH 4.50–5.00 and 2,200-m group, and fungi peaked in the pH 5.00–5.50 and 900-m group. Because of environmental and geographical factors, all microbes are similarly changing, and further correlations showed that the composition and structure of bacterial communities are more sensitive than fungal communities, which were affected by latitude and altitude. In conclusion, the interference of anthropogenic activities plays a more important role in governing fungal community selection than environmental or geographical factors, whereas for the bacterial community, it is more selective to environment adaptation than to adaptation to human activities.

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is known as a diverse geographic landscape and one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world with a high fungal diversity. Collections were carried out in terrestrial habitats to determine the diversity of woody litter fungi in the GMS, with an emphasis on northern Thailand and the Yunnan Province of China. Morphological characteristics and multigene phylogenetic analyses of combined SSU, LSU, ITS, and tef1-α supported the placement of the new isolates in the family Didymosphaeriaceae. The phylogenetic affinities of our isolates are illustrated through maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses. Seven species of woody litter fungi were identified, comprising a new monotypic genus, Septofusispora; five novel species (Chromolaenicola sapindi, Dictyoarthrinium thailandicum, Karstenula lancangensis, Septofusispora thailandica, and Spegazzinia jinghaensis); and new host records of two species (Austropleospora archidendri, and Montagnula donacina). Furthermore, this study provides a synopsis of the Montagnula aff. donacina species based on their morphological characteristics, which can be useful in the species-level identifications in this genus.

SARS-CoV-2 has been found in soil and aquatic environments in addition to aerosols. SARS-CoV-2 enters the soil from various sources, including organic amendments and waste irrigation water. The virus counts and virulence in soil depend on spillover routes and soil properties. Organic matter (OM) and clay minerals protect and enable SARS-CoV-2 to survive for longer periods in soil. Therefore, life forms residing in soil may be at risk, but there is a paucity of scientific interest in such interactions. With this perspective, we aim to provide a new viewpoint on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on soil microbes. In particular, we present a conceptual model showing how successive mutations within soil animals having the SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) may change its characteristics and, thus, enable it to infect micro- and macroorganisms and be transferred by them. SARS-CoV-2 particles could be adsorbed on mineral or OM surfaces, and these surfaces could serve as encounter sites for infectious attacks. SARS-CoV-2 accumulation in soil over time can perturb bacteria and other microbes, leading to imbalances in microbial diversity and activities. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 and its interactions with biotic and abiotic soil components should be a future research priority.

Taxonomic studies of bambusicolous fungi in China and Thailand have resulted in the collection of three fascinating saprobic coelomycetes strains. Morphology coupled with combined gene analysis of ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF1-α DNA sequence data showed that they belong to the genus Apiospora, family Apiosporaceae. A new species from Thailand, Apiospora mukdahanensis, and new records of A. locuta-pollinis from China are herein described. In addition, based on both morphological data coupled with phylogenetics and nomenclatural analyses, A. mori is proposed as a new combination. Maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed to clarify the phylogenetic affinities of the species obtained in this study. Newly obtained strains are compared with morphologically- and phylogenetically-related taxa. The comprehensive descriptions, illustrations, and updated phylogeny are provided and discussed for intra-and intergeneric relationships within Apiospora species.

Grasslands are major primary producers and function as major components of important watersheds. Although a concise definition of grasslands cannot be given using a physiognomic or structural approach, grasslands can be described as vegetation communities experiencing periodical droughts and with canopies dominated by grasses and grass-like plants. Grasslands have a cosmopolitan distribution except for the Antarctic region. Fungal interactions with grasses can be pathogenic or symbiotic. Herbivorous mammals, insects, other grassland animals, and fungal pathogens are known to play important roles in maintaining the biomass and biodiversity of grasslands. Although most pathogenicity studies on the members of Poaceae have been focused on economically important crops, the plant-fungal pathogenic interactions involved can extend to the full range of ecological circumstances that exist in nature. Hence, it is important to delineate the fungal pathogen communities and their interactions in man-made monoculture systems and highly diverse natural ecosystems. A better understanding of the key fungal players can be achieved by combining modern techniques such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) together with studies involving classic phytopathology, taxonomy, and phylogeny. It is of utmost importance to develop experimental designs that account for the ecological complexity of the relationships between grasses and fungi, both above and below ground. In grasslands, loss in species diversity increases interactions such as herbivory, mutualism, predation or infectious disease transmission. Host species density and the presence of heterospecific host species, also affect the disease dynamics in grasslands. Many studies have shown that lower species diversity increases the severity as well as the transmission rate of fungal diseases. Moreover, communities that were once highly diverse but have experienced decreased species richness and dominancy have also shown higher pathogenicity load due to the relaxed competition, although this effect is lower in natural communities. This review addresses the taxonomy, phylogeny, and ecology of grassland fungal pathogens and their interactions in grassland ecosystems.

Globally, the quality of agricultural soils is in decline as a result of mismanagement and the overuse of agrichemicals, negatively impacting crop yields. Agaricus subrufescens Peck is widely cultivated as an edible and medicinal mushroom; however, its application in soil bioremediation and amendment remains insufficiently studied. In order to determine if A. subrufescens can positively impact agricultural soils, we designed two experiments: the first, a glasshouse experiment investigating the ways in which A. subrufescens production alters soil nutrients and soil health; the second, a laboratory experiment investigating if A. subrufescens can degrade beta-cypermethrin (β-CY) and glufosinate ammonium (Gla), two widely used agrichemicals. The glasshouse experiment results indicated that the use of compost and compost combined with A. subrufescens led to increases in soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compared to the control treatments (sterilized soil). However, the incorporation of A. subrufescens with compost resulted in significantly greater levels of both available nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soils compared to all other treatments. Laboratory experiments determined that the mycelium of A. subrufescens were unable to grow at concentrations above 24.71 μg/mL and 63.15 μg/g for β-CY and Gla, respectively. Furthermore, results indicated that fungal mycelia were able to degrade 44.68% of β-CY within 15 days, whereas no significant changes were found in the concentration of Gla. This study highlights that cultivation of A. subrufescens may be a sustainable alternative for the rehabilitation of agricultural soils, whilst providing an additional source of income for farmers.

The genus Alternaria is comprised of well-known plant pathogens causing various important diseases in plants, as well as being common allergens in animals and humans. Species of Alternaria can be found as saprobes associated with various dead plant materials. This research aims to enhance the taxonomy of saprobic species in the genus Alternaria found on grasses and herbaceous plants from Italy, based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of a concatenated ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α, rpb2, gapdh and Alt-a1 DNA sequence dataset combined with morphological characteristics. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses demonstrated six novel species belonging to the genus Alternaria sect. Alternaria as: A. muriformispora sp. nov., A. obpyriconidia sp. nov., A. ovoidea sp. nov., A. pseudoinfectoria sp. nov., A. rostroconidia sp. nov. and A. torilis sp. nov. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations and an updated phylogenetic relationship of taxa in the genus Alternaria sect. Alternaria are provided herein.

Protein post-translational modification (PTM) is an efficient biological mechanism to regulate protein structure and function, but its role in plant responses to heavy metal stress is poorly understood. The present study performed quantitative succinyl-proteome profiling using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis to explore the potential roles of lysine succinylation modification in turnip seedlings in response to cadmium (Cd) stress (20 μM) under hydroponic conditions over a short time period (0–8 h). A total of 547 succinylated sites on 256 proteins were identified in the shoots of turnip seedlings. These succinylated proteins participated in various biological processes (e.g., photosynthesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, amino acid metabolism, and response to stimulation) that occurred in diverse cellular compartments according to the functional classification, subcellular localization, and protein interaction network analysis. Quantitative analysis showed that the intensities of nine succinylation sites on eight proteins were significantly altered (p < 0.05) in turnip shoots after 8 h of Cd stress. These differentially succinylated sites were highly conserved in Brassicaceae species and mostly located in the conserved domains of the proteins. Among them, a downregulated succinylation site (K150) in the glycolate oxidase protein (Gene0282600.1), an upregulated succinylation site (K396) in the catalase 3 protein (Gene0163880.1), and a downregulated succinylation site (K197) in the glutathione S-transferase protein (Gene0315380.1) may have contributed to the altered activity of the corresponding enzymes, which suggests that lysine succinylation affects the Cd detoxification process in turnip by regulating the H2O2 accumulation and glutathione metabolism. These results provide novel insights into understanding Cd response mechanisms in plants and important protein modification information for the molecular-assisted breeding of Brassica varieties with distinct Cd tolerance and accumulation capacities.

While conducting a survey of bambusicolous fungi in northern Thailand and southwestern China, several saprobic fungi were collected from dead branches, culms and twigs of bamboos, which were preliminarily identified as species belonging to Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) based on a morphological approach. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2 demonstrated four novel taxa belonging to the families Parabambusicolaceae, Pyrenochaetopsidaceae and Tetraploasphaeriaceae. Hence, Paramultiseptospora bambusae sp. et gen. nov., Pyrenochaetopsis yunnanensis sp. nov. and Tetraploa bambusae sp. nov. are introduced. In addition, Anastomitrabeculia didymospora found on bamboo twigs in terrestrial habitats is reported for the first time. Detailed morphological descriptions and updated phylogenetic trees of each family are provided herein.

Climate change will affect numerous crops in the future; however, perennial crops, such as tea, are particularly vulnerable. Climate change will also strongly influence fungal pathogens. Here, we predict how future climatic conditions will impact tea and its associated pathogens. We collected data on the three most important fungal pathogens of tea (Colletotrichum acutatum, Co. camelliae, and Exobasidium vexans) and then modeled distributions of tea and these fungal pathogens using current and projected climates. The models show that baseline tea-growing areas will become unsuitable for Camellia sinensis var. sinensis (15 to 32% loss) and C. sinensis var. assamica (32 to 34% loss) by 2050. Although new areas will become more suitable for tea cultivation, existing and potentially new fungal pathogens will present challenges in these areas, and they are already under other land-use regimes. In addition, future climatic scenarios suitable range of fungal species and tea suitable cultivation (respectively in CSS and CSA) growing areas are Co. acutatum (44.30%; 31.05%), Co. camelliae (13.10%; 10.70%), and E. vexans (10.20%; 11.90%). Protecting global tea cultivation requires innovative approaches that consider fungal genomics as part and parcel of plant pathology.

In this study a new record of Ganoderma tropicum is described as from Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. The fruiting body was collected on the base of a living Dipterocarpus tree. The sample is described on the basis of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses, and compared with closely related taxa. Multigene phylogenetic analyses of LSU, ITS, and RPB2 highly support the placement of the G. tropicum group with isolates from China and Taiwan (Maximum likelihood 100%, Maximum parsimony 100%, and Bayesian posterior probabilities 1.00). The optimal media, pH, and temperature for mycelial growth of the G. tropicum strain KUMCC18-0046 was also investigated and is reported as: PDA, MEA, and YPD, at pH 7–8 and 25–28 °C, respectively. This is the first report on the successful growing conditions for mycelial production, but unfortunately fruiting could not be achieved.

Abstract Background The ethnic groups in Gilgit-Baltistan have been utilizing local resources in their centuries-old traditional healing system. Most tribes within these ethnic groups still rely on traditional healing systems. We aim to understand the current status, uses, and abundance of medicinal plants, associated traditional knowledge, and trade. Materials and methods The study incorporated over 300 local community members (70% men and 30% women) in focused group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and homework assignments for 8th to 12th grade students to document traditional knowledge (TK) in six districts in Northeast Pakistan. We calculated various indices such as informant consensus factor, use value, relative frequency of citation, and CoKriging. These indices, along with repetitively used medicinal plants, were used to analyze differences in studied locations. Results Most of the community members still rely on traditional medication in the study areas. However, we found the highest number of medicinal plants used in Skardu and Gilgit compared to other districts and these two districts also represent trade centers and a highly populated area regarding medicinal plants. Results indicate connection amongst the surveyed villages signifying mixing of knowledge from different sources, with certain areas more influenced by traditional Chinese medicine and others more by Ayurveda and Unani. Conclusion TK is mostly retained with elder community members; however, those directly linked with market value chain retain rich knowledge on traditional use of the medicinal plants from the region. Major trade centers in the region also coincide with a high density of medicinal plant occurrence, knowledge, and higher utilization. Therefore, with the increasing trade in medicinal plant in the region, there is potential for rejuvenation of this knowledge and of plant use in the region.

Environmental changes and heavy metal pollution are some of the consequences of anthropogenic activities. Many ecosystems, including edaphic ecosystems, suffer from the effects of pollution. The accurate assessment of soil heavy metal contamination leads to better approaches for remediating soils. The exploration of different ways, including biological methods, to conduct environmental monitoring is still ongoing. Here, we focus on reviewing the potential of ectomycorrhizal fungi as a natural indicator of soil heavy metal pollution. Mycorrhizal fungi fulfill basic criteria required as natural bio-indicators for heavy metal contamination. These fungi use different mechanisms such as avoidance and tolerance to survive in metalliferous soils. Thus, we promote ectomycorrhizal fungi as natural indicators. This review also synthesizes existing research on ectomycorrhizal mushrooms as natural bio-indicators for heavy metal pollution and the elaboration of mechanisms, by which ectomycorrhizal fungi meet the criteria required for a successful bio-indicator.

The association of endophytic fungi with the host plant is called a symbiotic relationship. Studies of the endophytic fungi from tea have been reported in numerous documents, but researchers still largely focus on tea endophytic fungi as they have ability to produce bioactive compounds which have numerous applications. The present work characterizes the fungal endophytic communities associated with healthy tea leaves in Yunnan Province, China. A total of 287 fungal strains were isolated from healthy leaf tissues of tea plants using a culture-dependent approach. Based on nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analyses taken from the fungal cultures, strains were classified into 28 fungal genera with high similarity matches to known sequences in GenBank. The majority of genera (98.25%) belong to the phylum Ascomycota and most of the dominating fungal endophytes are from the genera Colletotrichum and Clonostachys.

Calotropis gigantea is often found in mining areas with heavy metal pollution. However, little is known about the physiological and molecular response mechanism of C. gigantea to Cd stress. In the present study, Cd tolerance characteristic of C. gigantea and the potential mechanisms were explored. Seed germination test results showed that C. gigantea had a certain Cd tolerance capacity. Biochemical and transcriptomic analysis indicated that the roots and leaves of C. gigantea had different responses to early Cd stress. A total of 176 and 1618 DEGs were identified in the roots and leaves of C. gigantea treated with Cd compared to the control samples, respectively. Results indicated that oxidative stress was mainly initiated in the roots of C. gigantea, whereas the leaves activated several Cd detoxification processes to cope with Cd, including the upregulation of genes involved in Cd transport (i.e., absorption, efflux, or compartmentalization), cell wall remodeling, antioxidant system, and chelation. This study provides preliminary information to understand how C. gigantea respond to Cd stress, which is useful for evaluating the potential of C. gigantea in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soils.

Coffee is grown in more than 80 countries as a cash crop and consumed worldwide as a beverage and food additive. It is susceptible to fungal infection during growth, processing and storage. Fungal infections, in particular, can seriously affect the quality of coffee and threaten human health. The data for this comprehensive review were collected from the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) website and published papers. This review lists the fungal species reported on coffee based on taxonomy, life mode, host, affected plant part and region. Five major fungal diseases and mycotoxin-producing species (post-harvest diseases of coffee) are also discussed. Furthermore, we address why coffee yield and quality are affected by fungi and propose methods to control fungal infections to increase coffee yield and improve quality. Endophytic fungi and their potential as biological control agents of coffee disease are also discussed.

Land use and land cover (LULC) play a significant role in carbon regulation. South-China accounts for ~65% of China’s carbon sink. In Xishuangbanna (South-China), rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to understand and monitor LULC change and how spatial variation affects carbon storage (CS). This is vital for the formation and implementation of better land use management practices. We studied LULC changes of 22-year period; addressing how these changes have affected the CS. We quantified LULC changes between1988 and 2010 using remote sensing methods and calculated CS changes using InvEST. Results showed that between 1988 and 2010, the rate of deforestation accelerated to 203.2 km2 y−1 and ~23% of forest were lost. Conversion of natural forest to rubber was responsible for 78% of this deforestation. Rubber expansion rate was 153.4 km2 y−1. Changes to LULC drove a temporal CS reduction 0.223 Tg C/km2. Local stakeholders have strong economic interest in converting land to more profitable plantations. Government efforts is required to control land conversion through new policies and incentives to retain natural forest. Assessment of specific potential land use change will be required to avoid promoting the conversion of high carbon storage land uses to low carbon storage land uses.

The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening food shortages in food deficit countries, such as China, which rely on import for domestic food consumption. We argue that fundamental revolution in China’s livestock system can meet about 50% of its consumption of livestock products and thereby reduce the country’s reliance on imports. Three food system revolutions that can greatly reduce China’s reliance on imports are technically and economically feasible, and generate high eco-system benefits: (1) organic or inorganic based microbial feed protein production to substitute imported feed protein, (2) vegetation greening and fodder production through grassland restoration to reduce import of ruminant animal products, and (3) insect protein based fish-plant production and offshore marine restoration to replace red meat consumption and increase recycling of manure. Together these revolutions can accelerate progress towards multiple Sustainable Development Goals in exporting countries.

Tubeufiaceae, a cosmopolitan family with a worldwide distribution, is mostly reported as saprobic on decaying woody materials from both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The family is commonly found as helicosporous hyphomycetes, while some are chlamydosporous and phragmosporous. In this study, thirteen helicosporous hyphomycetes were collected from Thailand and China. The phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, TEF1-α, and RPB2 sequence data placed them in Dematiohelicomyces, Helicoma, Helicotruncatum, Neohelicosporium, Parahelicomyces, and Tubeufia within Tubeufiaceae. Three new species, Tubeufia cocois, Parahelicomyces chiangmaiensis, and Neohelicosporium bambusicola, one new host record, Tubeufia laxispora, and one new geographic record, T. longihelicospora, are introduced based on both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. In addition, Dematiohelicomyces helicosporus, Helicoma guttulatum, Helicotruncatum palmigenum, and Tubeufia cylindrothecia are described with detailed descriptions and color photo plates.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a diet supplemented with fresh amla fruit as a natural feed additive on blood metabolic parameters, milk antioxidant capacity, and milk fatty acid (FA) proportions in lactating dairy cows. Eight ruminally cannulated mid-lactation dairy cows were used in a repeated crossover design. The first group of four cows received total mixed ration (TMR) feed without fresh amla fruit (control group). The remaining four cows sequentially supplemented fresh amla fruit (FAF) at three levels (200, 400, then 600 g/d) (treatment group) at 14-day intervals. In second period, control and treatment groups were exchanged. The first ten days were adjusted to diet adaptation for each sub-period, and the last four days for sampling milk and blood. A total of 514 metabolites were detected from FAF using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The five main metabolites in FAF were phenolic acids (22%), flavonoids (20%), lipids (20%), amino acids and derivatives (9%), and tannins (7%). Amla fruit supplementation reduced total saturated fatty acid and the omega-6/omega-3 ratio at 200 or 400 g/d FAF dose compared to controls. In addition, amla fruit increased unsaturated FA, such as C20:5 (Eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and C22:6 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA), and branched-chain FA in a dose-dependent manner at 200 or 400 g/d compared to controls. In addition, amla fruit increased the antioxidant capacity biomarkers in the blood, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and albumin; this confirms that amla fruit is an excellent antioxidant, inhibiting reactive oxygen species’ (ROS) metabolism, and can thereby protect cells from oxidative stress. Moreover, the most remarkable improvement of ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in milk was recorded at 400 g/d FAF doses compared to controls. Therefore, fresh amla fruit doses for lactating cows at 400 g/d on an as-fed basis can be used as an alternative additive feed in dairy cow diets to improve antioxidant capacity, protein efficiency, butter quality, and to produce more desirable milk fatty acid profiles for human consumption.

Parabambusicolaceae is a well-studied family in Massarineae, Pleosporales, comprising nine genera and approximately 16 species. The family was introduced to accommodate saprobic bambusicola-like species in both freshwater and terrestrial environments that mostly occur on bamboos and grasses but are also found on different host substrates. In the present study, we surveyed and collected ascomycetes from bamboo and submerged grass across Yunnan Province, China. A biphasic approach based on morphological characteristics and multigene phylogeny demonstrated five new taxa in Parabambusicolaceae. A novel genus Scolecohyalosporium is introduced as a monotypic genus to accommodate S. submersum sp. nov., collected from dead culms of grass submerged in a freshwater stream. The genus is unique in forming filiform ascospores, which differ from other known genera in Parabambusicolaceae. Multigene phylogeny showed that the genus has a close relationship with Multiseptospora. Moreover, the novel monotypic genus Neomultiseptospora, isolated from bamboo, was introduced to accommodate N. yunnanensis sp. nov. Neomultiseptospora yunnanensis formed a separated branch basal to Scolecohyalosporium submersum and Multiseptospora thailandica with high support (100% ML, 1.00 PP). Furthermore, the newly introduced species, Parabambusicola hongheensis sp. nov. was also isolated from bamboo in terrestrial habitats. Parabambusicola hongheensis clustered with the other three described Parabambusicola species and has a close relationship with P. bambusina with significant support (88% ML, 1.00 PP). Parabambusicola hongheensis was reported as the fourth species in this genus. Detailed description, illustration, and updated phylogeny of Parabambusicolaceae were provided.

The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) promotes basic and applied research to understand how drivers and processes of global change present challenges and opportunities in mountain social-ecological systems. It convenes a global network that collectively generates and synthesizes knowledge on global change in mountains that also supports decisions and actions to enable sustainable development. Building on the considerable social and intellectual wealth fostered by the MRI over its past 20-plus years of existence, we outline future directions aimed at supporting and further developing the network as well as our flagship and community-led activities aimed at linking and scaling interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research efforts within and across mountain regions worldwide.