Articles tagged with Trees
Scientists explore reviving extinct Mediterranean forests through minimal human disturbance and restoration of native vegetation. They also investigate the impact of ocean noise pollution on undersea animals and propose internationally binding commitments to monitor and limit noise.
The new vegetationmap4africa version provides a smartphone application and website to help users identify tree species and their uses. It aids in agroforestry and landscape restoration by providing information on suitable tree species for specific goods and services, as well as tools for regenerating degraded land.
The University of Guam research team used a unique glass tube setup to study fadang tree pollen settling velocity and theoretical distances of wind-borne pollen movement. The results show that fadang pollen can travel over 500 meters laterally before dropping one meter in elevation.
The study estimates that there are over 3 trillion trees on Earth, with the total number of trees having plummeted by roughly 46% since the start of human civilization. The research provides new insights into tree populations worldwide and offers improvements to modeling large-scale systems, including carbon cycling and climate change.
Researchers in Spain are developing hypoallergenic parks to combat seasonal allergies, which affect millions worldwide. The study found that common trees in green spaces can cause unhealthy air quality.
A new NASA study reveals that the presence of vegetation is crucial in mitigating urban heat island effects, which can raise temperatures by 1.9°C in urban areas compared to surrounding rural areas. The study found that replacing impervious surfaces with vegetation can reduce temperature differences by up to 1.3°C.
A special issue of Science explores the impact of human-induced environmental changes on forests worldwide. The reviews highlight pressing issues such as forest fires, drought, and extinction, emphasizing the need for sustainable management practices, genetic engineering, and collaborative research.
A new policy analysis warns that current regulations are stifling the use of genetically engineered trees to combat catastrophic forest threats. The authors argue for a shift in regulatory approaches that focus on product rather than process, considering need, urgency, and genetic similarity.
A new study by Duke University reveals that drought can cause trees to die years after the drought ends, with 72% of affected trees dead within a decade. Thinning out competing trees and monitoring tree growth rates can help prevent this decline.
A team of researchers found that several bat species are struggling in fragmented landscapes, but also discovered that shade-grown coffee plantations offer a lifeline for biodiversity. These plantations keep native forest canopies while promoting wildlife-friendly agriculture.
A new study found that male anole lizards' glowing dewlaps make their visual signals easier to detect by females in shaded habitats. The translucent coloration allows light to pass through, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and making the lizard's colors more conspicuous against a visually noisy background.
The RIT team's Meshed Tree Protocol aims to eliminate loops in network switching operations, reducing convergence time and improving cybersecurity. The protocol features four levels of security with different authentication and encryption methods.
A new study from WCS uses the Wisdom of Crowds method to assess the conservation status of the Manus green tree snail, a species found only on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. The approach involves surveying a large number of people to generate estimates of the snail's range, distribution, and decline rate.
Researchers from the University of Guam's Western Pacific Tropical Research Center found that three native tree species require contrasting levels of light for optimal growth, contrary to their co-occurring forest habitats.
The DPR Korea has launched a national agroforestry strategy and action plan to restore degraded landscapes, enhance soil quality, and increase crop yields. The initiative aims to alleviate food insecurity and reduce the frequency of natural disasters, with a focus on empowering local villagers through legal and institutional frameworks.
A study found that most major mammal groups in Africa tried grazing on grass around 2 million years ago, but some animals switched to browsing trees and shrubs or became extinct. The bovids, including cattle and antelopes, are the only group still mostly grazing on grass today.
The collaboration uses G-LiHT to measure signs and symptoms of forest health, detecting changes in leaf pigments and spotting infested trees with thermal infrared cameras. This technology helps track emerald ash borer and southern pine beetle populations, informing post-infestation control measures.
Forest trees take an average of two to four years to recover from droughts, with growth rates slower than expected during the recovery period. The study suggests that Earth's forests can store less carbon than previously calculated, which could lead to a speed-up in climate change.
A six-year study found that using narrow vegetation-free strips under trees can reduce damage from hemipteran insects, increasing tree growth and fruit yield. Supplemental irrigation also showed benefits in three of five years, with trees grown with irrigation having larger trunk cross-sectional areas.
Two new Hoya species, H. ruthiae and H. bakoensis, have been discovered in Borneo, showcasing the island's rich plant diversity. The study highlights their unique characteristics, such as H. ruthiae's lack of colored sap and H. bakoensis' epiphytic growth habit.
Researchers have created a new microbial 'family tree' that displays sudden bursts of diversification, potentially helping understand how harmful microbes evolve. This breakthrough uses coarse-graining and Λ-coalescent models to condense short branches into larger nodes, revealing patterns of ecological processes.
New research reconstructs beetle family tree, showing diversification over nearly 300 million years. The success of beetles attributed to low extinction rates and interactions with plants, fungi, and microorganisms.
UGA researchers analyzed growth data from thousands of pine tree plots across the Southeast and found that 'southern pine decline' isn't happening on a large scale. The study suggests standard management practices are working just fine, with environmental factors like site conditions, drought, and climate change affecting tree health.
A study funded by the Tree Nut Council found that consuming tree nuts daily was associated with lower body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and insulin resistance. This consumption also led to higher levels of good cholesterol and a reduced risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Researchers studied the aftermath of Yosemite's Rim fire, which burned 400 square miles in 2013, to understand its impact on forest recovery. They found that uncharacteristically high severity and altered dynamics, with potential for vegetation switching to shrubs if not restored through controlled burns.
Trees that tolerate soil pollution show improved resistance to biological invasions, with 99% of spidermite RNA found in higher abundance in uncontaminated trees. This discovery implies that polluted plants may prime their defence machinery, enhancing their ability to defend against pests and pathogens.
A team of scientists has released two species of silver flies from the Pacific Northwest to attack the hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive insect killing millions of hemlock trees on the East Coast. Early results suggest the flies have successfully reproduced and preyed on the pest in Tennessee and New York.
A study on the apple maggot pest discovered a massive genome shift in just one generation, with 32,000 genetic changes occurring within a single year. This significant finding highlights the importance of ecological selection at early stages of divergence and calls for further integration of studies on speciation and genome divergence.
Researchers found that warmer summer temperatures in Interior Alaska led to a decline in white spruce tree growth, while Western Alaska saw increased growth rates. The study, which analyzed over 540 tree cores, suggests the boreal forest is shifting towards higher elevations and the western part of the state.
A recent study in Japan reveals that overcrowded, older tree plantations are a significant source of non-point nitrogen pollution. The findings highlight the need for better forest management practices to restore their ability to clean water rather than pollute it.
Despite disparate root growth patterns, tree species with magnolioid and graminoid morphology exhibit comparable efficiency in acquiring soil nutrients. Trees use symbiotic associations with mycorrhizal fungi to take up nutrients, with thin-root species relying on rapid root proliferation.
A study analyzing drought, heat, and insects found that a combination of these factors contributes to over 12 million dead trees in California. Researchers expect this number to rise with climate change.
A $10 million grant from the USDA will support a 5-year research project to develop treatments for citrus greening disease, which threatens the US citrus industry. The project aims to use systems biology approaches to block the transmission of the disease-causing bacterium and develop resistant citrus varieties.
A global analysis raises the minimum number of tropical tree species to 40,000 to 53,000 globally. The study's findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive conservation efforts due to the high extinction risk faced by rare and localized species.
Researchers at UGA have successfully edited the genome of a tree species using CRISPR/Cas technology, reducing lignin and condensed tannin concentrations by 20% and 50%, respectively. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for rapid and reliable gene editing in plants.
A new study by University at Buffalo geographers found that Native American villages in Chautauqua County, NY, favored the growth of fire-tolerant tree species like hickory, chestnut, and oak. These trees produce edible nuts and are more likely to survive fires, suggesting that human activity altered the forest landscape.
Researchers identified two genetic lineages of the walnut twig beetle, one native to the Southwest and another invasive throughout the US. Hybridization between lineages was found in areas where the invasive lineage has expanded, threatening eastern black walnut trees.
Researchers found sandwich systems, combining living mulch with modified tillage, improve soil conditions, decrease pests, and increase biodiversity. The system showed the most promise by eliminating vegetative cover competition and increasing soil respiration.
Central Wisconsin pine barrens are vanishing as forest canopy covers more than 90% of the sites, with species diversity remaining relatively unchanged but plant composition drastically altered.
Researchers analyzed DNA of over 250 tree species in southern Appalachians and found that half can trace their ancestry to eastern Asia. The temperate forests of the region are home to more tree species than anywhere else in North America.
Research shows that trees across Europe have increased their water use efficiency by nearly 20% in response to rising atmospheric CO2 levels. This increase is attributed to reduced stomatal opening to regulate carbon acquisition and minimize water loss.
A study of European trees found that they have increased their water-use efficiency by 14% for broadleaf and 22% for coniferous species since the 20th century. However, despite this adaptation, forest transpiration rates have still risen by 5% over the same period due to a warmer environment and longer growing seasons.
A joint study reveals the power of citizen science in predicting the emergence and spread of sudden oak death, a fungus-like disease that has felled hundreds of thousands of trees in California. The SOD Blitz model, created using crowdsourced data, correctly predicts the presence of the pathogen 74% of the time.
Recent research by Solomon Dobrowski, a University of Montana professor, finds that forest canopies play a crucial role in buffering juvenile trees from drought and heat. The study suggests that climatic buffering from forest canopies is important to consider when projecting the likelihood of regeneration in future forests.
The new chip features a data structure known as a tree, where every address is randomly assigned to a path through the tree -- a sequence of nodes stretching from the top of the tree to the bottom, with no backtracking. This approach improves efficiency by minimizing extra data needed between the chip and memory.
A recent study reveals that human activity has removed over one-tenth of trees and plants from the Amazon since the 1960s, contributing to rising carbon dioxide levels. The deforestation has increased the atmosphere's carbon content by 1.5% since the mid-19th century.
The article provides a thorough review of the Asian longhorned beetle's biology, life stages, distribution, ecology, and methods of detecting and controlling it. The new online resource will be particularly helpful for forest managers and policymakers, offering a summary of the scientific backing for cooperative eradication programs.
A new species of tree-killing bark beetle has been described in a paper published online in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America. The mesoamerican pine beetle was found to work in concert with the southern pine beetle, causing catastrophic damage to pines in Central America.
A University of Illinois Chicago study found that a neighborhood's small yards have a greater impact on the variety of native birds than larger landscape features. The researchers identified bird-friendly landscaping features such as fruit-bearing trees and shrubs to increase bird diversity in backyards.
Researchers aim to create the first complete genome sequence for dogwoods, enabling plant breeders to develop new varieties with improved traits. Citizen scientists will collect data on flowering patterns, flower color, and susceptibility to diseases.
A University of California, Davis study found that the Ising model can explain synchronous events like fruit tree boom and bust years and insect outbreaks. The model applies to understanding population dynamics and has broader implications for extinction and disease.
Researchers are testing Zinkicide, a nanoparticle bactericide, to combat citrus greening in Florida. The treatment aims to target the bacteria that causes Huanglongbing, a disease that has devastated the state's $10.7 billion citrus industry.
A new modeling tool predicts that drought-induced forest mortality will occur across the US and Canada by the 2050s due to climate change. The model simulates widespread aspen mortality caused by the 2000-2003 drought, highlighting the importance of understanding tree physiology under water-stressed conditions.
Researchers have developed a new protocol to study clonal patterns in coast redwood clones, which could help forest management and preservation efforts. The method uses short repeating DNA sequences to identify distinct clones and has been tested on 770 coast redwoods.
A 30-year study reveals the Amazon's capacity to absorb carbon from the atmosphere is declining due to increased tree mortality rates. The forest, once a vast 'carbon sink', is now being overtaken by fossil fuel emissions, exacerbating climate change.
A recent study by University of Chicago researchers found that trees' defensive responses to insect attacks have downstream effects on nearby streams, impacting aquatic ecosystems. The simulation showed that stressed trees funneled valuable nutrients away from leaves, affecting leaf chemistry and decomposition rates.
The coco de mer palm tree invests energy into reproduction, producing large amounts of pollen and huge fruits that fall at the base. Its unique leaves capture water, animal waste, and debris, creating a 'parental care' system for its offspring. This modified habitat ensures other plants struggle to establish in nutrient-poor areas.
A team of researchers used micro-CT scans to explore why making willow trees grow at an angle can vastly improve their biofuel yields. Tilted willows respond by producing a sugar-rich, gelatinous fibre that helps them stay upright.
High-density planting in sweet cherry orchards can produce significant yields by the second and third year after planting. The study found that specific cultivars combined with ultra-high-density planting systems result in high production and better fruit quality.
A team led by Montana State University ecologist Jia Hu will investigate the movement of nitrogen through a western Montana forest to provide baseline information on nitrogen availability and forest productivity. The goal is to help forest managers make informed decisions leading to healthier forests across the West.