High in the arid White Mountains of eastern California stand the gnarled, twisted trunks of ancient bristlecone pines. These slow-growing trees quietly weather the ages; at more than 4,000 years old, some are more ancient than the Great Pyramid of Giza.Now, researchers present a novel approach that uses X-ray computed tomography (CT) to capture the wood density of bristlecone tree rings and generate annual resolution reconstructions of ancient temperatures.
The first continent-wide mapping study of plant life across Antarctica reveals growth in previously uncharted areas and is set to inform conservation measures across the region.
A study highlights how a combination of environmental stressors can increase the threats faced by plants in some of the planet’s critical ecosystems.
Two of the planet’s more pressing environmental stressors have the potential to alter the growth and reproductive output of plants found right along the world’s coastlines, a new study suggests.
The research, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, is one of the first to examine the combined effects of seawater flooding and microplastic pollution on coastal plants.
It showed that both stressors had some effects on the species tested, with microplastics impacting the plants’ reproduction while flooding caused greater tissue death.
However, being exposed to both microplastics and flooding together – a threat likely to increase as a result of climate change and plastic use – had a more pronounced impact on their resource allocation.
This in turn led to the plants exhibiting altered growth and experiencing a short-term suppression in their photosynthetic efficiency, responses affect the plants’ ability to capture water, nutrients and sunlight, and contribute to ecosystem wellbeing.
They say it signposts the potential for microplastics to present an elevated risk when in combination with additional stressors like seawater flooding and that, as a result, establishing the threats presented by multiple co-occurring stressors on ecosystem resilience is a priority.
This research highlights the potential for microplastics, composed of conventional and biodegradable plastic, to detrimentally affect plant functioning. Moreso, it indicates that the effect of microplastics can be magnified by other environmental factors such as rising sea levels and coastal flooding. Studies such as this help us appreciate the potential harm posed by microplastics to a range of organisms, and ecosystem resilience generally.
The study was carried out as part of BIO-PLASTIC-RISK, a £2.6million project led by the University and supported by the Natural Environment Research Council. It focused on buck’s horn plantain (Plantago coronopus), a low-growing perennial native to Europe, Asia and North Africa – but also found in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand – which commonly grows in sand dune and beach shingle coastal habitats.
Plants were grown in soil containing conventional or biodegradable plastics for 35 days before being flooded with seawater for 72 hours, replicating the kinds of flooding event increasingly associated with storms and coastal storm surges. They were then grown for a further 24 days with scientists monitoring plant survival in addition to factors such as plant size, photosynthetic efficiency and flower production.
On a global scale, habitats such as coastal dunes and grasslands help protect communities in the form of coastal defences and wind protection. They also play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, but are coming under increasing threat from climate change and a number of other environmental factors. This study emphasises that we should not be looking at those threats in isolation as, put together, their impacts can be more pronounced. That is particularly worrying given that both microplastic pollution and coastal flooding are projected to worsen and intensify over the coming decades unless ambitious global actions are implemented.
Mick Hanley Associate Professor in Plant-Animal Interactions
International scientists identified a genetic “off switch” in legumes that stops nitrogen fixation when soil nitrate levels are high. Removing this switch ensures continuous nitrogen fixation, boosting crop growth and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, benefiting agriculture and the environment.
Researchers have significantly improved maize transformation efficiency using ternary vectors and morphogenic regulators. This advancement enhances gene-editing research and potential agricultural applications by overcoming a major bottleneck in maize transformation frequency.
A recent survey of over 4,500 Americans reveals that increased knowledge about gene editing correlates with greater acceptance of its safety for agricultural and medical applications. The study emphasizes the need for effective science communication to shift public opinion, highlighting a general preference for gene editing over genetic modification.
Researchers have created an improved family tree for Solanum plants, revealing that fruit color and size evolved together, challenging previous theories that fruit-eating animals were the primary drivers. This study offers insights for breeding better crops.
Goldenrod plants exhibit adaptive responses to environmental cues, such as perceiving nearby plants through far-red light and changing behavior when attacked by herbivores. This ability to solve problems and adjust based on environmental information is argued to fit a very basic definition of intelligence, challenging traditional views on plant cognition.
A global shortage of skilled plant breeders threatens food security. With many specialists nearing retirement and fewer graduates entering the field, urgent action is needed to bolster training and ensure the sustainability of agricultural production worldwide.
Scientists have found that rice plants use a special gene, NRT1.1B, to attract helpful microbes that aid in nitrogen absorption. This discovery means rice can grow more efficiently with less fertilizer, benefiting farmers and the environment. The gene acts like a green thumb, fostering beneficial bacterial communities around the roots.
