http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/endangered_plants/ Endangered plant research. Read about interesting mechanisms for plant survival and what is being done to save threatened and endangered plants. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/endangered_plants/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123036.htm Poinsettia, a holiday favorite, is produced using plant growth regulators (PGRs) to achieve their desired height, but the high cost of PGRs, environmental use restrictions, and increasing pressure from consumers are driving researchers to explore new alternatives. Argentine researchers recently completed a study to determine if manipulation of red and far-red light ratios can be a successful alternative to the use of PGRs. Results indicate that the new approach is effective and environmentally beneficial. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135415.htm The war between the sexes has been fought on many fronts throughout time -- from humans to birds to insects, the animal kingdom is replete with species involved in their own skirmishes. A recent study demonstrates that certain plants, with some help from fungal friends, may also be involved in this fray. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171750.htm Fossil plants provide clues as to what our planet looked like millions of years ago. Identifying fossil plants can be tricky, however, when plant organs fail to be preserved. Researchers recently discovered abundant fossilized specimens of a conifer (previously known as "Libocedrus" prechilensis) found in Argentinean Patagonia. Characteristics of these fossils match those currently found only in tropical, montane New Guinea and the Moluccas. This discovery helps to explain the remarkable plant and insect diversity found in Eocene Patagonia. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091107115833.htm Tree-dwelling ants generally live in harmony with their arboreal hosts. But new research suggests that when they run out of space in their trees of choice, the ants can get destructive to neighboring trees. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091107115833.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited to single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeasts, can be extended to mosses, opening the door to applications of a number of powerful techniques in plant research. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106111214.htm Predictions made over the last decade about the impacts of climate change on biodiversity may be exaggerated, according to a paper published in the journal Science. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106111214.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102954.htm In foods, soil samples or customs checks, plant fragments sometimes need to be quickly identified. The use of DNA "barcodes" to itemize plant biodiversity was proposed during the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Summit. Researchers have now tested this method in the tropical forest. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102954.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140814.htm Conserving water and reducing the environmental impact of runoff are two important issues confronting container nursery operations. Current regulations in five states limit water consumption and/or nutrient concentrations in runoff. Researchers investigated whether irrigation scheduling based on daily water use (DWU) -- the combined loss of water from plant transpiration and substrate evaporation -- could conserve water. According to the study, "scheduling irrigation according to plant DWU substantially reduced the amount of irrigation applied. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140816.htm Air quality in homes and offices is becoming a major health concern. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in indoor air emanate from adhesives, furnishings, clothing, and solvents and have been shown to cause illnesses in people. Researchers tested ornamental indoor plants for their ability to remove harmful VOCs from indoor air. The study concluded that simply introducing common ornamental plants into indoor spaces has the potential to significantly improve the quality of indoor air. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143720.htm Unwrapping some of the mystery from how plants and bacteria communicate to trigger an innate immune response, scientists have identified the bacterial signaling molecule that matches up with a specific receptor in rice plants to ward off a devastating disease known as bacterial blight of rice. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143720.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172453.htm The genome of the cucumber has been sequenced by an international consortium lead by Chinese and US institutions. The cucumber genome will give insight into the genetics of the whole cucurbit family, which includes pumpkins and squash, melon and watermelon, and be a platform for research in plant biology. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171915.htm African violets are enjoyed for their delicate, colorful flowers and furry, soft leaves but many people want to touch the leaves and flowers. Oklahoma researchers wanted to know how does all this attention affect the plants. Plants received five brushing treatments during the study. Results "suggests that repeated brushing reduces plant size and quality of African violets, particularly when done with a bare hand to which lotion has been applied." Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112056.htm Scientists have identified biomarkers in rice -- 17 markers thus far that can follow changes in metabolism rapidly across a large number of plant samples. The technique is called metabolite screening. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152938.htm Genetically modified squash plants that are resistant to a debilitating viral disease become more vulnerable to a fatal bacterial infection, according to biologists. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152938.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028112609.htm Researchers have identified wheat and barley lines resistant to crown rot -- a disease that costs Australian wheat and barley farmers $79 million in lost yield every year. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028112609.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914131910.htm Researchers have explored a piece of Darwin's "abominable mystery" -- how flowering plants originated, rapidly diversified, and rose to dominance -- by exploring the microscopic anatomy of seed development in Trithuria, a genus in the plant family Hydatellaceae. This family is thought to be one of the earliest families of angiosperms -- the so-called "basal angiosperms." Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914131910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161526.htm Scientists have published the largest nematode phylogenetic tree up until now. It contains over 1,200 species and is entirely based on the analysis of DNA sequence data. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002102415.htm Hybrids of the invasive Australian plant species Casuarina exist in Florida, scientists have found. These fast-growing, pine-like trees were historically planted widely as ornamentals and along boulevards in south Florida, and are currently being proposed as a windbreak in citrus groves. However, the trees are frequently the tallest in the canopy and can be very damaging during storms and hurricanes. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002102415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021133852.htm Bits of movable DNA called transposable elements or TEs fill up the genomes of plants and animals, but it has remained unclear how a genome can survive a rapid burst of hundreds, even thousands of new TE insertions. Now, for the first time, research by plant biologists have documented the impact of such a burst in a rice strain that is accumulating more than 40 new TE insertions per plant per generation of an element called mPing. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021133852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105335.htm Research has previously assumed that animals and plants developed different genetic programs for cell death. Now scientists have shown that parts of the genetic programs that determine programmed cell death in plants and animals are actually evolutionarily related and moreover function in a similar way. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029150610.htm Evolution uses every chance it gets to try something new. Researchers have now investigated how petunia flowers are formed and discovered that nature is even more varied than the naked eye can spot. The genes involved in flower formation can function differently in different species. Evolution has discovered a system that works, but within that system it continues to innovate. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029150610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019162917.htm Scientists have identified a novel enzyme responsible for the formation of suberin -- the woody, waxy, cell-wall substance found in cork. Adjusting the permeability of plant tissues by genetically manipulating the expression of this enzyme could lead to easier agricultural production of crops used for biofuels. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019162917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019134716.htm Supervolcanoes and cosmic impacts get all the terrible glory for causing mass extinctions, but a new theory suggests lowly algae may be the killer behind the world's great species annihilations. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019134716.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013104344.htm Conservation biologists are setting their minimum population size targets too low to prevent extinction, according to a new study. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013104344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014122051.htm The "vegetable lamb" plant -- once believed to bear fruit that ripened into a living baby sheep -- produces substances that show promise in laboratory experiments as new treatments for osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease. Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014122051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103623.htm Peat has been used in container plant production since the 1960s. Highly porous and able to hold water, peat makes an ideal rooting and growing medium. But harvesting peat (and draining valuable peatlands in the process) releases carbon stored in peat into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Researchers have worked for years to find alternative organic materials that can be used as partial or complete substitutes for peat and are now testing composted dairy manure. Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103623.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014144734.htm Plants may not have eyes and ears, but they can recognize their siblings, and researchers have discovered how. The ID system lies in the roots and the chemical cues they secrete. The finding not only sheds light on the intriguing sensing system in plants, but also may have implications for agriculture and even home gardening. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014144734.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016112639.htm An international partnership of 54 countries led by the United Kingdom's Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is celebrating a decade of work to set aside seeds for future generations from 10 percent of the world's wild flowering species. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016112639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012230441.htm Researchers working in Colombia's Cerrejón coal mine have unearthed the first megafossil evidence of a neotropical rainforest. Titanoboa, the world's biggest snake, lived in this forest 58 million years ago at temperatures 3-5 C warmer than in rainforests today, indicating that rainforests flourished during warm periods. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012230441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007091752.htm The many environmental issues facing our society are prevalent in the media lately. Our ecosystem is composed of a very delicate network of interactions among all species and the non-living environment. Predicting how each component of this complex system will respond to the many environmental changes sweeping the globe is a challenging problem today's scientists face. This study explores how increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be affecting trees and, ultimately, affecting water and carbon cycles. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007091752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095449.htm Researchers have developed a new technique for the use of banana plants in the production of plastic products. The project will develop new procedures to incorporate by-products from banana plantations in the Canary Islands into the production of rotationally moulded plastics. In addition to the environmental benefits, the project will increase the profitability of the plantation owners and help job security for those working in the area. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095449.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006155911.htm The ecological and economic impacts of gene flow between crops and their weedy relatives are significant. Weedy relatives may acquire beneficial genes from cultivated cousins, potentially increasing their invasive ability. Farmers may find that their crop yields decrease or crops may be more difficult to harvest if they hybridize with a weedy relative. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006155911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005161126.htm A 16-year study of tropical butterfly migration links a global climate pattern, El Niño, to local increases in plant production and peak migrations. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005161126.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002100351.htm Scientists in Oregon found that rangelands that have been grazed by cattle recover from fires more effectively than rangelands that have been protected from livestock. These surprising findings could impact management strategies for native plant communities where ecological dynamics are shifting because of climate change, invasive weeds and other challenges. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002100351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927160422.htm Scientists have examined the genes and proteins of bacteria that live on leaves to clarify which unicellular organisms are found on leaf surfaces and what they are doing there. Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927160422.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001164414.htm A long-term study of Africanized bee invasion of Mexico's Yucatan shows that "killer bees" may actually increase food resources for native bees. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001164414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002105359.htm The pathogen that causes sudden oak death disease in California has a different genetic fingerprint than fungal strains found in nurseries in Oregon and Washington, according to scientists. This discovery will allow scientists to distinguish infections in other states as likely having originated from either California or the Pacific Northwest. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002105359.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002100714.htm Using sheep to control leafy spurge works best if it's done in the spring every year, according to a new study. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002100714.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930112144.htm Scientists in China have discovered that a natural plant hormone, applied to crops, can help plants eliminate residues of certain pesticides. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930112144.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133242.htm Scientists have discovered a new use for the Polycomb group protein found in moss that have an important role in telling stem cells how to develop. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133242.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927151724.htm A bird-eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it's from another planet, and a bird which would rather walk than fly -- these are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927151724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923121441.htm Can we predict which species will be most vulnerable to climate change by studying how they responded in the past? A new study of flowering plants provides a clue. An analysis of more than 5,000 species reveals that woody plants adapted to past climate change more slowly than herbaceous plants did. If the past is any indicator of the future, woody plants may have a harder time than other plants keeping pace with global warming. Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923121441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095808.htm A new computing tool that could help scientists predict how plants will react to different environmental conditions in order to create better crops, such as tastier and longer lasting tomatoes, is being developed by researchers. Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095808.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095705.htm Scientists have shown that the main shoot dominates a plant's growth principally because it was there first, rather than due to its position at the top of the plant. The discovery helps explain why pruning encourages plants to thrive. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095705.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909203144.htm Will we soon see the flowers of Edinburgh in full bloom in the depths of winter? This possibility is considered in a new study into the impact of global warming on spring flowering. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909203144.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090830100003.htm Scientists are investigating the chemical makeup of a mosquito- and ant-repellent essential oil from a native Samoan plant. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090830100003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902122446.htm Plants are not as defenseless as they may seem. Various plant hormones work together to specifically fend off attacks. Botanists have now shown how these hormones cooperate. By 'consulting' with each other plant hormones determine which defense mechanism they shall set in motion. Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902122446.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914142722.htm A reaction similar to the inactivation of prostaglandin hormones has now been discovered in the larval guts of two plant pest species. The insects bear an enzyme which structurally modifies and thereby inactivates OPDA, a highly active plant hormone. The results illustrate the close relationships and interactions of hormone activities in the animal and plant kingdoms. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914142722.htm