BACKGROUND Rice is a major source of human food with a predominantly Asian production base. Domestication involved selection of traits that are desirable for agriculture and to human consumers. Wild relatives of crop plants are a source of useful variation which is of immense value for crop improvement. Australian wild rices have been isolated from the impacts of domestication in Asia and repre...

In fact, this assumption is incorrect and, whilst the Ancient Greek astronomers made huge contributions to astronomy, their knowledge was built upon the solid foundations laid by other great cultures. The Mesopotamian [1] and Zoroastrian astronomers and astrologers, in the Fertile Crescent and the empty deserts of Persia, made many sophisticated observations and devised complex theories to desc...

The Iraqi Western and Southern deserts are part of the Stable Shelf (Inner Platform) that belongs to Arabian Plate. Therefore, both lack tectonic forms like folds faults; however, very rarely faults regional lineaments can be seen in deserts. Although tectonically stable, tens Neotectonic indications everywhere Among those are: Straight valleys, perpendicular valley bendings, sinkholes aligned ...

Halite (NaCl) and gypsum or anhydrite (CaSO4) are water-soluble minerals found in soils of the driest regions of Earth, and only modest attention has been given to the hydrological processes that distribute these salts vertically in soil profiles. The two most notable chloride and sulfate-rich deserts on earth are the Dry Valleys of Antarctica and the Atacama Desert of Chile. While each is hype...

Abstract Afforestation is helpful to improve soil functions and increase organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in semiarid deserts. However, the fine-scale (around a single plant) spatial distribution of SOC its liable (LOC) fractions after afforestation deserts are poorly understood. Pinus sylvestris Salix psammophila afforested on shifting sandy land (Sland) were selected quantify (at 20, 80, 15...

The ecosystems in the arid inland areas of Central Asia are fragile and severely degraded. Understanding assessing ecosystem resilience is a challenge facing ecosystems. Based on net primary productivity (NPP) data estimated by CASA model, this study conducted quantitative analysis ecosystem’s comprehensively reflected its from multiple dimensions. Furthermore, comprehensive index was construct...

Abstract Background A review of the literature was carried out to study dust and sandstorm (DSS) in terms its ecosystem processes relationship other dryland disasters Northeast Asia. Drylands are ecosystems that include grasslands, semi-deserts, deserts, these types vulnerable due their low primary productivity depends on a small amount precipitation. Results Drought, dust, desertification, win...

Paenibacillus sp. strain IHB B 3415 is a cellulase-producing psychrotrophic bacterium isolated from a soil sample from the cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh, India. Here, we report an 8.44-Mb assembly of its genome sequence with a G+C content of 50.77%. The data presented here will provide insights into the mechanisms of cellulose degradation at low temperature.