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Biology is a study of living objects and their life processes. It examines all aspects of living organisms such as their occurrence, classification, internal and external structure, nutrition, reproduction, inheritance, etc. The term “biology” is commonly replaced by the terms “life sciences” and “biological sciences.” There are dozens of branches of biology. Some of the major ones include:
Biology and Life Sciences
Abstract
Thirty nine species of oribatid mites (Oribatida), belonging to 29 genera and 20 families were collected from semidecayed leaves in the San Gabriel Limestone Cave, Dominican Republic. A new species of the genus Pergalumna (Galumnidae)—P. (Pergalumna) sangabrielensis n. sp.—is described.
A comprehensive lichenological survey was conducted on three Azorean islands: Faial, São Miguel, and Terceira, resulting in the documentation of 155 lichens and lichenicolous fungi species, with a total of 406 observations. Among these, 33 species are reported for the first time in the Archipelago, with four species representing new records for Europe (Lecanora subimmersa, Lecanora thysanota, Pseudosagedia cestrensis, and Traponora asterella). Additionally, 15 species and varieties are new to Portugal, including notable taxa such as Caloplaca interna, Lecanora gisleriana, Lecanora handelii, Variospora dolomiticola, and Xanthocarpia diffusa.
Salsola is one of the largest genera in the tribe Salsoleae within Amaranthaceae, with many species that share morphological characteristics, which makes it a challenging genus to study. In this study, 11 quantitative and eight qualitative morphological traits were evaluated and measured. Ward’s dendrogram showed two main clusters: one composed of S. brachiata and S. turcomanica, and the other composed of two subclusters, with populations of S. kali, S. incanescens, S. orientalis and S. dendroides. In addition, we performed molecular phylogenetic analyses conducted with sequence data from nrDNA (ITS and ETS) and cpDNA markers (psbB-psbH and atpB-rbcL) under maximum parsimony, Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood approaches. All the members were clustered into a well-supported clade (PP = 1, ML/BS = 0.89) composed of two subclades: subclade A included S. turcomanica and S. brachiata (PP = 0.90, ML/BS = 73) and subclade B (PP = 0.95, ML/BS = 81) comprised S. incanescens, S. orientalis, S. dendroides and S. kali. The current study provides novel insights at morphological and molecular levels, as well as the results of molecular studies based on nr- and cpDNA sequence data that are congruent with morphological analyses.
Two species new to science, Xanthoria pedersenii and X. wennergrenii in the Xanthoria calcicola complex (Xanthoria, Xanthorioideae, Teloschistaceae), characterized by a complex of morphological, anatomical and molecular characters, are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa.
New Records for the Bryoflora of Vietnam, 6.
Bazzania tranninhiana sp. nov. (Lepidoziaceae)
During our visit to the Tam Đảo National Park in 1998, with the guidance of Prof. Trần Ninh, we collected a peculiar Bazzania species unknown from Vietnam before. This species, with its incurved, fragile leaf apices and deeply dissected underleaves proved to be new to science. This paper provides its illustrated description.
Peltula shalae Kumar S. is described as a new species of lichens from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is characterised by peltate-umbilicate thallus comprising of overlapping squamules forming rosettes, with diameter 2–3.5 cm. The absence of soredia is notable. This lichen is observed to grow on ‘shale rock’, a type of sedimentary rock, and is distinguished from closely related species, including P. daurica, P. sonorensis, P. anthracina, and P. obscurans by its distinct morphological features. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison with closely related peltate-umbilicate species is presented.
Plasmodium falciparum is primarily transmitted by Anopheles gambiae. Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is a major public health issue in western Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 90% of malaria deaths. The primary methods of malaria prevention are indoor residual spraying and the use of insecticide-treated nets. These tools face challenges such as mosquito resistance to insecticides as well as their toxic effect to the non-target organism, therefore this study aims to explore the application of lichen secondary metabolites as potential oral biological insecticides by assessing mosquito mortality in varying concentrations. Lichen secondary metabolites were extracted from Cladonia foliacea thalli. Bioassay experiments were conducted on A. gambiae Kisumu strain mosquitoes. Mortality rates were measured after ingesting sugar bait and lichen extracts in different concentrations. Three test replicates and negative control were used, with mortality measured after 4, 24, 48, and 72 hours. Analysis using three-way analysis of variance with twoway interactions was performed using R program to determine the effect of different lichen extract concentrations, time of exposures and mosquito sex on mortality. Our results showed that the ingestion of C. foliacea extract at 50 mg/ml and a post-exposure period of 24 to 48 hours had a maximum effect on the mortality rate of targeted male and female A. gambiae. No statistical difference was found between male and female mosquitoes in mortality. Our study confirms firstly that the extract of C. foliacea is a promising oral toxic agent against adult malaria vector A. gambiae.
Moroccan oases host a rich array of date palm varieties, renowned for the traditional expertise in crafting local products from dates. Date juice, a quintessential local product with significant heritage value, is facing a decline in appreciation. This study delves into indigenous knowledge surrounding date juice processing. Surveys involving one hundred women from the Alnif and Tata oases in Morocco’s pre-Saharan regions were conducted. Results reveal the use of 56 medicinal and aromatic plants from 33 families and 53 genera in date juice preparation, with Lamiaceae and Asteraceae families most prevalent. Noteworthy species include Corrigiola telephiifolia Pourr. (85 citations), Cynara humilis L. (66), Cyperus longus L. (65), and Alpinia officinarum Hance (64). Date juice holds significance in traditional medicine, prized for its sensory qualities and therapeutic benefits resulting from blending date fruit with aromatic and medicinal plants. The study sheds light on traditional manufacturing processes, including palm variety selection and plant choices. It also offers insights into therapeutic applications aligning with medicinal practices. These findings enrich understanding of cultural traditions and provide essential information for their preservation and propagation.
Ecological restoration requires large-scale reintroductions of plants, but their genetic basis is a controversial issue. Formerly, non-local seed sourcing of naturally occurring herbaceous species was common practice. Here we test whether the genetic pattern of the earlier introduction of non-local seeds of Leucanthemum vulgare agg. (ox-eye daisy) can still be detected several years after the application and whether it differs from that of the regional gene pool. We collected leaf material of the ox-eye daisy in Central Germany on sites of indigenous populations (I) and those formerly restored with non-local seed sources (R). Genome sizes and population genetic pattern (AFLP) were analysed. Genome size estimates of most of the individuals studied suggest, that most ox-eye daisies in the region have similar genome sizes regardless of their origin, while individuals from two indigenous populations from the most northwestern part of the study area had lower 1C values. All populations were genetically diverse and the former use of non-local geno-types of the species could not be detected up to more than 8 years after the establishment of the populations. The results shows that a recommendation for restoration purposes is unequivocal, it can only be concluded that it will be best to use seeds that are local and/or similar to the sites intended for sowing.
