Insect pollinator diversity in four forested ecosystems of southern Punjab, Pakistan.

This study investigated pollinator assemblage diversity and richness in four forested ecosystems of southern Punjab, Pakistan, with different landscape types. Pirowal is situated in the plains of irrigated Punjab, Lal Suhanra is part of a sandy desert ecosystem, Ghazi Ghat is part of the Indus River delta, and Fort Munro is located in dry hilly mountains. A yearlong survey of pollinator populations was carried out in these four forested ecosystems from January to December of 2010. Fortnightly hand netting was performed for collecting flower-visiting insects whereas, pan traps of three colors (white, blue, and yellow) were deployed for collecting the data. A total of 8,812 individuals from two orders (Lepidoptera and Diptera) were observed, including 22 families and 154 species. Bees were the most abundant, with 4,502 individuals, and the most species-rich taxa, with 70 species in five families, followed by flies having 2,509 individuals and 51species in 10 families. Wasps were the least abundant with 1,801 individuals and 33 species in seven families. The assemblage structure of pollinator communities as visualized through rank abundance curves showed that there were many species with low abundance and only a few species with a much higher abundance. The most abundant species among the bees, in order, were Nomia sp.3, Megachile bicolor, and Colletes sp.3; among flies, Syrphus sp.2, Calliphoridae sp.1, and Empididae sp.4; and among wasps, Tiphiidae sp.1, Myzininae sp.2, and Scelionidae sp.1.

Physiological response of spinach to toxic heavy metal stress.

This study was carried out to investigate the concentration of two heavy metals, i.e., mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in soil and plant. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) was used as a test vegetable in a pot experiment. Five spiked concentrations of both the metals along with sewage water were used as treatments. The analyses of the metals were determined in two cuttings. The results showed significant effect of treatments on the concentration of the two metals in soil and plant. The concentrations of As recorded were higher in 1st spinach cutting and reduced in the second harvest. However, comparing the two metal concentrations, it was found that As was absorbed greater as compared with Hg. Analyzing the plant growth parameter, it was found that metal stress has significantly influenced the plant growth. In sewage water pots, As was significantly higher than Hg. The transfer factor from soil to plant showed higher As in plants at lower concentration, but at higher As levels, the transfer rate declined, while Hg showed it was completely inverse. Positive correlation was found between soil applied metal concentration and plant uptake. It may be concluded from the above results that spinach is a good accumulator of heavy metals and has shown significant result of both As and Hg accumulation in plant. The concentration increased with the increasing concentration in soil.

Corrigendum to "Plants as Useful Vectors to Reduce Environmental Toxic Arsenic Content".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/921581.].

Physiology and selected genes expression under cadmium stress in Arundo donax L.

The effects of cadmium stress (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/L) on morpho-physiological features and selected genes (carotenoid hydroxilase, amidase, GR, bHLH, NRAMP and YSL) expression were demonstrated in Arundo donax L. The plants were assessed for Cd uptake and its effects on chlorophyll and antioxidants after 30 days of exposure. The expression of genes conferring metal tolerance was evaluated after 10 days of Cd exposure. The results showed a maximum Cd uptake in roots (872 mg/kg) followed by stem (734 mg/kg) and leaves (298 mg/kg) at highest supplied Cd concentration. The Cd uptake reduced dry weight, Chla, Chlb, and total Chl contents of giant reed. The SOD, CAT, POD activities and MDA content increased at the maximum Cd concentration over control. The highest genes expression for carotenoid hydroxylase, glutathione reductase and amidase was observed in plants exposed to 100 mg/L. However, differential bHLH gene expression and slightly increased gene expression of NRAMP was noted for different Cd treatments. Amidase expressed under Cd stress which is pioneer report in A. donax. These results provided insights into the mechanisms of A. donax tolerance and survival under Cd Stress.

The Potential Use of Vetiveria zizanioides for the Phytoremediation of Antimony, Arsenic and Their Co-Contamination.

Antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) contaminations are the well reported and alarming issues of various contaminated smelting and mining sites all over the world, especially in China. The present hydroponic study was to assess the capacity of Vetiveria zizanioides for Sb, As and their interactive accumulations. The novelty of the present research is this that the potential of V. zizanioides for Sb and As alone and their interactive accumulation are unaddressed. This is the first report about the interactive co-accumulation of Sb and As in V. zizanioides. Highest applied Sb and As contaminations significantly inhibited the plant growth. Applied Sb and As alone significantly increased their concentrations in the roots/shoot of V. zizanioides. While co-contamination of Sb and As steadily increased their concentrations, in the plant. The co-contamination of Sb and As revealed a positive correlation between the two, as they supplemented the uptake and accumulation of each other. The overall translocation (TF) and bioaccumulation factors (BF) of Sb in V. zizanioides, were 0.75 and 4. While the TF and BF of As in V. zizanioides, were 0.86 and 10. V. zizanioides proved as an effective choice for the phytoremediation and ecosystem restoration of Sb and As contaminated areas.

Biochemical and Metabolic Changes in Arsenic Contaminated Boehmeria nivea L.

Arsenic (As) is identified by the EPA as the third highest toxic inorganic contaminant. Almost every 9th or 10th human in more than 70 countries including mainland China is affected by As. Arsenic along with other toxins not only affects human life but also creates alarming situations such as the deterioration of farm lands and desertion of industrial/mining lands. Researchers and administrators have agreed to opt for phytoremediation of As over costly cleanups. Boehmeria nivea L. can soak up various heavy metals, such as Sb, Cd, Pb, and Zn. But the effect of As pollution on the biology and metabolism of B. nivea has been somewhat overlooked. This study attempts to evaluate the extent of As resistance, chlorophyll content, and metabolic changes in As-polluted (5, 10, 15, and 20 mg L(-1) As) B. nivea in hydroponics. Toxic effects of As in the form of inhibited growth were apparent at the highest level of added As. The significant changes in the chlorophyll, electrolyte leakage, and H2O2, significant increases in As in plant parts, catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA), with applied As revealed the potential of B. nivea for As decontamination. By employing the metabolic machinery of B. nivea, As was sustainably removed from the contaminated areas.

Phytoextraction of HG by parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and its growth responses.

The effect of mercury (Hg) on the growth and survival of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) was explored at various treatments. The plants were grown in pots having Hoagland's solution to which various Hg treatments were applied and placed under greenhouse conditions. The treatments were: no metal applied (control) and six doses of Hg as mercuric chloride for 15 days. Linear trend of Hg accumulation was noted in roots, stems, and leaves with increasing Hg treatments. The maximum Hg concentration in root, stem and leaf was 8.92, 8.27, and 7.88 at Hg treatments of 25 mg l(-1), respectively. On the whole, Hg accumulation in different plant parts was in the following order: leaves > stem > roots. Linear trend was also observed for Bioaccumulation Factor (BF) and Translocation Factor (TF) with increasing Hg concentrations in the growth medium. The highest respective BFHg and TFHg values were 9.32 and 2.02 for the Hg treatments of 25 and 50 mg l(-1). In spite of the reduced growth in the presence of Hg, the plant has phytoremediation potential. It is recommended that parsley should not be cultivated in Hg contaminated sites in order to avoid dietary toxicity.

Growth, photosynthesis, and defense mechanism of antimony (Sb)-contaminated Boehmeria nivea L.

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) is the oldest cash fiber crop in China and is widely grown in antimony (Sb) mining areas. To evaluate the extent of Sb resistance and tolerance, the growth, tolerance index (TI), Sb content in plant parts and in Hoagland solution, bioaccumulation factor (BF), photosynthesis, and physiological changes in Sb-contaminated B. nivea (20, 40, 80, and 200 mg L(-1) Sb) grown hydroponically were investigated. The Sb tolerance and resistance of ramie were clearly revealed by growth inhibition, a TI between 13 and 99 %, non-significant changes in the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem (F v /F m ), energy-harvesting efficiency (photosystem II (PSII)) and single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) value, a significant increase in Sb in plant parts, BF >1, and an increase in catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) at 200 mg L(-1) Sb. Under increasing Sb stress, nearly the same non-significant decline in the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem (F v /F m ), energy-harvesting efficiency (PSII), relative quantum yield of photosystem II (φPSII), and photochemical quenching (qP), except for F v /F m at 20 mg L(-1) Sb, were recorded. SPAD values for chlorophyll under Sb stress showed an increasing trend, except for a slight decrease, i.e., <2 %, than the control SPAD value at 200 mg L(-1) Sb. With a continuous increase in MDA, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and CAT activities were suppressed under Sb addition up to 40 mg L(-1) Sb and the addition of Sb enhanced enzyme production at 80 and 200 mg L(-1) Sb. A continuous decrease in SOD, POD, and CAT up to 40 mg L(-1) Sb and enhancements at ≥80 mg L(-1), along with the continuous enhancement of MDA activity and inhibited biomass production, clearly reveal the roles of these enzymes in detoxifying Sb stress and the defense mechanism of ramie at 80 mg L(-1) Sb. Thus, B. nivea constitutes a promising candidate for Sb phytoremediation at mining sites.

Plants as useful vectors to reduce environmental toxic arsenic content.

Arsenic (As) toxicity in soil and water is an increasing menace around the globe. Its concentration both in soil and environment is due to natural and anthropogenic activities. Rising arsenic concentrations in groundwater is alarming due to the health risks to plants, animals, and human beings. Anthropogenic As contamination of soil may result from mining, milling, and smelting of copper, lead, zinc sulfide ores, hide tanning waste, dyes, chemical weapons, electroplating, gas exhaust, application of municipal sludge on land, combustion of fossil fuels, As additives to livestock feed, coal fly ash, and use of arsenical pesticides in agricultural sector. Phytoremediation can be viewed as biological, solar-driven, pump-and-treat system with an extensive, self-extending uptake network (the root system) that enhances the natural ecosystems for subsequent productive use. The present review presents recent scientific developments regarding phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated environments and its possible detoxification mechanisms in plants.

Phytoremediation potential of Arundo donax in arsenic-contaminated synthetic wastewater.

The present study reports the potential of Arundo donax for phytoextraction of arsenic from synthetic wastewater. A. donax plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in pots containing a nutrient solution amended with increasing doses of As (0, 50, 100, 300, 600 and 1000 microg L(-1)) for 21 days in a completely randomized design. Shoot and roots dry matter production, growth parameters, arsenic and nutrient tissue concentrations were measured at the end of the experiment. Increasing As concentration in nutrient solution caused an increase in shoot and root biomass without toxicity symptoms in A. donax growing under a range of As concentration from 50 to 600 microg L(-1). Elevated oxidative stress was observed at As supplied level of 1000 microg L(-1). The As doses up to 600 microg L(-1) did not affect the growth of A. donax. It is suggested that A. donax plants may be employed to treat contaminated waters containing arsenic concentrations up to 600 microg L(-1).