Ecosystems
How Climate and Pollinators Shape the Colour Palette of Brazilian Mountain Ecosystems
By seeing flowers through the eyes of bees and hummingbirds, researchers show why the campos rupestres remain so colourful from mountain base to peak.
Ecosystems
A New Hope for Contaminated Soil: Wild Plants and Microbes Can Work Together to Clean Up Oil Spills
Native plant species adapted to oil seeps can cooperate with their local microbial communities to remove toxic petrochemicals from their soil environment
Ecosystems
The Banksia That Calls Beetles in the Dark
Just like birds and mammals, nocturnal beetles can be key pollinators, helping to pollinate one of Australia's best-known native plants.
Ecosystems
After 400 Years, Scientists May Know Only a Third of Europe’s Seed-Dispersal Network
New research shows that the biggest gaps in seed-dispersal science may not be where researchers think they are.
Ecosystems
Antarctica’s First Assessed Plant Is Already Endangered
A tiny Antarctic moss is sending a big warning: even the continent’s remote plant life may be threatened by climate change, human activity and invasive species.
Ecosystems
The Parasitic Plant That Changes Its Perfume
Orobanche flava may steal from other plants underground, but above ground it uses changing floral scents to attract the insects it needs.
Ecosystems
The Flower That Tells Pollinators to Move On
In Saxifraga fortunei, a yellow-to-red colour change in the pistil may tell hoverflies and honeybees which flowers are still worth visiting.
Ecosystems
High in the Mountains, Every Degree Matters for Pollinators
Research from the Australian Alps reveals that some mountain flowers act as miniature solar heaters, providing pollinators with warm refuges when cold conditions would otherwise keep them grounded.
Ecosystems
Scaled Gardeners: How Fish Dictate the Future of the Amazonian Flooded Forest
When Amazonian forests flood, fish take over the work of seed dispersal, carrying viable seeds through rivers and helping plants colonise new areas.
Ecosystems
Lichens and Bryophytes Reveal the Effects of Urban Heat
Lichens and mosses may act as living sensors of urban warming, helping researchers understand how rising city temperatures alter biodiversity at the smallest scales.
Ecosystems
What Would a Flower Need an Elephant’s Trunk For?
A recent study uncovers the overlooked purpose of the strange floral snouts in some lousewort species.
Ecosystems
The Silent Partner: The Real Value of Pollination in Daily Life
Pollinators are a vital link between biodiversity and human health, securing both essential nutrients and family livelihoods. While their decline threatens to deepen poverty and malnutrition, protecting local plant diversity offers a sustainable path to resilience.