Alun Salt - Botany One (Page 54)

Piecing together the Zamiaceae family tree reveals the evolution of how plants ‘breathe’

The Zamiaceae are often considered ‘living fossils’, but a close study of how they have evolved over millions of years can give a glimpse into the lives of past plants.

Alun Salt

02 Nov 2021

Ecosystems

Trees alone will not save us

There’s more recognition that ecological restoration can be an essential tool in fighting climate change, and there are many projects aimed at restoring degraded forests to capture carbon. Still, the focus on forests ignores much of the land in the tropics that would not naturally be forested. A tea

Alun Salt

29 Oct 2021

Cells, Genes & Molecules

Are species hiding in the Arctic?

Some of the problems that limit the number of species in the Arctic might also contribute to creating new species.

Alun Salt

21 Oct 2021

Cells, Genes & Molecules

Flowers grow less yellow without sulphur, and that could affect the pollinators that need to see them

Both Van Gogh and Nature like to use sulphur-derived pigments for flowers, but what happens when there’s not enough sulphur?

Alun Salt

20 Oct 2021

Taxonomy & Evolution

Next generation sequencing of Zanthoxylum leads to rethink of previous generations of Zanthoxylum

Next-generation sequencing using target enrichment reveals that current sectional classifications of Zanthoxylum need revision.

Alun Salt

15 Oct 2021

Cells, Genes & Molecules

Allele mining could help improve forage grasses

Botanists demonstrate a novel, effective approach to allele discovery in diverse accessions using a draft reference genome from a single species.

Alun Salt

13 Oct 2021

Growth & Development

Seminal roots help maize grab nutrients

When humans selected for bigger seeds in maize, they may have also unintentionally improved its root system.

Alun Salt

12 Oct 2021

Close Encounters

What happens when pollinators bring the wrong pollen?

Surely once insects have brought pollen to a flower, then plant-plant interaction is over? Not so, says Gerardo Arceo-Gómez, who argues that heterospecific (or other plants’) pollen arriving in a flower might affect plant diversity.

Alun Salt

06 Oct 2021