Vegetation-environment interactions: plant species distribution and community assembly in mixed coniferous forests of Northwestern Himalayas.

One of the main goals of ecological studies is to disentangle the dynamics that underlie the spatiotemporal distribution of biodiversity and further functions of the ecosystem. However, due to many ecological and geopolitical reasons, many remote areas with high plant species diversity have not been assessed using newly based analytical approaches for vegetation characterization. Here, we classified and characterized different vegetation types (i.e., major plant communities) based on indicator species and on the influence of different environmental gradients in the Himalayan mixed coniferous forest, Pakistan. For that, we addressed the following questions: Does the vegetation composition of the Himalayan mixed coniferous forest correlate with climatic, topographic, geographic, and edaphic variables? Is it possible to identify plant communities through indicator species in relation to environmental gradients using multivariate approaches? Can this multivariate be helpful for conservation planning? During four consecutive years we assessed the vegetation composition and environmental variables (21 variables divided in geographic, climatic, topographic, and edaphic groups) of 156 50 m-trasects between an elevation of 2000-4000 m. Using newly based analytical approaches for community characterization, we found a total of 218 plant species clustered into four plant communities with the influence of environmental gradients. The highest index of similarity was recorded between Pinus-Cedrus-Viburnum (PCV) and Viburnum-Pinus-Abies (VPA) communities, and the highest index of dissimilarity was recorded between PCV and Abies-Juniperus-Picea (AJP) communities. Among these four communities, highest number of plant species (156 species) was recorded in PCV, maximum alpha diversity (H' = 3.68) was reported in VPA, highest Simpson index (0.961) and Pielou's evenness (0.862) were reported in VPA and AJP. The edaphic gradients (i.e., organic matter, phosphorous, pH and soil texture) and climatic factors (temperature, humidity) were the strongest environmental gradients that were responsible for structuring and hosting the diverse plant communities in mixed coniferous forest. Finally, the Himalayan mixed coniferous structure is more influenced by the spatial turnover beta-diversity process (ßsim) than by the species loss (nestedness-resultant, ßsne). Our analysis of the vegetation structure along the environmental gradient in the Himalayan mixed coniferous forest supported by sophisticated analytical approaches reveled indicator species groups, which are associated to specific microclimatic zones (i.e., vegetation communities). Within this focus, we side with the view that these results can support conservation planning and management for similar and different areas providing mitigating and preventive measures to reduce potential negative impacts, such as anthropic and climatic.

Analysis of codon usage bias of lumpy skin disease virus causing livestock infection.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) causes lumpy skin disease (LSD) in livestock, which is a double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. LSDV is an important poxvirus that has spread out far and wide to become distributed worldwide. It poses serious health risks to the host and causes considerable negative socioeconomic impact on farmers financially and on cattle by causing ruminant-related diseases. Previous studies explained the population structure of the LSDV within the evolutionary time scale and adaptive evolution. However, it is still unknown and remains enigmatic as to how synonymous codons are used by the LSDV. Here, we used 53 LSDV strains and applied the codon usage bias (CUB) analysis to them. Both the base content and the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that the AT-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of LSDV. Further low codon usage bias was calculated from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested that the dominant factor of natural selection played a role in the structuring of CUB in LSDV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis suggested that the LSDV has adapted host-specific codon usage patterns to sustain successful replication and transmission chains within hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens). Both natural selection and mutational pressure have an impact on the codon usage patterns of the protein-coding genes in LSDV. This study is important because it has characterized the codon usage pattern in the LSDV genomes and has provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them.

Ethnic practices in treating skin diseases: The traditional dermatologist's role.

This study documents the role of traditional medicinal and therapeutic plants in treating various skin ailments by indigenous communities of the tribal district of North Waziristan, Pakistan. A total of 130 informants and traditional dermatologists were interviewed. They employed 77 plant species belonging to 49 families to treat various skin ailments. The leading life form reported was herbs (41 species), whereas the dominant family was Lamiaceae (5 species). Leaves were the most commonly used plant part (37 species). The most preferred mode of preparation was paste (30.38%), and the dominant mode of administration was topical (69.23%). Important medicinal plants reported in this study are recommended for further phytochemical screening for bioactive constituents, which may lead to novel drug discoveries.

Effects of environmental and spatial gradients on Quercus-dominated Mountain forest communities in the Hindu-Kush ranges of Pakistan.

Quercus-dominated forests are among the most important broad-leaved evergreen forests of the Hindu Kush ranges and are currently prone to drastic anthropogenic and climatic changes. The aim of this study was to provide basic data for the development of a regional oak forest ecosystem framework for ecological restoration and management plan development to maintain local peoples' livelihoods. Hence, we analyzed distribution patterns and environmental factors that affect regional oak forests' species composition and diversity. Ward's Agglomerative clustering divided oak-dominated forest communities into three groups: i.e., Group I, dominated by Quercus baloot had an importance value index (IVI) of 89.87 ± 4.31, Group II, dominated by Quercus dilatata had an IVI of 32.16 ± 15.01, and Group III, dominated by Quercus oblongata had an IVI of 83.14 ± 4.67, respectively. The environmental factors which vary significantly within these communities were latitude, elevation, clay content and bulk density of the soil. Wilting point, saturation point, and electrical conductivity were also considered as ecosystem structural variables. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that community structure was affected by various environmental factors including precipitation, slope angle, elevation, clay content, and relative humidity.

Distribution of polyphenolic compounds, antioxidant potential, and free amino acids in Ziziphus fruits extract; a study for determining the influence of wider geography.

Ziziphus fruits have attracted much attention within the field of medicine due to their high potential against central nervous system disorders. Abundance of secondary metabolites and their composition is key to the pharmaceutical potential and commercial qualities of plants. The in vitro antioxidant activities of Ziziphus nummularia (Burm. f.) and Ziziphus oxyphylla Edgew fruit extract were analyzed using 2,2-diphenil-1-pycrilhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging assay methods. Phenolic profiles were explored using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The result revealed high concentration of polyphenols and their antioxidant potential. In Z. nummularia, the total phenolic content (TPC) (80.270 ± 0.422 µg/ml), DPPH (62.03 ± 0.98 µg/ml), ABTS (66.32 ± 0.73 µg/ml), and TFC (90.683 ± 0.274 µg/ml) were recorded. However, in Z. oxyphylla, DPPH and ABTS values were 60.66 ± 0.56 µg/ml and 61.55 ± 0.77 µg/ml, respectively, indicative of the impacts of climate and soil nutrients. The overall screening of phytochemicals revealed that both the Ziziphus species contain diverse bioactive compounds, including spinacetine-3-O-(2 feruloyl glucopyranosyl)-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside-7-O-glucoside, and caffeic acid; p-hydroxybenzoyl hexose, p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid, and ellagic acid pentoxide. Additionally, the highest concentrated amino acid noted was of Lue 0.19 g/100 g with 596.00 retention time (RT), followed by Thr>Ale>Isl>Phya>Val in Z. nummularia. Similarly, the highest concentration of Lue amino acid was recorded as 0.18/100 g with 564.52 RT followed by Pr>Thr>Ale>Lue>Isl>Phya>Val in all genotypes of Z. oxyphylla. Reporting of polyphenols rich and stable species along with identification of favorable regions of cultivation for amino acid, polyphenols, and higher antioxidant potential may lead the way for the identification of elite clones of the species as well as may result in new drug discovery.

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Plant Resources among Five Ethnic Groups in the Western Himalayan Region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Plant resources have always been valuable in human life, and many plant species are used in medicine, food, and ritual, and resource utilization is closely related to cultural diversity. Our study was conducted from June 2019 to April 2021, during which we aimed to document the local knowledge of plant resources of five ethnic groups, i.e., the Gujjar, Bakarwal, Kashmiri, Pahari, and Dogra communities of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region, Western Himalayas. Through semi-structured interviews (N = 342) and group discussions (N = 38), we collected data on the ethnobotanical uses of plant resources. The data was subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and ordination techniques (Principal Component Analysis) via, R software of version 4.0.0. Traditional uses were classified into three groups, i.e., single-, double-, and multi-use groups. The study recorded a total of 127 plant species, belonging to 113 genera and distributed among 64 botanical families. The dominant plant families were the Asteraceae, with 8% of all species, followed by Lamiaceae (6%), Polygonaceae (5%) and Ranunculaceae (4%). The recorded plant taxa were frequently used for medicine (51.4% responses), followed by food (14.9%), and fodder (9.5%). Principal component analysis (PCA) separated three groups of provisioning services depending on plant consumption preference levels. Comparative analysis showed remarkable similarities in plant uses (food, medicinal) among the Gujjar and Bakarwal ethnic groups, as both groups share a common culture. Some plants like Azadirachta indica, Brassica campestris, Ulmus wallichiana, Amaranthus blitum, and Celtis australis were also used for magico-religious purposes. We also recorded some medicinal uses that are new to the ethnobotanical literature of the J&K Himalayas, such as for Betula utilis, Sambucus wightiana, and Dolomiaea macrocephala, in our case for example local medicinal recipe, which is derived from Dolomiaea macrocephala, often known as Nashasta, used to treat weakness, back pain, and joint pain. Similarly, we also recorded new food uses for Eremurus himalaicus. Moreover, we also observed some plants for instance, Fragaria nubicola, Betula utilis and Juniperus communis have spiritual significance (i.e., amulets and scrolls) for this part of the Himalayan region. The present study provides a useful tool for resource management and can help in developing scientifically informed strategies for the conservation of plant resources.

Ethnoveterinary Practices of Medicinal Plants Among Tribes of Tribal District of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Domestic animals play a vital role in the development of human civilization. Plants are utilized as remedies for a variety of domestic animals, in addition to humans. The tribes of North Waziristan are extremely familiar with the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants as ethnoveterinary medicines. The present study was carried out during 2018-2019 to record ethnoveterinary knowledge of the local plants that are being used by the tribal communities of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In all, 56 medicinal plant species belonging to 42 families were identified, which were reported to treat 45 different animal diseases. These included 32 herbs, 12 shrubs, and 12 trees. Among the plant families, Asteraceae contributed the most species (5 spp.), followed by Amaranthaceae (4 spp.), Solanaceae (4 species), and Alliaceae, Araceae, and Lamiaceae (2 spp. each). The most common ethnoveterinary applications were documented for the treatment of blood in urine, bone injury, colic, indigestion, postpartum retention, skin diseases, constipation, increased milk production, mastitis, foot, and mouth diseases.

Environmental variables drive plant species composition and distribution in the moist temperate forests of Northwestern Himalaya, Pakistan.

By assessing plant species composition and distribution in biodiversity hotspots influenced by environmental gradients, we greatly advance our understanding of the local plant community and how environmental factors are affecting these communities. This is a proxy for determining how climate change influences plant communities in mountainous regions ("space-for-time" substitution). We evaluated plant species composition and distribution, and how and which environmental variables drive the plant communities in moist temperate zone of Manoor valley of Northwestern Himalaya, Pakistan. During four consecutive years (2015-2018), we sampled 30 sampling sites, measuring 21 environmental variables, and recording all plant species present in an altitudinal variable range of 1932-3168 m.a.s.l. We used different multivariate analyses to identify potential plant communities, and to evaluate the relative importance of each environmental variable in the species composition and distribution. Finally, we also evaluated diversity patterns, by comparing diversity indices and beta diversity processes. We found that (i) the moist temperate zone in this region can be divided in four different major plant communities; (ii) each plant community has a specific set of environmental drivers; (iii) there is a significant variation in plant species composition between communities, in which six species contributed most to the plant composition dissimilarity; (iv) there is a significant difference of the four diversity indices between communities; and (v) community structure is twice more influenced by the spatial turnover of species than by the species loss. Overall, we showed that altitudinal gradients offer an important range of different environmental variables, highlighting the existence of micro-climates that drive the structure and composition of plant species in each micro-region. Each plant community along the altitudinal gradient is influenced by a set of environmental variables, which lead to the presence of indicator species in each micro-region.

Evolution of codon usage in Taenia saginata genomes and its impact on the host.

The beef tapeworm, also known as Taenia saginata, is a zoonotic tapeworm from the genus Taenia in the order Cyclophyllidea. Taenia saginata is a food-borne zoonotic parasite with a worldwide distribution. It poses serious health risks to the host and has a considerable negative socioeconomic impact. Previous studies have explained the population structure of T. saginata within the evolutionary time scale and adaptive evolution. However, it is still unknown how synonymous codons are used by T. saginata. In this study, we used 90 T. saginata strains, applying the codon usage bias (CUB). Both base content and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that AT-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of T. saginata. Further low CUB was observed from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested that the dominant factor of natural selection was involved in the structuring of CUB in T. saginata. Further analysis showed that T. saginata has adapted host-specific codon usage patterns to sustain successful replication and transmission chains within hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens). Generally, both natural selection and mutational pressure have an impact on the codon usage patterns of the protein-coding genes in T. saginata. This study is important because it characterized the codon usage pattern in the T. saginata genomes and provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them.

Species Distribution Pattern and Their Contribution in Plant Community Assembly in Response to Ecological Gradients of the Ecotonal Zone in the Himalayan Region.

The ecotonal zones support populations that are acclimated to changing, fluctuating, and unstable conditions, and as a result, these populations are better equipped to adjust to expected change. In this context, a hypothesis was tested that there must be vegetation dominated by unique indicator plant species under the influence of ecological gradients in the ecotonal zone of Manoor Valley (northwestern Himalaya), Pakistan. Keeping the aforementioned hypothesis in mind, detailed field studies were conducted during different seasons in 2015-18. Line transect sampling and phytosociological characteristics (density, frequency, cover, and their relative values and Importance Value) were implemented as ecological methods. This investigation documented 97 plant species recorded from seven sampling sites. The community distribution modelling revealed that the ecological variables separate the seven sampling sites into two major plant communities (Indigofera-Parrotiopsis-Bistorta and Ziziphus-Leptopus-Quercus) recognized by TWINSPAN. The IBP communities showed a positive and significant correlation with altitude (1789.6-1896.3 m), sandy soil texture with a slightly acidic pH (6.4-6.5), and higher phosphorous (9-13 mg kg-1). In contrast with this, the ZLQ community was recognized on the southern slope under the strong influence of high electrical conductivity (2.82-5.4 dsm-1), organic matter (1.08-1.25%), calcium carbonate (5.8-7.6 mg kg-1), potassium (202-220 mg kg-1), and temperature (28.8-31.8 °C). Hence, both communities were found on opposite axes with clear differences based on the ecological gradients. NMDS clustered different species with similar habitats and different stands with common species, showing that plant species and stands were in a linear combination with ecological gradients. The IPB community has the maximum number of plant species (87 species), Shannon value (H' = 4), Simpson value (0.98), and Pielou's evenness value (0.96). Thus, the multivariate approaches revealed unique vegetation with sharp boundaries between communities which might be due to abrupt environmental changes.

Plant Resources Utilization among Different Ethnic Groups of Ladakh in Trans-Himalayan Region.

The nomadic pastoral indigenous communities of the Ladakhi people share roots with Tibetan culture in terms of food, clothing, religion, festivals, and habits, and rely widely on plant resources for survival and livelihood. This survey was conducted during 2019-2021 to document the indigenous knowledge about plant resources of the Balti, Beda, and Brokpa communities of the Ladakh region, trans-Himalayas. Open- and close-ended semi-structured interviews (N = 184) and group discussions (N = 17) were used to collect the data. Quantitative data was further analyzed using various statistical tools. A total of 105 plant species belonging to 82 genera and 39 families were used as medicine, fuel wood, fragrance, oil, food, flavor, fodder, decoration, and dye. Among these, medicinal use was most prevalent, with 70% of use reports, followed by fodder and fuel wood. Leaves (27%) were the most preferred plant part used, followed by roots and flowers. The principal component analysis revealed five clusters of ethnobotanical usage, i.e., food, medicine, fuel wood, fodder, and fragrance, oil, dye, and flavor. The maximum number of plant species used was reported by the Brokpa, while the Beda reported the minimum number of plant species uses. Delphinium brunonianum, Waldheimia tomentosa, and Juniperus indica played a significant role in the cultural and religious ritual aspects, whereas Allium przewalskianum, Waldheimia tomentosa, Juniperus indica, and Hippophae rhamnoides were commonly used as a livelihood source among Ladakhi communities. The local people collected most plants (65%) for self-consumption, while the rest (35%) were sold in markets as a source of income. The sustainable utilization and management of plant resources by local people is a strategy to boost livelihoods and food security and alleviate poverty.

COVID-19 - Important considerations for developing and using a vaccine.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 after emerging in China has caused a global pandemic that is risking the lives of millions. COVID-19 has spread across the world at a very rapid rate raising concerns of capacity limitations and lack of unified responses at the global level, particularly from the world's most developed countries. The spread of further infection has been curtailed by lockdown and mass social distancing that has been enforced in most parts of the world. There are no clinical data yet suggesting that any available candidate vaccine will be effective for COVID-19 which will be a critical need for eventually preventing this disease. Extensive research is underway with some success in identification of monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 recovered patients, which may inform on vaccine development. The clinical evaluations of COVID-19 vaccines need to follow standardized protocols that are essential for safeguarding humans. In absence of a vaccine or a widely available effective therapy, quarantine and other preventive measures are essential in curtailing the risk of pandemic spread.

Classification and Characterization of the Manoor Valley's (Lesser Himalaya) Vegetation from the Subtropical-Temperate Ecotonal Forests to the Alpine Pastures along Ecological Variables.

Plant species are distributed in different types of habitats, forming different communities driven by different sets of environmental variables. Here, we assessed potential plant communities along an altitudinal gradient and their associations with different environmental drivers in the unexplored Manoor Valley (Lesser Himalaya), Pakistan. We have implemented various ecological techniques and evaluated phytosociological attributes in three randomly selected 50 m-transects within each stand (a total of 133) during different seasons for four years (2015-2018). This phytosociological exploration reported 354 plant species representing 93 different families. The results revealed that the Therophytic life form class dominated the flora, whereas Nanophyll dominated the leaf size spectra. There were a total of twelve plant communities identified, ranging from the lowest elevations to the alpine meadows and cold deserts. The maximum number of species were found in Cedrus-Pinus-Parrotiopsis community (197 species), in the middle altitudinal ranges (2292-3168 m). Our results showed that at high altitudes, species richness was reduced, whereas an increase in soil nutrients was linked to progression in vegetation indicators. We also found different clusters of species with similar habitats. Our study clearly shows how altitudinal variables can cluster different plant communities according to different microclimates. Studies such as ours are paramount to better understanding how environmental factors influence ecological and evolutionary aspects.

De novo transcriptome analysis of Lantana camara L. revealed candidate genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway.

Lantana camara L. is an economically important essential oil producing plant belonging to family Verbenaceae. It is used in medication for treating various diseases like cancer, ulcers, tumor, asthma and fever. The plant is a useful source of essential bioactive compounds such as steroids, flavonoids and phenylpropanoid glycosides etc. Nonetheless, very little is known about the genomic or transcriptomic resources of L. camara, and this might be the reason of hindering molecular studies leading to identification of improved lines. Here we used Illumina sequencing platform and performed the L. camara leaf (LCL) and root (LCR) de novo transcriptome analyses. A total of 70,155,594 and 84,263,224 clean reads were obtained and de novo assembly generated 72,877 and 513,985 unigenes from leaf (LCL) and root (LCR) respectively. Furthermore, the pathway analysis revealed the presence of 229 and 943 genes involved in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in leaf and root tissues respectively. Similarity search was performed against publically available genome databases and best matches were found with Sesamum indicum (67.5%) that were much higher than that of Arabidopsis thaliana (3.9%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of leaf and root tissues of this non-model plant from family Verbenaceae and may serve as a baseline for further molecular studies.

Response of plant physiological attributes to altitudinal gradient: Plant adaptation to temperature variation in the Himalayan region.

Plants have evolved several metabolic pathways as a response to environmental stress like low temperatures. In this perspective, it is paramount to highlight physiological mechanisms of plant responses to changing environments. To determine the impact of cold stress on the physiological attributes of high altitude plant natives, i.e. Pedicularis punctata and Plantago major, we studied the protein, sugar and proline contents, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) in leaves collected from three different altitudinal ranges in Himalayan region of Pakistan. Leaves were collected at the initial blooming phase from each altitudinal range i.e. 2400-2500 m, 2950-3250 m and 3500-3550 m. Temperature decreases with an increase in the altitude which induces cold acclimation. Both plant species showed significant variation in the concentrations of the ecophysiological attributes evaluated at the different collection altitudes. The concentrations of all compounds except for IAA increased as temperature decreased and altitude increased. IAA showed an opposite response, that is, the concentrations of this phytohormone decreased with decreasing temperature and increasing altitude. We showed that temperature significantly affected the physiological attributes of Pedicularis punctata and Plantago major in the Himalayan region, which works as a proxy for understanding the plant responses to climate change. As per survival and risk assessment, underlying physiological mechanisms of plant response (understory plants) to changing environments (altitude and temperature ranges) revealed adaptation in the chilling environments. Further studies are needed to completely understand how the studied plants photosynthetic characteristics are affected by altitudinal gradient.

Herbal Teas and Drinks: Folk Medicine of the Manoor Valley, Lesser Himalaya, Pakistan.

In spite of the remarkable achievements in the healthcare sector over recent decades, inequities in accessibility and affordability of these facilities coexist throughout Pakistan. Thus, we aimed to explore and document the cultural knowledge of herbal teas used medicinally by the local community members of Manoor Valley, Pakistan. Field investigations were undertaken during the summer season of 2015-2017, and cultural practices of medicinal plant usage for treating various ailments were gathered through interviews of the local inhabitants. Ethnomedicinal insights of the medicinal plants used in herbal teas were gained with different indexes. Our results revealed 27 plant species, comprising of herbs (70%), shrubs (26%), and trees (4%), which were used for treating 21 diseases. Plants belonged to 18 families: Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were the leading families used for treating diseases. Diarrhea and gas troubles were the most frequent diseases. Based on indexes values, Cannabis sativa was the dominant species used. The results revealed that 57% of medicinal uses are new to literature. This ethnomedicinal study is providing the first insights into the traditional medication system of Lesser Himalaya, Pakistan, through ethnomedicinal teas.

Exploring threatened traditional knowledge; ethnomedicinal studies of rare endemic flora from Lesser Himalayan region of Pakistan

ABSTRACT Himalayas are one among the world biodiversity hotspots harboring many endemic medicinal plants. Despite augmentation in the documentation of ethnopharmacological knowledge of medicinal plant species, information regarding endemic species is still underway. Current paper highlights the traditional medicinal uses of rare endemic and unexplored group of plants having potential for novel chemical constituents with effective pharmacological activities. In total, 142 informants (91 male and 51 female) including seventeen traditional healers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire, personal observations and group discussions. Interviews were taken in field or otherwise photographs were shown for identification. Females were interviewed indirectly through male family members. For data analysis, quantitative analytical approach was adopted using ethnopharmacological indices as Relative frequency of citations and Fidelity Level. In total, 38 endemic plant species belonging to nineteen families were utilized by the local inhabitants. Highest number of endemics was belonging to Ranunculaceae (7), followed by Gentianaceae and Rosaceae (4 each) with respect to number of species. Highest number of endemics was used in fever, wound healing, throat infection and tonic (4 species each). Root was the most widely used part (36.17%) in cure of diseases and the leading mode administered was decoction (25.49%). Highest use reports and RFC values were recorded for Pimpinella stewartii (58 citations, 0.41 RFC), Caltha alba var. alba (52 citations, 0.37 RFC). Endemic plant species considerably contribute toward ethnomedicinal knowledge and despite rarity, the communities prefer their utilization. Conservation of endemics is necessary for future availability to the local communities.

Ecophysiological Plasticity and Cold Stress Adaptation in Himalayan Alpine Herbs: Bistorta affinis and Sibbaldia procumbens.

Plants have evolved several metabolic pathways as a response to environmental stressors such as low temperatures. In this perspective, it is paramount to highlight physiological mechanisms of plant responses to altitudinal gradients as a proxy to evaluate changing environments. Here, we aimed to determine the impact of elevation on the physiological attributes of two plant species along an altitudinal gradient. Our hypothesis was that the altitudinal gradient influences proline, protein, and sugar contents, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) concentrations. We studied these physiological components in leaves collected from four different altitudinal ranges in Himalayan region of Pakistan from two native herbs, namely Bistorta affinis and Sibbaldia procumbens. Leaves were collected at the initial blooming phase from each altitudinal range, viz. 2850 m, 3250 m, 3750 m and 4250 m. We observed that most abiotic factors decrease with altitude which induces cold acclimation. A significant increase in the concentration of physiological components was observed as altitude increased, except for IAA, which decreased. Furthermore, we did not find variations in proline, ABA and IAA concentrations between species; only sugar and protein, with higher values for B. affinis. We conclude that altitudinal gradients significantly affect the physiological components of B. affinis and S. procumbens in Himalayan region. This result contributes to the understanding of how plants adapt to environmental pressures, acting as a proxy for the evaluation of impacts caused by climate changes.

Historical perspectives of ethnobotany.

Ethnobotany is the study of the direct interaction between plants and man in his culture. From time immemorial, man has been depending on Mother Nature for all his basic needs and plant diversity that existed around him always attracted his curiosity. Man's preliminary interest in plants started from his need for food, shelter, protection and then his attention shifted to the remedies for injuries and diseases. In fact, medicine and botany always had strong and close connections, as most of the modern medicines come from plant sources. The current venture reviews the developments and perspectives of ethnobotany in global scenarios. We have summarized the available literature and documentations regarding the historic background of ethnobotany. A survey of the literature survey reveals that plant resources were cited around the globe for curing almost all disease categories i.e. skin disorders, respiratory disorders, digestive disorders, urinary disorders, cardiac disorders, ophthalmic disorders, ear nose throat (ENT) disorders, excretory disorders, nervous disorders, immunity disorders and so on. The orally exchanged customary information/knowledge is in the hands of elders, and most of it can vanish after their deaths and could lead to the depletion of such imperative information. The ethnic society resources, like the folk asset in association with a nature of investigated and surveyed areas, can be conserved through documentation. The natural chemical compounds from plants may be screened and isolated. Plants with therapeutic uses should be tested in studies by using those isolated natural compounds in laboratories to screen and evaluate of plants metabolites with potential therapeutic uses.