Ecosystem ; Heart

Human body is inhabited by large number of microbial organisms that form complex ecosystems. Oral cavity is one of the major sites for microbial colonization. Oral microbial diversity is huge as the compositions vary among different oral cavities, different locations within the same oral cavity, or same location at different time points. The differences in compositions and varieties determine the balance of human oral microbial ecosystem, which is directly associated with oral disease or health. This review focuses on the history and new progress of the studies on human oral microbial communities.
Ecosystem ; Humans ; Mouth ; microbiology

This paper provides a description of Opegrapha herbarum, Opegrapha viridis and Phaeographis subdividens, all newly identified in the Republic of Korea. The characteristic features of O. herbarum include Varia-type asci, Subelevata-type ascospores, a lack of secondary metabolites and a saxicolous habitat. O. viridis possesses Calcarea-type asci, Vulgata-type ascospores and no chemicals in the thallus. P. subdividens is recognizable by its curved to sinuous lirellae, divergent labia, a brown and uniformly thick proper exciple which is open at its base, 3~4-septate ascospores, and lack of secondary metabolites. All three taxa are now reported to exist on Bogil Island in the Republic of Korea.
Ecosystem ; Lichens ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: This study examined the effectiveness of an adolescent school-based smoking prevention program. METHODS: The study was done with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of the present study were 399 non-smoking high school students in Kyongbuk province. The subjects were divided into 184 experimental group members in G city who participated in a school-based smoking prevention program and 216 control group members in K city who did not participate. Data were collected from June to November 2011. collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 18.0 through chi2-test, independent t-test and ANCOVA. RESULTS: The experimental group had significantly increased knowledge of smoking, knowledge of smoking prevention program, attitude of smoking, skill of smoking prevention in comparison to the control group. CONCLUSION: The school-based smoking prevention program delivered to non-smoking adolescents is an effective method of encouraging smoking prevention and can be utilized as an effective nursing intervention for non-smoking adolescents.
Adolescent ; Ecosystem ; Humans ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVETo determine the present status of plant communities and their possible association with the habitat in Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan.

METHODSA study on the phytoecology was conducted in various ecologically important sites of Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan from 2002 to 2004. The altitude of these sites ranged from 1 200 m to 3 200 m. Quadrat method was used for evaluation of plants communities and the data on these attributes was converted to relative values. The plant communities were named after 3 leading species with highest importance values. Biological spectrum of the flora based on the life form was prepared by following Raunkiar's life form classes.

RESULTSThe floristic composition and structure of the study area were found to be 200 species belonging to 75 families. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae were important families in the study area. The biological spectrum showed that therophytic and hemicrytophytic life form and micro-nonophyllous leaf sizes were dominant in the area. The air and soil temperatures were decreasing with increasing elevation. Both the air and soil temperatures were relatively higher in south slopes than on the northeast slopes. The vegetation analysis of the area indicated eleven plant communities around the area. The present vegetation is the relics of moist temperate coniferous forest in the area. The communities reflect highly deteriorated conditions. Both the structure and composition of the surrounding vegetation were associated with the types of habitats.

CONCLUSIONSThe conservation of the remaining populations of the reported communities will be best achieved by proper time of sustainable harvesting. It is only possible with the participation of local communities.

OBJECTIVETo study the biomass structure of Epimedium acuminatum Franch in the different ecological environments for the development and protection.

METHODThrough the scientific investigation in four typical habitats, the sampling spots were set up, the functional modules' biomass structure and relationship of E. acuminatum were researched.

RESULTThe average of rhizome, as the largest biomass, and the average total biomass had the same pattern: the open areas of forest edge > shrub lumber > shrub-weed > stream drains. The ratio of the functional modules' biomass had different rates under different habitat conditions. By analyzing and combining investigation, the aerial part of E. acuminatum in the shrub-weed were comparative advantage, and the roots of nutrient accumulation of E. acuminatum in the open areas of forest edge were the highest efficient. Under different ecological condition, the distribution of water metabolism was different strategies.

CONCLUSIONIn the open areas of forest edge, E. acuminatum growing well, followed by shrub-weed. These two habitats are the ideal ecological environments while the rhizome or the whole plant used as medicine, but also the protection of E. acuminatum.

A checklist is presented concerning the species composition of Hymenomycetes (Aphyllophorales s.l.) and Heterobasidiomycetes in Israel based on data of previous studies and field sample collections. In total, 242 species are presented, of which five are new records for the Israeli mycobiota, namely Australohydnum dregeanum, Ceriporiopsis consobrina, C. resinascens, Fibroporia vaillantii, and Postia inocybe. The distribution and habitat of each species in Israel are also summarized. This checklist will serve as valuable data for future species diversity studies of these fungi in Israel.
Checklist ; Coriolaceae ; Ecosystem ; Fungi ; Israel

We performed a taxonomic study on two species of the genus Bryoria from the Sino-Himalayas, SW-China. B. nadvornikiana is new to China and B. furcellata is new to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in the Sino-Himalayas. Morphology, habitat, distributions and chemistry of the two species are discussed.
Ascomycota* ; Chemistry ; China ; Ecosystem ; Lichens

Dendrobium huoshanense is a precious medicinal plant belonging to Dendrobium of Orchidaceae. It is a special medicinal material and extremely scarce in Huoshan county, Anhui province. At present, D. huoshanense has been greatly protected, which also makes it possible to industrialize relying on tissue culture and artificial cultivation technology. Three main planting methods were utilized for cultivating D. huoshanense including facility cultivation, under forest cultivation and simulative habitat cultivation. Firstly, the three cultivation modes and technical characteristics of D. huoshanense were compared and analyzed, and it was found that the ecological environment of D. huoshanense cultivated in the simulated environment was closer to that of wild D. huoshanense. Secondly, based on comparing the characters and quality of three cultivation modes, the results showed that the shape of D. huoshanense cultivated in simulated environment was more similar to that of "grasshopper thigh" recorded in Bencao Jing Jizhu, and its quality was better than that of facilities and under forest cultivation. The comprehensive benefit comparison of three modes showed that the simulated cultivation had high income, the lowest input-output ratio and significant economic benefit. The quality of cultivated D. huoshanense was further evaluated from four aspects of "excellent environment" "excellent shape" "high quality" "excellent effect", which summarized the comprehensive advantages of simulative habitat cultivation of D. huoshanense as follows: the original habitat and site environment of simulated wild D. huoshanense, the closer shape to the wild, the more content of main medicinal components, and higher economic benefit and better efficacy. The quality of D. huoshanense was improved by the use of simulative habitat cultivation, which has practical significance to guide its large-scale cultivation.
Dendrobium ; Ecosystem ; Forests ; Plants, Medicinal

Humanity shares the common interest to protect the environment and to maintain a healthy global ecosystem. International collaboration is key in this context, to advance the necessary science and technology. The National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and European Commission (EC) have agreed to collaborate in innovative knowledge and technology in the field of bioremediation of polluted environments and biodegradation of plastics. In this context, projects on bioremediation of soils, wastewater and sediment matrices and on microbial degradation of plastics were supported. This special issue aimed to introduce these projects and their progresses in the related fields. In total, 23 papers have been collected in this issue, covering both fundamental and applied researches.
Biodegradation, Environmental ; China ; Ecosystem ; Plastics