based on the importance and role of species diversity and richness as ameasurement of the health of an ecosystem; studying of their components can lead toevaluate the health condition of rangeland. this research was carried out in a part ofhighland mountainous rangeland of mount alborz range in iran. diversity and richnesswere assessed as an ecosystem health indicator. the study area was locate...

BACKGROUND Grass pollen allergy is one of the most common allergies worldwide, and patients often show sensitization to an array of phylogenetically related species. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of specific immunotherapy (SIT) with Phleum pratense extract on induction of the immune response to a mixture composed of 5 grass pollen extracts. METHODS Forty-six adult patients suffering fro...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential benefits of grazing lactating ewes and their lambs on chicory (Cichorium intybus). Fifty-six certified organic twin-rearing ewes were either drenched with an anthelmintic or not, within 2 days after parturition and were grazed upon either grass/clover or chicory pastures. Around 12 weeks after parturition a subset of 12 lambs per tre...

Unlike animals, plants, being sessile, cannot escape from exposure to severe abiotic stresses such as extreme temperature and water deficit. The dynamic structure of plant cell wall enables them to undergo compensatory changes, as well as maintain physical strength, with changing environments. Plant hormones known as brassinosteroids (BRs) play a key role in determining cell wall expansion duri...

Genetic principles underlie recommendations to use local seed, but a paucity of information exists on the genetic distinction and ecological consequences of using different seed sources in restorations. We established a field experiment to test whether cultivars and local ecotypes of dominant prairie grasses were genetically distinct and differentially influenced ecosystem functioning. Whole pl...

BACKGROUND Our knowledge of allergen structure and function continues to rise and new scientific data on the homology and cross-reactivity of allergen sources should be considered to extend the work of Lorenz et al., 2009 (Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 148(1):1-1, 2009) and the concept of homologous groups. In addition to this, sophisticated techniques such as mass spectrometry (MS) are increasingl...

Initial studies of grass-endophyte mutualisms using Schedonorus arundinaceus cultivar Kentucky-31 infected with the vertically transmitted endophyte Epichloë coenophiala found strong, positive endophyte effects on host-grass invasion success. However, more recent work using different cultivars of S. arundinaceus has cast doubt on the ubiquity of this effect, at least as it pertains to S. arundi...

Comparative studies of plant resource use and ecophysiological traits of invasive and native resident plant species can elucidate mechanisms of invasion success and ecosystem impacts. In the seasonal tropics of north Australia, the alien C4 perennial grass Andropogon gayanus (gamba grass) has transformed diverse, mixed tree-grass savanna ecosystems into dense monocultures. To better understand ...