Impacts of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Vegetation Dynamics: A Case Study of Wadi Hagul, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Irresponsible human interventions, encroachment of natural habitats, and climate change negatively affect wildlife. In this study, the effects of human influence on Wadi Hagul, an unprotected area in the north of the Egyptian Eastern Desert that has recently been subjected to blatant encroachments of vegetation, were studied. The most important of these threats is the construction of the new road Al-Galala–Wadi Hagul–Zafarana. In Wadi Hagul, 80 species are reported in this study; the most represented plant families are Asteraceae (15 species) and Brassicaceae (6 species). Perennial, chamaephyte and Saharo-Arabian species were recorded in the highest percentage. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis showed that latitude, longitude, altitude, silt, sand contents, pH, and CO32− content are the factors that have the highest effect on vegetation distribution in the studied stands. Several invasive and alien species such as Euphorbia prostrata have been listed; these species typically have a negative effect on native species. The Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) indicated a decrease in plant cover during the study period, as compared to previous years. In 2013 and 2020, SAVI ranged from −0.02 to 0.42 and from −0.18 to 0.28, respectively. Recently, the violation and destruction of wildlife have increased, therefore, preserving it along with general biodiversity has become an urgent necessity.

Influência de fatores climáticos na morbidade/mortalidade de micoses em Minas Gerais e avaliação de plantas nativas para tratamento de micoses

Micoses sistêmicas são um importante problema de saúde pública em todo o mundo, por serem negligenciadas, relacionadas a regiões com baixo desenvolvimento humano e sob influência de condições climáticas. Nesse sentido, o desenvolvimento de novos agentes antifúngicos, como advindos de plantas nativas, é essencial para essas populações. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a influência do clima e de variáveis sociodemográficas na prevalência de micoses sistêmicas em Minas Gerais durante o período de 1998 a 2018 e avaliar atividade antifúngica in vitro de plantas nativas do Brasil. Foram determinadas as correlações entre Hospitalização por Micoses (HM) / Mortalidade por Micoses (MM) e dados sociodemográficos (densidade demográfica, facilidade de acesso ao SUS, IDH e esgotamento sanitário), ambientais (velocidade máxima do vento, velocidade média do vento, precipitação total, número de dias de precipitação, umidade relativa, temperatura máxima e temperatura mínima) e cobertura vegetal através do coeficiente de correlação de postos de Spearman. Os dados foram obtidos em bancos de dados nacionais durante o período selecionado. Já a atividade antifúngica dos extratos etanólicos das folhas de Euphorbia prostrata e Garcinia gardneriana foi avaliada através do teste de microdiluição em caldo utilizando linhagens de C. albicans, C. neoformans e C. gattii. Os resultados mostraram que cidades com densidade demográfica elevada e maior número de estabelecimentos do SUS possuem menor % de frequência de HM / MM. Já municípios com maior IDH possuem menor % de frequência de mortalidade por paracoccidioidomicose. Observou-se que a maioria das cidades mineiras com maior % de frequência relativa anual de HM e maior % de frequência relativa anual de MM por aspergilose e candidíase são de clima temperado. Os dados mostraram que a velocidade do vento é um fator climático que influenciou de maneira significativa na HM. Em relação as plantas, os extratos etanólicos não apresentaram atividade antifúngica promissora, com CIM > 100mg/L. Nossos dados mostraram que o clima exerce importante influência sobre a HM e MM, sendo necessários mais estudos para entender melhor a relação clima e micoses.

Anatomia e histoquímica do caule de espécies conhecidas como quebra-pedra das famílias Euphorbiaceae e Phyllanthaceae

O presente estudo teve por objetivo fornecer informações estruturais e histoquímicas sobre o caule de espécies conhecidas popularmente como “quebrapedra”, encontradas no município de São Mateus (ES). As espécies analisadas foram Euphorbia prostrata Aiton., Euphorbia hyssopifolia L., Phyllanthus amarusSchumach. & Thonn e Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. Exemplares foram coletados no campus da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo e no bairro Sernamby. Paraas análises, realizaram-se seções transversais entre o 2.º e 5.º nós, para descrição do crescimento primário, e entre o 9.º e 10.º nós, para crescimento secundário.Efetuaram-se testes para detecção de amido, composição química de cristais, lipídios totais, látex, compostos fenólicos não estruturais e lignina. Quanto àsanálises anatômicas, apenas E. prostrata apresentou tricomas, os quais são do tipo tector. Somente nas espécies de Phyllanthus foram observados cristais. Asespécies de Euphorbia diferenciam-se pela presença de canais laticíferos. Os testes histoquímicos revelaram acúmulo de grãos de amido, deixando evidentes a bainha amilífera de P. amarus e compostos fenólicos apenas na epiderme de E. prostrata. Os estudos anatômicos e histoquímicos são de grande relevância para o conhecimento e a diferenciação das espécies conhecidas por quebra-pedra, podendo auxiliar na identificação de outras espécies com o mesmo nome popular.

New floristic records from Central Europe 8 (reports 109-121)

The presented eighth part of the series includes thirteen new chorological records of vascular plants, one from Hungary, six from Poland and six from Slovakia. In Hungary, Ventenata dubia is reported. In Poland, two native taxa Bolboschoenus planiculmis and Najas marina subsp. marina and four alien taxa Buddleja davidii, Lupinus ehrenbergii var. ehrenbergii, Miscanthus sacchariflorus and Sedum sarmentosum are reported. In Slovakia, two native taxa Taraxacum paucilobum with distribution map and Cotoneaster integerrimus are reported as well as four alien taxa Azolla filiculoides, Eichhornia crassipes, Euphorbia prostrata and Pistia stratioites.

Adatok a Kisalföld flórájának ismeretéhez IV.

Dolgozatunkban a Kisalföld határainkon belülre eső területén 2015-2020 közötti időszakban végzett florisztikai kutatások legfontosabb eredményeit ismertetjük. Az előfordulási adatok felsorolását követően értékelésre kerül országos vagy regionális jelentőségük, növényföldrajzi, természetvédelmi szerepük. A felsorolásban 52 fajról szerepelnek új adatok, amelyek közül 40 hazánkban természetes (honos) előfordulású, 12 idegenhonos elem. Eredményeink közül kiemelendő a Kisalföldre nézve új Gagea minima megtalálása, az Epipactis tallosii két új állományának felfedezése, a Polystichum setiferum előfordulásának bizonyítása, továbbá több gyomjellegű növény (Apera interrupta, Calepina irregularis, Erigeron sumatrensis, Euphorbia prostrata, Panicum dichotomiflorum) új lelőhelyeinek kimutatása. Jelentősebben bővítjük az ismereteket az Erysimum hieraciifolium szigetközi, a Succisella inflexa rábaközi, és az Ornithogalum × degenianum Marcal-medencei elterjedéséhez. Adatokat közlünk közutak mentén terjedő (Atriplex micrantha, Dittrichia graveolens, Eleusine indica), valamint dísznövényként ültetett (Pennisetum alopecuroides, Sedum pallidum) adventív fajokról.

Euphorbia prostata Exerts Potent Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Arthritic Activity in Downregulating the Increased Expression of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines

Background: Euphorbia prostrata constitutes a herbal medication widely used to cure numerous inflammatory diseases occurring either alone or in conjunction with other herbal formulations. The research conducted was devised with the aim of determining the effect of Euphorbia prostrata hydroalcoholic leaf extract on paw swelling, joint destruction, and the formation of inflammation-producing cytokines in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Hydroalcoholic Euphorbia prostrata extract and a reference drug (indomethacin 3mg/kg), were both administered orally on a daily basis at varying doses; low (50 mg/kg), medium (100 mg/kg), and high (200 mg/kg) for a period of 21 days. Other parameters affecting the functional components of bone include joint diameter measurements and histopathological investigations. Immunohistochemical analysis of Interleukin (IL-1, IL-6) and Nuclear Factor(NF-κB)in ankle joint tissue was performed. Results: The research findings indicated that a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent reduction in inflammation results from the administering of Euphorbia prostrata at varying doses. A 200mg/kg dose of Euphorbia prostrata with a significance of p<0.001 produced a marked reduction in both inflammation and joint dysfunction. It was concluded, therefore, that such a dose attenuates paw oedema and inflammation, while also reversing bone damage through the inhibition of activated pro-inflammatory mediators and, specifically, NF-κB-mediated production of cytokines. Conclusion: The research presented here concludes that Euphorbia prostrata hydroalcoholic extract can be potentially employed in the treatment and management of rheumatoid arthritis since it reduces symptoms of inflammation, inhibits macrophage activity and modulates IL-1, IL-6 and NF-κB.

Sixteen new records for the flora of Lebanon

Significant new species that belong to diverse genera and families were recorded to exist in Lebanon during our continuous non-stop field survey all over the country. The authors gathered some exceptional taxa from distinctive locations and habitats of the country, which were not reported so far in the flora documentation with the exception of Quercus libani, that is regarded as a very atypical species (for Lebanon) discovered for the first time after Post in 1932. The current paper deals with the records Anchusa milleri Lam. ex Spreng, Bassia hyssopifolia (Pall.) Kuntze., Eminium heterophyllum (Blume) Schott., Euphorbia prostrata Aiton, Euphorbia serpens Kunth, Hypericum olivieri (Spach) Boiss., Kickxia cirrhosa (L.) Fritsch., Lamium macrodon Boiss. & A.Huet, Onosma fruticosum Sm.lder, Plantago crypsoides Boiss., Platanthera holmboei H.Lindb., Potamogeton perfoliatus L., Quercus libani G.Olivier, Rhamnus kurdica Boiss. & Hohen., Tulipa biflora Pall. and Xanthium strumarium subsp. sibiricum (Patrin ex Widder) Greuter. The plants were photographed, collected, dried and herbarium specimens were prepared and deposited in K. Addam's Herbarium AUL University (Lebanon). Their taxonomical and ecological characters as well as their geographical distributions were exhibited. New Taxa (representing 14 genera in 12 families of flowering plants) were recognized with the reference of different floras and recent literature for their authentication. The present study also files them with updated nomenclature, descriptions, and notes on phenology and images for their easy identity.

Cardamine occulta Hornem. in Hungary, and other stowaways of the ornamental plant trade

During the study of the weed flora of garden centers in Hungary (among 2017–2020), remarkable populations of Cardamine occulta Hornem., a new alien for the Hungarian flora were found. C. occulta was present altogether in 51 of the 53 visited sites. Dominantly the regularly irrigated and continuously moist microhabitats (pots, containers, muddy surfaces of geotextile-covered beds etc.) were colonized. During the revision of our recently collected specimens, deposited in JPU and DE herbaria as Cardamine hirsuta L., further individuals proved to identical with this till overlooked species. One of them (27.08.2004., Heves county: Eger [8088.3; 8188.1], coll. by A. Schmotzer, deposited in DE collection) proved to the third documented occurrence in Europe, comparing to the accessed literature data. Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. and Urtica membranacea Poir. are also new aliens for the Hungarian flora. Several introduced individuals of these taxa were found in containers of imported thermophilous woody ornamentals at 4 and 2 sites, respectively. Tens of individuals of Eclipta prostrata were also found in a sapling-bed at another site. New populations of scarce or rare Euphorbia prostrata Aiton, E. serpens Kunth and Veronica peregrina L. were also documented.

Reproductive biology of four weedy Euphorbia species from Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Euphorbia heterophylla Linn., Euphorbia hirta Linn., Euphorbia hyssopifolia Linn. and Euphorbia prostrata Linn. are four noxious, yet economically important weeds, useful as phytomedicine in some parts of the world and also in Nigeria. Studies were carried out on their reproductive biology with a view to understanding the mode of their spread. Parameters investigated include number of days to seedling emergence, germinationpercentage, number of days to flowering, period to anthesis, pollinators, pollen viability, pollen size, floral structure, fruits type, seeds type, average number of fruit per plant, average number of seeds per plant and mode of seed dispersal. Results obtained showed that the seedlings of the four Euphorbia species studied emerged within 3 to 5 days; numbers of days to 50% flowering took 44 to 58 days; while flowering and fruiting continuedthroughout the remaining part of the year; thus exhibited r-strategy, expending more time and allocation of resources on their reproductive phases than their vegetative phases. Also differences existed in their stigma shape, perianth colour, perianth texture, pollen sizes, pollen viability as well as ripened colour of seed which were all significant characters that could be useful in delimiting the species. Furthermore, the study revealed that thefour species were essentially insect pollinated and their seeds dispersed by means of explosive mechanism usually characteristic of their schizocarpic fruits. This ability as well as their tendency to exhibit r-strategy could probably account for their ability to spread and invade cultivated fields, waste lands and roadsides. Keywords: Explosive mechanism, r-Strategy, Seed dispersal, Pollen viability, Seed set