Botany One

#PlantScience from #CellBiology to #Ecosystems, or what we call #Botany. Weblog of the Annals of Botany Company, a charity dedicated to promoting the study of #plants.

Website: https://www.botany.one
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/botanyone/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/botany.one
Non-Profit - All Science: https://annalsofbotanycompany.co.uk

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botanyone_at_botany.social@momostr.pink

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Last Notes

2026-10-13 10:45:02 UTC

The species that blushed when it was discovered 🧵
https://doi.org/10.1002/njb.05065
Pinguicula brendae was identified as a new species by its unusual leaves.
Full thread @ https://www.botany.one/the-species-that-blushed-when-it-was-discovered/ (1/6)
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/117/433/191/565/330/315/original/9bd0595754c148a2.jpeg

2026-09-27 14:32:59 UTC

Assistant Teaching Professor in Plant Biology // Cambridge
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DTB063/assistant-teaching-professor-in-plant-biology
This is a teaching-focussed opportunity to engage with undergraduates on inter-departmental courses across the School of Biological Sciences that form part of the Natural Sciences Tripos (NST). The role is fixed-term for 8 months, to cover the teaching of Professor Ottoline Leyser, Regius Chair in Botany, while she is acting as interim director for the Rokos School of Government.
#BotanyJobs

2026-07-19 14:00:52 UTC

Nesiota elliptica
https://www.botany.one/nesiota-elliptica/
The Saint Helena olive went extinct in 2003 due to human activity.
#Botany #PlantScience

2026-05-12 19:30:11 UTC

Project Officer - Trees for Goals // FEL Scotland, Stirling
https://environmentjob.co.uk/jobs/110203-project-officer-trees-for-goals
FEL Scotland is looking for a Project Officer to support delivery of our Trees for Goals project. Working with sports clubs, partners and residents across Forth Valley, the project aims to increase climate awareness, encourage community climate pledges and support tree planting in areas with low tree canopy cover.
#BotanyJobs

2026-03-03 15:01:41 UTC

Bogotá Through Butterfly Eyes
https://www.botany.one/bogota-through-butterfly-eyes/
By tracking butterflies across urban parks, scientists uncover how city planning decisions influence not only which species survive, but how they live.
#Botany #PlantScience

2026-01-12 20:30:17 UTC

South Florida's hidden tropical paradise grows thousands of plant species
https://www.wptv.com/finding-florida/south-floridas-hidden-tropical-paradise-grows-thousands-of-plant-species
Just south of downtown Miami lies The Kampong, a tropical paradise founded by David Fairchild, now boasts one of the nation's most extraordinary gardens

2026-01-12 11:33:49 UTC

PhD fellowship in Conservation Genetics, Basel
https://jobs.unibas.ch/offene-stellen/phd-fellowship-in-conservation-genetics/6a7121d6-0be0-4c54-bbfc-862d9402dd57
The project aims to verify how well reported dynamics of decline in rare plant species align with inferred trajectories of effective population size.
#PlantSciJobs

2025-12-01 16:30:14 UTC

Africa’s forests transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, study finds
Alarming shift since 2010 means planet’s three main rainforest regions now contribute to climate breakdown.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/28/africa-forests-transformed-carbon-sink-carbon-source-study
#GlobalHeating
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/115/645/258/834/125/685/original/8bf4bf46ac99a720.jpeg

2025-05-06 11:21:04 UTC

📝 Snake’s Head Fritillaries Raise Their Heads Again in Iffley Meadows 🧵
https://botany.fyi/km8xgp
The site Bird Guides has an interesting story on Fritillaria meleagris, the Snake’s Head Fritillary. A recent survey has 5x more of these rare flowers recorded than last year.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/114/460/620/372/314/229/original/2f307fdfa4ddf7f1.jpeg

2025-04-17 16:13:23 UTC

Plants stand still but studying them requires movement. Dr. Seheno Andriantsaralaza explains the challenges of plant research and her work with ancient baobabs in Madagascar at wp.me/pdRZhH-lSc
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/114/354/185/708/209/576/original/27faa5199ad9d8ea.jpeg

2025-04-09 20:27:43 UTC

Meet Dr. Marcelo Aizen, keynote speaker at Botany 2025. From discovering a marsupial that disperses mistletoe seeds to challenging pollination crisis paradigms, his research bridges basic and applied ecology.
Read more https://wp.me/pdRZhH-lRY
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/114/309/887/410/643/573/original/8eb1cf76467f94bf.jpeg

2025-03-26 18:43:20 UTC

Dr. Renske Onstein's fascination with plants began during a 9-month journey through Southeast Asia. Her research uncovers the evolutionary patterns driving plant diversity across different biomes and deep time.
Read more at https://wp.me/pdRZhH-lM6
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/114/230/204/735/718/102/original/941c46d61081633c.jpeg

2025-03-18 19:17:31 UTC

Introducing Dr. Dustin Wolkis and his vital work preserving Hawaii's endemic seeds. With 90% of local plants found nowhere else and extinction rates soaring, his research on seed longevity offers hope.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
Read more: https://wp.me/pdRZhH-lKY
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/114/185/040/622/700/906/original/33b3c789e083b526.jpeg

2025-03-03 18:07:59 UTC

New research reveals how drought affects wildflower traits and influences bee foraging preferences. Findings suggest climate change could disrupt plant-pollinator relationships
https://wp.me/pdRZhH-lMS
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/114/099/832/517/320/025/original/088dacef7cfd6eca.jpeg

2025-02-12 15:34:10 UTC

Ethiopian wolves surprise scientists by sipping flower nectar! These endangered predators may double as pollinators in Ethiopia's Bale Mountains, revealing unexpected connections in highland ecosystems.
https://wp.me/pdRZhH-lGR
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/991/643/828/245/968/original/6932e19b30f5bcc0.jpeg

2025-02-10 05:00:06 UTC

New research shows plants requiring long days to flower aren't adapting to climate change as quickly as other plants. This could disrupt their survival and pollination patterns.
Read more: https://wp.me/pdRZhH-lIi

2025-01-31 10:09:23 UTC

📝 How Trees’ Responses to Rainfall Frequency Could Help Improve Climate Models 🧵
https://doi.org/n38g
Climate models often struggle to capture the timing of leaf drop. A new study finds that scientists haven’t been looking at rainfall the way plants have.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
Climate models can be useful for helping us prepare for the future, but they can also be useful even if they get something wrong.
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/922/418/969/322/053/original/ce12d80f1c99ac27.jpeg

2025-01-29 09:00:16 UTC

📝 Botanic Gardens Have Little Room To Grow 🧵
https://doi.org/g825k8
Plant collections in botanical gardens worldwide have hit maximum capacity and face new challenges for conservation.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
Botanic gardens may seem like nice places for picnics, but they have a function as vital repositories of living plant species. Thirty per cent of living land plant species can be found in a botanic garden somewhere and these collections help support education,
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/910/822/541/397/176/original/1d8dd752253ee241.jpeg

2025-01-20 09:00:13 UTC

📝 Fungal Friends Help Young Trees Thrive in Mixed Forests 🧵
https://doi.org/n249
Young spruce trees grow better with pine neighbours thanks to underground helpers.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
For generations, foresters have observed a curious phenomenon: certain trees grow better when planted alongside different species. Now, research from Zhou and colleagues has revealed the hidden mechanics behind this "nursing effect".
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/859/861/557/655/626/original/138b70113a351ccc.jpeg

2025-01-17 09:00:10 UTC

📝 Less Mowing Means More Buzzing in Urban Lawns 🧵
https://doi.org/n2wx
Urban lawns become pollinator havens when mowing slows down.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
If you’re a gardener who takes part in PlantLife’s No Mow May, you’ll be pleased to hear that a new study confirms you’re doing the right thing for pollinators. Morgan Morrison and colleagues studied how reducing mowing frequency improved insect populations.
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/842/874/409/613/728/original/cbc091711545b737.jpeg

2025-01-16 09:00:07 UTC

📝 Friendly Fungi Use Tiny Messages to Help Plants Grow 🧵
https://doi.org/n2wp
Scientists discover that beneficial soil fungi can send small RNA molecules to communicate with and support plant growth, similar to how plants share information through their roots.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
Recent research has revealed something unexpected happening in the soil beneath our feet.
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/837/211/984/146/379/original/667354cc2e0ca14a.jpeg

2025-01-13 09:00:12 UTC

📝 Small Gardens Pack Big Potential for Urban Pollinators 🧵
https://doi.org/nx4x
Urban gardeners with tiny plots lead the way in creating diverse flower gardens that support pollinators.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
In the streets of Boston, revolution is once again in the air, and this time it's in the front garden. While most homeowners opt for traditional lawns, some urban gardeners are creating oases for pollinators.
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/820/225/417/567/969/original/847e749735ee920a.jpeg

2025-01-03 07:48:53 UTC

In the Arctic, planting more trees actually makes the world warmer
In the far north, the warming effect of the lower albedo of trees exceeds the cooling effect of the carbon they take from the atmosphere by converting carbon dioxide into biomass.
https://botany.fyi/6uduka
#Botany

2024-12-26 09:23:31 UTC

A biodiversity hotspot in a remote part of South Africa has become the hub of an illegal trade in protected plant species, with organised crime groups capitalising on overseas demand.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ced8v60q4x7o
#Botany #Plants

2024-12-19 20:30:02 UTC

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Their findings paint a stark picture - 47% are classified as Endangered, and a further 14% of these unique trees are Critically Endangered. As these botanical giants face mounting pressure from deforestation, understanding their status becomes crucial for protecting the irreplaceable diversity of one of Earth's most species-rich forests.

2024-12-19 20:30:02 UTC

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The researchers analyzed data from eighty carefully selected one-hectare forest plots across Ecuador's Amazon, integrating this with historical specimens from herbarium collections worldwide. Using satellite technology, they tracked forest loss in areas where these unique trees grow. International conservation criteria helped assess each species' risk level, considering both geographic range and habitat quality in their evaluation.

2024-12-19 20:30:02 UTC

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“We found that some endemic tree species populations are experiencing high levels of threat by deforestation inside the Yasuní National Park, the biggest and most iconic protected area in the Ecuadorian Amazon,” said lead author Juan Ernesto Guevara-Andino, PhD.
The urgency of this research becomes clear against broader trends in the Amazon.

2024-12-19 20:30:02 UTC

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The problem lies in the decline of forest animals responsible for spreading these small fruits' seeds. This finding reveals the complex interplay between forest ecology and species survival. “Thus, our results highlight the importance of incorporating meaningful ecological traits in extinction risk estimates, such as those related to reproduction and life history strategies,” said co–corresponding author María-José Endara, PhD.

2024-12-19 20:30:02 UTC

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Within this complex Amazonian ecosystem, the research revealed striking patterns. The most endangered species cluster within a few plant families, with the myrtle family harbouring the highest number of critically endangered trees. Surprisingly, smaller understorey trees with small fruits face greater extinction risks than towering canopy species.

2024-12-19 20:30:02 UTC

📝 Amazon Tree Species in Peril as Forest Web Unravels 🧵
https://doi.org/nxfz
Over half of Ecuador's unique Amazon trees face extinction as both forest animals and their habitat vanish.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
The ancient endemic trees of Ecuador's Amazon are sending out a distress signal. Guevara-Andino and colleagues from Universidad de las Américas combined traditional herbarium records with modern forest surveys to assess 81 tree species that exist nowhere else on Earth.

2024-12-19 18:30:02 UTC

TT Assistant Professor of Plant Evolutionary Biology, North Carolina
The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University invites applications for an Assistant Professor position in Plant Evolutionary Biology. This position is a 9-month, tenure-track position with responsibilities divided between research and teaching.
https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/212128
#PlantSciJobs

2024-11-26 20:30:03 UTC

📝 Drawings Put into Evidence the Lack of Plant Awareness in College Students 🧵
https://botany.fyi/xvy3q7
New research reveals college students' mental pictures of plants are surprisingly basic, similar to those of third-grade children.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
Linderwell and colleagues wanted to understand how different backgrounds and experiences shape how young adults visualise plants.
https://cdn.masto.host/botanysocial/media_attachments/files/113/551/147/137/134/457/original/a3e7ccf46178ebcc.jpeg

2024-11-22 08:30:01 UTC

Research Assistant in Plant Biology
https://botany.fyi/evsmdp
Oxford University is seeking a Research Assistant to join the Jarvis group at the Department of Biology to work on a new BBSRC project entitled “Resolving the structure and function of the plant chloroplast protein import machinery”.
#PlantSciJobs @npub12nz…dfp2

2024-11-21 20:30:03 UTC

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The abandoned railways turned out to be unexpected havens for plant diversity. While both railway sites and meadows had similar numbers of plant species, the railway plants were remarkably different in their characteristics and evolutionary history. Common meadow grasses like tall oat-grass grew alongside plants typically found at forest edges, such as dewberries and nettles. The researchers also found plants that thrive in disturbed ground, including evening primrose and wild mignonette.

2024-11-21 20:30:03 UTC

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Unlike the nearby meadows, which farmers regularly mowed and fertilised, these railway sites had been left to grow wild, allowing nature to take its course. At each site they carefully recorded every plant species they found.

2024-11-21 20:30:03 UTC

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Łukasz Dylewski and colleagues examined the plant life along former railway lines in Poland to see if they could support plant diversity in farming areas. The team compared 25 abandoned railway sites with 25 nearby meadows. They found that far from being scars on the landscape, railways support unique plant communities that could help promote biodiversity.

2024-11-21 20:30:03 UTC

📝 Unexpected Blooms Along Ghost Tracks 🧵
https://botany.fyi/654spt
Nature is reclaiming abandoned railway tracks in Poland, creating surprise conservation areas that help protect plant diversity in intensively farmed landscapes.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
Ecologists know that plants can travel along with human transport, but what happens to the plants left behind?

2024-11-21 20:30:03 UTC

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The research team studied plant communities in a farming region near Leszno, Poland, where remains of railways cross through a landscape of fields, meadows and small forests. The railway sites they chose had been unused for different lengths of time – some for just 6 years, others for up to 68 years.

2024-11-19 22:30:00 UTC

The U.S. Forest Service has released a controversial proposal to fight wildfires in Oregon and California
https://botany.fyi/xao3hs
Federal officials say in light of worsening wildfires, Pacific Northwest forests need more active management.
#Botany

2024-11-19 06:30:01 UTC

Denmark will plant 1 billion trees and convert 10% of farmland into forest
https://botany.fyi/lfu8xf
Danish lawmakers on Monday agreed on a deal to plant 1 billion trees and convert 10% of farmland into forest and natural habitats over the next two decades in an effort to reduce fertilizer usage.
#Botany

2024-11-18 20:30:01 UTC

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Rather than spend an eternity on fieldwork, they used aerial photographs and land records to map the gardens. For each garden, they measured different features like trees, grass and paved areas. They then gave each garden a climate-friendly score, with trees and ponds scoring highest, grass in the middle, and paved areas scoring lowest. They could then combine this data with demographic data to spot patterns in how gardens varied across Flanders.

2024-11-18 20:30:01 UTC

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In contrast, families with children typically have fewer paved areas and more grass in their gardens. Depending on your view of society you may, or may not, be surprised to learn that wealthier isn't always better for climate. In suburban and rural areas, neighbourhoods with higher incomes actually had gardens that were less helpful for climate adaptation.
Kelly Wittemans and colleagues got their results by examining 2.4 million gardens.

2024-11-18 20:30:01 UTC

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The scientists studied Flanders, where an eighth of the land is in private gardens to see how they help combat climate change. They also found some differences in whose gardens were better for the climate, some of which were surprising.
Some of the differences won’t surprise you. Urban gardeners had a tougher task being climate-friendly due to having smaller gardens, and often with more paved surfaces.

2024-11-18 20:30:01 UTC

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Most previous studies of gardens only looked at single cities. By examining an entire region - from cities to countryside - the researchers could see how gardens differ across these areas. What works for improving city gardens might not help rural ones. They do have one finding that offers hope. Education makes a difference, so it is possible that sharing your gardening knowledge could help us all create greener neighbourhoods.

2024-11-18 20:30:00 UTC

📝 Small Gardens Add Up to Big Climate Impact 🧵
https://botany.fyi/3lkhll
Despite their modest size, private gardens pack a powerful punch against climate change when working together, reveals a new study of 2.4 million Flemish gardens.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
What can your garden do to tackle climate change? By yourself it might seem like little, but a new paper by Kelly Wittemans and colleagues shows that private gardens could make a big difference when you examine a whole region.

2024-11-14 14:30:02 UTC

Disease Could Kill Most of the ‘Ohi‘a Forests on Hawaii's Big Island Within 20 Years
https://botany.fyi/d6x7ie
Researchers say there's been some promising developments in the fight against a disease that is sweeping through Hawaii’s native ‘ohi‘a forests, killing off the foundation of the islands’ ecology and a significant cultural resource.
#Botany

2024-11-12 08:30:01 UTC

Microbial community structure in recovering forests of Mount St. Helens (OA) https://botany.fyi/6ws7zl
By investigating both forestry practices and mammals in microbial dispersal, Maltz et al evaluated how these interactions may have promoted revegetation and ecological succession within the Pumice Plains of Mount St. Helens.
#Botany #PlantScience

2024-11-11 18:30:01 UTC

Director of the Department of Botany and Zoology
https://botany.fyi/hv02kj
In this role you will have the unique opportunity and responsibility to shape the strategies and direction of the Department´s future development, placing it at the forefront of both scientific research and the training of new professionals. You will be involved in the development and implementation of long-term plans and contribute to the development of the Department of Botany and Zoology at Masaryk University.

2024-11-08 06:30:01 UTC

Mining drove 1.4m hectares of forest loss in last 2 decades
https://botany.fyi/c2k26v
Global mining activity is increasingly destroying forests, including protected areas, according to a recent analysis.
#Botany

2024-11-06 10:30:00 UTC

Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor* in Plant Physiology
https://botany.fyi/jdldmb
A position as senior lecturer in plant physiology is available at the Department of Plant Biology, at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala.
#PlantSciJobs @npub12nz…dfp2

2024-11-04 22:30:01 UTC

A new plan to revive American chestnut trees needs you
https://botany.fyi/m2cfae
Fall harvests in Maine once included a crop few of today’s farmers and homesteaders grow: American chestnuts.
#Botany

2024-10-31 22:30:01 UTC

Watch How Students Help NASA Grow Plants in Space
https://botany.fyi/hwsdgi
Since 2015, students from across the USA have been partnering with scientists at NASA to advance research on growing plants in space, ultimately to feed astronauts on long-distance space missions, as part of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's Growing Beyond Earth project, which is now in its 9th year.
#Botany

2024-10-31 08:30:01 UTC

Plant diversity drives positive microbial associations in the rhizosphere enhancing carbon use efficiency in agricultural soils (OA)
https://botany.fyi/71ypwu
Domeignoz-Horta et al implement a diversity gradient by intercropping undersown species with barley in a large field trial, ranging from one to eight undersown species.
#Botany #PlantScience

2024-10-30 14:30:01 UTC

Over one in three tree species is at risk of extinction worldwide
https://botany.fyi/7z4yb9
The Red List drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and updated on the occasion of the COP16 on biodiversity held in Cali, Colombia, has warned of the threat to trees.
#Botany

2024-10-29 20:30:01 UTC

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They examined 16 locales, to see how bees use them. They found that Marri trees bloom when most other plants have finished flowering, making them essential for bee survival. This is a pretty clear indication that any conservation of the bee species has to include a plan for conserving the trees.
It’s hard to overstate how important the trees are to the bees.

2024-10-29 20:30:01 UTC

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Pendergast & Willers found 81 different species of native bees visiting Marri flowers. In most places studied, about 90% of all bees observed were feeding on Marri trees. In a press release Dr Kit Prendergast added: “Furthermore, this tree not only provides food sources for native bees, but also nesting resources, with species observed nesting in small holes and among the roots, and its copious iconic red sap is used by Megachilidae bees to seal off their nests.”

2024-10-29 20:30:01 UTC

Giant Marri Trees Are Secret Saviours of Western Australia's Native Bees 📝 🧵
https://botany.fyi/mkj0mn
One tree species supports over 80 types of native bees in Western Australia's unique ecosystem.
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪 #InBrief
Are certain species ‘keystones’ for an environment, without which the populations of many other species would collapse? Pendergast & Willers examined the Marri tree (Corymbia calophylla) in western Australia.

2024-10-25 13:09:41 UTC

Garden Flowers Keep Farmland Bees Fed When Crops Stop Blooming 📝 🧵
https://botany.fyi/6rowsz
Small garden patches provide crucial food for wild bees when farm flowers are scarce in early spring and late summer.
#Botany #PlantScience #InBrief

2024-10-23 09:30:03 UTC

Assistant or Associate Professor
https://botany.fyi/p1q1jp
Cambridge University welcomes excellent candidates who can teach and perform research in Plant Ecology and will complement our expertise in forest ecology, conservation, and evolution.
#PlantSciJobs @npub12nz…dfp2

2024-10-21 21:30:01 UTC

Forest fires are shifting north and intensifying – here’s what that means for the planet
https://botany.fyi/hcfi0a
Fires have long been a natural part of forest ecosystems, but something is changing. Our new study shows that forest fires have become more widespread and severe amid global heating, particularly in the high northern latitudes such as Canada and Siberia where fires are most sensitive to hotter, drier conditions.
#Botany

2024-09-30 11:30:01 UTC

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Fuchs, B., Damerau, A., Yang, B. and Muola, A. (2024). Reduced seed viability in exchange for transgenerational plant protection in an endophyte-symbiotic grass: does the defensive mutualism concept pass the fitness test? Annals of Botany, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcae133 (OA)

2024-09-30 11:30:01 UTC

Grass Endophytes Sacrifice Seed Health for Offspring Defence 📝 🧵
https://botany.fyi/shr798
Seeds of defoliated grass plants are better equipped to cope with pests, but at what cost?
#Botany #PlantScience #InBrief
Fuchs and collaborators studied how the Epichloë fungus that lives inside meadow fescue grass affects the plants' seeds when the grass is severely damaged.

2024-09-30 11:30:01 UTC

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To investigate this trade-off, the team measured the levels of toxic alkaloid compounds in the leaves and seeds of the grass plants and the performance of aphids feeding on the plant’s offspring. They found that the seeds of defoliated, fungus-containing plants had higher alkaloid levels, which protected the young seedlings from aphids but reduced the seeds' ability to germinate.

2024-09-30 11:30:01 UTC

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This research suggests that the partnership between grasses and endophytes is not always a win-win scenario. Under stress, the fungus may prioritize defending the seeds over supporting the current generation's reproduction. As a result, the findings provide exciting insights into the variable prevalence of these fungal endophytes in natural grasslands, where the balance between defence and growth likely shifts depending on environmental conditions.

2024-09-30 11:30:01 UTC

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Interestingly, they found that while the fungus helps protect the plants' offspring, it also reduces the seeds' ability to germinate.
The researchers discovered that when the grass plants were repeatedly defoliated, the fungus focused on producing more toxic compounds in the seeds rather than supporting the plants' growth. This extra defence came at the expense of seed viability, with defoliated plants producing fewer viable seeds than non-defoliated plants.

2024-09-25 05:30:00 UTC

Scientists are trying to translate the language of plants
https://botany.fyi/vxhz3p
Scientists are beginning to understand how the natural world communicates, and they think that soon they'll be able to understand what it's saying.
#Botany

2024-09-24 13:30:01 UTC

How George Harrison left The Beatles, turned his hand to gardening, and created a masterpiece
https://botany.fyi/byo4ha
The garden at Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames — the Oxfordshire home of the late Beatle George Harrison and his wife Olivia — is breathtaking.
#Botany

2024-09-23 21:30:01 UTC

The Huntington Botanical Gardens has a plant theft problem. It’s a global issue
https://botany.fyi/mb7dj5
Whole succulent plants have been swiped in brazen heists. Smaller pieces of plants have been pilfered for propagation.
#Botany

2024-09-20 01:30:01 UTC

Associate Plant Growth Assistant
https://botany.fyi/zphfns
In this role, you will be responsible for maintaining and operating critical plant growth infrastructure, including glasshouses, greenhouses, and growth cabinets. Your expertise will ensure the health and vitality of research plants through horticultural support, maintenance of equipment, and delivery of quality services across multiple UQ facilities (St Lucia, Long Pocket, and Gatton).
#PlantSciJobs @npub12nz…dfp2

2024-09-05 11:30:01 UTC

How Green Are Schools? 📝 🧵
https://botany.fyi/rbw5jh
School gardens boost learning and wellbeing, but research reveals gaps in our understanding of these vital green spaces.
#Botany #PlantScience #InBrief

2024-08-16 11:30:01 UTC

Connecting plant science education in undergraduate life science courses to plant awareness disparity, Vision and Change, and sustainability careers ($)
https://botany.fyi/qhgmp0
Ensuring that botany and plant sciences are being included in undergraduate life science curricula is necessary for developing a future global sustainability workforce. To gain a baseline understanding, Zhu et al surveyed life science educators in the U.S. about current botanical education.
#Botany #PlantScience

2024-08-13 21:30:01 UTC

‘Losing Noah’s Ark’: Brazil’s plan to turn the Pantanal into waterway threatens world’s biggest wetland
https://botany.fyi/n9tna8
Hidrovia project to dredge Paraguay River and build ports may destroy vast biodiversity and refuge of jaguars, giant otters and armadillos – and an age-old riverine way of life.
#Botany