Proposal to conserve the name Filago arvensis, with a conserved type, against F. montana (Asteraceae)

[EN] This proposal complements a previous one (Andrés-Sánchez & al. in Taxon 60: 599–600. 2011; proposal 2008) and aims to prevent displacement of the widely used name Filago arvensis L., due to the priority of Filago montana L. over it (Fries, Novit. Fl. Suec. Alt.: 267. 1828)

Effect of lead and cadmium on germination and seedling growth of Leucaena leucocephala

A study was conducted to determine the effect of different concentrations of lead and cadmium on seed germination and seedling growth of Leucaena leucocephala. Seed were grown under laboratory conditions at 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm of metal ions of lead and cadmium. Both lead and cadmium treatments showed toxic effectson various growth indices of L. leucocephala. Increasing the concentration of lead to 75 ppm, significantly (

Is salinity the main ecologic factor that shapes the distribution of two endemic Mediterranean plant species of the genus Gypsophila?

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2218-2Aims Responses to salt stress of two Gypsophila species that share territory, but with different ecological optima and distribution ranges, were analysed. G. struthium is a regionally dominant Iberian endemic gypsophyte, whereas G. tomentosa is a narrow endemic reported as halophyte. Theworking hypothesis is that salt tolerance shapes the presence of these species in their specific habitats. Methods Taking a multidisciplinary approach, we assessed the soil characteristics and vegetation structure at the sampling site, seed germination and seedling development, growth and flowering, synthesis of proline and cation accumulation under artificial conditions of increasing salt stress and effect of PEG on germination and seedling development. Results Soil salinity was low at the all sampling points where the two species grow, but moisture was higher in the area of G. tomentosa. Differences were found in the species salt and drought tolerance. The different parameters tested did not show a clear pattern indicating the main role of salt tolerance in plant distribution. Conclusions G. tomentosa cannot be considered a true halophyte as previously reported because it is unable to complete its life cycle under salinity. The presence of G. tomentosa in habitats bordering salt marshes is a strategy to avoid plant competition and extreme water stressSoriano, P.; Moruno Manchón, JF.; Boscaiu Neagu, MT.; Vicente Meana, Ó.; Hurtado, A.; Llinares Palacios, JV.; Estrelles, E. (2014). Is salinity the main ecologic factor that shapes the distribution of two endemic Mediterranean plant species of the genus Gypsophila?. Plant and Soil. 384(1-2):363-379. doi:10.1007/s11104-014-2218-2S3633793841-2Alonso MA (1996) Flora y vegetación del Valle de Villena (Alicante). Instituto de Cultura Juan Gil-Albert, AlicanteAlvarado JJ, Ruiz JM, López-Cantarero I, Molero J, Romero L (2000) Nitrogen metabolism in five plant species characteristic of gypsiferous soils. Plant Physiol 156:612–616Ashraf M, Foolad MR (2007) Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance. Environ Exp Bot 59:206–216Ashraf MY (2009) Salt tolerance mechanisms in some halophytes from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Res J Agric Biol Sci 5:191–206Bates LS, Waldren RP, Tear LD (1973) Rapid determination of free proline for water-stress studies. Plant Soil 39:205–207Ben-Gal A, Neori-Borochov H, Yermiyahu U, Shani U (2009) Is osmotic potential a more appropriate property than electrical conductivity for evaluating whole plant response to salinity? Environ Exp Bot 65:232–237Biondi E (2011) Phytosociology today: Methodological and conceptual evolution. 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Not Bot Horti Agrobo 40:58–66Hare PD, Cress WA (1997) Metabolic implications of stress-induced proline accumulation in plants. Plant Growth Regul 21:79–102Ishikawa SI, Kachi N (2000) Differential salt tolerance of two Artemisia species growing in contrasting coastal habitats. Ecol Res 15:241–247Kebreab E, Murdoch AJ (1999) Modelling the effects of water stress and temperature on germination rate of Orobanche aegyptiaca seeds. J Exp Bot 50:655–664Khan MA (2002) Halophyte seed germination: Success and Pitfalls. In: Hegazi AM, El-Shaer HM, El-Demerdashe S et al (eds) International symposium on optimum resource utilization in salt affected ecosystems in arid and semi arid regions. Desert Research Centre, Cairo, pp 346–358Khan MA, Gul B, Weber DJ (2000) Germination responses of Salicornia rubra to temperature and salinity. J Arid Environ 45:207–214Khan A, Rayner GD (2003) Robustness to non-normality of common tests for the many-sample location problem. 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A study on maternal and perinatal outcome of oligohydramnios in term low risk pregnancy

Background: Oligohydramnios is a frequent complication of pregnancy that is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. Once diagnosed; oligohydramnios should further lead to intensive fetal surveillance including ultrasound evaluation. The aim of the study was to determine obstetric outcome in term low risk pregnancy with AFI less than or equal to 5 and to assess whether antepartum oligohydramnios is associated with adverse perinatal outcome.Methods: 200 patients in third trimester in the hospital with evidence of oligohydramnios (AFI less than or equal to 5) were selected after satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria and studied prospectively. Observations regarding the outcome of labour in form of maternal and perinatal parameters including AFI value, CTG features, mode of delivery, LSCS rate, meconium stained, APGAR score, birth weight and NICU admission were made.Results: Overall perinatal outcome with respect to CTG, 128 (64%) out of 200 patients had non-reactive CTG and only 72 (36%) had reactive CTG. 128 (64%) of non-reactive CTG delivered by LSCS, 72 (36%) delivered by labour natural. Nil labour natural in the subset of AFI 1 to 2, birth weight (2.5 kg-92%), Apgar score (<7 at 1-5 mins:18%), still birth (1%), meconium (58.5%), NICU admission (6%) and perinatal mortality (2%).Conclusions: AFI measurement of less than 5 cm detected after 37 completed weeks of gestation with a low risk pregnancy is found to be an indicator of adverse pregnancy outcome with higher fetal distress, meconium stained liquor and higher caesarean section rate. AFI assessment serves as an important tool and remains as an effective screening test in predicting fetal distress in labour that requires caesarean section

Relationship between umblical artery Doppler and perinatal outcomes in Indian women with oligohydramnios

Background: Doppler study of umbilical artery is considered as independent predictor for perinatal adverse outcomes. Similarly oligohydramnios condition is also found to associate with perinatal mortality and morbidity. There is paucity of data regarding the relationship between abnormal Doppler of umblical artery with the perinatal outcomes in Indian subjects having oligohydramnios. Objectives of the study were, this study was done with the primary aim of evaluating any association between Doppler findings of umblical arteries with the adverse perinatal outcomes in Indian subjects having oligohydramnios.Methods: This was an observational study in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of a tertiary care hospital. Women who came for antenatal checkup and having oligohydromnios were recruited in the study. Doppler of umblical artery was done and these women followed up till labour. Sociodemographic profile and other prognostic factors were noted in predesigned Performa.Results: There were 56.1% (41 out of 73) outcomes were observed in the normal umblical artery Doppler and 51% (14 out of 27) in abnormal umblical artery Doppler. There was no statistically significant difference in outcomes (p=0.8). There was no significant difference in abnormal Doppler finding between mild and severe oligohydramnios.Conclusions: There is no relationship between abnormal Doppler findings and perinatal adverse events in oligohydramnios. Inherent methodological issues may be the reason for the same

The association between isolated oligohydramnios at term and pregnancy outcome and perinatal outcome in case of isolated oligohydramnosis: a retrospective analysis

Background: Current study was carried out to assess the impact of isolated oligohydramnios on perinatal outcomes and mode of delivery.Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted at term pregnancy with sonographic finding of isolated oligohydramnios (AFI 5-25 cm).Results: When compared to the normal AFI, women with oligohydramnios had significantly lower birth weight babies and were delivered at a significantly earlier gestational age. However there was no difference in the APGAR scores at birth and NICU admissions between the two groups. Reactive NST had more chances of good APGAR score at 1 and 5 minute and that lower the AFI more the probability of nonreactive NST and abnormal Doppler. The number of inductions and caesareans done for foetal reasons were significantly higher in the exposed group.Conclusions: Obstetric and perinatal outcome remains similar in both isolated oligohydramnios with reactive NST as well as in patients with normal amniotic fluid index. Isolated oligohydramnios is not associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. However, it increases the risk for labour induction and caesarean section

The Influence of Pb and Zn Contaminated soil on the Germination and Growth of Bambara Nut (Vigna subterranea)

This research work takes a look at the possible phytotoxic effects of Pb and Zn as Pb(NO3)2 and Zn(NO3)2 on Bambara nut (Vigna subterranea) planted in polluted. Lead and zinc are common environmental contaminant found in soils. Unlike Zn, Pb has no biological role, and is potentially toxic to microorganisms. The bambara nut seedlings were irrigated with various concentrations of Pb and Zn (100,150 and 200mgkg-1) .Effect of these metals on the growth parameters (stem length/height, root length, leaf area, yellowness of leaves, fresh and dry weights) were measured. Influence of heavy metals on the microorganisms in the soil used for planting as well as the organic matter, pH and moisture content of the soil were also evaluated. The results showed that plant performance significantly reduced with increasing concentrations (100,150 and 200mgkg-1) of Pb and Zn contamination. The results show that a negative relationship existed between the different metal concentrations in the soil and the growth parameters (stem height, root length, leaf area, yellowness of leaves, fresh and dry weight) measured compared to control experiment. This study therefore reveals that these heavy metals have great implications on the sustainability of V. subterranea’s growth. These metals could pass down to humans through the food chain if animals eat such plants during grazing. This will affect their health, which may eventually lead to their death due to bio concentration and bioaccumulation. There would therefore be a need to explore ways of improving bambara nut production in areas of metal pollution. Keywords: V. subterranea, Bioaccumulation, Pollution, Phytotoxicity, Contamination, bioaccumulation

Biomonitoring of heavy metal contamination in Pongamia pinnata and Peltophorum pterocarpum growing in the polluted environment of Karachi, Pakistan

Determination of some of the important heavy metals like lead andcadmium was carried out in the city environment of Karachi. Foliageparts of two roadside trees, Pongamia pinnata (L.) Merrill andPeltophorum pterocarpum D.C. Backer ex K. were used to carry outsuch investigation. Five roadside points were selected for the studyin different parts of the city. The investigations showed that highlevel of lead and cadmium was found in the foliage of P. pinnataand P. pterocarpum, which were growing along the busy roads of thecity. The level of Pb and Cd in the foliage of the above mentionedtrees was quite high at M.A. Jinnah road as compared to Shahrahe-Faisal, Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Karachi UniversityCampus. Low traffic activities at the University Campus showedlowest lead and cadmium levels in the foliage of both tree speciesthan the other point of the city. In this study, P. pinnata showedmore accumulations of lead and cadmium than P. pterocarpum.This difference might be due to large surface area of the foliage inP. pinnata that is available for exposure to any pollutants as comparedto P. pterocarpum. P. pinnata is a useful plant species inremoving different heavy metals from the urban environment of thecity. It is therefore suggested, that P. pinnata should be given morepreference for future plantation in the areas, particularly along thebusy roads and highways

Arable weed flora in the Western Siberian grain belt

Between Ekaterinburg and Nowosibirsk, in the Western Siberian grain belt, spring wheat is grown on fertile Chernozem soils. Field and farm sizes are large but the land-use intensity per area is low compared to Central Europe. Fertilizers and pesticides are applied only in low to moderate quantities and yields range between 10 and 20 dt ha-1. We studied the arable weed flora in the northern forest steppe zone of Tyumen region using a randomized sampling design. Surprisingly, the species richness was only moderate, on average 9.8 ± 3.8 species per 100 m². Compared to weed communities of Bashkiria (Southern Ural) and less intensively used arable land of Central Europe these numbers are rather low. Moreover, most of the recorded species were cosmopolitans or widely distributed throughout the temperate zone. We suggest that the land use intensity was high enough to reduce the density of a number of weed species in a way that they were not registered by our random sampling design. The limited conservational value of the weed vegetation of large grain fields in Tyumen leads to the conclusion that if intensification of land use is unavoidable, it should be directed to arable land and not to ex-arable land or ancient grassland, which is of higher conservation value.Segetalvegetation des Westsibirischen GetreidegürtelsDie fruchtbaren Schwarzerden im Westsibirischen Getreidegürtel zwischen Jekaterinburg und Nowosibirsk werden großflächig mit Sommergetreide bestellt. Trotz des großen Anbaumaßstabes ist die Landnutzungsintensität pro Flächeneinheit gering, wenn man sie mit Mitteleuropa vergleicht. Der Einsatz von Düngemitteln und Pestiziden ist niedrig, und die Erträge liegen zwischen 10 und 20 dt ha-1. Die Verteilung der Probenflächen erfolgte mittels eines randomisierten Samplingdesigns mit 99 Probenflächen à 100 m² im Tjumener Gebiet des Getreidegürtels. Überraschenderweise war der Artenreichtum mit einem Mittelwert von 9,8 ± 3,8 Arten niedriger, als bei der geringen Landnutzungsintensität zu erwarten wäre. Verglichen mit Ackergemeinschaften Baschkiriens (Südural) und extensiv bewirtschafteten Flächen in Mitteleuropa sind diese Artenzahlen gering. Außerdem waren die meisten erfassten Arten Kosmopoliten oder in großen Teilen der gemäßigten Zone verbreitete Arten. Aus unseren Ergebnissen schlussfolgern wir, dass die Landnutzungsintensität in Tjumen hoch genug ist, um die Dichten einer Reihe von Segetalarten so zu reduzieren, dass sie mit einem randomisierten Samplingdesign nicht mehr oder nur in geringen Stetigkeiten nachzuweisen sind. Die Unterschiede zum Artenreichtum Mitteleuropäischer Äcker ergeben sich auch aufgrund des geringen Anteils von Archäophyten in der Flora von Tjumen. Hieraus folgt, dass, wenn eine Steigerung der Landnutzungsintensität im Getreidegürtel Westsibiriens unvermeidbar ist, sie auf Ackerflächen stattfinden sollte und nicht auf Ackerbrachen oder Grünlandflächen, die einen höheren naturschutzfachlichen Wert besitzen