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200 papers
Herbivory rate is elevated but orb-weaver spider growth unaffected by artificial light at night in subtropical forest.
Guo Y, Siu Y, Allcock JA … +3 more , Dingle C, Ashton LA, Bonebrake TC
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Oct · PMID 41085731 · Full text
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing threat to biodiversity and ecosystems globally. However, a limited number of studies have focused on the effect of ALAN in the tropical or subtropical regions, and the impact...
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing threat to biodiversity and ecosystems globally. However, a limited number of studies have focused on the effect of ALAN in the tropical or subtropical regions, and the impact of ALAN on species interactions and ecological processes is particularly understudied. We introduced ALAN into light-naïve forest plots to examine whether ALAN affects herbivory rate and alters the growth and abundance of Nephila pilipes, a common orb-weaver spider. We found illuminated plots had a higher herbivory rate than control plots in the early wet season. The growth rate and abundance of the spider species, however, were not affected by ALAN. Our results indicate that ecological processes in tropical ecosystems, such as herbivory, are potentially sensitive to ALAN. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of a more mechanistic understanding of the sensitivities of tropical species interactions to ALAN and the possible complications caused by environmental variation.
Functional insights into drought-tolerant PGPR: impacts on physiological responses and yield performance of direct-seeded rice under water stress.
Javed F, Iqbal S, Farooq MS … +3 more , Jabeen K, Ilyas N, Majeed A
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Oct · PMID 41037146 · Publisher ↗
Drought stress poses a significant threat to rice productivity, particularly when rice is cultivated through the direct seeded system (DSR). This paper aimed to isolate and characterize drought-tolerant plant growth-prom...
Drought stress poses a significant threat to rice productivity, particularly when rice is cultivated through the direct seeded system (DSR). This paper aimed to isolate and characterize drought-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from rice rhizospheric soils in arid and semi-arid areas of Pakistan and assess their efficacy in improving rice growth under drought conditions. Six isolates exhibited PGPR traits such as phosphate solubilization, indole 3-acetic acid production, ACC deaminase activity, siderophore production, and osmolyte accumulation. Pot experiments under drought stress (60% field capacity) demonstrated that inoculation with PGPR enhanced the germination rate, chlorophyll level, water status, membrane stability, and biochemical parameters in rice exceptionally. Among these, isolate NRC13, identified as Bacillus velezensis, showed the greatest efficacy in enhancing physiological, biochemical, and yield characteristics, including grain yield and 1000-grain weight under drought stress. This study provides the first evidence of Bacillus velezensis NRC13's application in direct-seeded rice under drought conditions in Pakistan, demonstrating the potential of this novel bio-inoculant to increase rice productivity and resilience in water-deficient settings.
Choline hydroxide mediated eco-friendly synthesis of 5-arylidene thiazol-4(5H)-one clubbed coumarin: antimicrobial evaluation and in silico studies.
Al-Saleem MSM, Al-Humaidi JY, Elhenawy AA … +4 more , Riyadh SM, Zaki MEA, Jefri OA, Gomha SM
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Oct · PMID 41032102 · Publisher ↗
An efficient and eco-friendly method was developed for synthesizing coumarin-thiazolidinone hybrids using choline hydroxide as a green catalyst. A series of arylidene derivatives (3a-i, 5) were prepared and characterized...
An efficient and eco-friendly method was developed for synthesizing coumarin-thiazolidinone hybrids using choline hydroxide as a green catalyst. A series of arylidene derivatives (3a-i, 5) were prepared and characterized. Antimicrobial screening against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast, and fungi demonstrated significant activity, particularly for compound 3c, which produced inhibition zones of up to 30.8 mm against Staphylococcus aureus, and compound 3i, which showed a MIC of 6.25 µg/mL against Escherichia coli, comparable to standard antibiotics. Structure-activity relationship analysis revealed that electron-donating substituents (-OCH₃, indolyl) markedly enhanced potency, while halogen and nitro substituents reduced activity. DFT calculations supported these findings, with 3i showing a low HOMO-LUMO gap (3.183 eV) indicating high reactivity. Molecular docking against Staphylococcus aureus dihydrofolate reductase (PDB: 2XCT) confirmed strong binding, with compound 3c achieving a docking score of -8.6 kcal/mol. These results establish coumarin-thiazolidinone hybrids as promising scaffolds for antimicrobial drug development.
Group living influences larval melanism in gregarious caterpillars.
Cisternas MF, Ríos RS, Gianoli E
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40996540 · Publisher ↗
Group living in gregarious caterpillars provides several benefits, including enhanced anti-predator defense and improved thermoregulation. Melanism affects both thermoregulation, with melanic forms warming up faster, and...
Group living in gregarious caterpillars provides several benefits, including enhanced anti-predator defense and improved thermoregulation. Melanism affects both thermoregulation, with melanic forms warming up faster, and anti-predator protection, through its link to aposematic coloration and cuticle thickening. Due to the macroevolutionary association between larval gregariousness and aposematic coloration in Lepidoptera, it has been hypothesized that gregariousness could have evolved to maximize the warning coloration signal. We evaluated melanism patterns in caterpillars from the gregarious swallowtail Battus polydamas archidamas reared singly and in groups of ten individuals. We compared melanism in caterpillars from two populations differing in climate and predation risk, testing for an association between melanism and thermoregulation and/or anti-predator protection. We expected to find darker caterpillars in the colder population, which also showed a higher predation risk from ants. Considering that the group of caterpillars may maximize the warning signal, we hypothesized that solitary caterpillars would be darker (more aposematic). The degree of larval melanism was similar in both populations. Caterpillars in groups showed decreased levels of melanism compared to solitary caterpillars in both populations. Concerning performance costs of melanism, darker caterpillars were slightly-yet not significantly-smaller. Results suggest that the patterns of larval melanism in solitary vs gregarious caterpillars might be rather fixed, less related to current ecological conditions than to the evolutionary importance of aposematic coloration. If the general pattern for gregarious caterpillars results to be that larval melanism has negligible costs, then decreased melanism could be considered another benefit of gregariousness in Lepidoptera.
Structural, histochemical, and ecological peculiarities of lenticular leaf galls induced on the epiphytic fern Microgramma vacciniifolia (Polypodiaceae).
Ferreira BG, Godoy REAF, Martins GS … +3 more , de Noronha ACR, Reis A, Santos MG
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40956425 · Publisher ↗
Interactions among gall inducers and ferns, particularly in epiphytic Polypodiaceae, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated lenticular Cecidomyiidae galls induced on the leaves of the epiphyte Microgram...
Interactions among gall inducers and ferns, particularly in epiphytic Polypodiaceae, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated lenticular Cecidomyiidae galls induced on the leaves of the epiphyte Microgramma vacciniifolia and compared their developmental cycle, interactions, and anatomical, histochemical, and histometrical profiles with those of ungalled leaves. These galls, covered by a silky film produced by the larva, exhibit a multivoltine life cycle, with induction occurring on expanded leaves throughout both dry and rainy seasons. Interactions with Holopothrips (Thysanoptera) were observed during the rainy season, suggesting potential predation and kleptoparasitism. Anatomical and histometric changes in galls are minimal, but the cell layer in contact with the gall inducer strongly accumulates reducing sugars, proteins, lipids, and phenolics, likely supporting larval nutrition and the plant's antioxidant response. Comparing these galls to those on other epiphytic Polypodiaceae, such as Niphidium crassifolium, and investigating the phylogeny of the galling Cecidomyiidae could reveal whether these relationships coevolved and whether gall simplicity represents an ancestral trait or a derived adaptation in ferns. This study highlights the need for further research to understand the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of plant-insect interactions in epiphytic systems.
The Impact of LINC-PINT polymorphisms on HNSCC risk in a Chinese han population.
Kong L, Wang W, Meng H … +6 more , Hou M, Wang S, Ren W, Dai H, Li B, Jin T
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40956344 · Publisher ↗
Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Inherited genes are non-modifiable risk factors for HNSCC. This study aims to determine the associa...
Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Inherited genes are non-modifiable risk factors for HNSCC. This study aims to determine the association between LINC-PINT polymorphism and the risk of HNSCC risk in a Chinese Han population. Genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood samples of 524 HNSCC patients and 517 healthy controls. The associations of LINC-PINT polymorphisms and HNSCC susceptibility were evaluated through logistic regression analysis. Our study showed that rs157916, rs16873842, and rs7781295 were related to an increased susceptibility to HNSCC. Stratification analyses demonstrated that rs157916 and rs7781295 were associated with an increased risk of HNSCC in age ≤ 46 years, men, and thyroid SCC. Rs16873842 and rs7801029 showed an enhanced risk of HNSCC in men. Additionally, rs16873842 and rs7781295 may increase the risk of Nasopharyngeal SCC. Moreover, the combination of rs7801029 and rs7781295 could serve as a predictive model for HNSCC. This study suggests that LINC-PINT polymorphisms may be correlated with an increased risk of HNSCC.
Silicic acid seed pre-treatment modulates growth and antioxidant responses in maize under drought stress.
Ali A, Zafar S, Mehmood K … +6 more , Hasnain Z, Nawaz M, Gilani SMJJ, Siddiqui MH, Alamri S, Khan S
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40928509 · Publisher ↗
Drought stress is the most vulnerable abiotic factor affecting plant growth and yield. The use of silicic acid as seed priming treatment is emerging as an effective approach to regulate maize plants susceptibility to wat...
Drought stress is the most vulnerable abiotic factor affecting plant growth and yield. The use of silicic acid as seed priming treatment is emerging as an effective approach to regulate maize plants susceptibility to water stress. The study was formulated for investigating the effect of silicic acid seed priming treatment in modulating the oxidative defense and key physio-biochemical attributes of maize plants under drought stress conditions. Silicic acid (control, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1 mM) primed seeds of maize cultivars Gohar-19 and Pak Afghoi were sown in soil filled pots at 100% and 60% field capacity. At 60% field capacity, a marked decline in fresh (1.23, 1.03 g) and dry (0.45, 0.38 g) biomass was observed as compared to 100% field capacity (1.34, 1.13 g; 0.53, 0.50 g) in Gohar-19, which exhibited better performance as compared to Pak Afghoi under control and drought stress conditions. Notably, seed priming with 1 mM silicic acid markedly enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities including peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, thereby strengthening the antioxidant defense system. Additionally, primed seeds exhibited improved accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites critical for stress adaptation. Principal component analysis confirmed a distinct separation of attributes with respect to silicic acid pretreatment under water stress in maize plants. These findings demonstrate that silicic acid seed priming effectively enhances maize growth and biochemical resilience under drought stress by activating antioxidant defenses and modulating key metabolic pathways. This approach holds a significant potential as a sustainable agronomic practice to mitigate drought effects and to improve crop productivity through nutri-priming.
Cerrado ash reduces volatile emissions from faeces but does not influence the olfactory responses of the dung beetles.
Reis NL, Peñaflor MFGV, Beiroz W … +1 more , Louzada J
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40924164 · Publisher ↗
Fire is a key natural disturbance influencing physical, chemical, and biological processes in the Cerrado. Ash, a fire byproduct, may significantly influence soil macrofauna through its chemical properties. Dung beetles...
Fire is a key natural disturbance influencing physical, chemical, and biological processes in the Cerrado. Ash, a fire byproduct, may significantly influence soil macrofauna through its chemical properties. Dung beetles (Scarabaeinae), critical components of Cerrado soil macrofauna, provide key ecological functions and services. Here, we investigate whether ash deposition from burned Cerrado grassland vegetation alters odour-guided foraging in Dichotomius bos, a native dung beetle species, by modifying the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in faecal resources. We hypothesised that ash would reduce VOC emissions from faeces, thereby decreasing their attractiveness to D. bos. Volatiles from swine faeces, with and without ash, were collected via solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Eight VOCs were selected based on their relative abundance and identification: dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), p-cresol, 3-ethylphenol, 2-undecanone, 2-methylindole, skatole, (Z)-6-pentadecen-1-ol, and heptadecan-1-ol. The relative abundance of all target compounds was reduced in ash-exposed faeces. In four-choice olfactometer trials, D. bos exhibited a strong attraction to swine faecal odours. However, despite reduced VOC relative abundance in ash-treated faeces, beetles showed equivalent attraction to odours from faeces with and without ash. These results suggest D. bos is resilient to post-fire chemical changes in resource odours, likely reflecting adaptations to fire-prone Cerrado ecosystems. Investigating dung beetle responses to fire-derived alterations in resource chemistry may inform management strategies to conserve Cerrado biodiversity under fire regimes.
Influence of different stimulants on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain in relation to the germination and early growth.
Šerá B, Doshi P, Věchet L
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40924162 · Full text
Due to the growing environmental and health concerns with chemical plant stimulants, there is a growing need to find alternative sources of plant stimulants that could help the seeds germinate and sustain their growth in...
Due to the growing environmental and health concerns with chemical plant stimulants, there is a growing need to find alternative sources of plant stimulants that could help the seeds germinate and sustain their growth in the global climate change scenario. The article compares various seed stimulants such as chemical compounds (benzothiadiazole, salicylic acid, glycine betaine), alcoholic extracts from commercial plant products (English oak bark, ginger spices, turmeric spices, caraway fruits) and from wild plant leaves (Japanese pagoda tree, Himalayan balsam, stinging nettle and Bohemian knotweed) and their effects on wheat seed germination and seedling characteristics. It was found that BTH had significantly lower effect on seedling characteristics such as SG3 (%), SG5 (%), R/S III, SVI I (mm) and SVI III (mg) followed by ZO on SG3 (%), SG5 (%) and GI (unit). Significantly highest R/S III was found in SJ treatment, while SVI I (mm) and SVI III (mg) characteristics were significantly enhanced by treatment with CC and RB. It seems that such plant materials could be useful in alternative agriculture for different purposes.
Development of collagen-based hydrogel derived from allicin-silver nanoparticles for wound healing.
R S, Tabbasum MDT, Ah D … +1 more , S SV
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40924152 · Publisher ↗
Wounds with extensive tissue damage are highly susceptible for microbial infections delaying the process of wound healing. Currently, biomaterials with therapeutic molecules emerged as key players in wound repairing. Thi...
Wounds with extensive tissue damage are highly susceptible for microbial infections delaying the process of wound healing. Currently, biomaterials with therapeutic molecules emerged as key players in wound repairing. This work developed a novel collagen-based hydrogel loaded with allicin and silver nanoparticles. The allicin is extracted from Allium sativum. The hydrogel demonstrated wound healing efficacy by achieving full closure within 72 h in an in vitro scratch wound assay on Vero cells. The antimicrobial activity of the hydrogel was confirmed against Gram-positive bacteria with zone of inhibition values of 14 mm for Staphylococcus aureus at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml. Cytotoxicity studies on Vero cells, reported significantly low cytotoxicity with 98.11% at a concentration of 7.8 μg/ml indicating its biocompatibility. Zeta potential measurement revealed good stability of the silver nanoparticles with a value of - 27.8 mV. The swelling degree of the hydrogel reached up to 6.11 indicating its capacity to maintain moisture while wound repairing. Altogether, these findings suggests that this biomaterial may represent a promising replacement to wound repairing treatments. Future research focusing in vivo studies could lay a pathway for clinical applications in regenerative medicine.
Selection of geographical populations suitable for artificial breeding of the Northeast China Brown Frog (Rana dybowskii).
Liu W, Tao J, Yu Q … +6 more , Wu T, Xing B, Bai J, Zhao W, Liu Y, Liu P
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40900218 · Full text
Amphibians, as a group greatly disturbed by human activities, are at increased risk of extinction. Rana dybowskii is an anuran species with both ecological and economic significance. Due to environmental changes and huma...
Amphibians, as a group greatly disturbed by human activities, are at increased risk of extinction. Rana dybowskii is an anuran species with both ecological and economic significance. Due to environmental changes and human overexploitation, it has been classified as Near-Threatened. This study integrates morphological and molecular immunological approaches to identify R. dybowskii populations with greater survival and disease resistance, based on 32 morphological traits and MHC class I and II polymorphism. Morphological results showed that compared with other populations, Yichun (YC) population had the highest fatness, the lowest IOD/HW, and the largest HW/SVL, HL/SVL, HW/HL, SL/TL. It indicates that YC population shows larger body size, wider vision and stronger jumping ability. The polymorphism of MHC I gene was the highest in Shangzhi (SZ) population, and the polymorphism of MHC II gene was the highest in YC population. Moreover, duplication, selection, and recombination occurred during evolution of MHC class I and II genes. Since both SZ and YC populations scored higher in this category (the variant sites, nucleotide polymorphism, amino-acid divergence/nucleotide divergence, dN/dS, Tajima' D, etc.), they were more resistant to disease. All in all, these results indicated that YC population of the Lesser Khingan Mountains had good morphology and immune results, and R. dybowskii in the Lesser Khingan Mountains might be more suitable to be the original population of artificial breeding, which provided a theoretical basis for the realization of artificial breeding in the next step.
Silk properties of Asian weaver ant changes over time: an understanding of nest protection from natural calamities.
Dolai A, Das A
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40900170 · Publisher ↗
Insect silk is a naturally occurring protein that forms semicrystalline threads when exposed to air. The Asian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Formicidae: Hymenoptera), frequently uses silks for leaf weaving in nest c...
Insect silk is a naturally occurring protein that forms semicrystalline threads when exposed to air. The Asian weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Formicidae: Hymenoptera), frequently uses silks for leaf weaving in nest construction to maintain its integrity and durability. The silk imparts resilience and durability to the nests, preventing fracturing or breaking during many natural disasters, particularly heavy rainfall and strong winds. Therefore, understanding the strength and stability of these silk threads necessitates an examination of their structural components and physicochemical properties. Silk samples aged 30 days, 180 days, and 365 days are analysed to assess the temporal differences in silk durability and hardness. According to infrared Fourier transform studies, the silk mostly consists of alkanes, alkenes, amides, and alcohols, while energy-dispersive X-ray analysis identifies carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen as the principal elements, with minor quantities of magnesium, aluminium, silicon, and potassium. As per X-ray powder diffraction, the silk exhibits a crystalline sheet structure. Its mass, thickness, density, and tensile strength increase as the silk becomes older. The 'contact angle' of the silk also increases with age, indicating its hydrophobic nature. The thermogravimetric curve shows the fibre's long-term endurance and thermal stability. The physicochemical properties of Oecophylla silk highlight its unique strength and endurance, explaining why they utilise its advantages to protect their nests from severe environmental conditions.
Single-cell sequencing analysis and multiple machine learning methods identified immune-associated SERPINB1 and CPEB4 as novel biomarkers for COVID-19-induced ARDS.
Yang H, Wang W, Huang J … +5 more , Yan Y, Wang S, Shen Q, Li J, Jin T
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Sep · PMID 40892227 · Publisher ↗
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening complication of COVID-19, often resulting in respiratory failure and high mortality. Identifying effective molecular biomarkers is crucial for understandin...
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening complication of COVID-19, often resulting in respiratory failure and high mortality. Identifying effective molecular biomarkers is crucial for understanding its pathogenesis and improving diagnosis and treatment strategies. We analyzed transcriptomic and single-cell RNA-seq data from public datasets (GSE172114, GSE149878, and GSE213313). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the limma package and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Single-cell analysis was used to define cell-type-specific expression. Three machine learning algorithms-LASSO, SVM-RFE, and Random Forest-were applied to identify robust hub genes. External dataset GSE213313 was used for validation. CIBERSORT was applied to estimate immune cell infiltration in ARDS tissues. We identified 915 DEGs between COVID-19-induced ARDS and controls, mainly enriched in immune receptor activity and cytokine signaling. Through integrative machine learning and validation, SERPINB1 and CPEB4 were identified as key genes, with strong diagnostic performance (AUCs: 0.940 and 0.948, respectively). Immune infiltration analysis revealed that both genes were highly correlated with neutrophils, and also associated with B memory cells, T cells, NK cells, monocytes, and mast cells. GSEA showed these genes were involved in immune and inflammatory pathways, indicating functional relevance in ARDS. SERPINB1 and CPEB4 were identified as novel immune-related biomarkers for COVID-19-induced ARDS. Their strong association with neutrophil infiltration suggests that they may play critical roles in disease progression. These findings provide new insights into immune mechanisms and offer promising targets for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention in ARDS.
Comparative buccopharyngeal morphology of tadpoles of Sphaenorhynchini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae).
Dias PHDS, Marcondes BC, Campos YPP … +3 more , Weber LN, Mira-Mendes CV, Araujo-Vieira K
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40839260 · Full text
The hylid tribe Sphaenorhynchini includes 15 small, greenish treefrog species within the genera Sphaenorhynchus and Gabohyla. Sphaenorhynchus is divided into three species groups: S. lacteus, S. planicola, and S. platyce...
The hylid tribe Sphaenorhynchini includes 15 small, greenish treefrog species within the genera Sphaenorhynchus and Gabohyla. Sphaenorhynchus is divided into three species groups: S. lacteus, S. planicola, and S. platycephalus, with S. carneus and S. prasinus remaining unassigned to any group; Gabohyla is monotypic. Larvae of most species have been described, except for S. botocudo, S. cammaeus, and S. mirim. Although larval morphology holds phylogenetic and diagnostic importance in Sphaenorhynchini, internal morphology remains largely unknown, with only the presence of a lingual papilla noted in S. dorisae and S. lacteus. To fill this gap, we describe the buccopharyngeal cavity of G. pauloalvini, S. prasinus, S. dorisae, S. lacteus, S. canga, and S. palustris. We provide a detailed description of this system for the tribe and discuss putative new larval synapomorphies. Tadpoles of Sphaenorhynchini show similarities in buccopharyngeal cavity morphology but vary in features such as prenarial arena shape, lateral ridge papillae, median ridge, and postnarial crest development. Gabohyla pauloalvini shows reduced lateral ridge papillae, which is an autapomorphy. Lateral roof papillae and a second pair of lateral ridge papillae are putative synapomorphies of the S. platycephalus group or one of its internal clades. The postnarial crest, present in all species, may be a synapomorphy of Sphaenorhynchini. These results enhance understanding of larval morphology and its systematic relevance within the tribe.
From scorching sands to survival: adaptive tale of the genus Tribulus (T. longipetalus, T. terrestris and T. pentandrus) in desert ecosystem.
Iqbal U, Sharif M, Abid S … +2 more , Rafiq S, Wahab A
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40844626 · Publisher ↗
Desertification poses a major ecological threat, demanding insights into plant adaptive strategies for survival in arid landscapes. Tribulus species, i.e., T. longipetalus, T. terrestris, and T. pentandrus, are drought-t...
Desertification poses a major ecological threat, demanding insights into plant adaptive strategies for survival in arid landscapes. Tribulus species, i.e., T. longipetalus, T. terrestris, and T. pentandrus, are drought-tolerant herbs commonly distributed across arid and semi-arid regions. Samples from natural populations were collected from diverse ecological zones of the Cholistan Desert exhibiting varying levels of drought intensity and resource availability. In the present study, structural and functional modifications in three Tribulus species under desert stress conditions were evaluated. It was hypothesized that each species would exhibit species-specific morphological, physiological, and anatomical adjustments to optimize survival under desert stress. All three species responded distinctly under different environmental conditions. The most notable feature in T. longipetalus under drier habitats was enhanced accumulation of total soluble proteins, sugars, amino acids, and thicker dermal and vascular tissues supporting stress endurance. T. terrestris exhibited better performance in highly stressful zones, showing increased shoot biomass, soluble osmolytes, and maximum chlorophyll content. T. pentandrus showed vigorous growth in less stressful habitats with highest pigment content and shoot biomass, whereas populations from dry sites displayed increased metaxylem and vascular bundle size. Structural and functional traits such as well-developed vascular bundles, Kranz-type leaf anatomy with thickened mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, and increased epidermal and sclerenchymatous tissues contributed to water retention, transport efficiency, and mechanical support. Significant variability in stomatal traits among species reflected adaptive strategies for gas exchange and water conservation. It was concluded that Tribulus species developed specific anatomical and physiological strategies crucial for ecological fitness, resource use efficiency, and survival under desert stress conditions. These adaptive features enhance their potential for desert reclamation and ecological restoration.
First record of a nematode-induced floral gall in Bongardia chrysogonum (L.) Spach (Berberidaceae): its effects on flower structure.
Hosseini N, Rezanejad F
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40833604 · Publisher ↗
Plant galls are newly formed structures that develop due to the influence of gall-inducing organisms, providing them with shelter, protection, and nourishment. The most commonly studied galls are caused by insects. Plant...
Plant galls are newly formed structures that develop due to the influence of gall-inducing organisms, providing them with shelter, protection, and nourishment. The most commonly studied galls are caused by insects. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) induce gall formation in various parts of plants, primarily targeting the roots. Reports on their effects on aerial parts, especially flowers, are rare. In this study, floral galls induced by Ditylenchus sp. (Anguinidae) in Bongardia chrysogonum (L.) Spach (Berberidaceae) were introduced for first time. The structural traits of galls were analyzed using microscopic studies. The levels of total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins were measured by spectrophotometric methods. Intact flowers had thin sepals and petals with 3-5 cell layers, tetrasporangiate anthers, and a thin pleated gynoecium, while the galled floral parts lacked morphological and anatomical similarity to the intact organs. These galling organisms triggered the regeneration and reorganization of floral parts, leading to abnormal and swollen growths. The number of modified floral whorls in produced gall ranged from 1 to 3, indicating that nematode infection affected some or all floral organs. Microscopic sections of all galls showed homogeneous parenchyma with large intercellular spaces, lacking a gall chamber, and containing numerous nematodes within the tissue. Galled flowers showed red-purple coloration and higher phenolic compound concentrations than normal flowers, as revealed by cytochemical and biochemical analyses. The reorganization of floral parts and the large intercellular spaces can be used for nematode survival and dispersal. High levels of phenolic compounds suggested host plant defense against the nematode.
Soil microbial decomposition capacity and soil properties under moderate warming in a natural forest in the Asian monsoon region.
Nakamura M, Terada C, Takaki A … +2 more , Kanno Y, Kwon T
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40828387 · Publisher ↗
Soil warming increases carbon emissions by enhancing soil microbial activity. However, only few soil warming experiments have been conducted in the Asian monsoon region (warmer temperate regions with very high precipitat...
Soil warming increases carbon emissions by enhancing soil microbial activity. However, only few soil warming experiments have been conducted in the Asian monsoon region (warmer temperate regions with very high precipitation) compared with those conducted in Europe and North America. Hence, in this study, we conducted a soil warming experiment using electric heating cables and solar-powered energy systems in a natural forest in central Japan (Asian monsoon region) to determine the effects of moderate soil warming (1.2 °C increase) on soil properties and microbial decomposition capacity. EcoPlate analysis was used to assess the multifunctionality (MF) of soil microbial decomposition capacity across 31 carbon substrates. MF was significantly higher in the warming plots than in the control plots. When each carbon substrate group was evaluated separately, the MF of labile substrates, such as carboxylic acids, carbohydrates, and amino acids, were significantly higher in the warming plots than in the control plots. Thus, the ordination plot, which was created by performing db-RDA (Distance-based redundancy analysis, constrained ordination of the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA)) with Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, showed differences in the microbial functional composition between the warming and control plots. Moderate soil warming did not cause soil drying; however, it significantly increased soil moisture. Our experimental results demonstrated that moderate soil warming enhanced carbon substrate decomposition by microorganisms and increased soil moisture during the initial decomposition stage in the Asian monsoon region.
Unique pathological phalangeal fusion in the chalicothere subfamily Chalicotheriinae and the interphalangeal immobilization in chalicotheres.
Kampouridis P, Kyriakouli C, de Souza Ferreira G
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40824454 · Full text
Chalicotheres are bizarre extinct herbivore mammals closely related to today's rhinoceroses, tapirs and horses. The family Chalicotheriidae includes two subfamilies, the Chalicotheriinae and the Schizotheriinae. Some mem...
Chalicotheres are bizarre extinct herbivore mammals closely related to today's rhinoceroses, tapirs and horses. The family Chalicotheriidae includes two subfamilies, the Chalicotheriinae and the Schizotheriinae. Some members of the schizotheriines form a duplex bone by fusing the proximal and the medial phalanges of the second digit of the hand. Here, we report the only known fused set of proximal and medial phalanges in a specimen of the subfamily Chalicotheriinae from the Late Miocene of Höwenegg in Germany. This specimen has been the center of some confusion regarding its identity and the nature of the fusion. In our study, we conduct a detailed comparison to chalicotheriines and schizotheriines, identifying the specimen as a chalicotheriine and attributing its fusion to a pathology. We additionally acquired CT scans of this specimen and two schizotheriines to compare the internal structure of the fused phalanges, which revealed great differences between the fusion in schizotheriines and the pathologically fused Höwenegg specimen. Furthermore, we found that both subfamilies show a trend towards immobilizing their digits, expressed in different ways, with chalicotheriines forming a notched-joint between the phalanges in some digits that hinders their movement and schizotheriines regularly fusing the phalanges.
Do exophytic microorganisms affect in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth in Camellia sinensis?
Toksoz O, Cetinbas-Genc A, Berber D … +3 more , Toker D, Bilgili MS, Sesal NC
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40810808 · Publisher ↗
Since tea is an economically valuable medicinal plant, pollen germination and pollen tube elongation are important for seed yield and quality. Therefore, strategies to increase pollen tube elongation for tea production a...
Since tea is an economically valuable medicinal plant, pollen germination and pollen tube elongation are important for seed yield and quality. Therefore, strategies to increase pollen tube elongation for tea production are developing and especially the use of beneficial microorganisms is gaining importance. We aimed to investigate the potential activities of Streptomyces albidoflavus, Streptomyces indigoferus, Streptomyces nanhaiensis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Paenibacillus xylanilyticus, and Paenibacillus alginolyticus on pollen germination and pollen tube length of Camellia sinensis. The amount of reducing sugars was determined by DNS method, and heat map analyses were performed to evaluate pollen germination, pollen tube length, and RS content. The tested bacteria were grown on pollen germination medium for 3, 6, and 24 h, after which the aforementioned parameters were analyzed. No statistically significant effect of treatments with tested bacteria was found in terms of pollen germination. However, especially in pollen samples treated with P. alginolyticus at 6 and 24 h, pollen tube length was found to be the most effective with an increase of 28.6 and 13.87%. Reducing sugar content was found to be the highest in S. indigoferus + pollen and P. alginolyticus + pollen groups at 24 h. According to heat map analyses, P. alginolyticus maintained consistently high values for pollen germination, tube elongation, RS content and showed the strongest positive effect. In conclusion, P. alginolyticus significantly increased pollen tube elongation and RS levels, suggesting its potential role in plant development and pollination. These findings indicate that such rhizosphere bacteria may act as biostimulants to enhance fertilization and support sustainable tea cultivation.
New species of green lacewings indicate the diversity of Mesypochrysa (Insecta, Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) from the Middle Jurassic of China.
Wang YF, Shi CF, Ren D … +1 more , Yang Q
Naturwissenschaften · 2025 Aug · PMID 40762856 · Publisher ↗
Three new species of Mesypochrysa Martynov, 1927: Mesypochrysa paucinervis sp. nov., Mesypochrysa angusta sp. nov. and Mesypochrysa paradoxica sp. nov., are described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Dao...
Three new species of Mesypochrysa Martynov, 1927: Mesypochrysa paucinervis sp. nov., Mesypochrysa angusta sp. nov. and Mesypochrysa paradoxica sp. nov., are described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. The three species are assigned to Mesypochrysa based on the following characters: costal crossveins simple; two gradate series of crossveins present; MA and MP distally bifurcated; CuA with three to five pectinate branches; CuP distally bifurcated. Mesypochrysa paucinervis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of Mesypochrysa by nine RP branches and simple A1. Mesypochrysa angusta sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by 16 RP branches and five CuA branches. Mesypochrysa paradoxica sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by the distal position of 2m-cu. In addition, the position of 2m-cu in forewings of Limaiinae and distinguish characters of Mesypochrysa are discussed. The discovery of new fossil species enriches the species diversity of this taxon in the Jurassic, while also providing new evidence for the early evolution of chrysopids.
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