Why plant diversity is the future of sustainable agriculture
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe interactions between different types of plants, pests, and the predators that hunt them shape the health of entire landscapes, but it has been hard to predict what happens when you mix more plant species into different environments. Here, Wan et al. analyzed massive amounts of data from field studies…
Putting conservation gardening on the map
Plant Science Research WeeklyWe’re living in a time of increasing awareness of environmental degradation, but this awareness is often not accompanied by opportunities for direct actions. Here, Munschek et al. describe conservation gardening (growing endangered native plants) as a strategy by which people can support local biodiversity.…
Review. Defining biodiverse reforestation: Why it matters for climate change mitigation and biodiversity (PPP)
Plant Science Research WeeklyBiodiversity contributes to thriving, healthy ecosystems that are essential for climate tolerance, improving water quality and habitat structure. As time goes on, there is increasing pressure to address climate change concerns worldwide, with one possible climate change mitigation approach being reforestation…
How many tree species are there? (PNAS)
Plant Science Research WeeklyDo you know how many tree species are there? The global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI) database has annotated about 28,000 tree species, while some studies indicate there could be around 60,000. But why this difference? Many of the species are found in unapproachable areas. Additionally, human…