đ» The Week in Botany August 5, 2024
I wasnât hit by a bus, but I do have a cold, so itâs another late-night finish for the newsletter. This explains why I forgot to press schedule and had to log back in even later to press the button.
This weekâs highlight is right at the end of the newsletter. Itâs perfect if you want the coolest job title on campus.
There will be another collection of the stories and papers youâre sharing on Twitter, Mastodon, Bluesky and Threads, next week. Compiled a little earlier I hope. Until then, take care.
Alun (webmaster@botany.one)
On Botany One
Pollinators Prefer Threesomes
Scientists working with Chamaecrista latistipula discover that pollinators prefer plants that are in already in a relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Roads are great for connecting humans, but not so good for plants
New study reveals key plant and bee species connecting fragmented grasslands, but finds road verges fall short as supporting habitats.
From country to concrete: evidence that cities are changing how plants reproduce
Scientists found that plants growing in the city make more self-pollinating flowers and have seeds that sprout and grow faster compared to their country cousins, showing how urban life is secretly changing plants over time.
PRESERVING PLANT DIVERSITY ACROSS BORDERS: San Diego Natural History Museum collaborates binationally.
All around the globe, several institutions are striving to protect plant biodiversity â threatened by climate change, pollution, and resource exploitation. Botany One met with experts of the San Diego Natural History Museum to know more about their plant preservation initiative across the US-Mexico border.
News & Views
How a plant identification app helped me find happiness and satisfaction
Iâm no expert, but knowing my neighborhoodâs trees and flowers by name makes me feel grounded.
Is Planting Trees The Solution To The CO2 Problem?
Not all forests are equal.
Massive sinkholes in China hold 'heavenly' forests with plants adapted for harsh life underground
Plants growing at the bottom of sinkholes in China's Dashiwei Tiankeng Group don't take up as much carbon as surface plants do, but they have much higher levels of nutrients in their tissues.
They turned a junk-filled L.A. yard into a weird and wonderful habitat garden
If a wildlife show wanted to film in the middle of Los Angeles, Casa Apocalyptica â a dizzying jungle of native plants, abundant wildlife, soothing water and salvaged debris â would be a great place to land.
Plants and their pollinators are increasingly out of sync
As global temperatures rise and seasons shift, bees and other pollinators are missing critical connections with flowers and crops.
Plant-predating âpiranhaââŠ
A fish that eats plants might be doing them a favour.
A Newly Recognized Type Of Wood Could Store More Carbon
We thought trees only came in hardwoods and softwoods, but this is something else.
Agroforestry offers Thai rubber farmers a pathway to profit and sustainability
Rubber farmers in Thailand are increasingly adopting agroforestry as a more climate-friendly and sustainable way of cultivating the commodity, which ranks among the worldâs largest drivers of tropical deforestation.
Anja Murray: Pretty invader is bad news for ecosystems
Vibrant orange montbretia is such a familiar sight in rural Ireland that many people assume it's a native plant â but this is an alien invasive of the highest order.
If You Miss the Botanic Gardenâs âCorpse Flowerâ Blooms, You Can Always Check out the Lego Version
A new Lego corpse flower is four feet tallâand (mercifully!) odorless.
Scientific Papers
Settling moth pollination of a rare orchid in the Habenaria clade revealed with close-focusing camera traps (OA)
Johnson & Balducci used modified camera traps and direct observations to study the pollination system of Bonatea saundersioides. They quantified floral traits, including morphology, nectar, spectral reflectance and scent chemistry.
The dramatic effects of well-intentioned but ill-designed management strategies in plant biological invasions ($)
Plant invasions are becomingly increasingly common with global climate change. As a significant threat to biodiversity, appropriate management of invasive species is critical for the protection of native flora. However, many of the management strategies aimed at combating the impacts of invasive species only end up exacerbating them.
ReadCube: https://rdcu.be/dPVIK
Giant Seeds of an Extant Australasian Legume Lineage Discovered in Eocene Borneo (South Kalimantan, Indonesia) (OA)
The seeds represent the only known fossil relative of Castanospermum, the oldest legume fossils from Malesia, and one of the largest fossil angiosperm seeds. The new seeds, leaves, and palynomorphs provide a window into Eocene Malesian vegetation and rare macrofossil evidence of Sundan history for a living Australasian lineage.
Effectiveness of freezing temperatures on dormancy release of temperate woody species ($)
Wang et al demonstrated that freezing temperatures down to â10°C were effective in dormancy release. The rate of dormancy release, indicated by the rate of decay in chilling duration-forcing requirement curve, did not differ significantly between chilling temperatures in most cases, although it exhibited a maximum value at 0 or 5°C.
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variations drive adaptive evolution to freezing stress in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved tree: Hexaploid wild Camellia oleifera (OA)
Subtropical evergreen broad-leaved trees are usually vulnerable to freezing stress, while hexaploid wild Camellia oleifera shows strong freezing tolerance. As a valuable genetic resource of woody oil crop C. oleifera, wild C. oleifera can serve as a case for studying the molecular bases of adaptive evolution to freezing stress.
The Art of Botany Through Leonardo da Vinci (OA)
Thoughts on Leonardo da Vinci not merely being a Renaissance man, but also a botanist.
Potential expansion of plants with crassulacean acid metabolism in the Anthropocene ($)
Yu et al discuss the ecophysiological and evolutionary mechanisms linked with CAM succulence and the drivers underlying potential CAM expansion, including drought, warming, and atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment.
What's that smell? The Putrid Scent of Rafflesia consueloae, its Origin and Developmental Regulation ($)
Bascos et al report the floral scent composition of the endophytic holoparasite Rafflesia consueloae for the first time. Using a non-destructive in situ method that they developed, they identified 13 volatile compounds present in the scent of R. consuelaoe.
The importance of geography in forecasting future fire patterns under climate change (OA)
Syphard et al show that different geographical extents of model boundaries can result in nearly opposite future fire predictions for the same geographical areasâillustrating geographical variation in both fire regimes and their predictability.
The island syndrome in plants on New Zealandâs outlying islands: a review (OA)
Ciarle & Burns summarise work on the island syndrome conducted on New Zealandâs outlying islands, establish whether these findings are in line with global patterns of island biology or whether they are unique to this region, and propose directions for future research.
In AoBC Publications
When is lethal deceptive pollination maintained? A population dynamics approach (OA)
Comparative analysis of gene regulatory networks identifies conserved regulators in seed plants (OA)
Careers
Head of Science Operations, Cambridge
We are creating a new senior management role, Head of Science Operations, reporting to, and with delegated authority from, the Centre Director. The remit of the role is to provide leadership on areas of scientific functionality including communications, intellectual property, regulation, scientific platforms and scientific services.
Research Associate (Fixed Term), Cambridge
The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work with large datasets, including forest plot and logging data, phylogenies and trait matrices, meta-analysis, and possibly remote-sensing products. They will deliver high-quality analyses and publish these in leading scientific journals. They will work with a high degree of independence, as appropriate seeking input from Prof Edwards and the wider network of collaborators engaged in.
Head of Plant and Earth Sciences, Cardiff
We are seeking an experienced researcher to lead the Plant and Earth Sciences team within the Natural Sciences Department at Amgueddfa Cymru. This permanent position offers an exciting opportunity to use our collections to drive forward new approaches in public engagement and research with diverse audiences.
PhD position: Inter- and intra-specific crop flower variation for pollinator-friendly farming systems, Wageningen
Are you interested in how plants attract pollinators? Are passionate about pollinators and the crop pollination services they provide? Do you want to contribute to the breeding of crops for more pollinator-friendly farming systems? Then we invite you to apply for a PhD position in the Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation group!
Research Associate / Postdoc (m/f/x), Dresden
At the Faculty of Biology, the Chair of Botany offers a position as Research Associate / Postdoc (m/f/x) starting October 1, 2024. The position is limited until September 30, 2028 with the option of extension. Possible research topics could be: Biogeography, recording, protection and conservation of plant diversity, preferably with reference to existing collaborations in Angola and Vietnam or systematics and phylogeny with preferentially under intensive use of the Botanic Garden's collections. Your own proposals for a research program in the above-mentioned area are also welcome.
Research Associate, Oregon
This position is for a Research Associate in the Oregon State University Plant Clinic in the Department of Botany & Plant Pathology. The incumbent will be expected to be the primary diagnostician for the Clean Plant Network to be administered by the OSU Plant Clinic. They will develop and implement sensitive molecular technologies to detect plant pathogenic viruses in berries and other important crops grown in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Plant Physiology-Assistant Professor, California
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) invites applications for a tenure-track ASSISTANT PROFESSOR position in Plant Physiology, beginning in the Fall semester 2025.
Assistant Professor Weed Scientist, Wisconsin
The Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences in the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, seeks a 9-month tenure track Assistant Professor of Weed Science to investigate novel approaches to weed management across a broad range of Wisconsin cropping systems.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Washington
The positionâs primary responsibility will involve studies of root-knot nematodes and the plant Solanum sisymbriifolium. The position will involve conducting both field and laboratory research to pioneer new nematode resistance tools and bio-pesticides. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to develop and implement new ideas on the project.
Fellow (Post Doc), Kansas
The Agronomy Department at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS is looking for a research Fellow (Post Doc) to work on climate change and climate impacts for crops and plant ecosystems. The selected candidate will conduct independent research programs in areas of modeling and processing large-volume environmental datasets (climate, water, and soil), future climate projections (IPCC CMIP6 and 7 data), and plant response mechanisms and adaptation under climate change.
Assistant Professor Soilless Plant Culture, Kentucky
This is a tenure-track, research, teaching, and extension position with Kentucky State Universityâs 1890 Land-Grant Program. The faculty member is expected to conduct research in soilless culture and provide statewide extension support to train extension professionals about soilless plant culture with a particular focus on limited-resource and small farms, and low-income communities.
Assistant Professor of Plant Evolution, Montana
This position requires that the successful candidate develop a focused program of research, teaching, and service activities related to plant evolution and biodiversity (e.g., systematics, comparative biology, speciation, adaptation, phylogeography). Teaching responsibilities include an upper-level course on Plant Systematics, contributing to other courses in the curriculum as determined with the Department Head, and advising undergraduate and graduate students.
Assistant or Associate Professor, Viticulture (9-month, tenure-track), Tennessee
The Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track faculty position as an Assistant or Associate Professor.
Post Doctoral Research Scholar, North Carolina
The postdoctoral scholar will conduct research on the development, utilization, and integration of multi-omics in small grains. To achieve this, the incumbent is expected to develop, analyze, and utilize datasets from high throughput phenotyping and/or genomic, transcriptomic, or translatomic sequencing data. Due to the nature of funding, the scholar will have considerable flexibility to define their research trajectory.
Research Fellow in Astrobotany, Melbourne
Join ongoing research to re-domesticate fruiting plants, initially focusing on strawberries, to optimise harvest index in soil-less systems for space environments. You will design, breed, transform, and phenotype plant systems for space habitation. This role also involves selecting and crossing natural Earth populations combined with genetic modification to develop complete-use plants.