Unlike the majority of similar R packages that each adhere to a specific taxonomic database, U.Taxonstand is compatible with any, provided they are correctly formatted. U.Taxonstand can leverage online databases containing plant and animal data, spanning bryophytes, vascular plants, amphibians, birds, fishes, mammals, and reptiles for its functions. The scientific naming of organisms benefits significantly from U.Taxonstand's ability to standardize and harmonize, proving its utility for botanists, zoologists, ecologists, and biogeographers.

In contrast to common weeds, invasive plants pose a significant threat to biodiversity and native habitats.

The floras of tropical Asia and Australasia share a close kinship, a crucial pattern in the global distribution of seed plants. Studies estimate the presence of over 81 families and 225 genera of seed plants, distributed throughout tropical Asia and Australasia. Yet, the evolutionary processes impacting the two botanical assemblages were still uncertain. Integrated dated phylogenies, biogeography, and ancestral state reconstructions were applied to investigate the biotic interchange between tropical Asia and Australasia using 29 plant lineages. These lineages represented major seed plant clades and diverse life habits. Statistical data indicate a total of 68 migratory movements between tropical Asia and Australasia since the middle Eocene, excluding any final migrations. This migration pattern reveals a prevalence of travel from tropical Asia to Australasia, more than twice that of the reverse. Throughout the period leading up to 15 million years ago, 12 migrations took place, while 56 migrations manifested after this pivotal epoch. A notable asymmetry is observed in the maximal number of potential dispersal events (MDE) analysis, characterized by a prevalent southward migration, indicating that the culmination of bidirectional migrations transpired after 15 million years. The middle Miocene witnessed seed plant migrations driven by the formation of island chains, stemming from the collision of Australia and Sundaland, as well as fluctuations in climate. Importantly, stable habitats and biotic dispersal mechanisms might be vital for the transfer of plant species from tropical Asia to Australasia.

Tropical lotus (Nelumbo), a unique and crucial ecological variety, represents a valuable collection of lotus germplasm. The preservation and beneficial use of the tropical lotus are contingent upon comprehending its genetic lineage and the range of its genetic diversity. Our analysis of genetic diversity and ancestral origins of representative tropical lotus from Thailand and Vietnam was facilitated by the application of 42 EST-SSR (expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats) and 30 SRAP (sequence-related amplified polymorphism) markers. Employing 36 EST-SSR and 7 SRAP markers, 69 accessions exhibited 164 and 41 polymorphic bands, respectively. The Thai lotus demonstrated superior genetic diversity compared to the Vietnamese lotus. A Neighbor-Joining tree, encompassing five primary clusters, was generated employing a combination of EST-SSR and SRAP markers. Cluster I included 17 Thai lotus accessions, cluster II containing three Thai and eleven accessions from the southern region of Vietnam; and cluster III consisted of thirteen seed lotus accessions. Genetic structure analysis, concurring with findings from the Neighbor-Joining tree, indicated the prevalence of pure genetic backgrounds in Thai and Vietnamese lotus, a characteristic attributed to the limited use of artificial breeding in both countries. Chemicals and Reagents The analyses further suggest that Thai and Vietnamese lotus germplasm is part of two separate gene pools or populations. The genetic kinship of most lotus accessions shows a clear correspondence with geographical patterns observed in Thailand and Vietnam. Molecular marker data and the morphological features of some unidentified lotus strains allow an evaluation of their genetic relationships and origin. These findings, in addition, supply dependable information for the focused conservation of tropical lotus and parent selection within the development of new lotus cultivars.

Biofilms or spots of phyllosphere algae are a common sight on plant leaves in tropical rainforests. Although phyllosphere algal diversity and the environmental factors shaping it are significant, they are currently poorly understood. This research endeavors to identify the environmental conditions that dictate the structure and diversity of rainforest phyllosphere algal communities. Single-molecule real-time sequencing of complete 18S rDNA was used to characterize the phyllosphere microalgal communities across four host tree species, including Ficus tikoua, Caryota mitis, Arenga pinnata, and Musa acuminata, over a four-month period in three different forest types at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Yunnan Province, China. Green algae orders Watanabeales and Trentepohliales were prevalent in nearly every algal community examined, according to 18S rDNA environmental data. This was further contrasted by a lower abundance of phyllosphere algal species and biomass in planted forests than in primeval and reserve rainforests. Furthermore, the makeup of algal communities varied substantially between planted forests and pristine rainforests. viral immune response We observed that algal communities exhibited responsiveness to soluble reactive phosphorus, total nitrogen, and ammonium levels. Significant influence is exerted on algal community structure by forest type and host tree species, as evidenced by our findings. This pioneering study, furthermore, is the first to identify the environmental drivers impacting phyllosphere algal communities, considerably boosting future taxonomic research, especially focusing on the green algal orders Watanabeales and Trentepohliales. This research also stands as an essential guide for examining the molecular diversity of algae found in specific habitats, such as epiphytes and soil algae.

Forests provide a more effective environment for cultivating medicinal herbs than the widespread practice of monoculture farming, leading to better disease mitigation. The chemical exchanges between herbs and trees contribute to the overall health and disease resistance of forest ecosystems. We investigated the resistance induction in Panax notoginseng leaves by leachates of Pinus armandii needles, identifying the components through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultimately elucidating the mechanism of 23-Butanediol, the primary constituent, using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Prespray leachates and 23-butanediol, when applied to the leaves of P. notoginseng, could possibly induce a defense mechanism against infection by Alternaria panax. RNA-seq experiments demonstrated that the application of 23-Butanediol to leaves, with or without A. panax, led to an upregulation of a large number of genes, many of which are directly involved in transcription factor activity and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Systemic resistance (ISR), mediated by jasmonic acid (JA) and triggered by 23-Butanediol spraying, involved the activation of MYC2 and ERF1. In addition, 23-Butanediol's effect on systemic acquired resistance (SAR) was manifested through the elevation of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) associated genes, triggering the activation of camalexin biosynthesis by means of the WRKY33 regulatory mechanism. Etoposide cell line The ISR, SAR, and camalexin biosynthesis mechanisms are triggered in P. notoginseng by 23-Butanediol, derived from the leachates of pine needles, thereby bolstering its resilience to leaf diseases. Ultimately, the pursuit of 23-Butanediol as a chemical inducer for agricultural production is justified.

Global ecosystems' biodiversity, the origin of new species, and the spread of seeds are all influenced by the color of fruits. A comprehensive understanding of how fruit color variation drives species diversification within a genus has been a significant goal in evolutionary biology research, despite the significant challenges encountered at this level. To determine if fruit coloration is linked to biogeographic distribution, dispersal events, and diversification rate, we examined Callicarpa, a representative pantropical angiosperm species. A phylogenetic tree, with a time element, for Callicarpa was constructed, and the ancestral fruit color was determined. Utilizing phylogenetic approaches, we determined the principal dispersal events along the phylogenetic structure, alongside the likely fruit colors associated with each dispersal episode, and evaluated whether the dispersal rates and distances of the four fruit colors across major biogeographic zones were uniformly distributed. We performed a study to explore potential correlations among fruit color, latitude, elevation, and diversification rate. Eocene (3553 Ma) biogeographical reconstructions trace Callicarpa's ancestry to East and Southeast Asia, with significant species divergence mainly occurring during the Miocene and persisting through the Pleistocene. Large-scale dispersal events displayed a substantial association with plant lineages characterized by violet-colored fruits. Additionally, fruit coloration demonstrated a strong association with variations in latitude and altitude; violet-colored fruits were characteristic of high-latitude, high-altitude locations, whereas red and black fruits were prevalent at lower latitudes, and white fruits at higher elevations. The most substantial diversification rates were conspicuously associated with violet-colored fruits, generating fruit color variation throughout different regions of the world. Our study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of why fruit color exhibits such diversity among angiosperm genera in various regions globally.

Extravehicular activity (EVA) on-orbit servicing, executed by astronauts without the assistance of the space station's robotic arms, presents significant difficulties in maintaining proper position during impact scenarios, increasing labor demands. The proposed solution includes a wearable robotic limb system intended for supporting astronauts, combined with a method for variable damping control, crucial for sustaining their positioning.