Elucidating the phytoremediation potentials and ecophysiological mechanisms of indicator plants in the industrial polluted region.

The integrity of natural ecosystems, particularly in the Global South, is increasingly compromised by industrial contaminants. Our study examines the growth of plant species adapted to ecosystems impacted by heavy metal pollution, specifically focusing on their phytoremediation capabilities and tolerance to contaminants. The potential of pollution-tolerant species was evaluated in the industrial subtropical wetland of Sialkot, Pakistan. Employing quantitative ecological methods, data on vegetation, phytosociological attributes, and soil properties were gathered from 450 plots across different pollution gradients. The study pinpointed 17 key indicator species tolerating high heavy metal pollution out of 182 surveyed, using a combination of Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) and the Importance Value Index (IVI). These species demonstrated diverse capacities to extract, stabilize, and accumulate heavy metals (Cr, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Pb) across varying pollution zones. Notably, Cannabis sativa demonstrated substantial phytoextraction of Zn and Cd, with concentrations reaching 1977.25 µg/g and 1362.78 µg/g, respectively. Arundo donax showed marked hyperaccumulation of Cd, peaking at 410.531 µg/g. Achyranthes aspera was remarkable for its extraction and accumulation of Ni and Cu, with concentrations of 242.412 µg/g and 77.2997 µg/g, respectively. Physiological changes, such as increased proline levels in Cannabis sativa and Achyranthes aspera reaching 39.041 µg/g and 27.523 µg/g under high metal concentrations, indicated adaptation to metal stress. Declines in chlorophyll and carotenoid levels were also observed as metal contamination increased, with up to 35% reductions in some species. These findings underscore the potential efficacy of selected plant species in phytoremediation and highlight the importance of physiological responses in their tolerance to metals, providing valuable information for targeted remediation strategies in polluted ecosystems and improving environmental management and sustainable practices.

Ethnoveterinary uses of forage plants for domesticated ruminants in Malakand agency, Pakistan.

Plant ethnoveterinary uses are evident in various studies around the world, but the ethnoveterinary practices of forage species are not widely reported. Traditional knowledge is rapidly disappearing because of urbanization and commercial activities. The purpose of this study was to document plant species used by the local communities in Malakand Agency, Pakistan for foraging and ethnoveterinary purposes. Twenty different localities in the study area were surveyed for documentation of forage species and related traditional ethnoveterinary knowledge used for livestock. Semistructured questionnaires and field walks were used to conduct 67 interviews with local farmers and herdsmen. A total of 91 forage species from 26 families were documented, as well as their ethnoveterinary applications. Poaceae and Fabaceae were dominant families with 45% and 15% of species respectively. Among the forage species documented, 62 were highly palatable, 26 were moderately palatable and 12 were less palatable. The region's major veterinary diseases are flu, ringworms, inflammations, low milk production, constipation, bloat, mastitis, pneumonia and wounds. The 62 forage species were reported for the first time for various veterinary uses. This study revealed that local communities commonly use a diverse range of forage species in conjunction with indigenous knowledge of ethnoveterinary uses. These forage species have the potential to overcome the recent fodder shortage. Such studies will be beneficial to the commercial production of such forage species.

Rising Metals Concentration in the Environment: A Response to Effluents of Leather Industries in Sialkot.

Many leather processing industries in Sialkot, Pakistan, discharge their wastes freely into the environment which then enters nearby water bodies. Irrigation practices with these polluted waters pose a great threat to the soil quality. Hence, the soils and effluent waters of five famous leather processing sites were evaluated for the presence of As, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, Mn, Mg, Na, K, and Ca. High mean concentrations of As (112.6 mg kg-1), Cr (45.9 mg kg-1), Cd (2.0 mg kg-1), Ni (58.2 mg kg-1), Zn (117.6 mg kg-1), Mn (12.8 mg kg-1), Mg (34,511 mg kg-1), Na (16,292 mg kg-1), K (1765 mg kg-1), and Ca (4387 mg kg-1) were found in soils at our study sites. Effluents were found to be highly acidic with high TDS content and high EC values. Index of Geoaccumulation (Igeo) confirmed the extremely toxic nature of these soils. Plants growing at these sites also showed high concentrations of As, Cr, and Cd in their leaves.

Phytoremediation of heavy metals spiked soil by Celosia argentea L.: effect on plant growth and metal stabilization.

Soil contaminated with heavy metals cause serious threat to the soil quality, biota, and human. The removal or stabilization of heavy metals through plants is an environment friendly approach. The aim of study was to assess the potential of Celosia argentea L. for the phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated soil. Soil was spiked with different levels (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg) of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and Zn (Zn). Experiment was carried out in greenhouse and impact of heavy metals was evaluated on plant by assessing the germination rate and plant growth. To evaluate either plant has potential to extract/stabilize the heavy metals, concentration in roots and shoot, translocation factor (TF), bioconcentration factor (BCF), and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) were determined. Application of heavy metals significantly affected the germination rate and minimum (26.6%) was observed in Cr spiked soil (400 mg/kg). Moreover, the biomass of C. argentea was also affected by the application of heavy metals. However, the concentration of heavy metals in roots and shoots were low. The BCF and BAF of C. argentea was lower than 1 except at lower levels of Pb and Zn, but the TF was greater than 1. The TF showed that plants have capability to transfer heavy metals to shoots once they are taken up by roots. However, based on the BCF and concentrations of heavy metals in shoots, it is evident that plant could play important role in the phytostabilization of heavy metals polluted soil.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the relationship of obesity with diabetes among the general community of Pakistan.

This study sought to evaluate the influence of knowledge, attitude, and practices assessment on diabetes related to obesity in Pakistani society. Data was collected both through door to door and online survey approaches from 518 participants by using a pre-validated questionnaire. A total of 15.6% were underweight, 61.2% were normal weight, 17.2% were overweight and 5.8% were in obesity class I and 2.9% were classified as obesity class II. The co-occurrence of obesity and diabetes was 29% (n = 22) among diabetic individuals (n = 84). A majority of the residents (59.1%) were from cities. While 94% of the participants responded to what obesity was, 83.8% knew what diabetes was. Fast food, soft drinks, and mayonnaise were deemed to be healthy by 75.1% of the respondents. Obesity was viewed as a disease by 94.8%, a major health issue by 78.2%, and a weight-loss necessity by 44.6% of participants. Only 24.9% exercised every day, and 23.9% engaged in any physical activity daily. The majority of respondents (50.6%) never tried to lose weight and 23.2% ate junk food daily. The sociodemographic variables showed that the age ranges of 25-34 years (P < 0.001; OR 0.531), 45-54 years (P < 0.05; OR 0.527), and urban residency (P < 0.001; OR 0.128) had a significant association with knowledge. The factors of urban residency (P < 0.001; OR 3.996), being unmarried (P < 0.001; OR 1.95), and having an income of 51,000-70,000 (P < 0.001; OR 11.29) showed a very highly significant association with a good attitude regarding the relationship of obesity with diabetes (P < 0.05). Similarly, practices of the participants showed significant association with BMI range of 18.5-24.9 and 25-29.9 (P < 0.001). Our study revealed significant knowledge and understanding of the relationship between obesity with diabetes. However, it was observed that majority of respondents exhibited fundamental knowledge regarding obesity and diabetes, there was a notable absence of understanding regarding crucial elements, such as the significance of maintaining a healthy body weight, participating in physical activity, and implementing appropriate dietary strategies for weight control. We recognize the necessity for education initiatives and strongly encourage them to assist individuals in managing diabetes resulting from obesity.

Cross-cultural ethnobotany of the Baltis and Shinas in the Kharmang district, Trans-Himalaya India-Pakistan border.

Human communities that inhabit the political borders live a transitional life, which is due to several socio-political and geo-climatic factors. The current cross-cultural ethnomedicinal study was conducted at the highly elevated Pakistan-India borders of the Western Himalayas in order to address the medicinal flora and folk knowledge of Balti and Shina communities. Ethnobotanical field surveys were conducted from May 2021 to September 2022. We used semi-structured interviews in order to collect the ethnomedicinal data. The collected data was analyzed using the relative frequency of the citations, use value, and Venn diagrams. A total of 140 interviews were conducted, which comprised of 90 (64.28%) Baltis and 50 (35.71%) Shinas. The interviews recorded 60 medicinal plant species that belong to 56 genera and 35 families. Asteraceae (5 spp.), Lamiaceae (5 spp.), and Apiaceae (4 spp.) were the families that were the most represented. These medicinally valued plants were being used for 55 health issues that are related to different body systems. Delphinium brunonianum, Thymus linearis, Hymenolaena candollei, Corydalis adiantifolia, and Seriphidium brevifolium were medicinal taxa with maximum RFCs and UV. The Baltis have comparatively more ethnomedicinal knowledge than the Shinas. The Baltis commonly used 22 (36.66%) species, which 34 (56.66%) were exclusive to the Baltis and 4 (6.66%) to the Shinas. Both ethnic groups collectively hold significant ethnobotanical knowledge that demands the preservation of risked folk knowledge, which is due to uncertain border situations, outmigration, and permeating allopathic drugs.

Sustainable utilization and conservation of plant biodiversity in montane ecosystems: the western Himalayas as a case study.

BACKGROUND: Conservation of the unique biodiversity of mountain ecosystems needs trans-disciplinary approaches to succeed in a crowded colloquial world. Geographers, conservationists, ecologists and social scientists have, in the past, had the same conservation goals but have tended to work independently. In this review, the need to integrate different conservation criteria and methodologies is discussed. New criteria are offered for prioritizing species and habitats for conservation in montane ecosystems that combine both ecological and social data. SCOPE: Ecological attributes of plant species, analysed through robust community statistical packages, provide unbiased classifications of species assemblages and environmental biodiversity gradients and yield importance value indices (IVIs). Surveys of local communities' utilization of the vegetation provides use values (UVs). This review suggests a new means of assessing anthropogenic pressure on plant biodiversity at both species and community levels by integrating IVI and UV data sets in a combined analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Mountain ecosystems are hot spots for plant conservation efforts because they hold a high overall plant diversity as communities replace each other along altitudinal and climatic gradients, including a high proportion of endemic species. This review contributes an enhanced understanding of (1) plant diversity in mountain ecosystems with special reference to the western Himalayas; (2) ethnobotanical and ecosystem service values of mountain vegetation within the context of anthropogenic impacts; and (3) local and regional plant conservation strategies and priorities.

Traditional ecological knowledge sustains due to poverty and lack of choices rather than thinking about the environment.

In this debate article, we have tried to discuss Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and its close link to the available resources and lack of options in the indigenous communities. We came across the article of Hartel et al. where they initiated a discussion on this important but debatable topic of TEK and its merits and demirits for the environment. We believe that this discourse could continue to clarify both sides of the picture. Our research group is working on species facing extinction threats due to extensive utilization, leading to overexploitation of the taxa, which the TEK seldom cares for. We are of the opinion that the marginalized tribal communities living around the globe extensively use some of the species and natural resources for their food, fodder, fiber, shelter, energy, health and other benefits, irrespective of their conservation needs, and many other ecosystem services. They have to sustain their basic live's needs from the resources available for their livelihood. They collect economically important medicinal and other species in large quantities to gain higher earnings, rather than thinking of the issues faced by them. Hence, we believe that the continuity and utilization of TEK are driven by poverty and lack of choices rather than positive environmental values, historically. Nevertheless, those communities sometimes have their local system of protection which sometimes works very well or otherwise with the passage of time and the formation of government-driven regulations in the recent past, TEK itself has lost its real sense especially, related to conservation and management. Therefore, TEK could be linked with existing research-based policies and regulations for long-lasting benefits to the environment and its sustainable future. Such bridging can benifit all the stake hoders-the TEK holders, regulatory bodies, government agencies and many more. This debate can lead to a positive and critical discourse towards the clarification of the conundrum under consideration as well as creation of more questions hyptheses related to TEK.

Detoxifying the heavy metals: a multipronged study of tolerance strategies against heavy metals toxicity in plants.

Heavy metal concentrations exceeding permissible limits threaten human life, plant life, and all other life forms. Different natural and anthropogenic activities emit toxic heavy metals in the soil, air, and water. Plants consume toxic heavy metals from their roots and foliar part inside the plant. Heavy metals may interfere with various aspects of the plants, such as biochemistry, bio-molecules, and physiological processes, which usually translate into morphological and anatomical changes. They use various strategies to deal with the toxic effects of heavy metal contamination. Some of these strategies include restricting heavy metals to the cell wall, vascular sequestration, and synthesis of various biochemical compounds, such as phyto-chelators and organic acids, to bind the free moving heavy metal ions so that the toxic effects are minimized. This review focuses on several aspects of genetics, molecular, and cell signaling levels, which integrate to produce a coordinated response to heavy metal toxicity and interpret the exact strategies behind the tolerance of heavy metals stress. It is suggested that various aspects of some model plant species must be thoroughly studied to comprehend the approaches of heavy metal tolerance to put that knowledge into practical use.

Plant protection from virus: a review of different approaches.

This review analyzes methods for controlling plant viral infection. The high harmfulness of viral diseases and the peculiarities of viral pathogenesis impose special requirements regarding developing methods to prevent phytoviruses. The control of viral infection is complicated by the rapid evolution, variability of viruses, and the peculiarities of their pathogenesis. Viral infection in plants is a complex interdependent process. The creation of transgenic varieties has caused much hope in the fight against viral pathogens. The disadvantages of genetically engineered approaches include the fact that the resistance gained is often highly specific and short-lived, and there are bans in many countries on the use of transgenic varieties. Modern prevention methods, diagnosis, and recovery of planting material are at the forefront of the fight against viral infection. The main techniques used for the healing of virus-infected plants include the apical meristem method, which is combined with thermotherapy and chemotherapy. These methods represent a single biotechnological complex method of plant recovery from viruses in vitro culture. It widely uses this method for obtaining non-virus planting material for various crops. The disadvantages of the tissue culture-based method of health improvement include the possibility of self-clonal variations resulting from the long-term cultivation of plants under in vitro conditions. The possibilities of increasing plant resistance by stimulating their immune system have expanded, which results from the in-depth study of the molecular and genetic bases of plant resistance toward viruses and the investigation of the mechanisms of induction of protective reactions in the plant organism. The existing methods of phytovirus control are ambiguous and require additional research. Further study of the genetic, biochemical, and physiological features of viral pathogenesis and the development of a strategy to increase plant resistance to viruses will allow a new level of phytovirus infection control to be reached.

Genome-wide identification, phylogeny, and expression profiling analysis of shattering genes in rapeseed and mustard plants.

BACKGROUND: Non-synchronized pods shattering in the Brassicaceae family bring upon huge yield losses around the world. The shattering process was validated to be controlled by eight genes in Arabidopsis, including SHP1, SHP2, FUL, IND, ALC, NAC, RPL, and PG. We performed genome-wide identification, characterization, and expression analysis of shattering genes in B.napus and B. juncea to gain understanding into this gene family and to explain their expression patterns in fresh and mature siliques. RESULTS: A comprehensive genome investigation of B.napus and B.juncea revealed 32 shattering genes, which were identified and categorized using protein motif structure, exon-intron organization, and phylogeny. The phylogenetic study revealed that these shattering genes contain little duplications, determined with a distinct chromosome number. Motifs of 32 shattering proteins were observed where motifs1 and 2 were found to be more conserved. A single motif was observed for other genes like Br-nS7, Br-nS9, Br-nS10, Br-jS21, Br-jS23, Br-jS24, Br-jS25, and Br-jS26. Synteny analysis was performed that validated a conserved pattern of blocks among these cultivars. RT-PCR based expressions profiles showed higher expression of shattering genes in B. juncea as compared to B.napus. SHP1, SHP2, and FUL gene were expressed more in mature silique. ALC gene was upregulated in fresh silique of B. napus but downregulation of ALC were observed in fresh silique of B. juncea. CONCLUSION: This study authenticates the presence of shattering genes in the local cultivars of Brassica. It has been validated that the expression of shattering genes were more in B. juncea as compared to B.napus. The outcomes of this study contribute to the screening of more candidate genes for further investigation.

Antiviral COVID-19 protein and molecular docking: In silico characterization of various antiviral compounds extracted from Arisaema jacquemontii Blume.

Arisaema jacquemontii Blume is a highly medicinal and poisonous plant belong to the family Araceae. It is used to treat several deadly diseases, including viral infections. It has antioxidant, anti-cancerous, antimalarial, anti-vermicidal, and antiviral activities. Therefore, five parts of the Arisaema jacquemontii Blume plant, such as leaf, seed, stem, pulp, and rhizome extract, were evaluated for metabolic and in silico characterization of probable compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. A total of 22 compounds were isolated from the methanolic extracts of A. jacquemontii Blume. A selected antiviral COVID-19 protein i.e., protease (6LU7) was docked against the obtained compounds. Different affinities were obtained through various compounds. The best results were shown by three different compounds identified in the rhizome. The maximum binding affinity of these compounds is 8.1 kJ/mol. Molecular docking (MD) indicate that these molecules have the highest binding energies and hydrogen bonding interactions. The binding mode of interaction was discovered to be reasonably effective for counteracting the SARS virus COVID-19. The findings of this study could be extremely useful in the development of more phytochemical-based COVID-19 therapeutics.

Vegetation assessments under the influence of environmental variables from the Yakhtangay Hill of the Hindu-Himalayan range, North Western Pakistan.

Vegetation structures and dynamics are the result of interactions between abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem. The present study was designed to investigate vegetation structure and species diversity along various environmental variables in the Yakhtangay Hills of the Hindu-Himalayan Mountain Pakistan, by using multivariate statistical analysis. Quadrat quantitative method was used for the sampling of vegetation. PC-ORD version 5 software was used to classify the vegetation into different plants communities using cluster analysis. The results of regression analysis among various edaphic variables shows that soil organic matter, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, CaCO3 and moisture contents shows a significant positive correlation with species abundance, while the soil pH has inverse relationship with plant species abundance. Similarly, species richness increases with increase in soil organic matter, CaCO3 and moisture contents, while decrease with increase in soil pH, total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity (p < 0.05). The vegetation was classified into four major plant communities and their respective indicators were identified using indicator species analysis. Indicator species analysis reflects the indicators of the study area are mostly the indicators to the Himalayan or moist temperate ecosystem. These indicators could be considered for micro-habitat conservation and respective ecosystem management plans not only in the study area but also in other region with similar sort of environmental conditions.

Carbon sequestration potential of different forest types in Pakistan and its role in regulating services for public health.

A high amount of CO2 causes numerous health effects, including headaches, restlessness, difficulty in breathing, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, asphyxia, and dizziness. This issue of increasing atmospheric CO2 can only be solved via above-ground and below-ground carbon sequestration (CS). This study was designed to determine the relationship between CS with the crown area (CA), diameter at breast height (DBH), height (H), species richness (SR), and elevation in different forest types of Pakistan with the following specific objectives: (1) to quantify the direct and indirect relationship of carbon sequestration with CA, DBH, H, and SR in various natural forest types and (2) to evaluate the effect of elevation on the trees functional traits and resultant CS. We used the linear structural equation model (SEM) for each conceptual model. Our results confirmed that the highest CS potential was recorded for dry temperate conifer forests (DTCF) i.e., 52.67%, followed by moist temperate mix forests (MTMF) and sub-tropical broad-leaved forests (STBLF). The SEM further described the carbon sequestration variation, i.e., 57, 32, 19, and 16% under the influence of CA (ß = 0.90 and P-value < 0.001), H (ß = 0.13 and p-value = 0.05), DBH (ß = 0.07 and p-value = 0.005), and SR (ß = -0.55 and p-value = 0.001), respectively. The individual direct effect of SR on carbon sequestration has been negative and significant. At the same time, the separate effect of CA, DBH, and H had a positive and significant effect on carbon sequestration. The remaining 20% of CS variations are indirectly influenced by elevation. This means that elevation affects carbon sequestration indirectly through CA, DBH, H, and SR, i.e., ß = 0.133 and P-value < 0.166, followed by ß = 0.531 and P-value < 0.001, ß = 0.007 and P-value < 0.399, and ß = -0.32 and P-value < 0.001, respectively. It is concluded that abiotic factors mainly determined carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems along with the elevation gradients in Pakistan. Quantifying the role of various forest types in carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction leads to improved air quality, which positively impacts human health. This is an imperative and novel study that links the dynamics of the biosphere and atmosphere.

Use of Parthenium hysterophorus with synthetic chelator for enhanced uptake of cadmium and lead from contaminated soils-a step toward better public health.

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a vigorous plant species with cosmopolitan distribution. It can uptake considerable quantities of heavy metals from the soil and accrue these metals in its different tissue. The use of chelating agent i.e., Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can boost up metal uptake capacity. Pot experiment was performed to evaluate phytoextraction potential of P. hysterophorus for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) with and without the aid of EDTA chelator. Shoot length, weight of root and shoot (both fresh and dry), leaves number, and chlorophyll contents of P. hysterophorus got reduced with an increase in metal uptake. The results revealed the highest concentration of Cd in shoot without and with EDTA was 283.6 and 300.1 mg kg-1, correspondingly. Increase in Pb concentration was also boosted up by the EDTA from its maximum concentration in shoot 4.30-9.56 mg kg-1. Generally, Pb and Cd concentrations were greater in shoots of P. hysterophorus than the roots regardless of EDTA in the treatments. EDTA also impacted positively the accumulation of essential ions K+, Na+, and Ca+2 in P. hysterophorus. The capacity of P. hysterophorus to accumulate Pb and Cd found to be increased with EDTA in the soil. Bringing metals level in the soil in accordance to the WHO standards can improve the ecosystem as well as public health.

Politics of the natural vegetation to balance the hazardous level of elements in marble polluted ecosystem through phytoremediation and physiological responses.

The current paper evaluates the phytoremediation ability and physiological responses of selected resistant plant species to the hazardous levels of elements in the marble waste polluted ecosystem. Preliminary results demonstrate that all the indicator/resistant plant species i.e., Ailanthus altissima, Arundo donax, Cynodon dactylon, Erigeron canadensis, Cannabis sativa, Ficus carica, Lathyrus aphaca, Morus alba, Populus alba, Robinia pseudoacacia and Vitex negundo were the best Phyto-extractors and Phyto-stabilizers for most of the heavy metals in general and Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu and Na in particular (at p < 0.05). Structural Equation Modeling confirmed that marble waste pollution has a direct and significant (R2 =0.80) impact on proline synthesis and hence a role in combating the pollution. Chlorophyll content decreased by 4% in studied plant species when the concentration of pollutants increased. It is concluded that the studied bio-indicators - the abundant plant species of the Marble Waste Polluted Systems (MWPS) have a significant role in its remediation. Increasing proline accumulation and decreasing chlorophyll contents with an increase in pollution in the studied plants show resilience of the ecosystem in response to the external lithospheric toxicities. It is recommended that the recognized plant species could be planted abundantly to remediate the MWPS around the marble processing and other such industries and their catchments.

Interactions and effects of microplastics with heavy metals in aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Contamination of waters and soils with microplastics (MPs) is an emerging environmental issue worldwide. MPs constitute a cocktail of various additives and polymers besides adsorbing toxic heavy metals from the environment. This co-occurrence of MPs with heavy metals poses a threat to the health of organisms and is poorly understood. Ingestion of MPs contaminated with heavy metals may also result in subsequent transfer of heavy metals up in the food chain. MPs surfaces play a crucial role in the adsorption of heavy metals. Aged/biofouled MPs facilitate greater adsorption of metals and certain microplastic (MP) polymers adsorb some metals more specifically. External factors involved in the process of adsorption/accumulation of heavy metals are the solution pH, salinity, and the concentration of relevant heavy metals in the media. Desorption greatly depends upon pH of the external solution. This is more concerning as the guts/digestive systems of organisms have low pH which could enhance the desorption of toxic metals and making them accumulate in their bodies. The aim of this article is to discuss the abundance, distribution, adsorption, and desorption behavior of MPs for heavy metals, and their combined toxic effects on flora and fauna based on the limited research on this topic in the literature. There is an overarching need to understand the interactions of MPs with heavy metals in different ecosystems so that the extent of ecotoxic effects they pose could be assessed which would help in the environmental regulation of these pollutants.

Phyto-ecological studies and distribution pattern of plant species and communities of Dhirkot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

Plant species represent the hierarchical expression of vegetation as it is affected by various environmental gradients. We explored the plant species composition, distribution pattern, communities formation and their respective indicators under the influence of various environmental factors in the Dhirkot region, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It was hypothesized that different environmental factors were responsible for the formation of various plant communities each with a distinct indicator. Quantitative ecological techniques were used for the sampling of vegetation. A total of 114 quadrats were established in 13 selected sampling sites. Phytosociological attributes were calculated for each plant species at each quadrat. Soil samples were collected and analyzed using different standard protocols. All the collected data were analyzed using Cluster Analysis, Indicator Species Analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis of PCORD and CANOCO software, respectively. A total of 145 plant species were recorded belong to 62 different families. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were the dominant families, represented by 12 species each (8.27%). Cluster Analysis classify all the stations and plants into four major plant communities as 1) Olea-Desmodium-Prunilla community. 2) Abies-Zanthoxylum-Pteracanthus community 3) Cedrus-Elaeagnus-Hypericum community 4) Alnus-Myrsine-Ranunculus community. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, soil saturation, organic matter and altitude were the significant environmental factors that play its essential role in the plant species distribution, composition, formation of major plant communities and their respective indicators in the region. It is recommended that the identified indicator and rare plant species of the investigated area can further be grown for conservation and management purposes in in-situ environment.

Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Mazri palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.) is a member of the family Arecaceae, native to Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, it is used since long time for various purposes. This species plays a significant cultural and economic role in the daily lives of many rural areas in Pakistan and adjacent countries. However, the handcrafted products made up of this palm are often mainly known by specific local communities rather than by a broader range of people. METHODS: Eighty-six structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted from Mazri growing areas, villages, and markets of urban centers during the fieldwork that was conducted in diverse regions of Pakistan. Interviewees included 27 Mazri farmers, 17 locals retaining Traditional Knowledge in handcrafting Mazri palm (12 were men and 5 were women), 23 handicrafts experts (21 were men and 2 were women), and 19 sellers. The age of the informants ranged from 14 to 83 years. Study participants shared detailed information about various traditional utilizations of the Mazri palm. RESULTS: Mature leaves of Mazri palm are used to produce mats, baskets, hand fans, hats, cages, hot pots, salt pots, brooms, etc. in the sudy area. Hot pots, salt pots, mats, baskets, and ropes represent highly used items. The mats are used for various purposes like drying grains, performing prayers, sitting, and sleeping. As a whole, 39 different kinds of handcrafted products from the leaves were found. Our findings revealed also that other parts of the plant, ie. petioles, fruits, and bark, have been used, although more rarely, by the locals. The palm uses differ accordingly to the different cultural areas of Pakisitan, thus demonstrating that local cultural heritage significantly informs Traditional Knowledge and practices related to the use of Mazri palm. The findings suggest also that this plant represents a crucial resource for the livelihood of the local communities in dry areas of the western borders of Pakistan, starting right from the coastal areas of Baluchistan up to District Bajaur in the North, where other farming activities there are difficult due to drought conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional Knowledge about the sustainable utilization of Mazri palm is eroded in Pakistan among the younger generations due to rapid globalization and industrialization processes and appropriate strategies for revitalizing this heritage in a sustainable way should be urgently fostered.

Characterization of Cobalt Oxide and Calcium-Aluminum Oxide nano-catalyst through Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy.

The Cobalt Oxide and Calcium-Aluminum Oxide nano-catalysts were analyzed using Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. Preliminary results showed that the particles of Cobalt Oxide exhibit sponge like morphology and homogenous distribution as per confirmation via SEM. Its average particle size ranges to 30.6 nm demonstrating enormous number of pores and aggregative in nature. Its various peaks were ranging from 19.2 to 65.4 after XRD analysis. The highest intensity was observed at 36.9 position. The energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques were used to calculate the elements present in sample according to their weight and atomic percentage. The cobalt oxide contain cobalt as the most abundant element with 46.85 wt% and 18.01 atomic percent. It contain oxygen with 30.51 wt% and 43.19 atomic percent. Whereas, SEM of calcium aluminum oxide showed random morphology. According to the calculation of Scherrer equation regarding XRD analysis, it was distributed homogenously with particle size ranges from 30 to 40 nm. Its porous morphology was due to the interconnecting gaps between different particles. It result the eight peaks ranging from 18.1 to 62.7 in XRD spectrum. The highest intensity observed at 35.1 with average crystallite particle size of 25.6 nm. The calcium aluminum oxide contain aluminum 7.45 wt% and 6.93 atomic percent. The calcium was the most abundant element with54.7 wt% and 34.24 atomic percent followed by oxygen with 37.26 wt% and 58.42 atomic percent. It was concluded that the SEM, XRD, and EDX are the most significant techniques to characterize nano-catalysts in particular and other compounds generally.