580 Pflanzen (Botanik)
Refine
Document Type
- Article (4) (remove)
Has Fulltext
- yes (4)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (4)
Keywords
- Biodiversität (1)
- Contact microradiography (1)
- Economic botany (1)
- Ethnobotany (1)
- Image processing (1)
- Leaf clearing (1)
- Medicinal plants (1)
- Micro CT (1)
- Nischenmodellierung (1)
- Relative importance index (1)
Institute
- Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Afrikaforschung (ZIAF) (4) (remove)
Background: Leaf venation traits are important for many research fields such as systematics and evolutionary biology, plant physiology, climate change, and paleoecology. In spite of an increasing demand for vein trait data, studies are often still data-limited because the development of methods that allow rapid generation of large sets of vein data has lagged behind. Recently, non-destructive X-ray technology has proven useful as an alternative to traditional slow and destructive chemical-based methods. Non-destructive techniques more readily allow the use of herbarium specimens, which provide an invaluable but underexploited resource of vein data and related environmental information. The utility of 2D X-ray technology and microfocus X-ray computed tomography, however, has been compromised by insufficient image resolution. Here, we advanced X-ray technology by increasing image resolution and throughput without the application of contrast agents.
Results: For 2D contact microradiography, we developed a method which allowed us to achieve image resolutions of up to 7 µm, i.e. a 3.6-fold increase compared to the industrial standard (25 µm resolution). Vein tracing was further optimized with our image processing standards that were specifically adjusted for different types of leaf structure and the needs of higher imaging throughput. Based on a test dataset, in 91% of the samples the 7 µm approach led to a significant improvement in estimations of minor vein density compared to the industrial standard. Using microfocus X-ray computed tomography, very high-resolution images were obtained from a virtual 3D–2D transformation process, which was superior to that of 3D images.
Conclusions: Our 2D X-ray method with a significantly improved resolution advances rapid non-destructive bulk scanning at a quality that in many cases is sufficient to determine key venation traits. Together with our high-resolution microfocus X-ray computed tomography method, both non-destructive approaches will help in vein trait data mining from museum collections, which provide an underexploited resource of historical and recent data on environmental and evolutionary change. In spite of the significant increase in effective image resolution, a combination of high-throughput and full visibility of the vein network (including the smallest veins and their connectivity) remains challenging, however.
Background: The West African country of Burkina Faso (BFA) is an example for the enduring importance of traditional plant use today. A large proportion of its 17 million inhabitants lives in rural communities and strongly depends on local plant products for their livelihood. However, literature on traditional plant use is still scarce and a comprehensive analysis for the country is still missing.
Methods: In this study we combine the information of a recently published plant checklist with information from ethnobotanical literature for a comprehensive, national scale analysis of plant use in Burkina Faso. We quantify the application of plant species in 10 different use categories, evaluate plant use on a plant family level and use the relative importance index to rank all species in the country according to their usefulness. We focus on traditional medicine and quantify the use of plants as remedy against 22 classes of health disorders, evaluate plant use in traditional medicine on the level of plant families and rank all species used in traditional medicine according to their respective usefulness.
Results: A total of 1033 species (50%) in Burkina Faso had a documented use. Traditional medicine, human nutrition and animal fodder were the most important use categories. The 12 most common plant families in BFA differed considerably in their usefulness and application. Fabaceae, Poaceae and Malvaceae were the plant families with the most used species. In this study Khaya senegalensis, Adansonia digitata and Diospyros mespiliformis were ranked the top useful plants in BFA. Infections/Infestations, digestive system disorders and genitourinary disorders are the health problems most commonly addressed with medicinal plants. Fabaceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Apocynaceae, Malvaceae and Rubiaceae were the most important plant families in traditional medicine. Tamarindus indica, Vitellaria paradoxa and Adansonia digitata were ranked the most important medicinal plants.
Conclusions: The national-scale analysis revealed systematic patterns of traditional plant use throughout BFA. These results are of interest for applied research, as a detailed knowledge of traditional plant use can a) help to communicate conservation needs and b) facilitate future research on drug screening.
Wo wächst die Palmyrapalme? : mit Satellitendaten praxistaugliche Verbreitungskarten erstellen
(2008)
Die äthiopische Palmyrapalme (Borassus aethiopum) mit einer Wuchshöhe von bis zu 30 Metern gehört zu den größten afrikanischen Palmenarten. Ihr Erhalt ist für die Menschen in Benin und Burkina Faso von großer Bedeutung, denn sie stellen aus den Blättern der Palme Matten, Körbe und Hüte her. Die melonengroßen, glänzend orangen Früchte sind essbar. Inzwischen geht das Verbreitungsgebiet dieser wichtigen Nutzart stark zurück. ...