The present work showcases a model for holistic, sustainable healthcare in indigenous communities worldwide through the implementation of traditional healing practices. The implementation of this model promotes public health and community wellness while addressing crucially important themes such as in situ and ex situ conservation of medicinal plant resources and associated biodiversity, genera...

Climate change effects on snow cover and thermic regime in alpine tundra might lead to a longer growing season, but could also increase risks to plants from spring frost events. Alpine snowbeds, i.e. alpine tundra from late snowmelt sites, might be particularly susceptible to such climatic changes. Snowbed communities were grown in large monoliths for two consecutive years, under different mani...

NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) has recently been implicated as driving force in cellular senescence. Thus, there is growing interest to develop Nox4 inhibitors, which might be valuable agents for cosmeceutical applications. Alpine plants represent a valuable source for the identification of novel bioactive natural products with anti-ageing effects, especially substances that protect plants against UV r...

Net CO2 assimilation (A) was analysed in situ in 12 pairs of altitudinally separated, herbaceous plant species in the Austrian Alps at 600 and 2600m. Both groups of species show a similar average response to light, saturating at quantum flux densities (400-700mm) (QFD) of more than 1200 VLmol m-2 sol. Temperature optimum of QFD-saturated A differs little (3K) and corresponds to the median of ai...

Aim Alpine plant species’ distributions are thought to have been shifting higher elevations in response climate change. By moving upslope, species can occupy cooler and more suitable environments as change warms their current ranges. Despite evidence of upslope migration the northern hemisphere, there is limited for elevational shifts southern hemisphere plants. Our study aimed determine if alp...

BACKGROUND Cushion plants are commonly considered as keystone nurse species that ameliorate the harsh conditions they inhabit in alpine ecosystems, thus facilitating other species and increasing alpine plant biodiversity. A literature search resulted in 25 key studies showing overwhelming facilitative effects of different cushion plants and hypothesizing greater facilitation with increased envi...

Various biotic and abiotic factors are known to exert selection pressures on floral traits, but the influence of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light on the evolution of flower structure remains relatively unexplored. We have examined the effectiveness of flower structure in blocking radiation and the effects of UV-B on pollen viability in 42 species of alpine plants in the Hengduan Mountains, China. Flo...