The impacts of climate change, in particular via elevated temperature and atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, cause differential photosynthetic responses between native and invasive alien plants, often resulting in varying magnitudes of plant growth and productivity. This study investigated variations in photosynthetic responses of an invasive alien Acacia species and two successional groups of tropical heath forest species: early secondary (Buchanania arborescens and Dillenia suffruticosa) and secondary (Calophyllum inophyllum and Ploiarium alternifolium) groups at elevated temperature (25 to 30°C) and CO₂ levels (400 to 700 ppm). Invasive A. mangium appears better adapted to higher temperature and CO₂. High temperature improved CO₂ assimilation of A. mangium compared to heath species, which was attributed to increased transpiration rate and stomatal conductance but decreased water-use efficiency. Photosynthetic responses showed no differences in early secondary species at elevated temperature and CO₂ but invasive A. mangium and P. alternifolium were stimulated by elevated CO₂. The greater maximum net photosynthesis of A. mangium coincided with lower light compensation point and electron transport rate for RuBP regeneration, to a certain extent. Findings provide insights into possible underlying ecophysiological mechanisms contributing to the invasion success of Acacias in degraded tropical heath forests in response to future climate change.

This study evaluates the chemical composition and bioactivities of essential oils extracted from the leaves and twigs of Glycosmis lanceolata growing in a natural forest in Vietnam. gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identified 42 and 43 constituents in the leaf and twig oils, respectively. The main compounds in the leaf oil were (E)-β-caryophyllene (10.2%), β-bisabolene (23.7%), and brevifolin (21.3%), while the twig oil was dominated by β-bisabolene (11.6%) and brevifolin (12.7%). Neither oil exhibited inhibitory effects against two beneficial bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus fermentum. In contrast, both oils showed weak antimicrobial activity against four pathogenic bacteria—Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—and one yeast, Candida albicans, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2012 ± 118 to 10,593 ± 557 µg/mL. Notably, the twig oil demonstrated pronounced anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of nitric oxide production (IC₅₀ = 29.7 ± 2.58 µg/mL), whereas the leaf oil showed no detectable activity within the tested concentrations. Similarly, DPPH radical scavenging assays indicated stronger antioxidant activity for the twig oil compared to the leaf oil. These findings provide new insights into the phytochemistry and bioactivities of G. lanceolata essential oils and may support further investigations into their potential applications.

Habitat loss due to deforestation and overexploitation are major causes threatening the long-term survival of Amentotaxus yunnanensis , a vulnerable conifer native to Vietnam. To establish a genetic baseline for conservation, we assessed 222 individuals from eight populations using nine polymorphic microsatellite (SSR) markers. The analysis revealed moderate species-level genetic diversity (mean expected heterozygosity H​ _E = 0.353) but strong genetic differentiation among populations ( F​ _ST = 0.122). This structure is driven by a historical pattern of isolation by distance, which is now severely compounded by recent habitat fragmentation that restricts gene flow. Population structure analyses consistently identified two distinct genetic clusters corresponding to Northern and Central Vietnam. Furthermore, bottleneck analysis revealed recent demographic declines in the four northernmost populations, three of which simultaneously retain the high levels of genetic diversity. These findings define two distinct management units (MUs) with disparate conservation needs. The declining northern populations are critical reservoirs of genetic diversity requiring urgent in situ protection, while the genetically depleted central populations necessitate habitat connectivity strategies. Our results provide an essential framework for developing targeted conservation actions to ensure the persistence of this threatened species.

This study evaluates the chemical composition and bioactivities of essential oils extracted from the leaves and twigs of Glycosmis lanceolata growing in a natural forest in Vietnam. Gas chromatography identified 42 and 43 constituents in the leaf and twig oils, respectively. The main compounds in the leaf oil were (E)-β-caryophyllene (10.2%), β-bisabolene (23.7%), and brevifolin (21.3%). While the twig oil was dominated by β-bisabolene (11.6%) and brevifolin (12.7%). Neither oil exhibited inhibitory effects against two beneficial bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus fermentum. In contrast, both oils showed weak antimicrobial activity against four pathogenic bacteria—Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—and one yeast Candida albicans, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2012 ± 118 to 10,593 ± 557 µg/mL. Notably, the twig oil demonstrated pronounced anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of nitric oxide production (IC₅₀ = 29.7 ± 2.58 µg/mL), whereas the leaf oil showed no detectable activity within the tested concentrations. Similarly, DPPH radical scavenging assays indicated stronger antioxidant activity for the twig oil compared to the leaf oil. These findings provide new insights into the phytochemistry and bioactivity of G. lanceolata essential oils and highlight their potential for further development in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications.

Medicinal plants grown outside their native forest habitat may produce phytochemical profiles that differ from wild-harvested material, yet the ecological mechanisms underlying these differences remain poorly synthesized across disciplines. This review proposes that the forest understory functions as a multi-signal elicitation system in which canopy light filtering, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and above-ground biotic interactions collectively shape secondary metabolite profiles. AMF-mediated induced systemic resistance and above-ground biotic interactions operate through confirmed jasmonate-mediated pathways. Sunfleck-driven reactive oxygen species signaling is hypothesized but untested, and the red-to-far-red ratio modulated phytochrome B pathway characterized in Arabidopsis remains unconfirmed in shade-tolerant species. Using three saponin-rich medicinal plants (Panax vietnamensis, Panex quinquefolius, and Paris polyphylla) as case studies, we formalize this as a testable chemical terroir hypothesis with three falsifiable predictions. We also translate it into an ecological co-cultivation design principle with three production levels and a two-step operational framework, and identify priority experiments, analytical methods, and implementation challenges needed for validation. These contributions bridge forest ecology and medicinal plant science while identifying critical evidence gaps requiring resolution before field implementation.

Medicinal plants grown outside their native forest habitat may produce phytochemical profiles that differ from wild-harvested material, yet the ecological mechanisms underlying these differences remain poorly synthesized across disciplines. This review proposes that the forest understory functions as a multi-signal elicitation system in which canopy light filtering, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and above-ground biotic interactions collectively shape secondary metabolite profiles. AMF-mediated induced systemic resistance and above-ground biotic interactions operate through confirmed jasmonate-mediated pathways. Sunfleck-driven reactive oxygen species signaling is hypothesized but untested, and the red-to-far-red ratio modulated phytochrome B pathway characterized in Arabidopsis remains unconfirmed in shade-tolerant species. Using three saponin-rich herbs (Panax vietnamensis, P. ginseng/P. quinquefolius, and Paris polyphylla) as case studies, we formalize this as a testable chemical terroir hypothesis with three falsifiable predictions. We also translate it into an ecological co-cultivation design principle with three production levels and a two-step operational framework, and identify priority experiments, analytical methods, and implementation challenges needed for validation. These contributions bridge forest ecology and medicinal plant science while identifying critical evidence gaps requiring resolution before field implementation.