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.
Close Encounters
When it comes to removing invasive species, timing can help
Discovering the power of patience in combating invasive plant species, this study highlights the critical role of timing in the successful removal and ecological restoration process.
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.
Plant Cuttings
Plastic pollution: Plants fight back!
Researchers have developed a novel filter, made from tannic-acid treated sawdust which may help reduce plastic pollution, while another approach has been presented to create a backyard-compostable bioplastic, using spirulina.
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
An Experiment on Mastodon and TWiB
We’re running an experiment on Mastodon to see if we can improve our email, The Week in Botany.
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
The Biodiversity Orchestra: Investigating changes in time and space of plant-pollinator interactions
Most of the time, ecologists have studied interaction networks by considering a single sample, both in time and space. Recent research shows an innovative approach, highlighting the importance of understanding how such networks change between locations and over time.