Fragile highland ecosystems showed low resilience to fire, which renders them more vulnerable to long-term degradation.
plants
Posted inNews
New Map Reveals the Extent of Vegetation in Antarctica
More than 40 square kilometers of vegetation cover Antarctica, including in previously unknown areas. A new map offers fresh insights for conservation amid climate change.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Spectral Solar Radiative Transfer in Plant Canopies
Spectrally resolved radiative transfer is needed to compute reliable estimates of sunlight transmission and photolysis of molecules within plant canopies.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Ancient Pines Could Reveal the Heat of Thousands of Past Seasons
A novel 3D CT scan approach unlocks temperature records preserved in the gnarled wood of bristlecone pines.
Posted inNews
Carbon Cycles Through Plants More Quickly Than Expected
A radioactive isotope produced by nuclear weapons reveals that plants take up more carbon—but hold on to it for less time—than current climate models suggest.
Posted inOpinions
How Soil Symbionts Could Unlock Climate-Smart Agriculture
By tracing the evolutionary history of beneficial soil microbes, scientists hope to unearth a sustainable solution for producing food to feed a growing global population.
Posted inNews
Sand’s Role in Rerouting Meandering Rivers Is Bigger Than We Thought
Researchers delve into the dirt causing rivers to migrate.
Posted inNews
Kansas Prairie Streams Are Getting Choked, Maybe for Good
A herculean effort to fight back woody plants in the Konza Prairie has largely failed. The outcome shows how difficult it can be to retore these ecosystems.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Discounting Carbon Gain to Prevent Water Loss Today
A new study introduces a timescale for optimizing tradeoffs between carbon gain and water loss to improve estimates of photosynthesis during prolonged dry spells.