Search Results (112)

Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang, commonly known as Yanhusuo, is an important and rare medicinal plant resource in China. Its habitat integrity is facing severe challenges due to climate change and human activities. Establishing an integrative quality zoning system for this species is of significant practical importance for resource conservation and adaptive management. This study integrates multiple data sources, including 121 valid distribution points, 37 environmental factors, future climate scenarios (SSP126 and SSP585 pathways for the 2050s and 2090s), and measured content of tetrahydropalmatine (THP) from 22 sampling sites. A predictive framework for habitat suitability and spatial distribution of effective components was constructed using a multi-model coupling approach (MaxEnt, ArcGIS spatial analysis, and co-kriging method). The results indicate that the MaxEnt model exhibits high prediction accuracy (AUC > 0.9), with the dominant environmental factors being the precipitation of the wettest quarter (404.8~654.5 mm) and the annual average temperature (11.8~17.4 °C). Under current climatic conditions, areas of high suitability are concentrated in parts of Central and Eastern China, including the Sichuan Basin, the middle–lower Yangtze plains, and coastal areas of Shandong and Liaoning. In future climate scenarios, the center of suitable areas is predicted to shift northwestward. The content of THP is significantly correlated with the mean diurnal temperature range, temperature seasonality, and the mean temperature of the wettest quarter (p < 0.01). A comprehensive assessment identifies the Yangtze River Delta region, Central China, and parts of the Loess Plateau as the optimal integrative quality zones. This research provides a scientific basis and decision-making support for the sustainable utilization of C. yanhusuo and other rare medicinal plants in China. Full article

Rangelands form the ecological and economic backbone of Namibia, yet the woody plant dynamics that sustain these landscapes remain sporadically quantified across the semi-arid interior. We investigated the characteristics (stand structure, regeneration, richness, diversity, composition, ecological importance, and indicator species) of woody communities along a pronounced south-to-north rainfall gradient (85–346 mm yr⁻¹) at five representative sites: Warmbad, Gibeon, Otjimbingwe, Ovitoto, and Sesfontein. Field sampling combined point-centered quarter surveys (10 points site⁻¹) and belt transects (15 plots site⁻¹). The basal area increased almost ten-fold along the gradient (0.4–3.4 m² ha⁻¹). Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) arranged plots in near-perfect rainfall order, and Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA) confirmed significant site differences (F_3,56 = 9.1, p < 0.001). Nanophanerophytes dominated hyper-arid zones, while microphanerophytes appeared progressively with increasing rainfall. Mean annual precipitation explained 45% of the variance in mean height and 34% of Shannon diversity but only 5% of stem density. Indicator value analysis highlighted Montinia caryophyllacea for Warmbad (IndVal = 100), Rhigozum trichotomum (75.8) for Gibeon, Senegalia senegal (72.6) for Otjimbingwe, and Senegalia mellifera (97.3) for Ovitoto. Rainfall significantly influences woody structure and diversity; however, other factors also modulate density and regeneration dynamics. This quantitative baseline can serve as a practical toolkit for designing site-specific management strategies across Namibia’s aridity gradient. Full article

Metal chelation to bioactive small molecules is a well-established strategy to enhance the biological activity of the resulting complexes. Among the widely explored structural motifs, the combination of prominent metal centers with naturally inspired derivatives has attracted considerable attention. One such promising platform is the flavone scaffold, derived from flavonoids and studied since ancient times. Flavones are plant-derived compounds known for their diverse biological activities and health benefits. They exhibit significant structural variability, primarily through backbone modifications such as hydroxylation. Importantly, coordination of metal ions to hydroxylated flavone cores often improves their natural bioactivities, including anticancer and antimicrobial effects. In this review, we summarize transition metal complexes incorporating hydroxyflavone (OH–F) ligands reported over the past 15 years. We provide a concise overview of synthetic approaches and structural characterization, with a particular emphasis on coordination modes (e.g., maltol-type, acetylacetonate-type, catechol-type, and others). Furthermore, we discuss biological evaluation results, especially anticancer and antimicrobial studies, to highlight the therapeutic potential of these complexes. Finally, we suggest directions for the future development of metal-based agents bearing hydroxyflavone moieties through several critical points in terms of the accuracy, reproducibility, and relevance of biological studies involving metal-based compounds. Full article

Real-time monitoring of soil health parameters is crucial for efficient use of resources, improving agricultural productivity, and sustainability. Traditional soil analysis methods, although accurate, are time-consuming and lack the spatial and temporal resolution necessary for dynamic agricultural environments. Recent advancements in sensor technology offer promising alternatives, enabling real-time, in situ monitoring of key soil health indicators. This study details the deployment and validation of novel Sensor-in-Field probes at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Farm in Missouri, U.S., in a winter wheat plot. Three Sensor-in-Field probes were evaluated for their ability to measure nitrate (NO₃), ammonium (NH₄), soil organic matter (SOM), carbonaceous soil minerals (CSMs), soil volumetric density (SVD), soil hydration state (SHS), and total soil carbon (TSC) over a 28-day period. The probes’ coefficients of variation were well within acceptable limits (<20%) for all parameters. The measured metrics averaged 0.05% ± 0.001 and 1.92% ± 0.02 for CSMs and SOM, respectively, while TSC was 1.18% ± 0.15. For the nutrients, the measured NO₃ and NH₄ values were 4.44 ppm ± 0.37 and 2.78 ppm ± 0.22, respectively. The accuracy of the soil probes was validated at a certified traditional soil analysis laboratory. Three samples were collected at three different time points and analyzed. Bland–Altman analysis showed <$\pm$ 10% difference between the soil probes and traditional lab analysis for CSMs, SOM, and TSC, while t-test analysis reported p-values > 0.005 for NO₃, NH₄, and SHS/SVD, indicating non-significant differences between the probes and traditional soil analysis methods. Full article

Rapid climate change has significantly impacted species distribution patterns, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of dominant tree dynamics for effective forest resource management and utilization. The Camellia subgenus Camellia, a widely distributed taxon in subtropical China, represents an ecologically and economically important group of woody plants valued for both oil production and ornamental purposes. In this study, we employed the BIOMOD2 ensemble modeling framework to investigate the spatial distribution patterns and range dynamics of the subgenus Camellia under projected climate change scenarios. Our analysis incorporated 1455 georeferenced occurrence records from 15 species, following the filtering of duplicate points, along with seven bioclimatic variables selected after highly correlated factors were eliminated. The ensemble model, which integrates six single species distribution models, demonstrated robust predictive performance, with mean true skil l statistic (TSS) and area under curve (AUC) values exceeding 0.8. Our results identified precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio19) and temperature seasonality (Bio4) as the primary determinants influencing species distribution patterns. The center of species richness for the subgenus Camellia was located in the Nanling Mountains and eastern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The projections indicate an overall expansion of suitable habitats for the subgenus under future climate conditions, with notable scenario-dependent variations: distribution hotspots are predicted to increase by 8.86% under the SSP126 scenario but experience a 2.53% reduction under the SSP585 scenario. Furthermore, a westward shift in the distribution centroid is anticipated. To ensure long-term conservation of Camellia genetic resources, we recommend establishing a germplasm conservation center in the Nanling Mountains region, which represents a critical biodiversity hotspot for this taxon. Full article

Background: The NAC transcription factor family of genes is one of the largest families of transcription factors in plants, playing important functions in plant growth and development, response to adversity stress, disease resistance, and hormone signaling. In this study, we identified the number of members of the Panax notoginseng NAC (PnNAC) gene family and conducted a comprehensive analysis of their physicochemical characteristics, chromosomal location, evolutionary features, and expression patterns both in different parts of the plant at different growth stages and in response to infection by Alternaria panax. Methods: The NAC gene family in P. notoginseng was identified using Hidden Markov Model (HMMER) and National Center of Biotechnology Information Conserved Domain Database (NCBI CDD), and their physicochemical properties were analyzed with Perl scripts. Phylogenetic relationships were determined using Clustal Omega and FastTree, and gene structures were visualized with an R script. Promoter regions were analyzed with PlantCARE, motifs with MEME and ggmotif, and transcriptome data were processed using Hical Indexing for Spliced Alignment of Transcripts (HISAT2) and HTseq. Results: This study identified 98 PnNAC genes in P. notoginseng, analyzed their characteristics (protein lengths 104–882 aa, molecular weights 11.78–100.20 kDa, isoelectric points 4.12–9.75), location (unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes, no tandem repeats), evolution, and expression patterns (distinct in different parts, growth stages, and after A. panax infection). Conclusions: PnNAC plays an important role in the growth and development of P. notoginseng and in its response to A. panax. PnNAC could be a candidate gene for further research on and functional analysis of P. notoginseng disease resistance. Full article

The long-term spatial–temporal variation in shoot blight of larch in China has not yet been clearly defined, and the mechanisms behind its long-distance spread remain unknown. This study, based on the historical occurrence dataset of shoot blight of larch in China, used spatial statistical analysis to describe the spatial changes in the disease across five stages since 1973. Subsequently, the study utilized Geo Detector and Random Forest models to investigate the relationship between the spread and occurrence of shoot blight of larch and seven influencing factors. The results revealed the following: (1) The spread of shoot blight of larch in China exhibits significant directionality, with the affected regions distributed along a northeast–southwest axis, and the epicenter of the spread is shifting southwestward; (2) Shandong and Jilin provinces served as the initial introduction points for shoot blight of larch, with most infected counties in other provinces experiencing outbreaks between 1989 and 1996, accompanied by a noticeable spread to neighboring provinces; (3) the occurrence of shoot blight of larch demonstrates a significant positive spatial clustering effect, forming a monocentric “core–periphery” structure centered in Liaoning Province, where kernel density values decrease gradually outward from the core. Geo Detector identified “seedling planting area” as a potential spatial driving factor for the disease. These findings underscore the critical influence of the combined effects of human activities and natural factors in shaping the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of shoot blight of larch. Full article

The primary objective of this research was to develop an efficient method for accurately identifying and localizing weeds in ecological tea garden environments, aiming to enhance the quality and yield of tea production. Weed competition poses a significant challenge to tea production, particularly due to the small size of weed plants, their color similarity to tea trees, and the complexity of their growth environment. A dataset comprising 5366 high-definition images of weeds in tea gardens has been compiled to address this challenge. An enhanced U-Net model, incorporating a Double Attention Mechanism and an Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling module, is proposed for weed recognition. The results of the ablation experiments show that the model significantly improves the recognition accuracy and the Mean Intersection over Union (MIoU), which are enhanced by 4.08% and 5.22%, respectively. In addition, to meet the demand for precise weed management, a method for determining the center of weed plants by integrating the center of mass and skeleton structure has been developed. The skeleton was extracted through a preprocessing step and a refinement algorithm, and the relative positional relationship between the intersection point of the skeleton and the center of mass was cleverly utilized to achieve up to 82% localization accuracy. These results provide technical support for the research and development of intelligent weeding equipment for tea gardens, which helps to maintain the ecology of tea gardens and improve production efficiency and also provides a reference for weed management in other natural ecological environments. Full article

Global change influences species diversity patterns. Compared with seed plants, ferns are more sensitive to temperature and humidity changes and are an ideal group for studying species diversity patterns under future climate changes. Polypodiaceae, which has important ecological and application value, such as medicinal and ornamental value, is one of the most widely distributed fern families, with rich species diversity. Here, we explore the changes in the species diversity patterns of Polypodiaceae and their influencing factors. We collected more than 300,000 data points on the distribution of Polypodiaceae to map actual current species diversity patterns. We used Maxent to establish current and future potential species distribution models using 20 predictors and determined the current species diversity patterns using the actual current species diversity patterns and current potential species distribution model method. Multiple linear regression and random forest models were used to evaluate the effects of climate factors on the species diversity patterns of Polypodiaceae. We evaluated the effects of future climate changes on the species diversity of Polypodiaceae. The species diversity of Polypodiaceae increased gradually from higher to lower latitudes and the centers were concentrated in the low latitudes of tropical rainforests. There were four distribution centers across the world for Polypodiaceae: central America, central Africa, southern Asia, and northern Oceania. The species diversity of Polypodiaceae was greatly affected by precipitation factors rather than temperature factors. Under future climate change scenarios, species diversity is expected to shift and accumulate toward the equator in mid-to-low latitudes. Species diversity is projected to remain concentrated in low-latitude regions but will tend to aggregate towards higher altitude areas as global temperatures rise, with precipitation during the warmest season identified as the most influential factor. Full article

Tongzhou District is designated as a city sub-center with 33.3% forest cover, representing significant ecological value for Beijing. However, this extensive forest area has lacked detailed conservation measures, leading to inefficient resource utilization over the years. Therefore, determining the various maintenance measures for the different areas is very important. This study focused on exploring the relationship between the soil nutrient structure and vegetation indices in the area to develop a more precise plan for forest maintenance. This study collected 163 sample points in the four zones of Tongzhou district, including electrical conductivity, acidity and alkalinity, bulk density, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available potassium, available phosphorus, as well as vegetation characteristics such as richness, coverage, and height. The normalized difference vegetation index, difference vegetation index, ratio vegetation index, green light vegetation index, and soil-adjusted vegetation index were calculated by remote sensing images. To test the spatial distribution of soil nutrient construction and the relationship between soil and vegetation indices using the spatial interpolation method and Pearson correlation analysis, the results showed that: (1) The soil organic matter and total nitrogen were extremely low (1.282 and 0.461 g/kg). In contrast, the available and total potassium was extremely high (227.994 mg/kg and 16.866 g/kg); (2) High-value areas of available and total potassium are in the northern area, the available and total phosphorus in the central area, and the pH in the northeast area, with overall neutral-to-alkaline conditions; (3) The mean of coverage is 72.120, with high-value areas concentrated in northern parts of the central areas. While the overall coverage is extensive, height varies significantly (3.300–479.867), and high-density vegetation is limited to the northern part of the central area; (4) Vegetation height shows a significant negative correlation with total potassium and a significant positive correlation with pH values. We suggest that it is necessary to properly retain fallen leaves and dead grass in the forest to increase the organic matter content of the soil, apply more organic fertilizers, and supplement nitrogen fertilizers. In Tongzhou District, potassium fertilizer application should be reduced, particularly in the northeast and northern areas, to prevent excess fertility. In the central area, phosphorus fertilizer application should also be controlled, while in alkaline areas, fertilizer use should be optimized, and lime should be added to improve pH. Compost or humic acid can improve the soil’s ability to absorb and release phosphorus, thereby enhancing plant phosphorus uptake and increasing vegetation height and coverage. This study only analyzed spatial changes without further examining soil layer differences at varying depths and the effects of soil microorganisms. In the future, soil fertility in various depths and the functionality and diversity of soil microorganisms are worth further exploring. Full article

Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem. is a well-known herb with important medicinal and economic values. It is widely used in the treatment of inflammations in China. As global climate change intensifies, the ecological niche of plants has correspondingly shifted. Therefore, understanding the distribution of suitable habitats for T. jasminoides under different climate conditions is of great significance for its cultivation, introduction, and conservation. This research utilizes the MaxEnt model in combination with the Geographic Information System (ArcGIS) to analyze the present and future potential habitat distributions of T. jasminoides. Based on 227 documented occurrence points and 15 ecological variables, the results emphasize that the key environmental limitations influencing the optimal habitats of T. jasminoides are the precipitation during the coldest quarter, the mean temperature of the driest quarter, precipitation in the warmest quarter, temperature seasonality (standard deviation × 100), and the human impact index. At present, the combined area of suitable and highly suitable habitats for T. jasminoides amounts to 15.76 × 104 km², with the highly suitable habitats predominantly situated in East and Central China. Based on climate scenario forecasts, within the SSP1-2.6 climate scenario, the total suitable habitat area for T. jasminoides is projected to increase relative to the current situation. Nevertheless, in the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate scenarios, the suitable habitat area is anticipated to initially rise and then decline. The distribution center is mainly concentrated in the provinces of Hunan and Jiangxi, with the centroid shifting southeastward compared to the current situation. The findings of this research offer valuable insights for the effective cultivation, preservation, and sustainable use of T. jasminoides resources. Full article

This article discusses key aspects of deposit–refund system design in Poland, highlighting the importance of energy-sustainable collection logistics. The main role in this system is played by the operator responsible for collecting and transporting packaging to metering centers and recycling plants. The research focused on the optimal placement of logistics facilities to minimize energy expenditures, using the balanced center of gravity method. It took into account the distribution of collection points and the intensity of material flows to develop an efficient and environmentally friendly reverse logistics model. The most important results of the research are the development of a model for the layout of logistics facilities that minimizes energy consumption, the identification of key factors such as the location of collection points and material flows, the development of a methodology for green logistics, and practical recommendations for system designers. The proposed solutions, although innovative in Poland, are universal in nature and can be applied in other countries. The article makes an important contribution to the development of sustainable bail logistics and promotes a balanced energy transition. Full article

LiDAR sensors have great potential for enabling crop recognition (e.g., plant height, canopy area, plant spacing, and intra-row spacing measurements) and the recognition of agricultural working environments (e.g., field boundaries, ridges, and obstacles) using agricultural field machinery. The objective of this study was to review the use of LiDAR sensors in the agricultural field for the recognition of crops and agricultural working environments. This study also highlights LiDAR sensor testing procedures, focusing on critical parameters, industry standards, and accuracy benchmarks; it evaluates the specifications of various commercially available LiDAR sensors with applications for plant feature characterization and highlights the importance of mounting LiDAR technology on agricultural machinery for effective recognition of crops and working environments. Different studies have shown promising results of crop feature characterization using an airborne LiDAR, such as coefficient of determination (R²) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) values of 0.97 and 0.05 m for wheat, 0.88 and 5.2 cm for sugar beet, and 0.50 and 12 cm for potato plant height estimation, respectively. A relative error of 11.83% was observed between sensor and manual measurements, with the highest distribution correlation at 0.675 and an average relative error of 5.14% during soybean canopy estimation using LiDAR. An object detection accuracy of 100% was found for plant identification using three LiDAR scanning methods: center of the cluster, lowest point, and stem–ground intersection. LiDAR was also shown to effectively detect ridges, field boundaries, and obstacles, which is necessary for precision agriculture and autonomous agricultural machinery navigation. Future directions for LiDAR applications in agriculture emphasize the need for continuous advancements in sensor technology, along with the integration of complementary systems and algorithms, such as machine learning, to improve performance and accuracy in agricultural field applications. A strategic framework for implementing LiDAR technology in agriculture includes recommendations for precise testing, solutions for current limitations, and guidance on integrating LiDAR with other technologies to enhance digital agriculture. Full article

Plant-based milk alternatives are a rapidly growing niche in functional beverages, driven by demand from vegans and lactose-intolerant consumers. However, commercial options often have low protein content (<1.5%) and contain additives. Tarwi, native to the Andes, is rich in protein (45%), oils, and essential nutrients, while blueberries offer flavor and health benefits. Cushuro (Nostoc sphaericum), is an Andean microalga and contains high protein content and polysaccharides (42%). The objective of this research was to develop a plant-based beverage (PBB) with tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis), polysaccharides from cushuro (PC) and blueberry extract (Vaccinium corymbosum)(BE), compared with a control sample with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a commercial thickening agent. The beverage was optimized and characterized using a design of rotatable central composite of surface methodology with nine formulations and four replicates in the center point. The effects of three independent variables were examined: tarwi milk (45% to 55%) and polysaccharides from cushuro (0.05% to 0.2%). The variable blueberry extract content was used as the differential factor between these two conditions. The response variables were protein (%) content and viscosity coefficient (mPa·s). The optimized beverage showed high protein (2.72%) content, viscosity coefficient (23.05 mPa·s), °Brix (2.5), pH (4.49), and acceptable sensory attributes using a 1-to-9-point hedonic scale with 67% positive acceptance. This powdered beverage complied with the Peruvian normative NTP 203.111.2021. Thereby, the plant-based beverage could be a nutritious alternative to functional plant-based beverages. Full article

The central inverter topology presents some advantages such as simplicity, low cost and high conversion efficiency, being the first option for interfacing photovoltaic mini-generation, whose shading and panel orientation studies are evaluated in the project planning phase. When it uses only one power converter, its control structures must ensure synchronization with the grid, tracking the maximum power generation point, appropriate power quality indices, and control of the active and reactive power injected into the grid. This work develops and contributes to mathematical models, the principles of formation of control structures, the decoupling process of the control loops, the treatment of nonlinearities, and the tuning of the controllers of a single-stage photovoltaic system that is integrated into the electrical grid through a three-phase voltage source inverter. Using the parameters and configurations of an actual inverter installed at the power plant CRESP (Reference Center for Solar Energy of Petrolina), mathematical modeling, implementation, and computational simulations were conducted in the time domain using MatLab^® software (R2021b). The results of the currents injected into the grid, voltages, active powers, and power factor at the connection point with the grid are presented, analyzed, and compared with real measurement data during one day of operation. Full article