Fungal Friends Help Young Trees Thrive in Mixed Forests
Young spruce trees grow better with pine neighbours thanks to underground helpers.
Close Encounters
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Sweet Rewards Keep Desert Partnerships Alive Through Harsh Seasons
In Mexico’s Sonoran Desert, cacti and other plants maintain a sophisticated security system – paying ant bodyguards with nectar from specialized glands that operate year-round.
Garden Discovery Reveals Hidden Plant Disease Threat
Plants from New Zealand growing in an American garden are carrying a dangerous plant disease that could threaten agriculture and native species.
Can Feeding Birds Harm Plants?
Birds visiting garden feeders doesn’t stop them from pollinating wild plants, say South African scientists.
Tapirs disperse seeds further than other medium-sized mammals in tropical forests
Modern-day tapirs help spread large seeds across rainforests much farther than smaller animals can, making them crucial for forest survival.
Plant Disease Detectives Find Huge Diversity of Tree Pathogens in Portugal
Plant pathologists have discovered 48 species of microscopic water moulds threatening trees across Portugal, with many traced to centuries of plant trade.
Birds Thrive Better in Urban Grass Fields Than Along Roads
Urban grass fields support more bird species than roadsides, showing the vital importance of preserving green spaces in cities.
Flower-eating insects thrive at higher altitudes in Brazil
Mountain flowers face increased insect damage as elevation rises, potentially impacting plant reproduction.
Ants Might Not Be the Plant Bodyguards We Thought They Were
Sharing protective ants among plants doesn’t significantly affect plant defence against leaf-eating insects.
Blasting your rivals’ pollen away
A research team describes how plants take up arms to ensure their pollen reaches the desired destiny.
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