New research could help breed plants that are more productive as days grow shorter. The research found that when days are shorter, plants have less time to photosynthesize, so they need to be more efficient with the sunlight they do receive. Plants store more sugar as starch during the day so that they have energy to use during the longer night. These findings could help to develop new crop varieties that can grow in a wider range of climates.
Sphagnum divinum, a resilient type of peat moss, is actively evolving in response to hot, dry conditions, defying climate threats. Researchers developed a database with S. divinum’s proteins and a method to determine their functions, shedding light on its adaptive mechanisms. As environmental stressors deplete peatland carbon reserves, understanding genetic resilience becomes crucial. Using high-performance computing and AI, the team predicted structures for S. divinum’s 25,134 proteins, revealing insights into their functions. The findings advance climate resilience understanding and support future research on Sphagnum moss compounds.
A genetic breakthrough unveils the high-iron mutations in peas, presenting opportunities for fortified vegetables and cereals. This discovery, based on a newly mapped pea-genome, could guide gene-editing strategies to enhance iron content in various crops, addressing global anaemia concerns, especially among women. The findings illuminate iron homeostasis in plants, offering prospects for biofortification.
As climate change intensifies, societal and individual struggles to adapt become more apparent. To explore cultural adaptation, researchers conducted the first study of its kind. Analyzing U.S. crop data over 14 years, they applied the science of cultural evolution. Their findings reveal farmers adapting to climate change in some regions, while in others, crops are increasingly mismatched. This first cultural approach marks a milestone in refining climate adaptation strategies.
New research reveals that deforestation in the Amazon not only warms immediate surroundings but also impacts areas up to 100 kilometers away. Analyzing data from 2001 to 2020, the study links regional forest loss to a significant temperature rise—4.4 °C in areas with both local and regional deforestation. The findings emphasize the critical importance of understanding how Amazon deforestation contributes to climate change and highlight the potential benefits of reducing deforestation for local, regional, and national scales.
Scientists have long known that chloroplasts help plants turn the sun’s energy into food, but a new study, led by plant biologists, shows that they are also essential for plant immunity to viral and bacterial pathogens.
In cereal and legume crops, the size of the plant organs, particularly seeds, is closely related to final yield. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying organ size control in legumes are still poorly understood.
Plants employ plasmodesmata for cell communication, but protein targeting to these structures is poorly understood. Studying PDLP5 and related proteins, researchers discovered unconventional targeting signals in their extracellular regions, crucial for regulating viral movement. New study aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind protein targeting to plasmodesmata, offering insights for plant biotechnology.
Urban environments have become hotspots for understanding how rapid evolution occurs in response to extreme environmental changes. These habitats exert selective pressures on resident organisms that impact their evolutionary trajectories. Recently, researchers from Japan investigated how the creeping woodsorrel plant might adapt in response to elevated temperatures that result from urbanization. Understanding these effects can help predict evolutionary traits to manage plant evolution in the face of shifting climatic conditions.
A new Journal of Applied Ecology study based on the world’s largest wildlife survey reveals that 66 percent of India’s natural systems are threatened by invasive plant species.
Invasive plant species management in India has historically been constrained by a lack of information regarding the spread of invasions. So to combat this, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India were forced to come up with a unique solution.
They decided to integrate an invasive plant assessment with India’s national assessment of tiger populations, taking place every four years and monitoring 358,000 km2 of natural areas. A mobile app was used to sample 158,000 plots of land, ultimately revealing that 66 percent of wilderness areas had been invaded by invasive plant species, including Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora, and Chromolaena odorata.
Professor Qamar Qureshi from the Wildlife Institute of India explains “The tiger project was intended to monitor the changing status of the animals and their habitat. Plant invasions end up altering these habitats and revealing intricate ecological changes. In the end, it just made sense to monitor both plants and tigers simultaneously”.
India’s legacy of human modifications, historical propagation of invasive plants, shifting soil moisture regime, and altered cycles of natural disturbances are amongst the leading drivers that likely facilitate invasions.
India has one of the world’s highest population densities. Therefore, demand for food, energy and infrastructure are poised to intensify, potentially escalating the already rampant invasions even more.
Using the date collected in the national-scale invasive plant assessment, the researchers developed a model to identify priority restoration sites, namely those where invasions are in their initial stages, with preference for those within already protected areas. Protecting these sites requires less investment and intervention, while still delivering promising biodiversity returns.
Professor Y V Jhala, also from the Wildlife Institute of India, says “Personal judgements are often used to select and manage invasive species and areas. Without understanding the ecological or landscape-scale context of invasions, such investments rarely achieve the objective of ecological restoration. Using our strategic prioritisation plan can ensure that limited resources are invested in a manner that maximizes long-term biodiversity gains”.
The study’s inclusion in the recent tiger report published by the government of India underscores the highest political recognition of the threats brought by biological invasions. Whilst the study provides a critical steppingstone towards evidence-based restoration, several challenges persist.
“Managing invasive species demands more than mere removal — it necessitates context-sensitive restoration, stakeholder participation, and adaptive holistic policies that can enable positive changes”, says Dr. Ninad Avinash Mungi from Aarhus University who partnered with the Wildlife Institute of India for the study.
India has been long awaiting a dedicated policy framework on managing invasions and restoring ecosystems, but for now, the new study provides timely guidance.
As the United Nations’ decade for Ecosystem Restoration unfolds, India’s proactive stance in monitoring invasive species by integrating it with flagship programs sets an example of responsible and forward-looking conservation efforts. Amidst densely populated and invaded regions, this research paves a path towards effective restoration, rekindling ecological optimism.
Read the paper: Journal of Applied Ecology
Article source: British Ecological Society
Author: BES Press Office
Image: Several water bodies that are important habitat and resource for many endangered species like the Asian elephant are invaded by the water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes), a plant native to tropical America. Credit: Jayanta Guha.
