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The use of wild species is extensive in both high- and low-income countries. At least 50,000 wild species are used by billions of people around the world for food, energy, medicine, material, education or recreation, contributing significantly to efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, overexploitation remains a major threat to many wild species. Ensuring and enhancing the sustainability of use of wild species is thus essential for human well-being and biodiversity conservation. Globally, the use of wild species is increasing due to growing human demand and efficiency, but its sustainability varies and depends on the social-ecological contexts in which the use occurs. Multiple environmental and social (including economic) drivers affect the sustainability of use of wild species, posing major current and future challenges. In particular, climate change has already increased the vulnerability of many uses and is expected to increase it further in the coming decades, while global and illegal trades are, in many cases, key drivers of unsustainability. There is no single “silver bullet” policy to address these and other major challenges in the sustainable use of wild species. Rather, effective policies need to integrate inclusive actions at multiple scales that adopt right-based approaches, pay attention to equitable distribution of access and costs and benefits, employ participatory processes, strengthen monitoring programs, build robust customary or government institutions and support context-specific policies, as well as adaptive management.

The use of wild species is extensive in both high- and low-income countries. At least 50,000 wild species are used by billions of people around the world for food, energy, medicine, material, education or recreation, contributing significantly to efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, overexploitation remains a major threat to many wild species. Ensuring and enhancing the sustainability of use of wild species is thus essential for human well-being and biodiversity conservation. Globally, the use of wild species is increasing due to growing human demand and efficiency, but its sustainability varies and depends on the social-ecological contexts in which the use occurs. Multiple environmental and social (including economic) drivers affect the sustainability of use of wild species, posing major current and future challenges. In particular, climate change has already increased the vulnerability of many uses and is expected to increase it further in the coming decades, while global and illegal trades are, in many cases, key drivers of unsustainability. There is no single “silver bullet” policy to address these and other major challenges in the sustainable use of wild species. Rather, effective policies need to integrate inclusive actions at multiple scales that adopt right-based approaches, pay attention to equitable distribution of access and costs and benefits, employ participatory processes, strengthen monitoring programs, build robust customary or government institutions and support context-specific policies, as well as adaptive management.

Plants endure the repercussions of environmental stress. As the advancement of global climate change continues, it is increasingly crucial to protect against abiotic and biotic stress effects. Some naturally occurring plant compounds can be used effectively to protect the plants. By externally applying priming compounds, plants can be prompted to trigger their defensive mechanisms, resulting in improved immune system effectiveness. This review article examines the possibilities of utilizing exogenous alpha-, beta-, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (AABA, BABA, and GABA), which are non-protein amino acids (NPAAs) that are produced naturally in plants during instances of stress. The article additionally presents a concise overview of the studies’ discoveries on this topic, assesses the particular fields in which they might be implemented, and proposes new avenues for future investigation.

Plants endure the repercussions of environmental stress. As the advancement of global climate change continues, it is increasingly crucial to protect against abiotic and biotic stress effects. Some naturally occurring plant compounds can be used effectively to protect the plants. By externally applying priming compounds, plants can be prompted to trigger their defensive mechanisms, resulting in improved immune system effectiveness. This review article examines the possibilities of utilizing exogenous alpha-, beta-, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (AABA, BABA, and GABA), which are non-protein amino acids (NPAAs) that are produced naturally in plants during instances of stress. The article additionally presents a concise overview of the studies’ discoveries on this topic, assesses the particular fields in which they might be implemented, and proposes new avenues for future investigation.

Chromium is one of the most significant metals used in the industry. There are many techniques for treating different types of industrial waste water that include chromium ion. In this study, the authors successfully adsorbed the chromium ion from alkaline aqueous solutions using different prepared types of chitosan as adsorbent materials. For the simultaneous sorption behaviour, the adsorption potential of the produced adsorbent was investigated for Cr+6 in a batch system. Natural chitosan was extracted from shrimp shell as it contains about 8–10% chitin which is used in the production of chitosan. The removal percentage of Cr+6 reached 99% after grafting natural and commercial chitosan at specific conditions. Several isotherm models have been used for mechanistic studies. The results indicated that the adsorption data for commercial chitosan is well-fitted by the Freundlich isotherm, Langmuir for commercial grafted, natural and natural grafted chitosan. Kinetic and equilibrium studies showed that the experimental data of Cr+6 were better described by the pseudo-first-order model for commercial chitosan and fitted the pseudo-second-order model for different types of chitosan used. Significantly, in order to scale this effective strategy on an industrial scale, response surface methodology (RSM) was used as a modelling tool to optimise process parameters such as ion concentrations, utilising Statistica Software.

Chromium is one of the most significant metals used in the industry. There are many techniques for treating different types of industrial waste water that include chromium ion. In this study, the authors successfully adsorbed the chromium ion from alkaline aqueous solutions using different prepared types of chitosan as adsorbent materials. For the simultaneous sorption behaviour, the adsorption potential of the produced adsorbent was investigated for Cr+6 in a batch system. Natural chitosan was extracted from shrimp shell as it contains about 8–10% chitin which is used in the production of chitosan. The removal percentage of Cr+6 reached 99% after grafting natural and commercial chitosan at specific conditions. Several isotherm models have been used for mechanistic studies. The results indicated that the adsorption data for commercial chitosan is well-fitted by the Freundlich isotherm, Langmuir for commercial grafted, natural and natural grafted chitosan. Kinetic and equilibrium studies showed that the experimental data of Cr+6 were better described by the pseudo-first-order model for commercial chitosan and fitted the pseudo-second-order model for different types of chitosan used. Significantly, in order to scale this effective strategy on an industrial scale, response surface methodology (RSM) was used as a modelling tool to optimise process parameters such as ion concentrations, utilising Statistica Software.

Enhancing the productivity and bioactivity of high-functional foods holds great significance. Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have a recognized capacity for boosting both plant growth and the efficacy of primary and secondary metabolites. Furthermore, while salinity diminishes plant growth, it concurrently amplifies the production of phytomolecules. To ensure the robust and sustainable production of nutritious food, it becomes essential to elevate biomolecule yield without compromising plant growth. Here, we assessed the CNPs priming on plant performance and metabolites of the glycophyte amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) sprouts at the threshold salinity (25 mM NaCl; i.e., salinity that does not reduce growth but enhances the metabolites of that plant). We measured growth parameters, pigment levels, and primary (carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids) and secondary metabolites (phenolics, flavonoids, tocopherols). CNP priming significantly improved biomass accumulation (fresh and dry weight) and primary and secondary metabolites of amaranth sprouts. Increased photosynthetic pigments can explain these increases in photosynthesis. Enhanced photosynthesis induced carbohydrate production, providing a C source for producing bioactive primary and secondary metabolites. The priming effect of CNPs further enhanced the accumulation of essential amino acids, organic acids, unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, and phenolics at threshold salinity. The increase in bioactive metabolites under threshold salinity can explain the CNP priming impact on boosting the antioxidant activities (FRAP, DPPH, anti-lipid peroxidation, superoxide-anion-scavenger, hydroxyl-radical-scavenger, Fe-chelating and chain-breaking activity in aqueous and lipid phases) and antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Overall, this study suggested that threshold salinity and CNP priming could be useful for enhancing amaranth sprouts’ growth and nutritional quality.

Enhancing the productivity and bioactivity of high-functional foods holds great significance. Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have a recognized capacity for boosting both plant growth and the efficacy of primary and secondary metabolites. Furthermore, while salinity diminishes plant growth, it concurrently amplifies the production of phytomolecules. To ensure the robust and sustainable production of nutritious food, it becomes essential to elevate biomolecule yield without compromising plant growth. Here, we assessed the CNPs priming on plant performance and metabolites of the glycophyte amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) sprouts at the threshold salinity (25 mM NaCl; i.e., salinity that does not reduce growth but enhances the metabolites of that plant). We measured growth parameters, pigment levels, and primary (carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids) and secondary metabolites (phenolics, flavonoids, tocopherols). CNP priming significantly improved biomass accumulation (fresh and dry weight) and primary and secondary metabolites of amaranth sprouts. Increased photosynthetic pigments can explain these increases in photosynthesis. Enhanced photosynthesis induced carbohydrate production, providing a C source for producing bioactive primary and secondary metabolites. The priming effect of CNPs further enhanced the accumulation of essential amino acids, organic acids, unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, and phenolics at threshold salinity. The increase in bioactive metabolites under threshold salinity can explain the CNP priming impact on boosting the antioxidant activities (FRAP, DPPH, anti-lipid peroxidation, superoxide-anion-scavenger, hydroxyl-radical-scavenger, Fe-chelating and chain-breaking activity in aqueous and lipid phases) and antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Overall, this study suggested that threshold salinity and CNP priming could be useful for enhancing amaranth sprouts’ growth and nutritional quality.