Acaena exigua NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S.<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-surface-slicks-create-superhighway-for-fish/"> Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Acaena exigua is an extinct species of flowering plant in the rose family known by the common name liliwai. It was endemic to Hawaii, where it was known from Kauaʻi and west Maui. It had not been seen or collected since 1957 and was feared extinct until 1997, when one plant was discovered in a remote montane bog on <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=maui&amp;cvid=11f593b142284a109c4b71b63cd85874&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Maui</a>. The plant died in 2000, and the species is now considered extinct.Acaena exigua A. Gray var. subtusstrigulosa Bitter: Classification. Click on a scientific name below to expand it in the PLANTS Classification Report. Rank Scientific Name and Common Name; Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Subkingdom: Tracheobionta

Acaena exigua

Acaena exigua NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation...

Abies guatemalensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.A. guatemalensis is a conical tree growing 20 to 35 meters tall and 60 to 90 cm in girth. The branches grow largely horizontally. The <a title="Bark (botany)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bark_(botany)">bark</a> is a blackish-brown and is divided into plates. The branchlets are reddish-brown to deep blackish-red and pubescent. The <a class="mw-redirect" title="Buds" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buds">buds</a> are globular-ovoid, resinous, and roughly 5 mm in length. The <a class="mw-redirect" title="Leaves" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaves">leaves</a> are somewhat comb-like or nearly pectinate in arrangement. They are unequal and deep green above and waxy in texture underneath. They measure 1.5 to 5.5 cm long by 1.2 to 2 mm wide. <a title="Stoma" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoma">Stomata</a> are usually absent above, but appear in 8 to 10 lines below. They contain two marginal resin canals and the apex of the leaf is notched and emarginate. The female <a title="Conifer cone" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer_cone">cones</a> are oblong-cylindric and the apex is pointed to somewhat flattened. They are yellowish-brown in colour with a violet bloom and measure 8 to 11.5 cm long by 4 to 4.5 cm wide. The scales are oblong, or broader than long. The <a title="Bract" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bract">bracts</a> are hidden, about one half the height of the scale and are cuneate-obovoid in shape. The <a title="Seed" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed">seeds</a> are a light brown nut to 9 mm in length with a wing to 1.5 cm long"

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Abies guatemalensis

Abies guatemalensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abronia macrocarpa NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Abronia macrocarpa is a perennial herb with a hairy, glandular stem growing up to half a meter tall. The glandular oval leaf blades are up to 5 centimeters long by 3.5 wide and are borne on relatively long <a title="Petiole (botany)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petiole_(botany)">petioles</a>. The <a title="Inflorescence" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence">inflorescence</a> is a cluster of up to 75 magenta or light purple flowers each up to 3 centimeters long. The tubular, strongly fragrant flowers open at dusk and are <a title="Pollination" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollination">pollinated</a> by <a title="Moth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moth">moths</a>. The winged fruit is up to 1.5 centimeters long. It is <a title="Biological dispersal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_dispersal">dispersed</a> by wind.

Its natural habitat is sandy soils with little other vegetation, often in openings of post-oak woodlands

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Abronia macrocarpa

Abronia macrocarpa NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abutilon eremitopetalum NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

Abutilon eremitopetalum ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Abutilon eremitopetalum, commonly known as the hidden-petaled abutilon or hiddenpetal Indian mallow, is a species of <a title="Flowering plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant">flowering</a> shrub in the <a title="Malva" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva">mallow</a> family, Malvaceae. It is endemic to dry forests and low shrublands on the <a title="Windward and leeward" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windward_and_leeward">windward</a> side of the island of Lānaʻi in <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>. It is classified by the IUCN Red List as critically endangered by habitat destruction.The species was first discovered in 1987. Fish are gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits. They form a sister group to the tunicates, together forming the olfactores. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=051056fee95547398bc5795d84ee6725&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Abutilon eremitopetalum

Abutilon eremitopetalum NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abutilon menziesii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Abutilon menziesii is <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=endangered+species&amp;cvid=78d216ecaa634aeb936f4769c391ccc9&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">endangered</a>.Abutilon menziesii, known as Koʻoloaʻula in Hawaiian, is an endangered species of flowering shrub in the mallow family, Malvaceae,  Malvaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is a sprawling shrub that can reach up to 10 feet in height. The leaves, which range from an inch in width to about five inches, vary in their shapes. They have a velvety feel to them. The small hibiscus-shaped flowers generally hang downward. Though charming up close, the flowers can be hidden by the much larger leaves and not often visible at a distance. Although the Hawaiian name ʻula refers to the more commonly seen red color, koʻoloa ʻula

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Abutilon menziesii

Abutilon menziesii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abutilon sandwicense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.Abutilon sandwicense, commonly known as the greenflower Indian mallow, is a species of <a title="Flowering plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant">flowering plant</a> in the <a title="Malva" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva">mallow</a> family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to the island of Oʻahu, <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>, in the <a title="United States" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">United States</a>. It inhabits dry forests on the slopes of the Waiʻanae Range at elevations of 400–600 m (1,300–2,000 ft). Associated plants include lama (Diospyros sandwicensis), ēlama (<a title="Diospyros hillebrandii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_hillebrandii">D. hillebrandii</a>), māmaki (Pipturus albidus), kalia (Elaeocarpus <a class="new" title="Elaeocarpus bifidus (page does not exist)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elaeocarpus_bifidus&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1">bifidus</a>), āulu (Sapindus oahuensis), olopua (<a title="Nestegis sandwicensis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestegis_sandwicensis">Nestegis sandwicensis</a>), and alaheʻe (Psydrax odorata). Greenflower Indian mallow is a shrub, reaching a height of 1.5–3 m (4.9–9.8 ft). It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>.

Abutilon sandwicense

Abutilon sandwicense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Acanthomintha ilicifolia. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia, known by the common name San Diego thornmint, is a rare species of flowering plant in the <a title="Lamiaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamiaceae">mint family</a>. It is native to <a title="Baja California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California">Baja California</a> and <a title="San Diego County, California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_County,_California">San Diego County, California</a>, where it is a resident of the <a title="Chaparral" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaparral">chaparral</a> and <a title="Coastal sage scrub" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_sage_scrub">coastal sage scrub</a> plant communities and <a title="Vernal pool" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_pool">vernal pools</a>.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia has been <a title="Local extinction" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_extinction">extirpated</a> from many of the sites where it was previously noted in San Diego County. It is a federally listed threatened species in the United States. This species is also listed as endangered under the <a title="California Endangered Species Act" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Endangered_Species_Act">California Endangered Species Act</a> which means that killing or possessing the plants is prohibited within <a title="California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California">California</a> unless authorized by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia

Acanthomintha ilicifolia. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=e31edaa0953840a0af562f33e9814b78&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North America</a> and the world.  Acanthomintha duttonii is a species of annual plant endemic to San Mateo County, California in the family Lamiaceae. It is commonly called San Mateo thornmint and is found growing on serpentine soils near the Crystal Springs Reservoir in a six-mile long strip on the east side of Montara Mountain at elevations of approximately 150 to 300 meters. an annual herb that is native to California and and is endemic (limited) to California. also called Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1 ( rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere ).

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe...

Achyranthes mutica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/"> Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.Achyranthes mutica A. Gray – blunt chaff flower Subordinate Taxa. This plant has no children Legal Status. Threatened and Endangered Information: This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state. Common names are from state and federal lists. Click on a place name to get a complete protected plant list for that location.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=43301dd515c748d8ad14055801b02e2c&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North America</a> and the world.Achyranthes mutica (also called blunt chaff flower) is a species of <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> in the family <a title="Amaranthaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthaceae">Amaranthaceae</a>. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>. Its natural <a title="Habitat" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat">habitats</a> are <a title="Hawaiian tropical dry forests" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_dry_forests">dry forests</a> and subtropical or tropical dry <a title="Shrubland" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubland">shrubland</a>. It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Achyranthes mutica

Achyranthes mutica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-investigate-the-mysterious-origin-of-flowering-plants/">plants</a> and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata Genus is derived from the Greek achyron, chaff, and anthos, flower, referring to the chaffy parts of the flower. The Latin ephithet splendens means shining

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.Achyranthes splendens (ʻEwa hinahina; also called Maui chaff flower, round chaff flower, round-leaf chaff flower, or round-leaved chaff flower) is a species of flowering plant in the <a title="Amaranth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth">pigweed</a> family, <a title="Amaranthaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthaceae">Amaranthaceae</a>, that is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaiʻi</a>. Its natural <a title="Habitat" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat">habitats</a> are <a title="Hawaiian tropical dry forests" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_dry_forests">dry forests</a>, <a title="Hawaiian tropical low shrublands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_low_shrublands">low shrublands</a>, and <a title="Sand" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand">sandy</a> shores. It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>. Native Hawaiians have, for centuries, considered its extract to be an effective natural cure for constipation.

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe...

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae) NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Syrmatium veatchii, <a title="Synonym (taxonomy)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synonym_(taxonomy)">synonyms</a> Lotus dendroideus and Acmispon dendroideus, is a species of <a title="Faboideae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faboideae">legume</a> native to <a title="California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California">California</a>. It is known by the common name island broom. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Channel Islands of California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands_of_California">Channel Islands of California</a>, where it grows on coastal bluffs and cliffs. It is a spreading perennial herb or erect <a title="Shrub" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub">shrub</a> approaching 2 meters in height. It is hairless to hairy and gray-green in color. The branches lined with leaves each made up of a few oval leaflike leaflets up to 1.5 centimeters long each. The <a title="Inflorescence" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence">inflorescence</a> bears up to 10 yellow pealike flowers, each roughly a centimeter long and fading red as they age

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae)

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae) NatureServe Explorer...

Aconitum noveboracense. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Aconitum noveboracense, also known as northern blue monkshood or northern wild monkshood, is a flowering <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> belonging to the buttercup family (<a title="Ranunculaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranunculaceae">Ranunculaceae</a>). Members of its genus (<a title="Aconitum" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum">Aconitum</a>) are also known as wolfsbane.

The <a title="United States Fish and Wildlife Service" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service">United States Fish and Wildlife Service</a> government lists it as a <a class="mw-redirect" title="Threatened" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threatened">threatened</a> species.<a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum_noveboracense#endnote_ecos.fws.gov.129">[1]</a> It grows in rare portions of <a class="mw-redirect" title="New York State" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State">New York State</a> and in portions of the <a title="Driftless Area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driftless_Area">Driftless Area</a>.

Northern monkshood is noted for its very distinctive, blue hood-shaped flowers. The flowers are about 1 inch in length, and a single stem may have many flowers. Stems range from about 1 to 4 feet in length. The leaves are broad with coarse, toothed lobes.
<ul>
 	<li>Only found in Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York.</li>
 	<li>Typically found on shaded to partially shaded cliffs, <a class="mw-redirect" title="Algific talus slopes" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algific_talus_slopes">algific talus slopes</a>, or on cool, streamside sites. These areas have cool soil conditions, cold air drainage, or cold groundwater flowage. On algific talus slopes, these conditions are caused by the outflow of cool air and water from ice contained in underground fissures. These fissures are connected to sinkholes and are a conduit for the air flows.</li>
</ul>
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Aconitum noveboracense

Aconitum noveboracense. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Adenophorus periens NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=051056fee95547398bc5795d84ee6725&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Adenophorus periens is a rare species of <a title="Fern" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern">fern</a> known by the common name pendant kihi fern. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>, where it is known from one population in <a title="Puna, Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puna,_Hawaii">Puna</a> on the island of <a title="Hawaii (island)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_(island)">Hawaii</a> and a few occurrences on <a title="Kauai" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauai">Kauai</a> and <a title="Molokai" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molokai">Molokai</a>. The fern occurs in wet mountain forests on volcanic slopes. It grows on trees. There are perhaps 2000 individual plants remaining. This is a federally listed <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> of the United States.

This fern is easily distinguished from others in its genus, with its long, hanging fronds that may exceed 40 centimeters in length, twice as long as other Adenophorus. The leaflets on the fronds are twisted at an angle to the <a title="Rachis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachis">rachis</a> and the leaf edges are lined with unique hairs. <a title="Genetic analysis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_analysis">Genetic analysis</a> reveals that the fern has a high <a title="Genetic diversity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_diversity">genetic diversity</a> for such a rare species.

Threats to the species include <a title="Lava" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava">lava</a> and <a title="Volcanic gas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_gas">gas</a> from the volcanoes on which it grows, as well as the death of its host trees, <a title="Introduced species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_species">introduced species</a> including <a title="Weed" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weed">weeds</a> and <a title="Feral pig" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_pig">feral pigs</a>, and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Geothermal electricity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_electricity">geothermal development</a>.

Adenophorus periens

Adenophorus periens NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Adiantum vivesii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/plants-cannot-keep-up-with-rising-co2-levels/">plants</a>, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Adiantum vivesii is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Puerto Rico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico">Puerto Rico</a>, where it is known from a single population made up of perhaps 1000 individuals near <a title="Quebradillas, Puerto Rico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebradillas,_Puerto_Rico">Quebradillas</a>, in the <a class="mw-redirect" title="San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo metropolitan area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_%E2%80%93_Caguas_%E2%80%93_Guaynabo_metropolitan_area">San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo metropolitan area</a> on the northern side of the island.The fern was discovered in 1985 and described to science as a new species in 1989. Soon after, it was listed as an <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a>. It is a putative hybrid between Adiantum obliquum and A. tetraphyllum. In 2003 a specimen that most likely represents this species was collected on Petit Morne in Martinique by botanist <a class="mw-redirect" title="Maarten Christenhusz" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maarten_Christenhusz">Maarten Christenhusz</a> collection number 2678 (BM, SP, TUR, U, UC), which means that the hybrid has occurred twice independently.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Adiantum vivesii

Adiantum vivesii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Aeschynomene virginica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Aeschynomene virginica is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Virginia jointvetch and sensitive jointvetch. It is native to a small section of the East Coast of the United States, where it has a fluctuating annual global population scattered in about 20 mostly small occurrences. Counts and estimates revealed two populations in New Jersey including several thousand individuals, one population of a few hundred plants in Maryland, several variable and unstable populations in ditches in North Carolina, and several populations including about 5000 individuals in Virginia. Habitat

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Aeschynomene virginica

Aeschynomene virginica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Agalinis acuta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Agalinis acuta is an annual hemiparasitic plant native to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flash-flooding-devastates-maryland/">Maryland</a>, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Long Island, New York. Common names include sandplain gerardia and sandplain false foxglove. It is one of about 70 species that comprise genus Agalinis. It currently resides within the family Orobanchaceae, but historically was aligned with members of the Scrophulariaceae. This was one of several re-alignments that were the consequence of the disintegration of the Scrophulariaceae as the result of conclusions based on molecular phylogeny data from the chloroplast genome. While historically regarded as a separate species, molecular phylogenetic data indicates that Agalinis acuta should be consolidated as part of the species Agalinis decemloba.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Agalinis acuta

Agalinis acuta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Agave eggersiana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=canada&amp;cvid=b3d93bdc390d43a7878fe6e35c4015bf&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network. Agave eggersiana

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Agave eggersiana, Eggers' century plant, is an <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> of spiky <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> which grows in the <a title="Virgin Islands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands">Virgin Islands</a>, in dry, exposed areas. Agave eggersiana is a perennial herb known in the wild only from the island of <a class="mw-redirect" title="St. Croix" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix">St. Croix</a> of the U.S. <a title="Virgin Islands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands">Virgin Islands</a> (USFWS 1998a).A small number of plants remain on private land and are threatened by tourist development (USFWS 1998b). Other threats include feral pigs and goats on <a title="National Park Service" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service">National Park Service</a> land (USFWS 1998b). Research needs include distribution and abundance, general biology and ecology (USFWS 1998a). The U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-surface-slicks-create-superhighway-for-fish/">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service requests that any interested parties (concerned government agencies, the scientific community and/or industry) submit data or suggestions concerning this species (USFWS 1998b). The plant is being cultivated at the <a title="St. George Village Botanical Garden" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_Village_Botanical_Garden">St. George Village Botanical Garden</a> in St. Croix U.S.V.I.(USFWS 1998a) and at <a class="mw-redirect" title="Fairchild Botanical Gardens" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Botanical_Gardens">Fairchild Botanical Gardens</a> in south <a title="Florida" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida">Florida</a>.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Agave eggersiana

Agave eggersiana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Alectryon macrococcus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/intense-wildfires-in-manitoba-canada/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north%20america&amp;qs=n&amp;form=QBRE&amp;sp=-1&amp;pq=&amp;sc=0-0&amp;sk=&amp;cvid=2A486C7EEB7F4DC9A48B1971A274D39A">North America</a> and the world. North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere. It can also be described as the northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean. Because it is on the North American Tectonic Plate, Greenland is included as part of North America geographically. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), about 16.5% of the Earth's land area and about 4.8% of its total surface. North America is the third-largest continent by area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 579 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7.5% of the world's population.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Alectryon macrococcus

Alectryon macrococcus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Allium munzii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Allium munzii is an onion that grows from a reddish-brown <a title="Bulb" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulb">bulb</a> just over a centimeter long. It produces an erect stem up to about 35 centimeters in maximum height and a single leaf which is usually a bit longer. The <a title="Umbel" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbel">umbel</a> contains up to 35 flowers each under a centimeter long. They have <a title="Tepal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepal">tepals</a> that are white with a dark green midvein, turning red with age. Pollen and anthers are yellow

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Munz’s onion is a California threatened plant species, which means that killing or possessing the plant is prohibited by the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). It is also listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Allium munzii

Allium munzii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Tree,Canopy,Against,A,Sky,Background,With,Oxygen,O2,And

When sunlight streams onto a leaf, something remarkable happens. Energy from those rays flows through molecular pathways with an efficiency that has sparked curiosity for generations.



The new study was led by <a href="https://www.professoren.tum.de/en/hauer-juergen" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Jürgen Hauer</a>, from the Technical University Munich (TUM). 



Researchers around the world are intrigued because these plants seem to tap into the puzzling principles of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/quantum-mechanics-physics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum mechanics</a> to manage light energy with hardly any losses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-photosynthesis-the-basics">Understanding photosynthesis - the basics</h2>



Photosynthesis is nature’s way of making food from sunlight, and it’s the reason we have oxygen to breathe. 



Plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create glucose (a type of sugar) and oxygen. Think of it like a solar-powered kitchen where plants whip up their own energy-packed meals. 



They <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunlight-may-be-the-secret-weapon-for-direct-co2-capture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">absorb sunlight</a> through chlorophyll, the green pigment in their leaves, and use that energy to power the chemical reactions that turn CO₂ and water into food. 



The best part? They release oxygen as a byproduct, which is pretty convenient for the rest of us.



Photosynthesis isn’t just about keeping plants alive - it <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-photosynthesis-could-transform-power-generation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">keeps the entire planet running</a>. It’s the foundation of the food chain, feeding everything from tiny insects to massive mammals. 



It also helps regulate Earth’s atmosphere by pulling carbon dioxide out of the air, which is crucial for balancing the climate. 



Without photosynthesis, we wouldn’t have forests, fruits, or even the air we need to survive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plants-use-quantum-effects">How plants use quantum effects</h2>



There is a concept known as a <a href="https://quantum.microsoft.com/en-us/insights/education/concepts/superposition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">superposition</a> where energy or particles overlap in multiple possible states. It sounds futuristic, yet plants have harnessed it for billions of years to maximize their solar intake.



“When light is absorbed in a leaf, for example, the electronic excitation energy is distributed over several states of each excited chlorophyll molecule; this is called a superposition of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-particles-solution-gravitational-wave-mystery-bose-einstein-condensate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">excited states</a>,” explained Professor Hauer, from TUM. 



A large part of this process involves <a href="https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-chlorophyll" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chlorophyll</a>, a green pigment that absorbs specific wavelengths of light.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shining-a-light-on-energy-states">Shining a light on energy states</h2>



Once a leaf catches light, it must transfer that energy before it disperses as heat. These first moments happen incredibly fast, and scientists believe that the stable electron pathways in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/photosynthetic-bacteria" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthetic bacteria</a> work in a similar way.



“Quantum mechanics is therefore central to understanding the first steps of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-natural-power-of-plants-for-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy tr</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-natural-power-of-plants-for-renewable-energy/">ansfer</a> and charge separation,” said Professor Hauer, from TUM.



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature05678" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> suggest that tiny wave-like processes guide the energy flow toward the chemical centers of a plant cell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-refining-artificial-photosynthesis">Refining artificial photosynthesis</h2>



The team see their investigation as a way to apply these natural insights to engineered light-harvesting materials. 



They propose that a molecule’s electronic states, arranged in precise ways, could push energy transfer systems closer to a near-ideal performance.



“Applying these findings in the design of artificial photosynthesis units could help to utilize solar energy with unprecedented efficiency for electricity generation or photochemistry,” noted one author, from TUM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complexities-of-capturing-sunlight">Complexities of capturing sunlight</h2>



Scientists have discovered that multiple electronic states overlap in chlorophyll, forming avenues where light pulses can glide without much resistance. 



This near-lossless flow has prompted chemists and physicists to look deeper into fast relaxation steps that keep the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-entanglement-a-simple-way-to-grasp-this-impossible-concept-carl-kocher/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a> from leaking away.



These fast steps include a balance of vibrations, state couplings, and energy release in the form of heat. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20615985/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> use ultrafast lasers that fire pulses lasting fractions of a trillionth of a second to watch these early changes unfold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-quantum-changes-in-plants">Small quantum changes in plants</h2>



A closer look reveals subtle differences between specific energy bands, which keep the overall transfer chain stable. 



Minor adjustments in the distance or angle of chlorophyll molecules can create big changes in how efficiently they pass along absorbed sunlight.



While classical physics alone cannot fully describe these happenings, quantum approaches appear to fill the gap. 



The main question is how to control these states in ways that mimic or surpass the leaf’s skill at capturing photons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



A major goal is to build artificial systems that hold onto light longer and send it wherever it is needed. 



Some researchers believe that refining these structures will lead to better photo-devices that power homes or drive chemical reactions at a lower cost.



These fields combine chemistry, biology, and physics in a push to boost the performance of everything from solar cells to photochemical reactors. 



The end game is to create technology that behaves like nature’s wonders yet fits human needs for large-scale energy use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peeking-beyond-the-horizon">Peeking beyond the horizon</h2>



By rethinking conventional energy strategies, scientists hope to replicate the efficiency seen in plants and photosynthetic bacteria. 



That might mean reimagining how we store solar energy, with designs that keep the delicate molecular dance intact.



This latest <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/sc/d4sc06441k" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> breaks ground by confirming that quantum-level effects play a practical role in photosynthesis. 



That assurance opens doors for more projects aiming to push molecular engineering to places once thought too esoteric.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Teams worldwide are now looking to refine advanced spectroscopic methods. 



Part of that involves filtering complex signals to trace how each portion of light energy travels through molecules before being anchored in chemical form.



Those explorations will likely feed into new concepts that bend or arrange chlorophyll-like compounds in stable frameworks. 



As the principles get clearer, labs will be able to prototype test cells that channel energy with minimal waste.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-quantum-mechanics-and-the-future">Plants, quantum mechanics, and the future</h2>



With continued research, engineers may learn to craft artificial setups that match nature’s unparalleled handling of sunshine. 



The goal is to shrink losses in electron flow by orchestrating molecular states the same way leaves have done for ages.



It is not just about building better solar panels, though that is a key outcome. 



It is also about figuring out how this quiet whisper of quantum activity, hidden within ordinary green leaves, can keep inspiring more ideas in energy science.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/sc/d4sc06441k" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chemical Science</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Plants rely on quantum mechanics to manage and transfer energy

When sunlight streams onto a leaf, something remarkable happens. Energy...

In the heart of Los Angeles, trees are absorbing considerably more carbon dioxide than we ever imagined, and effectively balancing a large chunk of fossil fuel emissions during the warmer seasons, when the trees are at their most productive.



This unexpected carbon uptake highlights the crucial role that urban greenery plays in mitigating the effects of pollution. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the impact of vegetation in cities.



Beyond offering shade and aesthetic value, these trees act as silent workhorses in the city’s climate resilience strategy, capturing emissions at a scale that warrants closer examination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-silent-heroes-of-los-angeles">The silent heroes of Los Angeles</h2>



This revelation comes courtesy of a new study, a collaboration between researchers from Public Exchange and the <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Dornsife </a>College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.



The research indicates that LA's trees generate impressive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-greening-affects-carbon-uptake-by-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon uptake</a> rates, absorbing up to 60% of daytime CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion in spring and summer, and about 30% annually.



To monitor the CO2 levels, the researchers launched the Carbon Census array, employing 12 high-resolution sensors across a 15x6-mile section of Los Angeles.



“You can think of emissions like passengers on a train. As the wind moves pollution through the city, some gets picked up and some gets dropped off. These sensors let us see that process in real time,” explained study co-author Will Berelson.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-approach-to-measuring-co₂">A new approach to measuring CO₂</h2>



Traditional models estimate CO₂ levels based on fuel sales, traffic data, or the amount of CO₂ detected at a particular sensor. For this new study, the experts took a direct measurement approach.



Running from July 2021 to December 2022, the study provided a more precise and localized estimation of emissions, and offered a clearer picture of urban carbon flux.



To distinguish CO₂ generated by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-fossil-fuels-kills-5-million-people-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil fuels</a> from CO₂ emitted by living organisms, the researchers used carbon monoxide (CO) as a tracer. Since CO is co-emitted with CO₂ during fossil fuel combustion and behaves similarly in the atmosphere, it allowed scientists to differentiate human-driven emissions from those generated by natural sources.



While the study focused on a section of Los Angeles, its findings have broader implications. Similar methods could be applied to cities worldwide, and could refine our understanding of urban <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-footprints-of-the-wealthy-are-vastly-underestimated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon footprints</a> and inform more effective climate policies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-lesson-from-la-s-trees">A global lesson from LA’s trees</h2>



One startling revelation from the study was that trees absorb most CO₂ during the summer, despite the fact that this is the driest season in Los Angeles.



This is likely due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sustainable-irrigation-could-feed-feed-1-4-billion-more-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">irrigation</a>, groundwater access from leaky pipes, and resilient tree species that stay green and active in dry conditions.



Nevertheless, city trees cannot solve the emissions problem alone. Carbon dioxide levels still peak during rush hour, emphasizing that while greenery helps, it can't offset all pollution from cars, buildings, and industry on its own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-urban-trees-initiative">The Urban Trees Initiative </h2>



This study is a key driver of the USC Urban Trees Initiative - a collaboration between USC, the city of Los Angeles, and community organizations focused on expanding urban greenery in underserved neighborhoods.



The research is critical for our fight against climate change. It provides a blueprint for how we can effectively track and reduce emissions more effectively. “Nature is helping us, but we can't rely on it to do all the work,” said Berelson.



Ultimately, the findings will help Los Angeles and other cities worldwide to meet their ambitious targets of becoming carbon-neutral.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-steps-for-urban-greenery">The next steps for urban greenery</h2>



USC has expanded its sensor network in the quest to monitor CO2 levels in more areas of Los Angeles. This will help define baseline values of emissions and identify where vegetation is making the most impact and where more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-york-city-greenery-absorbs-vast-amounts-of-carbon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenery</a> is needed.



Ultimately, reducing fossil fuel consumption is the most crucial step in combating climate change. However, as we work toward that goal, let’s take a moment to appreciate city trees - they are working much harder than you think. 



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c11392" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Sciencce &amp; Technology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

City trees absorb much more carbon than expected

In the heart of Los Angeles, trees are absorbing considerably...

Superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria, are among the most urgent public health dangers of our time. These bacteria mutate to resist even the most powerful antibiotics.



Recently at a hospital in Nevada, a female patient who was admitted with pneumonia died from sepsis and multiple organ failure. The culprit was a bacteria that had adapted to resist as many as 26 different antibiotics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-possible-solution">A possible solution </h2>



Taking steps in the fight against these deadly pathogens, researchers at <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M</a> have discovered something intriguing. 



The experts found that curcumin, the compound that gives <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turmeric-supplements-provide-yet-another-health-benefit-according-to-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">turmeric</a> its bright yellow color, may be able to reverse antibiotic resistance.



The study revealed that curcumin, when presented to bacteria as a source of food and then triggered by light, causes destructive reactions within these microbes. These reactions eventually kill the bacteria.



The process effectively reduces the number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-create-viruses-to-combat-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antibiotic-resistant</a> strains, consequently making conventional antibiotics useful again.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-curcumin-the-basics">Understanding curcumin - the basics</h2>



As mentioned, curcumin is the powerful compound that gives turmeric its color and impressive health benefits. 



It’s packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a popular natural remedy for everything from joint pain to brain health. 



People have used turmeric in traditional medicine for centuries, but scientists have confirmed that curcumin is the real star. 



It helps fight inflammation, which is linked to chronic diseases like arthritis, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s.



Beyond reducing inflammation, curcumin may support gut health, improve mood, and even have anti-cancer properties. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-superbug-era">The superbug era</h2>



Prior to the discovery of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotics-for-childhood-infections-are-becoming-ineffective/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antibiotics</a>, infectious diseases were the top cause of death and disability globally. The introduction of these wonder drugs added 23 years to the average human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breathing-less-oxygen-could-extend-your-lifespan-by-50-or-more/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lifespan</a>.



While the development of new antibiotics has reached a plateau, resistant bacteria have surged - ushering in the superbug era.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-are-being-passed-from-pets-to-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Superbugs</a> include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and certain drug-resistant strains of pneumonia-causing bacteria - all of which are notoriously difficult to treat.



Dr. Vanderlei Bagnato, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the senior author of the study, shared his insights.



“When bacteria start becoming resistant to conventional antibiotics, we have what we call an antibiotic catastrophe," said Dr. Bagnato.



"To overcome this challenge, we need alternative ways to either kill the superbugs or find a novel way to modify natural processes within the bacteria so that antibiotics start to act again." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-battling-superbugs-with-curcumin">Battling superbugs with curcumin</h2>



Natural diversity within a bacterial population results in varied behaviors, including differences in antibiotic resistance. 



If certain strains can withstand antimicrobial drugs and continue to multiply, this diversity can contribute to increased resistance to treatment.



The primary goal of the Texas A&amp;M study was to control this bacterial diversity to manage resistance.



The research team applied a method known as photodynamic inactivation, which uses light and light-sensitive molecules known as photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species. 



These species can annihilate microorganisms by disrupting their metabolic processes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-curcumin-and-antibiotics">Curcumin and antibiotics</h2>



In their experiments, curcumin was used as the photosensitizer. The beauty of this approach is that curcumin also doubles as natural food for bacteria.



The team tested this method on strains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-microbe-found-to-be-the-culprit-behind-itch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staphylococcus aureus</a> that are resistant to antibiotics such as amoxicillin, erythromycin, and gentamicin.



The bacteria were subjected to multiple light exposure cycles. The team then compared the minimum antibiotic concentration needed to kill the bacteria following light exposure with those not exposed to light. 



“When we have a mixed population of bacteria where some are resistant, we can use photodynamic inactivation to narrow the bacterial distribution, leaving behind strains that are more or less similar in their response to antibiotics. It’s much easier now to predict the precise antibiotic dose needed to remove the infection,” explained Dr. Bagnato.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fighting-against-resistance">Fighting against resistance</h2>



The researchers are confident that photodynamic inactivation by curcumin would function well as a complement to antibiotics as a treatment for infections that are caused by drug-resistant bacteria.



“Photodynamic inactivation offers a cost-effective treatment option, which is crucial for reducing medical expenses not only in developing countries but also in the United States," said study co-author Dr. Vladislav Yakovlev. 



"It also has potential applications in military medicine, where this technology could be used to treat battlefield wounds and prevent the development and spread of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antimicrobial-resistance-projected-to-kill-10-million-people-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antimicrobial resistance</a>, a significant concern in combat situations."



The results of the study provide renewed hope in the fight against superbugs. By leveraging the potential of a common spice like turmeric, we may gain an advantage in this ongoing battle.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-79743-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Just a pinch of this common spice kills superbugs in lab testing

Superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria, are among the most urgent public...

Microscopic,View.,Brightly,Colored,,These,Microscopic,Algae,Can,Survive,In

For thousands of years, algae have lived on the surface of the ice, blooming as the snow recedes. These tiny organisms seem harmless, almost invisible, yet their presence plays a surprising role in shaping the fate of the Greenland Ice Sheet. 



As the world warms, these algae may colonize larger areas, speeding up ice loss and altering the delicate balance of the Arctic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-algae-in-ice-melt">Role of algae in ice melt</h2>



Algae on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-jakobshavn-glacier-seen-melting-in-real-time-from-earth-orbit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland Ice Sheet</a> contain brown pigments. When sunlight strikes the surface, bright ice reflects much of it back into space, keeping the ice cold. 



But when the ice is dark due to algal growth, it absorbs more heat and melts at a faster rate.



This process has been recognized for some time, but researchers believed that the algae’s spread was limited by the lack of nutrients in the harsh, frozen environment. 



The ice desert was thought to be too barren to sustain widespread growth. That assumption has now been turned on its head.



New findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that these algae require very few nutrients to survive. 



More significantly, they can store and conserve energy, which allows them to spread more extensively than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-discovery-transforms-sea-level-predictions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previous expectations</a>.



If this proves correct, ice darkening could happen on a much larger scale in future, thus accelerating the melting of Greenland’s ice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-ice-algae">Understanding ice algae</h2>



Laura Halbach, who recently earned her Ph.D. at <a href="https://international.au.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aarhus University</a>, has played a crucial role in uncovering this surprising phenomenon. 



Now a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.mpg.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute</a> in Bremen, she continues her work studying Arctic ecosystems and their hidden complexities.



"My main goal with the trip to Greenland was to understand the mechanisms of the algae bloom formations," Halbach explained. 



"With new methods, I was able, as the first researcher ever, to measure the activity of single algae cells from the Greenland Ice Sheet. This led to the discovery of their ability to live off very few nutrients and to store up energy."



These findings reshape what scientists thought they knew about microbial life on ice. What was once considered a largely lifeless landscape now appears to host a thriving and resilient ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powerful-world-of-ice-algae">Powerful world of ice algae</h2>



Ice algae are single-celled organisms with an elongated, oval shape. 



They appear brownish due to their pigments and can be found not just in Greenland but also in high-altitude and high-latitude ice regions worldwide. 



The Alps, the Himalayas, and Alaskan glaciers all host similar algal species.



Like plants, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-microalgae-show-photosynthesis-is-possible-in-near-darkness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algae perform photosynthesis</a>, producing oxygen and organic molecules. They rely on sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, along with small amounts of essential nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon.



During spring and summer, they bloom, forming dark patches across the ice. The larger the bloom, the more heat the ice absorbs, creating a cycle where melting fuels even more algal growth. 



Understanding how they function is key to predicting their long-term impact on the Arctic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-frozen-desert-full-of-life">A frozen desert full of life</h2>



That perception that ice sheets are devoid of life started to change in 2020 when researchers from Aarhus University and GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Germany began their expeditions into the Arctic.



They found that the expanses of frozen water teemed with microscopic life, including algae, bacteria, fungi, and even viruses, all coexisting and forming a complex and active ecosystem.



But this discovery came with challenges. When scientists collected ice samples, they found not just algae but entire microbial communities. 



Studying algae in isolation became nearly impossible. To understand their particular role in the ecosystem, researchers needed a new approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-way-to-study-algae">A new way to study algae</h2>



Laura Halbach wanted to pinpoint exactly how ice algae functioned in their environment. But isolating them from their microbial neighbors was difficult. 



Traditional methods involved scraping darkened ice and placing samples into petri dishes, where entire ecosystems would be present.



"If you melt a piece of the surface ice, you see these dark-pigmented algae. But there are many organisms in the sample, including snow-algae, other eukaryotic algae, bacteria, and fungi," she explained.



To solve this, Halbach and her team introduced marked nutrients into the ecosystem. These nutrients contained isotopic traces detectable with a powerful machine called a mass spectrometer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutrient-flow-in-ice-algae">Nutrient Flow in ice algae</h2>



"You could say that we kind of labeled the food we gave them. This enabled us to see who ate what. Combined with a machine called SIMS, which is extremely precise, we were able to measure the nutrient uptake of single cells," says Halbach.



The results were striking. The algae efficiently absorbed the small amounts of nutrients available, proving far more resourceful than scientists had expected. 



"They are very efficient in taking up the limited nutrients on the ice. Furthermore, we discovered that they have the capability of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-nutrient-loss-due-to-heavy-rainfall-threatens-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storing phosphorus</a>, which is crucial for their metabolism."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-does-phosphorus-come-from">Where does phosphorus come from?</h2>



Phosphorus is rare on the ice sheet, which raises questions about where the algae acquire it.



Some researchers suggest that it originates from local rock formations that are rich in phosphorus-bearing minerals. 



As erosion grinds these rocks into dust, the wind scatters the nutrients across the ice, making them available to the algae.



Because the algae can store phosphorus, they are not entirely dependent on immediate nutrient availability. This could allow them to spread into new areas as more ice becomes exposed each year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-ice-algae-colonization">Expanding ice algae colonization</h2>



With climate change causing the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenlands-melting-icebergs-may-not-be-threat-to-ocean-currents-amoc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland Ice Sheet</a> to melt earlier each year, more ice is being exposed to the Sun. 



Areas that once remained buried under thick layers of snow are now vulnerable to colonization by algae.



"New ice is being exposed on Greenland every year because the snow melts earlier and earlier. There used to be a thick snow cover all year round, but now large new areas of ice are being exposed to the Sun," Halbach noted.



"This opens up these areas for the algae to colonize, and as they can live on very limited amounts of nutrients, it might happen sooner than later."



This shift could significantly alter how scientists predict ice loss in the Arctic. If algae spread to newly exposed ice, they will darken even more of the surface, accelerating the melting process beyond previous estimates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-climate-models">Implications for climate models</h2>



Laura Halbach’s research offers crucial insights into the role of algae in ice loss. Currently, most climate models do not account for microbial life in their calculations. 



This gap means that predictions about Greenland’s ice loss - and its effects on global sea levels - may be underestimating the true impact.



If algae colonization continues to expand, its contribution to ice melt will need to be factored into climate projections. 



The work of Halbach and her team could help refine these models, leading to more accurate forecasts for the Arctic’s future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56664-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Algae that thrives on ice plays an unexpected role in glacier melting

For thousands of years, algae have lived on the surface...

Crown shyness is an intriguing occurrence where the tops of certain trees form graceful gaps instead of merging into a continuous canopy. This sight has fascinated forest visitors for decades, leaving many amazed at the patterns that appear carefully carved in the foliage overhead.



While it's often assumed that a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/resilient-trees-can-help-safeguard-cities-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest</a> canopy is densely packed with leaves, the channel-like gaps between branches challenge this notion and raise intriguing questions.



In a recent study, Dr. Emily Osterloff from the Natural History Museum in London has shared new insights into why some crowns seem reluctant to meet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-tree-canopy-puzzle">The tree canopy puzzle</h2>



Experts began documenting this striking leaf separation in the 1920s, noting it in some eucalypts, black mangroves, and Japanese larches, though not all forests display such airy spacing. 



They wondered whether these tall giants were simply responding to environmental factors or whether something deeper was at play.



Researchers proposed that wind might have a role by making branches collide, trimming sensitive shoots and maintaining small corridors overhead. Over time, even gentle rubbing can shape how upper limbs expand, effectively sculpting unique outlines around the tree’s perimeter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-sensing-and-canopy-growth">Light sensing and canopy growth</h2>



In addition to physical contact, scientists suspect that trees sense nearby foliage by detecting certain wavelengths of light. 



They rely on <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3268501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phytochrome</a>, a light-sensitive protein that shifts its activity under red and far-red spectra, allowing each canopy to gauge the presence of neighbors.



Under these cues, some trees may slow outward expansion to avoid deep shade or excessive bumping. By regulating branch development, they possibly cut down on energy losses caused by repeated collisions or overshadowing from taller growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-jigsaw-of-twigs-and-branches">A jigsaw of twigs and branches</h2>



In Costa Rica, observers described branches behaving “like loosely fitting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,” explained Dr. Francis E. Putz from The University of Florida and colleagues in 1984.



Broken twigs often clustered at places where swaying boughs touched, suggesting an ongoing pattern of tip damage.



Some of those areas lacked vigorous new growth, hinting that contact points become natural pruning zones. Gradually, each crown forms neat boundaries along its edges, letting slivers of sky peek through.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-tree-canopy-gaps-help">How tree canopy gaps help </h2>



A few theories propose that these gaps reduce the spread of certain pests, since leaf-chewing insects may struggle to jump across open channels. Lowering direct contact between foliage might also curb disease transmission, giving each tree extra defense in a crowded <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/complex-canopies-help-forests-recover-from-disturbances/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environment</a>.



Some investigators suggest that the openings allow more sunlight to filter down the trunk, providing undergrowth a better shot at photosynthesis. 



This extra light can support a wider range of plants, insects, and other creatures, potentially strengthening the overall health of the forest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shaping-a-tree-canopy">Shaping a tree canopy </h2>



Research in a Japanese mixed forest found that broad-leaved canopies often left wider channels than conifers. This could stem from differences in crown shape, wood flexibility, or simply how each species copes with frequent breezes overhead.



Slender trunks are known to sway more, increasing contact with neighboring boughs and thus boosting tip breakage. With each passing season, repeated impacts shape a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drones-reveal-hidden-biodiversity-in-rainforest-canopies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canopy</a> that appears to politely step back from the stand next door.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lingering-mysteries-and-fresh-frontiers">Lingering mysteries and fresh frontiers</h2>



A study using three-dimensional scanning confirmed that spindly forms are more likely to display these distinct boundary gaps. 



Such findings highlight the interaction between mechanical forces, photoreceptors, and the tree’s genetic makeup.



One cloud forest <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2388326">study</a> found that wind-exposed areas did not always produce more open gaps, challenging the assumption that rough weather is the main driver. 



In contrast, certain experts propose that hormones or chemical cues nudge branches apart even in calmer settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Observations from multiple continents indicate that crown shyness arises under a variety of conditions. Some stands exhibit subtle gaps, while others create a well-defined patchwork pattern across the canopy.



Future research might focus on how younger saplings begin to express this phenomenon, or if it becomes more pronounced as trees age. Questions also linger about whether partial crowding yields the same structural adjustments when compared to dense stands.



Although the exact reasons behind crown shyness remain open to interpretation, the patterns they form captivate onlookers and spark wonder about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-cities-lack-sufficient-canopy-cover-despite-visible-trees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nature’s complexity</a>. 



Insights so far suggest a delicate dance of light, wind, and growth strategies that keeps certain branches close but never fully touching. Researchers continue searching for the missing puzzle piece that completes this botanical mystery.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8557382/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annals of Botany</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Why some trees never touch each other in the canopy

Crown shyness is an intriguing occurrence where the tops of...

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has been increasing rapidly, leading to severe climate consequences. 



However, researchers at <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wageningen University</a> have identified an unexpected benefit of rising CO2 levels: tropical trees have become more efficient at photosynthesis over the past century.



"Tropical forests substantially influence the terrestrial carbon sink. Their contributions to the forest carbon sink may increase due to the stimulation of photosynthesis by rising atmospheric CO2; however, the magnitude of this effect is poorly quantified for tropical canopy trees," noted the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tree-photosynthesis-and-rising-co2">Tree photosynthesis and rising CO2</h2>



The study revealed that the increase in CO2 concentrations has enabled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-with-thick-leaves-may-thrive-in-higher-co2-conditions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tropical trees</a> to enhance their carbon-absorbing capabilities.



The results are based on a new method which allowed the researchers to examine the influence of CO2 on trees over the last 100 years. Using wood samples, the team investigated how tree photosynthesis has responded to rising levels of carbon.



The experts collected wood samples from red cedar trees in Australia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Using a hollow drill, they extracted thin cylindrical pieces of wood that reveal the tree's growth rings.



"From such a sample, you can not only tell how much the tree has grown, but it also acts as a kind of time capsule, showing how the tree functioned in a particular year," explained study lead author Sophie Zwartsenberg. 



"That information is encoded in the chemical composition of the wood, which we analyzed in detail."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sugar-production-in-trees">Sugar production in trees</h2>



Sugars are essential for trees, playing a crucial role in their growth and survival. Without sugars, a tree cannot sustain itself. From the analysis of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-reveal-the-carbon-storage-capacity-of-a-forest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree rings</a>, scientists can determine how well trees have produced sugars through photosynthesis over the last century.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/revealing-the-secrets-of-photosynthesis-through-pep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Photosynthesis</a> is affected by the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Low levels cause the enzyme that traps CO2 to make more errors. Rather than bind with CO2, it can bind with oxygen (O₂), resulting in wasted energy. This process is called photorespiration.



"You can compare it to a bag of marbles," said Zwartsenberg. "If there are many CO2 balls mixed in with the oxygen, the enzyme is more likely to pick CO2. But if it fails and grabs oxygen instead, the tree wastes energy without producing any sugar. This process is called photorespiration and is different from photosynthesis."



Since higher CO2 levels reduce the occurrence of photorespiration, trees can use more energy for growth and maintenance. This is not only beneficial for trees but also for humans, as increased photosynthesis means that trees absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-increase-in-photosynthetic-efficiency">Increase in photosynthetic efficiency</h2>



To analyze these changes, the scientists used a chemical method developed at a Swedish university. This technique examines sugar molecules, which form differently depending on whether they result from photosynthesis (CO2 capture) or photorespiration (O2 capture).



The analysis is conducted with a specialized device that uses magnetic fields to examine tiny wood samples. "It's like a giant MRI machine," noted Zwartsenberg.



By measuring sugar molecules in tree rings, the researchers found a consistent increase in photosynthetic efficiency over the past century. Interestingly, smaller trees showed greater improvements in efficiency compared to larger ones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extra-co2-in-trees">Extra CO2 in trees</h2>



"This is the first time we have been able to demonstrate the effect of extra CO2 in mature trees that have grown under natural conditions," said study co-author Professor Pieter Zuidema.



"Positive CO2 effects on photosynthesis have long been known from greenhouse studies on small plants. The fact that the balance between photosynthesis and photorespiration has shifted toward photosynthesis means that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-have-strategies-to-survive-in-nutrient-poor-soils/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tropical forests</a> have been producing more sugars for a century."



"The question remains, however, where the trees have invested those extra sugars. Other research suggests that, in most cases, they do not form wider tree rings. This would be a next step."



Though the research points to a possible advantage of increasing CO2 levels, the overall risks of climate change remain. The most important action to mitigate these risks is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, primarily by transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.20358" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Phytologist</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Rising CO2 levels have made tropical trees more efficient

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has...

The Amazon rainforest, known as "the lungs of the Earth," faces continuous threats from deforestation. 



The Amazon's unique biodiversity, extensive carbon storage capabilities, and significant role in regulating the Earth's climate highlight the urgent need to fully understand the consequences of deforestation.



Scientists, activists, and global citizens have been increasingly concerned about changes in rainfall patterns. However, emerging research challenges previously held assumptions about rainfall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-rainforest-is-approaching-widespread-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dynamics</a> in this vital ecosystem.



The concept of a "tipping point" - a threshold beyond which the Amazon could irreversibly degrade into savannah - has dominated environmental discussions. 



But now, recent studies have begun to question the accuracy of this alarming scenario, bringing new insights into the resilience of the region's rainfall patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-the-amazon-rainforest-stable">Is the Amazon rainforest stable?</h2>



Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (<a href="https://mpimet.mpg.de/en/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPI-M</a>) have made a significant breakthrough, revealing that the Amazon may sustain its rainfall even in extreme cases of deforestation. 



Published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the findings challenge earlier scientific consensus about the region’s vulnerability to rainfall disruption.



Previously, researchers emphasized the critical role of vegetation in maintaining Amazonian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-40-of-climate-critical-amazon-rainforest-is-unprotected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a> through evapotranspiration - the process where plants transfer moisture from soil to the atmosphere.



This cycle, scientists warned, would weaken dramatically if widespread deforestation occurred, significantly reducing rainfall and destabilizing the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oversimplified-climate-models">Oversimplified climate models</h2>



These earlier predictions, however, depended heavily on models that oversimplified or overlooked key atmospheric processes. 



Most relied on global climate models that inadequately represented convection, the atmospheric mechanism crucial for rainfall. Alternatively, regional models were unable to account for how large-scale atmospheric circulation might adapt to deforestation.



Such limitations cast doubt on earlier predictions, necessitating a more sophisticated approach to better understand the complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-will-boost-methane-emissions-in-the-amazon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dynamics</a> involved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-modeling-approach">A new modeling approach</h2>



Experts at MPI-M, including Arim Yoon and Cathy Hohenegger, adopted an advanced approach using the global storm-resolving ICON model.



This model directly resolves atmospheric convection with extraordinary precision. They conducted their simulation globally over three years, operating at an exceptionally detailed resolution of five kilometers, a significant methodological advancement over previous research.



The findings revealed that rainfall in the Amazon isn't predominantly determined by evapotranspiration, as previously believed. Instead, large-scale atmospheric circulation substantially compensates for any loss of moisture due to deforestation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-winds-maintain-moisture-levels">Ocean winds maintain moisture levels</h2>



"The wind at about three kilometers altitude carries enough moisture from the ocean into the region to make up for the decline in evapotranspiration," said Yoon.



The calculations demonstrated little to no change in annual rainfall, even under conditions of complete deforestation, contrasting sharply with earlier findings.



This unexpected resilience suggests that earlier assessments of deforestation impacts may have overstated the Amazon’s vulnerability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-of-a-more-stable-amazon">Signs of a more stable Amazon </h2>



"Precipitation over land seems more tightly coupled to the large-scale circulation than to evapotranspiration in our global storm-resolving simulation if compared to state-of-the-art climate models currently used in the IPCC assessment reports," noted Hohenegger.



"This fact is exciting as it asks for the revisitation of some of the things we thought we knew about precipitation over land and its sensitivity."



This research shifts scientific understanding towards a more nuanced view of rainfall dynamics in the Amazon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-patterns-and-seasonal-variability">Rainfall patterns and seasonal variability</h2>



Despite the optimistic findings regarding total annual precipitation, significant changes remain in rainfall distribution throughout the year.



"Just using one indicator to assess the future of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-rainforest-and-the-looming-threat-of-drought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon rainforest</a> isn't enough. The details of the rainfall patterns can make a big difference," said Yoon.



Seasonal variability could profoundly impact the ecosystem, agriculture, and communities dependent on predictable rainfall patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consequences-of-deforestation">Consequences of deforestation </h2>



The MPI-M scientists aim to further refine their analysis by examining whether extreme rainfall events or prolonged droughts might increase in frequency or intensity under conditions of deforestation. 



Understanding these patterns will provide critical insights into the real-world impacts of deforestation on Amazonian ecosystems and human livelihoods.



Although total rainfall might remain stable in the Amazon, deforestation inevitably disrupts ecological balance and climate stability. 



Changes in rainfall distribution, coupled with habitat loss and climate shifts, remain a threat to biodiversity, ecosystem health, and human communities relying on the Amazon.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL110503" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.&nbsp;



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Amazon rainforest may be much more stable than we thought

The Amazon rainforest, known as "the lungs of the Earth,"...

The natural environment is repeatedly reinventing itself with dynamic processes which have a tendency to continue on for millions of years. Extinction events are among the strongest forces which not only kill specific life forms but also offer the basis for fresh avenues of evolution. 



A recent study evokes a fascinating image of the process, revealing how the death of the largest dinosaurs indirectly created the fruit-rich habitats which were so important to our primate ancestors.



The research was led by Christopher Doughty, an ecoinformatics professor at <a href="https://nau.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northern Arizona University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-prehistoric-legacy">A prehistoric legacy</h2>



Sauropods, the long-necked, plant-munching dinosaurs of the ancient world, had a massive influence on the world around them. These hulking dinosaurs knocked over trees on a routine basis and munched through tons of plant matter. 



When Sauropods went extinct some 66 million years ago, their loss profoundly changed ecosystems. Forests rebounded and closed up, which decreased the amount of sunlight on the ground and paved the way for an impressive evolutionary shift.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sauropods-and-ecological-change">Sauropods and ecological change</h2>



The extinction of Sauropods enabled trees to evolve without interruptions. The forests became denser, and tree competition for light intensified. 



Trees developed larger fruits and seeds to dominate others, and these provided their offspring with an advantage over others by supplying them with additional energy and greater survival chances in shaded conditions.



"At first glance, the darker forest understory caused by dinosaur extinctions may seem unimportant, but it could have directly led to the evolution of our fruit-eating primate ancestors," said Professor Doughty.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dinosaur-fruit-connection">The dinosaur-fruit connection</h2>



Before the dinosaurs went extinct, fruits were scarce, and seeds were small. But with the ecological niche left open by the sauropods, plants evolved immediately. 



Stronger seedlings, with larger seeds, were able to compete for limited sunlight. In addition, fleshy fruits evolved as an incredibly efficient way of enticing animals to scatter seeds and reproduce.



Even though this evolution scenario was previously theorized, no fossil records existed to conform the hypothesis.



To investigate, Professor Doughty and his team developed a cutting-edge model of seed and fruit size evolution after the dinosaurs became extinct. The model precisely replicated fossil records for the last 65 million years and decisively substantiated the hypothesis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reversal-of-dinosaur-driven-fruit-trends">Reversal of dinosaur-driven fruit trends</h2>



Interestingly, the model also forecasted a future reversal of seed evolutionary patterns. 



Seeds began to shrink about 35 million years ago. This coincided with the appearance of new large mammals that were successful in duplicating, though on a smaller scale, the forest-clearing behavior previously shown by sauropods.



"Our model predicted these animals would open the forest enough that sufficient light began to enter the understory, and larger seeds were no longer successful over smaller seeds," explained Doughty. 



"The evolutionary pressure for seed size to increase began to diminish. Thus, we were able to explain the trends in seed size over time without resorting to external influences such as climate change."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-megafauna-extinction-and-ecological-reset">Megafauna extinction and ecological reset</h2>



About 50,000 years ago, large mammals like mammoths went extinct. These animals previously opened forests by knocking down trees and clearing vegetation. Their extinction allowed forests to become dense and dark again. 



With less sunlight reaching the forest floor, plants adapted by producing larger seeds. This highlights how big animals shape their environment, influencing the evolution of plants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-as-ecosystem-shapers">Humans as ecosystem shapers </h2>



Modern human activity mimics the prehistoric impacts of the giants. Current selective forest harvesting mimics the prehistoric pressure imposed by dinosaurs on seed size and dispersal.



But if humans stop modifying forest structure and are not substituted by other megafauna, forests will shift back to more dense, dark structures, and this may trigger another evolutionary adjustment towards larger seeds. 



"These results provide a striking example of how large dinosaurs - and their eventual extinction - not only shaped their contemporary environment but also triggered cascading effects on ecosystems for millions of years," said Benjamin Wiebe, an NAU researcher.



"The next time you're eating fruit or pondering, 'why am I here,' consider the impact of the dinosaur extinctions."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/pala.70002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palaeontology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

How dinosaur extinction influenced fruit evolution

The natural environment is repeatedly reinventing itself with dynamic processes...

Flowers that lose their initial charm often end up in the trash. This might seem normal when the petals wither, yet many of these blooms are still valuable.



Scientists are exploring opportunities to use edible varieties of these flowers. They are checking their nutrients, flavors, and possible effects on food quality and shelf life.



“Rose flowers are still going to be rose flowers on Valentine’s Day. But we are looking at what happens the day after Valentine’s Day to those flowers,” said Anand Mohan, associate professor in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.



Some flowers offer natural pigments that could replace synthetic colorants. Others contain antioxidants and proteins that might strengthen nutritional content in everyday meals.



Flowers with broad petals sometimes carry protective compounds that can guard meats, cereals, or even beverages against spoilage. These qualities are drawing attention in food science.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-promise-of-ultrasound">The promise of ultrasound</h2>



Researchers highlight that ultrasound waves help process many foods with less time and resource use. They also see the potential for ultrasound to extend a flower’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-crisis-why-u-s-goals-remain-out-of-reach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">usability</a> beyond a typical bouquet’s lifespan.



Ultrasound equipment works by sending waves into the material. Those waves move water away more efficiently and release beneficial compounds locked inside the petals.



When handled properly, this low-frequency technology can disrupt cell walls and let colorants, proteins, and vitamins flow into a solution. Once extracted, these compounds can be turned into powders or liquids.



Ultrasound may open up new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-freezer-can-play-a-key-role-in-reducing-food-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prospects</a> for turning leftover petals into color boosters or dietary enhancements. This shift could reduce waste and get more mileage out of every bloom.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flower-petals-as-food-ingredients">Flower petals as food ingredients</h2>



“We are trying to use edible flowers as a source of protein, food colorant and vitamins,” said Mohan. 



Some species of broccoli flowers have protein content that can be blended into cereals. Others, like hibiscus, yield a vibrant color that can replace artificial dyes.



Much of the effort involves pinpointing the right flower for the right purpose. Roses might suit meat preservation, while marigolds might fit as an ingredient in certain sauces.



Scientists also look at how different varieties thrive in changing climates. The goal is to identify flowers that stay strong and maintain a steady supply for the food <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/digital-labels-help-grocers-cut-food-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">market</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-flavor-and-shelf-life">Balancing flavor and shelf life</h2>



Edible flowers might shift taste profiles. Some bring a delicate note, while others contribute a mild bitterness or herbal kick.



Preserving these flowers isn’t always easy. Traditional drying can be slow and may destroy color and aroma.



Hot air drying often leads to a dimmer petal hue. Ultrasound pretreatment shortens drying time and cuts the browning that heat can trigger.



The result is a dried ingredient that can be crushed or powdered. This form is simple to ship and store, making it perfect for large-scale food production.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-color-intact">Keeping color intact</h2>



Many edible flowers get their bright appearance from anthocyanins or other plant chemicals. Heat can degrade these compounds, turning a vibrant petal into a dull one.



Ultrasound can reduce this risk by aiding quick water removal and limiting direct high-heat exposure. It also stalls enzymes like polyphenol oxidase, which spark browning.



A mild ultrasound phase maintains crucial pigments. The finished product retains most of its original shade.



Manufacturers see this as a bonus since vibrant natural colors attract consumers who want fewer artificial additives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extracting-beneficial-compounds">Extracting beneficial compounds</h2>



Beyond color, certain petal extracts carry valuable antioxidants that can guard against cell damage in the body. Ultrasound helps release these compounds into a friendly solvent.



Shorter extraction times mean less chance of thermal stress. This helps safeguard delicate vitamins or volatile oils.



Blue butterfly pea flower is one example. Studies show ultrasound extraction can bolster its antioxidant content while preserving its bright blue color.



Manufacturers can incorporate these concentrates into teas or juices. They gain both natural coloring and potential health perks in one go.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-advanced-techniques">Other advanced techniques</h2>



Microwave drying is another approach that rapidly heats petals. While quick, it can cause uneven heat distribution that may damage fragile flowers.



Infrared drying works at lower temperatures and keeps more nutrients intact. Its reach is shallower, so thicker petals might need extra time.



Ionizing radiation shows promise for sterilizing edible flowers. Yet consumer perception around radiation remains skeptical.



Ultrasound stands out for its mild thermal impact, which protects fragile compounds and saves energy. It has its own set of hurdles, but the results are enticing enough to keep it in the spotlight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safe-consistent-results">Safe, consistent results</h2>



Ultrasound tools can be loud. The process involves intense vibrations that could affect hearing if workers aren’t shielded or if machines aren’t set up properly.



High-powered waves might also damage petal tissues if misused. Researchers must find the ideal treatment for each flower type.



The scale of production equipment is another factor. Small labs produce small batches, but bigger systems must ensure even coverage. Careful regulation of wave intensity and duration is essential for safe, consistent results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-flowers-into-food-products">Turning flowers into food products</h2>



Companies in the beverage sector can look into floral extracts that add aroma or color. Start-ups might explore using leftover wedding or holiday flowers as raw material.



Supermarkets that toss out unsold blooms could partner with local facilities to transform them into new products. This idea saves money and reduces <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-age-group-is-responsible-for-the-most-food-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trash</a>.



Shoppers might soon see ready-to-use flower powders or meal-ready petals in store aisles. The next step involves marketing that resonates with people looking for color and flavor without synthetic additives.



Many chefs are already known for edible petals on plates. Scaling this practice for everyday consumers is the bigger challenge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-edible-flowers-can-reduce-waste">Edible flowers can reduce waste</h2>



Flowers are grown year-round and shipped worldwide, but not all get purchased. Food scientists are pointing to these extras as a wasted resource.



Turning unsold flowers into extracts or powders addresses sustainability goals. It also recovers part of the cost that might otherwise vanish.



This loop of repurposing reduces the carbon footprint of the floral industry. People who want environmentally friendly options appreciate any step that rescues edible raw materials. Ultrasound-based processing could be a central tool in achieving that.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flowers-in-food-and-skincare">Flowers in food and skincare</h2>



Scientists are testing how flower-derived proteins boost nutritional value in everyday items like bars, cereals, or wraps. Others are exploring their potential in functional drinks or skincare lines.



The synergy between vitamins in certain petals and antioxidants in others might produce new solutions to common nutritional gaps. Such breakthroughs hinge on fine-tuning extraction and drying methods.



As more labs share positive data, companies could invest in research for large-scale production. This shift might reshape how we treat floral byproducts across multiple industries. 



Consumers might not see the behind-the-scenes processes, but they’ll notice new labels highlighting real flower extracts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-edible-flowers">The future of edible flowers</h2>



Some researchers see a future where local florists have partnerships with local food processors. The idea might grow as the data becomes more widely circulated.



Regulatory bodies need to establish clear guidelines for these new ingredients. Safety checks and labeling rules must be in place so that shoppers can trust the products.



Ultrasound might remain popular because of its non-destructive nature. Expanding beyond flowers, it might someday help reclaim other items that go to waste. For now, the excitement around edible flowers keeps building.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfpe.70012" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Food Process Engineering</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Flowers as food: How ultrasound makes it possible

Flowers that lose their initial charm often end up in...

For centuries, humans have explored the potential of mushrooms. Valued not only for their unique flavors, mushrooms have also been revered for their medicinal properties, including their ability to enhance immunity and promote overall health.



These ancient perceptions are now being confirmed by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-bacteria-help-plants-balance-growth-and-immunity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">science</a>, which has found that mushrooms have more than gastronomic value.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-beta-glucan">The role of beta-glucan</h2>



One small yet remarkably significant component found in all mushrooms - beta-glucan - has recently gained the attention of scientists, thanks to its potential role in combating the flu. 



While mushrooms are often celebrated for their nutritional value, this particular compound has been highlighted for its ability to bolster the immune system. 



Beta-glucan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that enhances the body's defense mechanisms, making it a promising ally in the battle against various viral infections, including the flu. 



Though it may seem surprising at first, this unassuming fungal ingredient could play a pivotal role in helping to prevent or mitigate the severity of flu infections, offering a new avenue for research into natural immune support.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mushrooms-and-wellness">Mushrooms and wellness</h2>



In the food and health industry, mushrooms have achieved superfood status due to their nutrient-dense structure of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Their application in diets worldwide has been shifted from being flavor-based to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-tiny-bacteria-outsmart-the-human-immune-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health-based</a>.



Mushrooms are linked to improved brain health, as evidence shows that they may help protect against cognitive decline. Mushrooms also contribute to better digestive health with their fiber content.



A new study sheds light on a special role of mushrooms in health maintenance beyond what was previously recognized. 



According to the research, mushrooms might assist the body in keeping infections at bay and preventing harmful inflammation. The experts report that mushrooms might render flu infections less damaging. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-mushrooms-fight-the-flu">How mushrooms fight the flu</h2>



Researchers at <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McGill University</a> in Canada investigated the intriguing effect of beta-glucan on the immune system response to flu. 



The findings indicate that the natural fiber can help people manage flu infections by inhibiting the out-of-control inflammation that usually leads to complications.



"It is tempting to hypothesize that the levels and composition of fungi in an individual could influence how their immune system responds to infections, in part because of beta-glucan," noted study co-author and immunologist Maziar Divangahi.



This is an optimistic departure from conventional flu <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperatures-impact-the-immune-system-of-wild-monkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treatment</a> protocols.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-immunity-in-check">Keeping immunity in check</h2>



Beta-glucan, present in fungi cell walls, has been shown to possess immune-stimulating activity. But the study identifies a significant role - it maintains immune balance.



Instead of provoking an out-of-control immune reaction, beta-glucan provokes a controlled reaction within the body, restricting uncontrolled inflammation, which is typically the main threat in extreme cases of the flu.



The researchers tested beta-glucan on mice, infecting some with the flu virus after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-lockdowns-weakened-our-immune-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treatment</a> with beta-glucan.



What they found was remarkable. The treated mice had very little lung inflammation, improved lung function, and a very low probability of becoming seriously ill or dying, even though the mice received no beta-glucan.



Another fascinating finding of the study is the impact of beta-glucan on neutrophils, a type of immune cell. 



Normally, neutrophils induce inflammation, which has the consequence of exacerbating flu infections. Beta-glucan alters their function and makes them resistant to inducing over-inflammation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-flu-prevention-with-mushrooms">Future of flu prevention with mushrooms</h2>



For years, conventional flu medications have targeted antiviral drugs that directly assault the virus. Antiviral drugs, though, have limitations. Certain strains of the flu develop resistance, and not every patient responds to antivirals.



The study proposes another approach that centers on enhancing the body's immunity against infection, thus opening a new chapter in the treatment of flu.



The study reinforces the idea that edibles can have medicinal benefits. While further research is needed, mushrooms may soon shift from a nutritious ingredient to a vital component for enhancing immunity and protecting against severe respiratory diseases.



As scientific research continues to uncover the immune-boosting benefits of mushrooms, they may soon become a vital component of flu prevention <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reprogramming-the-immune-system-to-attack-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protocols</a>. 



Ultimately, mushrooms are more than just a nutritious food - they are a powerful ally in strengthening the immune system.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-024-02041-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Immunology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

How mushrooms help the body fight off the flu

For centuries, humans have explored the potential of mushrooms. Valued...

Muscle health plays a vital role in overall well-being, affecting strength, mobility, and longevity. While exercise and protein intake have long been the cornerstones of muscle maintenance, new research suggests that diet alone may have a powerful influence. 



A recent study from Western New England University (WNE) has introduced an unexpected player in muscle health - grapes.



This study reveals that consuming grapes daily could alter muscle gene expression, potentially enhancing strength and resilience. These findings offer a new perspective on how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/resveratrol-may-boost-female-fertility-naturally/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural foods</a> impact the body at a genetic level.



With millions of people struggling with age-related muscle loss, the potential benefits of grapes in maintaining muscle function are both exciting and significant.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exceeding-nutritional-benefits">Exceeding nutritional benefits</h2>



Every year, people around the world consume approximately 30 million tons of grapes, making them one of the most widely eaten fruits. 



While they are valued for their rich nutritional content, their health benefits extend well beyond basic nutrition. 



Scientific research has shown that grapes positively impact various aspects of health, including cardiovascular function, kidney health, and skin vitality.



Additionally, grapes contain compounds that support eye health by protecting against oxidative stress, which can contribute to vision decline. 



Their role in gastrointestinal health is also noteworthy, as grapes promote digestion and contribute to a balanced gut microbiome.



With their wide-ranging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/muscles-defy-aging-with-remarkable-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health advantages</a>, grapes have become more than just a tasty fruit - they are a natural source of essential compounds that support overall well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grapes-change-muscle-genes">Grapes change muscle genes</h2>



With this study, researchers have shed light on the dynamic influence daily grape consumption exerts on muscle gene expression. 



The effects are significantly more profound in females, which intriguingly brings male and female muscle characteristics closer to each other at a metabolic level.



Genes tied to lean muscle mass showed an upward trend, while those related to muscle degeneration displayed a decline, pointing towards improved muscle function. 



These revelations open up potential pathways for tackling age-related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-muscles-may-soon-be-able-to-regenerate-like-other-muscles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">muscle</a> loss, a challenge faced by 10-16% of elderly individuals.



Dr. John Pezzuto, senior investigator of the study, is the Dean of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at <a href="https://wne.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Western New England University</a>.



"This study provides compelling evidence that grapes have the potential to enhance muscle health at the genetic level," noted Dr. Pezzuto.



"Given their safety profile and widespread availability, it will be exciting to explore how quickly these changes can be observed in human trials."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-grapes-affect-muscles">How do grapes affect muscles?</h2>



The fascinating field of nutrigenomics discusses the influence of diet on gene expression and the corresponding impact of genetic variation on dietary responses. 



The researchers examined how daily intake of two servings of grapes impacted genetic expression patterns within muscle. 



Intriguingly, the male and female muscles that usually exhibit significant differences converged into a unified phenotype under the grape-inclusive diet.



The DNA of a single species, including humans, doesn’t vary notably from one individual to another. However, the primary factor that sets us apart is the expression of DNA, otherwise known as the phenotype. 



The ingestion of grapes brought about changes in the phenotypic gene expression of male and female muscle, predominantly in females, resulting in an aligned metabolic parameter between the two.



In another fascinating observation, specific genes linked with favorable muscle health - such as lean muscle mass - were enhanced. At the same time, genes associated with deteriorating muscle health were reduced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



The researchers plan to conduct further studies to understand the specific biological processes responsible for these genetic changes in muscle function. 



They also aim to determine how quickly these changes occur after regular grape consumption.



By identifying the exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon, scientists can better assess how grapes contribute to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-fuels-neuron-growth-through-muscle-signals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">muscle health</a> and whether their effects vary among different individuals.



As nutrigenomics advances, this study represents a significant step toward developing new dietary strategies for maintaining muscle strength and preventing age-related decline. 



If future research confirms these findings, incorporating grapes into daily nutrition could become a practical and accessible way to support muscle health across all age groups. 



This study opens the door for a deeper exploration of how natural foods can positively influence the body at the genetic level.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/4/695" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foods</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Eating grapes every day can transform your body in a unique way

Muscle health plays a vital role in overall well-being, affecting...

Endangered plants

News coming your way