Recent Posts

Review. Mycorrhizal symbiosis: Genomics, ecology, and agricultural application

This outstanding Tansley review by Martin and van der Heijden spans the scale of research on mycorrhizal symbiosis from molecules to ecosystems, and spans time from the earliest encroachment of plants and fungi onto land to the future applications of our understanding. This very comprehensive review…

Old reserves and ancient buds fuel regrowth of coast redwood after catastrophic fire

In recent years we have witnessed catastrophic fires throughout the world, including the redwood forests of California. Although these huge ancient trees are fire resistant, many have died due to the extreme heat generated by these recent fires. Here, Peltier et al. examined patterns of regrowth from…

More warm-adapted species in soil seed banks than in herb layers

Climate change profoundly impacts plant communities, for example, by changing the geographic range of some species and locally extinguishing others. Yet these changes take time, maybe a few years, to be observed. This lag between climate and plant communities changes could result from the soil seed bank…

Roots of misinformation on common mycorrhizal networks in forests

As an educator, I reply on metaphors and stories to engage my readers, yet the line between hyperbole and engagement is thin. The concept of plant-plant communication is exciting, and certainly has some truth, but unfortunately has spilled over into a narrative that perhaps is more fiction than fact.…

De-extinction of plants from herbarium specimens

Many plants have gone extinct in their natural habitat, but persist as samples preserved in herbaria around the globe. The existance of these samples raises questions about the possibility of using them to "bring back to life" these species, for example, by germinating the seeds or spores available in…

Review: The establishment of plants following long-distance dispersal

Seed dispersal is a critical ecological process with far-reaching implications. On rare occasions, seeds can be dispersed over vast distances, far beyond the range of the species. These events, known as long-distance dispersal, have profound evolutionary implications by expanding species distribution…

Staying connected helps plant population fitness

Many animals, including humans, tangibly benefit from living socially. Does this benefit extend to plants? A recent study by Höckerstedt et al. says it does. The authors studied a wild host-pathogen population, Plantago lanceolata, and its obligate powdery mildew pathogen Podosphaera plantaginis in…

Review: Seed sourcing strategies for ecological restoration under climate change (Front. Conserv. Sci.)

Review: Seed sourcing strategies for ecological restoration under climate change "The local is best" is a mantra in ecological restoration: if you want your project to succeed, you should use local plant material since it's already adapted to local conditions. However, ecosystems now need to withstand…

Special issue on Grasses (Science)

“Grassy biomes—from the steppes of Mongolia to the savannas of Tanzania— are predicted to be the ecosystems hardest hit by the ongoing climate and land use crises,” begins a Perspective by Strömberg and Staver in the August 4, 2022 Science special issue on Grasses that raises awareness of the…