Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41329220›Full record

ArticleDie Naturwissenschaften2025

Microstructural adaptations of snow bush (Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss. Ex Schult.) in desert ecosystems.

Sana Abid, Ummar Iqbal, Muhammad Sharif, Sadaf Rafiq, Aisha Sana, Abdul Wahab, Mehboob Ahmad, Muhammad Yousuf

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Article in Die Naturwissenschaften, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Sana AbidDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
Ummar IqbalDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan. ummariqbal@yahoo.com.
Muhammad SharifDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
Sadaf RafiqDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
Aisha SanaDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
Abdul WahabDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
Mehboob AhmadDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
Muhammad YousufDepartment of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aerva javanica (Snowbush) is a perennial xerophytic shrub native to South Asian deserts, recognized for its pivotal role in soil stabilization, desert rehabilitation, and ecosystem resilience. However, the structural basis of its survival across contrasting edaphic and climatic regimes remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the adaptive modulation of growth and anatomical traits of A. javanica across three ecologically distinct regions: (i) the Saline Cholistan Desert, (ii) the Cholistan Desert Margins, and (iii) the Thal Desert Margins, representing a gradient of salinity and aridity stress. Morphological assessments demonstrated that plant vigor decreased with increasing salinity-shoot and root lengths, biomass, and leaf area were highest at Thal (MGR) and lowest at saline core sites (CHM, RYK). Conversely, high-salinity populations developed denser root systems and greater leaf succulence, reflecting adaptive strategies for osmotic regulation and water-use efficiency. Anatomical investigations using fluorescent stereo microscopy revealed profound structural differentiation across habitats. Populations from the Saline Cholistan Desert exhibited thickened epidermis, enlarged cortical parenchyma, and expanded vascular bundles with additional xylem formation-traits enhancing hydraulic conductivity and salt exclusion. The Cholistan Desert Margins displayed intermediate anatomy with balanced vascular and storage tissues, indicating transitional adaptation to fluctuating moisture and ion availability. In contrast, Thal Desert Margin plants showed thinner dermal tissues, reduced sclerenchyma, and well-developed chlorenchyma, emphasizing photosynthetic optimization and rapid biomass accumulation. Moreover, the species exhibited novel xylem vessel development within cortical and endodermal root regions and specialized glandular and non-glandular foliar trichomes. These coordinated structural adaptations enhanced hydraulic efficiency and water conservation, reinforcing its dominance and persistence in hyper-arid desert ecosystems. Collectively, these results demonstrate a hierarchical adaptive framework from hydraulic safety to growth efficiency, underscoring A. javanica exceptional structural plasticity. Future integrative studies employing transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches are recommended to elucidate the genetic and biochemical mechanisms governing this adaptive continuum and to inform climate-resilient restoration strategies for arid landscapes.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PhysiologicalDesert ClimateEcosystemPlant LeavesPlant RootsSalinityAerva javanicaDesert adaptationDrought resilienceHydraulic efficiencyTrichome differentiationXeromorphic traits

Identifiers

PMID41329220

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.