Close Encounters
Many grasses host symbiotic fungi, Epichloë spp. These fungi can help grasses tolerate herbivory, or help repel herbivores. But how do these fungi pass between plant
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We’re familiar with seeing insects flit from one flower to the next, carrying pollen as they do so. What happens when they carry pollen to
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A major challenge when supporting the development of intercropping systems remains the design of efficient species mixtures. The ecological processes that sustain overyielding of legume-based
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Normally you would expect plant defences to increase, the closer you get to the equator. This is where insect life is more active, and so more
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How do you measure the effectiveness of a pollinator? One common method is to sit patiently by a flower and watch for visits. While this can
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There’s a common belief that hybridization of plants can aid invasions through adaptive introgression. This is where a hybrid breeds with one of its parent
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It’s not just a matter of number of visits, a pollinator has to arrive at the right time too.
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Nobile rhubarb reproduces in one final burst at the end of it’s life, but yaks might be bring that life to an end early.
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Trees need nitrogen. When they shed leaves with all the nitrogen in them it would be a big loss, were it not for the army of
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Herkogamy, the spatial separation of sex organs in hermaphroditic plants, is thought to have evolved to reduce self-pollination and inbreeding within a population. Yet there
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Climate can indirectly affect floral morphology within a species by affecting what pollinators will visit those flowers across its range.
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Plants can encourage rhizobacteria to help fight of rot-knot nematodes.