Search results for "Herbaceous plant"
showing 9 items of 19 documents
Interannual Variability of Biomass (SMOS Vegetation Optical Depth) Over the Contiguous United States
2021
Interannual variability in biomass represented by SMOS vegetation optical depth (VOD) and precipitation was assessed over the Contiguous United States. The greatest interannual variability in both VOD and precipitation occurred in shrubs and herbaceous (grasslands), with forests the least variable. At a continental scale, VOD was strongly correlated with annual precipitation. Results showed a significant correlation coefficient (∼ 0.93) between interannual variability of precipitation and biomass, indicating that the interannual variability of precipitation could be a good predictor of the interannual variability of biomass.
Distribution and abundance patterns of a newly colonizing species in Tunisian oases: the Common Blackbird Turdus merula
2003
We investigated distribution and abundance patterns of a recently arrived species in the oases of southern Tunisia: the Common Blackbird Turdus merula. In this system, we expected that the vegetation structure and geographical locations of oases would have played an important part in shaping the patterns of oasis occupancy and local abundance. Using data collected at 53 oases during two breeding seasons, we found that Blackbird occurrence in a given oasis depended mainly on its presence at neighbouring oases. However, vegetation structure did not prove to be a relevant predictor of Blackbird occurrence. Within occupied oases, local abundance was associated with vegetation structure, namely …
Ethnobotanical study in the Madonie Regional Park (Central Sicily, Italy)—Medicinal use of wild shrub and herbaceous plant species
2013
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance This paper illustrates the results of an ethnobotanical study carried out in the Madonie Regional Park (Central Sicily, Italy). It specifies the medicinal uses of plants in the study area and contains the results of a quantitative analysis carried out for the first time in an area noted for its high degree of biodiversity. It also introduces 28 species not previously accounted for in the area of study for their medicinal uses, highlighting Silene flos-cuculi L. Greuter & Burdet, little known as medicinal in the Mediterranean area. Aim of the study To understand to what extent current knowledge on medicinal-use plants is still an element of the culture…
Plant genetic resources and traditional knowledge on medicinal use of wild shrub and herbaceous plant species in the Etna Regional Park (Eastern Sici…
2014
Ethnopharmacological relevance: This paper illustrates the results of a study carried out in the Etna Regional Park (Eastern Sicily, Italy) concerning the traditional knowledge on medicinal use of wild plant species. It specifies contains the results of a quantitative analysis carried out for the first time. A total of 71 wild species are used for medicinal purposes. Two species, Astracantha sicula (Biv.) Greuter and Trifolium phleoides Willd., are little known as medicinal in the Mediterranean area. Aim of the study: The main aim of the study was to understand to what extent current knowledge on the medicinal use of plants is still an element of the culture within the elderly population of…
Relationships between dietary factors and milk urea nitrogen level in goats grazing herbaceous pasture
2008
This investigation aimed to individuate the dietary factors affecting the milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration in goats grazing herbaceous pasture and, particularly, to verify the relationship linking the diet crude protein (CP) content to MUN. A total of 205 individual observations regarding dietary and milk variables of 37 Girgentana goats involved in two experiments were used. Goats, averaging 154±14 days in milk and 38.1±5.4 kg of live weight, grazed on swards and received 500 g/d of barley meal. Sward biomass, herbage selected by goats and individual milk yield were measured and sampled weekly. The herbage intake and diet digestibility were estimated by the n-alkane met…
A quantitative analysis of wild herbaceous plant species for medicinal uses in four Regional Parks in Sicily (Italy)
2019
This paper illustrates the results of a study carried out in 4 regional Parks in Sicily (Italy) from 2009 to 2010. The study area covers a surface of 2076 km2, the 8% of the territory of Sicily, includes 90 towns and it is characterized by a high degree of plant biodiversity. The main aim of the study was to analyse the extent of the current knowledge on medicinal uses of wild shrub and herbaceous plants in the area, using quantitative indices. The information was obtained using semi-structured interview format performed on a sample of 802 people over the age of 60 who were considered experts in rural traditions. The results highlight that most of the species are used against general health…
Comparison of the relative quantities of aroma compounds found in fresh apricot (Prunus armeniaca) from six different varieties
1988
The volatile components of fresh apricot (Prunus armeniaca) were isolated by vacuum distillation and fractionated on a silica gel column. Analysis by gaschromatography coupled with mass spectrometry led to the identification of 82 compounds, 60 of which were found for the first time in this fruit. Six varieties, cultivated in the south of France were compared for their firmness, acidity, sweetness and for their content of 56 volatile components. Precoce de Tyrinthe was the least aromatic variety, but produced fruits very early in the season. Palsteyn gave acidic but rather aromatic fruits. Moniqui possessed large but perishable fruits with flowery aroma due to the presence of terpenic keton…
Lifestyle dependent occurrence of airborne fungi
2018
Abstract. Fungi play important roles in the environment, agriculture, and human health. Most fungal species spread by wind-driven dispersal of spores, determining their occurrence and distribution in different environments. The dynamics of airborne fungi and their dependence on lifestyle and environmental conditions, however, are not well characterized. Here, we categorize the fungi detected in coarse and fine aerosol samples from continental boundary layer air using a lifestyle classification scheme that differentiates whether the fungi are (A) primarily associated to herbaceous or woody plants and (B), whether they are saprophytic, plant pathogenic, or surface inhabitants. Herbaceous fung…
Reduction of the frequency of herbaceous roots as an effect of soil compaction induced by heavy grazing in rangelands of SW Spain
2017
Rangelands in SW Spain constitute the most extensive ranching system on the Iberian Peninsula. During the last few decades, a significant increase in livestock numbers, along with a progressive substitution of cattle for sheep, have led to land degradation processes such as the reduction of grass cover and increased soil compaction in heavily grazed areas. Nevertheless, a better understanding of how soil compaction affects grass production is still needed. In this study, some of the effects of soil compaction due to heavy grazing are analysed, mainly the reduction of the frequency of herbaceous roots and its relationships with bulk density and soil penetration resistance. The study was carr…