Reproduction of juniper (Juniperus polycarpos) in Khorasan Razavi, Iran

Juniperus species （juniper） are resistant to drought and have medicinal properties. In order to investigatethe condition of juniper reproduction and prevent a decline in its area, largely caused by problems in natural regeneration, the asexual reproduction of juniper has received special attention besides its sexual propagation. Among the six species of juniper in Iran, the most abundant are Juniperus polycarpos and J. excelsa. Juniperus polycarpos is ambi-sexual and J. excelsa unisexual. We show that collecting seeds in September provided for better germination than in November. In sexual propagation 82.0% and in asexual （graft） 47.6% success were achieved. Compared to a mixture of water, lime and hormones, a natural treatment of only water had better results. Diurnal change of temperature increased germination of juniper seeds over a constant temperature. Aphyllous stem cuttings from mature and old trees are less successful in rooting than leafy cuttings of juniper saplings. A treatment with Aaterra significantly reduced the percentage of rooted cuttings and total root length. Aliette, Fongarid, Octave, Benomyl, Delsene M and Maneb fungicides significantly increased the percentage of rooted cuttings but did not affect total root length. Autumn explants formed more calli than spring explants. Successful multiplication was achieved by treating buds with a mixture of 0.7% polyvinyl pyrrolidone （PVP） and 2% sucrose and cultured in a basal MS or WRC medium, with a maximum number of new buds. In consideration of extracted material of juniper species in remedy of infectious, fungus, contagious diseases as well as for drought resistance and longevity of this species in severe arid environmental conditions and various industrial applications, reproduction and seed production by micro propagation and biotechnology are necessary.

Age structure and static life tables of the endangered Juniperus phoenicea L. in North Sinai Mountains, Egypt:implication for conservation

Studying the population ecology of endangered plants provides important baseline information for its monitoring and conservation.Juniperus phoenicea L.is an endangered species in arid ecosystems in Africa and the Middle East.The static life tables,survival curve and age structure of J.phoenicea populations from two mountains in North Sinai,Egypt(Gabal(G.)El-Halal and G.El-Maghara)were investigated.In each mountain,fifteen plots were selected,and field measurements such as stand density,tree height,and crown diameter were conducted.Moreover,44 trees were cored and crossdated according to standard dendrochronological procedures.The results showed that the tree ages ranged from 50 to 262 years at G.El-Halal and 96 to431 years at G.El-Maghara.Mature J.phoenicea individuals dominated the study area,with only a few individuals being younger than 100 years.Moreover,seedling recruitment was extremely limited.Since the studied J.phoenicea populations showed high mortality rates among both old and young individuals,there is an imminent need for establishing a conservation program to prevent its extinction in the future.Therefore,management and conservation efforts should be made to minimize human disturbance and protect the relic habitats of this endangered species at its southern distribution limits in Africa.

Preservation of Juniperus thurifera L.:a rare endangered species in Algeria through in vitro regeneration

Juniperus thurifera L.is an endemic Cupres saceae from the Aure`s Mountains of north eastern Algeria and endangered,in part,due to the scarcity of viable seeds It is threatened by other abiotic factors and the lack of an effective management strategy will increase its risk o extinction.The dearth of information on its in vitro regeneration impedes its application in forest managemen programs.We therefore developed a micropropagation protocol using microcuttings with auxiliary buds.Cuttings were grown on different combinations of media supplemented with plant growth regulators at different concentrations.The highest number of shoots and branches regenerated from original shoots was obtained on Woody Plant Medium(WPM)supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine(BAP)(0.5 mg L^(-1))and 2,4-dichlorophe noxyacetic acid(2,4-D)(0.25 mg L^(-1)).The best elongation of shoots was achieved with WPM supplemented with0.5 mg L^(-1)of BAP and 0.25 or 1 mg L^(-1) of 2,4-D.On the second subculture,shoots had a higher number of branches than those of the first.The highest rooting rate,38.8%,was obtained with shoots cultured in 1/2 Murashige and Skoog(MS)medium supplemented with 5.0 mg L^(-1)each of indol-3-butyric(IBA)and naphthalene acetic acid(NAA).Similarly,the highest root numbers and lengths were produced on 1/2 MS medium supplemented with IBA and NAA(5.0 mg L^(-1)each).During transfer to acclimatization,rates of plant losses of 50% occurred.The second part of the experiment showed that the best shoot callusing was on WPM supplemented with BAP and 2,4-D,with either the combination 0.5+0.25 or 0.25+0.25 mg L^(-1).The results of this research provide a starting point for further studies on in vitro regeneration of J.thurifera for the sustainable management of its unique ecosystem in the Mediterranean basin.

Status of cypress aphid on Cupressus lusitanica and Juniperus procera in protected and cultivated forests of South Wollo,Ethiopia

In Ethiopia,Cupressus lusitanica and Juniperus procera are important tree species.The incidence of the cypress aphid,Cinara cupressi,which has not been reported before on the exotic Cupressus lusitanica is becoming catastrophic.The appearance of the insect was reported for the first time in 2003 in Ethiopia.However,information is scarce on the status of this species in northeast Amhara state.The objectives of this study were to assess the extent of damage,abundance and status of the cypress aphid on C.lusitanica and J.procera in the protected and cultivated forests of South Wollo,Ethiopia.Results reveal that tree compositions of the three study areas differed.The dominant tree species were C.lucitanica(15–80%),Olea europaea(5–90%)and J.procera(14–70%).The cypress aphid showed significantly higher levels of infestation on C.lusitanica(35–90%)than on J.procera(1–16%).Moreover,there was higher C.lusitanica mortality(40–93%).In contrast,there was low infestation(1–16%)on J.procera and no mortality.The results reveal that the cypress aphid causes enormous losses of C.lusitanica.Therefore,it is recommended that insect surveillance be strengthened and the introduction bioagents be considered and integrated with other insecticides to minimize the degree of C.lusitanica infestation and loss.

Reproduction and genetic diversity of Juniperus squamata along an elevational gradient in the Hengduan Mountains

Elevation plays a crucial factor in the distribution of plants,as environmental conditions become increasingly harsh at higher elevations.Previous studies have mainly focused on the effects of large-scale elevational gradients on plants,with little attention on the impact of smaller-scale gradients.In this study we used 14 microsatellite loci to survey the genetic structure of 332 Juniperus squamata plants along elevation gradient from two sites in the Hengduan Mountains.We found that the genetic structure(single,clonal,mosaic)of J.squamata shrubs is affected by differences in elevational gradients of only 150 m.Shrubs in the mid-elevation plots rarely have a clonal or mosaic structure compared to shrubs in lower-or higher-elevation plots.Human activity can significantly affect genetic structure,as well as reproductive strategy and genetic diversity.Sub-populations at mid-elevations had the highest yield of seed cones,lower levels of asexual reproduction and higher levels of genetic diversity.This may be due to the trade-off between elevational stress and anthropogenic disturbance at mid-elevation since there is greater elevational stress at higher-elevations and greater intensity of anthropogenic disturbance at lower-elevations.Our findings provide new insights into the finer scale genetic structure of alpine shrubs,which may improve the conservation and management of shrublands,a major vegetation type on the Hengduan Mountains and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Total Volume and Aboveground Biomass Models for <i>Juniperus procera</i>Plantation in Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia

Species specific allometric equations are important for estimation and quantification of net volume and aboveground biomass of living trees. This study was basically focused on fitting total volume and aboveground biomass models for Juniperus procera plantations in Wondo Genet, Sidama Zone, Ethiopia. Data for fitting the total volume and aboveground biomass models were obtained by destructively sampling of trees from the ten diameter classes of the Juniperus procera plantation in the study area. A total of one hundred ten and fifty-one trees were destructively sampled to fit six total volume and six aboveground biomass models respectively. After important measurements of parameters have completed, model performance evaluation and selecting of best fit models were undertaken using standard error of estimates (SEE), coefficient of determination (R2), bias (B) and mean of the absolute value of errors (MAE). Accordingly, the total volume model Vt = -5.466 + 0.959Dbh0.005H003 and aboveground biomass model of B = 0.348Dbh0.57H0.032 were found to be the best predictive models for total tree volume and aboveground biomass respectively. In addition to the above results, diameter at breast height and total tree height data obtained from 69 circular sample plots of 0.01 ha area drawn from the plantation were used to estimate the total volume and aboveground biomass per hectare BEF which was estimated to be 0.64 Mg/m3. Generally, the selected models and computed BEF in this study are believed to be applied by different organisations and researches to estimate the total volume and aboveground biomass of the J. procera.

Potential antioxidant properties and hepatoprotective effects of Juniperus phoenicea berries against CCl4 induced hepatic damage in rats

Objective:To investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties of Juniperus phoenicea(J.phoenicea)berries against CCl_4-induced oxidative damage in rats.Methods:Hepatotoxicity was induced in albino Wistar rats by single dose of CCl_4 dissolved in olive oil(1 mL/kg BW,1/1 in olive oil,ip).Aqueous extract of J.phoenicea berries(AEJP)was administered at the dose of 250 mg/kg/day by gavage for 12 days.Results:Obtained results revealed that administration of CCl_4 caused a significant increase in plasma ASAT,ALAT,ALP and LDH activities and total bilirubin concentration,compared to the control group.While,albumin and total protein concentration were significantly lower.Additionally,a significant decrease in the level of hepatic GSH,GPx and GST activities associated with a significant increase of MDA content in CCl_4 group than those of the control.However,the treatment of experimental rats with AEJP prevented these alterations and maintained the antioxidant status.The histopathological observations supported the biochemical evidences of hepatoprotection.Conclusions:The results of the present investigation indicate that J.phoenicea possesses hepatoprotective activity and this effect was may be due to its antioxidant proprerties.

Expansion of Juniperus sibirica Burgsd.as a response to climate change and associated effect on mountain tundra vegetation in the Northern Urals

Shrub expansion into arctic and alpine tundra is one of the prominent vegetation changes currently underway.We studied the expansion of shrub vegetation into high elevation tundra in the Kvarkush Range of the Northern Ural mountains,Russia.Age structure analysis of the dominant shrub Juniperus sibirica Burgsd.seems to support ongoing upslope advance of shrubs,a process particularly active in the second half of the 20 th century.We found a close connection between the expansion of shrub vegetation and the general change in climatic conditions of the cold season(months with mean airtemperature below 0°Сfrom November to March).In general,the greatest influence on the distribution of J.sibirica is exerted by the climate conditions of the beginning(November-January)and the end(March)of the cold season.With increasing elevation,the correlation coefficients between the establishment of J.sibirica shrubs and the precipitation of the beginning of the cold season increased,and reached maximum values at the top elevation level of the study area.However,the upwards shift of J.sibirica into typical mountain tundra does not lead to changes in the ecological structure of vegetation at this stage,but simply a decrease in the area of mountain tundra.

Protective role of Juniperus phoenicea and Cupressus sempervirens against CCl_4

AIM: To investigate the role of Cupressus sempervirens (C. sempervirens) and Juniperus phoenicea (J. phoe-nicea) extracts as therapeutic effect against CCl4 with biochemical, histopathological evaluations. METHODS: A single intraperitoneal dose of 10% CCl4 in olive oil (1 mL/kg body weight) was administered to a group of female Wister rats, sacrificed after 24 h (as the injury group). The other groups were given CCl4 as de-scribed above and divided as follows: two groups of ten rats each were orally administered either J. phoenicea extract or C. sempervirens extract three times per week for six weeks and a further group administered CCl4 was left for six weeks to allow self-recovery. At the end of experiment, the rats from all groups were sacrificed for sampling and for biochemical and histological analysis. RESULTS: Remarkable disturbances were observed in the levels of all tested parameters. On the other hand,rats injected with the toxic agent and left for one and a half month to self recover showed moderate improve-ments in the studied parameters while, treatment with both medicinal herbal extracts ameliorated the levels of the disturbed biochemical parameters. The group treated with J. phoenicea extract showed a remarkable improvement in comparison to the CCl4 treated group. The C. sempervirens group revealing an even more re-markable effect showing histopathological liver& kidney profiles close to those of the control group.CONCLUSION: C. sempervirens and J. phoenicea leaf extracts show a remarkable effect in enhancing liver and kidney functions and may thus be of therapeutic potential in treatment hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

Eriophyoid Mite of the Genus <i>Trisetacus</i>Reported on <i>Juniperus excelsa</i>in Lebanon

We report for the first time the occurrence of Trisetacus acari Eriophyoid parasite infesting Juniperus excelsa seeds in Lebanon. The specimen studied belong most probably to the species T. kirghizorum (Shevchenko 1962) living on J. semiglobosa in the Kirghiz mountains. We suggest that Trisetacus spp. found in the seed cones of Kirghiz junipers as well as J. excelsa comprise a complex of cryptic species that might be distinguished using molecular markers. It is necessary to revise the group cupressi in the genus Trisetacus and an integrated phylogenetic study of the mites belonging to this genus could elucidate the patterns of eriophyoid mites evolution on conifers and could help in a better resolution of the Juniper phylogeny.

<i>Juniperus communis</i>Extract Effect on Bronze Corrosion in Natural 0.5 M Chloride Medium

The effect of Juniperus communis (JC) extract on the inhibition of bronze corrosion in aqueous chloride solution was studied by electrochemical polarization methods. The variation of two experimental factors such as the chloride concentration and the temperature allows us to deduce the kinetics parameters of this process (Ea = 65.7 kJ&bull;mol–1). Thermodynamic calculations indicated that JC adsorption on bronze surface obeyed Arrhenius adsorption isotherm and was characterized by an endothermic process (ΔH* = 54.7 kJ&bull;mol–1).

Evaluating Biomass of Juniper Trees (Juniperus pinchotii) from Imagery-Derived Canopy Area Using the Support Vector Machine Classifier

Both temporal and spatial magnitude, structure, and distribution of rangeland aboveground biomass (AGB) are important inputs for many necessities, in particular for estimating terrestrial carbon amount, ecosystem productivity, climate change studies, and potential bioenergy uses. Much of the remote sensing research previously completed has focused on determining carbon stocks in forested ecosystems with little attention directed to estimate AGB amount in rangelands. Our objectives were to: 1) identify and delineate individual redberry juniper (Juniperus pinchotii) plants from surrounding live vegetation using the support vector machine method for classifying two-dimensional (2D) geospatial imagery with a 1-m spatial resolution at two sites;and 2) develop regression models relating imagery-derived and fieldmeasured single tree canopy area and diameter for dry AGB estimation. The regression results show that there were very close and significant relationships between field measured juniper plant AGB and canopy area derived from the image classification with r2 > 0.90. These results suggest that spectral reflectance recorded on 2D high resolution imagery is capable to assess and quantify AGB as a quick, repeatable, and unbiased method over large land areas.

Vegetation Classification of Juniperus communis L. Species in Azerbaijan

The Republic of Azerbaijan, is a country in the south Caucasus having continental influenced climate with warm summer and mild cold, dry winters. Relating to its climate this region has a rich and very interesting vegetation cover. In presented article the vegetation communities with the presence of Juniperus communis L. species and subspecies have been described.

Transferability and application of microsatellites(SSRs)from Juniperus communis L.to Juniperus procera Hochst.Ex endl.

Transferability of five nuclear microsatellite markers (Jc-16, Jc-31, Jc-32, Jc-35 and Jc-37) that were originally developed for J. communis was tested to J. procera. Jc-31 & Jc-37 showed successful amplifications and polymorphism in J. procera. Jc-35 which had been reported as polymorphic in J. communis was monomorphic in J. procera while the primer pair for Jc-32 failed to record any amplification. The remaining one primer pair (Jc-16) showed double loci ampli-fication in both J. procera and the control J. communis suggesting further examination of the primer pair and its binding sites. Genetic variation of six Ethiopian J. procera populations: Chilimo, Goba, Menagesha-Suba, Wef-Washa, Yabelo and Ziquala was assessed based on the two polymorphic loci (Jc-31 & Jc-37) in 20 - 24 individuals of each population. From these two loci, a total of 41 alleles could be retrieved. Two populations that are located south east of the Great Rift Valley together harboured 75% of private alleles signifying their deviant geo-ecological zones and suggesting special consideration for conservation. Chilimo, which is at the western margin of Juniper habitat in Ethiopian central highlands scored the highest fixation (FIS = 0.584) entailing lower immigrant genes and hence higher inbreeding. The AMOVA revealed that 97% of the variation resided within the?population while still among population variation was significant

Antihyperglycemic effect of Juniperus phoenicea L.on alloxan-induced diabetic rats and diterpenoids isolated from the fruits

Objective:To explore the traditional use of Juniperus phoenicea L.(J.phoenicea)growing in Egypt as antidiabetic herb.Methods:The antihyperglycemic activities of the crude 80%ethanol and successive extracts of leaves and fruits of the plant were investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats after collecting blood samples through retro-orbital puncture technique.As a consequence of the biological results,phytochemical investigation of the chloroform fraction of fruits was carried out by column chromatography and thin layer chromatography.Results:Results revealed the reduction in blood glucose levels in rats,which were significantly different from control at 4 and 8 weeks(P<0.01).The highest antihyperglycemic activity was exhibited by the crude extracts of fruits and leaves of which the potency was 83.6%and 81.9%,respectively,after 8 weeks,comparing to metformin drug(100%potency).Chloroform fractions of leaves and fruits were the most potent fractions(potencies were 70.3%,71.4%),respectively,along with ethyl acetate fraction of fruits(71.4%).Phytochemical investigating of the chloroform fraction of fruits resulted in the isolation and identification of 5 abietane diterpenoids.Ferruginol,7-dehydroabietanone,sugiol,6-α-hydroxy-7-oxoferruginol,totarolone and a labdane diterpenoid,varodiol were isolated for the first time from the fruits of J.phoenicea growing in Egypt.The identification of these compounds was based on spectroscopic analysis:1hydrogen-nuclear magnetic resonance and electron impact mass spectrometry,comparing the results with the literature.Conclusions:It has become clear that leaves and fruits of the Egyptian J.phoenicea provide effective antihyperglycemic action in diabetic rats as was reported in folk medicine.The high contents of terpenoids in the non-polar fractions may attribute to the antidiabetic effect of the plant.

祁连圆柏群落特征沿年降水量梯度的变化格局

祁连圆柏(Juniperus przewalskii)群落是青海省的主要森林群落之一,在保持水土、涵养水源和维护生态平衡等方面起着关键作用。为了解祁连圆柏群落特征和祁连圆柏种群年龄结构对年降水量梯度的响应,以青海省祁连圆柏天然群落为研究对象,沿年降水量梯度布设群落样地,开展群落特征调查。结果表明:(1)该地区年降水量自西北向东南逐渐增加,随着年降水量增加,祁连圆柏群落灌木层、草本层优势种的重要值发生了显著变化(P<0.05)。(2)年降水量在169~377 mm之间时种群呈衰退型,年降水量为470 mm、530 mm时,种群分别呈稳定型、增长型。(3)林下植物α多样性指数在不同年降水量下差异显著(P<0.05)。随着年降水量增加,灌木层、草本层的Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数和物种丰富度逐渐增大,且均在年降水量为530 mm时达到最大值。(4)随着年降水量增加,灌木层的β多样性指数呈“波动”变化,Cody和Sorensen指数在年降水量470~530 mm和281~377 mm时,分别达到峰值和谷值;草本层的β多样性指数先增加后降低,Cody和Sorensen指数在年降水量377~470 mm时分别达到峰值和谷值,两者之间β多样性最大,物种更替速率最快。年降水量对祁连圆柏种群年龄结构和群落特征有显著影响,在年降水量低于377 mm的林区,改造林地微地形、蓄集天然降水、防止牛羊危害,有利于天然更新。

A new kinetic model for the common juniper essenstial oil extraction by microwave hydrodistillation

The main objective of the present study was to model the kinetics of essential oil extraction from swelled ground juniper berries by classic hydrodistillation(HD) and microwave-assisted hydrodistillation(MAHD). A new phenomenological kinetic model was developed on the basis of the juniper essential oil extraction mechanism that assumed three mass transfer processes occurring simultaneously: washing, unhindered diffusion and hindered diffusion. The new model was compared to the existing kinetic models. Among the tested models,the new model had the smallest mean relative percentage deviation and the highest corrected Akaike information criterion value. In addition, that, the new model was verified for HD and MAHD of essential oils from some other plant materials. On the basis of the above-mentioned facts, the new model can be recommended for modeling the kinetics of essential oil extraction by both HD and MAHD.

Tree ring based drought variability in Northwest Tajikistan since 1895 AD

Determining the mechanisms controlling the changes of wet and dry conditions will improve our understanding of climate change over the past hundred years,which is of great significance to the study of climate and environmental changes in the arid regions of Central Asia.Forest trees are ecologically significant in the local environment,and therefore the tree ring analysis can provide a clear record of regional historical climate.This study analyzed the correlation between the tree ring width chronology of Juniperus turkestanica Komarov and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index(SPEI)in Northwest Tajikistan,based on 56 tree ring samples collected from Shahristan in the Pamir region.Climate data including precipitation,temperature and the SPEI were downloaded from the Climate Research Unit(CRU)TS 4.00.The COFECHA program was used for cross-dating,and the ARSTAN program was used to remove the growth trend of the tree itself and the influence of non-climatic factors on the growth of the trees.A significant correlation was found between the radial growth of J.turkestanica trees and the monthly mean SPEI of February–April.The monthly mean SPEI sequence of February–April during the period of 1895–2016 was reconstructed,and the reconstruction equation explained 42.5%of the variance.During the past 122 a(1895–2016),the study area has experienced three wetter periods(precipitation above average):1901–1919,1945–1983 and 1995–2010,and four drier periods(precipitation below average):1895–1900,1920–1944,1984–1994 and 2011–2016.The spatial correlation analysis revealed that the monthly mean SPEI reconstruction sequence of February–April could be used to characterize the large-scale dry-wet variations in Northwest Tajikistan during the period of 1895–2016.This study could provide comparative data for validating the projections of climate models and scientific basis for managing water resources in Tajikistan in the context of climate change.

Isolation, purification and characterization of carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) from endophytic Fusarium oxysporum producing podophyllotoxin

Endophytic fungus Fusarium oxysporum is a rich source of cellulases. In the present study, the highest activity was reported at 28 ° C, pH 5.6 with 2% Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as carbon source. CMC was purified using Sephadex G and DEAE cellulose chromatography to 15.9 folds and the molecular weight was determined to be 84 kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis and was subsequently characterized. The purified enzyme was stable over the pH range from 4.0 to 8.0 and at temperatures below 50 ° C. The enzyme was highly active on CMC and reduced or no activity on Avicel, cellobiose and it was suggested to be CMCase/endoglucanase. The activity of endoglucanase was enhanced in the presence of MgCl2, CoCl2, FeCl3, CaCl2, FeCl2 and intensive to HgCl2. The purified enzyme showed its optimum activity at pH 5.0 - 6.0 and was quite stable at 50 ° C for 30 min and retained 45% of original activity.

The antioxidative effects of some medicinal plants as hypoglycemic agents on chromosomal aberration and abnormal nucleic acids metabolism produced by diabetes stress in male adult albino rats

The objectives of the present study are to evaluate the chromosomal aberrations in somatic and germ cells of alloxanized diabetic rats treated with methanolic extracts of Cleome droserifolia (Sammo), Anastatica hierochuntica (Kafta), Juniperus phoencea (Araar) and Hyphaene thebaica (Doum) as well as their effects on blood glucose, liver and testes total soluble protein, DNA and RNA contents and also nucleases (RNAase and DNAase) activity. The material and Methods: The study was performed in six groups. The first group was the normal healthy control;the second group was rats injected with alloxan (diabetic control). Every one of the other four groups (diabetic rats) was ingested with each of the methanolic extracts of Kafta, Doum, Sammo and Araar (individually). The results: The results of chromosomal analysis showed that, diabetic rats had a highly significant increase of chromosomal aberrations compared to that of normal healthy control. Animals which treated with the four plants methanolic extracts showed significant improvements in the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations. In case of biochemical analysis, blood glucose level was significantly increased but immunoglobulins levels were decreased in diabetic albino rats. Diabetes increased serum total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL but serum HDL was decreased. RNA and DNA as well as inhibited the nucleases (RNAase and DNAase) activity of both organs (liver and testes) tissue. The conclusions: It is concluded that diabetes is much harmful in the animal body, whilst the induction of flavonoids extract (by methanol) of Kafta, Somma, Araar and Doum reduced these harmful of diabetes.