Plants
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Plants
Losing life’s variety
2010 is the deadline set for reversing declines in biodiversity, but little has been accomplished.
By Susan Milius -
Ecosystems
Impatiens plants are more patient with siblings
Streamside wildflower holds back on leaf competition when roots meet close kin
By Susan Milius -
Animals
Ants in the pants drive away birds
Yellow crazy ants can get so annoying that birds don’t eat their normal fruits, a new study finds.
By Susan Milius -
Agriculture
Potato famine pathogen packs unusual, sneaky genome
DNA of infamous Phytophthora microbe reveals big, quick-changing zones, possibly the key to the pathogen’s vexing adaptability
By Susan Milius -
Animals
Back off, extinct moa
A New Zealand tree’s peculiar leaves may have served as defenses against long-gone giant birds.
By Susan Milius -
Life
Bent innards give orchid its kick
Violent pollen delivery in Catasetum flowers gets its power from temporarily deformed inner strip
By Susan Milius -
Agriculture
How weed killers might protect our eyes: It’s corny
Herbicides can boost trace-nutrient concentrations in sweet corn.
By Janet Raloff -
Physics
Pseudo pores help fling spores
New studies reveal that a thick, soft plant expels its progeny in an unexpected way.
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Health & Medicine
Downside of red-hot chili peppers
In the wild, a culinary kick comes with risks to the plant.
By Susan Milius -
Plants
Climatic effects of tree-killing hurricanes
A new analysis suggests storm damage returns millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year.
By Sid Perkins -
Ecosystems
Living Physics
From green leaves to bird brains, biological systems may exploit quantum phenomena.
By Susan Gaidos