Search Results (1,743)

Central and northern Kazakhstan contain a substantial but incompletely synthesised component of the country’s Apiaceae flora. We combined targeted field surveys conducted in 2023–2025, taxonomic revision of 1243 herbarium specimens, and a presence–absence matrix for six historical floristic units. The taxonomic audit reconciled accepted names and synonyms, documented three entries without unit-confirmed incidence, and produced an analytical dataset of 79 taxa in 38 genera. Recorded richness ranged from 33 taxa in Kokshetau to 54 in the Western Uplands. Fourteen taxa occurred in all six units, and 21 were recorded in only one unit. Pairwise Jaccard similarity ranged from 0.333 to 0.683, and species replacement contributed 82% of the mean pairwise dissimilarity. The Western Uplands had the highest within-study range-rarity richness, whereas Ulytau had the largest local contribution to beta diversity. The broader 81-taxon ecological checklist was dominated by perennial herbs and xerophytes and documented medicinal, fodder, aromatic, food, melliferous, and ornamental uses. These metrics are conditional on the six-unit incidence matrix: they do not estimate local abundance, population size, national rarity, endemism, threat status, or harvest capacity. The principal contribution is therefore a voucher-informed, nomenclaturally harmonised regional baseline that identifies records and habitats requiring georeferenced verification and population-level follow-up. Full article

This study sequenced and comparatively analyzed the mitochondrial genomes of three agriculturally important Aulacophora pests: the polyphagous A. indica, the oligophagous A. lewisii, and the early-diverging A. nigripennis. All three mitogenomes contained the typical 37 genes with conserved gene order. However, total length varied substantially (15,258–18,766 bp), driven primarily by control region length variation. All species exhibited pronounced AT bias, and relative synonymous codon usage analysis revealed marked interspecific divergence. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 protein-coding genes resolved A. nigripennis as the basal lineage and A. lewisii and A. indica as closely related sister species. Both widespread species displayed maximum haplotype diversity (Hd = 1.000); however, A. indica exhibited approximately 2.4-fold higher nucleotide diversity (Pi = 0.00478) than A. lewisii (Pi = 0.00198), indicating differential population genetic architectures between the two species. These findings established a comparative mitogenomic framework for Aulacophora and provide baseline data for future phylogenomic and phylogeographic investigations. Full article

Mainland Portugal has a lichenological tradition spanning more than three centuries, yet it still lacks a modern, critically revised checklist of its lichen biota. This gap is particularly relevant given the increasing role of species checklists as authoritative references for DNA metabarcoding applications and the expansion of large biodiversity datasets, including those derived from citizen science initiatives. Here we present the first comprehensive checklist of lichens and lichenicolous fungi recorded from Mainland Portugal, based on the critical assessment of 43,718 bibliographic records drawn from 381 publications issued between 1788 and 2021. A total of 2012 species and infraspecific taxa are documented from a universe of 4440 taxonomic names, including synonyms. Nomenclature was updated in accordance with the ITALIC 8.0 database. Species distributions are provided by province, following the scheme adopted in Portuguese botanical floras, with additional information on substrates and altitudinal ranges where available. With over 2000 taxa recorded, Mainland Portugal can be considered a lichen-rich territory relative to its land area, comparing favourably with other European checklists. We discuss the factors underlying this diversity, with particular emphasis on the biogeographical position of Portugal at the south-western edge of the European continent. Full article

Clitocybaceae is a family of predominantly saprotrophic fungi with important edible and medicinal value. However, the edibility and toxicity of many species within this family remain unknown, posing a poisoning risk. In this study, 24 Chinese specimens, most of which were collected from poisoning sites, were identified. Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS and six loci (ITS, LSU, TEF1, RPB1, RPB2, and ATP6) and a phylogenomic analysis based on 485 single-copy genes were conducted to determine their placement within Clitocybaceae. Their morphological features were observed, particularly the spore surface. Based on the obtained results, a new genus with distinctly verrucose spores, Allolepista, is proposed to accommodate the clade that exhibits a very large genetic distance from its sister clade, Lepista s.str. A new species, Clitocybe sinensis, is described. Three new combinations, A. crenata (≡L. crenata), A. benekei (≡Cli. benekei), and A. rhodotoides (≡L. rhodotoides), are made. Clitocybe violaceifolia, originally described from the Pacific coast of the USA, is reported for the first time in China. Collybia sinoborealis and Pseudolyophyllum liwanense are found to be junior synonyms of Col. violea and A. benekei, respectively, while Cli. lamoureae and Col. urbana turn out to be synonymous with Cli. truncicola. Based on the symptoms observed in poisoning cases, A. benekei is found to cause gastroenteritis, while Cli. sinensis, Cli. truncicola, Col. bisterigmata, Col. brunneoumbilicata, and Col. subtropica lead to muscarinic syndrome. These results expand our understanding of the toxicity and species diversity of Clitocybaceae, providing a reference for public food safety. Full article

This original empirical study examines how online discourse on fair tourism in Korea was structured and transformed during the post-pandemic tourism transition. Using unstructured online text data collected from Korean digital platforms, the study compares two periods: the pandemic continuation and early tourism recovery period (1 June 2020–31 May 2023) and the post-endemic tourism restructuring period (1 June 2023–31 May 2026). Fair tourism is conceptualized as a practical and policy-oriented discourse that connects local participation, benefit distribution, market fairness, destination governance, and tourism justice, rather than as a simple synonym for sustainable or responsible tourism. After text cleaning, morphological analysis, and keyword refinement, the top 50 core keywords for each period were analyzed using frequency analysis, degree and closeness centrality analysis, semantic network visualization, and CONCOR analysis. The results show that first-period discourse centered on regions, public policy, support projects, fair ecotourism, the social economy, resident participation, and local recovery. In contrast, second-period discourse was more strongly associated with foreign tourists, international tourism recovery, accommodation and service use, price fairness, overcharging and unfairness controversies, and sustainable destination governance. This study extends fair tourism research by revealing how fair tourism is constructed and rearticulated through digitally mediated public discourse. Full article

Numerous specimens of long-fin herrings (ilishas), previously identified as Ilisha megaloptera (Swainson, 1839) because of their asymmetrical swimbladder, deep body, and few ventral scutes, were examined and found to represent three valid species: Ilisha motius (Hamilton, 1822) (frequently treated as a nomen dubium; distributed in rivers flowing into the Bay of Bengal), true I. megaloptera (eastern coast of India to Andaman Sea), and Ilisha russellii (Bleeker, 1852) (previously regarded as a junior synonym of I. megaloptera; distributed from Malacca Strait to Borneo). Each species is redescribed in detail based on specimens collected from throughout the range of each taxon. Due to the highly diverse shape of its swimbladder, the phylogenetic position of I. motius is still unclear. Reference COI “barcode” fragments are currently only available for I. russellii, preventing molecular confirmation. Full article

This article investigates methodological questions of diatopic lexical variation in Modern German through a comparative study of empirical data sources. We contrast lexical frequency data from three written corpora on the DWDS corpus query platform—the ZDL-Regionalkorpus, the Webmonitor-Korpus, and the Regionalliteratur-Korpus—with linguistic maps from the Atlas zur deutschen Alltagssprache (AdA), a resource that documents speaker attitudes towards spoken German every-day language. Our goal is to determine to what extent regional distributions of lexical variants in the AdA compare to the DWDS corpora, and to analyse where these distributions converge and diverge based on data and text type. This is demonstrated through four empirical case studies examining synonyms for ‘Saturday’ (“Samstag”/“Sonnabend”), ‘comma’ (“Komma”/“Beistrich”), ‘bicycle’ (“Fahrrad”/“Radl”/“Velo”), and ‘lift’ (“Aufzug”/“Fahrstuhl”/“Lift”). The results indicate that the general regional distribution of lexical variants in the AdA is largely replicated in the DWDS corpora. Moreover, the corpus data typically show the co-occurrence of several variants in the same region, while speaker attitudes documented in the AdA tend to be more uniform. Finally, different text types represented in the corpora can yield different frequency ratios in specific regions, a finding explained by presumed differences in target audiences and the variable use of regiolectal or dialectal language. Full article

The Senegalese tongue sole, Cynoglossus senegalensis, includes three junior synonyms: C. goreensis, C. guineensis and C. simulator. In addition, C. browni, originally described as a subspecies of C. senegalensis, is currently considered a valid species. Recent observations of C. senegalensis specimens showed two different mouth morphologies, with mouth angle (i) not exceeding the posterior border of the lower eye and with a narrow interorbital distance (IOD) or (ii) exceeding that level and with a wider IOD. The first group represents C. senegalensis. The second, although containing the C. browni holotype, is named C. goreensis, following name priority. A third group, with a mouth angle not exceeding the posterior border of the lower eye and with an intermediately wide IOD, was also revealed. This last group suggests that C. simulator requires revalidation. DNA barcoding results confirmed all three species. This highlights that current Cynoglossus fishery statistics are based on doubtful identifications, probably skewing IUCN assessments. A pictorial guide is proposed to ease identification and help conservation assessments of policies and sustainable management plans for these economically important marine fish species. Common names in English, French and Kikongo (DRC) are proposed to facilitate communication with concerned local communities and to better spread the preservation/conservation message. Full article

To assess the genetic diversity and matrilineal differentiation between the Betpak-Dala (BD) and Volga–Ural (VU) populations of Saiga tatarica in Kazakhstan, this study sequenced and comparatively analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of both populations. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Saiga tatarica clustered with the genera Gazella, Nanger, and Eudorcas, indicating a close evolutionary relationship. Genetic diversity analysis revealed that the BD population exhibited higher nucleotide diversity than the VU population. A total of 22 haplotypes were identified based on complete mitochondrial genome sequences, and no haplotypes were shared between the two populations, indicating pronounced matrilineal genetic differentiation. Synonymous mutations predominated among protein-coding genes, with the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene (nd2) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 gene (nd5) genes exhibiting high levels of variation and serving as key regions for the accumulation of genetic diversity within the mitochondrial genome. These findings enhance the understanding of the genetic diversity and matrilineal genetic structure of Saiga tatarica populations in Kazakhstan and provide valuable information for their conservation and management. Full article

The taxonomic status of the Altai populations traditionally identified as Sibiraea altaiensis remains unresolved, with international databases generally treating the name as a synonym of S. laevigata. At the same time, regional sources retain it for conservation and floristic purposes. Using S. altaiensis as an operational regional name, we established a comparative ecological baseline for six natural populations distributed across the Southern and Western Kazakhstan Altai at 814–2130 m a.s.l. Vegetation was surveyed in July 2024 and July 2025 in ten 10 m × 10 m plots per population using complete vascular plant inventories, Braun–Blanquet abundance–dominance estimates, descriptions of vertical structure, and field assessment of shrub ontogenetic states. Observed vascular plant richness ranged from approximately 35 species at Tautekeli to 78 at Lineinsky; Shubartoc and Ridder contained 76 and 72 species, respectively. Mesophytes constituted 56.3–77.0% of the population floras, demonstrating a predominantly mesic community affinity across contrasting subalpine slopes, river terraces, floodplains, and sparse conifer forest. Sibiraea altaiensis was dominant or structure-forming at every locality, although associated species composition and vegetation architecture varied substantially among habitats. Juvenile plants were not detected at five populations, whereas their occurrence at Lineinsky was insufficiently documented for comparison; this pattern is interpreted cautiously because dense midsummer vegetation and litter may reduce seedling detectability. Floristic richness did not conform to a simple Southern-versus-Western Altai division, indicating that local habitat heterogeneity and vegetation context may be more informative than regional position alone. The study provides a verified descriptive baseline and identifies permanent plot monitoring, early-season recruitment surveys, direct environmental measurements, and integrated molecular taxonomic analyses as priorities for conservation assessment. Full article

Bacterial wide genomic GC variation poses numerous interesting scientific questions, which center on the role evolution plays in shaping genome content and the mechanisms that abruptly alter such processes. In this study, eleven Kordiimonas genomes were obtained and processed for comparative genomic, phylogenetic, evolutionary, and statistical analyses. The phylogenomic reconstruction based on single-copy orthologous cluster protein sequences and overall genomic relatedness index calculations showed that the genus Kordiimonas could be separated into GC-rich (56.3 to 59.9%) and -poor (46.2 to 49.6%) groups, and Ca. Kordiimonas sp. UBA4487 should be reclassified to remove it from this genus. Comparisons of amino acid frequencies in the genus also indicated that the GC-rich and -poor groups had several significantly different amino acid usages. Evolutionary analysis revealed that the GC-poor group had significantly higher nonsynonymous and synonymous substitution rates than the GC-rich group did, and evolved from the GC-rich ancestor. Comparative genomics also demonstrated that the GC-rich group encoded more genes related to nitrogen metabolism and transport than the GC-poor group did, leading to ecological niche diversification of the two groups, which could reduce inter-species competition in similar environments. Our study characterized the evolutionary patterns involved in nucleotide substitutions and their trends, as well as metabolic changes at the genus level, which can shed light on the understanding of bacterial microevolution in the future. Full article

Background: Immune modulation is central to cutaneous melanoma, and antitumor immune responses may be influenced by host genetic background. This study investigated the association between the interleukin-1β gene (IL1B) exon 5 synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1143634 (+3954 C>T) and cutaneous melanoma in a Northeast Italian case–control cohort. Methods: The study included 133 Caucasian patients with cutaneous melanoma and 945 healthy controls from Northeast Italy. The rs1143634 polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: Compared with healthy controls, melanoma patients showed higher frequencies of the rs1143634 T allele [27.8% vs. 20.3%; odds ratio (OR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13–2.03, p = 0.005] and CT genotype (43.6% vs. 31.6%; OR = 1.67, CI = 1.16–2.42, p = 0.006), whereas the CC genotype was less frequent (50.4% vs. 63.9%; OR = 0.57, CI = 0.40–0.83, p = 0.003). TT + CT genotypes were more frequent among non-metastatic melanoma cases than controls (OR = 2.23, CI = 1.37–3.64, p = 0.001), but the direct comparison between metastatic and non-metastatic cases was not statistically significant. Among melanoma patients, TT + CT carriers showed an inverse association with Stage IV disease (OR = 0.38, CI = 0.15–0.94, p = 0.036) and a positive association with upper-limb melanoma (OR = 9.10, CI = 1.11–75.0, p = 0.040); these subgroup findings were exploratory because of small numbers and wide confidence intervals. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest a possible association between IL1B rs1143634 T allele carriage and cutaneous melanoma susceptibility in this cohort. The Stage IV and upper-limb observations should be considered hypothesis-generating. Larger independent studies, correction-aware statistical designs, cytokine or expression measurements, and functional validation are needed to confirm these observations and clarify their biological relevance. Full article

The two named Ἕλλην (Hellēn) figures in Paul’s missionary practice (Timothy of Lystra at Acts 16:1–4 and Titus, a companion of Paul, at Gal 2:1–5) receive opposite treatments in the matter of circumcision. The inherited Jew/Gentile binary cannot account for this asymmetry. Recent scholarship on Timothy and Titus, in dialogue with Cohen’s work on first-century Jewish identity, treats the two cases asymmetrically: Timothy variously read as Jewish, “liminal,” or “Jew-ish,” and Titus read uniformly as Gentile, with the textual designation Hellēn in both passages absorbed into the inherited binary without explanatory weight. This article reads both pericopes through three converging disciplinary lenses: lexical semantics, rhetorical analysis, and contemporary diaspora studies. Each lens independently points toward reading Hellēn not as a synonym for ethnē but as a third term, distinct from both Gentile and Jew, designating diaspora communities of Israelite descent, occupying a contested zone of mixed praxis and Israelite ancestry. Under this reading, the different treatment of Timothy and Titus becomes legible as a coherent argumentative structure rather than two separate anomalies, with implications for how first-century Jewish categories are recovered in contemporary Pauline interpretation. Full article

Background: Inter-species hybridization has been extensively used in breeding cervids to improve productive traits by hybrid vigor, but the genomic processes behind the process are not well studied. Methods: In this study, we investigated restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to conduct a whole-genome analysis of Hua-Ma hybrid individuals (a cross of sika deer and Tianshan red deer). Results: A total of 571,835 SNPs were obtained and 427,121 high-quality SNPs were obtained from five individuals upon strict filtering. An analysis of genetic diversity has shown that the observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.2130) was lower than expected heterozygosity (He = 0.3560). Although these estimates provide preliminary insights into the genetic diversity of the sampled Hua-Ma hybrids, they should be interpreted cautiously because of the limited sample size. After the pruning of linkage disequilibrium, 189,975 independent SNPs underwent principal component analysis (PCA). The first two principal components (PC1 = 32.6%, PC2 = 26.2%) indicate relative genomic clustering rather than definitive ancestry assignments. These patterns reflect relative genomic clustering rather than definitive ancestry assignments. Conclusions: The high polymorphic loci were functionally annotated and revealed the existence of synonymous and nonsynonymous variants, including a conserved locus adjacent to the BEND5 gene that exhibited a nonsynonymous mutation generating a valine-to-isoleucine amino acid substitution which may have potential functional relevance, although no phenotypic effects were evaluated in this study. On the whole, these results suggest heterozygosity and mixed ancestry in Hua-Ma hybrids. This exploratory study provides an initial SNP resource that may support future genomic selection, parentage analysis, and breeding optimization efforts. Full article

This study investigates nitrogen-fixing rhizobia associated with Pisum sativum, a member of the tribe Vicieae (Fabaceae), whose species establish symbioses with bacteria belonging predominantly to the symbiovar viciae within the Rhizobium leguminosarum complex (Rlc). Based on a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the F-clade within this complex, we report the identification and characterization of a novel rhizobial subspecies, Rhizobium laguerreae subsp. mediterraneum subsp. nov., isolated from pea nodules in Tunisia. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and multilocus sequence analysis (recA, atpD, dnaK, and glnII) placed strains 25PS6 and 10PS4 within the Rlc, while whole-genome phylogenomics using 2960 single-copy orthologues supported their assignment to a distinct monophyletic clade (Q-II). Subspecies-level clustering consistency was maximized using an optimized ANIm criterion of 97.40%, corresponding to 76.65% dDDH. Both strains belong to symbiovar viciae and exhibited improved symbiotic performance on pea plants compared to the reference strain, indicating strong symbiotic performance and potential relevance for biological nitrogen fixation. Cluster-specific SNP analysis identified 63 exclusive non-synonymous mutations with putative functional effects predicted in silico. These results suggest that cluster-specific nsSNPs may contribute to genomic differentiation within the Q-II lineage. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses further distinguished the novel subspecies based on carbon utilization, enzymatic activity, antibiotic resistance, and fatty acid profiles. Together, these findings highlight the genomic diversity within nitrogen-fixing rhizobia associated with legumes and identify a novel subspecies with potential agronomic relevance for improving symbiotic nitrogen fixation in pea cultivation. The proposed subspecies, Rhizobium laguerreae subsp. mediterraneum, is represented by strains 10PS4 and 25PS6, with strain 25PS6^T (=DSM 116212^T = LMG 33205^T) designated as the type strain. Full article