Here's a round up of the top papers you've been sharing this week on Bluesky. Papers behind a paywall are marked 💰otherwise they're free to access at time of checking.

1. There is No Consensus on Biological Sex
Eppley, M. G. et al. · Ecology Letters · 1 post · 45 likes · 19 reposts on Bluesky

There is ongoing scientific and societal discourse on the definition of biological sex. At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary approaches to defining sex and synthesise the active discourse to conclude that there is no current consensus on a definition of sex that is free of assumptions and limitations. While there is no current consensus, we do not advocate for a single definition and contend that a lack of unanimity is not inherently problematic. No matter what definitional choices are used, we provide actionable recommendations to improve accuracy when describing sex. Most importantly, regardless of scientific debates, no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights.

2. Optimizing biodiversity offsetting for habitat succession and colonization dynamics
Wells, K. et al. · Conservation Biology · 1 post · 29 likes · 17 reposts on Bluesky

Biodiversity offsetting aims to compensate for ecological losses from development through conservation and restoration. However, its long‐term outcomes under repeated impact–offset cycles remain uncertain. Using a conceptual forest succession model, we evaluated how offset outcomes are affected by interactions among compensation scale, duration of protection, habitat conversion rate, and land availability constraints. Additionally, we considered that these outcomes may differ across biodiversity components, including habitat maturity associated with successional habitat‐forming species and metapopulation dynamics of persistent colonizers and successional specialists.

James Bullock @jmbecologist.bsky.social · on Bluesky

Offsetting is widely promoted but poorly founded in ecology

Our modelling study shows:

effective offsetting requires restored areas larger than those impacted

& protection over long timescales

high habitat conversion rates reduce offsetting success

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

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3. Computational design of de novo integrated domains enables rational control of pathogen effector recognition in plant NLR immune receptors.
Xi, Y. et al. · bioRxiv · 1 post · 28 likes · 16 reposts on Bluesky

Here, we describe a programmable framework that leverages generative AI protein design tools, RFdiffusion and ProteinMPNN, to design de novo integrated domains (IDs) against diverse pathogen effectors. By integrating these bespoke binders into the modular rice blast Pik-1/Pik-2 NLR receptor chassis, we successfully engineer recognition of a non-cognate virulence factor (effector) from the Panama disease pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4.

4. A century of research on carbon isotope discrimination during photosynthesis: from early breakthroughs to future goals
Jahren, A. H., Schubert, B. A. · New Phytologist · 4 posts · 25 likes · 11 reposts on Bluesky

Starting with its discovery in 1929, the stable nuclide 13 C has been a critical tool for developing our understanding of photosynthesis. Early surveys of carbon isotopes in plants led to questions about whether the isotopic ratio of a given plant is ultimately controlled by an active response to its environment or by the relatively static biochemistry of photosynthesis. This led to a model of the carbon isotope composition of plant tissue meant to describe the integrated effects of physical diffusion, the biochemical action of enzymes, and the physiological response of stomata on net carbon fixation. In the decades since, recognition of the CO2 rise has highlighted the role of photorespiration, inviting a more thorough analysis to isolate the effect of CO2 concentration on 13C uptake and fixation.

New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · on Bluesky

A century of research on carbon isotope discrimination during photosynthesis: from early breakthroughs to future goals

#TansleyReview by Jahren and Schubert @schubertba.bsky.social @realhopejahren.bsky.social

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

#plantscience

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5. On the relationship between root economics and plant hydraulic traits
Sanaei, A. et al. · New Phytologist · 2 posts · 25 likes · 13 reposts on Bluesky

We compiled a dataset of primarily woody species comprising five aboveground plant hydraulic traits associated with water‐use strategies and four fine‐root traits from the root economics space (RES). We investigated how the global diversity in ecological strategies of the RES traits relates to aboveground hydraulic traits contributing to drought resistance. We found a slight trend towards acquisitive species with higher root nitrogen content and lower root tissue density having lower drought resistance in aboveground tissues.

New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · on Bluesky

On the relationship between root economics and plant hydraulic traits

Sanaei et al. @anvarsanaei.bsky.social

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

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6. Soil sampling strategy determines detection of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and reveals phylogenetically structured bias 💰
Frew, A. et al. · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · 1 post · 28 likes · 13 reposts on Bluesky

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities are highly patchy at microscales, meaning sampling decisions can strongly shape the communities detected. We used a long-term fertilisation experiment to compare three sampling strategies and two sample preservation methods to assess their influence on AM fungal diversity and taxon-specific detection.

7. The incredible vulnerability that reproduction poses for plant species in a warming world
Denney, D. A. et al. · New Phytologist · 2 posts · 22 likes · 10 reposts on Bluesky

Temperatures are rising globally and threatening the persistence of natural plant populations. Elevated temperatures disrupt gametogenesis, fertilization, and seed filling, often at lower thresholds than those affecting photosynthesis, growth, or survival. While crop scientists have found that key reproductive stages are particularly vulnerable to heat stress across plant systems, ecological and evolutionary studies have largely focused on other fitness metrics to estimate populations' resilience to warming. We advocate for integrating pollen, ovule, and seed filling developmental metrics into ecological and evolutionary studies to improve predictions of plant population dynamics under future climates.

New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · on Bluesky

The incredible vulnerability that reproduction poses for plant species in a warming world

Denney et al. @derekdenney.bsky.social @emjo.bsky.social @davidlowry.bsky.social @msupri.bsky.social

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

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8. Optimizing wheat development to a range of winter climates
Hirsz D. & Dixon L.E.. · 2 posts · 16 likes · 10 reposts on Bluesky

The effects of climate change are highly disruptive for reliable and sustainable crop production as crops have been regionally adapted to respond favourably to a set of regular, combined environmental cues. Notably in wheat, the most widely cultivated crop, the timing of floral meristem transitions and flowering is largely regulated by the combination of photoperiod and temperature cues. Identifying and understanding the key genes that regulate the physiological responses to these combined environmental cues has been important for enabling the optimal development of cultivars. Here we detail the challenges and opportunities that are presented by the changing environmental conditions for the adaptation of winter wheat.

9. Microbial chitinases in the plant holobiont: ecological roles and structural determinants
Eichfeld, R., Zuccaro, A. · FEMS Microbiology Reviews · 2 posts · 12 likes · 10 reposts on Bluesky

In this review, we examine microbial chitinase functions in ecological contexts and discuss how structural variation can tune chitinolytic activity, substrate engagement, and biological function. We argue that the ecological roles of microbial chitinases cannot be inferred from catalytic activity alone, but emerge from the interplay between enzyme architecture, substrate accessibility, synergistic enzyme activities, regulated spatiotemporal expression, and the microbial or host context in which chitin is encountered.

10. Future heatwave conditions inhibit CO₂‐induced stomatal closure in wheat
Caine, R. S. et al. · New Phytologist · 2 posts · 13 likes · 8 reposts on Bluesky

As global temperatures and the severity of droughts continue to increase, food crops will more frequently experience high vapour pressure deficit (VPD) during heatwave events. However, the interactive effects of rising atmospheric CO 2 and high‐VPD heatwaves on crop water fluxes and yields are currently unknown. We investigate stomatal, photosynthetic and productivity changes in wheat during simulated future high‐VPD heatwaves, under ambient (450 ppm) or elevated (720 ppm) CO2 concentrations, across four N‐fertiliser treatments.

11. The roads most traveled: genetic convergence in plant repeated evolution
Satterlee, J. W. · New Phytologist · 2 posts · 15 likes · 7 reposts on Bluesky

Traits are well‐known to recur during evolution, yet how broadly predictable this is at the genetic level remains unresolved. Here, I highlight recent work in plants to underscore that genotype–phenotype repeatability at the level of homologous genes is influenced by mutational effect stability, the extent to which mutations generate consistent phenotypic outcomes across lineages.

12. Editorial and peer review dynamics at elite general science journals
Zhang, S. et al. · Science Advances · 1 post · 11 likes · 9 reposts on Bluesky

Elite general science journals shape scientific discourse, public policy, and scientific careers. However, expectations of confidentiality in most editorial proceedings has limited efforts to understand and improve the review process. Here, we describe and release deidentified data on 110,303 manuscript submissions over 5 years at Science and Science Advances , two elite general science journals. Analyzing evaluation dynamics across the initial editorial review and subsequent peer review stages, we find strong selective effects associated with higher institutional prestige, larger team size, and certain topics and countries.

13. A symbiotic MLO gene regulates root development via RALF34-triggered Ca2+ signalling in Lotus japonicus
Binci, F. et al. · Plant Physiology · 1 post · 13 likes · 7 reposts on Bluesky

Mildew Locus O (MLO) genes, initially identified as powdery mildew susceptibility factors, are increasingly recognized as multifunctional regulators implicated in diverse processes, including plant reproduction, root thigmotropism, and interactions with beneficial microbes. Recent evidence shows that MLO proteins can act as Ca2+-permeable channels in response to Rapid Alkalinization Factors (RALF) peptides in reproductive cells, pointing to broader roles in Ca2+-mediated signalling. In this study, we investigate the symbiotic clade IV member LjMLO4 in the model legume Lotus japonicus, focusing on its role in root development and responsiveness to LjRALF34 peptides.

14. Elevating the importance of Risk of Bias assessment for ecology and evolutionary biology
Culina, A. et al. · Methods in Ecology and Evolution · 1 post · 9 likes · 7 reposts on Bluesky

Systematic reviews and meta‐analyses are key evidence synthesis methods for informing future research, interventions and policy. As the validity of their conclusions depends on the primary studies they synthesise, assessing the internal validity of the included studies is essential. In some fields, such as medicine, this is the norm and is commonly done using Risk of Bias assessment tools. Risk of Bias (RoB) assessment is however rare in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) even though several RoB tools have been developed in some ecological subfields and related fields. To identify potential reasons for a limited uptake, we conducted a survey of ecologists and evolutionary biologists with evidence synthesis experience and reviewed 275 journals that publish EEB research for guidelines on performing RoB or related assessments.

15. A potential role for DELLA signaling in global treeline formation
Dietrich, L., Zeidler, M. · New Phytologist · 1 post · 11 likes · 6 reposts on Bluesky

Treelines mark a functional limit of upright tree growth rather than a strict survival boundary. At these cold margins, photosynthesis and nonstructural carbohydrate reserves often remain sufficient, whereas apical and cambial growth decline, arguing against carbon limitation as the primary cause of growth cessation. We propose that chronic low temperature may contribute importantly to this pattern through hormonal regulation, notably reduced gibberellin availability and persistence of DELLA‐like repressors, together with altered auxin and brassinosteroid signaling. This could maintain meristems in a growth‐repressive state despite continued metabolic activity. We do not present this as the sole explanation for treeline formation, but as a plausible and testable regulatory mechanism that may operate alongside generally reduced metabolic rates and hydraulic or energetic constraints.

#16. Invertebrate endozoochory: An overlooked pathway of seed dispersal 💰
Chen, S-C et al. · 2 posts · 7 likes · 6 reposts on Bluesky

Seed dispersal is a key process in plant regeneration and persistence. While vertebrates such as birds and mammals are widely recognised as endozoochores, a growing body of evidence reveals that invertebrates also contribute meaningfully to seed dispersal through ingestion and defaecation. This review extends the prevailing vertebrate-centred paradigm, arguing that invertebrate gut passage is a recurrent, testable, and ecologically meaningful process.

17. Extreme heat and agriculture
FAO–WMO joint report · 1 post · 10 likes · 6 reposts on Bluesky

Extreme heat is emerging as one of the most urgent and least understood threats to agriculture and food security. Rising temperatures, prolonged heatwaves, and shifting climate patterns are already disrupting crop yields, livestock health, water availability, and rural livelihoods – with impacts falling disproportionately on the most vulnerable.Because extreme heat is predictable, strengthening climate services and early warning systems linked to anticipatory actions is a key opportunity. It is also clear that there are profound limits to what adaptation can achieve. With global mean temperatures on the cusp of exceeding the 1.5 °C warming limit outlined in the Paris Agreement, the urgency for adaptation and mitigation action only grows. The only durable solution to protect the future of global agrifood systems from the escalating threat of extreme heat lies in ambitious, multilateral climate change mitigation.

18. Cell‐based crop phenotyping for future climates
Shabala, S. et al. · New Phytologist · 1 post · 12 likes · 5 reposts on Bluesky

We argue that current phenotyping methods may be excellent tools for functional validation of previously discovered traits but have limited predictive value in stress biology. We also propose that bridging the mismatch between omics technologies and phenotyping is the only way to account for cell‐specific operation of key genes conferring stress tolerance and implementing them in breeding programmes. Some practical examples using cell‐based phenotyping tools such as fluorescence dyes or electrophysiological methods are given, and current limitations and prospects of cell‐based phenotyping are discussed.

19. Primed responses to damage signals mediate mycorrhiza-induced resistance in tomato plants 💰
Minchev, Z. et al. · Journal of Experimental Botany · 1 post · 9 likes · 6 reposts on Bluesky

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi establish mutualistic associations with the roots of most vascular plants, enhancing plant immunity and activating mycorrhiza-induced resistance (MIR). MIR is a crucial mechanism for plant protection against a wide variety of attackers that is mediated by the priming of jasmonate-dependent defense responses, but the contribution of self-damage perception to MIR remains unexplored. We hypothesized that differential recognition of endogenous damage signals contributes to MIR in tomato plants. To test this hypothesis, we compared responses in mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal tomato plants after applying the cell-wall-derived damage signal oligogalacturonides (OGs).

20. Plant hormone manipulation impacts salt spray tolerance, which preempts herbivory as a driver of local adaptation in the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus 💰
Toll, K. et al. · Journal of Evolutionary Biology · 1 post · 11 likes · 5 reposts on Bluesky

A major challenge in evolutionary biology is identifying the selective agents and phenotypes underlying local adaptation. Local adaptation along environmental gradients may be driven by trade-offs in allocation to reproduction, growth, and herbivore resistance. To identify environmental agents of selection and their phenotypic targets, we performed a manipulative field reciprocal transplant experiment with coastal perennial and inland annual ecotypes of the common yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus).

Cover image: Arabidopsis thaliana by Benjamin Wright / iNaturalist CC BY-NC