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Lyonia is an electronic, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal devoted to the fast dissemination of current ecological research and its application in conservation, management, sustainable development and environmental education. Manuscript submission, peer-review and publication are entirely handled electronically. As articles are accepted they are automatically published as ”volume in progress” and immediatelly available on the web. Every six months a Volume-in-Progress is declared a Published Volume and subscribers receive the table of Contents via e-mail. Read More...

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Lyonia 11(2) 2006

Current Issue - December 2006

Introduction

Dear Readers,

You have now volume 11(2) of Lyonia in front of you. This volume still presents articles from a wide geographical range, covering important topics from around the globe.

Lyonia is currently evaluating its geographical scope and publication format however, and restructuring its editorial team.

We will not be able to accept new papers until these changes have been finalized. Please check back with Lyonia periodically for the respective announcement.

Articles

Phytotoxic effects of agroforestry tree crops on germination and radicle growth of some food crops of Mizoram

Phytotoxic effects of agroforestry tree crops on germination and radicle growth of some food crops of Mizoram

Munesh Kumar *, Joshua Judex Lakiang & B Gopichand

Abstract The phytotoxic influences of Alnus nepalensis, Artocarpus heterophyllus and Emblica officinalis were tested by growing test crops of Oryza sativa, Phaseolus vulgaris and Pisum sativum for bioassay culture. The germination of Oryza sativa was stimulated in Alnus nepalensis whereas, Pisum sativum was restrained in all the tree crops. However, Phaseolus vulgaris was found most resistant crops for all trees aqueous extract. The radicle growth of all the food crops depressed significantly (P>0.05, P>0.01) in aqueous extract of all the tree crops.
Key Words: Allelopathy, bioassay culture, inhibition, stimulation, tree crops, test crops

ebDB - Filling the gap for an International Ethnobotany Database

ebDB - Filling the gap for an International Ethnobotany Database

Steven Skoczen1 & Rainer W Bussmann2

Abstract Today, there are a few primary repositories for Ethnobotanical data, including the University of Riverside's Ethnobotany Database, Dr. Duke's Databases, and NAPRALERT, and several more specialized databases. Each of these systems fills a valuable role, but each also has shortcomings in accessibility and use in international applications. The International Ethnobotany Database (ebDB) is a new, public database that fills in the existing gaps in functionality, and provides a standardized, secure, independent, and non-commercial repository for ethnobotanical data. In this system, individual researchers maintain complete control over the access to their data, and can choose to keep it completely private, or securely share the information with selected colleagues. The database... [Read Entire Article]

Olorien Online peer-reviewed journal software for low-cost international organizations

Olorien Online peer-reviewed journal software for low-cost international organizations

Steven Skoczen1 & Rainer W Bussmann2

Abstract Current peer-reviewed journal software does not meet the needs of NGOs and institutions in developing countries. Olorien is a new software package to meet this need. Olorien provides an automated system for article submission, tracking, peer review, and publication. It publishes volumes online, and creates print-ready PDF files automatically. To meet the needs of NGOs and developing institutions, Olorien is free to use, and open source. The system supports publication in almost any known language, and is low cost to maintain. The architecture is built on open-source components, and incorporates modern web standards. Olorien is actively developed, and features continue to be added.

Plant Biodiversity and Conservation of Forests in Foot Hills of Garhwal Himalaya

Plant Biodiversity and Conservation of Forests in Foot Hills of Garhwal Himalaya

Munesh Kumar and Vishwapati Bhatt

Abstract Floristic diversity, dominance and abundance to frequency ratio of tree, sapling, seedling, shrub and herb species were studied in two different forest sites of a tropical foot hill region of Garhwal Himalaya. In tree layer on both the sites the dominant species recorded were Lannea coromandelica (IVI-39.80) and Anogeissus latifolia (IVI-29.50) on site I and site II respectively. The ranges of diversity for tree layers was 4.580 to 4.643. Most of the species on both the sites were contagiously distributed except few species which were distributed randomly.

Plant establishment patterns in relation to microtopography on grassy marshland in Ruoergai, central China

Shiro TSUYUZAKI

Abstract Ruoergai Plateau (>3000 m in altitude) holds the largest peatland in Chaina, although the vegetation has been deteriorated mostly by cattle grazing. To determine how plant zonation patterns differ between sites with different topography in the alpine grassy marshland, plant establishment height above the water surface was measured for each species in two sites, Ouhailao and Kaharqiao, using a point transect method. In both sites, hummocks were well-developed, but their sizes were larger in Kaharqiao. Graminoids, primarily Kobresia tibetica and Blysmus sinocompressus, dominated in both the sites, while forbs were sparse. Distinct plant zonation patterns were observed. Patterns of hollow-hummock variation develop in both sites, although the ranks of species establishment... [Read Entire Article]

Improvement of seed germination in three important conifer species by Gibberellic acid (GA3).

Improvement of seed germination in three important conifer species by Gibberellic acid (GA3).

B. S. Rawat1, C. M. Sharma2 and S. K. Ghildiyal3

Abstract Results pertaining to the germination percentage of pre-soaked seeds in a series of temperature regimes viz., 100C, 150C, 200C and 250C have revealed significant increase among seed sources in each of the three conifer species of Garhwal Himalaya. Soaking of the seeds for 24 hours in GA3 solution had shown maximum germination in A. pindrow (45.0±4.19%), C. torulosa (57.0±3.40%) and P. smithiana (56±6.01%) as compared to untreated (control) seeds. It has also been observed that GA3 treatment caused an appreciable shortening of the germination period by 10 days. Therefore, seeds of these commercially important tree species should be pre-treated particularly with GA3 for 24 hours for getting enhanced germination. It is important... [Read Entire Article]

NTFPS: An alternative to forest logging in Minadam and Sultanar Valley Swat

Non Timber Forest Products: An alternative to forest logging in Minadam and Sultanar Valley Swat

Abdul Latif, Z.K.Shinwari, J. Hussain and S. Murtaza

Abstract Forest associated communities collect non-timber forest product as alternate sources of income. In Miandam and Sulatanr valleys of District Swat, the use of non-timber forest product (NTFPs) as marginal sources of income is a common practice. Medicinal plants like Aconitum violaceum, Adiantum spp., Paeonia emodi, Podophyllum emodii and Valeriana jatamansui etc. are collected for earning benefits. Beside medicinal plants, mushrooms, wild fruits, vegetables, thatching plants etc are collected and sold for marginal earnings by the communities. During summer these products provides 70% of income to the marginal communities beside agriculture. In winter seasons when NTFPs are not available for collection, the poor communities satisfy their economic... [Read Entire Article]

Ecological and vegetative characteristics of a potent invader, Hyptis suaveolens Poit. from India.

Ecological and vegetative characteristics of a potent invader, Hyptis suaveolens Poit. from India.

Purnima Raizada

Abstract Hyptis suaveolens Poit a member from Lamiaceae family has naturalized in India and is considered as a potent invader. Although it has several medicinal properties and used in folklore remedies but its spread is so fast that in due course of its establishment it disrupts the recruitment pattern in the nearby occupied. Not only it restricts the area for other species but it increases livestock pressure on the native species because of its unpalatable nature due to presence of essential oils. It has spread at an alarming stretch in the Vindhyan highland and adjoining areas along with other parts of the India. Its population expansion is so fast that it may prove to be an established invader in near future. Present paper deals with different morphological and reproductive... [Read Entire Article]

Folk medicinal knowledge and conservation status of some economically valued medicinal plants of District Swat, Pakistan

Muhammad Hamayun*, Sumera Afzal Khan**, Eun Young Sohn* and In-Jung Lee*

Abstract This paper is based on an ethnobotanical project, carried out in the remote Hindu Kush mountain region of District Swat, Pakistan. The prime objectives of the project were to explore the conservation status, folk medicinal knowledge and traditional pre and post harvesting techniques of some economically important medicinal plants of the area. It was observed that 49 medicinal plants belonging to 32 families were collected and traded in the herb markets of Swat. Most of these plants are used by local population for curing different ailments, while some are exported to other parts of Pakistan. The traditional plant collection techniques have resulted in huge losses of these valuable plant resources. The conservation assessment of these plants revealed that due to increased exploitation... [Read Entire Article]

Threats to the sustainability of Ethno-Medicinal uses in Northern Pakistan (A Case Study of Miandam Valley, District Swat, NWFP Province, Pakistan)

Threats to the sustainability of Ethno-Medicinal uses in Northern Pakistan (A Case Study of Miandam Valley, District Swat, NWFP Province, Pakistan)

Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan1, Ashiq Ahmad Khan2, Abdul Latif & Zabta Khan Shiwari1

Abstract
Miandam valley is best reprehensive of moist temperate forest geographically located 35, 02 N and 72, 33 E. The valley has over 300 plant species of which majority plants species are reported to be medicinal. The local community prepares medicines from these species through traditional way by using their indigenous knowledge for curing variety of disease. Decrease in medicinal plants has been observed in the last 30 years due to various threats and issues. Deforestation has been reported the main threat behind the declining trends of medicinal plants. The results shows that due to external pressures many plant species have been found endangered, rare and vulnerable. A high deforestation rate of 2% per year has been recorded over the last 30 years. Each year 8,053 trees... [Read Entire Article]

Seed oil content variation in Jatropha curcas Linn. in different altitudinal ranges and site conditions in H.P. India.

Seed oil content variation in Jatropha curcas Linn. in different altitudinal ranges and site conditions in H.P. India.

*K.S. Pant,**Vijay Khosla, *Dinesh Kumar and **Sumeet Gairola

Abstract The present study was conducted to determine the variation in yield and oil content by taking composite sample of six Jatropha trees selected randomly from two cultural site conditions viz. arable (T1), non-arable (T2) and three altitudinal ranges E1 (400-600m) ), E2 (600-800m) and E3 (800-1000 m) in Himachal Pradesh. The oil was extracted from the dried seed using steam distillation method of oil extraction. The highest oil was recovered in T2 E2 (non-arable site with low altitude) various morphological and yield attribute like number of fruits/branches, number of fruits/tree, number of seeds/tree were also studied. Arable site with high altitude (T1E3) recorded the highest value for these parameters. Keywords: Biodiesel, energy demand, yield attributes, growth... [Read Entire Article]

Morel collection and marketing: A case study from the Hindu-Kush mountain region of Swat, Pakistan

Morel collection and marketing: A case study from the Hindu-Kush mountain region of Swat, Pakistan

Muhammad Hamayun*, Sumera Afzal Khan**, Habib Ahmad***, Dong-Hyun Shin* and In-Jung Lee*

Abstract Morel comprise the most delicious and prized group of edible fungi. In Pakistan, morels are collected traditionally from the northern mountain ranges of Hindu-Kush, Himalayas and Karakorum. Seven species of morels are collected from the temperate forests of Hindu-Kush mountain region of Swat. The morel collection is a seasonal and part time activity in the area. The collectors are poor people and include 33% women, 27% men and 40% children. The morels are sold in the local market, from where they are exported to Europe and Middle East. Morel exports thus play a significant role in the socioeconomic condition of Swat. Huge quantities of morel are lost each year due to improper collection, storage and processing techniques. Key Words: Morel; Marketting of morel; Hindu-Kush mountains;... [Read Entire Article]