The success of a biological invasion relies on the environment and is closely linked to factors such as water and temperature. Invasive plant species display different seed characteristics, including shape. Field sandbur (Cenchrus pauciflorus) is a globally widespread invasive species capable of adapting to broad environmental conditions. However, its germination response to water and temperatu...

In recent years, diverse physiological functions of various sugars are the subject of investigations. Their roles in signal transduction in plant responses to adverse biotic and abiotic stress conditions have become apparent, and growing scientific evidence has indicated that disaccharides like sucrose and trehalose mediate plant defense responses in similar way as those induced by elicitors ag...

The size and composition of the seed bank of a rare species (Erica ciliaris L.) was analysed. E. ciliaris hybridizes with a common relative in southern England (Erica tetralix). The seed banks of these co-occurring species were measured at a number of sites with a range of vegetation types and different management histories. Additional sets of samples were taken from forestry plantations on for...

Abstract In African drylands, perennial grasses preferred by grazing livestock are disappearing at an alarming rate. This has led to recurrent feed shortages threatening pastoralist’s livelihoods. Combining native grass reseeding and rainwater harvesting offers a viable innovative solution reverse this trend. However, studies determine how biomass yields affected soil moisture availability attr...

Degradation characterized by depleted vegetation cover is a serious environmental problem in African rangelands. It poses threat to millions of pastoralists and agropastoralists who depend on livestock as source livelihood. Consequently, there has been growing global interest consolidate efforts restore degraded ecosystems. For example, the UN decade Ecosystem Restoration initiative aims at uni...

Tremella anaptychiae, a lichenicolous fungus growing on Anaptychia ciliaris, is described as new. Both morphological and molecular data (DNA sequences from the ITS and 28S regions) are used to characterize and distinguish it from other Tremella s. l. species. Tremella anaptychiae is closely related to T. parmeliarum but comparatively distantly related to other previously recognized lichenicolou...