The North American deserts were impacted by both Neogene plate tectonics and Quaternary climatic fluctuations, yet it remains unclear how these events influenced speciation in this region. We tested published hypotheses regarding the timing and mode of speciation, population structure, and demographic history of the Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia), a sand dune specialist endemic to the...

Effects of salt stress on Artemisia scoparia and A. vulgaris "Variegate" were examined. A. scoparia leaves became withered under NaCl treatment, whereas A. vulgaris "Variegate" leaves were not remarkably affected. Chlorophyll content decreased in both species, with a higher reduction in A. scoparia. Contents of proline, MDA, soluble carbohydrate, and Na(+) increased in both species under salt s...

Evolution of glyphosate-resistant kochia is a threat to no-till wheat-fallow and glyphosate-resistant (GR) cropping systems of the US Great Plains. The EPSPS (5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) gene amplification confers glyphosate resistance in the tested Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad populations from Montana. Experiments were conducted in spring to fall 2014 (run 1) and summer 2014 t...

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) Kochia scoparia has evolved in dryland chemical fallow systems throughout North America and the mechanism of resistance involves 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene duplication. Agricultural fields in four states were surveyed for K. scoparia in 2013 and tested for glyphosate-resistance level and EPSPS gene copy number. Glyphosate resistance was co...

We examined the effects of incline on locomotor performance and kinematics in two closely related species of iguanian lizards that co-occur in sandy desert habitats. Callisaurus draconoides differs from Uma scoparia of equal snout-vent length by being less massive and having greater limb and tail lengths. We analyzed high-speed video tapes of lizards sprinting from a standstill on a sand-covere...

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis on the occurrence of oxidative stress in the brain of rats during diabetes by measuring the extent of oxidative damage as well as the status of the antioxidant defense system. METHODS Aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis plant was administered orally (200 mg/kg body weight) and the effect of extr...

Artemisia scoparia, Artemisia sacrorum and Artemisia giraldii were three dominant Artemisia species which successive grew in the secondary succession on abandoned land of the Loess Plateau. The succession accompanied the soil moisture steady decrease with field age after their abandonment. To elucidate the relationship between the Artemisia species succession and their drought-adaptation, three...

In this study, the physical properties (oven-dry density, basic volumetric shrinkage, and swelling) structural components (cellulose, lignin, extractives content) of three wild almond wood species from southwestern Iran, namely Amygdalus arabica, eburna, scoparia, were investigated. Wild is a valuable in Zagros forests but there lack data on their properties. Three adult trees each chosen, samp...

Moderate grazing by cattle increases the heterogeneity of soil and vegetation. This has been suggested as an ecologically sustainable mean of managing natural environments endangered by tree encroachment, such as heathlands. Our study was performed to test the impact of grazing intensity on soil macroinvertebrate communities in heterogeneous landscapes in a private property eligible to the Natu...

BACKGROUND The fructus of Kochia scoparia Schrader (Chenopodiaceae) is a traditional herbal medicine that has been used for treating gonorrhea and dermatitis. OBJECTIVE We investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of three marker compounds, including 20-hydroxyecdysone, momordin Ic, and oleanolic acid, from the fructus of K. scoparia. MATERIALS AND METHODS The simultaneous analysis of t...