Species diversity is one of the most important and fundamental issues in ecology. The present study was conducted to evaluate effects of elevation gradient on biodiversity in a temperate mountainous forest. For collection of trees' diversity data, 44 sample plots 20 × 20 m² were set up every 50 m of the elevation interval at the altitude ranging from 100 m to 2250 m a.s.l. Also for collection of data on herbaceous vegetation, five microplots (1 × 2 m) were established (one microplot in the center and four microplots in the four corners of the plot). Species diversity values were analyzed using Simpson and modified Shannon Wiener indices. Also, species richness was calculated using Margalef and Smith-Wilson indices for each plot. The results from Simpson and modified Shannon Wiener biodiversity indices imply approximately bell-shaped diversity curves with the greatest species richness at medium elevations (800–1300 m a.s.l). However, if ecotones (gradual changes between two communities) are excluded, one can conclude that species biodiversity decreases with increasing elevation. The lowland community has the least richness that can be the result of the anthropogenic pressure. The evenness indices for the forest sites along the elevation gradient detected no trend with increasing elevation.

A permanent lake water level drawdown initiates a vegetation succession on exposed sediments. This study aims to quantify long-term vascular plant changes on the sediments in time (number of years after drawdown) and space (elevation above the new water level). Shortly after a 1.4 m permanent drawdown of Myrkdalen lake, W Norway, a 40 m long transect running from the original lowermost vegetation toward the new water level was established. Species cover percentages in the 2 m² study plots were determined by visual estimates and data sampling was performed from 1988 until 2020; in total, 19 times. During the study period both mean richness and plant percentage cover varied significantly in relation to space and time. Carex vesicaria and Phalaris arundinacea increased gradually especially in the lower parts. The successional changes as quantified by a DCA ordination showed rapid changes during the first 15-20 years, but later the vegetation appeared to be more stabilized. Elevation explained the mean floristic variation in a linear fashion while a quadratic model better explained the variation in relation to time. Variation in summer and June water level explained a small part of the succession change during the study period.

Nutrient resorption is a critical factor for nutrient use strategies developed by plants. Especially nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the most essential reabsorbed nutrient elements. The leaves' N and P concentrations are closely related to foliar lignin contents. The study aimed to investigate the effects of northern and southern slope aspects on the foliar nutrient resorption in the Mediterranean species of Turkey oak (Quercus cerris var. cerris). The relationships among selected leaf traits, foliar nutrient resorption of N and P, the seasonal lignin change, and the soil traits were analyzed. A principal component analysis was performed to interpret the effect of soil properties on foliar N, P, and lignin concentrations. N resorption efficiency (78.84%) was higher on the northern slope. P resorption efficiency (53.87%) and seasonal lignin change (69.87) were higher on the southern slope. As a result, the slope aspect affects the foliar N, P, and lignin concentrations. Also, foliar lignin concentration was negatively correlated with N resorption efficiency and positively correlated with P resorption efficiency.

Plastic mulching is considered as a simple, yet effective land management measure to modify microclimate in semi-arid areas. However, the influence of plastic mulching on local soil nematodes and soil quality needs to be investigated more deeply. To fill the knowledge gap, we compared the characteristics of soil nematode communities (density, trophic structure), soil enzyme activities, soil physicochemical properties, and their relationships between maize fields cultivated with use of plastic film mulching and no film mulching, under the same land conditions in Chifeng region, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that the total number of nematodes in most of the film mulched (FM) fields was lower than in no film mulched (nFM) fields. Most of soil chemical properties showed no significant difference between nFM samples and FM samples. Only 0–10 cm soil layer in nFM samples had significantly higher urease activity than in FM samples in June. Plastic film mulching may have an adverse effect on soil quality. Thus, the correct and effective use of plastic film mulch is one of the important measures for future agricultural development in semiarid areas.

Bird pollination is specific among flowering plants which support mostly cross pollination and has been regarded as an important pollination syndrome. Frequency of bird pollinators visiting flowers of the corky coral tree Erythrina suberosa Roxb., was studied in a subtropical montane forest located in Garhwal Himalaya, India. Forty trees were selected randomly in the population and the observations on birds visitors were recorded for 10 days during peak flowering. In total 18 bird species were found visiting flowers of E. suberosa. The bird species belonging to Passeriformes, Piciformes, Psittaciformes, and Cuculiformes were observed most frequently. The highest bird frequency and abundance among flower-visiting birds were recorded for the red-billed blue magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha (26 ± 3.2 individuals per hour per branch and 60 birds per tree, respectively), whereas the lowest – for the verditer flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus (2 ± 0.02 individuals per hour per branch and 6 individuals per tree, respectively). Majority of the bird species followed bimodal pattern of foraging on nectar in a day (mostly morning and evenings), which is consistent with other studies carried out for other ornithophilous tree species in the Himalayan region. The birds observed in this study are presumed to be pollinators, as the majority of birds foraged on nectar of properly opened flowers oriented upwards; however, possibility of nectar robbing cannot be excluded and requires further investigation in future studies.