A common “old world” tree, European beech can be found across Europe — from southern Scandinavia and Spain to Sicily and northwest Turkey. A new study by an international team of researchers has found that the summer solstice triggers synchronized beech tree reproduction all over the continent, influencing ecosystem functions. “We got inspired by a […]
Large herbivores like elephants, moose and bison are some of the most recognizable and iconic species on the planet. But they’re not just impressive to look at — their consumption of plant matter and movement throughout the landscape provide great benefits to the ecosystems in which they live. In a new study, an international team […]
The weather is getting cooler, the air is feeling crisper, the leaves are turning yellow and red falling from their trees — and this year, leave those leaves be! It’s a common misconception that leaves always kill the grass they fall on. Aside from the fact that it’s time to ditch our lawns in the […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $1.13 billion in competitive grants for tree planting projects around the country. The tree planting initiatives are meant to provide more relief from extreme heat, curb climate change and provide more green space in communities. The funding, granted through the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community […]
Fungi are like no other species on Earth. They’re not plants or animals, they thrive in damp, dark environments and have an otherworldly feel. And while their unique kingdom is the largest of any on the planet, more than 90 percent remain unidentified. Among mushrooms’ many unique characteristics, they reproduce by glowing in the dark. […]
Tropical forests are the most biologically diverse land-based ecosystems on the planet, sometimes nurturing hundreds of tree species within one square mile. The concentration of diversity is astounding, even to scientists. In a new study conducted in a Panamanian forest, researchers from The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) discovered that adult trees were […]
In order to fulfill the ambition of the United States federal government’s REPLANT Act, the U.S. Forest Service has funds available to plant more than a billion trees in the next nine years. The problem is, there aren’t enough trees. Not only that, but U.S. tree nurseries don’t have enough variety of species necessary to […]
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act has passed in California. The act is the first legislation in the state to protect a species from climate change. It prohibits any person or public agency from importing, exporting, removing, owning, buying or selling western Joshua trees or any of their parts, and the legislation requires the Department […]
Palm trees with their feathery fronds are a long-standing symbol of the tropics… aboveground. Now, researchers with Royal Botanic Gardens (RBC), Kew have documented a unique member of the Arecaceae, or palm, family that produces its flowers and fruits almost exclusively beneath the soil, a press release from RBC, Kew said. The species, which the […]