News tagged with plant diversity

Biodiversity enhances ecosystems global drylands: researchers

An international team of researchers including Dr. Bertrand Boeken of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev suggest in a new study that plant biodiversity preservation is ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created Jan 30, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Genetics of Arctic plants under serious threat from climate change, study says

A new EU study by a team of Austrian, French and Norwegian researchers has found that rising temperatures as a result of climate change will have differing genetic consequences within single Arctic plant species. ...

Biology / Ecology

created Jan 30, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Trees influence epiphyte and invertebrate communities

Studies in temperate regions have demonstrated that genetic differences between individual trees affect the ecological communities and ecosystem processes associated with them. Now scientists at Manchester ...

Biology / Ecology

created Jan 05, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Climate change models may underestimate extinctions

Predictions of the loss of animal and plant diversity around the world are common under models of future climate change. But a new study shows that because these climate models don't account for species competition ...

Biology / Ecology

created Jan 04, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (8) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

Ave Atque Vale: Botany bids 'hail and farewell' to Latin-only descriptions in 2012

In a major effort to speed up the process of officially recognizing new plant species, botanists will no longer be required to provide Latin descriptions of new species, and publication in online academic journals and books ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Dec 21, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scientists find genes to tackle climate change in outback rice

(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Queensland scientists have discovered that an ancient relative of rice contains genes that could potentially save food crops from the devastating effects of global warming.

Biology / Biotechnology

created Dec 19, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Nature's medicine cabinet could yield hundreds of new drugs

There are probably at least 500 medically useful chemicals awaiting discovery in plant species whose chemical constituents have not yet been evaluated for their potential to cure or treat disease, according to a new analysis ...

Biology / Other

created Dec 12, 2011 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (4) | comments 2

Brussels plans green EU farming policy

In a radical overhaul of its controversial Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU plans a greener, fairer farm policy by tying subsidies to environmental concerns, according to documents seen by AFP.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Oct 07, 2011 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Peacekeeping creatures help maintain woodland diversity

Common woodland creatures, including woodlice, millipedes and worms, can help ensure the survival of weaker species of woodland fungi, according to new research from Cardiff University.

Biology / Ecology

created Sep 20, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

Scientists document aquatic species decline at dams and weirs

Dams and weirs have a stronger impact on the ecosystem of watercourses than was previously realized. Species diversity in the dammed area upstream of weirs shows a significant decline: the diversity of fish species is one-quarter ...

Biology / Ecology

created Sep 14, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Most plant species important in various and varying ecosystems: study

From the kinds that people sneeze at, to the kinds that have prickly seeds that stick to pant legs, there are many different types of plants in grasslands around the world.

Biology / Ecology

created Aug 10, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 5 | with audio podcast

Female mate choice enhances offspring fitness in an annual herb

In many organisms females directly or indirectly select mates (or sperm) and potentially influence the fitness of their offspring. Mate choice and sexual selection in plants is more complex in some ways than ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jun 27, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

The mechanics of speciation

Mate choice, competition, and the variety of resources available are the key factors influencing how a species evolves into separate species, according to a new mathematical model that integrates all three factors to reveal ...

Biology / Evolution

created Jun 24, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 2

UN aims for biodiversity treaty by July 2012

A global treaty on the harvesting of genetic resources will probably be ratified by July 2012, the UN executive secretary on biological diversity said Tuesday.

Biology / Ecology

created May 31, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

New study aims to help preserve plants, animals caught between forest 'fragments'

Maintaining the world's threatened animal and plant species may rest with something as simple as knowing how far a bird can fly before it must answer nature's call.

Biology / Ecology

created May 18, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0