Growth & Development
The flower that never blooms
When a plant gives up photosynthesis, it can find that it’s an advantage to give up a lot more too.
Growth & Development
Good news for plant scientists who feel the need for speed
How fast does wheat need to be? You might look for taste and texture in a loaf, but why would anyone care about speed?
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Mistletoe-ing around the tree reduces growth in forests
It might seem romantic, but the last thing a tree wants is an embrace under mistletoe.
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Bamboosting growth: why does bamboo grow so fast?
What is it that gives bamboo its rapid growth? One team has been looking for the answer not with the fastest plants, but with the slower variants to see what they lack.
Growth & Development
Where is the water? A new way to ‘see’ the water in tall trees
Water flows down, so how can even the tallest trees draw it up to the top of the canopy?
Growth & Development
Recovering from winter: how conifers overcome their own seasonal affective disorder
Evergreen conifers face a unique challenge during winter: it is too cold for photosynthesis, but their leaves still absorb light energy. This can be dangerous to
Growth & Development
Growing after attack: what predicts tree responses to herbivores?
Trees can face significant threats from herbivores, particularly ones that defoliate (i.e. eat leaves and reduce leaf area). After being attacked by defoliators, trees can
Growth & Development
A forester’s guide to productivity: predicting the largest trees
Trees have been, are, and will continue to be a valuable renewable resource for myriad products from construction materials to books. To keep up with demand,
Growth & Development
Becoming a better locksmith: a new method speeds up our ability to unlock secrets of past climates
Chemical isotopes in tree rings can help us learn about past environments, but how can you extract them without interfering with measurements?
Growth & Development
Could drought stress in trees affect air quality?
With climate change, trees will experience an increased frequency of stress events (i.e. drought, heat stress) causing both direct effects (e.g. CO2 uptake through
Growth & Development
To cope, or not to cope: tropical rainforest tree leaves show little response to drought
Drought will become more severe in tropical rainforests as climate change continues. This could cause widespread tree mortality in these forests, unless the trees are able
Growth & Development
A scorched leaf policy? A mangrove tree uses oxidative stress against an insect pest
One major pest of mangrove forests in China is a leaf-mining insect, which burrows into the upper layer of the leaf. Insect attack not only