Tree saplings growing in a forest understorey undergo frequent changes in their light environment, to which they must adapt. Collet et al. analyse changes in sapling stem inclination over 4 years after canopy opening in Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus. Both species show considerable and rapid stem reorientation resulting in more erect shoots, and the results suggest that this process plays a significant role in the growth strategy of the species.
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Plants have evolved the ability to germinate in salty soils multiple times, in a case of convergent evolution
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Fossils of Eocene palm trees near the Arctic Circle reveal a heated past
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Longer cones and a clockwise spiral lead to tighter seed packing in a Jurassic conifer
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