Explore the vast range of titles available.

Effective pre-treatments are essential for improving germination and seedling establishment in the tree species with hard seed coats, such as Albizia procera and Albizia chinensis. This study evaluated the effects of five pre-treatments viz. hot water, cold treatment, cow-dung, H 2 SO 4 , and gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) and compared these with a control (no pretreatment) on seed germination and early seedling growth performance of these two species in nursery, Mizoram, India. Hot water treatment achieved the highest germination percentage (75.83% for A. procera and 86.11% for A. chinensis), while H 2 SO 4 treatment had the shortest mean germination time (4.5 days for A. procera and 8.87 days for A. chinensis). Germination energy peaked in the first week for A. procera under H 2 SO 4 treatment (58.06%) while in the second week for A. chinensis with hot water treatment (63.38%). Seedlings showed superior growth performance in summer compared to winter, influenced by soil temperature. After one year, seedlings treated with hot water reached the highest heights 123.75 cm for A. chinensis and 125.72 cm for A. procera under cow dung. The Dickson's quality index (DQI) indicated good seedling quality for both species. Hot water is recommended as a simple, cost-effective method to enhance germination and produce vigorous seedlings, suitable for afforestation and restoration programs.

Gum Arabic is the most important non-wood forest product of Sudan, and therefore use of a sustainable harvesting tool can significantly improve its gum quality. We conducted a study in North and West Kordofan of Sudan to assess the performance, use, and efficiency of the newly designed harvesting tool, and to understand the level of its adoption by the gum Arabic producers. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, and by group discussion involving 44 trained gum producers by a purposive selection method. Besides, we conducted another field experiment to understand the pattern of gum falling (in and out) of the new harvesting tool during collection. Descriptive statistics were applied using SPSS and Microsoft Excel. The findings of the study showed that 72.7% of respondents were happy while using the new harvesting tool, and 95.5% stated that the tool was well performed. Further, 59.1% of respondents stated that the new harvesting tool is much better than old tools and as many as 61.4% of respondents indicated that the new tool can harvest all gums in a tree. Additionally, 63.6% of the respondents mentioned it was more efficient than the traditional tools. Likewise, 88.6% of respondents stated that the new harvesting tool improved safety. Further, the results indicated a significant correlation (p ≤ 0.01) between nodules fall in harvesting tool and picking time, as well as between picking time and number of branches. The overall results indicated that the new harvesting tool is innovative in terms of ensuring safety, and reducing collection time while improving gum quality. The research recommends the replacement of the traditional tools with this new harvesting tool for sustainable gum Arabic harvesting in Sudan.

Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers (Lythraceae family), called pride of India, is an important ornamental and medicinal plant having a very high demand for its fruits. Six presowing treatments, that is, hot water, cold treatment, cow dung, H 2 SO 4 , gibberellic acid (GA 3 ), and scarification, were used to evaluate the effect of treatments on seed germination, mean germination time, and germination energy and monitor the growth performance of seedling as well as seedling quality index of L. speciosa . Among the different treatments, hot water recorded the highest germination percentage (51.95%). However, minimum mean germination time was achieved by H 2 SO 4 treatment (21.17 days). Additionally, a significant difference ( p < 0.05) was observed in germination rate among treatments and the number of seeds germinated per day among treatments. The mean seedling height of L. speciosa reached a maximum height of 104 cm and a diameter of 10.67 mm in 1 year. We found a strong relation between seedling height and soil temperature ( r = 0.56) and between seedling characteristics and biomass parameters, while there was a negative correlation with the total percentage of water content. The Dickson quality index of the seedlings was found to be 2.68. Our findings recommend hot water as the best treatment for ensuring quality seedlings, and seedlings of 1 year is sufficiently robust for large‐scale afforestation and reforestation programs.

Seed production, dispersal, germination, and seedling establishment are critical life phases of a tree species. Understanding these processes is crucial to recognize species composition and directional change for ecosystem restoration. This study aimed to estimate seed production, dispersal, and fate of the seed population of A. procera (Roxb.) and evaluate its seedling growth performance in relation to microclimates under natural conditions. Seed production was estimated from 15 sampled trees for three years, while seed dispersal using circular sample plots and seed traps under mother trees. The mean seed production per tree was 145,352, 43,607, and 41,490 during year 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively, and it significantly differed between years (F = 12.09, P  < 0.0001) and among individual trees (F = 4.63, P  < 0.0001) while correlated positively with tree traits. Additionally, the seed density decreases with increased distance from the mother trees. A majority of the seeds (55.02% in 2022, 54.25% in 2023 and 52.92 in 2024) fell under the mother tree, while seeds disappeared due to predation and other losses reached 56.60%, 48.00%, and 49.80%, respectively. Germination rate in natural conditions were moderate (39.00%, 47.90%, and 45.40% in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively), and less than half (46.07%) of the germinated seedlings survived after 14 months. Further, relative seedling growth rate was strongly influenced by soil temperature, moisture and relative humidity indicating their crucial role in successful establishment. The findings provide essential insights into the population dynamics of A. procera and can inform strategies for monitoring growth and restoring degraded lands.

Change in global weather pattern has become a major concern because of their direct impact on land use and land cover (LULC). This study, conducted in Kassala State, Sudan, examines how climatic variability influences these changes. Additionally, the study is intended to find out the possible intervention to reduce the impact of wind and sandstorms in the area. Primary data were collected through interview, focus group discussion, direct observation, and analysis of satellite images. Landsat TM 5 (2002) and Landsat 8 OLI (2023) images were used for LULC mapping. Meteorological data were obtained from local weather stations, while social data were gathered through stakeholder interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel while satellite images were processed using supervised classification and change detection techniques in ERDAS and ArcMap. The result showed fluctuations in rainfall ( R 2 = 0.04), an increase temperature ( R 2 = 0.01), and higher wind speeds ( R 2 = 0.02). Forest cover declined from 17.11% to 13.20%, while bare land and shrubland expanded. The study recommends agroforestry systems interventions including windbreak and shelterbelts using Acacia tortilis and Acacia raddiana to mitigate the effects of sandstorms and land degradation.

Degraded jhum (shifting cultivation) soils are characterized by rapid losses of soil organic carbon (SOC), yet limited information is available on how organic amendments regulate SOC fractions and carbon stability. A two-year field experiment was conducted under soybean cultivation in northeast India to evaluate the effects of biochar, vermicompost and their combined application on total SOC and its labile and recalcitrant fractions. The experiment followed a randomized block design with eight treatments, including sole and combined applications of amendments. Compared with the control, the combined application of biochar and vermicompost increased total SOC by 2.33–3.86%, with a concurrent increase of 0.78–0.94% in less labile and non-labile carbon fractions, indicating enhanced carbon stabilization. Vermicompost alone primarily increased very labile and labile SOC pools, reflecting enhanced microbial activity and short-term carbon turnover. In contrast, biochar promoted the accumulation of recalcitrant carbon through sorption, aggregation, and physical protection mechanisms. Depth-wise analysis showed that SOC enrichment was more pronounced in surface soils layer (0–15 cm) than in the subsoil (15–39 cm). Overall, the results demonstrate that integrating biochar with nutrient-rich organic amendments facilitates a shift from active to more stable SOC pools, thereby improving carbon persistence in degraded jhum soils. This study highlights the potential of combined amendment strategies for enhancing soil carbon stability and supporting sustainable soil management in shifting cultivation systems.

Tree species diversity plays a crucial role in forest structure. This study assessed the species diversity, floristic composition, and vegetation structure along three elevation zones (lower elevation (LE) (<1200 m), middle elevation (ME) (1200–2100 m), and upper elevation (UE) (>2100 m)) and identified the ecological drivers causing changes in vegetation attributes in the Mamley watershed, Sikkim. The mean tree density ha−1 was highest at UE (1322.22 tree ha−1) while girth class distribution showed a reversed J-shape at all elevations. The study showed the highest Shannon diversity index at ME (2.69) and lowest at LE (2.18). In contrast, the highest importance value index was recorded by Schima wallichi (90.09) at LE, Quercus lamellosa (42.22) at ME, and Viburnum erubescens (48.39) at UE. Moreover, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Redundancy Analysis (RDA) indicated that the variation in species composition among the elevation zones was primarily driven by canopy height and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The community-based indicator value analysis identified clear diagnostic taxa for each elevation zone, including Shorea robusta and Celtis tetrandra at LE, Viscum album at ME, and Cryptomeria japonica at UE. The findings of this study underscore the biological distinctiveness of each elevation zone and its correspondence with environmental gradients.

The African Wild ass ( Equus africanus ) is considered an endangered species, particularly within its native range in the Horn of Africa and Nubian wild ass historically occupied northeastern Africa, including Sudan. This study presents the findings of a ground population survey carried out during the dry season (14th to 22nd of April 2025) across 23 sites representing various landscapes in the northern and middle areas of the Red Sea state, the coastal zone, coastal plains, and the Red Sea Hills. Our study recorded 652 individuals of which 415 are Nubian wild asses over an area of 184 km² with a population density of ~ 4 individuals per km². The overall male-to-female ratio was found to be 1:2.1 for the Nubian wild ass and 1:2.11 for the African wild ass. These results highlight key demographic trends and spatial distribution patterns critical for targeted conservation efforts.

Water-induced soil erosion is a critical driver of land degradation in the Eastern Himalayas, threatening agricultural productivity and regional stability. Previous assessments in Northeast India often rely on coarse global datasets or resource-intensive field approaches that lack the spatial granularity required for district-level management in complex terrains such as Aizawl. This study aimed to quantify the modelled average annual soil loss and delineate high-risk erosion zones using high-resolution remote sensing data. We employed a hybrid approach that integrated the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with machine learning algorithms, specifically Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector (SV). Parallelized pixel-based operations for rainfall (R), Soil Erodibility (K), cover management (C), and conservation practice (P) factors were conducted in Google Earth Engine (GEE), whereas Slope length and steepness factor (LS) factor was computed in ArcGIS 10.8. The findings show Rainfall erosivity ranged from 850 to 1108 MJ mm ha − 1 h − 1 yr − 1 and extreme topographic relief with LS values up to 83. The model results indicated that RF performed with higher accuracy (R 2  = 0.93) than SV (R 2  = 0.44) in estimating soil erosion. The estimated mean annual soil loss was 151.15 t ha − 1 yr − 1 using the RUSLE model and 149.64 t ha − 1 yr − 1 using RF. A significant positive correlation was observed between soil loss and the LS ( r  = 0.34, p  < 0.001), the P factors ( r  = 0.34, p  < 0.001) and the R factor ( r  = 0.27, p  < 0.001), while soil loss was weakly and negatively correlated with K factor ( r = – 0.03, p  < 0.001). Furthermore, the probability zonation map shows that more than 52% of the district falls under a slight erosion risk zone, while 45% falls under a moderate zone; the remains is shared between high-to very-high erosion-prone areas, primarily in barren lands, built-up areas, riverbanks, and steep terrains. These findings highlight a critical “erosion paradox” in which high forest cover masks localized degradation hotspots. These patterns identify critical hotspots where extreme topography overrides forest protection, allowing managers to prioritize high-risk riverbanks and steep slopes for targeted agroforestry and landslide prevention efforts. This study recommends the urgent need for LS-based zoning and the adoption of multi-strata agroforestry systems to mitigate sediment yields and landslides.

Understanding seed population dynamics is essential for recognizing shifts in species composition during ecosystem restoration. Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr. is a tropical fast‐growing tree species, widely cultivated in community forests and plantations, and is well adapted to a low fertility soil. This study aimed at estimating seed production, dispersal, and fate of the seed population (disappearance and germination at varying distance from the mother tree) and related early seedlings growth performance to microclimate variables. The findings revealed that seed production of A. chinensis varied significantly ( p < 0.001) among individual trees and showed a positive correlation between number of branches, inflorescences, crown height, and crown diameter with seed production. However, seed dispersal exhibited a strong negative correlation with dispersal distance from the mother tree ( r = −92) with significant differences among individual trees ( p < 0.05). We found that most seeds fell directly beneath the mother tree and seed disappearance declined as distance from the mother tree increased. Seedling height showed strong positive correlations with soil temperature, moisture, and humidity, and these variables also exhibited positive correlations with seedling diameter. We found that seedling growth (height and diameter) increments significantly varied between months ( p < 0.05). The findings of this study could help in restoration, management and conservation of A. chinensis in tropical areas. Importantly, this research represents the first comprehensive study on seed production dynamics and microclimate seedling interaction of A. chinensis in Northeast India, thereby filling a critical knowledge gap. Future research should focus on understanding the alternative seed production strategies in the species and their relation to biotic and abiotic factors.