Hydrocera triflora is a perennial herb found in southeastern and southern Asia. In China, it is only found in Hainan Province. With global climate change, studying the impact of climate change on the distribution of H. triflora can provide a theoretical basis for the scientific protection of this species. In this study, the MaxEnt model was used to predict the potential distribution area of H. triflora in China under historical, current, and future periods based on 66 distribution points and 12 environmental variables. The results were as follows: (i) The main environmental variables affecting the distribution of H. triflora were precipitation in the coldest month and in the wettest quarter, with elevation also being a significant factor. (ii) Over the past three periods, the last interglacial, last glacial maximum, and mid-Holocene, the suitable area for H. triflora initially decreased and then increased. The suitable area reached the lowest value in the last glacial maximum period, at only 27.03 × 10⁴ km². (iii) The current potential distribution area is 67.81 × 10⁴ km², and the optimal area is mainly distributed in the Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces. (iv) Under future climate scenarios, the potential distribution area of H. triflora is projected to increase by 11.27~90.83 × 10⁴ km². It is expected to reach a maximum value (158.64 × 10⁴ km²) in 2081~2100 under the SSP-585 climate scenario, with the distribution centroid shifting to higher latitudes. The newly gained optimal habitats will provide potential areas for introduction and ex situ conservation of this species.

Human activities exert both beneficial and detrimental impacts on the ecosystem. In recent years, greenhouse gas emissions have significantly increased due to global climate change, causing profound alterations in ecosystem distribution and productivity. The synergistic interplay between climatic shifts and anthropogenic activities is intensifying ecological transformations and disturbances, and accelerating biodiversity depletion. The Plantago genus (Plantaginaceae family) includes 14 herbaceous species among China’s flora. This study was conducted to elucidate the spatial distribution of Plantago species patterns across China and evaluate their differential responses to impending climate change and human interventions. In this study, we projected the potential distributions of Plantago species under three climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585) across current and future temporal intervals (2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) using the MaxEnt model integrated with ArcGIS V10.8 spatial analysis. A spatial trend analyses was also conducted to assess habitat suitability dynamics by incorporating anthropogenic influence parameters. The model validation yielded AUC values exceeding 0.9, demonstrating excellent model performance and predictive reliability. Precipitation variability and anthropogenic pressure emerged as the most predominant determinants shaping Plantago distributions. Centroid migration analyses further indicated the progressive northward displacement of optimal habitats under the projected climate scenarios. These findings significantly advance our understanding of Plantago species’ adaptive responses to environmental changes. This study also offers an invaluable scientific foundation for sustainable resource management and ecological conservation strategies.

Soil contamination with arsenic (As) is becoming a serious concern for living organisms. Arsenic is a nonessential metalloid for plants, humans, and other living organisms. Biochar (BC) is a very effective amendment to remediate polluted soils and it received great attention owing to its appreciable results. Arsenic toxicity negatively affects plant morph-physiological and biochemical functioning and upsurges the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which negatively affect cellular structures. Arsenic toxicity also reduces seed germination and impedes plant growth by decreasing nutrient uptake, causing oxidative damage and disrupting the photosynthetic efficiency. Plants use different strategies like antioxidant defense and increased osmolyte synthesis to counteract As toxicity; nevertheless, this is not enough to counter the toxic impacts of As. Thus, applying BC has shown tremendous potential to counteract the As toxicity. Biochar application to As-polluted soils improves water uptake, maintains membrane stability and nutrient homeostasis, and increases osmolyte synthesis, gene expression, and antioxidant activities, leading to better plant performance. Additionally, BC modulates soil pH, increases nutrient availability, causes As immobilization, decreases its uptake and accumulation in plant tissues, and ensures safer production. The present review describes the sources, toxic impacts of As, and ways to lower As in the environment to decrease its toxic impacts on humans, the ecosystem, and the food chain. It concentrates on different mechanisms mediated by BC to alleviate As toxicity and remediate As-polluted soils and different research gaps that must be fulfilled in the future. Therefore, the current review will help to develop innovative strategies to minimize As uptake and accumulation and remediate As-polluted soils to reduce their impacts on humans and the environment.

Maize (Zea mays L.), an important crop used for animal feed and human consumption, is currently threatened by water shortage. Recently, the usage of nanomaterials has attracted worldwide attention due to their applications in various fields. This research aimed to evaluate the comparative efficacy of different metal oxide nanoparticles for mitigating drought stress in maize. Iron oxide, manganese oxide, and copper nanoparticles were biosynthesized from the leaf extract of Conocarpus erectus L. and characterized via UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. The synthesized nanomaterials were initially optimized at different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm). The optimized doses of each nanoparticle were then applied to maize plants under different drought stress levels (50% FC, 75% FC, and 100% FC). Compared to the control, the application of nanomaterials significantly improved the growth parameters of the maize by 30% at 50% FC, 27% at 75% FC, and 26% at 100% FC. The chlorophyll content also improved significantly at different levels of drought stress by 35%, 32%, and 29% as compared to the control, respectively. The antioxidants (CAT, POD, SOD, and APX) also improved significantly at different levels of drought by 37%, 34%, and 31%, as compared to control, respectively. Moreover, the use of nanoparticles resulted in a significant decrease in cellular oxidative stress (MDA, H2O2) parameters by 23% at 50%FC, 26% at 75% FC, and 27% at 100% FC. Biosynthesized FeO NPs, MnO NPs, and Cu NPs have demonstrated significant potential in mitigating drought stress in maize, suggesting a promising approach to enhance crop performance under water-limited conditions. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impacts and practical applications of these findings in sustainable agriculture.

Camellia oleifera Abel (C. oleifera) is an evergreen shrub classified under the Camellia genus. It is an important oil species and has great economic benefits. At present, C. oleifera is widely cultivated in the Yangtze River Basin in South China, and its wild species are mainly distributed in the native forests of Hainan Province. Therefore, in the current study, we used the MaxEnt model to predict the suitable habitat for C. oleifera and different environmental factors affecting its current and future distribution. The AUC values exceeded 0.98, showing that the simulation of the model was good, and the TSS values were all above 0.96, indicating that the model was feasible. The results showed that C. oleifera was mainly distributed in Southern China, with a total area of 56.68 × 10⁴ km². The suitable habitats of Camellia oleifera are affected by the precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio18), human activity, soil available water content (awc_class), and minimum temperature of the coldest month and seasonal temperature (bio04). Furthermore, rainfall in the warmest quarter (bio18) was recognized as a crucial factor impacting its distribution. Under future climate conditions, the suitable habitat area of C. oleifera is projected to expand with a slight northward shift in its distribution center. Therefore, in addition to maintaining the current planting area of C. oleifera, the planting area can be appropriately expanded upward along the current area and along the Yangtze River Basin.

Chromium (Cr) toxicity poses a significant challenge to agricultural productivity, human health, and food security. Biochar (BC) is a versatile amendment employed to alleviate Cr toxicity. Chromium stress impairs growth by inducing membrane damage and cellular oxidation, as well as inhibiting chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthetic efficiency, water uptake, and nutrient absorption. This review consolidates information on the mechanisms through which BC mitigates Cr stress. Biochar facilitates Cr immobilization by reduction, adsorption, precipitation, and complexation processes. It enhances growth by improving photosynthetic efficiency, water and nutrient uptake, osmolyte synthesis, and hormonal balance. Additionally, biochar promotes resilient bacterial communities that reduce Cr and enhance nutrient cycling. The effectiveness of BC is not universal and largely depends on its feedstock properties and pyrolysis temperature. This review provides insights into soil quality, plant function, and human health, which contribute to providing a comprehensive assessment of the capacity of BC to mitigate Cr toxicity. This review highlights that BC application can reduce Cr entry into the food chain, thus decreasing its health risk. This review also identifies knowledge gaps and outlines future research directions to increase the efficiency of BC in mitigating Cr toxicity. This review also offers insights into the development of eco-friendly measures to remediate Cr-polluted soils.