New research reveals that early plants overcame an evolutionary hurdle by utilizing sugars from the environment, contrary to previous assumptions. This discovery has significant implications for global carbon cycling models, suggesting a more complex role for mixotrophy in plant growth and development.
Researchers discovered that certain flowers produce heat as a reward to pollinators, which develop larvae in the spent flowers. This finding suggests a novel role for flower heating in plant-pollinator mutualism.
Researchers found that ferns in the northern end of the redwood forest ecosystem are better equipped to absorb fog water than those in the southern region. This has important implications for the structure of plant communities and how ecosystems function during drought periods. The study suggests that native ferns may be able to acclim...
Alana Oldham and colleagues found that water stress, due to gravity's effect on the water column, drives leaf anatomy and morphology in redwoods. This reduces photosynthesis in the upper canopy, but increases water-stress tolerance traits below.
Researchers have discovered that Darwin's work on heterostylous flowers, a complex breeding system found in flowering plants, has significant economic implications. The study highlights the unique characteristics of heterostyly, which affects plant morphology, ecology, and evolution.
Scientists investigated the evolution of grasses by sequencing the chloroplast DNA of Anomochloa, a small genus diverging from other grasses. The study found unique and mixed features in its chloroplast genome, questioning the classification of Anomochloa as a grass.
A study on trembling aspen found that phenolic glycosides and extrafloral nectaries are distributed together in the same leaves, contradicting previous assumptions. The presence of extrafloral nectaries is positively correlated with higher levels of chemical defenses, suggesting a complex relationship between these defense mechanisms.
A study by Claire Williams found that long-distance dispersal of transgenic pine pollen is a potential problem due to its viability. Viable pine pollen was found as far as 2000 feet in the air and 25 miles offshore, with over 50% still germinating after drifting those distances.
Researchers found that dehydrin proteins play a key role in helping plants like the resurrection fern survive up to 95% water loss, allowing water to act as a lubricant between cell walls. This discovery could lead to developing drought-resistant crops by localizing and transferring the dehydrin gene.
A new study confirms that early angiosperms were fast-growing and weedy, with leaf lifespans of less than 12 months. The research used fossil plant morphology to estimate life history strategies, suggesting that this growth pattern was common among plants 100 million years ago.
Researchers found that goldenrod plants with nodding stems resist gall-inducing flies and are more resistant to egg-laying, while straightened stems offer no advantage. The 'ducking' behavior is a gradual growth response that confers resistance against insect attacks.
A single layer of cells controls leaf size, with epidermal cells influencing overall size and cell division rates. Epidermal cells also affect the number of cells produced in the mesophyll layer.
A recent study resolves a long-standing mystery surrounding the giant fossil Prototaxites. Researchers propose that these ancient organisms were mixotrophic liverworts associated with fungi and cyanobacteria. The findings support previous hypotheses that microbial associations and mixotrophy are ancient plant traits.
A recent study found that introducing new genes from distant populations to damaged ecosystems can have negative consequences on native populations. However, the introduction of genes from nearby, contrasting environments can lead to poorer seedling performance and reduced fitness over time.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Botany explores the origins of New Zealand's flora. The research reveals that two ancient plant fossils from the Late Oligocene/Early Miocene period (28-15 mya) indicate a younger history for most groups of plants in the region.
A recent study by Cornell University scientists reveals that trees have evolved to maximize photosynthetic capacity through a decrease in specific leaf area as they increase in size. This change is attributed to a developmental shift towards short-shoots, which produce leaves with smaller specific leaf areas than long-shoots.
Researchers explore the development and morphology of insect-mimicking spots on the flower petals of a South African beetle daisy. The study found that these spots are composed of three types of epidermal cells, each spanning four fused petal lobes, and are influenced by UV reflectivity and anthocyanin pigment.
The American Journal of Botany presents two papers exploring botanical history before Darwin, his research on plant movements and orchids. Research reveals that Darwin's ideas on plant movements contributed to the discovery of auxin, a hormone essential in plant growth processes.
A rare woodland plant, Monotropsis odorata, has evolved 'cryptic coloration' as a defense mechanism to avoid herbivores. The plant's bracts function as camouflage, making it blend in with its surroundings, which increases its fitness and survival rate.
Researchers found that certain wild flax plants growing in poor soils can balance stress and reduce the risk of infection from a fungal pathogen. This suggests that stressful environments may be attractive to plants, providing a refuge from pathogens, but requiring adaptation to survive.
A recent study found that female plants are more likely to be colonized by mycorrhizal fungi than male plants, leading to a shift in population dynamics. This sex-specific interaction may contribute to the spatial segregation of males and females in certain plant species.
Researchers found that Impatiens pallida, also known as yellow jewelweed, can recognize its relatives and adjust its resource allocation accordingly. The plant responds differently to aboveground cues depending on whether it's competing with a relative or a stranger.
A fossil plant discovery by Peter Wilf and colleagues has reassigned the species Libocedrus prechilensis to Papuacedrus, indicating that Patagonia was once a warm, wet tropical place. This find also establishes a connection between tropical West Pacific regions and Australia via a forested Antarctic land bridge during the Eocene.
Researchers explored how gene flow between cultivated sorghum and its weedy relatives impacts crop yields and diversity. Farmers in northern Cameroon actively limit gene flow through practices like eradicating weeds, but some unintentional practices still favor genetic exchange.
Researchers studied tree stomatal density, guard cell length, and water use efficiency in 27 trees over a century. They found stomatal density declined while guard cell length increased, but intrinsic water use efficiency remained unchanged.
Dr. Marina Dermastia and colleagues discovered similarities between maize and teosinte kernel development, overturning previous assumptions about domestication. The team found traits like programmed cell death, sugar flow control, and endoreduplication that are common to both crops, suggesting they evolved independently.
Researchers studied polyploidy's effects on cell division in plants, finding that some cells can tolerate aneuploidy without detrimental consequences. The study provides new insights into how genetic changes can lead to evolutionary change and affect plant fitness.
Researchers found that carnivorous plant traps are cheaper to make than leaves, contrary to evolutionary predictions. This discovery sheds light on how complete food webs operate, highlighting the benefits and trade-offs of nutrient allocation in plant ecology.
Plant biologists are key players in advancing scientific literacy, and recent research highlights the importance of teaching inquiry methods, raising public awareness of science, and creating an accessible reference for teachers. By working together, scientists can build a more receptive audience and enhance capacity to change the future.
Researchers find novel cyanobacterial lineage in lichens, with implications for ecosystem research and the study of symbiotic relationships. The discovery suggests that photobionts are selected based on their compatibility with mycobionts, leading to an increase in certain strains.
A new algorithm, SERA, explores plant community dynamics and predicts changes due to environmental factors like climate change and invasive species. The model shows agreement with empirical data on trends in plant growth and development.
Climbing plants have evolved remarkable adaptations to ascend walls and trellises, with various modes of attachment, including twining, leaf-climbing, tendril-bearers, root-climbers, and hook-climbers. These structures enable flexibility and withstand mechanical stresses, allowing vines to efficiently transport water and nutrients.
Research reveals that plant crystals play a crucial role in deterring herbivory and protecting against calcium oxalate poisoning. Different types of crystals perform distinct functions, such as creating a sensation of chewing sand or expelling microscopic darts from the plant tissue.
A recent study by Dr. David Spooner highlights the limitations of DNA barcoding in distinguishing species within complex plant groups, such as wild potatoes (Solanum section Petota). The technique's accuracy is compromised due to intraspecific variation and hybridization among species.
Researchers found that prairie dogs prefer plants with low levels of selenium, suggesting that high levels act as a deterrent. This suggests that plants may use metal hyperaccumulation to defend against herbivores, including prairie dogs.
Researchers uncover evidence that chiles were independently domesticated multiple times from geographically distant wild progenitors, resulting in unique gene pools and important reservoirs of genetic diversity. Domesticated individuals exhibit reduced genetic diversity compared to semiwild populations.