Lal B. Thapa

Bio: Lal B. Thapa is an academic researcher from Tribhuvan University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Water quality & Ageratina adenophora. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 22 publications receiving 132 citations. Previous affiliations of Lal B. Thapa include Prince of Songkla University.

Plant invasiveness and target plant density: high densities of native Schima wallichii seedlings reduce negative effects of invasive Ageratina adenophora

Abstract: Summary Economically feasible strategies to cope with invasive species are urgently needed. Plant density can be increased to reduce competitive effects on target plants. This study indicates that increasing native plant density can be used to reduce the effect of invasive Ageratina adenophora. Seedlings of an indigenous tree species, Schima wallichii, were grown in pots containing uninvaded or invaded soil, with or without A. adenophora leaf litter on the soil surface. Schima wallichii seedlings were also grown at four densities under four levels of A. adenophora leaf litter. Root and shoot biomass and length were measured as response parameters in both bioassays. Schima wallichii growth was inhibited by A. adenophora leaf litter and invaded soil. High litter levels reduced S. wallichii root length and dry weight at low plant densities. The inhibition disappeared at high S. wallichii plant densities. As A. adenophora did not inhibit S. wallichii growth at high plant densities, adjustments of seedling density should be studied as a possible management strategy for invasion by A. adenophora and potentially by other exotic plant species. As density-dependent growth inhibition is the key characteristic of chemical interference, we propose that phytotoxins contribute to A. adenophora invasion particularly at low densities of native seedlings.

Perception, trends and impacts of climate change in Kailali District, Far West Nepal

Abstract: Correction: On 31/12/2015 the author's name Binala Gharti Magar was changed to Bimala Gharti Magar Perception and place-based studies give useful information on climate change in context of Nepal due to having its wide geographical, climatic, biological and cultural diversity. A household survey and focus group discussions were carried out in this study to document local people’s perceptions on climate change in Kailali district of Nepal. Most of respondents in the study area have perceived that temperature and fog are increased; and rainfall and hail are decreased with severe fluctuation. Trend of temperature supports local people’s perception. People have noticed impacts of these changes in vegetation, plant phenology and agriculture. Fundamentally, they have observed that certain plant species are decreasing, increasing and showing changes in flowering and fruiting time. This information could have significance for future research to identify climate change sensitive or indicator plants. International Journal of Environment Vol.4(4) 2015: 62-76

Medicinal Plants Used by Raji Ethnic Tribe of Nepal in Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders

Abstract: A total of 43 plant species belonging to 40 genera and 29 families have been recorded as medicinal plants used traditionally by Raji people of Nepal for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Different parts of medicinal plants in different forms were reported to be used for treatment of 16 types of gastrointestinal disorders. The traditional healers and elderly people were well experienced in traditional method of using medicinal plants but they were worried about negligence of people towards such traditional use of valuable medicinal plants. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on.v11i2.9645 Our Nature 2013, 11(2): 177-186

Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics

Abstract: Twenty-four articles by biologists, ecologists, and other scientists represent a year's progress in the field. Among the topics addressed: the effects of introduced species, paleobiogeography, genetics and geographic structure, marine fisheries management, time as an ecological resource, genetic var

Aloe Genus Plants: From Farm to Food Applications and Phytopharmacotherapy

Abstract: Aloe genus plants, distributed in Old World, are widely known and have been used for centuries as topical and oral therapeutic agents due to their health, beauty, medicinal, and skin care properties Among the well-investigated Aloe species are A arborescens, A barbadensis, A ferox, and A vera Today, they account among the most economically important medicinal plants and are commonly used in primary health treatment, where they play a pivotal role in the treatment of various types of diseases via the modulation of biochemical and molecular pathways, besides being a rich source of valuable phytochemicals In the present review, we summarized the recent advances in botany, phytochemical composition, ethnobotanical uses, food preservation, and the preclinical and clinical efficacy of Aloe plants These data will be helpful to provide future directions for the industrial and medicinal use of Aloe plants

Urbanization Reduces Transfer of Diverse Environmental Microbiota Indoors.

Abstract: Expanding urbanization is a major factor behind rapidly declining biodiversity. It has been proposed that in urbanized societies, the rarity of contact with diverse environmental microbiota negatively impacts immune function and ultimately increases the risk for allergies and other immune-mediated disorders. Surprisingly, the basic assumption that urbanization reduces exposure to environmental microbiota and its transfer indoors has rarely been examined. We investigated if the land use type around Finnish homes affects the diversity, richness, and abundance of bacterial communities indoors. Debris deposited on standardized doormats was collected in 30 rural and 26 urban households in and near the city of Lahti, Finland, in August 2015. Debris was weighed, bacterial community composition determined by high throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene on the Illumina MiSeq platform, and the percentage of four different land use types (i.e., built area, forest, transitional, and open area) within 200 m and 2000 m radiuses from each household was characterized. The quantity of doormat debris was inversely correlated with coverage of built area. The diversity of total bacterial, Proteobacterial, Actinobacterial, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes communities decreased as the percentage of built area increased. Their richness followed the same pattern except for Firmicutes for which no association was observed. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria and particularly Gammaproteobacteria increased, whereas that of Actinobacteria decreased with increasing built area. Neither Phylum Firmicutes nor Bacteroidetes varied with coverage of built area. Additionally, the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacterial families and genera increased as the percentage of built area increased. Interestingly, having domestic animals (including pets) only altered the association between the richness of Gammaproteobacteria and diversity of Firmicutes with the built area coverage suggesting that animal ownership minimally affects transfer of environmental microbiota indoors from the living environment. These results support the hypothesis that people living in densely built areas are less exposed to diverse environmental microbiota than people living in more sparsely built areas.