Several agroforestry systems prevail in different agro-ecological zones of Pakistan, and cover a remarkable area of 19.3 million hectares. They not only play an important role in slowing down CO₂ emissions, but also contribute to mitigating climate change. However, in many regions, the relevant effect of agroforestry systems on overall carbon (C) stock and their reliance on various factors are quite unidentified. This study was planned to assess the biomass accumulation and C stocks of different commonly practiced agroforestry systems (boundary, bund, scattered, agri-horticulture) and their constituent land use types (tree + cropland) through a non-destructive approach (allometric equations) in a semi-arid region of Punjab, Pakistan. The results showed that the highest plant biomass (87.12 t ha⁻¹) increased by 46%, 17%, 78%, and 339%, and C stock (42.77 t ha⁻¹) increased by 49.51%, 20%, 82%, and 361% in the boundary planting system compared to the bund, scattered, agri-horti and sole cropland, respectively. The soil organic carbon (SOC) stock at all three depths, 0–15 cm, 15–30 cm & 30–45 cm, was found in the following order: boundary planting system > bund planting system > agri-horti system > scattered planting system > agricultural system, with a maximum in the boundary planting system and minimum in the sole cropping system at all three depths. Overall, the total C stock of the ecosystem’s vegetation + soil C (0–30 cm) in the forested area was 275 t ha⁻¹, equating to 37 t ha⁻¹ in the agricultural system alone. Our results highlighted that agroforestry systems have the highest potential for C sequestration. We suggest that research and investment in agroforestry systems can be a successful way for Pakistan to achieve some of its climate change mitigation goals.

Heavy metals have been recognized as a prominent hazard in todays world, causing pollution in the air environment. Woody tree species can play a significant role in the extraction and remediation of metal pollutants from the air, therefore promoting the air quality index. This study investigated the potential of four species of the Ficus genus (F. benjamina, F. microcarpa, F. religiosa, and F. virens) to remediate varying levels of heavy metal contamination in industrial, residential, and highway areas of Faisalabad City, Pakistan. For this purpose, six heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, zinc, and manganese) were assessed in young leaves (YL) as well as old leaves (OL) of subjected tree species at selected study sites. Eight fully expanded leaves were selected from each tree species: two from each cardinal direction from the shoot of the current year (young leaves, YL), as well as from the shoot of the previous year (old leaves, OL). The results showed that the same genus has different capabilities to accumulate different heavy metals, and the overall trend was in the following order: F. virens > F. religiosa > F. benjamina > F. microcarpa at all study sites. The heavy metal contents in both YL and OL of selected tree species decreased in the order of Manganese (Mn)> Zinc (Zn)> Copper (Cu) > Chromium (Cr) > Lead (Pb) > Cadmium (Cd) at all study sites. The metal accumulation index (MAI) values ranged between 2.14-5.42 for F. benjamina, 2.09-3.89 for F. microcarpa, 3.61-7.01 for F. religiosa and 4.77-6.48 for F. virens across all study sites. Among the studied tree species, it has been determined that F. virens and F. religiosa are well-suited for urban areas with significant heavy metal contamination and can be strategically planted in barrier areas to effectively combat atmospheric pollution.

Skin conditions are among the most common health problems that affect people. Modern, allopathic, and natural medicine can all help to promote healthy skin. Human skin problems can be successfully treated using medicinal herbs because they contain a wide variety of bioactive molecules. The goal of this research is to look into the dermatological properties of medicinal plants used by different ethnic communities in southern Punjab, Pakistan and it seeks to establish a foundation for the development of novel medications with anti-skin activity. The snowball sampling method was employed for expert sampling in the southern Punjab districts of Multan and Vehari. Direct interviews with traditional herbalists (Hakeem) and shopkeepers selling medicinal plants (pansar) were done between August and December 2021. After gaining their prior informed agreement, 120 experts from southern Punjab were interviewed. 21 medicinal plants were recorded to be utilized in the treatment of skin problems. Plants are largely members of the Asteraceae and Piperaceae families. Leaves (62%) are the plant portion most frequently used as a treatment for skin conditions. Decoction (23%) is the most frequently used method in the study area. Aloe barbadensis miller having the highest Relative Frequency Citation (RFC) value while the frequency citation (FC) value ranged from 20 to 60. The highest value of FC was also recorded for Aloe barbadensis. The fidelity level (FL) ranged from 66 to 100%. The documented 15 medicinal plants have a higher FL value than 85%.