Ice age cycles had minimal impact on the genetic diversity of European trees, finds a new study. High diversity arose from traits like long lifespans and pollen traveling vast distances. This resilience offers hope for forests adapting to today’s rapid climate changes.
Researchers emphasize the crucial role of herbarium collections in supporting biodiversity conservation. They advocate for increased funding to herbaria, which face financial threats, citing their effectiveness in generating high-quality, unbiased biodiversity data. While citizen science contributes, herbarium specimens provide a more accurate record of Canada’s plant diversity and distribution, aiding conservation goals.
More than 3,000 botanists from 95 countries gathered at the XX International Botanical Congress in Madrid, held between 21-27th of July 2024, and issued ten calls for action, putting plants at the center of society’s path toward a sustainable future. They urge stronger connections between plants and people for future planetary health and resilience.
A new 5 cm-high plant species discovered in western Ecuador reaffirms the region’s surprising biodiversity. Found in a farmer’s backyard, this tiny plant, named Amalophyllon miraculum, highlights the importance of preserving small forest fragments. The discovery challenges assumptions of widespread plant extinction and underscores the critical role of local conservation efforts.
Research spanning nearly nine decades reveals a decline in insect-pollinated plant species across the Netherlands. Analyzing datasets, scientists highlight the pivotal role of these plants in biodiversity and food security, with 75% of crops reliant on insect pollination. Urgent conservation measures are proposed to mitigate this trend, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring and intervention.
The sunflower family’s intricate evolutionary history, unveiled through genetic analysis, showcases the fascinating phenomenon of convergent evolution. Flower symmetry, a key trait, has independently evolved multiple times within this diverse plant group. Insights gleaned may aid in breeding plants with desirable traits, benefiting agriculture and horticulture.
Botanists explore Darwin’s theory on precise pollination in flowering plants. Their study reveals correlations between heterostyly, floral traits, and pollinators, supporting Darwin’s hypothesis. This macroevolutionary analysis sheds new light on the role of ecology in plant reproductive mechanisms.
A groundbreaking satellite dataset, derived from TROPOMI’s observations, revolutionizes our understanding of Earth’s plant growth. The Comprehensive Mechanistic Light Response (CMLR) Gross Primary Production (GPP) dataset utilizes solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence to accurately quantify global photosynthesis. This advancement holds promise for climate change research, land management policies, and environmental conservation efforts.
Scientists have utilized AI to predict extinction risks for all 328,565 known flowering plant species. This groundbreaking study empowers individuals and researchers alike to assess the extinction threat level of any plant species. The findings highlight the urgency of plant conservation efforts amid ongoing biodiversity challenges.
Over 125 million years of evolution, plants like tomatoes and Arabidopsis thaliana have developed distinct genetic regulatory systems, influencing traits like fruit size. Researchers found mutating regulatory DNA around the CLV3 gene affects growth differently in each species. Understanding these evolutionary mysteries could revolutionize crop engineering, benefiting farmers worldwide.
