scholarly journals Plant Ecology of the Namib Desert

Afrika Focus ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick van Damme
Keyword(s):  
Sand Dune ◽  
Plant Ecology ◽  
Desert Plant ◽  
Namib Desert ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Photosynthetic System ◽  
Fog Water ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Welwitschia Mirabilis ◽  
Endemic Plant Species

The Namib desert is reportedly the oldest desert in the world. It consists of a number of very distinct ecosystems, six of which are dealt with in this text. Among them are the sand dune, the dry river bed and the domed inselbergs vegetation. The importance of fog water absorption for the Namib flora is discussed. Two important and noteworthy endemic plant species, i.e. Welwitschia mirabilis and Acanthosicyos horrida are treated extensively, because of their great interest for plant physiology and ethnobotany, resp. Special attention is given to the imponance of the CAM photosynthetic system for Namib desert plant survival. Where possible the ethnobotanic importance of the species is discussed.

scholarly journals Plant Ecology of the Namib Desert

Afrika Focus ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Van Damme
Keyword(s):  
Plant Ecology ◽  
Desert Plant ◽  
Namib Desert ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Photosynthetic System ◽  
Fog Water ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Welwitschia Mirabilis ◽  
Desert Flora ◽  
Endemic Plant Species

The Namib desert is reportedly the oldest desert in the world. It consists of a number of very distinct ecosystems, six of which are dealt with in this text. Among them are the sand dune, the dry river bed and the domed inselbergs vegetation. The importance of fog water absorption for the Namib flora is discussed. Two important and noteworthy endemic plant species, i.e. Welwitschia mirabilis and Acanthosicyos horrida are treated extensively, because of their great interest for plant physiology and ethnobotany, resp. Special attention is given to the importance of the CAM photosynthetic system for Namib desert plant survival. Where possible the ethnobotanic importance of the species is discussed. KEY WORDS: Acanthosicyos horrida. desert flora, drought stress, ethnobotany, succulents, Welwitschia mirabilis 

scholarly journals Climate change effects on desert ecosystems: A case study on the keystone species of the Namib Desert Welwitschia mirabilis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259767
Author(s):  
Pierluigi Bombi ◽  
Daniele Salvi ◽  
Titus Shuuya ◽  
Leonardo Vignoli ◽  
Theo Wassenaar
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Ecological Niche Models ◽  
Namib Desert ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Desert Ecosystems ◽  
Welwitschia Mirabilis

Deserts have been predicted to be one of the most responsive ecosystems to global climate change. In this study, we examine the spatial and demographic response of a keystone endemic plant of the Namib Desert (Welwitschia mirabilis), for which displacement and reduction of suitable climate has been foreseen under future conditions. The main aim is to assess the association between ongoing climate change and geographical patterns of welwitschia health, reproductive status, and size. We collected data on welwitschia distribution, health condition, reproductive status, and plant size in northern Namibia. We used ecological niche models to predict the expected geographic shift of suitability under climate change scenarios. For each variable, we compared our field measurements with the expected ongoing change in climate suitability. Finally, we tested the presence of simple geographical gradients in the observed patterns. The historically realized thermal niche of welwitschia will be almost completely unavailable in the next 30 years in northern Namibia. Expected reductions of climatic suitability in our study sites were strongly associated with indicators of negative population conditions, namely lower plant health, reduced recruitment and increased adult mortality. Population condition does not follow simple latitudinal or altitudinal gradients. The observed pattern of population traits is consistent with climate change trends and projections. This makes welwitschia a suitable bioindicator (i.e. a ‘sentinel’) for climate change effect in the Namib Desert ecosystems. Our spatially explicit approach, combining suitability modeling with geographic combinations of population conditions measured in the field, could be extensively adopted to identify sentinel species, and detect population responses to climate change in other regions and ecosystems.

scholarly journals Mauritian coloured nectar no longer a mystery: a visual signal for lizard pollinators

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis M Hansen ◽  
Karin Beer ◽  
Christine B Müller
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Visual Signal ◽  
Honest Signal ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Floral Trait ◽  
Flower Visitation ◽  
Artificial Flowers ◽  
Endemic Plant Species

Most floral nectars are clear as water, and the enigmatic coloured nectar in three endemic plant species in Mauritius has puzzled scientists studying it. One hypothesis about the possible ecological function of coloured nectar is that it serves as a visual signal for pollinators. Recent studies have shown that at least two of the three Mauritian plant species with coloured nectar are visited and pollinated by endemic Phelsuma geckos. We here provide experimental evidence for the visual signal hypothesis by showing that Phelsuma ornata geckos prefer coloured over clear nectar in artificial flowers. In flowering plants, coloured nectar could additionally function as an honest signal that allows pollinators to assert the presence and judge the size of a reward prior to flower visitation, and to adjust their behaviour accordingly, leading to increased pollinator efficiency. Our study provides a first step in understanding this rare and intriguing floral trait.

scholarly journals Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids and Fatty Acids from the Endemic Plant Species Rindera umbellata and the Effect of Lindelofine-N-oxide on Tubulin Polymerization

Molecules ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 10694-10706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Mandić ◽  
Milena Simić ◽  
Ivan Vučković ◽  
Ljubodrag Vujisić ◽  
Miroslav Novaković ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ◽  
Tubulin Polymerization ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Endemic Plant Species

New dihydroxycucurbitacin D's from the Namib desert endemic plant Acanthosicyos horridus (!nara)

Fitoterapia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 105041
Author(s):  
Nashipolo E. Uushona ◽  
Godwin A. Dziwornu ◽  
Nonkululeko Mkwanazi ◽  
Catherine H. Kaschula ◽  
Suthananda N. Sunassee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Namib Desert ◽  
Endemic Plant

scholarly journals The endemic plant species of Mt Kupe, Cameroon with a new Critically Endangered cloud-forest tree species, Vepris zapfackii (Rutaceae)

Kew Bulletin ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Cheek ◽  
Jean Michel Onana
Keyword(s):  
Endemic Species ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Taxonomic Changes ◽  
Mt Kupe ◽  
Endemic Plant Species

SummaryWe revise and update the records of strict and near-endemic species of Mt Kupe, Cameroon respectively from 31 strict endemics in 2004, to 25 today, and with near-endemic species 30, unchanged in number but with turnover. The changes result from new collections, discoveries and taxonomic changes in the last 16 years. While 15 of the provisionally named putative endemic species have now been formally published, a further 18 have not. The majority of the 30 near-endemic species (18) are shared with the adjacent Bakossi Mts, far exceeding the numbers shared with the more distant Mt Etinde-Mt Cameroon, Rumpi Hills and Ebo forest areas (sharing three near-endemic species each with Mt Kupe). We test the hypothesis that a further one of the provisionally named putative Mt Kupe species, Vepris sp. 1 from submontane forest near the summit, is indeed new to science. We compare it morphologically with the two other bicarpellate high altitude Cameroon Highland tree species V. montisbambutensis Onana and V. bali Cheek, concluding that it is a new undescribed species here named as Vepris zapfackii. The new species is illustrated and its conservation status assessed as Critically Endangered using the 2012 IUCN standard, due to habitat clearance from agricultural pressures at its sole location which is unprotected. Vepris zapfackii and V. bali appear unique in African trifoliolate species of the genus in having opposite leaves. Vepris zapfackii differs in having hairy petiolules and midribs and petiolules with the blade decurrent distally, narrowing towards a winged-canaliculate base (vs glabrous and petiolule long, terete), and sparsely golden hairy pistillodes and a glabrous calyx (vs densely black hairy pistillodes, and sepals hairy).

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