Plant Communities and Vegetation Ecosystem Services in the Naran Valley, Western Himalaya

The Naran Valley, western Himalayas, is of high floristic interest owing to its geographic location and altitudinal range. It represents other remote Himalayan valleys where rugged terrain and geopolitics restrict plant biodiversity and conservation assessment, but has experienced no previous quantitative ecological or ethnobotanical research. This study had three objectives: (i) assess species distributions and plant communities using phytosociological techniques; (ii) identify environmental gradients responsible for vegetation variation; (iii) quantify vegetation ecosystem services for indigenous people. Species attributes were measured along altitudinal gradients using transect and quadrat methods on slopes with different aspects (elevation range 2400-4100 m). One hundred and ninety-eight plant species from 68 families were quantified along 24 transects. Classification and ordination techniques (PCORD & CANOCO) identified 5 major plant communities. Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) and assortment of fidelity classes identified indicator/characteristic species. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed altitude and aspect to be the strongest drivers of community classification. The vegetation changed from a moist-cool temperate community characterised by woody species, to dry-cold subalpine and alpine herbaceous communities both along valley sides and at higher elevations. Plant species diversity reached an optimum at mid-altitude (2800-3400 m) as compared to lower (2400-2800 m) and higher elevations (3400-4100 m). Questionnaire methods were used to record and quantify plant uses and indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge. Plant Use Values (UV) were calculated using quantitative ethnobotanical techniques while the phytosociological data yielded Importance Values (IV). UV and IV data were combined to illustrate anthropogenic influences, with a focus on rare, endangered and endemic species. This study contributes to an enhanced understanding of (i) plant diversity in the Western Himalayas; (ii) ethnobotanical and ecosystem service values of mountain vegetation within the context of anthropogenic impacts; (iii) local and regional plant conservation strategies and priorities

Species diversity, community structure, and distribution patterns in western Himalayan alpine pastures of Kashmir, Pakistan

Western Himalayan alpine pastures are among the most diverse ecological locations on the globe. Four alpine pastures were investigated to study species distribution patterns, richness, similarity, and community structure in Bagh District, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Four communities, Poa–Primula–Sibbaldia, Primula–Caltha–Primula, Poa alpina–Poa pratensis–Scirpus, and Sibbaldia–Poa–Scirpus, were identified on the basis of an importance value index. The average value of species richness was 1.42; Simpson's and Shannon–Wiener's diversity values were 3.13 and 0.91, respectively; the degree of maturity index was 44.1; and species evenness was 0.901. Local alpine flora was dominated by a hemicriptophytic life form with microphyllous leaf spectra. The species–environment correlation was analyzed using canonical correspondence analysis. A negative correlation of both diversity and richness was revealed with altitudinal gradient. Anthropogenic disturbances showed a significant negative impact on distribution of medicinal and palatable species. Unpalatable species dominated the local flora, indicating the heavy grazing pressure in the area. Development and implementation of regional conservation strategies are recommended to protect the threatened Himalayan alpine biodiversity

Table_1_Antiviral COVID-19 protein and molecular docking: In silico characterization of various antiviral compounds extracted from Arisaema jacquemontii Blume.docx

Arisaema jacquemontii Blume is a highly medicinal and poisonous plant belong to the family Araceae. It is used to treat several deadly diseases, including viral infections. It has antioxidant, anti-cancerous, antimalarial, anti-vermicidal, and antiviral activities. Therefore, five parts of the Arisaema jacquemontii Blume plant, such as leaf, seed, stem, pulp, and rhizome extract, were evaluated for metabolic and in silico characterization of probable compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. A total of 22 compounds were isolated from the methanolic extracts of A. jacquemontii Blume. A selected antiviral COVID-19 protein i.e., protease (6LU7) was docked against the obtained compounds. Different affinities were obtained through various compounds. The best results were shown by three different compounds identified in the rhizome. The maximum binding affinity of these compounds is 8.1 kJ/mol. Molecular docking (MD) indicate that these molecules have the highest binding energies and hydrogen bonding interactions. The binding mode of interaction was discovered to be reasonably effective for counteracting the SARS virus COVID-19. The findings of this study could be extremely useful in the development of more phytochemical-based COVID-19 therapeutics.</p