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Categories: Biology: Botany, Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds
Published Research provides crucial insights into moss growth under elevated CO2 levels that may benefit climate change models



Approximately 12,000 species of mosses exist and cover close to four million square miles of earth, equivalent to the size of Canada, and are ecologically and evolutionarily important. Mosses play an essential role in rainwater retention, decreasing plant pathogens and increasing carbon sequestration in soil, thus improving the overall soil health. Mosses also protect long-term carbon storage systems, such as bogs and permafrost.
Published A tale of two proteins: Fundamental research could make growing better crops like clockwork



Rhomboid-like protein 10, or RBL10, is thought to be an enzyme that degrades other proteins in the chloroplast membrane, but its function is largely unknown. Researchers are studying how RBL10 affects photosynthetic membrane lipid metabolism, an essential process in photosynthesis.
Published New discovery on how green algae count cell divisions illuminates key step needed for the evolution of multicellular life



An international research team has made an unexpected discovery of a biased counting mechanism used by the single-celled green alga Chlamydomonas to control cell division.
Published New study indicates C4 crops less sensitive to ozone pollution than C3 crops



Researchers have studied the effects of elevated O3 on five C3 crops (chickpea, rice, snap bean, soybean, wheat) and four C4 crops (sorghum, maize, Miscanthus × giganteus, switchgrass). Their findings indicate that C4 crops are much more tolerant of high O3 concentrations than C3 crops.
Published Yeast cells can produce drugs for treatment of psychotic disorders



An international team of researchers has demonstrated that genetically engineered yeast cells can produce the natural plant product alstonine, which has shown positive effects in treating schizophrenia.
Published A fifth of European Red List flora and fauna species may be at risk of extinction



A new analysis of 14,669 threatened species of plants and animals found in Europe reveals that about one fifth face the risk of extinction, and that agricultural land-use change poses a significant threat to these species.
Published Identifying a silicon transporter to improve the yield of rice



Researchers identify a membrane transporter in rice that regulates the accumulation and localization of silicon in the leaves.
Published The fascinating relationship between mice and a plant that flowers once a century in terms of seed dispersal



Researchers have discovered several factors that affect field mouse behavior using seeds from dwarf bamboo plants, a plant that flowers once in a century. Their findings not only suggest the previously underappreciated role of mice in the forest ecosystem, but also show that they store small sasa seeds for later use. These challenge a previously held model of mouse behavior.
Published Plants' ingenious defense against mutational damage



How do plants deal with mutations in their 'power stations'? By exploiting randomness to create diversity, say researchers.
Published Large herbivores such as elephants, bison and moose contribute to tree diversity



Using global satellite data, a research team has mapped the tree cover of the world's protected areas. The study shows that regions with abundant large herbivores in many settings have a more variable tree cover, which is expected to benefit biodiversity overall.
Published The kids aren't alright: Saplings reveal how changing climate may undermine forests



Researchers studied how young trees respond to a hotter, drier climate. Their findings can help shape forest management policy and our understanding of how landscapes will change.
Published To restore ecosystems, think about thwarting hungry herbivores



Re-establishing plantings of trees, grasses and other vegetation is essential for restoring degraded ecosystems, but a new survey of almost 2,600 restoration projects from nearly every type of ecosystem on Earth finds that most projects fail to recognize and control one of the new plants' chief threats: hungry critters that eat plants.
Published How sunflowers see the sun



Sunflowers famously turn their faces to follow the sun as it crosses the sky. But how do sunflowers 'see' the sun to follow it? Plant biologists show that they use a different, novel mechanism from that previously thought.
Published How common desert shrub efficiently harvests water from the air



A team of scientists has revealed the mechanism a desert plant native to the United Arab Emirates uses to capture moisture from the desert air in order to survive.
Published Australasia's hidden pollination crisis could threaten biodiversity and food security



Australasia's hidden pollination crisis, mirroring global threats, could pose a significant risk to regional biodiversity and food security, new research has found.
Published Protein root discovery seals future of climate-proof plants



Researchers have discovered a protein that seals plant roots to regulate the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil, the discovery could help develop climate proof crops that require less water and chemical fertilizers.
Published Discovery of three novel minorisa species, the smallest predatory marine picoplankton



Researchers have made a significant discovery by identifying and characterizing three novel species within the Minorisa genus of marine picoplankton. Before this study, only one species of Minorisa was recognized. This finding reveals previously unseen diversity of Minorisa, thereby enhancing species identification and our understanding of its ecological functions in marine ecosystems.
Published New study finds hidden trees across Europe: A billion tons of biomass is overlooked today



Through satellite imaging a new AI driven mapping of biomass and CO2 storage shows that a huge number of trees are overlooked in Europe's urban, rural, and agricultural areas. Across Europe, researchers have discovered a billion tons of hidden biomass.
Published Bizarre new fossils shed light on ancient plankton



Recently discovered microfossils date back half a billion years. Resembling modern-day algae, they provide insight into early life in our oceans.
Published Sunflower extract fights fungi to keep blueberries fresh



Opening a clamshell of berries and seeing them coated in fuzzy mold is a downer. And it's no small problem. Gray mold and other fungi, which cause fruit to rot, lead to significant economic losses and food waste. Now, researchers report that compounds from sunflower crop waste prevented rotting in blueberries. They suggest the food industry could use these natural compounds to protect against post-harvest diseases.