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Grasses explains the history of our relationship with these humble yet vital plants from the end of the last Ice Age to the present day, exploring how these staple crops bear the mark of human influence more visibly than any other plant and how we, in turn, are motivated to protect green space such as public parks. This symbolic connection must be understood against the background of climate change, since humans will need to find a way to balance their need for grass as food, as living space and potentially even as fuel. Mixing biology, sociology and cultural history, and featuring numerous botanical images as well as many fine examples from art and culture, Grasses is a must-have for gardeners, food lovers and environmentalists alike.

Seed banks are crucial regenerative resources for aboveground vegetation. The pattern of their changes holds immense significance in understanding alterations in the belowground seed bank. This understanding is pivotal for uncovering both short-term and long-term shifts in plant communities. Additionally, it contributes to the restoration of grassland ecosystems. To better protect grassland biodiversity and provide a theoretical basis for the restoration of degraded grasslands, in this study, the germination characteristics of soil seed banks in free-grazed, enclosed and mown areas were compared, and the results were combined with those of previous studies for a comprehensive analysis. The density of soil seed bank and perennial forage soil seed bank were significantly affected by different grassland utilization and soil depths. Grazing and enclosure grassland utilization methods increased the content of the soil seed bank, and mowing reduced the content of the seed bank. The soil seed bank density of perennial grasses accounted for the highest proportion under grazing, followed by mowing, and its lowest proportion was observed in the enclosures. Grazing not only facilitated the germination of the perennial grass seed bank but also substantially augmented its content. Mowing inhibited the germination of the upper growth grasses seed bank, which was particularly significant in the 0-2 cm soil layer under grazing. The content of the upper growth grasses seed bank affected the total seed bank to a certain extent, mainly in the 5-10 cm layer. The general correlations among the perennial grasses, upper growth grasses and soil germination seed bank resulted in 84.58% information extraction, and this information has practical significance for grassland ecological restoration.

Grazing on cultivated grassland is a green agricultural model. However, in China's Loess Plateau, the type of cultivated grassland suitable for grazing and the amount of nitrogen application is still unclear, which has led to the failure of this model to be widely implemented. In this context, we set up an experiment using three grass planting types, including monoculture of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), monoculture of brome (Bromus inermis L.), and mixed planting of the two forages. Under each planting type, there were six management measures: grazing and no nitrogen application (GN1), grazing and 80 kg ha -1 nitrogen application (GN2), grazing and 160 kg ha -1 nitrogen application (GN3), cutting and no nitrogen application (MN1), cutting and 80 kg ha -1 nitrogen application (MN2), and cutting and 160 kg ha -1 nitrogen application (MN3). To explore the impacts of these treatments on pastures, we studied the effects on the yield, quality, and water use efficiency of the three cultivated grasslands. Results showed that alfalfa monoculture and alfalfa-brome mixed sowing grassland resulted in significantly higher hay yield, crude protein yield, water use efficiency (WUE), precipitation use efficiency (PUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (AEN) as compared to brome monoculture grassland. In addition, the crude protein, ether extract, and crude ash content of alfalfa monoculture and alfalfa-brome mixture were increased significantly while the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were reduced, thereby increasing the relative feed value (RFV) during the two years. The forage hay yield, crude protein yield, ether extract, crude ash content, RFV, PUE, and WUE were significantly higher with GN1, GN2, and GN3 treatments than that with MN1 treatment. In contrast, the NDF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) content was significantly lower than the MN1 treatment. Furthermore, the fresh forage yield, crude protein yield, PUE, and WUE of GN3 treatment were significantly higher than that of GN1 and GN2 treatments in both years, while the NUE and AEN were significantly higher in GN2 and GN3 treatments than that of MN3 treatment. Based on these results, alfalfa-brome mixed cropping with the application of 160 kg ha -1 nitrogen under grazing conditions is an appropriate management practice for improving the forage yield, quality, and water- and nitrogen utilization efficiency of cultivated grassland in the Loess Plateau of China. This integrated management model is applicable to the cultivation and utilization of mixed grassland on nutrient-poor land in the Loess Plateau.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are beneficial bacteria that facilitate plant growth and can be used in the restoration of ecosystems. However, PGPR vary in their temperature tolerance, and few studies have investigated the effect of temperature on PGPR-mediated growth promotion or PGPR inoculum colonization. Therefore, we isolated and purified rhizosphere bacteria from the rhizosphere soil of Elymus nutans Griseb ( En G), collected from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Selective culture media were used to assess whether these strains possess plant growth-promoting abilities and to measure the magnitude of their plant growth-promoting ability. Then screen out the strains (S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5) with strong plant growth-promoting ability for identification. To demonstrate the growth-promoting effects of the selected PGPR, we conducted a study. In this study, we simulated three temperature gradients (10°C, 15°C, and 20°C) during the growing season of En G on the Tibetan Plateau. Furthermore, we established four incubation substrate treatments: T1(addition of PGPR but no addition of NPK fertilizers), T2 (neither PGPR nor NPK fertilizers addition), T3 (addition of PGPR both and NPK fertilizers), and T4 (addition of NPK fertilizers but not PGPR), to explore the effects of PGPR on the growth and nutrient (NPK) utilization efficiency of En G at different temperatures. The results revealed that compared with those under T2, the plant height (PT) and dry weight under, T1 increased by 51.72% – 70.67% and 24.99–51.25%, respectively. The soluble sugar (SS) and soluble protein (SP) content significantly increased by 59.37% and 369.66%, respctively, at 10 °C ( p  < 0.05) and by 100.17% and 94.5%, respectively, at 15 °C ( p  < 0.05). Compared with those under T4, the physiological efficiencies of N (NPE) at 15 °C and 20 °C significantly decreased by 40.43% and 72.11%, respectively, under T3. In summary, these showed that this PGPR (S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5) promoted the growth of En G on the Tibetan plateau and improved its nutrient utilization efficiency.

The use of agricultural by-products as alternative feed is a key strategy to address forage shortages during the dry season. This study evaluated the substitution of young coconut husk silage (YCHS) for elephant grass silage on crude protein (CP) intake, CP digestibility, and milk nutrients in Sapera dairy goats. Sixteen lactating goats (average body weight 40.75 kg, 4th lactation) were assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin Square Design with four treatments: P0 (60 % elephant grass silage + 0 % YCHS), P1 (40 % + 20 %), P2 (20 % + 40 %), and P3 (0 % + 60 %). CP intake was significantly higher (P<0.05) in P2 (0.305 g/day), reflecting improved palatability and nutrient supply. CP digestibility also peaked in P2 (65.39 %) versus control (53.36%). In contrast, milk protein (3.50 %) and lactose (3.42 %) were unaffected by YCHS substitution and remained within Indonesian standards. These findings indicate that YCHS can replace elephant grass silage up to 40% in Sapera goat diets without reducing milk quality. Further processing is recommended to enhance digestibility and optimize nutrient utilization.

Understanding the interconnectivity of organisms among different habitats is a key requirement for generating effective management plans in coastal ecosystems, particularly when determining component habitat structures in marine protected areas. To elucidate the patterns of habitat use by fishes among coral, seagrass, and mangrove habitats, and between natural and transplanted mangroves, visual censuses were conducted semiannually at two sites in the Philippines during September and March 2010-2012. In total, 265 species and 15,930 individuals were recorded. Species richness and abundance of fishes were significantly higher in coral reefs (234 species, 12,306 individuals) than in seagrass (38 species, 1,198 individuals) and mangrove (47 species, 2,426 individuals) habitats. Similarity tests revealed a highly significant difference among the three habitats. Fishes exhibited two different strategies for habitat use, inhabiting either a single (85.6% of recorded species) or several habitats (14.4%). Some fish that utilized multiple habitats, such as Lutjanus monostigma and Parupeneus barberinus, showed possible ontogenetic habitat shifts from mangroves and/or seagrass habitats to coral reefs. Moreover, over 20% of commercial fish species used multiple habitats, highlighting the importance of including different habitat types within marine protected areas to achieve efficient and effective resource management. Neither species richness nor abundance of fishes significantly differed between natural and transplanted mangroves. In addition, 14 fish species were recorded in a 20-year-old transplanted mangrove area, and over 90% of these species used multiple habitats, further demonstrating the key role of transplanted mangroves as a reef fish habitat in this region.

Smooth brome (Bromus inermis L.) is a species of perennial grass with growing economic importance. Initially, this species had attracted interest as a source of animal feed. Over the years, the interest in smooth brome increased significantly due to the growing knowledge about its advantages. The aim of this study was to explore the contemporary significance of smooth brome. This plant is characterized by a high tolerance to many negative environmental factors, such as periodic droughts, low temperatures and salinity, which contributes to its constant presence in the landscape of many countries. The moderate soil requirements of smooth brome, combined with the effective use of soil resources and rational nutrient utilization, contribute to high biomass yields that can reach 13 t/ha DM. The usefulness of this grass species in various management systems has been recognized in numerous research studies. Smooth brome can generate benefits in many branches of the economy. This efficient energy plant is used in paper production, and it is also recommended for the protection of fallow land or the reclamation of degraded land. Smooth brome prevents erosion, enhances biodiversity, and provides shelter for many animal species. This species fits well into the current assumptions of agricultural policy and increasingly demanding environmental standards. According to the latest guidelines, modern agriculture should pursue economic and environmental goals simultaneously. In this context, smooth brome constitutes a valuable link in sustainable development. Due to its numerous advantages, smooth brome not only provides high-quality feed and biomass but also effectively sequesters CO2, improves soil fertility and enhances biodiversity, which makes it an important element of agriculture and environmental protection.

Lignocellulose polysaccharides are encrusted by lignin, which has long been considered an obstacle for efficient use of polysaccharides during processes such as pulping and bioethanol fermentation. Hence, numerous transgenic plant lines with reduced lignin contents have been generated, leading to more efficient enzymatic saccharification and forage digestion. However, lignin is also a potential feedstock for aromatic products and an important direct-combustion fuel, or a by-product fuel in polysaccharide utilization such as pulping and bioethanol production. For aromatic feedstock production, the complicated structure of lignin along with its occlusion within polysaccharide matrices makes lignin utilization intractable. To alleviate these difficulties, simplification of the lignin structure is an important breeding objective for future high-value utilization of lignin. In addition, higher lignin contents are beneficial for increasing heating values of lignocellulose, because lignin has much larger heating values than polysaccharides, cellulose and hemicelluloses. Structural modification of lignin may also be effective in increasing heating values of lignocellulose biomass, because the heating value of p -hydroxyphenyl lignin is highest, followed by those of guaiacyl lignin and of syringyl lignin in this order. Herein, recent developments for augmenting lignin contents and for lignin structural modifications, to improve its utilization by metabolic engineering, are outlined.

Habitat classes are often used as surrogates to represent or capture species assemblages in the design of spatial conservation strategies, such as multi-use marine protected areas (MPAs). Little research, however, has critically evaluated how well habitat classes can reliably predict species distributions and abundances over scales relevant to spatial planning. In this study, we used hierarchical models to quantify spatial variability in demersal and mid-water fishes at multiple scales to determine whether habitat classes are appropriate surrogates for temperate fishes. Baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) and mid-water BRUVS were used to sample fish assemblages in Jervis Bay, NSW, Australia, over rocky reef, seagrass Posidonia australis and unvegetated sediment among locations (> 3 km), habitat classes (~400 m) and sites within habitats (~200 m). Each habitat class displayed a distinct assemblage of demersal fish driven by many species and families showing strong habitat associations (e.g. platycephalids and labrids). In contrast, the mid-water fish assemblage and certain demersal families, such as habitat generalists (e.g. sparids), showed no differentiation among habitat class. Considerable variation in the fish assemblage was also observed among locations. Seascape connectivity explained much of this variability, as reefs surrounded by large areas of seagrass harboured a greater abundance and diversity of fishes. Overall, we provide quantitative support for the use of habitat classes as surrogates for most temperate fishes. Spatial planners, however, need to be aware of species-specific relationships with habitat and the importance of seascape patterning when using habitat-based surrogates for MPA design.

Grass residue decomposition is crucial for nutrient cycling in agro-ecosystems, enhancing nutrient utilization efficiency and supporting sustainable crop management. While grass mulching has been widely studied for improving orchard soil fertility, the role of soil microbial communities in decomposing different plant organs remains unclear. Before decomposition, the aboveground and belowground plant parts were harvested and placed in separate litterbags, which were later used for evaluating the decomposition rate and chemical characteristics of the shoots and roots for 40 days (at 10 days intervals). The changes in soil fertility, soil microenvironment, soil microbial community were measured after 0, 1 and 3 months, alongside analysis of key microbial taxa under different residues treatments. The remaining mass of root litter treatment was significantly higher than that of other treatments by 72.97%, 17.53% during 1–10 days and 30–40 days, respectively. During the 40-days period, the release of potassium (K) from root litter reached 58.61%, and the decomposition of lignin was recorded at 56.94%, whereas the release of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) remained relatively stable. Despite no significant changes in nodes, edges, and links at 30 and 90 days, the co-occurrence network of root litter exhibited modularity values of 0.774 and 0.773, respectively. The values were higher than those observed in random networks, indicating the presence of functional modules and enhanced stability within the root microbial community. Litter organs enhanced decomposition rates by positively influencing soil fertility and keystone microbial decomposers, while its soil microenvironment affects decomposition rates. Despite its recalcitrance, the chemical composition of root litter plays a key role in regulating soil microbial community structure and improving soil fertility, thereby maintaining orchard ecosystem functionality.