An endophytic fungus designated as EIT4T (MCC 9756T) was isolated from the asymptomatic stem tissue of Ephedra gerardiana collected from the Kargil district of Ladakh Union territory, India. Phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated nuclear ribosomal ITS (internal transcribed spacer) and LSU (large ribosomal subunit) sequence datasets revealed its placement within the genus Astragalicola. However, it formed a separate clade exhibiting strong bootstrap support value (80%). The highest nrITS sequence similarity between EIT4T and species of Astragalicola was 95.19% (A. vasilyevae) and 94.26% (A. amorpha), while nrLSU sequence similarity was 99.27% (A. amorpha). Morphologically, EIT4T differs from the other species of Astragalicola in having larger sub-globose to pyriform conidiomata, smaller and mostly unbranched conidiophores, and polymorphic translucent conidia with two terminal guttules. Based on combined cultural, micromorphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analyses, EIT4T represents a novel species in the genus Astragalicola proposed here as Astragalicola ephedrae sp. nov. Detailed description and illustrations of the novel species are provided. The type strain is EIT4T (= MCC 9756 T = MN29T).

• MeSH
• Ascomycota * MeSH
• DNA bakterií MeSH
• Ephedra * MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• mastné kyseliny analýza   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• techniky typizace bakterií MeSH
• zastoupení bazí MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Indie MeSH

Although phototrophic microbial communities are important components of soils in arid and semi-arid ecosystems around the world, the knowledge of their taxonomic composition and dependency on soil chemistry and vegetation is still fragmentary. We studied the abundance and the diversity of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae along altitudinal gradients (3,700-5,970 m) at four sites in the dry mountains of Ladakh (Little Tibet, Zanskar Mountains, and Eastern Karakoram), using epifluorescence. The effects of environmental factors (altitude, mountain range, and vegetation type) on soil physico-chemical parameters (pH; texture; organic matter, nitrogen, ammonia, and phosphorus contents; and concentration of chlorophylls and carotenoids) and on the composition and biovolume of phototrophs were tested by multivariate redundancy analysis and variance partitioning. Phototrophs were identified in all collected samples, and phototroph biovolume ranged from 0.08 to 0.32 mm(3) g(-1) dry weight. The dominant component was cyanobacteria, which represented 70.9% to 98.6% of the biovolume. Cyanobacterial species richness was low in that only 28 morphotypes were detected. The biovolume of Oscillatoriales consisted mainly of Phormidium spp. and Microcoleus vaginatus. The environmental factors accounted for 43.8% of the total variability in microbial and soil data, 20.6% of which was explained solely by mountain range, 7.0% by altitude, and 8.4% by vegetation type. Oscillatoriales prevailed in alpine meadows (which had relatively high organic matter and fine soil texture), while Nostocales dominated in the subnival zone and screes. Eukaryotic microalgae together with cyanobacteria in the order Chroococcales were mostly present in the subnival zone. We conclude that the high elevation, semiarid, and arid soils in Ladakh are suitable habitats for microbial phototrophic communities and that the differences in these communities are associated with site, altitude, and vegetation type.

• MeSH
• chlorofyl analýza   MeSH
• fluorescenční mikroskopie metody   MeSH
• fototrofní procesy MeSH
• mikrořasy růst a vývoj   MeSH
• multivariační analýza MeSH
• nadmořská výška MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• půdní mikrobiologie MeSH
• sinice růst a vývoj   MeSH
• společenstvo MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Tibet MeSH

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• kreativita * MeSH
• kulturní různorodost MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• malířství psychologie   MeSH
• školy MeSH
• výchova a vzdělávání * MeSH
• výchova dítěte * psychologie   MeSH
• vývoj dítěte * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Indie MeSH

• Publikační typ
• tisková chyba MeSH

A primary aim of many expeditions is to facilitate personal development of young people and while there is much anecdotal evidence to support this aim, there is limited empirical work of varied quality that explores the specific nature of such benefits. This research examined nine summer BES expeditions (Norway, Namibia, & Amazon in 2012; Finnmark, Ladakh, & Namibia in 2013 and 2014) involving 58 young people (aged between 15 and 22) who completed three on-line questionnaires to collect qualitative (open ended questions) and quantitative (Likert scale) data. Measurement of four psychological attributes associated with effective character development were used: mental toughness, coping skills, GRIT and leadership skills. Surveys were completed at three stages; 1) pre-expedition, 2) immediately post expedition and 3) three months post expedition. Results indicated that the expeditions impacted positively on the psychological attributes of young people, with lasting short terms effects (three months after expedition). For the 58 participants, there were statistically significant improvements and small positive effect sizes in mental toughness (P = 0.006; ηp2 = 0.167), leadership skills (P = 0.004; ηp2 = 0.18), and GRIT (P = 0.001; ηp2 = 0.218). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) or effect size for the application of coping strategies. Qualitative data provided insights into how the learning took place and individual perspectives on the overall value of the expedition in relation to narrative understanding.

• MeSH
• adaptace psychologická MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• chování mladistvých MeSH
• expedice psychologie   MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• osobnost MeSH
• psychická odolnost MeSH
• psychický stres MeSH
• sociální přizpůsobení MeSH
• vůdcovství MeSH
• vývoj mladistvých * fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Upward migration of plants to barren subnival areas is occurring worldwide due to raising ambient temperatures and glacial recession. In summer 2012, the presence of six vascular plants, growing in a single patch, was recorded at an unprecedented elevation of 6150 m.a.s.l. close to the summit of Mount Shukule II in the Western Himalayas (Ladakh, India). Whilst showing multiple signs of stress, all plants have managed to establish stable growth and persist for several years. To learn about the role of microbes in the process of plant upward migration, we analysed the root-associated microbial community of the plants (three individuals from each) using microscopy and tagged amplicon sequencing. No mycorrhizae were found on the roots, implying they are of little importance to the establishment and early growth of the plants. However, all roots were associated with a complex bacterial community, with richness and diversity estimates similar or even higher than the surrounding bare soil. Both soil and root-associated communities were dominated by members of the orders Sphingomonadales and Sphingobacteriales, which are typical for hot desert soils, but were different from communities of temperate subnival soils and typical rhizosphere communities. Despite taxonomic similarity on the order level, the plants harboured a unique set of highly dominant operational taxonomic units which were not found in the bare soil. These bacteria have been likely transported with the dispersing seeds and became part of the root-associated community following germination. The results indicate that developing soils act not only as a source of inoculation to plant roots but also possibly as a sink for plant-associated bacteria.

• MeSH
• Bacteria klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• Brassicaceae klasifikace   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• DNA bakterií genetika   MeSH
• DNA fungální genetika   MeSH
• kořeny rostlin mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lipnicovité klasifikace   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mykorhiza klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• půdní mikrobiologie MeSH
• rhizosféra MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• Saussurea klasifikace   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Indie MeSH

BACKGROUND: Cushion plants are commonly considered as keystone nurse species that ameliorate the harsh conditions they inhabit in alpine ecosystems, thus facilitating other species and increasing alpine plant biodiversity. A literature search resulted in 25 key studies showing overwhelming facilitative effects of different cushion plants and hypothesizing greater facilitation with increased environmental severity (i.e. higher altitude and/or lower rainfall). At the same time, emerging ecological theory alongside the cushion-specific literature suggests that facilitation might not always occur under extreme environmental conditions, and especially under high altitude and dryness. METHODS: To assess these hypotheses, possible nursing effects of Thylacospermum caespitosum (Caryophyllaceae) were examined at extremely high altitude (5900 m a.s.l.) and in dry conditions (precipitation <100 mm year(-1)) in Eastern Ladakh, Trans-Himalaya. This is, by far, the highest site, and the second driest, at which the effects of cushions have been studied so far. KEY RESULTS: In accordance with the theoretical predictions, no nursing effects of T. caespitosum on other alpine plants were detected. The number and abundance of species were greater outside cushions than within and on the edge of cushions. None of the 13 species detected was positively associated with cushions, while nine of them were negatively associated. Plant diversity increased with the size of the area sampled outside cushions, but no species-area relationship was found within cushions. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the emerging theoretical prediction of restricted facilitative effects under extreme combinations of cold and dryness, integrating these ideas in the context of the ecology of cushion plants. This evidence suggests that cases of missing strong facilitation are likely to be found in other extreme alpine conditions.

• MeSH
• Caryophyllaceae MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• fyziologický stres MeSH
• nadmořská výška MeSH
• voda MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Asie MeSH

The environment of high-altitudinal cold deserts of Western Himalaya is characterized by extensive development of biological soil crusts, with cyanobacteria as dominant component. The knowledge of their taxonomic composition and dependency on soil chemistry and elevation is still fragmentary. We studied the abundance and the phylogenetic diversity of the culturable cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae in soil crusts along altitudinal gradients (4600-5900 m) at two sites in the dry mountains of Ladakh (SW Tibetan Plateau and Eastern Karakoram), using both microscopic and molecular approaches. The effects of environmental factors (altitude, mountain range, and soil physico-chemical parameters) on the composition and biovolume of phototrophs were tested by multivariate redundancy analysis and variance partitioning. Both phylogenetic diversity and composition of morphotypes were similar between Karakorum and Tibetan Plateau. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene revealed strains belonging to at least five genera. Besides clusters of common soil genera, e.g., Microcoleus, Nodosilinea, or Nostoc, two distinct clades of simple trichal taxa were newly discovered. The most abundant cyanobacterial orders were Oscillatoriales and Nostacales, whose biovolume increased with increasing elevation, while that of Chroococales decreased. Cyanobacterial species richness was low in that only 15 morphotypes were detected. The environmental factors accounted for 52 % of the total variability in microbial data, 38.7 % of which was explained solely by soil chemical properties, 14.5 % by altitude, and 8.4 % by mountain range. The elevation, soil phosphate, and magnesium were the most important predictors of soil phototrophic communities in both mountain ranges despite their different bedrocks and origin. The present investigation represents a first record on phylogenetic diversity of the cyanobacterial community of biological soil crusts from Western Himalayas and first record from altitudes over 5000 m.

• MeSH
• biodegradace MeSH
• biodiverzita * MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• geologické sedimenty analýza   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• nadmořská výška MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• půdní mikrobiologie * MeSH
• sinice klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Tibet MeSH