News in Brief
War is turning Ukraine’s fertiliser problem into a catastrophe
Long-term declines in nutrients, and soil damage, have been turbo-charged by the Russian invasion. But a new plan may help restore some of the world’s most fertile soils.
Growth & Development
The orchid prediction nobody noticed
Scientists found a letter where Darwin predicted a major botanical discovery 36 years before anyone proved him right.
Close Encounters
Chocolate fights climate change with gene editing
Food Dive reports on an attempt by Mars to keep chocolate affordable and make your M&Ms CRISPR.
News in Brief
How Canada plans to plug biodiversity data gaps with CAN BON
Gonzalez and colleagues introduce CAN BON, the Canadian Biodiversity Observation Network, a new project to track changes across the nation.
Close Encounters
Tree-Microbe relationships run deep
Inside a tree can live up to one trillion beings. But seeing the bacteria hidden in its woody tissue takes a lot of work.
Close Encounters
A tiny carnivore with a voracious appetite
A tiny butterwort found in Mexico has surprised scientists with its ability to catch prey. It has to be efficient as it has only a brief time to get everything prepared for the next generation.
News in Brief
Saving orchids in Serbia
Orchids are one of the most successful plant families on the planet, with over 20,000 species, but many of those species are endangered. For the orchids of Serbia, help is at hand.
Ecosystems
River dykes are “insect highways” for wild bees
Dykes are a lifeline for bees. Researchers found nearly half of all Dutch bee species live on river dykes, with 10% being endangered red-listed species.
News in Brief
Ancient liverwort gene unlocks secret of plant cloning
Scientists cracked how plants reproduce without sex. The finding could improve crops and on Earth and beyond. But the key to this discovery comes from a plant that annoys many gardeners.
Growth & Development
500 kilometres from friends, these trees are running out of places to hide from climate change
How can isolated trees survive rising heat? Botanists have been looking for microrefugia, small locations with favorable conditions for stressed plants.
Ecosystems
What 17,000 Pressed Flowers Revealed About Arctic Climate Change
The brief Arctic summer is getting briefer. Research using herbaria shows that flowering times are shifting. Not all plants are responding the same way & that’s a problem.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
A rare plant with a taste for toxic soil is getting some help from unexpected allies with green fingers
Czech gardeners helped protect an endangered flower from extinction using their backyards. The simple trick could aid plant conservation worldwide.