Acipenser transmontanus 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<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=d55013d210f7439f8ca981b3b73576f2&amp;aqs=edge.0.69i59l2j69i60j69i57j69i60l2j69i59.492j0j4&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS"> North America</a> 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.White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) is a species of sturgeon in the family Acipenseridae of the order Acipenseriformes. They are an anadromous fish species ranging in the Eastern Pacific; from the Gulf of Alaska to Monterey, California. However, some are landlocked in the Columbia River Drainage, Montana, and Lake Shasta in California, with reported sightings in northern Baja California, Mexico.Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) &gt; Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons and paddlefishes) &gt; Acipenseridae (Sturgeons) &gt; Acipenserinae Etymology: : Latin, = sturgeon, 1853 (Ref. 45335); transmontanus: The specific name is derived from the Latin acipenser (sturgeon), trans (beyond), and montanus (mountain) (Ref. 27436).More on author: Richardson.

Acipenser transmontanus

Acipenser transmontanus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation...

Zapus hudsonius preblei. 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=4420542195604c0fabc43f706d679a4c&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.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/fungi-characteristics-and-function/">fungi</a>, and microbes of North America and the world. Zapus hudsonius preblei

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.

The mouse is around nine inches long, 60% of which is the tail, and can jump in bounds of four feet when threatened. It usually travels slowly. It swims and climbs grass stems. It has long hind legs and a long, slender, scaly tail that it uses to <a class="mw-redirect" title="Communicate" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicate">communicate</a> by making drumming noises. It also communicates using clucks and chirps.

The mice are born without hair (naked) and live nearly two years. They <a title="Hibernation" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernation">hibernate</a> an estimated 7-8 months - from September or October through late May or early June - building themselves a soft vegetation nest, typically at a location with a northerly aspect. The Colorado <a class="mw-redirect" title="Breeding season" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeding_season">breeding season</a> is believed to be June through August, with two litters - in July and August - but there are records of three litters in a season. The average litter size is five, but can range from two to eight.

Zapus hudsonius preblei

Zapus hudsonius preblei. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer...

Zosterops albogularis 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 <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/perennial-vegetables-to-grow-in-north-america/">North America</a> and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=wildlife&amp;cvid=879b6182a54c48e6a4208ef9b0da5c1a&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS"> Wildlife</a> Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Zosterops albogularis It reaches a length up 13 to 14 centimetres and therefore it is one of the largest white-eyes. The wingspan is 7.5 cm and the weight is about 30 grams. Its appearance is characterized by a pale green head, an olive green coloured neck and white throat and belly parts. A further feature is a conspicuous eye ring of white feathers. Males and females are coloured similarly. Its diet consists of fruits, berries, nectar, and insects. Its only habitat is a 5 km² large forested area around Mount Pitt on Norfolk Island where it lives solitary. In the breeding season from October to December the couple build a cup-shaped nest in which two white eggs are laid. The incubation time lasts eleven days and another eleven days later the juveniles became fully fledged.

Zosterops albogularis

Zosterops albogularis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus 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.

FWS Digital Media Library -- Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus 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. 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

Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus

Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer...

Zosterops modesta 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 -- Zosterops modesta 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

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.

Zosterops modesta

Zosterops modesta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Zosterops rotensis 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.

FWS Digital Media Library -- Zosterops rotensis 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. <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> 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

Zosterops rotensis

Zosterops rotensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Plants respond very strongly to touch and other external stimuli, and researchers at <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> have now discovered new details about the genetic basis for such stress responses. This breakthrough could ultimately lead to higher yields and improved stress resistance in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-grass-could-protect-crops-against-deadly-pathogens/">crops</a>, noted the experts.&nbsp;



"Through millions of years of evolution, plants have gained a sophisticated molecular machinery to sense and respond to a plethora of environmental stimuli. So far, plant responses to biotic and abiotic factors have been extensively studied and characterized at the molecular level. Nonetheless, insights on how plants respond to mechanical cues, like rain, wind, touch, and bending, are just beginning to unfold," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



Mechanical stimuli instantly activate a plant's molecular defense system, and this powerful response can contribute to plants becoming more resistant later. While scientists have been aware of this innate response since the days of Darwin, many questions still remain today. In the new study, the experts looked at complex networks which support the strengthening of plant defenses through external influences.



“We exposed the plant thale cress to soft brushing, after which thousands of genes were activated and stress hormones were released. We then used genetic screening to find the genes that were responsible for this process," explained study co-author Olivier Van Aken.



Ultimately, the researchers identified three new proteins that play a key role in the plant response to touch.



“Our results solve a scientific mystery that has eluded the world's molecular biologists for 30 years. We have identified a completely new signaling pathway that controls a plant's response to physical contact and touch. Now the search for more paths continues," said study co-author Essam Darwish.



“Given the extreme weather conditions and pathogen infections that climate change leads to, it is of utmost importance to find new ecologically responsible ways to improve crop productivity and resistance," concluded Van Aken.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



---



By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study reveals new clues about how plants respond to touch

Plants respond very strongly to touch and other external stimuli,...

Junipers,,Berries,

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/how-to-be-smart-while-foraging-for-food/">foraging</a> – the activity of finding, gathering, and harvesting wild plants. However, since many of the plants found in the wild are highly poisonous, although they look similar to various edible plants, knowing which plant species to avoid and which to gather and consume is crucial. Geoff Dann, a British writer and foraging teacher, has now outlined some of the biggest risks novice foragers are facing when searching for wild plants.&nbsp;



According to Dann, the best advice is never to eat anything found in the wild that we are not absolutely sure what it is. “I guess the most important rule is ‘Pay attention to what you are doing,’ followed by ‘If in doubt, leave it out,’” he said.



Dann warned foragers about four plant species – dead man’s fingers, lords and ladies, foxglove, and deadly nightshade – which, even if they look similar to other edible species, are in fact very dangerous, and can cause severe illness and death.



Dead men’s fingers (Oenanthe crocata) has toxic roots and stems that look very much like parsley, and even more poisonous roots which look and smell exactly like parsnips. Consuming this plant can trigger spasmodic convulsions, often followed by sudden death. Similarly, lords and ladies (Arum maculatum), a plant whose leaves closely resemble edible sorrel and wild garlic, can cause intense pain and irritation upon contact with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat.



Another plant Dann warns foragers about is the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which is often mistaken for members of the edible borage family. However, since it contains glycosides, the foxglove can cause skin irritation on contact, as well as headaches, vomiting, convulsions, delirium, and cardiac arrest if consumed. Finally, the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladona), which sports attractive and delicious-looking black berries, leads to severe disruptions of the nervous system and eventually death by respiratory arrest if consumed.



“Identifying plants requires much more than just visual properties – smell, habitat, and location are all important. If you are going to learn how to forage, then you need to learn how to identify wild species yourself, and you need to know what can be confused with what,” concluded Dann.



In his recent book - <a href="https://www.geoffdann.co.uk/edible-plants-the-book/">Edible Plants: A forager’s guide to the wild plants and seaweeds of Britain, Ireland and temperate Europe</a>&nbsp;– Dann describes in great detail a large number of edible plants, including the black nightshade, the Japanese knotweed, or the three-cornered leek.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Toxic plants can be easily confused with edible ones

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in foraging –...

A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> has shed new light on how plant life became established on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-endured-rapid-global-warming-300-million-years-ago/">Earth</a> 470 million years ago. The experts found two genes that seem indispensable for allowing plants to defend themselves against fungal attacks – a crucial ability that paved the way for all terrestrial plant life.



When plants evolved from aquatic algae to survive on land nearly half a billion years ago, they needed to build defenses against the massive population of fungi colonizing the Earth.&nbsp;



“It is estimated that 100 million years prior, fungi crept across Earth’s surface in search of nourishment and most likely found it in dead algae washed up from the sea,” said study senior author Mads Eggert Nielsen. “So, if you, as a new plant, were going to establish yourself on land, and the first thing you encountered is a fungus that would eat you, you needed some sort of defense mechanism.”



According to the scientists, the essence of this defense mechanism can be narrowed down to two genes, PEN1 and SYP122, which help blocking the invasion of fungi.&nbsp;



“We found out that if we destroy these two genes in our model plant thale cress (Arabidopsis), we open the door for pathogenic fungi to penetrate. We found that they are essential to form this cell wall-like plug that defends against fungi. Interestingly, it appears to be a universal defense mechanism that is found in all terrestrial plants,” Dr. Nielsen explained. The same mechanism was also identified in liverwort, a direct descendent of one of the Earth’s first land plants.



While fungi posed a major obstacle for early plants, they were also a prerequisite. As soon as plants adapted to survive fungal attacks, the next problem they faced was finding nutrients. While nutrients such as phosphorous or nitrogen were easy to access in the water, the newly evolved land plants faced significant difficulties in extracting nutrients bound in the rocky land that was widespread on Earth half a billion years ago.&nbsp;



On the other hand, fungi could extract such nutrients, and entered into a symbiotic relationship with the first land plants, which, in their turn, provided fungi with the carbohydrates they could not find otherwise. Thus, the defense mechanisms plants developed simply stopped fungi from invading, but did not kill them.&nbsp;



“Since a fungus can only gain partial entry into a plant, we believe that a tipping point arises where both plant and fungus have something to gain. Therefore, it has been an advantage to maintain the relationship as is. The theory that plants tamed fungi to colonize land is not ours, but we are providing fodder that supports this idea,” explained Dr. Nielsen.



The results of this study – published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/73487#s3">eLife</a> – could be used to make crops more resistant to fungal attacks, which is currently a major problem for farmers.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants tamed fungi to colonize land half a billion years ago

A recent study led by the University of Copenhagen has...

Flavonoids are compounds produced by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-grow-plants-in-lunar-soil-for-the-first-time/">plants</a> and thought to confer significant health benefits on humans. In plants, they act as essential pigments and are responsible for the colors found in buds, petals, fruits and autumn leaves. Flavonoids are found in many brightly colored fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, parsley, red grapes, cranberries, cherries and citrus fruits.



Research conducted by scientists from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> set out to test whether supplementing people’s diets every day with cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) could help improve memory and brain function in older individuals, and thereby reduce age-related neurodegeneration. Cranberries are rich in anthocyanins, a particular group of plant flavonoids that act as antioxidants.



“Dementia is expected to affect around 152 million people by 2050. There is no known cure, so it is crucial that we seek modifiable lifestyle interventions, such as diet, that could help lessen disease risk and burden," explained lead researcher Dr. David Vauzour.



“Past studies have shown that higher dietary flavonoid intake is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and dementia,” he continued. “And foods rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which give berries their red, blue, or purple colour, have been found to improve cognition. Cranberries are rich in these micronutrients and have been recognized for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.”



The researchers investigated the impact of eating 100g of cranberries each day for 12 weeks. The 60 participants, all cognitively healthy individuals between the ages of 50 and 80, were divided into two groups. One group took 100g of freeze-dried, powdered cranberry (equivalent to 1 cup of berries) as a supplement every day, while the other group received a placebo.&nbsp;



After 12 weeks, it was found that participants who had consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved memory of everyday events (visual episodic memory), neural functioning and delivery of blood to the brain (brain perfusion). These results have been published by the researchers in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition">Frontiers in Nutrition</a>.



“We found that the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of essential nutrients such as oxygen and glucose to important parts of the brain that support cognition – specifically memory consolidation and retrieval," said Dr. Vauzour.



“The cranberry group also exhibited a significant decrease in LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol levels, known to contribute to atherosclerosis – the thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery,” he added. “This supports the idea that cranberries can improve vascular health and may in part contribute to the improvement in brain perfusion and cognition.”



This study is one of the first to examine cranberries and their long-term impact on cognition and brain health in humans, and the researchers hope that their findings will be used to inform future strategies for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.&nbsp;



“Demonstrating in humans that cranberry supplementation can improve cognitive performance and identifying some of the mechanisms responsible is an important step for this research field,” said Dr. Vauzour. "The findings of this study are very encouraging, especially considering that a relatively short 12-week cranberry intervention was able to produce significant improvements in memory and neural function."



The experts feel that their study establishes an important foundation for future research in the area of cranberries and neurological health.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cranberries help improve memory and brain function in older adults

Flavonoids are compounds produced by plants and thought to confer...

An international team of scientists has recently decoded the oat genome, and the results will help experts track down which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smart-pacifier-can-monitor-the-health-of-babies/">health</a> benefits are associated with which genes. Oats have complicated genetics, with six sets of chromosomes and over 80,000 genes. By comparison, humans have two sets of chromosomes and approximately 20,000 genes. 



This explains why it took Manuel Spannagl, a scientist at the Environmental Health Center at <a href="https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/en/helmholtz-zentrum-muenchen/index.html">Helmholtz Munich</a>, six years to sequence and analyze the oat genome.



Why decode the genome? The researchers were interested to know why fewer people are allergic to oats compared to foods like wheat and rye. They found that oats contain fewer proteins that correlate with gluten, which means that fewer people will be allergic to them. 



"This allowed us to confirm on a genomic level that oats in their pure form are suitable for a gluten-free diet," said study co-author Nadia Kamal.



The scientists also found the gene that produces beta-glucans, a type of dietary fiber. Compared to other cereals, oats have a much higher level of beta-glucans. These fibers are beneficial to those suffering from type 2 diabetes, and have also been shown to reduce cholesterol.



Oats are also good for the environment, and can grow in less than ideal soil and generally require less land than wheat. Compared to other cereals, cultivating oats typically requires less use of chemicals for insecticides, fungicides, and fertilizers.&nbsp;



Furthermore, now that we know more about their genetics, the researchers believe we can grow oats in an even more sustainable manner.&nbsp;



"We have created the potential for targeted breeding, since we are now able to tell which oat varieties are compatible with another," said Nick Sirijovski from Lund University and ScanOats. "At this point, we can combine traits for an even more favorable health profile, higher yields, better resistance to parasites and drought, and most importantly, in preparation for climate change."&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04732-y">Nature</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genetic study on oats will help unlock their health benefits

An international team of scientists has recently decoded the oat...

View,Of,Lagoon,And,Wetland,Habitat,,Lagunas,De,Villafafila,Rese

Wetlands fringe the edges of land adjacent to the sea and, although they represent a small proportion of Earth’s terrestrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-habitats-alien-species-threaten-native-trout/">habitats</a>, they provide important ecosystem services. They protect communities against the worst effects of hurricanes and typhoons and the plants sequester large amounts of carbon. But, as sea levels rise, the fate of wetlands hangs in the balance. Will they adapt or will they drown?



For decades, scientists have hoped that rising concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) would stimulate increased plant growth in general. In the case of coastal wetlands, this scenario would enable them to grow fast enough to outpace the rise in sea level. A new study, conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://serc.si.edu/">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a>&nbsp;(SERC), has now shed light on this question, and the findings do not look as hopeful.



The study took place at SERC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://serc.si.edu/gcrew">Global Change Research Wetland</a>, a research site run by biogeochemist Pat Megonigal on the western shore of Maryland. The research on wetland plant growth there represents the longest-running field experiment in the world on the impact of rising CO2&nbsp;levels on plants. Started in 1987, the design involves enclosing 15 small areas of wetland within open-top chambers, and then modifying the concentration of CO2 in the chambers and monitoring the growth responses of the plants as sea levels have slowly risen. A further 15 chambers serve as experimental controls that did not have any CO2 enrichment.



Over time, the scientists have raised the concentration of CO2 within the experimental chambers by an additional 340 parts per million, roughly doubling the atmospheric levels of 1987. In monitoring plant growth, they have focused particularly on the 10 chambers that contain “C3” plants that use a specific metabolic pathway to incorporate carbon from the atmosphere into sugars in their cells. These plants include roughly 85 percent of all plant species on Earth and they are known to respond vigorously to CO2&nbsp;enrichment.



The results, published today in the journal Science Advances, show that plant growth in the higher CO2 chambers flourished for about the first two decades of the study. Above ground, plants in the high-CO2&nbsp;chambers grew on average 25 percent more than plants in the untreated chambers. The effect was even more powerful underground, where higher levels of CO2&nbsp;triggered about 35 percent more root growth. Root growth is especially critical for wetland survival, as roots help wetlands trap soil and keep the foundations growing&nbsp;upward&nbsp;even as seas continue to rise.&nbsp;



“Even though elevated CO2&nbsp;contributes to sea-level rise, it also enhanced the marsh’s ability to accrete vertically during the early years of the experiment,” said Don Cahoon, a co-author and research ecologist, emeritus, with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>.



“In some ways, this is a race, a race between what CO2&nbsp;can do and what sea level can do," said study co-author Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/">Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health</a>.



But after 2005, the growth effect declined and then stopped altogether. For the past 14 years of data in the study, there was no average difference in plant growth between the high-CO2&nbsp;and the normal chambers.&nbsp;



“The CO2&nbsp;effect has always been one of the silver linings of climate change,” said study co-author Adam Langley, an ecologist with&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.villanova.edu/university.html">Villanova University</a>. “Well, at least plants are going to grow more. But we see here that they didn’t. So the silver lining to me just got a little cloudier.”



The team investigated several possible explanations for the return to normal growth rate: precipitation, temperature, the saltiness of the water during growing season, and the presence of critical soil nutrients, like nitrogen. Only sea-level rise showed any link to plant growth. Once the sea level at the wetland rose by 15 centimeters from where it was in 1987, the benefits of higher CO2&nbsp;disappeared.



Sea water contains far less oxygen than air does and so, when wetlands flood, plants are deprived of oxygen. Plants need oxygen as well as CO2 for growth, and wetland plants are adapted to get most of their oxygen from the air rather than extracting it from water. As sea levels rise, the frequency of flooding increases and plants are unable to obtain the oxygen they need, so growth rates slow down.&nbsp;



“Plants are aerobic, oxygen-breathing organisms,” explained Megonigal. “And that includes their roots. And so they’re fundamentally faced with this problem of having their root system in an environment that doesn’t have any oxygen in it.”



Some wetlands may still be able to escape drowning. If wetlands cannot rise higher by building soil, migrating inland is another possibility. However, that can only happen if they have enough space to move into. For many communities, allowing room for wetlands to move inland would require a shift in how they use and value the land.



In the meantime, Earth’s climate accountants will need to rethink the planet’s carbon budget because it is possible that wetlands will not be around to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, as was originally thought. Now that scientists know extra CO2&nbsp;does not always stimulate wetland growth as much as they thought, the amount of carbon that can be sequestered in wetland plants in the coming decades is no longer certain.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wetlands are caught in a battle between CO2 and rising seas

Wetlands fringe the edges of land adjacent to the sea...

Alternative,Medicine.,Rosemary,,Mint,,Chamomile,,Thyme,In,A,Glass,Mortar.

Herbal supplements may not always be safe, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/">Elsevier</a>. The research highlights how serious side effects can result from the imprudent use of herbal supplements.



The report describes a case in which a patient was diagnosed with a dangerous cardiac arrhythmia after taking hemp oil containing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-improves-eases-arthritis-symptoms-in-dogs/">CBD</a> and CBG along with berberine supplements.



“More and more people are taking herbal supplements for their potential benefits. Yet their ‘natural’ character can be misleading, since these preparations can have serious adverse side effects on their own or if combined with other supplements or medications,” said Dr. Elise Bakelants, an expert in the Department of Cardiology at the University Hospital of Geneva. “Their use should not be taken lightly, and dosing recommendations should always be respected.”



The study examined the case of a 56-year-old woman who experienced dizziness and fainting without warning. After physical exams came back as normal, doctors determined that the condition was caused by the herbal supplements she was taking to cope with stress.&nbsp;



Four months earlier, the patient had started taking six times the recommended dose of hemp oil, and had recently added berberine to the mix. She was then diagnosed with a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.



During her hospital stay, all supplements were stopped resulting in positive changes, which strongly validated a link between the supplements and the arrhythmia.



The popularity of herbal supplements has grown in recent years, especially those containing CBD (cannabidiol). This particular supplement is very accessible and available without any prescription.&nbsp;



CBD has been promoted for its anti-inflammatory, antipsychotic, and immunomodulatory properties. The products do not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - therefore, it is not subjected to scrutiny by drug regulatory agencies.&nbsp;



Berberine, found in many medicinal plants, is frequently used in traditional Chinese and ayurvedic medicine for various types of treatment.&nbsp;



The preparation of herbal supplements is largely unregulated. Exact composition can vary greatly from one distributor to another, and properties of these substances are not well known. There are limited data on their effectiveness and toxicity, making it&nbsp; difficult to predict potential side effects.



Dr. Bakelants cautioned patients and physicians to follow dosing recommendations and consider possible interactions with other medications, particularly in patients with underlying cardiac disease or those already taking QT-prolonging medication.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.heartrhythmcasereports.com/">HeartRhythm Case Reports</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Herbal supplements are not always safe

Herbal supplements may not always be safe, according to a...

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<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-still-have-much-to-learn-about-tree-growth/">Tree</a> planting is often an environmental solution to offset emissions that contribute to climate change. However, if the trees burn in a forest fire, all of the carbon they store could be thrown back into the atmosphere. When trees die, they also stop scrubbing carbon dioxide from the air due to drought or insect damage.



According to new research from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a>, the likelihood of these threats is increasing worldwide. Relying on forests to absorb carbon emissions could be riskier than previously thought.



“U.S. forests could look dramatically different by the end of the century,” said study lead author William Anderegg. “More severe and frequent fires and disturbances have huge impacts on our landscapes. We are likely to lose forests from some areas in the Western U.S. due to these disturbances, but much of this depends on how quickly we tackle climate change.”



The researchers modeled the risk of tree death from fire, climate stress, such as heat or drought, and insect damage for forests throughout the United States, projecting how those risks could increase overtime.&nbsp;



The models found that by 2099, United States forest fire risks may increase between four and 14 times, depending on different carbon emissions scenarios. The risks of climate stress-related tree death and insect mortality could double over the same time.



“Climate change is going to supercharge these three big disturbances in the U.S.,” said Anderegg. “We’ve seen devastating fire seasons with increasing severity in the past several years. Generally, we expect the western U.S. to be hit hardest by all three of these. And they’re somewhat interconnected too. Really hot and dry years, driven by climate change, tend to drive lots of fires, climate-driven tree mortality and insect outbreaks.”



In each model, actions to tackle climate change mattered significantly. Reducing the severity of climate change dramatically reduced the likelihood of fire, drought and insect-driven forest die-off. This signals an opportunity - taking action to address climate change now can help maintain healthy forests, and the offsetting of emissions trees provide.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, David and Lucille Packard Foundation and Microsoft’s AI for Earth.



Click <a href="https://carbonplan.org/research/forest-risks">here</a> to see the findings in an interactive map.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change will "supercharge" forest disturbances

Tree planting is often an environmental solution to offset emissions...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a> has found that increasing our daily intake of apiaceous vegetables, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colorful-foods-can-prevent-cognitive-decline/">celery</a>, carrots, and parsley, could mitigate the effects of air pollutants in our bodies. According to the experts, these vegetables protect the body from the accumulation of acrolein, an irritant of the lungs and skin with a strong unpleasant smell, which is abundantly found in cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust.



Through a series of laboratory tests, study senior author Jae Kyeom Kim (an assistant professor of Behavioral Health and Nutrition at the University of Delaware) and his team analyzed how apiaceous vegetables mitigated acrolein-induced toxicities and reduced the oxidative stress triggered by these harmful substances.



“Kim’s research discovered that apiaceous vegetables supported detoxification through an increase in antioxidant enzyme activity,” said study co-author Jillian Trabulsi, an associate professor of Nutrition at the University of Delaware. “The results suggest that apiaceous vegetables may provide protection against acrolein-induced damages and inflammation because, in the liver, the vegetables enhance conversion of acrolein into a water-soluble acid for bodily excretion.”



In a next step, the scientists investigated what is a reasonable dosage amount for human consumption in order to fully benefit from these vegetables. 



“When we calculated this, we determined the actual daily calorie amount of apiaceous vegetables for humans is roughly 1 and 1/3 cups per day,” Professor Kim said. “It doesn’t require a high intake to see a difference, and this is an achievable amount in daily life.”



In future studies, Professor Kim and his team plan to integrate human intervention trials to better understand the health benefits of apiaceous vegetables. For the moment, they stress the importance of implementing behavioral changes in diet as a solution for combating the buildup of toxic substances derived from air pollution.



“Research has identified that it is the totality of nutrients in fruits and vegetables that support beneficial health outcomes, rather than a single nutrient. Focusing on a healthy whole food diet is more impactful than relying on individual supplements,” Professor Trabulsi concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286322000109#!">Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eating vegetables can protect us against air pollutants

A new study led by the University of Delaware has...

Beautiful,Field,View,,As,A,Spiritual,Person,,Nature,For,Me

It's been long believed that the first farmers originated 11,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent in the Near East. Still, researchers were not sure whether Europe's first farmers <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unraveling-one-of-the-greatest-feats-of-human-migration/">migrated</a> from the Fertile Crescent or learned it through cultural dissemination.&nbsp;&nbsp;



While previous research implied that Europe's farmers came from hunter-gatherers in Anatolia, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html">University of Bern</a> suggests that farming did not come from a single region.&nbsp;



Earlier studies indicated that the first agriculturalists were genetically different from other human groups. However, this study implies that there was a genetic mixing of hunter-gatherers from Europe and Anatolia approximately 14,000 years ago, which was 3,000 years before the first farmers.&nbsp;



"We now find that the first farmers of Anatolia and Europe emerged from a population admixed between hunter-gatherers from Europe and the Near East," said study co-author Nina Marchi.



The genetic mixing was followed by thousands of years of extreme genetic differentiation. Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of this study is the interdisciplinary work that brings us these results.&nbsp;



The researchers used high-quality genetic material from prehistoric skeletons and analyzed demographic data to gather the necessary data. The team labeled this method "demogenomic modeling."&nbsp;



"It is necessary to have genome data of the best possible quality so that the latest statistical genomic methods can reconstruct the subtle demographic processes of the last 30 thousand years at high resolution," said study senior author Laurent Excoffier.



It took the researchers almost ten years to gather and study the skeletons. They also consulted with several anthropologists and archeologists.



"Simply comparing the similarity of different ancient genomes is not enough to understand how they evolved," said Marchi. "We had to reconstruct the actual histories of the populations studied as accurately as possible. This is only possible with complex population genetic statistics."



The discoveries made by the team only further their desire to learn more, as demonstrated by Excoffier, who wants to explore other time gaps and geographic areas. "Of course, spatial and temporal gaps remain, and this does not imply the end of studies on the evolution of humans in this area."



This study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00455-X?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS009286742200455X%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Cell</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study sheds new light on the origins of the first farmers

It's been long believed that the first farmers originated 11,000...

Our school textbooks teach us that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-grow-plants-in-lunar-soil-for-the-first-time/">plants</a> make their own food using water from the soil, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and energy from sunlight. This process, known as photosynthesis, would thus be limited by the availability of these three resources. But it seems that plant growth is not as simple as this. For trees, growth can also be limited by the rate at which new cells can form in the trunks and branches, a process that is affected by temperature.&nbsp;



Understanding the factors that limit the growth of the world’s forests will become more critical as the effects of global warming take hold. Will increased atmospheric carbon dioxide help trees to grow? Or will extremes in temperature and precipitation restrict this growth? Until now, the question of whether plant growth is limited by the rate of photosynthesis or by the environmental conditions that affect cell growth was not adequately answered, despite its fundamental nature.



A new study led by <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> researchers, along with an international team of collaborators, has now attempted to answer this question. They have measured and compared the rates of photosynthesis and woody growth in forest trees at sites in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia. Their results, published today in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abm4875">Science</a>, suggest that we need to rethink the way we forecast forest growth in a changing climate, and that forests in the future may not be able to absorb as much carbon from the atmosphere as we hoped.



“A tree growing is like a horse and cart system moving forward down the road,” said Professor William Anderegg, who is the principal investigator of the study. “But we basically don’t know if photosynthesis is the horse most often, or if it’s cell expansion and division. This has been a longstanding and difficult question in the field. And it matters immensely for understanding how trees will respond to climate change.”



The scientists distinguish between a tree’s carbon source and its carbon sink. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the carbon source – the tree uses this during photosynthesis to make food for its own use. Some of the carbon-based food is then used to grow new wood cells, and to enlarge existing ones. The tree’s wood is thus its carbon sink.&nbsp;



If the growth of trees is source-limited, then the amount of carbon dioxide available in the air is what would determine the rate of photosynthesis, and tree growth would be relatively easy to predict in a mathematical model. In this case, rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere would be a good thing and forests would be expected to expand and proliferate.&nbsp;



However, if tree growth is sink-limited then they can only grow as fast as their cells can divide and mature. Many environmental factors can impact cell growth rate, including temperature, the supply of water and nutrients, and the rate of photosynthesis. In this case, modeling potential tree growth in future would have to take into account the impacts of these different factors.&nbsp;



In order to find out whether tree growth is limited by source or sink factors, the researchers compared the rates of photosynthesis and cell growth at forest sites on different continents. Measuring cell growth (sink) rates was done by sampling the growth rings of the trees.&nbsp;



“Extracting wood cores from tree stems and measuring the width of each ring on these cores essentially lets us reconstruct past tree growth,” said study lead author Antoine Cabon.&nbsp;



Measuring carbon sources was more difficult. Source data was measured with 78 eddy covariance towers, 30 feet tall or more, that record carbon dioxide concentrations and wind speeds in three dimensions at the top of forest canopies. “Based on these measurements and some other calculations, we can estimate the total forest photosynthesis of a forest stand," explained Cabon.



The researchers expected to find that the processes of photosynthesis and cell growth were coupled – that when photosynthesis increased (or decreased), a corresponding increase (or decrease) would be seen in cell growth. They did not find this. Trees did not necessarily add more growth when the photosynthetic rate increased.



“Strong coupling between photosynthesis and tree growth would be expected in the case where tree growth is source-limited,” said Cabon. “The fact that we mostly observe a decoupling is our principal argument to conclude that tree growth is not source-limited.”



Although the decoupling of these two processes was recorded in environments across the globe, there were instances where it was weaker. The researchers were interested in what conditions led to stronger or weaker decoupling. Fruit-bearing and flowering trees, for example, exhibited different source-sink relationships to those of conifers. Greater diversity in a forest increased coupling, whereas dense leaf canopies decreased it.



Finally, coupling between photosynthesis and growth increased in warm and wet environments, while in cold, dry conditions the processes were decoupled and tree growth was more limited by the rate of cell growth.&nbsp;



According to Cabon, this last finding suggests that the source vs. sink issue depends on the tree’s environment and climate. “This means that climate change may reshape the distribution of source and sink limitations of the world’s forests," he said.&nbsp;



The key finding from this study is that vegetation models, which use mathematical equations and plant characteristics to estimate future forest growth, may need to be updated. “Virtually all these models assume that tree growth is source-limited,” said Cabon.



For example, he explained, current vegetation models predict that forests will thrive with higher atmospheric carbon dioxide. “The fact that tree growth is often sink-limited means that for many forests this may not actually happen.”



That has additional implications: forests absorb and store about a quarter of our current carbon dioxide emissions. If the growth of forests slows down, their ability to take in carbon and mitigate the effects of climate change may be significantly reduced.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

We still have much to learn about tree growth

Our school textbooks teach us that plants make their own...

Endangered animals