Genome-wide identification of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes in almond and PdXTH2 overexpression induces cell structural disassembly and promotes programmed cell death progression.

The xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) gene family plays a crucial role in fruit development and texture regulation. We used the telomere-to-telomere genome of 'Wanfeng' almond to identify and analyse the XTH gene family, examining protein physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, protein conserved motifs, gene structure, gene replication, and expression patterns. We identified 23 PdXTH family members through the telomere-to-telomere level genome of 'Wanfeng' almond.

Ecosystem health assessment and ecological restoration strategies for Guangzhou City, China.

As the central city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou's ecosystem health forms the foundation for the city's future sustainable development.To accurately assess and forecast future ecosystem health under different scenarios, based on land use data and the dynamic evolution characteristics of ecosystem health in Guangzhou from 2000 to 2020, we utilized a coupling of polynomial models, InVEST model, PLUS model and vigor-organization-resilience model to forecast and assess future ecosystem health under three scenarios: natural development, urban development, and ecological protection. Additionally based on the existing policies, ecological restoration zones were delineated.

Methodology-Dependent Reversals in Root Decomposition: Divergent Regulation by Forest Gap and Root Order in .

Understanding root decomposition dynamics is essential to address declining carbon sequestration and nutrient imbalances in monoculture plantations. This study elucidates how forest gaps regulate root decomposition through comparative methodological analysis, providing theoretical foundations for near-natural forest management and carbon-nitrogen cycle optimization in plantations. The results showed the following: (1) Root decomposition was significantly accelerated by the in situ soil litterbag method (ISLM) versus the traditional litterbag method (LM) (decomposition rate () = 0.

Ionotropic Receptor Genes in Fig Wasps: Evolutionary Insights from Comparative Studies.

The mechanisms of chemoreception in fig wasps (Hymenoptera, Agaonidae) are of primary importance in their co-evolutionary relationship with the fig trees they pollinate. As the supplementary receptors to odorant receptors (ORs) and gustatory receptors (GRs) in insects, we compare the evolutionary characters of ionotropic receptors (IRs) among 25 fig wasp taxa in six genera. In total, we identified 205 IRs in 25 fig wasps, with each taxon recording from 5 to 12 IR genes.

Plastome and transcriptome analysis reveals a degenerated photosynthesis-related pathway in the mycoheterotrophic vanilloid orchid Cyrtosia lindleyana.

Background: Achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophic plant species demonstrate drastic evolutionary shifts in their photosynthetic machinery as encoded in their chloroplast and nuclear genomes. We used next-generation sequencing to scrutinize these genome-level alterations linked to their distinctive life history. The plastome, a partial nuclear rDNA operon gene sequence, and the transcriptome of Cyrtosia lindleyana were assembled and characterized.

Early Response of Rhizosphere Microbial Community Network Characteristics to Thinning Intensity in Plantations.

Rhizosphere microorganisms mediate the material exchange and chemical cycling between plant roots and soil. However, the response mechanisms of the rhizosphere microbial community, especially its co-occurrence patterns, to thinning remain poorly understood. We investigated the rhizosphere microbial communities of under different thinning intensities, including control (CK, 0%), light-intensity thinning (LIT, 10%), moderate-intensity thinning (MIT, 30%), and high-intensity thinning (HIT, 50%).

A chromosome-level genome assembly of Ficus benjamina, a fig tree with great ecological and ornamental value.

Ficus benjamina, the weeping fig, is one of the most widely distributed and cultivated figs, with important ecological functions and landscape value. However, the lack of a reference genome has hindered molecular and functional research on this well-known fig-tree. Here we present a chromosome-scale genome assembly and annotation for F.

Characteristics of Growth, Photosynthesis, C/N Ratio, and Antioxidant Capacity in the Seedling Stage of 'Qinan'.

In this study, 'Qinan', a strain of that easily forms agarwood, was selected and propagated by grafting seedlings. Existing research has mainly focused on the characteristics of agarwood formation, but little attention has been paid to the growth characteristics of 'Qinan'. In this study, the growth rate, photosynthetic capacity, leaf size, carbon and nitrogen contents, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated during the early growth stage in 'Qinan' and grafted seedlings.

 (Lythraceae), a new species from Guangdong, China.

A new species from southern China, B.H.Wu & G.

Physical Contact between Bacteria and Carbonaceous Materials: The Key Switch Triggering Activated Carbon and Biochar to Promote Microbial Iron Reduction.

Carbonaceous materials, including activated carbon and pyrolytic carbon, have been recognized for about over a decade as effective electron shuttles or conductive materials in promoting microbial Fe(III) mineral reduction. However, recent studies reveal inhibitory effects, sparking debates about their overall impact. We hypothesized that the physical contact between bacteria and carbon is an overlooked yet critical factor in determining whether carbon promotes or inhibits microbial Fe(III) reduction.

 (Theaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China.

A new species of the genus (Theaceae), G.P.Yang & B.

Notes on the genus Horniolus Weise, 1901 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with description of a new species from China.

A new species of the genus Horniolus Weise, 1901, Horniolus longitubus Tang, Huo et Chen sp. nov., is described from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.

A high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of Antiaris toxicaria.

Objectives: Antiaris toxicaria is a tall tree belonging to the Moraceae family, known for its medicinal value. Its latex contains various cardiac glycosides, which hold significant research and potential application value. However, the lack of genomic resources for A.

Revealing the underestimated role of Gram-positive bacteria in iron reduction within paddy soils.

Iron reduction in paddy fields is crucial for heavy metal migration and nutrient transformation. Gram-negative iron-reducing bacteria like Geobacter and Shewanella have been widely studied due to their strong extracellular electron transfer capabilities. In contrast, Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium are often labeled as weak exoelectrogens, leading to their contributions being overlooked.

Assembly and characterization of the complete mitogenome of Bauhinia purpurea (Leguminosae).

Objective: Mitochondrial genome sequences are very useful for understanding the mitogenome evolution itself and reconstructing phylogeny of different plant lineages. Bauhinia purpurea, a species from the legume family Leguminosae, is widely distributed in South China and has high ornamental value. Here, we sequenced and assembled the mitogenome of B.

Phenol-Quinone Redox Couples of Natural Organic Matter Promote Mercury Methylation in Paddy Soil.

Methylmercury in paddy soils poses threats to food security and thus human health. Redox-active phenolic and quinone moieties of natural organic matter (NOM) mediate electron transfer between microbes and mercury during mercury reduction. However, their role in mercury methylation remains elusive.

Excessive accumulation of auxin inhibits protocorm development during germination of Paphiopedilum spicerianum.

Excessive auxin accumulation inhibits protocorm development during germination of Paphiopedilum spicerianum, delaying shoot meristem formation by downregulating boundary genes (CUC1, CUC2, CLV3) and promoting fungal colonization, essential for seedling establishment. Paphiopedilum, possess high horticultural and conservational value. Asymbiotic germination is a common propagation method, but high rates of protocorm developmental arrest hinder seedling establishment.

Endemic species in the high Himalayas, Eastern Nepal, seeking conservation.

Prunus species play an important role in preserving the Nepal's unique identity; such as three endemic species of Prunus, , , and , represent the country's local area. An ecological and social survey of . and .

Evaluating forest aboveground biomass estimation model using simulated ALS point cloud from an individual-based forest model and 3D radiative transfer model across continents.

Area-based approach (ABA) has been widely employed for estimating forest aboveground biomass (AGB) using airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. However, its scalability is limited due to challenges in model generalization across different forest types and regions. The selection of sensitive variables from ALS data is crucial for constructing robust forest AGB estimation models, yet this selection varies significantly among forest types and regions.

Host genotype and age shape the microbial community in the rhizosphere soils of forests.

Microbiota living in the rhizosphere influences plant growth and fitness, from the opposite perspective; whether host genotypes control its root microbiota is of great interest to forest breeders and microbiologists. To improve low-yield plantations and promote sustainable management of high-throughput sequencing was used to study the chemical properties and microbiome in rhizosphere soil of forests under three genotypes (common , local and ) and three growth stages (sapling stage at 4-year-old, primary fruit stage at 7-year-old, and full fruiting stage at 11-year-old). The results showed that the rhizosphere soil organic matter (OM), nutrient concentrations, diversity, and community composition of the microbiome were significantly varied among different genotypes.

Dry season irrigation promotes nutrient cycling by reorganizing Eucalyptus rhizosphere microbiome.

In southern China, seasonal droughts and low soil phosphorus content constrain the productivity of Eucalyptus trees. To understand the rhizosphere microbiome response to the dry season, metagenomic sequencing analysis was used to investigate the 6-year-old Eucalyptus rhizosphere microbiome under four different irrigation and fertilization treatments. The results showed that irrigation and fertilization during the dry season significantly altered the composition of microbiome in the rhizosphere soil of Eucalyptus plantations.

Hematite enhances microbial autotrophic nitrate removal in carbonate and phosphate-rich environments by increasing Fe(II) activity.

Groundwater contamination by nitrates presents significant risks to both human health and the environment. In groundwater characterized as oligotrophic-low in organic carbon, but abundant in carbonate and phosphate-chemolithoautotrophic bacteria, including nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (NRFeOB), play a vital role in denitrification. The chemoautotrophic nitrate reduction is sensitive to environmental factors, including widespread iron oxides like hematite in nature.

Multi-ecosystem services differently affected by over-canopy and understory nitrogen additions in a typical subtropical forest.

Obtaining a holistic understanding of the impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on multiple ecosystem services of forest is essential for developing comprehensive and sustainable strategies, particularly in heavy N deposition regions such as subtropical China. However, such impacts remain incompletely understood, with most previous studies focus on individual ecosystem function or service via understory N addition experiments. To address this knowledge gap, we quantified the effects of over-canopy and understory N additions on multiple ecosystem services based on a 7-year large-scale field experiment in a typical subtropical forest.

The complete mitochondrial genome of (Leguminosae).

The mitogenome of was assembled and characterized in this study. The mitogenome size was 437,271 bp, and its GC content was 45.5%.