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...

Zanthoxylum hawaiiense 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.Competition from alien plants; habitat destruction by cattle, goats, and sheep; limited numbers. Zanthoxylum hawaiiense (a'e) is a thornless tree usually 10-26 ft (3-7.9 m) tall with a trunk up to 10 in (25.4 cm) in diameter.

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=e0fcbab5d0f1438ba258565e3a86d394&amp;aqs=edge.0.69i59j69i57j0l5.1719j0j9&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.Zanthoxylum hawaiiense, commonly known aʻe or Hawaiʻi pricklyash, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It can be found at elevations of 550–1,740 m in dry forests, where it grows on lava flows, and mixed mesic forests on the Island of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Zanthoxylum hawaiiense

Zanthoxylum hawaiiense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Zanthoxylum oahuense 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/mistastin-lake-in-labrador-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+america&amp;cvid=84f1e8e9658b4caea7e69e7c7dff2555&amp;aqs=edge.0.69i59j69i57j69i59j0j69i60l3.1774j0j9&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">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.

Zanthoxylum oahuense

Zanthoxylum oahuense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

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.

Zanthoxylum thomasianum

NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source...

Zizania texana 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/lake-st-clair-of-the-u-s-and-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 North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=91f938cbd77c449aa5aeecec4dfa9db9&amp;aqs=edge.0.69i59j0l6.773j0j1&amp;pglt=43&amp;FORM=ANNTA1&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. Zizania texana is a rare species of grass known by the common name Texas wild rice.

It is endemic to Texas, where it is found only on the upper San Marcos River in Hays County. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Texas wildrice 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.a rare and endangered species of aquatic grass, exists in the spring-fed headwaters of the San Marcos River within the city limits of San Marcos, Hays County, Texas. This unique plant is endemic to Texas and occurs, in the United States, naturally only in this location.

Zizania texana

Zizania texana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

In a groundbreaking study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.009">Cell</a> on March 30, researchers from Israel have discovered that stressed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-desert-plants-are-not-immune-to-climate-stress/">plants</a>, specifically tomato and tobacco plants, emit ultrasonic noises resembling the sound of bubble-wrap being popped. 



These sounds, which are comparable in volume to normal human conversation, are beyond the range of human hearing but are likely detectable by insects, other mammals, and possibly even other plants. The research sheds new light on the largely unexplored world of acoustic communication among plants and other organisms.



"Even in a quiet field, there are actually sounds that we don't hear, and those sounds carry information," explained senior author Lilach Hadany, an evolutionary biologist and theoretician at <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a>. "There are animals that can hear these sounds, so there is the possibility that a lot of acoustic interaction is occurring."



While ultrasonic vibrations have previously been recorded in plants, this study provides the first evidence that these sounds are airborne, making them more relevant to other organisms within the environment. "Plants interact with insects and other animals all the time, and many of these organisms use sound for communication, so it would be very suboptimal for plants to not use sound at all," said Hadany.



To conduct the study, the researchers recorded both healthy and stressed tomato and tobacco plants using microphones. They first placed the plants in a soundproofed acoustic chamber before moving them to a noisier greenhouse environment.



The plants were subjected to stress through two methods: stem severing and dehydration by withholding water for several days. After obtaining the recordings, the researchers used a machine-learning algorithm to differentiate between unstressed, thirsty, and cut plants.



The study's results revealed that stressed plants emit significantly more sounds than their unstressed counterparts. The sounds produced by these plants resemble pops or clicks, with a single stressed plant emitting approximately 30–50 clicks per hour at seemingly random intervals. By contrast, unstressed plants produce far fewer sounds. "When tomatoes are not stressed at all, they are very quiet," said Hadany.



Water-stressed plants emit noises before they show visible signs of dehydration, and that the frequency of these sounds peaks after five days without water before decreasing as the plants dry up completely. Furthermore, the types of sounds produced vary depending on the cause of stress. The researchers employed a machine-learning algorithm that was able to accurately differentiate between dehydration stress and stress caused by cutting, as well as discern whether the sounds originated from tomato or tobacco plants.



While the study focused primarily on tomato and tobacco plants due to their ease of cultivation and standardization in a laboratory setting, the research team also recorded sounds from a variety of other plant species. "We found that many plants - corn, wheat, grape, and cactus plants, for example - emit sounds when they are stressed," said study senior author Lilach Hadany.



The exact mechanism behind the production of these noises remains unclear, but the researchers propose that it may be related to the formation and bursting of air bubbles within the plant's vascular system, a process known as cavitation.



The question of whether plants produce these sounds with the intent to communicate with other organisms is still up for debate, but the mere existence of these sounds holds significant ecological and evolutionary implications.&nbsp;



"It's possible that other organisms could have evolved to hear and respond to these sounds. For example, a moth that intends to lay eggs on a plant or an animal that intends to eat a plant could use the sounds to help guide their decision," said Hadany.



It is possible that other plants are also "listening in" and benefiting from these sounds. Prior research has demonstrated that plants can respond to sounds and vibrations. Hadany and several other members of the research team had previously shown that plants increase the sugar concentration in their nectar when they "hear" sounds made by pollinators.&nbsp;



Moreover, other studies have revealed that plants alter their gene expression in response to sounds. "If other plants have information about stress before it actually occurs, they could prepare," explained Hadany.



The sound recordings of plants have potential applications in agricultural irrigation systems. The authors suggest that these recordings could be used to monitor crop hydration status and, in turn, help distribute water more efficiently across the fields. By understanding the acoustic cues related to plant stress, farmers may be able to optimize water use and maintain healthier crops.



“We know that there’s a lot of ultrasound out there - every time you use a microphone, you find that a lot of stuff produces sounds that we humans cannot hear - but the fact that plants are making these sounds opens a whole new avenue of opportunities for communication, eavesdropping, and exploitation of these sounds,” said co-senior author Yossi Yovel, a neuro-ecologist at Tel Aviv University.



“So now that we know that plants do emit sounds, the next question is - ‘who might be listening?’” said Hadany. “We are currently investigating the responses of other organisms, both animals and plants, to these sounds, and we’re also exploring our ability to identify and interpret the sounds in completely natural environments.”



This groundbreaking research opens the door to further investigation into plant communication and its potential impact on the interactions between plants and other organisms in their surrounding ecosystems. Understanding the role of these sounds in the plant world could eventually lead to new insights in agriculture, pest management, and the broader understanding of the complex relationships between plants and their environments.



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Breakthrough: Plants emit sounds when they are stressed

In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Cell on...

In the heart of North America's most arid and scorching desert, climate change is driving the decline of plant species once believed to be nearly indestructible. In their place, shorter shrubs are emerging, capitalizing on sporadic rainfall and warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



Although this phenomenon has been observed in temperate mountain regions, a new study from the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside</a> (UCR) reveals unexpected patterns of plant redistribution in the Sonoran Desert.



Study first author Tesa Madsen-Hepp pointed out that the findings challenge conventional expectations: "The plants are shifting, but in weird ways. We thought most of them would move to higher elevations with cooler temperatures. But while some lower-elevation trees are declining and shifting upwards, we’re also seeing some other species moving down, toward hotter parts of the desert."



The research, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14308">Functional Ecology</a>, not only documents these surprising shifts in elevation but also investigates the physical characteristics of the plants in question to uncover the reasons behind this change.



The research team conducted their study in 2019 at the Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center, located just south of Palm Desert. This area, spanning an 8,000-foot desert-to-mountaintop range, had been previously examined by ecologists in 1977 and 2008, providing valuable context for the recent findings.



Madsen-Hepp notes that some traditionally stress-tolerant species, such as California juniper and pinyon pine, are declining or shifting upwards, yet they are not thriving in their new locations. By contrast, plant species with shallower root systems, like brittlebush, burrow bush, and ocotillo, are taking over their former low-elevation spots. These shorter plants are not only less reliant on deep soil water, but they can also grow faster and invest fewer resources in their leaves.



Study senior author Professor Marko Spasojevic describes these species as "weedier." He says that these plants have "cheaper" leaves in terms of carbon cost to produce them, and they are drought deciduous, meaning they can shed leaves during stressful conditions and wait for the drought to subside.



Plants that retain their leaves year-round typically invest in thicker leaves with higher carbon content, putting them at a disadvantage compared to those that can easily shed leaves. When plants drop their leaves, the atmosphere can no longer draw water from them, reducing the burden on their roots to replenish the lost water.



According to Madsen-Hepp, the "live-slow-die-old" strategy that used to work for plants in this extreme environment is no longer effective due to increased climate stress. Once these plants reach their physiological thresholds, she warns, there is little that can be done to revive them.



The researchers also discovered that, contrary to more temperate ecosystems, the lower desert elevations are warming faster than the higher ones. The shrubs and bushes taking over are not necessarily originating from the highest points in the desert, but rather are lower-elevation plants expanding their range.



The observed upward range shifts of approximately 29 meters per decade are consistent with the higher end of global rates for plant movement in response to climate warming. On average, plants in temperate regions have shown range shift rates between 5 and 30 meters a decade.



Professor Spasojevic emphasizes the vulnerability of desert ecosystems to climate change, stating that they may be even more sensitive than Arctic and alpine ecosystems, which are typically seen as bellwethers for climate change. He urges the reduction of fossil fuel emissions as the key to alleviating stress on these fragile environments.



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Even desert plants are not immune to climate stress

In the heart of North America's most arid and scorching...

Cocklebur is an invasive plant native to Southern Europe, Central Asia, and China that has recently spread worldwide and is frequently found in moist or sandy areas such as riverbanks or roadside ditches. Although many consider cocklebur to be nothing more than a noxious weed, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.mju.ac.kr/us/index..do">Myongji University</a> in South Korea has found that its fruits have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory components, which could make it useful as a skin protectant and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/anti-aging-hormone/">anti-aging</a> product.



By performing a series of laboratory tests, the scientists discovered that compounds in this plants’ spiky fruits can reduce damage from UVB exposure, speed wound healing, and influence the production of collagen, a protein that gives skin its elasticity and prevents the appearance of wrinkles. Comparing the bioactivity of cocklebur fruits grown in different places, the experts found that those grown in South Korea had slightly higher anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as greater would healing activity, than those from China.



“We found that cocklebur fruit has the potential to protect the skin and help enhance production of collagen,” said Eunsu Song, a doctoral student at Myongji. “In this regard, it could be an attractive ingredient for creams or other cosmetic forms. It will likely show a synergistic effect if it is mixed with other effective compounds, such as hyaluronic acid or retinoic acid, against aging.”



However, the scientists warn that high doses of cocklebur fruit extract could be dangerous. “In its burrs, cocklebur fruit also has a toxic constituent, carboxyatractyloside, which can damage the liver. Cocklebur showed a potential as a cosmetic agent by increasing collagen synthesis; however, it showed negative results with higher concentrations. Therefore, finding the proper concentration seems very important and would be key to commercializing cocklebur fruit extracts in cosmetics,” Song said.



In future research, the scientists plan to investigate in greater depth the biological mechanisms involved and conduct animal experiments to explore ways to safely adapt cocklebur fruit extracts for use in cosmetic products.



The study was presented at <a href="https://discoverbmb.asbmb.org/">Discover BMB</a>, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (March 25–28 in Seattle). An abstract can be downloaded <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/w89lgsss34tile5/Song_abstract.pdf?dl=0">here</a>.



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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



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Invasive weed has anti-aging properties

Cocklebur is an invasive plant native to Southern Europe, Central...

A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has led to a significant shift in our understanding of the origins of plant branching. By investigating the mechanisms responsible for this process, the scientists have uncovered insights into the appearance of Earth's first land plants millions of years ago.



The research, which focused on vascular plants, has identified a common mechanism for branching despite the fact that these plants exhibit fundamentally different growth patterns.



"Diverse shapes abound in the dominant flowering plant group, and gardeners will be familiar with 'pinching out' plants' shoot tips to stimulate side branch growth, leading to a bushier overall form. However, unlike flowering plants, other vascular plants branch by splitting the shoot apex into two during growth, a process known as 'dichotomy,'" said Dr. Jill Harrison from Bristol's School of Biological Sciences.



The team examined lycophytes, an ancient vascular plant lineage that formed coal seams during the Carboniferous era, as they preserve the ancestral pattern of dichotomous branching. Through a series of surgical experiments on a lycophyte specimen, the researchers discovered that dichotomy is regulated by short-range auxin transport and coordinated in different parts of the plant by long-range auxin transport.



These findings, published in the journal <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/dev">Development</a>, reveal that both flowering and lycophyte branching are regulated by auxin transport. This suggests that similar mechanisms were present in the earliest vascular plants around 420 million years ago.&nbsp;



By combining this new knowledge with discoveries made in the non-vascular, non-branching moss group, the researchers were able to infer the appearance of the first land plants about 480 million years ago.



In a previous study, Dr. Harrison's lab disrupted auxin transport in a moss, causing it to branch in a manner akin to the earliest branching fossils. The combination of these studies implies that the earliest land plants were branched and that branching was lost during the evolution of non-vascular mosses.



Dr. Harrison emphasized the importance of this discovery: "The greening of the land by plants paved the way for all terrestrial life to evolve as it provided food for animals and oxygen to breathe, and branching was a key innovation in the radiation of land plants. Our work implies that branching evolved earlier than thought, which is an important evolutionary conclusion."



Moreover, the revelation that distantly related plants use the same genetic mechanisms to regulate branching offers significant potential for future applications. "The fact that we have shown that plants that are so distantly related use the same genetic mechanisms to regulate branching brings great potential to transfer knowledge in engineering plant shape to improve future productivity and yield," said Dr. Harrison.



Plants play a critical role in maintaining Earth's ecosystems and are essential for the survival of countless organisms, including humans. Here are some of the reasons why plants are so important to the Earth's ecosystems, and why determining exactly how plants evolved is vital to science as we strive to protect them during this period of climate change.



<ol>
<li>Oxygen production: Through the process of photosynthesis, plants convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into oxygen and glucose. The oxygen they release is vital for the survival of aerobic organisms, including humans and other animals.</li>



<li>Carbon sequestration: Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, using it for photosynthesis and storing it in their tissues. This process, known as carbon sequestration, helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.</li>



<li>Food source: Plants form the basis of the food chain, providing energy and nutrients for herbivores, which in turn are consumed by carnivores and omnivores. Without plants, the entire food chain would collapse, causing a massive loss of biodiversity and ecological imbalance.</li>



<li>Habitat provision: Plants create habitats for various organisms, including insects, birds, and mammals. These habitats offer shelter, protection from predators, and breeding grounds for countless species.</li>



<li>Soil formation and preservation: Plant roots help to bind and stabilize the soil, reducing erosion and promoting the formation of new soil. Decomposing plant material also contributes to the formation of nutrient-rich humus, which is essential for the growth of other plants and the overall health of the ecosystem.</li>



<li>Nutrient cycling: Plants play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, taking up nutrients from the soil and incorporating them into their tissues. When plants die and decompose, these nutrients are released back into the soil, making them available for use by other organisms.</li>



<li>Water cycle regulation: Plants help regulate the water cycle by absorbing water from the soil and releasing it into the atmosphere through transpiration. This process contributes to the formation of clouds and precipitation, ensuring a continuous supply of water for the ecosystem.</li>



<li>Climate regulation: Plants influence local and global climate through the processes of evapotranspiration, carbon sequestration, and albedo (the reflection of solar radiation). By affecting temperature, humidity, and other climatic factors, plants play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the Earth's ecosystems.</li>



<li>Medicinal resources: Many plants have medicinal properties and are used to treat various health conditions. They are an essential source of pharmaceutical compounds and play a significant role in the development of new medicines.</li>



<li>Aesthetic and cultural value: Plants contribute to the aesthetic beauty of our environment and have significant cultural value in many societies. They have inspired art, literature, and countless human traditions and beliefs throughout history.</li>
</ol>



In summary, plants are indispensable for maintaining the balance and functioning of Earth's ecosystems. They provide oxygen, food, shelter, and countless other benefits that are essential for the survival of organisms and the health of the planet.



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What did the first plants on Earth look like?

A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at the University of...

A team of botanists from Ecuador, Germany, and the United States have discovered two new species of carnivorous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-island-plants-may-not-survive-animal-extinctions/">plants</a>. The species are both part of the genus Pinguicula, which is a group of flowering plants known as butterworts.&nbsp;



Butterworts are capable of catching and digesting small insects with their sticky leaves. The new species were found in the high Andes of southern Ecuador, near the border with Peru. This discovery is significant because the majority of butterwort species are distributed in the northern hemisphere.



Carnivorous plants are plants that have evolved to capture and digest small animals, usually insects, in order to obtain additional nutrients that are lacking in their soil or environment. These plants have developed specialized structures, such as sticky leaves or traps, that allow them to catch and consume their prey.



There are many different types of carnivorous plants, including sundews, Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, and bladderworts, among others. Each type of carnivorous plant has its own unique adaptations and mechanisms for catching and digesting prey.



Carnivorous plants are found in a variety of environments, but they are most commonly found in nutrient-poor habitats, such as bogs, swamps, and other wetlands. These plants are able to thrive in these environments by supplementing their nutrient intake with the nutrients obtained from their prey.



The new Pinguicula species, Pinguicula jimburensis and Pinguicula ombrophila, were found in small-scale habitats within the Amotape-Huancabamba zone. This region is characterized by exceptional biodiversity due in part to the fact that the rugged terrain and varied climate of the Andes provide many microhabitats.&nbsp;



Pinguicula jimburensis was found on the shore of a highland lagoon at 3,400 meters, while Pinguicula ombrophila was found on a nearly vertical rock face at 2,900 meters.



Study senior author Tilo Henning is an expert at the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), who specializes in this plant family in this region. Álvaro Pérez of the Pontifica Universidad Catolica del Ecuador and his team were the first to discover the plants, before contacting Henning.



"Both of these new species are only known from a single location, where only a few dozens of plant individuals occur in each case," said Henning. He explained that this narrow endemism, or limited distribution in a particular area, is typical of the Amotape-Huancabamba zone, and there are many more new plant and animal species awaiting discovery.&nbsp;



"The results presented in this study show that the assessment of the Neotropical biodiversity is far from complete. Even in well-known groups such as the carnivorous plants, new taxa are continuously discovered and described, in particular from remote areas that become accessible in the course of the unlimited urban sprawl,” wrote the researchers. “This is both encouraging and worrying at the same time".



"Relentless urban sprawl and the accompanying destruction of habitats pose a massive threat to biodiversity in general, and to the tightly-knit and specialized organisms that depend on their fragile microhabitats in particular," said Henning.



While the two new species are relatively safe from direct human interference, as they both occur within protected areas, human-induced climate change is increasingly affecting ecosystems regardless of location, especially those that rely on regular precipitation, such as mountain wetlands.



The dependence on a constant climate is even reflected in the name of one of the two new species: Pinguicula ombrophila means “rain-loving butterwort," as the plant prefers very wet conditions, receiving moisture from the waterlogged paramo-soil and enjoying the frequent rain and fog typical for this area.&nbsp;



With the discovery of these two new species, the number of Pinguicula species recorded in Ecuador has tripled, as previously only P. calyptrata was known, discovered by none other than Alexander von Humboldt. The authors are convinced that there are many more new species of carnivorous plants around the world waiting to be discovered.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.222.98139">PhytoKeys</a>.&nbsp;



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Two new species of carnivorous plants discovered in Ecuador

A team of botanists from Ecuador, Germany, and the United...

A recent study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antiox12030698">Antioxidants</a> suggests that eating peanuts and peanut butter could have a positive impact on vascular health in young and healthy individuals. The research was led by Rosa M. Lamuela, a professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the <a href="https://web.ub.edu/en/web/ub/">University of Barcelona</a> and a member of both the Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety Research (INSA-UB) and the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition Networking Biomedical Research Centre (CIBEROBN).



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/peanuts-lower-blood-pressure-and-promote-weight-loss/">Peanuts</a>, derived from the leguminous plant Arachis hypogaea, are categorized as nuts in terms of their nutritional composition. As the most widely consumed nuts globally, they are a convenient, nutrient-rich snack that contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Peanuts contain high levels of fatty acids, protein, fiber, and polyphenols.



Most nutritional studies typically focus on significant differences in populations with a high risk of developing a disease, especially older individuals. In this demographic, it is easier to observe the beneficial effects of modifying dietary patterns or incorporating healthy foods into a regular diet.



By contrast, this study involved 63 healthy young participants aged between 18 and 33, who included a daily portion of peanut products in their regular diet for six months. This research is the first nutritional intervention to confirm an improvement in vascular markers related to antithrombotic and vasodilator effects in healthy young people after consuming peanuts.&nbsp;



"In this study group, it is more difficult to see any effect of dietary changes on health," explained Professor Rosa M. Lamuela. "The results reveal a significant increase in urinary levels of phenolic metabolites in those young people who had eaten a daily dose of peanuts and peanut butter compared to the control group, which had eaten a cream without fiber or polyphenols."



Furthermore, participants who consumed peanuts or peanut butter demonstrated improved levels of prostacyclin I2 and the ratio between thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin I2. These lipid molecules, known as eicosanoids, are considered markers of vascular health.&nbsp;



"Interestingly, some phenolic metabolites that increased significantly after the consumption of peanut products - especially hydroxycinnamic acids - also correlated with the improvement in both markers," said study first author Isabella Parilli-Moser.



The study supports the hypothesis presented in previous research conducted by this group, which argued for the protective effect of polyphenols - the primary antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in the diet - on cardiovascular diseases in adults, as well as their antithrombotic and vasodilator effects.&nbsp;



Additionally, the consumption of nuts and peanuts has been linked to a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, primarily due to the protective effect of the polyphenols found in these foods.



The researchers emphasize that the study highlights one of the potential health benefits of including peanuts and peanut butter in our diet. However, they conclude that more studies are needed to fully understand the mechanisms that explain the positive effects of peanut consumption on vascular health.



The study was conducted as part of the ARISTOTLE project, an initiative to analyze the prebiotic and postbiotic effects of consuming peanut products, promoted by The Peanut Institute (United States). It also received support from companies in the food sector, which did not participate in the experimental design or research protocol deployed in the study.



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Peanuts have a beneficial impact on vascular health

A recent study published in the journal Antioxidants suggests that...

A study examining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-drives-a-spiritual-connection-with-giant-trees/">tree</a> rings in western North America has revealed that the record-breaking heat wave experienced in the summer of 2021 was the most extreme in over a millennium.



The research, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/npjclimatsci/">Climate and Atmospheric Science</a>, establishes a year-by-year record of summer average temperatures dating back to the year 950. The study indicates that the last 40 years, driven by human-influenced climate change, has been the hottest on record, and that the summer of 2021 was the hottest in over 1,000 years.



Lead author Karen Heeter, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University’s <a href="https://lamont.columbia.edu/">Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory</a>, explained the significance of the findings: “It’s not that the Pacific Northwest has never before experienced waves of high temperature. But with climate change, their magnitude is much hotter, and they have a much greater impact on the community.”



The tree-ring reconstruction and modern temperature readings show that the period between 1979 and 2021 saw a sustained increase in hot summers that were unrivaled in the last 1,000-plus years. Most of the hottest years have occurred since 2000.&nbsp;



The second-warmest period, as indicated by the tree rings, was from 1028 to 1096, during the so-called Medieval Climate Anomaly, when a natural warming trend is thought to have affected large parts of the planet. However, even these historical periods were considerably cooler than temperatures experienced in recent decades.



The researchers in this study collected tree-ring data from about 600 old conifers in northern Idaho and the Cascade ranges of Oregon and Washington. Using a relatively new technique called blue intensity, they measured the density of the tree rings, which can be translated into temperature data.&nbsp;



The summer of 2021 held the annual record, with an average temperature of 18.9 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit), while the hottest summer in prehistoric times was in 1080, with an average temperature of 16.9 degrees Celsius (62.4 degrees Fahrenheit).



Heeter experienced the 2021 heat wave firsthand, suffering in her un-air-conditioned apartment in Moscow, Idaho, as indoor temperatures reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit. She also noted the challenges faced in collecting data during that summer, as many target forests were on fire, and some areas were under evacuation orders.



The research highlights the vulnerability of communities that have not been historically exposed to extreme heat, as they are often poorly prepared to cope with such events. Heeter suggests that creating refuges where people can go when extreme heat events occur again could be a more feasible solution than installing air conditioning everywhere.&nbsp;



The experts warn that "communities across the world that have not been historically exposed to extreme heat are likely to experience greater morbidity and mortality."



The study's findings also underscore the global nature of the climate crisis, as even regions with historically moderate climates are experiencing unprecedented temperature extremes. As climate change continues to progress, the likelihood of such heat waves occurring more frequently increases, necessitating adaptation and preparedness measures in vulnerable communities around the world.



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Tree rings confirm the historic significance of 2021 heat wave

A study examining tree rings in western North America has...

The pet food market is ever-expanding, and as pet owners become increasingly conscious of their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-plantations-limit-native-birds-diets/">diets</a> and values, they are also seeking pet food products that align with those values. Vegan diets for pets have been growing in popularity, and a recent study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> has found that at least two human-grade, lightly cooked vegan diets can provide adequate nutrition for dogs.



“Because people are feeding these diets to their pets, it’s important they be tested like all other foods to make sure they're safe and ‘complete and balanced,’” says study co-author Professor Kelly Swanson.



The researchers tested two vegan formulas, one with a grain ingredient and one without, from Bramble, a company that makes human-grade dog food. They also tested a leading brand chicken-based kibble diet. The diets were fed to beagles for three weeks, and the researchers analyzed the dogs’ blood chemistry, fecal quality, and microbiome.



The vegan diets were veterinary nutritionist-formulated mixtures of whole foods, including lentils, garbanzo beans, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apples, blueberries, peas, and carrots. The researchers confirmed that both vegan diets and the chicken-based diet met standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) for “complete and balanced” nutrition.



“One thing to remember is that animals don't have ingredient requirements, they have nutrient requirements. As long as they’re consuming the essential nutrients in the correct amounts and ratios, dogs can be vegan, vegetarian, or meat-eaters,” says Swanson. “Knowledge of ingredient composition and nutrient needs are critical, however. Anyone can slap together a vegan meal for their dog, but without careful formulation, you might have something that's really imbalanced.”



In earlier studies, Swanson’s group showed that human-grade, fresh dog foods were highly digestible, resulting in dramatically less stool. However, the researchers found that the vegan diets in the current study did not generate any more or less stool than the chicken diet.



“It’s not a surprise, really. With these ingredients, there's more fiber and oligosaccharides, which could be good for dogs that need to stay regular,” Swanson notes.



The research team was surprised to find that certain blood metabolites, such as blood triglycerides and cholesterol, were significantly lower in dogs fed the vegan diets. This could benefit obese pets and help maintain a healthy weight.



The team also noted positive changes in the fecal microbiome and the chemicals produced by those microbes in dogs fed the vegan diets.&nbsp;



“There were some interesting and beneficial changes in the microbial community that I think reflect the blend of fibers that were present in the vegan diets. The fecal metabolites phenol and indole, both of which contribute to fecal odor, were dramatically decreased in those diets too. It's still going to smell, but probably less,” Swanson says. “Overall, it looked like there were some beneficial shifts from a gut health perspective in dogs fed the vegan diets.”



Professor Swanson says he’d like to do head-to-head comparisons between human-grade diets with and without meat and dairy products, but for the first study showing how fresh vegan diets perform in dogs, the results are promising.



“No one had tested digestibility of these diets in dogs before this. We showed that these vegan diets resulted in desirable fecal characteristics, high nutrient digestibilities, and positive changes to certain blood and fecal metabolites,” he says. “For people who are interested in feeding their pets a vegan diet that aligns with their personal values, the diets we tested are a good choice.”



Swanson emphasizes that the diets studied were formulated by veterinary nutritionists. Homemade vegan dog foods may differ by not providing complete and balanced nutrition for dogs.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad093">Journal of Animal Science</a>.



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Vegan diet for dogs given the thumbs-up by scientists

The pet food market is ever-expanding, and as pet owners...

A team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.ttu.edu/">Texas Tech University</a> (TTU) has recently found that introducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walnuts-reduce-academic-stress-and-improve-brain-health/">walnuts</a> in our diets could provide significant heart benefits by altering our gut microbiome in a way that increases the production of the amino acid L-homoarginine. The lack of this particular amino acid has been linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease.



“Research has shown that walnuts may have heart-healthy benefits like lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure,” said Mansi Chandra, an undergraduate researcher at <a href="https://www.juniata.edu/">Juniata College</a>, who will present the study findings at&nbsp;<a href="https://discoverbmb.asbmb.org/">Discover BMB</a>, the annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.asbmb.org/">American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology</a> (March 25–28, Seattle). “This motivated us to look at how walnuts benefited the gut microbiome and whether those effects led to the potential beneficial effects. Our findings represent a new mechanism through which walnuts may lower cardiovascular disease risk.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



To investigate the gene expression of gut microbes, the experts used metatranscriptomics, a recently developed technology employed to quantify gene expression levels and monitor how these levels shift in response to various conditions, including dietary changes.



“To our knowledge, this is the first study to use metatranscriptomics analysis for studying the impact of walnut consumption on the gut microbiota gene expression. These exploratory analyses contribute to our understanding of walnut-related modulation of gut microbiome, which could be very impactful in learning how gut health impacts our heart health in general,” Chandra explained.



The analysis revealed higher levels of Gordonibacter bacteria –microorganisms that help converting the plant polyphenols ellagitannins and ellagic acid into metabolites which allow them to be absorbed by the body - in the guts of participants following a walnut diet. In addition, the researchers also found higher levels of expression for several genes involved in major metabolic and biosynthetic pathways, including those that increase the organism’s production of L-homoarginine.&nbsp;



Although more research is necessary to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying these changes in the gut microbiome, this study could eventually help inform dietary interventions to improve heart health based on walnuts. &nbsp;



“Since a lot of people are allergic to nuts, these findings also suggest that other food supplements that boost the endogenous production of homoarginine may also be helpful,”&nbsp;Chandra concluded.



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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



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Walnuts improve heart health by altering the gut microbiome 

A team of scientists led by Texas Tech University (TTU)...

Nearly one-third of Americans dealing with chronic pain are turning to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-plants-could-help-in-the-fight-against-climate-change/">cannabis</a> for relief, according to a study from <a href="https://www.uofmhealth.org/">Michigan Medicine</a>.



"Most states have enacted laws allowing individuals to treat chronic pain with cannabis," wrote the study authors. "Evidence is mixed about whether medical cannabis serves as a substitute for prescription opioids or other pain treatments."



"Accurate estimates of cannabis use or its substitution in place of pain treatments among adults with chronic noncancer pain are, to our knowledge, not available."



To investigate, the researchers surveyed 1,724 adults over the age of 18 with chronic pain who lived in one of 36 states that have active medical cannabis programs.&nbsp;



More than half of the respondents said that cannabis had enabled them to decrease their use of pain medications, including opioids. For nearly 40 percent of the participants, cannabis use was associated with a reduced need for physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.



Less than one percent of the respondents said cannabis use resulted in more opioid, non-opioid or over-the-the-counter pain medication use. Furthermore, about 25 percent of chronic pain patients said they meditated more with cannabis use.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Among adults with chronic pain in states with medical cannabis laws, 3 in 10 persons reported using cannabis to manage their pain," wrote the researchers. "Most persons who used cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain reported substituting cannabis in place of other pain medications including prescription opioids."



"The high degree of substitution of cannabis with both opioid and nonopioid treatment emphasizes the importance of research to clarify the effectiveness and potential adverse consequences of cannabis for chronic pain."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49797">JAMA Network Open</a>.



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



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Patients with chronic pain are turning to cannabis for relief

Nearly one-third of Americans dealing with chronic pain are turning...

Aerial,View,Of,Mist,,Cloud,And,Fog,Hanging,Over,A

Extreme storms are an underestimated cause of tree mortality in the Amazon, causing "windthrow" events in which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/douglas-fir-trees-will-suffer-from-drier-air/">trees</a> are broken or completely uprooted. A team of experts at the Department of Energy’s <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> has investigated how increasingly intense thunderstorms in a warming climate will affect forest mortality and carbon storage across the Amazon rainforest.&nbsp;



The researchers determined that by the end of the century, the Amazon will likely experience 43 percent more large windthrow events that affect at least 25,000 square meters of forest. The study fills a major gap in climate models, helping to clarify the link between storm conditions in the atmosphere and forest mortality on land.



“Building this link between atmospheric dynamics and damage at the surface is very important across the board,” said Jeff Chambers, director of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE)-Tropics project. “It’s not just for the tropics. It’s high-latitude, low-latitude, temperate-latitude, here in the U.S.”



“We want to know what these extreme storms and windthrows mean in terms of the carbon budget and carbon dynamics, and for carbon sinks in the forests."



“It’s a complicated system, and there are still a lot of pieces of the puzzle that we’re working on. In order to answer the question more quantitatively, we need to build out the land-atmosphere links in Earth system models.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



For the investigation, the researchers compared atmospheric data with a map of more than 1,000 large windthrow events. The analysis revealed that a measurement known as CAPE (convective available potential energy) is a good predictor of major blowdowns.&nbsp;



“Storms account for over half of the forest mortality in the Amazon,” said study first author Yanlei Feng. “Climate change has a lot of impact on Amazon forests, but so far, a large fraction of the research focus has been on drought and fire. We hope our research brings more attention to extreme storms and improves our models to work under a changing environment from climate change.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35570-1">Nature Communications</a>.



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



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Storms are a major source of forest mortality in the Amazon

Extreme storms are an underestimated cause of tree mortality in...

Endangered plants