Floristic composition and edaphic relationships in ferruginous campo rupestre reference ecosystems

Land use change and occupation have led to modifications in the environment causing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services throughout the planet.Some environments with high economic relevance,such as the ferruginous campo rupestre(rupestrian grassland known as Canga in Brazil),are even more susceptible to severe impacts due to their extreme habitat conditions and low resilience.The determination of reference ecosystems based on the intrinsic characteristics of the ecosystem is essential for conservation as well as to the implementation of ecological restoration.We proposed the reference ecosystem of the three main types of habitats of the ferruginous campo rupestre based on their floristic composition.We described the floristic composition of each habitat and evaluated the physicochemical properties of the soils and the relationship between plants and soils.All three habitats showed high diversity of plant species and many endemic species,such as Chamaecrista choriophylla,Cuphea pseudovaccinium,Lychnophora pinaster,and Vellozia subalata.The distribution of vegetation was strongly related with the edaphic characteristics,with a set of species more adapted to high concentration of base saturation,fine sand,organic carbon,and iron,while another set of species succeeded in more acidic soils with higher S and silt concentration.We provide support for the contention that the ferruginous campo rupestre is a mosaic of different habitats shaped by intrinsic local conditions.Failure to recognize the floristic composition of each particular habitat can lead to inappropriate restoration,increased habitat homogenization and increased loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.This study also advances the knowledge base for building the reference ecosystem for the different types of ferruginous campo rupestre habitats,as well as a key database for highlighting those species contribute most to community assembly in this diverse and threatened tropical mountain ecosystem.

Vegetation-environment relationships in the forests of Chitral district Hindukush range of Pakistan

We investigated the composition of plant communities to quantify their relationships with environmental parameters in the Chitral Hindukush range of Pakistan. We sampled tree vegetation using the Point Centered Quarter （PCQ） method while understory vegetation was sampled in 1.5-m circular quadrats. Cedrus deodara is the national symbol of Pakistan and was dominant in the sampled communities. Because environmental variables determine vegetation types, we analyzed and evaluated edaphic and topographic factors. DCA-Ordination showed the major gradient as an amalgam of elevation （p〈0.05） and slope （p〈0.01） as the topographic factors correlated with species distribution. Soil variables were the factors of environmental significance along DCA axes. However, among these factors, Mg2＋ , K ＋ and N2＋ contributed not more than 0.054% 0.20% and 0.073%, respectively, to variation along the first ordination axis. We conclude that the principal reason for weak or no correlation with many edaphic variables was the anthropogenic disturbance of vegetation. The understory vegetation was composed of perennial herbs in most communities and was most dense under the tree canopy. The understory vegetation strongly regulates tree seedling growth and regeneration patterns. We recommend further study of the understory vegetation using permanent plots to aid development of forest regeneration strategies.

Research on Coupling Relationship between Social Economy and Ecological Environment in Jinghe County of Aiby Lake Basin,Xinjiang

Based on the theory of sustainable development,using the theory and method of coupling relationship,the main city of Aiby Lake basin——Jinghe County in Xinjiang is selected. Based on the analyses of natural condition,population growth,land use type and ecological environment,the comprehensive evaluation index systems of socio-economic development level and eco-environment quality in Jinghe County are constructed. Using principal component analysis,a comprehensive evaluation of socio-economic development level and ecological environment quality in Jinghe County is conducted by combining with Excel. Their coupling relationship is studied,and quantitative coordination degree between social economy and ecological environment in Jinghe County is obtained. The results show that in recent 50 years,socio-economic development level in Jinghe County is rising,but the ecological environment quality is falling. Their coupling degree C changes during [- 1. 260, ＋ 0. 482],in other words,their coupling relationship is changing between ＂ reluctant coordination＂ and ＂ not coordination＂. After entering into the 21 stcentury,their coupling relationship is basically ＂ reluctant coordination＂. On this basis,the existing problems in the process of sustainable development in Jinghe County are analyzed,and the suggestions about promoting coordinated development between social economy and ecological environment are put forward.

Investigation of the Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Psychotherapy (ACT) on Quality of Life of Adult Women Suffering from Obesity

Background and Purpose: Quality of life as an important factor in health is very important. This study is looking for an appropriate and effective treatment for improving quality of life. This research aims to study the psychological effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on quality of life of adult women suffering from obesity. Methods and Materials: This research is a kind of half-trail, with pattern of pre-test, post-test and group control. Statistical population includes all over-weight women with body mass index (BMI) range (30 - 40) who participated in family training sessions held in Shahin Shahr city. 40 patients who had the characteristics for sampling were selected and randomly placed in test and control groups (each group 20 people). Participants in each group before and after intervention quality of life questionnaire with 100 question sample World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-100 were evaluated. 12 sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy in group was used. The obtained data were analyzed with the use of Sciences Statistical Package for the Social (SPSS) 18 statistical software and methods of analysis of covariance. Findings: After selection of adult women having a BMI between 30 and 40 based on availability who had attended the meeting of family education, by invitation and voluntary, they were randomized into experimental and control groups. Intervention was done for experimental group. Due to the result of covariance analysis on the post-test stage, examination group showed significant improvement in variants physical health dimensions, level of independence in social and environmental relationships and spirituality (p < 0.01). Conclusion: According to the findings of this research based on the impact of acceptance and commitment intervention on promotion and improving in quality of life, this treatment can be used for improving the variants in women suffering from over-weight and obesity.

Road effects on vegetation composition in a saline environment

Aims Road effects from maintenance and traffic have the potential to alter plant communities,but the exact relationships between these effects and changes in plant community composition have not often been studied in diverse environments.To determine the direction and level of community composition changes in saline environment due to road effects,we conducted a study along roads of different ages and in nearby non-road(i.e.natural)areas in the Yellow River Delta,China.Additionally,to potentially elucidate the mechanisms underlying the changes in the richness and composition of plant communities along roads,we evaluated physiochemical changes in soil of roadside and non-road areas.Methods Floristic and environmental data were collected along roadside of different ages and nearby non-road areas.To evaluate plant communities at each site,six 2 m 32 m quadrats were placed at 3-m intervals along roads and six quadrats were arranged randomly in non-road areas.To determine the difference in plant community composition betweenroadside andnon-road areas,wemeasuredspecies richness and the abundance of each species,examined species turnover and floristic dissimilarity between the two areas and positioned plant species and sites in an abstract multivariate space.Plant community(species richness,percentage of halophytes)and soil physicochemical properties(pH,salinity,moisture content,bulk density,nitrate and ammonium nitrogen concentration)were compared between roadside and non-road areas(young roadside vs.corresponding non-road areas,old roadside vs.corresponding non-road areas)by using t-tests.Classification and ordination techniques were used to examine the relationship between vegetation and related environmental variables in both roadside and non-road areas.Important Findings For both the young and old roadside areas,species richness in roadside areas was significantly higher than in non-road areas and high floristic dissimilarity values indicated that roadside and non-road areas differed greatly in community composition.In both the young and old roadside areas,the plant communities in roadside areas had lower percentages of halophytes than non-road communities.Correspondence analysis and two-way indicator species analysis showed that halophytes dominated in the non-road areas,while a number of typical non-salt-tolerant species dominated in the roadside areas.Compared to non-road areas,activities associated with roads significantly decreased soil moisture,bulk density and salinity and increased soil pH and nitrate content.Forward selection for the environmental variables in canonical correspondence analysis showed that soil salinity was the most important factor related to the variation of species composition between roadside and non-road areas.Our study demonstrates that road effects have a significant impact on the associated vegetation and soil,and these changes are consistent across roads of different ages in our system.