Memory and habituation to harmful and non-harmful stimuli in a field population of the sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica

Mimosa pudica is a Neotropical legume that closes its leaves rapidly in response to touch stimulation, hypothetically as herbivory defence. Habituation to non-harmful stimuli and long-term memory of past events have been demonstrated in this species, the former with relatively heavy objects and the latter under laboratory conditions. This species should not habituate to harmful stimuli if leaf movement is a response to herbivore damage. We tested in Monteverde, Costa Rica, whether (1) memory occurs in wild plants, (2) whether habituation occurs under harmful stimuli: simulated herbivory, and (3) whether wild plants can habituate to light non-harmful stimuli. The degree of closing of the leaflets and time until reopening was measured in response to repeated harmful and non-harmful stimuli. The results showed habituation to repeated non-harmful very light stimuli and showed lack of habituation to simulated leaf damage. Wild plants also showed faster rehabituation to repeated non-harmful stimuli when they had been exposed 15 days previously, suggesting possible long-term memory. These results indicate that wild plants are capable of (1) distinguishing between harmful and non-harmful stimuli (only habituating to the latter), (2) memorizing previous events, and 3) habituating very light tactile stimuli commonly experienced in the field.

Flora de interesse meliponícola em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica no litoral norte da Bahia, Brasil

Objetivou-se conhecer os recursos tróficos, florescimento e visitantes florais no entorno de um meliponário, em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica, litoral norte da Bahia, Brasil. As plantas floridas foram marcadas, fotografadas, coletadas, herborizadas, identificadas e depositadas no HUNEB. Foram identificadas 80 espécies vegetais, pertencentes a 69 gêneros e 31 famílias, sendo Asteraceae/Fabaceae (11) e Rubiaceae (oito) as mais representativas em número de espécies. Dessas plantas, (37,5%) tiveram suas flores visitadas por meliponíneos, e ainda as espécies Borreria verticillata (L.) G.Mey., Conocliniopsis prasiifolia (DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob., Commelina erecta L., Mimosa pudica L., Richardia grandiflora (Cham. & Schltdl.) Steud. e Turnera subulata Sm. apresentaram flores durante todo o período estudado. A vegetação herbácea (53,33%) foi a mais representativa, e o néctar representou 56,67% do recurso disponível a essas abelhas, contribuindo para o conhecimento do pasto apícola para guilda dessas abelhas na área de estudo.

Nódulos presentes en leguminosas asociadas a pasturas de Brachiaria sp en la Amazonia Colombiana

Se estudiaron 23 pasturas de Brachiaria sp dedicadas a la producción bovina doble propósito, para identificar especies de leguminosas presentes y obtener muestras de raíces para extracción y recuento de nódulos. Toda el área correspondió a un total de 149,14 ha, donde solo 84,26 ha contaban con la presencia de leguminosas Desmodium sp, Pueraria phaseoloides, Galactia striata, Arachis pintoi, Stylosanthes sp, Mimosa púdica y Centrosema sp, cuya cobertura fue del 2,89% de dicha área. La especie con mayor porcentaje de cobertura promedio fue A.pintoi con 5,36% seguida de Stylosanthes sp con 5%, G.striata con 3,89% y P.phaseoloides con 2,62%. Las restantes se encontraron en un rango inferior a 2% del área de pastura. Se halló en el estudio un mínimo de 7 nódulos en raíces de Centrosema sp y G.striata, así como un número máximo de 194 nódulos en Desmodium sp. Las cantidades superiores a 100 nódulos por planta solo correspondieron a Desmodium sp, el cual reveló una inoculación satisfactoria que se asoció con su potencial de fijación de nitrógeno mediada por simbiosis. La especie con menor número de nódulos fue M. púdica, hallada en el 4,3% de las pasturas evaluadas, siendo la única de las leguminosas muestreadas que no es consumida directamente por los bovinos y se desarrolla como especie no deseada, indicadora de estados de degradación de pasturas.

Habitat use and conservation threats to Wild Water Buffalo Bubalus arnee (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Bovidae) in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal

Wild Water Buffalo (WWB) Bubalus arnee is an endangered species and a protected animal in Nepal. The remaining WWB population is located in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR), and it appears to have low viability under prevailing conditions. We assessed the habitat use and conservation threats to wild water buffalo in KTWR. For habitat analysis the quadrant method was used. Eighty-four quadrants of 25 m2 for trees, 168 quadrants of 10m2 for shrubs and 336 quadrants of 1 m2 for herbs were laid out in the study area. Ivlev’s electivity index (IV) was calculated to assess the use of different habitat components. The important Value Index (IVI) was used for vegetation assessment. A relative threat ranking method was used to assess conservation threats for wild buffalo and their habitats. Wild buffalo mostly preferred habitats with distance to water resources less than 500 m (IV= 0.4), less than 25 % crown coverage (IV= 0.39) and more than 75 % ground coverage (IV= 0.42). The trees species Phyllanthus emblica, Acacia catechu, shrub species Mimosa pudica and the herb species Brachiaria distachya, Vetiveria zizanioides, Imperata cylindrica, and Saccharum spontaneum were preferred by WWB in the study area. Among the different plant categories, we found that Acacia catechu was the most preferred tree species (IVI= 156.95), Mimosa pudica the most preferred shrub species (IVI= 58.68), and Imperata cylindrica the most preferred herb species (IVI= 64.73). Major conservation threats perceived by local stakeholders for wild buffaloes were overgrazing by cattle and genetic swamping through crossbreeding with domestic buffalo. Therefore, conservation of grass species through control of grazing, and prevention of cross breeding are measures supported by this study. Additionally, site-specific conservation strategies should be adopted, based on identified threats in the study area.

EFFICACY OF SEEDS OF UTANGAN (BLEPHARIS EDULIS), LAJJAWANTI (MIMOSA PUDICA), VASTUK (CHENOPODIUM ALBUM) IN SHUKRA DUSHTI WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MALE INFERTILITY

The population of the world is increasing day by day but today 1 out of 10 couples is suffering from infertility. There are many reasons for infertility but oligospermia is a major factor of infertility. In Ayurveda, eight kinds of shukra dushti explained, in which ksheen shukra can be considered as oligospermia. Many treatment modules have been depicted in ayurvedic text. In the present study three drugs Lajjawanti, Vastuk and uttangan used for treatment. In this study, 30 patients were selected according to the sign and symptoms described in our texts and semen analysis was done as laboratory investigation. Significant results are found on symptoms like Swinngatrta (body sweating), Sharm (fatigue) Pandutav (anaemia) etc. This drug also showed a dramatic effect on, sperm motility, Viability, Erection and Ejaculation.