Recent Posts

Beat the heat with TWA1, a novel thermosensor in plants

Optimal temperatures for growth and development vary between plant species, making accurate temperature sensing crucial for their fitness. The search for molecular mechanisms underlying temperature signaling suggests that a single temperature sensor likely does not exist in plants. Instead, plants possess…

Phosphorus limitation limits carbon storage in CO2-enriched mature forests

Plants fix carbon dioxide to generate biomass, and in many cases increasing the availability of CO2 enhances plant growth. However, some studies have shown that although yields of food crops such as rice might increase, their nutritional value decreases, due to limitations in availability of minerals…

Unintended consequences of planting native and non- native trees in treeless ecosystems to mitigate climate change

Afforestation initiatives are globally underway to replace naturally treeless ecosystems with native and non-native trees. The primary objective is to enhance atmospheric carbon capture as a means to combat climate change. This review seeks to illuminate the diverse impacts of afforestation, both positive…

Physcomitrium patens responses to elevated CO2 and nitrogen

With atmospheric CO2 levels increasing 100 times faster than historical levels, much attention has been paid to how crop plants respond to this elevated CO2 (eCO2). For angiosperms, eCO2 leads to increased CO2 assimilation and decreased photorespiration, but over time plants can adapt, leading to lower…

Adaptive evolution of the enigmatic Takakia moss now facing climate change in Tibet

In this fantastic, engaging paper, Hu et al. carries the reader from the origins of life on land through the dramatic uplift of the Tibetan plateau and into the modern age of climate change, all through the lens of the “enigmatic” Takakia moss. It’s enigmatic because it has features that are more…

The impact of climate change on endangered plants and lichen

As global CO2 emissions continue to rise, wildlife faces new challenges due to climate change. The biotic and environmental factors impacted by the rising temperature and sea level pose unprecedented threat to the plants and lichens listed on the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In this paper, the tolerance…

Shifting microbial communities can enhance tree tolerance to changing climates

Like all of Earth’s lifeforms, plants are already experiencing hardships due to the changing climate, and these stresses will get more extreme. Much effort has gone into breeding crops for climate resilience, less on trees which are both more diverse and less genetically tractable. Here, Allsup et…

Review: Climate change impacts on plant pathogens, food security, and paths forward

Much of what is written about the impacts of climate change on food production is focused on the abiotic stresses that plants will experience, but biotic stresses will be equally impactful, as discussed in this fine review by Singh et al. The challenges in predicting climate impacts on plant disease…

Review. Climate change impacts on seed production and quality

As the effects of climate change become increasingly severe and evident, there is growing concern about the future of food production. However, unlike its impact on crop yields, there is little clarity on the effects of climate change on the foundation of most agricultural systems: seed production and…