Invasive plant species may benefit from a reduction in herbivory in their introduced range. Here, we evaluated leaf herbivory of an invasive tree species (Ligustrum lucidum Aiton) in its native and novel ranges, and determined the potential changes in leaf traits that may be associated with the patterns of herbivory.

Dry eucalypt forests are renowned for their flammability and ability to recover from fire, yet there is little hard data on the effects of high-severity fires. We showed that fire in long-unburnt (>15 years) dry eucalypt forest remnants in the driest part of Tasmania caused high levels of tree mortality, particularly in the understorey acacias and banksias. Our study highlighted the need to reduce fuel loads in these fragmented forests to reduce tree mortality caused by fire.

Novel chromosome counts are presented for a wide sample of Australian populations of Bulbine glauca. The species complex shows a variable asymmetric karyotype across its distribution, indicating karyotypic evolution involving structural rearrangements. There appear to be six distinctive groups within the complex based on karyomorphology.

Oxalic acid is the main pathogenicity factor of plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The present study aimed to further characterise the initial stages of pathogen invasion and the plant–pathogen interaction through simulation of Sclerotinia attack by treating sunflower plant with oxalic acid. Studies of the proteins and enzymes involved in Sclerotinia-sunflower interactions could lead to the improvement of sunflower resistance against S. sclerotiorum in early stages of growth carried out in the laboratory instead of field.

The estimated thermal time for seven sowing dates for Cucumis melo were ~411, 448, 733, 672, 604, 558 and 251 Celcius degree days, respectively. The mean number of fruits per plant and seeds per fruit were significantly different at each sowing date. Wild melon could produce a lot of fruits and seeds (up to 5000) within a growth cycle (average in 75 days).

Silene parnassica is distributed on mountains of the south-western Balkan Peninsula, inhabiting both limestone and ophiolitic substrate. Comparison of trace element profiles and the differences in uptake and translocation of trace elements in plants from five populations belonging to three subspecies of Silene parnassica growing on ophiolitic substrates showed that all three subspecies act as strong Ni accumulators.

Recreational trails can impact natural vegetation with the type and severity of impacts differing among trail types. We compared five types of trails in endangered remnant woodland and found that all trails caused vegetation loss and compositional change but that wider and hardened trail types (e.g. tarmac) caused the most marked changes with low species richness, reduced shrubs and bulbs and high weed abundance along trail edges. Wider bare earth trails caused high levels of soil loss. Decision makers must more adequately understand the ecological impacts of different trail types before their construction.

Plants exposed to a range of light, temperature and sugar conditions may exhibit improved survival to cryopreservation for valuable germplasm. Antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase was measured upon preconditioning treatments and showed changes relating to post-cryogenic survival. Understanding how antioxidants perform during cryopreservation is vital for improving protocols used in future conservation efforts.

Five-branch male Morus alba saplings exhibited significantly greater leaf number and area, and leaf and aboveground biomass at the plant level than did female ones, whereas no such sexual differences in single-branch saplings were found. These results demonstrated that branch multiplication could result in sexual differences in plant growth in dioecious plants.