Journal of Biodiversity and Ecological Sciences
Volume:4 Issue: 2, 2014

Two different administrative districts have been selected with the objective of investigating the homestead timber and fruit species diversity in different agroecological zones of Bangladesh. A total of 61 tree species representing 25 genera and 27 species of timber origin and 27 genera and 34 species of fruit origin belonging to 28 families are recorded from both study areas. Anacardiaceae and Myrtaceae are the most diverse families with five species. The quantitative analysis reveals that in the both study areas Acacia auriculiformis is the most dominant tree species, whereas, Areca catechu and Musa species are dominant fruit species for two study areas. The values of diversity indices and evenness indices of the homestead tree and fruit species of the both study areas are close and highly resemble to each other. The higher similarity index value indicate almost similar homestead forest resources in two different agroecological zones of Bangladesh.

The pollution of the environment with oil is spreading throughout the world along with industrial progress. Scientists are looking for many years to find solution for removing contaminants from the soil and water environments. Today, the use of microorganism, for removing crude oil pollution from contaminated sites (bioremediation) is considered by scientists. The present study deals with isolation, identification and characterization of oil-degrading bacteria was isolated from oil-polluted sites of south of Iran (Bushehr province). Initially, a total of 90 isolates were screened from oil-polluted soils in Carbon Free Minimal Medium enriched by gas oil. The 19 isolates were selected based on high level of growth in solid medium. On the basis of morphological, biochemical, 16S rDNA gene sequencing and phylogeny analysis revealed that, the isolates were authentically identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Ralstonia sp., Vibrio sp., Sphingobacterium sp., Zymomonas sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Paracoccus sp., Pantoea sp., Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Serattia odorifera, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Entrobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas stutzeri and Chryseobacterium sp.. In order to determine the efficiency of these bacteria in hydrocarbon-degrading an inoculum of bacteria containing 108 cfu/ml was used in plate and liquid assays, which were performed in factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with 3 replications. The increasing of diameter of colony and the growth turbidity (OD600nm) as indicators for utilization of hydrocarbon was measured in solid and liquid assays, respectively. Results showed that in CFMM plate assay, highest diameter of colony in presence of toluene and phenanthrene were achieved by Chryseobacterium sp. and Sphingobacterium sp., while in liquid assay and in presence of three compounds Serattia odorifera and Entrobacter cloacae were efficient. Moreover, among three compounds highest degradability in bioremediation was related to gas oil, and it’s followed by phenanthrene and toluene, respectively.

Olive is a evergreen and long-lived tree, and native to Mediterranean region. The trees are tolerant of drought, salinity and almost totally neglect, so that they grow well in poor soils. This multipurpose and ancient tree, which is introduced as first tree in Torah (Torat), has played an important role in supporting human principal needs such as food, medicine and industry, for thousands of years, and its importance is ever-increasing. In Iran similar to many parts of the world, there are some natural stands of olive trees in areas such as: Gorgan, Barez Mountains and Zagross Mountains. In most parts of Ilam province, in northwest of Iran (in Zagross Mountains), with Mediterranean climate, there are some natural stands or individual trees or shrubs of olive Throughout the present research total 24 sites of natural olive in the province, were recognized and their physiographic, topographic characteristics and physiology of those olive trees as a valuable genetic sources, were registered and presented. The olive species in total sites is Olea europaea L. , that is almost a shrub but have a high genetic diversity especially in size of fruits. Recognition, storage and use of this valuable genetic sources, that has been out of attention for many years, not only have resistance to some pests and disease in sever conditions, but also have some good crops, is very important and helps us to find improved cultivars for sustainable development of olive orchards in Ilam province and other similar regions.

This paper documents traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of a tribal community in Indian state of Orissa. It documents 193 plant species used variously for different purposes. The study being to understand the biodiversity conservation ethos vis-à-vis knowledge system, it explores the collection of practice and use pattern of various ethnobotanical species and captures different institutional set up, beliefs and practices related to resources use through narrative methods, participatory observation and case study. However, openended questionnaires were administered to collect the required information. It finds that the TEK possessed by this tribe is not only a means of ecological conservation but also a way forward for sustainable livelihood and food security among them. But the gradual state interventions towards mainstreaming this community along with forest policies and market demand towards forest resources have attracted outsiders to this region leading not only to ecological deterioration but have pushed them to vulnerability and threatened to knowledge system. Therefore given the implication of TEK alongside their culture in ecosystem, it urges to take utmost care to preserve traditional culture that can preserve the biodiversity sustainably.

Contamination of soils with heavy metals is caused either in a natural manner or by human activities such as industrial and mining activities. Decontamination is especially important for the environment. Today, natural absorbents are used to remove heavy metals. This study aimed to study the effect of incubation time of natural absorbent (kiwi skin) on the mobility decrease of some heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn), in contaminated sandy soils. The soil was synthetically contaminated in the laboratory with multi-component solutions. The experiments were performed in two replicates and two treatments (soil without adding kiwi skin (control) and soil contain kiwi skin). The samples were kept at fixed temperature of 28ºC for 3 hours, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Then, concentration of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were studied in soil components using sequential extraction. The results showed that The descending trend of distribution percentage of the heavy metals competing with each other in exchangeable phase in the sandy soil sample along with the kiwi skin was as follows: Cu>Zn>Pb>Cd. after 28 days (soil with kiwi skin), (Cd) distribution in manganese and iron oxide phase was higher than other phase, (Cu) distribution in organic phase was higher than other phase, (Pb) distribution in manganese and iron oxide phase was higher than other and distribution of (Zn) was high in manganese and iron Phase.

Forest gaps have an important role in restoring the regeneration of temperate ecosystems. In this study, the influence of formation and sizes of forest gaps on soil moisture content, transmittance light and regeneration density of beech(Fagus orientalis) Maple (Acer velutinum and Acer cappadocicum) is inspected in Lalis Fagetum stand that is located in Hyrcanian forests, northern Iran. The gaps classified in four size classes including the small gap (200 m2), medium gap (400 m2), large gap (600 m2), and very large gap (800 m2) with three accompanying repetitions for each. Thirteen circular micro plots with 3.14 m2 areas were located regularly in gap different places to measuring light amount and regeneration. The results showed that the moisture content decreased with increasing of gap size, significantly; it will be in its highest from the center toward gap edge. The amount of light transmittance was greatly increased significantly due to increasing the gap size. The most amounts of this factor considered in the very large gap and central microplots of each gap. Beech devoted the most areas of regeneration, and the medium and large gaps included the maximum of regeneration density for all the three species. Beech density in small gaps considered in the center. Besides acer velutinum in the edge of medium and large gaps and acer cappadocicum in the edge of all gaps except the small gaps, found a considerable density.

Nowadays practically there is no area unaffected by human activity. Synanthropization of flora occurs in utmost degree around major administrative centers with well developed industry and transport. The present study aims to analyze the strongly anthropogenized flora of cultigenic ecosystem - the “Ajazmoto” forest park near Stara Zagora, South Bulgaria. The study covers 2009-2012 time span. Standard floristic methods are used. 326 synanthropic species, distributed in 234 genera and 66 families are found on the territory of the forest park. Analysis comprises systematic structure, biomorphoforms, biological type (Raunkiaer), and phytogeographic belonging of aboriginal and adventive fraction.