Drought News
May 16, 2024
Top Headlines
May 3, 2024 Recent findings that plants employ a drought-survival mechanism to also defend against nutrient-sucking pests could inform future crop breeding programs aimed at achieving better broadscale pest ...
Apr. 17, 2024 Prolonged droughts followed by sudden bursts of rainfall -- how do desert soil bacteria manage to survive such harsh conditions? This long-debated question has now been answered by microbiologists. The study reveals that desert soil bacteria are ...
Apr. 16, 2024 Plants with multiple sets of chromosomes, known as polyploids, are salt-tolerant or drought-resistant and often achieve higher yields. However, newly formed polyploid plants are often sterile or have reduced fertility and are unsuitable for breeding ...
Apr. 11, 2024 Researchers have identified 14 genes that thale cress -- a plant commonly used in genetic investigations since its genome is well documented -- express more when responding to five specific stressors, as well as eight genes that the plant ...
Latest Headlines
updated 1:26pm EDT
Apr. 24, 2024 Researchers found that forests with higher trait diversity not only adapt better to climate change but may also thrive. The study unveiled how tree functional trait diversity plays a pivotal role in ...
Apr. 9, 2024 A team reveals a clear link between human-driven climate change and the years-long drought currently gripping southern ...
Apr. 3, 2024 Until now, groundwater -- a critical water resource around the globe, especially in dry regions -- has been largely unstudied in its importance and role in sustaining ecosystems. New groundbreaking ...
Apr. 2, 2024 Australia could soon see megadroughts that last for more than 20 years, according to new modelling. The researchers' bleak findings are before factoring in human impact on the climate since the ...
Mar. 21, 2024 Tiny organisms such as bacteria and fungi help to promote the health and function of plant roots. It is commonly assumed that the composition of these microbes is dependent on the properties of the ...
Mar. 14, 2024 Restored salmon habitat should resemble financial portfolios, offering fish diverse options for feeding and survival so that they can weather various conditions as the climate changes, a new study ...
Mar. 13, 2024 Researchers have published a simple trick that improves the accuracy of techniques that help us understand how external variables -- such as temperature -- affect gene activity in ...
Mar. 6, 2024 Early experiences in an animal's life can have a significant impact on its capacity to thrive, even years or decades later, and DNA methylation may help record their effects. In a study of 256 wild ...
Feb. 28, 2024 Scientists uncover the intricate dance between drought, wildfires and invasive species in Southern California's coastal sage scrub ...
Scientists Assemble a Richer Picture of the Plight and Resilience of the Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog
Feb. 26, 2024 Up to only a few inches in length, with a lemon-hued belly, the foothill yellow-legged frog may seem unassuming. But its range once stretched from ...
Earlier Headlines
Feb. 14, 2024 Global warming may be interacting with regional rainfall and deforestation to accelerate forest loss in the Amazon, pushing it towards partial or total collapse. New research has identified the ...
Feb. 14, 2024 Scientists have determined how the well-known plant hormone ethylene is crucial in controlling the angle at which roots grow. The findings can be used to engineer plants and crops that withstand the ...
Jan. 16, 2024 Sustainable water management is an increasing concern in arid regions around the world, and scientists and regulators are turning to remote sensing tools like OpenET to help track and manage water ...
Jan. 15, 2024 Three decades of data have informed a new Nebraska-led study that shows how the depletion of groundwater -- the same that many farmers rely on for irrigation -- can threaten food production amid ...
Jan. 12, 2024 The so-called Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (for short: RYMV) is responsible for high crop losses in Africa, particularly among small-scale farmers. A research team has now produced rice lines that are ...
Jan. 10, 2024 Peatlands are affected more by drought than expected. This is concerning, as these ecosystems are an important ally in the fight against climate change. Following long periods of drought, peat is ...
Jan. 8, 2024 A global study shows that the effects of extreme drought -- which is expected to increase in frequency with climate change -- has been greatly underestimated for grasslands and shrublands. The ...
Dec. 19, 2023 Wild North American grapes are now less of a mystery after researchers decoded and catalogued the genetic diversity of nine species of this valuable wine ...
Dec. 15, 2023 The word 'drought' typically conjures images of parched soil, dust-swept prairies, depleted reservoirs, and dry creek beds, all the result of weeks or seasons of persistently dry ...
Dec. 13, 2023 This holiday season brings surprising news about your Christmas tree. Scientists just discovered that globally, trees growing in wetter regions are more sensitive to drought. That means if your tree ...
Nov. 30, 2023 White, wealthy neighborhoods in the LA area -- and likely around the world -- are about to start feeling the same heat that has plagued poorer, Hispanic neighborhoods for generations. A new study ...
Nov. 30, 2023 Researchers have discovered that the waxy protective barrier around plants might play a role in sending chemical signals to other plants and ...
Nov. 29, 2023 The San Joaquin Valley in California has experienced vast variability in climate extremes, with droughts and floods that were more severe and lasted longer than what has been seen in the modern ...
Nov. 22, 2023 Quinoa and many other extremely resilient plants are covered with strange balloon-like 'bladders' that for 127 years were believed to be responsible for protecting them from drought and ...
Nov. 13, 2023 Wildfires and drought have led to $11.2 billion in damages to privately held timberland in California, Oregon and Washington over the past two decades, a new Oregon State University study ...
Nov. 3, 2023 Researchers studied how young trees respond to a hotter, drier climate. Their findings can help shape forest management policy and our understanding of how landscapes will ...
Oct. 24, 2023 Adding crushed volcanic rock to farmland can pull carbon dioxide out of the air. In a field test, scientists found that the process works even in dry ...
Oct. 18, 2023 A new study reveals how reduced water flows and rising atmospheric temperatures are set to heat our rivers -- creating major challenges for aquatic life, ecosystems, and ...
Oct. 17, 2023 Now is the time to identify the conditions that cause plants to die. Doing so will allow us to better protect plants by choosing conservation targets more strategically, botanists ...
Oct. 16, 2023 Despite steps toward decreasing deforestation, uncontrolled wildfires are threatening environmental gains in Brazilian Amazonia, one of the world's most critical carbon sinks and a region of ...
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
- Is the Amazon Forest Approaching a Tipping Point?
- Controlling Root Growth Direction Could Help Save Crops and Mitigate Climate Change
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Monday, January 15, 2024
Friday, January 12, 2024
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Monday, January 8, 2024
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Friday, December 15, 2023
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Thursday, November 30, 2023
- Money to Burn: Wealthy, White Neighborhoods Losing Their Heat Shields
- The Waxy Surface Protecting Plants Might Hold the Key to Developing Stronger Crops
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Monday, November 13, 2023
Friday, November 3, 2023
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Monday, October 16, 2023
Monday, October 9, 2023
Thursday, September 21, 2023
- We Could Sequester CO2 by 're-Greening' Arid Lands, Plant Scientists Say
- How Climate Warming Could Disrupt a Deep-Rooted Relationship
Monday, September 4, 2023
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Monday, August 14, 2023
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Monday, July 31, 2023
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Friday, July 14, 2023
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Monday, July 10, 2023
- Forest Can Adapt to Climate Change, but Not Quickly Enough
- Roots Are Capable of Measuring Heat on Their Own
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Monday, June 26, 2023
Monday, May 22, 2023
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Monday, April 17, 2023
- Female Butterflies Breed Despite Male Shortage
- Temperature, Drought Influencing Movement of Plains Bison
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
- Multifunctional Patch Offers Early Detection of Plant Diseases, Other Crop Threats
- Increased Droughts Are Disrupting Carbon-Capturing Soil Microbes, Concerning Ecologists
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Friday, March 31, 2023
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Monday, March 20, 2023
Friday, March 17, 2023
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Monday, February 27, 2023
- Human-Wildlife Conflicts Rising Worldwide With Climate Change
- Shrinking Age Distribution of Spawning Salmon Raises Climate Resilience Concerns
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
- Researcher Discovers Threshold That Triggers Drought Response in Forests
- Detecting the Impact of Drought on Plants With User-Friendly and Inexpensive Techniques
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Monday, February 6, 2023
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
- Aquatic Organisms Respond to Flooding and Drought Disturbance in Different Ways
- Understanding Plants Can Boost Wildland-Fire Modeling in Uncertain Future
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Monday, January 16, 2023
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Monday, December 12, 2022
Thursday, December 8, 2022
Monday, December 5, 2022
- Forest Resilience Linked With Higher Mortality Risk in Western US
- Climate Change in the Forests of Northern Germany
Thursday, December 1, 2022
- Old-Growth Trees More Drought Tolerant Than Younger Ones, Providing a Buffer Against Climate Change
- Plants Can Adapt Their Lignin Using 'chemically Encoding' Enzymes to Face Climate Change
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Monday, November 14, 2022
Thursday, November 10, 2022
Friday, October 28, 2022
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Monday, September 19, 2022
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Thursday, September 1, 2022
Monday, August 29, 2022
- Reintroducing Bison to Grasslands Increases Plant Diversity, Drought Resilience
- Pretreating Soil With Ethanol Protects Plants from Drought, Study Finds
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Friday, August 19, 2022
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Monday, August 8, 2022
- 'Dream' Discovery Could Sow Crops Better Equipped to Weather the Climate Change Storm
- Researchers Show Potential for Improved Water-Use Efficiency in Field-Grown Plants
Friday, August 5, 2022
- Common Weed May Be 'super Plant' That Holds Key to Drought-Resistant Crops
- Oft-Overlooked Grasslands Build Biodiversity, Resilience Over Centuries