Articles tagged with Trees
Researchers found that forests on shale bedrock store 25% more live aboveground carbon and grow 55% faster than those on sandstone bedrock, making them ideal for conservation and carbon sequestration.
Researchers surveyed commercial and residential citrus trees in Texas from 2007 to 2017, finding that the proportion of infected trees and psyllids increased exponentially over time. The study suggests that a flatter progression of citrus greening disease epidemics could be achieved through targeted protection and management strategies.
Researchers have used a recently developed radiocarbon dating method to determine the exact construction date of an eighth-century Uyghur complex in southern Siberia. The findings suggest that the complex was built as a Manichaean monastery, explaining its abandonment, and provide new insights into the purpose of this archaeological site.
New research at the 'Joe's Garden' site in Papua New Guinea reveals insights into past subsistence patterns, including the consumption of starchy plants like tree nuts and tubers. The findings confirm the long-term survival of these microfossils in an equatorial context.
New research evaluates how US wind plant performance changes with age, finding that older plants experience relatively low levels of decline in peak performance compared to European fleets. Fungi food choices study reveals enzymes used for breaking down plant cell walls can be mass-produced and used in industrial processes.
A PNNL-led study found that environmental changes are transforming forests worldwide, leading to a dramatic decrease in tree age and stature. Rising temperatures, carbon dioxide, and increased disturbances like wildfire and drought are contributing to this trend.
A new study reveals that global environmental changes are leading to a decrease in the age and stature of forests worldwide. Rising temperatures and carbon dioxide have been altering forest dynamics, causing increased stress and mortality among trees.
A new study published in Ecology Letters reveals that geological factors control the organization of ecosystems across tropical landscapes. Researchers used high-resolution airborne remote sensing datasets to analyze data from Mt. Kinabalu, finding complex interactions between geology, biogeochemistry, biodiversity, and biogeography.
A new study by Trinity College Dublin reveals that a diverse range of trees and shrubs in West African parkland habitats supports fruit production and pollination services, ultimately benefiting the shea crop and local communities. The findings have important implications for managing this critical crop and conserving pollinators.
Shinshu University researchers have developed a new method to capture carbon via root exudates in wild forests. The method, which is quick and gentle on fine-scale roots, detects and measures the organic compounds released from tree roots into the soil.
An international team of scientists has identified candidate resistance genes that could protect ash trees from the EAB, a deadly pest expected to kill billions of trees. Researchers sequenced the genomes of 22 species of ash tree and found 53 candidate resistance genes involved in making chemicals harmful to insects.
Researchers found that maximum daily temperatures above 32.2 degrees Celsius cause tropical forests to lose stored carbon more quickly. The study highlights the importance of protecting tropical forests and stabilizing the Earth's climate.
Researchers found that tropical forests can handle heat up to a certain threshold of 32 degrees Celsius, but limiting global temperatures is crucial to avoid accelerating climate change. The study analyzed over half a million trees across 813 forests in the tropics.
A new study reveals that Madagascar copal, a material thought to be hundreds of years old, is actually an Antropocene-era resin made during the extreme human impact period. The findings suggest that species within the resin may have adapted to new habitats due to deforestation.
Scientists used virtual reality to simulate a naturalistic environment for insects, revealing their ability to use perspective and motion parallax to locate food sources. The study also showed that airflow cues play a crucial role in orienting flies, especially in the absence of visual cues.
A new prediction tool developed by University of Nevada, Reno researchers can help manage forests in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The tool, designed to focus on water quantity, predicts how different approaches to thinning impact snowpack accumulation in Lake Tahoe.
A study finds temperate and tropical dry forests harbor unique tree evolutionary diversity, exceeding that of rainforests. Researchers highlight the need for conservation efforts in these often-overlooked ecosystems.
The Verticillium wilt disease is a complex interaction between multiple microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, and protozoa, that attack the olive tree. The infection process involves a community of microorganisms, with beneficial fungi turning harmful to the plant.
A study published in Ethology has captured koalas drinking behaviour in the wild for the first time, showing they access water by licking smooth tree trunks. The research highlights the importance of retaining trees for the conservation of the species.
A study published in Proceedings B found that many plant collections fall short of ambitious targets for conserving genetic diversity of rare species. The researchers recommend optimizing use of limited garden space and collecting from the right plants to capture more genetic diversity.
Scientists at Washington State University have discovered candidate genes that could be used to manufacture Taxol more quickly and efficiently. The genes, characterized by lead researcher Mark Lange, will enable engineers to develop organisms that can produce the cancer-fighting drug.
Researchers observed that monkeys on Coiba spent up to 14.5 minutes on the ground, whereas mainland sites had smaller group sizes and limited ground time. The absence of predators likely played a key role in the behavior.
Deer damage is driven by factors such as climate, tree type, density, roads, and surrounding landscape, according to a new study. The study found that afforestation can influence deer damage in different areas of the country.
Richard Waring, a renowned researcher at Oregon State University, has been awarded the prestigious Marcus Wallenberg Prize along with Joe Landsberg and Nicholas Coops. The prize recognizes their groundbreaking work on a computer model predicting forest growth in changing climates.
A study found that increasing tree canopy to 30% of land area could prevent over 400 premature adult deaths per year, representing 3% of the city's annual mortality. Increasing green spaces can also bring significant economic benefits, estimated at almost $4 billion annually.
A tropical treefall created a 2.5-acre gap that attracted hundreds of hummingbird species, doubling the diversity and presence of these birds in the area. The researchers documented 16 unique individuals of one species, the snowy-bellied hummingbird, within just one year after the treefall.
Researchers at KU Leuven developed an online tool that maps threats to tropical dry forests in Peru and Ecuador, advising local governments on forest restoration and conservation. The tool uses tree species traits to predict resilience and identify most-at-risk areas.
Duke University researchers use a machine learning algorithm to estimate ground-level air pollution with high accuracy and resolution, surpassing current methods. The approach uses high-resolution micro-satellite imagery and weather data to detect tiny airborne particles like PM2.5.
A landmark 10-article collection clarifies oak evolution from deep roots to recent adaptations, identifying key genes involved in resistance to pathogens and genomic evidence for 56 million years of oak evolution. The study provides valuable insights into tree biology, particularly in response to rapid environmental change.
Research found that ash dieback is less severe in isolated ash trees with open canopies, and high crown temperatures make the disease development unfavorable. Climate change may reduce the disease's impact due to increased summer temperatures above 35°C.
New research reveals that mature forests do not retain extra carbon absorbed from elevated CO2 levels, but instead release it back to the atmosphere. The study's findings have significant implications for climate models and future carbon sequestration strategies.
Researchers at the University of Kansas have discovered that the mahogany family dates back to the last hurrah of the dinosaurs, with a fossil found in Canada dating back to the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous. The discovery pushes back the known origin of mahogany by 15-20 million years.
A recent study by University of Guelph researchers found that logging in Ontario's boreal stands is threatening the population of endangered woodland caribou. The team analyzed video collars attached to 30 caribou, as well as GPS-tracking radio collars on wolves and caribou, to monitor their movements and find evidence of predation.
A study by Kevin Schneider and colleagues found that the bacterial strain Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca could have significant economic impacts on olive tree cultivation in Greece, Italy, and Spain. Replanting with resistant varieties or removing infected plants can mitigate these losses.
Researchers developed a model to predict changes in tree genes, reducing unintended consequences of genetic modification. The model captures cross-regulatory influences between genes, enabling more efficient gene-modification strategies.
A new method enables predictions for the development of species-rich forests, which can help mitigate climate change and promote biodiversity. The method uses a digital experiment to simulate tree growth, death, and reproduction, and has been shown to be reliable with only five strategy types.
A study by University of Texas at Austin researchers reveals that long-lived pioneer trees, which grow fast and live long lives, account for most of the biomass and carbon storage in some tropical rainforests. The finding improves climate models' accuracy by considering variations in tree species' growth, survival, and reproduction.
Research suggests mature forests cannot absorb additional carbon as atmospheric CO2 concentrations increase. Carbon is quickly cycled through the soil and returned to the atmosphere, with only half being stored by trees and half by fungi and bacteria.
A study from the University of California, Davis found that whole orchard recycling can sequester 5 tons of carbon per hectare, increase water-use efficiency by 20 percent and boost crop yields by 19 percent. This practice also builds soil nutrients and water retention, mitigating climate change.
A study employing two approaches has accurately dated a collection of wooden timbers from the East Mediterranean using radiocarbon measurements and tree-ring associations. This precise chronology can support archaeological records and provide valuable insights into climate fluctuations during the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Research reveals a significant decline in aboveground carbon storage along Malaysian Borneo's forest edges, impacting the global carbon budget. The study found that buffer zones could mitigate edge-related declines in forest carbon stocks.
Shifts towards drought-tolerant traits in forests were associated with increased tree mortality, while photosynthetic and hydraulic trait diversity varied by region. Forest type also influenced the response to tree mortality.
Forests are shifting towards communities that can cope with greater water stress, driven by the death of less hardy trees and the growth of more resilient ones. This adaptation may buffer forests against climate change effects in the short term.
Researchers at the University of Arizona Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research used a hybrid approach to assign calendar dates to tree rings, potentially pinning down the Thera volcano eruption date. The study spans over 2,000 years and provides context for civilizations in the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Researchers found that increased CO2 levels reduced water loss and improved water use efficiency in trees during periods of drought and heat, but had no positive effect on carbon metabolism. The study suggests that the benefits of elevated CO2 are outweighed by the negative impacts of climate change.
A study led by University of Arizona researchers challenges the long-held view of the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito as a living tree in an otherwise treeless landscape. Dendroprovenance analysis revealed that the tree did not grow where it was found, suggesting it may have come from distant mountain ranges.
Researchers found that smaller tropical forest fragments experienced greater losses than larger ones between 2001 and 2018. Connecting small fragments to reestablish wide-ranging tree cover is crucial in Central America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Researchers at Louisiana State University have discovered a new species of shrew, the Sulawesi hairy-tailed shrew, which has thick hair on its tail and climbs trees. The discovery highlights the significant diversity of mammals in Indonesian islands, with many habitats remaining unexplored.
A graduate student at the University of Illinois has discovered a new treehopper species named after Lady Gaga, showcasing the diversity of this bug group. The newly identified species, Kaikaia gaga, features unusual characteristics, including horned thoraxes and leg hairs, which differentiate it from other treehoppers.
Researchers found that warming temperatures and wetter weather are causing woody plants to spread across tundra and savanna landscapes, transforming unique biodiversity and affecting climate systems.
A new study finds that hurricanes Irma and Maria combined to knock down a quarter of Puerto Rico's tree biomass, with rain dominating the damage caused by wind. The research suggests that future hurricanes stoked by warming climates may be even more destructive to forests than previously thought.
Researchers from diverse fields collaborate to understand plant-environment interactions, bridging paleoecology, physiology, ecology, genetics, and more. Key findings reveal how plants leverage their genomes to adapt to abiotic stressors and interact with microbes.
Severe damage to male maple trees caused them to flower as females two years later, suggesting a threshold for sex-determining cues. This research supports the idea that changes in sugar concentration in female trees might be a consequence of injury and physical damage.
Tasmania's ancient King Billy pine trees are at risk due to increasing wildfires and dry conditions. The study found that fire refugia are breaching, making it unlikely for the species to recover.
Researchers found that previous tree thinning and prescribed burns helped forests survive the devastating Carlton Complex fire. The study suggests that reducing built-up fuels such as small trees and shrubs pays off, even in extreme wildfires.
Researchers examined spatial patterns of seeds and surviving seedlings to understand mechanisms creating these patterns and potential for plant species coexistence. The study suggests that host-specific natural enemies may inhibit seedling survival near parent trees, leading to regular spacing of plants.
Researchers at UMass Amherst have identified eastern hemlock and eastern white pine as structurally sound for cross-laminated timber (CLT) use. The study finds that these trees can create jobs and support better forestry management, addressing climate change.
A recent study published in Forest Ecology and Management found that forest arthropods thrive in areas closer to river courses, with social wasps being the most affected by distance. Traditional forest management practices are essential for preserving biodiversity, including the richness of understories and chestnut tree dominance.
The study found that human disturbance increased the proportion of trees with seeds dispersed by animals, leading to a shift towards small-seeded species. These changes could have long-term implications for carbon storage and drought sensitivity in tropical forests.
A team of engineers at Johns Hopkins University has developed a snake robot that can nimbly climb large steps using movement inspiration from snakes. The robot's suspension system allows it to maintain stability and climb up to 38% of its body length with a high success rate.