Geographic variation in nrDNA and four cpDNA regions of Juniperus excelsa: Analysis of new records from Bulgaria, Cyprus and southwestern Turkey

Sequencing of nrDNA, plus four cp DNA regions: petN-psbM, trnS-trnG, trnD-trnT and trnL-trnF of newly acquired samples of J. excelsa from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Turkey showed little variation in J. excelsa (sensu stricto), except for the unusual situation in Lebanon, where J. excelsa and J. polycarpos (and likely J. p. var. turcomanica) grow near each other and may be hybridizing. The genetic composition of the eastern-most populations of J. excelsa in Turkey is unknown and deserves further study

Evidence of relictual introgression or incomplete lineage sorting in nrDNA of Juniperus excelsa and J. polycarpos in Asia Minor

DNA analysis of Juniperus excelsa from throughout its range revealed that J. polycarpos, instead of J. excelsa occupies central and eastern Turkey. Based on nrDNA (ITS) data, it appears that relictual hybridization has occurred in southeastern Turkey between J. polycarpos and J. turcomanica. Surprisingly, evidence of incomplete lineage sorting or relictual hybridization between J. polycarpos and J. seravschanica was found in central Turkey and northwest Iran

Geographic variation in nrDNA and four cpDNA regions of Juniperus excelsa: Analysis of new records from Bulgaria, Cyprus and southwestern Turkey

Sequencing of nrDNA, plus four cp DNA regions: petN-psbM, trnS-trnG, trnD-trnT and trnL-trnF of newly acquired samples of J. excelsa from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Turkey showed little variation in J. excelsa (sensu stricto), except for the unusual situation in Lebanon, where J. excelsa and J. polycarpos (and likely J. p. var. turcomanica) grow near each other and may be hybridizing. The genetic composition of the eastern-most populations of J. excelsa in Turkey is unknown and deserves further study

The contribution of condensation-corrosion in the morphological evolution of caves in semi-arid regions: preliminary investigations in the Kyrenia Range, Cyprus

The condensation-corrosion process occurs when airflow cools at the contact with colder cave walls. Condensed water becomes aggressive for soluble rocks and corrodes the walls. This process is particularly active close to cave entrances in high thermal gradient zones where external air enters caves. Condensation appears to be important where bat colonies are also present. Bat metabolism and guano decomposition release heat, vapour, and acids. Hence, bat colonies contribute to the increase of condensation- corrosion, especially by providing permanent moisture and chemical aggressiveness. Corrosive air convections produce rounded morphologies, such as ceiling channels, cupolas, and corroded older flowstones. This process has been overlooked in previous research, since related morphologies were often confused with those produced by early phreatic flow. Kyrenia Range in Cyprus has a semi-arid climate. All the studied caves developed along open-fractures. They are located both in recrystallized carbonates (limestone and dolostone, such as Smoky and Pigeons Caves), or in gypsum (First Day and Angry Bat Caves). We also studied a maze cave that acted as a spring in gypsum that initially developed under phreatic conditions, followed by an epiphreatic phase that allowed the development of notches (Fig Tree Cave, also named İncirli Show Cave). Due to the semi-arid climate, external air is very dry in summer, thus condensation seems to occur mainly in winter, when cave atmosphere instability allows large air exchanges between caves and surface atmosphere. In summer, evaporation prevails, allowing the development of popcorn lines in carbonate caves and massive gypsum crusts, stalagmites, and sidewalk rims in gypsum caves. However, the presence of a bat colony in a semi-confined chamber in Smoky Cave is probably the origin of the permanent moisture, also during the dry season, leading to a strong development of condensation-corrosion features such as ceiling cupolas, and possibly to the permanent activity of flowstones. In addition, we detected high concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and radon (Rn) in Fig Tree Cave, possibly related to the activity of the neighbouring overthrust. Based on the five studied caves in the Kyrenia Range and surroundings, the open-fracture caves in carbonates and gypsum have not undergone the typical initial phreatic stage, but have formed in a short time during Pleistocene as a result of the fast uplift of the range and were later reshaped by condensation-corrosion morphologies. Some gypsum caves may have formed entirely by this latter process, after initial minor fracture development. Cyprus is an outstanding area for studying the condensation-corrosion in caves, since a phreatic origin can be ruled out for most of the rounded morphologies. Prispevek kondenzacijske korozije pri razvoju jam v polsuhih območjih: predhodni rezultati v jamah Kirenijskega gorovja, CiperKondenzacijska korozija se pojavi ob stiku vlažnega zračnega toka s hladnimi jamskimi stenami. Pri tem na jamsko steno iz zraka kondenzira film vode, ki kemično korodira vodotopno kamnino. Proces je najbolj izrazit v bližini jamskih vhodov, kjer ob visokem temperaturnem gradientu zunanji zrak vstopa v jamo. Kondenzacijo in kondenzacijsko korozijo lahko pomembno povečajo kolonije netopirjev. Metabolizem netopirjev in razpadanje gvana sproščata toploto, vlago in kisline. Kondenzacijska korozija iz konvekcijskih tokov vlažnega zraka ustvarja zaobljene skalne oblike, kot so kupole, stropni kanali in korodirana siga. Kirenijsko gorovje na Cipru ima polsuho podnebje. Večina jam v tej raziskavi so odprte razpoke v prekristaljenem karbonatu (apnenec in dolomit) ali v sadri. Poleg teh obravnavamo tudi blodnjake v sadri, ki so se oblikovali v freatični coni in so v preteklosti delovali kot izviri. V njih najdemo stenske zajede, ki so nastale v epifreatični fazi. Ker je zrak poleti zelo suh, je kondenzacija omejena na zimski čas, ko se intenzivno izmenjuje zrak med jamsko in zunanjo atmosfero. Poleti prevladuje izhlapevanje, kar omogoča razvoj cvetačastih oblik v karbonatnih jamah ter sadrinih skorij, stalagmitov in stranskih obrob v jamah v sadri. Kolonija netopirjev v eni od polzaprtih dvoran v jami Smoky Cave verjetno vzdržuje visoko vlago tudi poleti. Posledica so močno izražene oblike kondenzacijske korozije (kupole) in stalna aktivna rast sige. V eni od jam smo izmerili visoko vsebnost SO2 in radona, ki je verjetno povezana z aktivno narivno tektoniko. Pet obravnavanih jam je tektonskega izvora in so verjetno nastale v kratkem obdobju hitrega dvigovanja v pleistocenu ter bile kasneje preoblikovane s kondenzacijsko korozijo. Nekatere jame v sadri so nastale skoraj izključno s kondenzacijsko korozijo, ki je preoblikovala prvotne majhne razpoke. Ciper je izjemno območje za podobne študije, saj lahko zaradi odsotnosti freatične faze večino zaobljenih jamskih oblik pripišemo kondenzacijski koroziji.Ključne besede: Vzhodno Sredozemlje, kondenzacijska korozija, gvano, Kirenijsko gorovje, jame v odprtih razpokah, hitri tektonski dvig, sadra, jamska mikroklima, pleistocen

Evidence of relictual introgression or incomplete lineage sorting in nrDNA of Juniperus excelsa and J. polycarpos in Asia Minor

DNA analysis of Juniperus excelsa from throughout its range revealed that J. polycarpos, instead of J. excelsa occupies central and eastern Turkey. Based on nrDNA (ITS) data, it appears that relictual hybridization has occurred in southeastern Turkey between J. polycarpos and J. turcomanica. Surprisingly, evidence of incomplete lineage sorting or relictual hybridization between J. polycarpos and J. seravschanica was found in central Turkey and northwest Iran

Morphology, anatomy and cytology of critically endangered endemic Minuartia nifensis from West Anatolia, Turkey

Minuartia nifensis Mc Neill belongs to Caryophyllaceae family. It is distributed only on Nif Mountain. In order to prepare the basis for the ex-situ and in-situ protection principles, ecological data was collected as well as population size and distributon areas were recorded in an earlier study. Present study investigates the M. nifensis anatomically, morphologically and cytologically, with the aim of improving the description of this endemic species and establishing the basic information for future biosystematic studies

OXIDATIVE DAMAGE AND ANTIOXIDANTS INDUCED BY HEAVY METAL STRESS IN TWO CULTIVARS OF MUSTARD (Brassica juncea L.) PLANTS

WOS: 000312412600017The present study evaluated the physiological and biochemical changes in two mustard cultivars (Brassica juncea L.), Varuna and local Rolioni, under individual and combined effects of Cd and Pb stress. Cd and Pb affected most of the considered parameters, e.g. reduction in shoot and root length, dry weight of shoot and root which ultimately leads to decreased biomass content. Cd and Pb stress induced oxidative stress leading to increase in peroxidation of membrane lipids and electrolyte leakage. The interaction of Cd+Pb was found to be more harmful for the plant growth. Under high Cd+Pb (300 mg/kg soil each) levels, a decrease in catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), accompanied with increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11) and glutathione reductase (OR, EC 1.6.4.2), was observed detoxifying the negative effects of active oxygen species (AOS). The proline content was also increased in both the cultivars but the increase was more in Varuna than Rohini. At lower concentrations of Cd and Pb, protein content increased but decreased at higher levels. Maximum decrease in chlorophyll content was observed in Rohini as compared to Varuna cultivar

Nitrogen mineralization in a high altitude ecosystem in the Mediterranean phytogeographical region of Turkey

WOS: 000279598600020PubMed ID: 21186727Interrelations exist in the terrestrial ecosystems between the plant type and characteristics of nutrient uptake. Annual net nitrogen mineralization in soils of different plant communities in the high altitude zone of Spil mountain located in the Mediterranean phytogeographical region of Turkey was investigated throughout one year by field incubation method. Seasonal fluctuations resulting from field incubation were markedly higher in autumn and spring than summer These are mainly associated with the changes in soil moisture being at minimum in the Mediterranean summer. A significant correlation was developed between the net Nitrate (kg NO(3)(-)-N ha week(-1)) production and soil water content (p<0.05; r =0.316 in soil of 0-5 cm; r =0.312 in soil of 5-15 cm). The results showed that the annual productivity of nitrogen mineralization shows different values depending on communities. Annual net ammonium (NH(4)(center dot)-N) production in the soils of each community was negatively estimated. However, annual net nitrate (NO(3)(-)-N) production (0-15 cm) was higher in grassland (27.8 kg ha y(-1)) and shrub (25.0 kg ha y(-1)) than forest (12.4 kg ha y(-1)) community While annual net N(min) values were close to each other in grassland (14.5 kg ha y(-1))and shrub (14.1 kg ha y(-1)), but negative in forest community (-3.6 kg ha y(-1)). The reasons for these differences are discussed.Volkswagen StiftungVolkswagenWe are obliged to the Volkswagen Stiftung for the partial financial assistance to this project. Our special thanks go to Dr. Qadir Manzoor (Icarda-Aleppo) for critical reading of the manuscript

A PALYNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF ENDEMIC TAXA FROM NORTHERN CYPRUS

Palynology of 19 endemic plant taxa belonging to 9 families distributed in North Cyprus was investigated by both light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pollen grains were measured and their aperture characteristics and surface ornamentation determined. The systematic positions of the taxa as well as the genera they belonged to were investigated according to the data obtained. The largest pollen grains were found in Salvia veneris Hedge and the smallest ones in Onosma caespitosum Kotschy. The pollen type was generally termed trizonocolpate, pollen shapes spheroidal, prolate, subspheroidal, perprolate, supraprolate, pollen structure tectate and semitectate, and ornamentation scabrate, striate, microechinate, microperforate, reticulate, microreticulate, bireticulate, psilate and rugulate