Croton sylvaticus(C. sylvaticus) is widely used as herbal medicine by the indigenous people of tropical Africa. The potential of C. sylvaticus as herbal medicine,the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of it...Croton sylvaticus(C. sylvaticus) is widely used as herbal medicine by the indigenous people of tropical Africa. The potential of C. sylvaticus as herbal medicine,the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of its parts used as herbal medicines are reviewed. The extensive literature survey revealed that C. sylvaticus is traditionally used to treat or manage at least 24 human and animal diseases and ailments. The species is used as herbal medicine for diseases and ailments such as abdominal pains,boils,fever,inflammation,malaria,rheumatism,swellings and tuberculosis and as ethnoveterinary medicine. Multiple classes of phytochemicals such as alkaloids,anthraquinones,essential oils,flavonoids,lignan,phenolics,sterols,tannins and terpenoids have been isolated from the species. Scientific studies on C. sylvaticus indicate that it has a wide range of pharmacological activities which include antibacterial,antifungal,anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,larvicidal and effects on the central nervous system. Although studies have confirmed that C. sylvaticus has a wide range of bioactives,further research on the exact bioactive molecules and mechanisms of action are required.展开更多
A new species,Physaloptera apodemi sp.nov.,was collected from Apodemus sylvaticus(Linnaeus,1758)(Rodentia:Muridae)from the National Baxianshan Nature Reserve,Tianjin,China.The new species differs from the congeners by...A new species,Physaloptera apodemi sp.nov.,was collected from Apodemus sylvaticus(Linnaeus,1758)(Rodentia:Muridae)from the National Baxianshan Nature Reserve,Tianjin,China.The new species differs from the congeners by having 22 caudal papillae,the number and arrangement of caudal papillae,either the left or the right spicule with striated sheaths at their proximal end,the vulva located in the anterior fifth of body,and the egg size.A key to the species of Physaloptera from rodents is also given.展开更多
Wetlands are often created through wetland mitigation to replace lost natural wetlands, but further evaluation is needed to determine the ability of a created wetland to replace lost wetland functions, especially prov...Wetlands are often created through wetland mitigation to replace lost natural wetlands, but further evaluation is needed to determine the ability of a created wetland to replace lost wetland functions, especially providing wildlife habitat. We used a mesocosm design to compare the water quality between three created wetlands and three natural wetlands in West Virginia, USA and to evaluate how the water quality from the two wetland types were able to support metamorphosis in larval spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) across two years (2014-2015). Responses in metamorphosis rates differed between species and between years. Spring peepers displayed similar metamorphosis rates in the created and natural wetlands in both years of the study. Wood frogs displayed similar metamorphosis rates in created and natural wetlands in 2015, but in 2014 wood frogs reached metamorphosis in less time and at a larger body size in the natural wetlands, suggesting that the wood frogs that developed in the natural wetlands may have higher fitness than those that developed in the created wetlands. Water quality was largely similar between created and natural wetlands, although dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH varied between mesocosms and wetlands. Our study suggests that created wetlands may be providing partial mitigation in terms of water quality for amphibian development. We recommend that future monitoring of created wetlands include measures of juvenile amphibian recruitment as well as additional habitat variables to better determine the ability of created wetlands to function as amphibian habitat.展开更多
Wild populations are continuously subjected to changes in environmental factors that pose different challenges.Body condition and hormones have been commonly used as health indicators due to their potential correlatio...Wild populations are continuously subjected to changes in environmental factors that pose different challenges.Body condition and hormones have been commonly used as health indicators due to their potential correlation with fitness.In the present study,we analyzed whether habitats of different quality influenced body mass,food intake and physiological stress levels in wild wood mice(Apodemus sylvaticus).Field work was seasonally carried out in Holm oak woods and pine forests in central Spain.A total of 93 wood mice from 4 different populations(2 per habitat type)were live-trapped.From each captured individual we noted body mass and food intake,measured as the amount of bait remaining in each trap.The physiological stress levels were measured non-inva-sively in collected fresh feces by quantifying fecal corticosterone metabolites(FCM)with a 5a-pregnane-3ß,11ß,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay.Wood mice abundances decreased from spring to summer,were higher in Holm oak woods than in pine forests and also resulted in different age-class distribution between both habitats.Individuals inhabiting pine forests showed a lower body mass and increased food intake,probably because of the comparatively lower food quality and availability in this habitat.Furthermore,these individuals showed increased physiological stress levels,likely due to the lower quality habitat in relation to both food and vegetation cover availability.Overall,besides affecting local wood mouse abundance,our study underscores the effect of habitat quality on body mass,food intake and the endocrine stress response.Considering the wood mouse’s piv-otal position in ecosystems,these results could help in the understanding of environmental traits hampering the viability of wild populations.展开更多
基金the National Research Foundation(NRF)Govan Mbeki Research and Development Centre(GMRDC)University of Fort Hare for financial support to conduct this research
文摘Croton sylvaticus(C. sylvaticus) is widely used as herbal medicine by the indigenous people of tropical Africa. The potential of C. sylvaticus as herbal medicine,the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of its parts used as herbal medicines are reviewed. The extensive literature survey revealed that C. sylvaticus is traditionally used to treat or manage at least 24 human and animal diseases and ailments. The species is used as herbal medicine for diseases and ailments such as abdominal pains,boils,fever,inflammation,malaria,rheumatism,swellings and tuberculosis and as ethnoveterinary medicine. Multiple classes of phytochemicals such as alkaloids,anthraquinones,essential oils,flavonoids,lignan,phenolics,sterols,tannins and terpenoids have been isolated from the species. Scientific studies on C. sylvaticus indicate that it has a wide range of pharmacological activities which include antibacterial,antifungal,anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,larvicidal and effects on the central nervous system. Although studies have confirmed that C. sylvaticus has a wide range of bioactives,further research on the exact bioactive molecules and mechanisms of action are required.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31272269)。
文摘A new species,Physaloptera apodemi sp.nov.,was collected from Apodemus sylvaticus(Linnaeus,1758)(Rodentia:Muridae)from the National Baxianshan Nature Reserve,Tianjin,China.The new species differs from the congeners by having 22 caudal papillae,the number and arrangement of caudal papillae,either the left or the right spicule with striated sheaths at their proximal end,the vulva located in the anterior fifth of body,and the egg size.A key to the species of Physaloptera from rodents is also given.
文摘Wetlands are often created through wetland mitigation to replace lost natural wetlands, but further evaluation is needed to determine the ability of a created wetland to replace lost wetland functions, especially providing wildlife habitat. We used a mesocosm design to compare the water quality between three created wetlands and three natural wetlands in West Virginia, USA and to evaluate how the water quality from the two wetland types were able to support metamorphosis in larval spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) across two years (2014-2015). Responses in metamorphosis rates differed between species and between years. Spring peepers displayed similar metamorphosis rates in the created and natural wetlands in both years of the study. Wood frogs displayed similar metamorphosis rates in created and natural wetlands in 2015, but in 2014 wood frogs reached metamorphosis in less time and at a larger body size in the natural wetlands, suggesting that the wood frogs that developed in the natural wetlands may have higher fitness than those that developed in the created wetlands. Water quality was largely similar between created and natural wetlands, although dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH varied between mesocosms and wetlands. Our study suggests that created wetlands may be providing partial mitigation in terms of water quality for amphibian development. We recommend that future monitoring of created wetlands include measures of juvenile amphibian recruitment as well as additional habitat variables to better determine the ability of created wetlands to function as amphibian habitat.
基金an FPU scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science(grant number:AP2008-03430).
文摘Wild populations are continuously subjected to changes in environmental factors that pose different challenges.Body condition and hormones have been commonly used as health indicators due to their potential correlation with fitness.In the present study,we analyzed whether habitats of different quality influenced body mass,food intake and physiological stress levels in wild wood mice(Apodemus sylvaticus).Field work was seasonally carried out in Holm oak woods and pine forests in central Spain.A total of 93 wood mice from 4 different populations(2 per habitat type)were live-trapped.From each captured individual we noted body mass and food intake,measured as the amount of bait remaining in each trap.The physiological stress levels were measured non-inva-sively in collected fresh feces by quantifying fecal corticosterone metabolites(FCM)with a 5a-pregnane-3ß,11ß,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay.Wood mice abundances decreased from spring to summer,were higher in Holm oak woods than in pine forests and also resulted in different age-class distribution between both habitats.Individuals inhabiting pine forests showed a lower body mass and increased food intake,probably because of the comparatively lower food quality and availability in this habitat.Furthermore,these individuals showed increased physiological stress levels,likely due to the lower quality habitat in relation to both food and vegetation cover availability.Overall,besides affecting local wood mouse abundance,our study underscores the effect of habitat quality on body mass,food intake and the endocrine stress response.Considering the wood mouse’s piv-otal position in ecosystems,these results could help in the understanding of environmental traits hampering the viability of wild populations.
