Barcoding of Some Plant Species Using rbcL Gene ‎in the Mediterranean Oolitic Sand Dunes West of Alexandria, Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Ahmed S. Fouad ◽  
Azza B. Hamed ◽  
Wafaa M. Amer ◽  
Rehab M. Hafez
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Rbcl Gene ◽  
The Mediterranean

scholarly journals Functional Ecology of Iceplant Taxa and Their Role in Eco-restoration of New Zealand Sand Dunes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Guyo Duba Gufu
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Intergeneric Hybrid ◽  
Leaf Production ◽  
Natural Plant ◽  
Carpobrotus Edulis

<p>Biological invasion by non-native plant species has often been cited as a cause of native biodiversity loss. While the outcome of species invasions depends on interactions between exotic and resident native species, most studies of biological invasions have focused solely on the direct negative impacts of non-indigenous species on native biota. Although investigations of the role of competition in shaping natural plant communities were dominant in the previous generations and are still popular, more recent experimental research has uncovered the striking influence of facilitation on community dynamics. This thesis aims to investigate competitive and facilitative influence of the invasive South African iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis) on Spinifex sericeus, a native foredune grass species, with particular reference to implications of these interactions for dune restoration in New Zealand. It further explores the growth rates, substrate preferences and mating systems of the exotic and native iceplant taxa found in New Zealand. I begin by briefly outlining the influence of competition and facilitation on natural plant communities with reference to the role of facilitation in eco-restoration. I also give a few examples where exotic species have been found to facilitate native ones. Secondly, a neighbour removal experiment was conducted on coastal sand dunes with the main aim of studying the effects of Carpobrotus edulis on establishment of Spinifex sericeus at the foredune region. Finally, I compared the growth rates of the most widely distributed iceplant taxa in New Zealand in different substrates and the breeding systems of the exotic Carpobrotus.  Examples abound in literature of exotic plant species facilitating native ones especially in forestry. In the neighbour removal study, Carpobrotus edulis protected Spinifex seedlings against storm erosion, sandblasting and salt sprays while at the same time suppressing its leaf production. Suppression of Spinifex leaf production was more pronounced at top of the dune where stress elements is presumably more benign. There was no evidence of allelopathic suppression of Spinifex by C. edulis. Only Carpobrotus chilensis displayed some level of substrate preference by putting on relatively lower biomass in gravel. The exotic Carpobrotus spp. put on greater dry matter content than the native Disphyma australe and the Carpobrotus-x-Disphyma hybrid. The hybrid displayed a faster vegetative growth rate whereas D. australe allocated relatively more biomass to the roots than the shoot. Both Carpobrotus spp. are self compatible and highly capable of intrageneric and intergeneric hybridisation. Mass removal of the existing exotic iceplant stands from foredunes along high energy coasts is not advisable as they serve as useful stabilisers. The intergeneric hybrid is sexually sterile with sparsely spread stolons that could allow co-occurrence with other species and therefore is more suitable for foredune stabilisation. However, more research needs to be conducted on the ecology of the intergeneric hybrid.</p>

scholarly journals Biogeographical network analysis of plant species distribution in the Mediterranean region

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Lenormand ◽  
Guillaume Papuga ◽  
Olivier Argagnon ◽  
Maxence Soubeyrand ◽  
Guilhem De Barros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
The Mediterranean

scholarly journals Nitrogen control of <sup>13</sup>C enrichment in heterotrophic organs relative to leaves in a landscape-building desert plant species

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 13127-13156
Author(s):  
J. Zhang ◽  
L. Gu ◽  
F. Bao ◽  
Y. Cao ◽  
Y. Hao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Isotope ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Isotope Ratios ◽  
Phloem Loading ◽  
Desert Plant ◽  
C3 Plant ◽  
Carbon Isotope Ratios ◽  
Whole Plant

Abstract. A longstanding puzzle in isotope studies of C3 plant species is that heterotrophic plant organs (e.g., stems, roots, seeds, and fruits) tend to be enriched in 13C compared to the autotrophic organ (leaves) that provides them with photosynthate. Our inability to explain this puzzle suggests key deficiencies in understanding post-photosynthetic metabolic processes. It also limits the effectiveness of applications of stable carbon isotope analyses in a variety of scientific disciplines ranging from plant physiology to global carbon cycle studies. To gain insight into this puzzle, we excavated whole plant architectures of Nitraria tangutorum Bobrov, a C3 species that has an exceptional capability of fixing sands and building sand dunes, in two deserts in northwestern China. We systematically and simultaneously measured carbon isotope ratios and nitrogen and phosphorous contents of different parts of the excavated plants. We also determined the seasonal variations in leaf carbon isotope ratios on nearby intact plants of N. tangutorum. We found, for the first time, that higher nitrogen contents in heterotrophic organs were significantly correlated with increased heterotrophic 13C enrichment compared to leaves. However, phosphorous contents had no effect on the enrichment. In addition, new leaves had carbon isotope ratios similar to roots but were progressively depleted in 13C as they matured. We concluded that a nitrogen-mediated process, probably the refixation of respiratory CO2 by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase, was responsible for the differences in 13C enrichment among different heterotrophic organs while processes within leaves or during phloem loading may contribute to the overall autotrophic – heterotrophic difference in carbon isotope compositions.

Zonation and succession

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Anwar Maun
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Directional Change ◽  
Sandy Material ◽  
Inland Dunes

There is ample evidence that a progressive change in the intensity of an important environmental factor leads to the formation of zones or belt-like communities in which the plant species reflect a fairly distinct range of tolerance for that factor (Daubenmire 1968). Zonation has been defined as a sequence of vegetation in space and succession as a sequence of vegetation in time (McIntosh 1980). A zone is an area occupied by a plant community that is distinctly different from other zones and can be readily recognized by a change in dominant vegetation. Striking examples of zonation are found in salt marshes, mountain slopes and ponds because of soil salinity in salt marshes, decrease in temperature on mountain slopes and increase in water depth in ponds (Daubenmire 1968; Chapman 1976; Partridge and Wilson 1988). Similarly, it has long been known (Beck 1819) that sand dunes along sea coasts exhibit a zonation pattern extending from the beach to inland dunes. The zones are discrete and occur in parallel series with distinctly different species composition that is related to the ability of plant species to withstand the environmental factors prevailing in that zone (Doing 1985). Many later studies using transects from the shoreline to the inland dunes have confirmed that the taxa are not randomly distributed; they peak at definite distances from the beach (Oosting and Billings 1942; Boyce 1954; Martin 1959; Barbour 1978; Barbour et al. 1985). Succession in coastal dunes is an example of primary succession because the sandy material deposited on the shoreline by waves is inert. The term is generally used to denote a directional change in species composition and physiognomy of vegetation at the same site over time (Drury and Nisbet 1973). However, only the very early stages of dune succession can be observed during the life time of a plant ecologist and the later stages are usually inferred from plant communities represented on older sand dunes. It is hypothesized that the autogenic influence of early colonizers alters environmental conditions in the habitat and facilitates the establishment of new species better adapted to live in the altered habitat.

The Ammophila problem

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Anwar Maun
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Ammophila Arenaria ◽  
Dead Material ◽  
Short Internodes ◽  
Coastal Dune System ◽  
Dune Ridge ◽  
Sand Deposition

Even a cursory look on foredune plant communities shows vigorous dense stands of dune species in areas with moderate recurrent sand accretion levels specific for each plant species (Disraeli 1984; Maun and Baye 1989; Maun 1998). The phenomenon has been well documented in species of Ammophila arenaria (Carey and Oliver 1918; Tansley 1953), Corynephorus canescens (Marshall 1965), A. breviligulata (Eldred and Maun 1982) and Calamovilfa longifolia (Maun 1985). Burial has a positive influence on growth and flowering of plants and debilitated populations of foredune plant species can be rejuvenated by sand deposition (Maun 1998). Clear evidence of this phenomenon was presented by Maze and Whalley (1992a), who examined population dynamics of Spinifex sericeus in five zones receiving different amounts of sand deposition on a coastal dune system of Australia: the sea side of the first dune ridge, crest of first dune ridge, swale, Acacia thickets and stable hind dunes. In the very dynamic area on the sea side or toe of the first dune ridge (high beach) with regular burial or erosion of up to 1 m or more the plants produced very vigorous stolons with long internodes. On the crest of the dune ridge with sand deposition of about 17.5 cm per year even though plants had fewer stolons, they responded to burial by growing upwards with long internodes. In Acacia thickets in spite of very little sand deposition, plants were vigorous with little or no dead material, produced stolons and grew upwards with some long and some short internodes, probably because of greater nitrogen content in the soil. However, in the swale (slack) with little or no sand deposition, plants showed strong clumping tendency with very short internodes, a large amount of dead material on the surface and very low vigour. Unburied nodes usually died. Similarly, in the stable sand dunes with little or no sand deposition debilitated low-vigour clumps with very few stolons were abundant. Another example of this decline was presented by Martin (1959) on a shoreline along the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. He measured deposition and deflation of sand on two transects and showed that as one moved inland from the shoreline the total deposition of sand decreased.

Pinus pinaster (maritime pine).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Pasiecznik
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
High Susceptibility ◽  
Major Research ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Basin Region ◽  
The Mediterranean Basin

Abstract P. pinaster plantations have long been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin region (both Europe and North Africa), particularly to stabilise sand dunes, coastal areas and on low fertility soils; the tree has also been a major source of resin as well as general purpose timber. Its major disadvantages are its high susceptibility to fire, and the low quality of the resin compared to that from other pine species. Major research is needed into thinning procedures, especially in the Mediterranean region.

scholarly journals Nitrogen control of <sup>13</sup>C enrichment in heterotrophic organs relative to leaves in a landscape-building desert plant species

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Zhang ◽  
L. Gu ◽  
F. Bao ◽  
Y. Cao ◽  
Y. Hao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Isotope ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
Isotope Ratios ◽  
Desert Plant ◽  
C3 Plant ◽  
Carbon Isotope Ratios ◽  
Scientific Disciplines ◽  
Whole Plant

Abstract. A longstanding puzzle in isotope studies of C3 plant species is that heterotrophic plant organs (e.g., stems, roots, seeds, and fruits) tend to be enriched in 13C compared to the autotrophic organ (leaves) that provides them with photosynthate. Our inability to explain this puzzle suggests key deficiencies in understanding post-photosynthetic metabolic processes. It also limits the effectiveness of applications of stable carbon isotope analyses in a variety of scientific disciplines ranging from plant physiology to global carbon cycle studies. To gain insight into this puzzle, we excavated whole plant architectures of Nitraria tangutorum Bobrov, a C3 species that has an exceptional capability of fixing sands and building sand dunes, in two deserts in northwestern China. We systematically and simultaneously measured carbon isotope ratios and nitrogen and phosphorous contents of different parts of the excavated plants. We also determined the seasonal variations in leaf carbon isotope ratios on nearby intact plants of N. tangutorum. We found, for the first time, that higher nitrogen contents in heterotrophic organs were significantly correlated with increased heterotrophic 13C enrichment compared to leaves. However, phosphorous contents had no effect on the enrichment. In addition, new leaves had carbon isotope ratios similar to roots but were progressively depleted in 13C as they matured. We concluded that a nitrogen-mediated process, hypothesized to be the refixation of respiratory CO2 by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase, was responsible for the differences in 13C enrichment among different heterotrophic organs, while processes such as fractionating foliar metabolism and preferentially loading into phloem of 13C-enriched sugars may contribute to the overall autotrophic–heterotrophic difference in carbon isotope compositions.

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