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result(s) for
"Plant diversity Oman"
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Socioeconomic plants conservation strategy for the Sultanate of Oman
The Socioeconomic Plant Conservation Strategy for the Sultanate of Oman aims to provide a blueprint for the conservation of the genetic diversity of our plant genetic resources. It emphasizes in particular crop landraces, crop wild relatives, medicinal plants and wild harvested species that are of socioeconomic importance at national and regional level.
Book
High species diversity and biochar can mitigate drought effects in arid environments
Climate change, including drought, threatens ecosystems across the globe. The current study investigated the effects of species diversity and biochar application on the performance and productivity of five native Omani species under control and drought conditions.
A fully controlled greenhouse experiment was conducted in which five native species of three different diversities (one, two, and four species) were grown under four different treatments: biochar+drought, biochar, drought, and control. Productivity was measured through total biomass and root-to-shoot ratio), while performance was assessed in the form of plant functional traits (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), and specific root length (SRL). Nutrient availability in the soil was measured using soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN). Soil microbial content was determined using soil microbial biomass \"Cmic\" and soil microbial basal respiration. Biodiversity effects were analyzed using the complementarity effect (CE), selection effect (SE), and net biodiversity effect (NBE).
The study indicated that high diversity and biochar resulted in: 1. species with 66.6% greater total biomass and a 3% reduction in RSR, 2. enhanced species performance, with plants growing 25% taller, 50% higher SLA, and 25% higher SRL, 3. more fertile soil, with SOC and STN increasing by 40% and 33.3%, respectively, and 4. improved microbial content, with Cmic rising by 15% and basal respiration increasing by one-third under drought conditions compared to monoculture. These results highlight the intricate interactions between climate change and biodiversity, which are crucial for predicting the impact of changes in functional composition on ecosystem processes and, subsequently, for restoring arid ecosystems in Oman.
Journal Article
Alien flora of Oman: invasion status, taxonomic composition, habitats, origin, and pathways of introduction
We present the first inventory and status assessment of the alien flora of Oman, mainly based on field data collected from 1998 to 2021. The study provides (i) a comprehensive account of alien vascular plant species occurring in the wild in Oman, with information on their taxonomic composition. For each species information is given on (ii) invasion status (casual, naturalized or invasive), biogeography, habitat and life-form characteristics, and pathways of introduction. Further, we (iii) explain the differences in the alien species composition in different parts of the country, and (iv) analyse the drivers of plant invasions in Oman. Out of the 111 alien species reported (7.7% of the total Oman vascular flora), 34 species are casuals and 77 naturalized; of the latter seven are considered invasive. The moderate number of alien plant species is likely a result of the country’s arid climate, with extremely high summer temperatures and low annual precipitation in most of its area, and the relatively long isolation of the country. The families richest in alien plant species are Fabaceae (17 species), Asteraceae (14 species) and Poaceae (12 species). More alien plants were found in northern Oman (82 species) than in southern Oman (60 species), and very few species are recorded from the central desert (7 species). The main habitats colonized were man-made habitats, either ruderal or agricultural. Most species alien to Oman are native to South America (49 species) or North America (43 species). This inventory provides a knowledge base for developing a national management strategy for alien vascular plants in Oman.
Journal Article
Molecular Signature of a Novel Alternanthera Yellow Vein Virus Variant Infecting the Ageratum conyzoides Weed in Oman
Alternanthera yellow vein virus (AlYVV), a monopartite begomovirus, has been identified infecting a diverse range of crops and native plants in Pakistan, India, and China. However, distinctive yellow vein symptoms, characteristic of begomovirus infection, were observed on the Ageratum conyzoides weed in Oman, prompting a thorough genomic characterization in this study. The results unveiled a complete genome sequence of 2745 base pairs and an associated betasatellite spanning 1345 base pairs. In addition, Sequence Demarcation Tool analyses indicated the highest nucleotide identity of 92.8% with a previously reported AlYVV-[IN_abalpur_A_17:LC316182] strain, whereas the betasatellite exhibited a 99.8% nucleotide identity with isolates of tomato leaf curl betasatellite. Thus, our findings propose a novel AlYVV Oman virus (AlYVV-OM) variant, emphasizing the need for additional epidemiological surveillance to understand its prevalence and significance in Oman and the broader region. To effectively manage the spread of AlYVV-OM and minimize its potential harm to (agro)ecosystems, future research should focus on elucidating the genetic diversity of AlYVV-OM and its interactions with other begomoviruses.
Journal Article
Plant–soil feedback and plant invasion: effect of soil conditioning on native and invasive Prosopis species using the plant functional trait approach
Invasive species have been identified as a major threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide due to their superiority in spread and growth. Such superiority is explained by the invasional meltdown phenomena, which suggests that invasive species facilitate the establishment of more invasive species rather than native species by modifying the plant-soil feedback (PSF).
We conducted a two-phase plant-soil feedback experiment using the native Prosopis cineraria and the invasive Prosopis juliflora in Oman. Firstly, we conditioned the soil by planting seedlings of native species, invasive species, native and invasive species \"mixed\", and unconditioned soil served as a control. Secondly, we tested the feedback of these four conditioned soil on the two species separately by measuring the productivity (total biomass) and the performance in the form of plant functional traits (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf nitrogen content (Nmass), leaf carbon content (Cmass) and specific root length (SRL) of native and invasive species as well as the nutrient availability in soil (soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN)).
We found that the native species produced more biomass, best performance, and higher SOC and STN when grown in soil conditioned by native species, additionally, it gave lower biomass, reduced performance, and lower SOC and STN when grown in the soil conditioned by invasive and mixed species. These results suggest negative PSF for native species and positive PSF for invasive species in the soil conditioned by invasive species, which can be considered as red flag concerning the restoration of
as an important native species in Oman, as such positive PSF of the invasive species
will inhibit the regeneration of
.
Journal Article
Diversity, distribution, endemism and conservation status of Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) in SW Asia and adjacent countries
In order to evaluate the diversity, endemism, distribution and conservation of the genus
Euphorbia
in SW Asian countries, we generated an updated and annotated checklist of 249 taxa belonging to the current accepted four
Euphorbia
subgenera, 30 sections and five subsections, based on floristic compilations followed by extensive verification of nearly 24,000 herbarium vouchers from the region. We also provide updated distribution maps for 247 of the 249 taxa treated. The predominant group is
Euphorbia
subg.
Esula
, with 19 sections and 184 taxa (176 species), followed by subg.
Chamaesyce
(six sections, 32 species), subg.
Euphorbia
(two sections, 21 species) and subg.
Athymalus
(three sections, 12 species). Turkey, Iran and Syria are the most diverse countries, with 102, 92 and 50 species, respectively. The richest concentration of
Euphorbia
species in SW Asia are the eastern part of the Mediterranean region in Lebanon with 27–34 taxa; Alborz, Zagros (Iran), Lesser Caucasus, and Anti-Taurus (S Turkey) with 21–27 taxa each are the second richest areas. The highest number of endemics occurs in Iran (21 taxa), followed by Turkey (12 taxa) and Yemen (7 taxa). All 134 endemic and subendemic taxa were evaluated by the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. Among the known
Euphorbia
species in the region, 10 of them (4.4%) are adventive. Life-form spectra show that the majority of species (80.7%) are hemicryptophytes, therophytes and chamaephytes. Twelve new records are reported here for Iran, Afghanistan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey, six synonyms and three sectional transfers are suggested.
Journal Article
New ecological and phylogenetic insights in the boring barnacle Berndtia Utinomi, 1950 (Acrothoracica: Lithoglyptidae) reveal higher diversity, new hosts, and range extension to the Western Indian Ocean
The acrothoracican genus
Berndtia
Utinomi, 1950 includes small barnacles known to bore into the calcareous skeleton of living scleractinian corals of the genera
Psammocora
Dana, 1846 and
Leptastrea
Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849. The six known species of
Berndtia
are restricted to the tropical Western Pacific. We provide the first record of
Berndtia
from the hydrocoral
Millepora exaesa
Forsskål, 1775 from the central Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and the scleractinian coral
Coscinaraea
cf.
monile
(Forsskål, 1775) from the Arabian Sea, Oman. These findings extend the known range and host use of the genus and raise questions about
Berndtia
’s host specificity. A molecular analysis of Saudi Arabian and Omani specimens suggests that they belong to two new lineages that may represent new species of
Berndtia
, each associated with multiple hosts. Further sampling around the Arabian Peninsula and the Western Indian Ocean and exploration of additional potential hosts would provide new insights into the species diversity of the genus.
Journal Article
Pythium and Globisporangium species associated with cucumber rhizosphere causing damping-off and their effects on cucumber seed decay in Oman
Pythium sensu lato (s.l.) is a pathogenic oomycete. The present study was conducted to isolate and identify Pythium s.l. species associated with the rhizosphere and roots of greenhouse-growing cucumbers showing damping-off symptoms in 10 Omani governorates (provinces). A total of 166 isolates were recovered from 276 rhizosphere soil and root samples and were identified based on the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX I) gene region. Pythium aphanidermatum, P. myriotylum, Globisporangium spinosum, Globisporangium sp.1 (isolates Kb003/PySyCu-1 and Kb004/PySyCu-2), and Globisporangium sp.2 (isolate Ib002R) were identified. Among these species, P. aphanidermatum was the most abundant species, represented by 143 isolates (86.1%), followed by G. spinosum with 18 isolates (10.8%), Globisporangium sp.1 and P. myriotylum each with 2 isolates (2.4%), and Globisporangium sp.2 with 1 isolate (0.6%). Pathogenicity tests were also conducted for 38 isolates, including P. aphanidermatum (25), P. myriotylum (2), Globisporangium sp.2 (1), G. spinosum (8), and Globisporangium sp.1 (2). Among the tested isolates, only Globisporangium sp.2 isolate was avirulent, and none of the seeds were rotted at the end of the treatment. However, the other species induced the symptoms of seed decay with the incidence ranged from 86.7 to 100%. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on 222 ITS and 53 COX I sequences, and confirmed morphological identification. In addition, the genetic diversity of 93 P. aphanidermatum isolates was assessed via the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method. The analysis produced 93 genotypes and 449 polymorphic loci. Pythium aphanidermatum populations were found to have moderate levels of genetic diversity (H = 0.2) and a moderate Shannon information index (I = 0.3793). Analysis of molecular variance (FST = 0.1, P = 0.0) revealed a moderate level of genetic differentiation among P. aphanidermatum isolates between Oman governorates. The sensitivity of 15 P. aphanidermatum isolates was evaluated against hymexazol at different concentrations (10, 100, and 1000 ppm). The results revealed that P. aphanidermatum could grow well at concentrations of up to 100 ppm hymexazol. However, hymexazol at 1000 ppm retarded the growth of P. aphanidermatum. This study showed that P. aphanidermatum is the most prevalent species in greenhouses in Oman and exhibited a moderate level of genetic diversity. Most of the isolates exhibited differences in tolerance to hymexazol but showed no resistance.
Journal Article
Insights into the historical biogeography of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) using geometric morphometry of modern and ancient seeds
Aim The main purpose of this work is to understand the origin, history, historical biogeography and mechanisms of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) domestication. Location Seeds of uncultivated Phoenix individuals from isolated Oman populations, cultivated date palm varieties of various geographical origins and other related Phoenix species were analysed. Additionally, well‐preserved seeds from Egyptian archaeological sites (14th century bc to 8th century ad) were compared with the morphometric reference model based on the analysis of modern material. Methods Elliptic Fourier transforms (EFT), a morphometric method applied to shape outline analysis, were used to characterize seed shape and to quantify morphological diversity in P. dactylifera and related species. Results Analysis of seed outlines by EFT (1) showed that P. dactylifera can be differentiated from other Phoenix species and (2) enabled the quantification of patterns of shape differentiation in the genus Phoenix at different taxonomic, geographical and chronological levels. Date palm agrobiodiversity, partitioned in distinct morphotypes, appeared to be complex in terms of geographical structure. Allocation of archaeological seeds to different modern Phoenix forms and date palm morphotypes allowed us to reveal ancient forms consumed and/or exploited in Egypt and finally to determine spatial and temporal changes in agrobiodiversity. Main conclusions Based on the morphological diversity quantified in P. dactylifera and related species, we characterized ancestral seed shape features present in uncultivated populations. The geographical distribution pattern of seed shapes points to human dispersal routes that spread cultivation from one or more initial ‘domestication centres’. Finally, this work provides a powerful tool to identify ancient forms as demonstrated by the analysis of well‐preserved Egyptian archaeological seeds, dating from the 14th century bc to the 8th century ad. Results open new and fascinating perspectives on the investigation of the origins and chrono‐geographical fluctuation of date palm agrobiodiversity.
Journal Article
Devonian rise in atmospheric oxygen correlated to the radiations of terrestrial plants and large predatory fish
The evolution of Earth’s biota is intimately linked to the oxygenation of the oceans and atmosphere. We use the isotopic composition and concentration of molybdenum (Mo) in sedimentary rocks to explore this relationship. Our results indicate two episodes of global ocean oxygenation. The first coincides with the emergence of the Ediacaran fauna, including large, motile bilaterian animals, ca. 550–560 million year ago (Ma), reinforcing previous geochemical indications that Earth surface oxygenation facilitated this radiation. The second, perhaps larger, oxygenation took place around 400 Ma, well after the initial rise of animals and, therefore, suggesting that early metazoans evolved in a relatively low oxygen environment. This later oxygenation correlates with the diversification of vascular plants, which likely contributed to increased oxygenation through the enhanced burial of organic carbon in sediments. It also correlates with a pronounced radiation of large predatory fish, animals with high oxygen demand. We thereby couple the redox history of the atmosphere and oceans to major events in animal evolution.
Journal Article