Ecosystems
Botanists investigate fairy circles in the desert
When plants in the Namib desert suffer from water stress, strange things happen.
Plants & People
Archaeologists race against the climate to preserve aboriginal art
Trees that have stood for thousands of years may soon collapse due to climate change. If they do, they’ll take irreplaceable aboriginal art with them.
Close Encounters
Vampire plant reduces fungi’s ability to decompose leaf litter
Parasitic plants draw life from their hosts, but now it seems that even after death, some plants have a baleful influence.
Ecosystems
Botanical gardens act as artificial oases for butterflies in arid urban areas
Botanical gardens provide access to vital plants and water for butterflies in the southwest US. This will only become more important as the climate becomes warmer and drier.
Close Encounters
How can you encourage ladybugs to your garden?
Ladybugs, or Ladybirds, are popular insects with gardeners with a taste for pests like aphids, but it’s not just prey that’s important. Entomologists have examined plants to see what else a ladybug looks for in a home.
annals-of-botany
Better sex doesn’t lead to better reproduction for a Balearic Arum
Botanists have found disturbance can increase pollination and seed set for an Arum on Mallorca. So why isn’t that good news for the plant?
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Botanists discover not all clones are the same, it depends on how you make them
A study of Paspalum species native to South America shows that while clones can expand a plant’s range, the method a parent uses to clone itself will impact how the population develops.
Close Encounters
Seed distribution by birds can be too much of a good thing
Ecologists find that while birds can scatter seeds, sometimes they take their treasures too far to aid a plant.
Close Encounters
Warming wasps pollinate poorly
As temperatures rise, the life span of a crucial pollinator diminishes to the extent it may not be able to do its job.
Close Encounters
Native plants in urban settings can improve bird diversity
In urban areas, gardens and parks can provide green oases among the concrete, and birds are adapted to fly in and settle in these areas. But not all green spaces are the same.
Taxonomy & Evolution
When Birches Become Wasps
Birches may have developed white bark to warn herbivores that they’re not good to eat.
Close Encounters
Pollinators and Herbivores Influence the Evolution of Chemicals Emitted by Fig Plants in Different Ways
Fragrances produced by plants are excellent for attracting pollinators, but how do they prevent unwanted guests from arriving?