Category

Botany

Image: A cottonwood grove nestled along a river near the Grand Canyon. Areas such as this are important to wildlife in the Southwest, but demands from development and water consumption, along with stress from climate change, threaten this habitat. A new study offers a model for reforestation efforts in these areas, though, which could make cottonwood groves more resistant to stress in years to come. Credit by Helen Bothwell

Study links tree genetics to biodiversity patterns

By | Botany, News, Plant Science

Cottonwood trees are crucial for biodiversity in the arid Southwest, but less than 3% of their pre-20th-century distribution remains. A new study reveals their genetics influence insect and fungal communities. To preserve these ecosystems, reforestation efforts should consider tree genetics and collect seeds from nearby regions with resilient traits. Planting diverse trees supports diverse communities, ensuring the survival of this vital foundation species.

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Plant ecology study shows dominant influence of climate on vegetation

By | Botany, Climate change, Forestry, News

For several years, ecological research has argued that climate often has no determining influence on the distribution of forests and savannas in tropical regions. However, an international research team has now succeeded in proving that it depends mostly on climatic factors whether regions in Africa are covered by forest or savanna. The study, confirms the dominant role of climate in the formation of global vegetation patterns.

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New Tree Species of Lauraceae Family Found

By | Botany, News

The genus Endiandra of the Lauraceae family has approximately 100 species and its diversity is strongly centered in south-eastern Malaysia and Australia. In China, there are only three recognized Endiandra species (two endemic) and they are distributed in Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan and Taiwan.

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