Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover.

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors.

From wild harvest towards precision agriculture: Use of Ecological Niche Modelling to direct potential cultivation of wild medicinal plants in Crete.

Understanding the distribution of wild medicinal plants and areas that are suitable for cultivation of these plants is important for both conservation and agriculture. Here, we study ten taxa with known ethnopharmacological uses, which have been used extensively in traditional medicine and as culinary supplements. We aim to (1) predict and map the potential habitat suitability for these taxa across the study area, (2) investigate spatial patterns that could have management implications, such as niche similarities among the taxa and suitability "hotspots" with the use of novel indices, and (3) develop a platform where parts of this information can be accessed and utilized by all interested groups, from the policy-maker level to the individual practitioner level.

Environmental (in)dependence of a hybrid zone: Insights from molecular markers and ecological niche modeling in a hybrid zone of (Lamiaceae) on the island of Crete.

The role of environment and the relative significance of endogenous versus exogenous selection in shaping hybrid zones have been crucial issues in the studies of hybridization. Recent advances in ecological niche modeling (ENM) offer new methodological tools, especially in combination with the genotyping of individuals in the hybrid zone. Here, we study the hybrid zone between the widely known spices and ssp.

Essential-oil diversity of Salvia tomentosa Mill. in Greece.

Salvia tomentosa essential oils from Greece were studied for the first time here. The oils from five populations growing in Mediterranean pine forests on the island of Thassos (northern Aegean Sea) and from 14 populations situated in deciduous forests in Thrace (northeastern Greek mainland) were investigated. Their essential-oil contents ranged from 1.

Essential oils of Micromeria dalmatica Benth., a Balkan endemic species of section Pseudomelissa.

The essential oils of 13 Greek populations of Micromeria dalmatica, a Balkan endemic species and member of the section Pseudomelissa, were examined for the first time. Among the studied populations, two main oil types could be distinguished. Type I was found to be rich in β-pinene, limonene, and germacrene D (accounting for 55.

Chemical diversity of wild growing Origanum majorana in Cyprus.

The present work aims at tracing the essential-oil diversity of wild growing Origanum majorana plants in Cyprus. The study of six populations scattered over the western part of the island has shown that the essential oils were rich either in trans-sabinene hydrate/terpinen-4-ol or in α-terpineol/trans-sabinene hydrate. The former oil type is more common and responsible for the typical marjoram odor of the plants.

Essential oils of three taxa of the Nepeta argolica aggregate from Greece.

The essential-oil composition of three not previously studied taxa belonging to the Nepeta argolica aggregate was examined. The oils of N. argolica ssp.

Essential-oil diversity of three Calamintha species from Greece.

The aim of the present study was to contribute to the knowledge of the essential-oil composition of the Calamintha officinalis-nepeta complex in Greece and to clarify the main patterns of its variation. The oils obtained from 22 wild-growing populations of C. glandulosa, C.

The herbal market of Cyprus: traditional links and cultural exchanges.

Aim Of The Study: Directive 2004/24/EC sets the frame for the herbal trade in Europe emphasizing the need of the botanical characterization of herbal substances intended for human consumption. Thus, the aim of the present study is to survey and identify taxonomically the herbs sold in the market of Cyprus and to document and evaluate their uses. Moreover, the relationship of the nowadays market to the local ethnobotanical tradition, as well as to other eastern Mediterranean markets (i.

"Mints", smells and traditional uses in Thessaloniki (Greece) and other Mediterranean countries.

The herbs of the "mint" group traded in the herbal market of Thessaloniki include eight taxa, members of two genera, Acinos (two species) and Mentha (four species and two hybrids). The essential oil content of 72 samples examined ranged from traces up to 1.69ml/100g of dry weight.

Essential oil composition is related to the natural habitats: Coridothymus capitatus and Satureja thymbra in NATURA 2000 sites of Crete.

The study of essential oils obtained from Coridothymus capitatus and Satureja thymbra collected from different natural habitat types of 11 NATURA 2000 sites scattered all over Crete has shown that they are characterized either by a high amount of carvacrol (up to 75.7%) or thymol (up to 65.6%) or by a more or less equal amount of the two phenols.