Plants can measure the intensity of salt stress
Unfavorable environmental conditions represent considerable stress for plants. A high level of salt content (sodium chloride, NaCl) in the soil is just such a stressor that has a negative impact on plants. Salinization is a serious problem in agricul.....»»
Marine heat waves devastate red gorgonians in the Medes Islands: Study
The increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves in recent decades is one of the effects of global climate change. A study by the University of Barcelona, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, shows that the extreme heat wave of.....»»
How words matter when facing the problem of children in care
New research from the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool calls for unflinching conversations about what poverty and financial stress can do to families, and the impact on children's risk of entering care......»»
Summer slumber: How seeds go dormant to combat harsh conditions
Plants are highly versatile organisms that have developed remarkable strategies to adapt to different environments. One such strategy is seed dormancy, an adaptation that temporally prevents viable seeds from germinating even under optimal conditions.....»»
What sea salt in Antarctic snowfall reveals about bushfires worse than the Black Summer
Australia has a long history of bushfires. The 2019-2020 Black Summer was the worst in recorded history. But was that the worst it could get?.....»»
Some online platforms are starting to measure "student engagement" at school: Here"s what you need to know
There is increasing concern that children are less focused in school. This is often blamed on smartphones and social media......»»
Humans are the elephant in the room when it comes to conservation models
Humans are outsized actors in the world's wild places where there are struggles to preserve and protect vital natural resources and animals, birds and plants. Yet people and their plus-sized footprint are rarely discussed in models seeking to predict.....»»
Mongolian grasslands study reveals key drivers of plant community stability in changing climate
An international research team has undertaken a study of plants in the Mongolian grasslands to evaluate the stability of these plant communities over time. They specifically looked at how the dryness of the climate impacted the plant communities and.....»»
Increasing stress is making it harder for companies to keep key workers
IT workers are getting stressed and leaving their jobs as companies struggle to patch up their cybersecurity tools......»»
Researchers explore the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potentials of essential oils
Essential oils, also known as ethereal oils, are volatile, aromatic compounds derived from plants. Found in only about 10% of the plant kingdom, these oils are present in secretory structures such as glands, ducts, cavities, and hairs. Chemically, th.....»»
Scientists engineer yellow-seeded camelina with high oil output
Efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from transportation fuels are increasing demand for oil produced by nonfood crops. These plants use sunlight to power the conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide into oil, which accumulates in seeds. Crop.....»»
As it turns out, Apple Watch heart rate monitoring can be used on lions too
A conservation veterinarian discovered that if you've got a sedated lion on your hands and need to monitor its heart rate, wrapping an Apple Watch around its tongue does the trick.Using an Apple Watch to measure a lion's heartrate is the best use of.....»»
UK survey finds one third of workers feel less engaged at work due to personal finance issues
A large scale survey which examines UK employee engagement has found that a third of people are distracted at work due to their personal finances; they were also more likely to report unmanageable job stress......»»
Are plants intelligent? It depends on the definition
Goldenrod can perceive other plants nearby without ever touching them, by sensing far-red light ratios reflected off leaves. When goldenrod is eaten by herbivores, it adapts its response based on whether or not another plant is nearby......»»
A tiny new plant species reaffirms the "miraculous" survival of Western Ecuador"s ravished biodiversity
A new 2-inch-high plant species has been discovered on the western Andean slopes of Ecuador in an area where scientists once believed a rich diversity of native plants and animals had been totally destroyed......»»
Unknown helpers of the soil: How invertebrates support the decomposition of plants
When plants or parts of them die, billions of small creatures help to break down the organic material. Next to microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, also some soil-living invertebrates seem to be involved in this process......»»
Only 10% of Australia"s native plants can be bought as seed: How to make plantings more diverse
More than 52 million hectares of land across Australia is degraded. Degraded land lacks biodiversity and the natural balance of healthy ecosystems, making it unfit for wildlife or cultivation. This means we are losing the benefits that healthy ecosys.....»»
Researchers measure the cost of unsustainable industrial fishing on coastal communities—and it"s vast
Shark finning—the practice of removing the fins from a captured shark and discarding the rest, often still alive, back into the ocean—is banned in many countries due to its inhumane and unsustainable nature. However, these fins are highly valued.....»»
DNA in the feces of snow leopards shows alpine cats eat plants
Cats may not know Scarborough Fair, but felids such as alpine cats—both in the wild and in captivity—do eat plants despite their classification as carnivores. In particular, Panthera uncia—or snow leopards—seem to have a preference for a spec.....»»
Regulation of secondary metabolite accumulation in medicinal plants
Medicinal plants are important economic crops and of great value in the health care industry. The rapid growth of market demand has led to a shortage of Chinese medicinal crops and an annual increase in prices. Secondary metabolites (SMs), as the mai.....»»
Engineered nanocomplexes achieve systemic gene silencing in crops
Gene silencing in plants has faced significant challenges, primarily due to the difficulty of transporting RNA molecules across plant cell membranes and achieving systemic effects. Traditional genetic engineering methods are time-consuming and often.....»»