Environmental and soil characteristics in Ephedra habitats of Uzbekistan

AbstractIn Uzbekistan,Ephedra distachya L.,E. equisetina Bunge,E. foliata Boiss. ex C. A. Mey.,E. lomatolepis Schrenk, andE. strobilacea Bunge show species specificity for habitat environments and physical and chemical characteristics of habitat soils. Furthermore, the relationship between soil characteristics and ephedrine and pseudoephedrine contents was examined.E. distachya was found growing from 80 to 200  m above sea level (a.s.l) in the Plateau Ustyurt on the desert steppe of cliffs on soil having relatively higher loss on ignition (19.8–33.8%) and water-soluble cations (Ca2+, 5.14 –133.13; Mg2+, 0.85 –3.18; and Na+, 2.27 –8.33 mmol/100 g dry soil weight) than for otherEphedra habitats.E. strobilacea was found growing on the flat sandy Kyzylkum desert at 94  m a.s.l. and had habitat soil that was the driest with the lowest loss on ignition (2.9%) and highest Na+ (9.05  mmol/100 g dry soil weight) of all theEphedra habitat soils. On dry steppe from 1054 to 1819  m a.s.l.,E. foliata,E. lomatolepis, andE. equisetina formed not only a single community but also a complex community on constantly collapsing sandy gravel slope with relatively higher Ca2+ (3.40 –17.44 mmol/100 g dry soil weight) soil content. Notably,E. equisetina grew on the dry steppe of constantly collapsing sandy gravel slopes, in rocky areas, on sandy gravel floodplains of rivers, and on stable humus soil at the base of coniferous trees in a wide range of habitats from dry steppe to coni...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research