The Week in Botany
The Week in Botany November 17, 2025
This week, life after fire, how history aids ecology and an arms race between plants and bugs.
Ecosystems
Trees Vs. Bugs: Novel Twists in A Timeless Plant Drama
The ancient evolutionary struggle between plants and insect herbivores never fails to surprise us. Science proven, watch it yourself!
Ecosystems
Utilizing historical data to understand patterns and shifts in ancient woodland species
Researchers found a rise in non-native species, particularly in woodlands near urban areas, indicating potential long-term damage to these ecosystems.
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Sarah J. McInnes: “When You Really Stop and Look, You’ll Be Amazed By What You Can See.”
Botany One interviews Sarah McInness, an Australian chemist who found her way into how plants regenerate after fire.
The Week in Botany
The Week in Botany November 10, 2025
This week, a fertiliser time-bomb, a taxonomic mistake that led to some odd results, and the fascination of seeds.
Plants & People
The Trees That Were Saved and Destroyed by the Same Mistake
For 20 years, Mexican communities accidentally planted millions of endangered trees, while simultaneously logging thousands in their natural habitat, without knowing it.
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Filip Vandelook: “Let Yourself Be Amazed!”
Botany One interviews Dr Filip Vandelook, a Belgian botanist fascinated by seeds and sharing botanical knowledge with the public.
News in Brief
War is turning Ukraine’s fertiliser problem into a catastrophe
Long-term declines in nutrients, and soil damage, have been turbo-charged by the Russian invasion. But a new plan may help restore some of the world’s most fertile soils.
The Week in Botany
The Week in Botany November 3, 2025
This week, toxic nectar, the hidden ecosystem and orchids.
Plant Profiles
Orchids
Orchids are a staggeringly diverse group of plants. There are almost five times as many species of orchid than mammals.
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Bethina Stein: Hands in the Soil, Eyes on the Ecosystem
Botany One interviews Bethina Stein, a Brazilian PhD student digging up the hidden riches of the Cerrado.
Close Encounters
Bait and switch: sweet Nepenthes nectar is toxic to the ants it lures
Pitcher plants prove, lethally, that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.