A landmark report reveals the true scale of biodiversity crisis has not yet been fully understood but rapid data advances offer hope. New technologies expose critical gaps in scientific knowledge and highlight urgent action needed to safeguard plants and fungi.
A recent study published by Kew scientists reveals that 36% of 'critically endangered' plant species produce recalcitrant seeds, making seed banking an ineffective conservation method. This means alternative techniques like cryopreservation are necessary to safeguard the world's most threatened species and iconic tree species.
A team of researchers has discovered 31 species of plants known only from caves in China, highlighting the importance of cave flora for species conservation. The study also found that plants can photosynthesize at much lower light levels than previously thought.
Researchers at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew detail for the first time the opportunities for plant sciences with portable real-time DNA sequencing. By sequencing random pieces of the genome in the field, accurate species identification is possible within a few hours of collecting a specimen.
A study by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew suggests that plants growing in warmer conditions are tougher and have lower nutritional value to grazing livestock, potentially inhibiting milk and meat yields and raising the amount of methane released. This vicious cycle threatens to further exacerbate climate change.
A new plant species, Espeletia praesidentis, has been named to honor Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' peace efforts. The discovery highlights the country's biodiversity hotspots and conservation challenges in these regions.
A new research assesses conservation gaps of crop wild relatives, finding that 54% are high-priority for collection to improve yields and resilience. The study highlights the importance of collecting wild plants in countries like Australia, Bolivia, China, and Italy.
A group of scientists argue that prescribed burning may cause more problems than it solves, as there is little evidence that Mediterranean-climate plants are fire-adapted. The researchers suggest alternative management practices to prevent increased fire frequency.
Scientists found that epigenetic variation can significantly influence the adaptive potential of individual species in marsh orchids, affecting evolutionary potential at a quicker rate. This discovery brings new hope to plant conservation and highlights the importance of environmental factors in altering inherited traits.
A team from Ascension Island's Conservation Department rediscovered the long-thought-extinct parsley fern, Anogramma ascensionis. The fern was found on a knife-edge ridge and has been successfully relocated to sterile conditions for cultivation.
Scientists have developed a rapid, non-invasive method to diagnose seed quality in real time using infrared temperature measurement. This breakthrough method can distinguish between viable and dead seeds in under two hours, reducing the need for destructive germination tests.
A researcher has used motion-sensitive night cameras to capture the first known instance of a cricket functioning as an orchid pollinator. The 'raspy' cricket is also entirely new to science and has been found to be a surprisingly efficient pollinator, with higher rates of pollination and fruit set in certain orchid species.