Plants & People
Much Plant Life Is Invisible to AI
ChatGPT may know a lot, but when it comes to botany basics, this AI still has a lot to learn according to researchers who gave it a “plant awareness” quiz.
Ecosystems
Want to help conserve plants in your garden? There’s an app for that.
Scientists hope to encourage the German public to take part in Conservation Gardening, and help protect native species.
Close Encounters
The Light They Can’t See Draws Bees to Tomato Plants
Research found that far-red light, which boosts tomato growth and flowering in greenhouses, also makes the plants’ flowers more appealing to bumblebee pollinators through enhanced scents and sugars, attracting more bees.
Plants & People
Urban Tree Removal Experiments Reveal the Importance of Trees to People and Nature
Cutting down big old trees in an Australian park led to fewer birds and possums as well as lower appreciation of the park from people, revealing the outsized ecological and social values of mature urban trees.
Ecosystems
Temperate Steppes Thrive Under Mower’s Blade
A new research study reveals mowing may actually fortify grassland ecosystems by stimulating enhanced plant defence traits and biodiversity.
Ecosystems
Can Botanists Rescue the Endangered Orchids of Malaysia?
Orchids, some of nature’s most stunning creations, are threatened by deforestation and need urgent attention to ensure their survival.
Plants & People
Can Urban Spaces Create Emerald Cities in Uzbekistan?
Caught between rapid urban growth and dwindling natural resources, Uzbekistan’s solution lies within its own urban landscapes – researchers reveal.
Ecosystems
Australian Scientists Find How Controlled Burns Can Be Managed So That They Don’t Needlessly Endanger Quokkas
According to a recent study, vulnerable quokkas avoid prescribed burn areas for months, but unburned patches provide critical refuge for the displaced marsupials.
Ecosystems
Crop Diversity Surprisingly Stable in Ethiopia Despite New Introductions
Crop diversity defies concerns in Ethiopia as small farms blend old and new species over millennia.
Plants & People
Pandemic Gardening Surged Globally as a Coping Strategy, New Research Shows
Growing plants became a pandemic oasis, providing food security, mental health support, and social interaction opportunities, according to recent international research.
Plants & People
The Hidden Cargo That Brought Hundreds of Plant Species to the Garden State
Hidden stowaways onboard ships sailing to New Jersey in the 1800s brought hundreds of new plant species that still grow in the Garden State today.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Uranium Toxicity in Plants Traced to Nitrogen and Protein Problems
Scientists have discovered why uranium contamination is harmful to plants, slowing down efforts to clean up polluted soil.