On some additions to the amphibians of Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia

A survey on amphibian fauna was conducted in compartments 15, 16, and 17 of Gunung Inas Forest Reserve (GIFR), Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia for a period of two-and-a-half years, starting from January 2016 to May 2018, with a total of 20 visits. Observations and collections of amphibian species were carried out in and along the rivers, forest streams, forest pools, rock pools, cascade areas, waterfalls, ditches, temporary pools, forest floors, and forest trails. In total, 41 species of amphibians, belonging to 25 genera, and seven families were collected over the survey period. Of these, 11 species were ranids, followed by 10 dicroglossids, seven rhacophorids, six microhylids, four bufonids, two megophryids, and a single ichthyophiids (Ichthyophis sp.). From these observations, it is being pointed out that 15 species of amphibians represent new records for GIFR, while two species were not detected. This increases the known amphibian diversity of Gunung Inas Forest Reserve from 28 to 41 species.

Microbial Substrate Utilization and Vegetation Shifts in Boreal Forest Floors of Western Canada

Boreal forest soils are highly susceptible to global warming, and in the next few decades, are expected to face large increases in temperature and transformative vegetation shifts. The entire boreal biome will migrate northward, and within the main boreal forest of Western Canada, deciduous trees will replace conifers. The main objective of our research was to assess how these vegetation shifts will affect functioning of soil microbial communities and ultimately the overall persistence of boreal soil carbon. In this study, aspen and spruce forest floors from the boreal mixedwood forest of Alberta were incubated in the laboratory for 67 days without (control) and with the addition of three distinct 13C labeled substrates (glucose, aspen leaves, and aspen roots). Our first objective was to compare aspen and spruce substrate utilization efficiency (SUE) in the case of a labile C source (13C-glucose). For our second objective, addition of aspen litter to spruce forest floor mimicked future vegetation shifts, and we tested how this would alter substrate use efficiency in the spruce forest floor compared to the aspen. Tracking of carbon utilization by microbial communities was accomplished using 13C-PLFA analysis, and 13C-CO2 measurements allowed quantification of the relative contribution of each added substrate to microbial respiration. Following glucose addition, the aspen community showed a greater 13C-PLFA enrichment than the spruce throughout the 67-day incubation. The spruce community respired a greater amount of 13C glucose, and it also had a much lower glucose utilization efficiency compared to the aspen. Following addition of aspen litter, in particular aspen leaves, the aspen community originally showed greater total 13C-PLFA enrichment, although gram positive phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were significantly more enriched in the spruce community. While the spruce community respired a greater amount of the added 13C-leaves, both forest floor types showed comparable substrate utilization efficiencies by Day 67. These results indicate that a shift from spruce to aspen may lead to a greater loss of the aspen litter through microbial respiration, but that incorporation into microbial biomass and eventually into the more persistent soil carbon pool may not be affected.

Morphological characterization and nutrient assessment of wild pepper, Piper umbellatum L. (Piperaceae) grown in Sarawak, Malaysia

Wild pepper, Piper umbellatum L. is traditionally consumed as a leafy vegetable by the indigenous Kenyah tribesmen of Belaga, Sarawak, Malaysia. The shoots are normally harvested from secondary forest floors. The present study was carried out to determine the morphological and nutritional characteristics of P. umbellatum, i.e., proximate, mineral, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), vitamin C, and anti-nutrients, i.e., oxalate and phytate. The results showed that P. umbellatum possesses an ovate, alternate, entire and non-glandular trichome on its leaf surface. The inflorescence comprises an oblongoid spike attached to a peduncle and the ripened berries were orange and red in color. The results also revealed that the leaves of P. umbellatum had a high moisture content (63.27%), other recorded nutrient values were ash (8.62%), crude fiber (19.32%), K (1280.20 mg/100 g), Ca (570.60 mg/100 g), Mg (323.80 mg/100 g) and P (291.14 mg/100 g), TPC (510.63 mg/100 g), TFC (377.82 mg/100 g) and phytate (411.67 mg/100 g). Thus the consumption of the P. umbellatum as a leafy vegetable supplies a good dose of various essential nutrients.

Phosphorus deficiencies invoke optimal allocation of exoenzymes by ectomycorrhizas

Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi can acquire phosphorus (P) through the production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes (exoenzymes), but it is unclear as to the manner and extent native EM fungal communities respond to declining soil P availability. We examined the activity of six exoenzymes (xylosidase, N-acetyl glucosaminidase, β-glucosidase, acid phosphomonoesterase, acid phosphodiesterase [APD], laccase) from EM roots of Pseudotsuga menzesii across a soil podzolization gradient of coastal British Columbia. We found that APD activity increased fourfold in a curvilinear association with declining inorganic P. Exoenzyme activity was not related to organic P content, but at a finer resolution using 31P-NMR, there was a strong positive relationship between APD activity and the ratio of phosphodiesters to orthophosphate of surface organic horizons (forest floors). Substantial increases (two- to fivefold) in most exoenzymes were aligned with declining foliar P concentrations of P. menzesii, but responses were statistically better in relation to foliar nitrogen (N):P ratios. EM fungal species with consistently high production of key exoenzymes were exclusive to Podzol plots. Phosphorus deficiencies in relation to N limitations may provide the best predictor of exoenzyme investment, reflecting an optimal allocation strategy for EM fungi. Resource constraints contribute to species turnover and the assembly of distinct, well-adapted EM fungal communities.

Diversity, distribution and conservation status of the Adder’s-tongue ferns in Goa, India

The cosmopolitan fern genus Ophioglossum (Ophioglossaceae) is distributed from low to high altitude plateaux, coastal plains and forest floors of India. This genus has received special attention from pteridologists worldwide since the discovery that Ophioglossum reticulatum possesses the largest number of chromosomes. There are, however, no reported studies of Ophioglossum in Goa, hence the present investigation was undertaken to study the diversity, distribution and conservation status of Ophioglossum in that state. A total of six species were collected from different localities, of which four (O. nudicaule, O. lusitanicum, O. parvifolium, and O. reticulatum) are reported as new distributional records for Goa State. A detailed morpho-taxonomy, illustration and photographs of all collected species are given, along with a key to the species.