Ecosystems
Unexpected Blooms Along Ghost Tracks
Nature is reclaiming abandoned railway tracks in Poland, creating surprise conservation areas that help protect plant diversity in intensively farmed landscapes.
Ecosystems
Small Urban Meadows Give Hope for City Pollinators
Artificially planted wildflower meadows in cities can support similar numbers of bees and other pollinators as larger natural meadows.
Close Encounters
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.
Close Encounters
Can Feeding Birds Harm Plants?
Birds visiting garden feeders doesn’t stop them from pollinating wild plants, say South African scientists.
Ecosystems
Drones and AI Team Up to Count Wildflowers
Scientists have developed a way to automatically count and identify flowering plants using drones and artificial intelligence, making habitat surveys faster.
News in Brief
Small Gardens Add Up to Big Climate Impact
Despite their modest size, private gardens pack a powerful punch against climate change when working together, reveals a new study of 2.4 million Flemish gardens.
News in Brief
Scientists Unite to Speed Up Discovery of New Plants and Fungi
In the 2030 Declaration on Scientific Plant and Fungal Collecting, botanists from around the world commit to working together to find Earth’s unknown plants and fungi before they disappear.
Growth & Development
Gravity Makes Orchid Flowers Hang Upside Down
Brazilian scientists discovered that gravity helps orchid flowers flip themselves over, making them more attractive to pollinators.
Ecosystems
Mountain Plants Host Unique Microscopic Communities
Mountain wildflowers and their leaves are home to millions of helpful microbes, research reveals.
News in Brief
Rare Pitcher Plants Vanish Into Shadowy Plant Trade
Plant sellers and buyers struggle to verify if rare carnivorous plants were legally collected from the wild.
Growth & Development
Burning Desire Leads to Delayed Gratification for the Natal Crocus
An underground plant saves seeds for six months before letting ants scatter them.
Close Encounters
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.