đ» The Week in Botany September 18, 2023
The weather has gone from unbearably hot to cold and wet over the course of a week here. Itâs nice to have some autumnal weather for the autumn. I imagine spring is well underway in the other hemisphere. The grasshoppers have moved on, so Iâve mowed the lawn, for the first time this year I think. The turning season has also had an effect on Twitter with shared papers again rising on the site.
Something that has got a lot of shares is Michelaâs Botanical Pill on the evolution of land plants. Itâs a tale of six hundred million years. However, I just have a tale of a week to write, and that should be with you at the same time next week, COVID etc permitting. Until then, take care.
Alun (webmaster@botany.one)
On Botany One
Angiosperms and Insects: A Dynamic Partnership Across Millions of Years
Unveiling the secrets of pollination through time: How the age-old alliance between flowers and pollinators continues to shape the natural world.
Subterranean Wonders: The Fascinating Resilience of African Geoxyles
Underground trees, a type of geoxyles occurring in Afrotropical savannas and grasslands, have unique and diverse ways of surviving in tough environments, according to recent research.
The Evolution of Land Plants: Their Origin (in freshwater) and Radiation (on dry soil)
This botanical pill gives a brief overview of the evolutionary history of land plants, from their origin in aquatic habitats (when green algae crawled out of water) Million Years Ago to their amazing diversification in terrestrial habitats (from small algal scum to big forests & flower gardens) that completely changed life on Earth.
Whatâs new in botany?
Does the word ânewâ add anything to the title of a botanical paper?
Scientists Reveal Hidden Diversity in Brazilâs Iconic National Tree
Genetic testing and leaf measurements uncover five lineages of Brazilâs iconic but endangered national tree pau-brasil, signalling undiscovered diversity and an urgent need to preserve the evolutionary breadth in the wild before itâs too late.
Itâs Not Just Honeybees That Are Pollination Heroes
Abundant flies like Eristalis and wild bumblebees join domesticated honeybees as bugs for essential strawberry pollination, according to a new study tracking pollen transport.
News & Views
Want To Save The Bees? Focus On Habitat, Not Honey Bees
If bees are declining, it would seem that more bees in more places will help. Yet, when we look deeper, efforts to increase the number of honey bees on the landscape may be doing more harm than good.
Carnivorous plants return to Lancashire peatland after 100 years
Insect-eating sundew plants among 17,500 reintroduced as part of carbon-sequestering conservation scheme.
Climate policy detail: Unlimited tree planting
Forestry is one source of these carbon units. An owner of a native or exotic forest can earn one unit for every tonne of emissions their trees absorb. Currently, there is no limit on the amount of units that can be issued by the Government.
A rooftop garden in Chicago has thousands of native plantsâand a mission
Three stories above a busy stretch of North Halsted Street, on a rooftop with views of downtown skyscrapers, crickets chirp and prairie flowers dance in the breeze.
Study improves accuracy of planted forest locations in East Asia
An international team led by Purdue University scientists has created the first spatial database of planted forests in East Asia by combining data collected on-site and via satellite. Produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence, the database contains forest location maps at a resolution of one kilometer (six-tenths of a mile) and lists the most common tree species growing there, such as pine and eucalyptus.
Flowering Plants Survived The Mass Extinction That Wiped Out The Dinosaurs
The mass extinction event that killed the dinosaurs is thought to have wiped out nearly 75 percent of all animal species alive at the time. The same is not true for the plant species, however, as new research suggests that the Cretaceous-Palaeogene extinction event (K-Pg), while wiping out local plant species, did not have the same impact on major flowering plant lineages.
RHS Wisley: Housing plans 'could harm garden's plants'
Bosses at a Royal Horticultural Society garden say a proposed housing development nearby could harm heritage assets and plants on its site.
14,000 trees to be planted across 5 Minnesota cities
St. Paul-based nonprofit Great River Greening received a $10 million federal grant to plant thousands of trees in neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by the Urban Heat Island Effect.â
Feds spread $1 billion for tree plantings among US cities to reduce extreme heat and benefit health
Hundreds of communities around the country will share more than $1 billion in federal money to help them plant and maintain trees under a federal program that is intended to reduce extreme heat, benefit health and improve access to nature.
Greenwashing set Canada on fire
The logging industry committed a triple crime. First, they stole our old-growth forests. Next, they (literally) planted a time-bomb across Ontario's north. Finally, they stole the idealism of people who genuinely cared about the environment. They taught a generation that resistance is futile, that anything you do to make a better future is a scam, and you're a sucker for falling for it. They planted nihilism with every tree.
EU rethinks genome editing
The proposal by the European Commission for new rules on gene-edited plants aims to align legislation with new developments in biotechnology. Yet concerns remain that have to do not only with biology.
ReadCube: https://rdcu.be/dmmpX
Wild potatoes have a novel way of resisting late blight disease
Researchers from Wageningen, TĂŒbingen and Norwich have shed new light on the evolutionary mechanisms that equip wild potato with disease resistance against the notorious late blight pathogen (Phytophthora infestans).
Scientific Papers
The role of landscape connectivity in maintaining pollinator biodiversity needs reconsideration
Vasiliev and Greenwood discuss evidence and theory indicating that the effects of landscape connectivity are underestimated due to a lack of consideration of the multiple aspects of biodiversity, including its spatial organization, community composition, functional diversity, species evenness, extinction debt and genetic diversity; and failure to measure aspects of landscape connectivity relevant to pollinators, namely spatial scale, matrix permeability, inter-habitat type connectivity and potential role of linear elements.
ReadCube: https://rdcu.be/dmmbC
Supporting nonlinear careers to diversify science
Nonlinear careers through academia are increasingly common, but funding agencies and search committees penalize these paths. Why do scientists stray from the beaten path, how do they contribute to science, and how do we level the playing field?
A multi-omic Nicotiana benthamiana resource for fundamental research and biotechnology
Nicotiana benthamiana is an invaluable model plant and biotechnology platform with a ~3âGb allotetraploid genome. To further improve its usefulness and versatility, Ranawaka et al. have produced high-quality chromosome-level genome assemblies, coupled with transcriptome, epigenome, microRNA and transposable element datasets, for the ubiquitously used LAB strain and a related wild accession, QLD. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphism maps have been produced for a further two laboratory strains and four wild accessions.
Ectopic callose deposition into woody biomass modulates the nano-architecture of macrofibrils
Bourdon et al. report the engineering of wood structure through the introduction of callose, a polysaccharide novel to most secondary cell walls. Their multiscale analysis of genetically engineered poplar trees shows that callose deposition modulates cell wall porosity, water and lignin contents and increases the ligninâcellulose distance, ultimately resulting in substantially decreased biomass recalcitrance.
ï»żArdisia recurvipetala (Primulaceae-Myrsinoideae), a new species from northern Peninsular Malaysia
Recent fieldwork in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia, resulted in the collection of an endemic new species of Ardisia, described here as Ardisia recurvipetala Julius, Siti-Munirah & Utteridge.
Molecular basis of methyl-salicylate-mediated plant airborne defence
Gong et al. reveal that methyl-salicylate (MeSA), salicylic acid-binding protein-2 (SABP2), the transcription factor NAC2 and salicylic acid-carboxylmethyltransferase-1 (SAMT1) form a signalling circuit to mediate AD against aphids and viruses. Airborne MeSA is perceived and converted into salicylic acid by SABP2 in neighbouring plants. Salicylic acid then causes a signal transduction cascade to activate the NAC2âSAMT1 module for MeSA biosynthesis to induce plant anti-aphid immunity and reduce virus transmission.
Resolving plant development in space and time with single-cell genomics
Single-cell genomics technologies are ushering in a new research era. In this review, Nolan and Shahan summarize the benefits and current challenges of using these technologies to probe the transcriptional regulation of plant development.
Parallels between drought and flooding: An integrated framework for plant eco-physiological responses to water stress
Based on a review of recent literature, Chen et al. integrated the main plant eco-physiological mechanisms in a single theoretical framework with a focus on plant water transport, plant oxygen dynamics, and leaf gas exchange. They used theory from the soilâplantâatmosphere continuum modeling as âbackboneâ for our framework, and subsequently incorporated interactions between processes that regulate plant water and oxygen status, abscisic acid and ethylene levels, and the resulting acclimation strategies in response to drought, waterlogging, and complete submergence.
HvSL1 and HvMADS16 promote stamen identity to restrict multiple ovary formation in barley
Correct floral development is the result of a sophisticated balance of molecular cues. Floral mutants provide insight into the main genetic determinants that integrate these cues, as well as providing opportunities to assess functional variation across species. Selva et al. characterize the barley (Hordeum vulgare) multiovary mutants mov2.g and mov1, and propose causative gene sequences: a C2H2 zinc-finger gene HvSL1 and a B-class gene HvMADS16, respectively.
Cellular gibberellin dynamics govern indeterminate nodule development, morphology and function
Drapek determined the cellular location and function of bioactive gibberellin during nodule organogenesis using a genetically-encoded second generation gibberellin biosensor, GPS2. They found endogenous bioactive gibberellin accumulates locally at the site of nodule primordia, increasing dramatically in the cortical cell layers, persisting through cell divisions and maintaining accumulation in the mature nodule meristem.
Herbarium specimens reveal century-long trait shifts in poison ivy due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions
Using herbarium specimens, Ng et al. examined whether poison ivy and other species shifted leaf traits under natural conditions with increasing atmospheric CO2 (pCO2) over the past century.
Spiny but photogenic: amateur sightings complement herbarium specimens to reveal the bioregions of cacti
Calvente et al. test global biogeographic boundaries for Neotropical Cactaceae using specimen-based occurrences coupled with data from visual observations, as a means to tackle the known collection biases in the family.
Quantitative regeneration: Skoog and Miller revisited
In 1957, Skoog and Miller published their seminal work on the effects of hormones upon plant growth. Melnyk discusses their original paper, what led to their findings and its impact on our understanding of hormone interactions, how plants regenerate and in vitro tissue culture techniques.
The Soybean Expression Atlas v2: A comprehensive database of over 5000 RNA-seq samples
Almeda-Silva et al. present the Soybean Expression Atlas v2, an updated version of our database with a fourfold increase in the number of samples, featuring transcript- and gene-level transcript abundance matrices for 5481 publicly available RNA-seq samples.
bioRxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.28.538661v1
Responses of rhizosphere fungi to the root economics space in grassland monocultures of different age
Hennecke et al. sequenced rhizosphere fungal communities and measured root traits in monocultures of 25 grassland plant species, differing in age. Within the fungal guilds, we evaluated fungal species richness, relative abundance and community composition.
Careers
New Post-doc position in Physiological Ecology! Lausanne
The Plant Ecology Research Lab at EPFL is seeking applications for a postdoctoral researcher (100%) with expertise in forest ecology and/or plant physiology to help lead a suite of projects on forest thermoregulation and heat tolerance. The successful applicant will work on a long-term open-top chamber experiment (https://www.wsl.ch/en/about-wsl/instrumented-field-sites-and-laboratories/modoek-model-ecosystem-facility.html) and in the field where VPD and soil moisture is artificially manipulated (https://www.epfl.ch/labs/perl/perl-home/research/vpdrought-a-novel-approach-to-disentangle-atmospheric-and-soil-drought/). The position is scheduled to start February/March 2024.
Assistant Professor, Extension Specialty Crops Plant Pathologist, Knoxville TN
The recruited individual is expected to develop and deliver a vibrant, nationally recognized innovative applied research and Extension education program focused on diseases of important and emerging crops of Tennessee (e.g., fruits, vegetables, tobacco, hemp, hops). The individual will provide technical expertise on disease management, will develop an educational program(s) using traditional and innovative outreach tools for diverse audiences (e.g., Extension agents and specialists, producers, regional and state leaders, Master Gardeners), and will provide leadership in developing a specialty crop Extension and outreach programs that meet the needs of all eligible clientele regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status.
USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship on Corn Seed Metabolites/Proteins for Enhancing Resistance to Mycotoxin Contamination, New Orleans
The mission of the Food and Feed Safety Research Unit is to safeguard U.S. agricultural commodities (e.g., corn, cottonseed, peanut, and tree nuts) from aflatoxin contamination using a multidisciplinary approach. Under guidance of the mentor, the participant will perform research pertaining to USDA-ARS project 6054-42000-027-00D entitled âDevelopment of Aflatoxin Resistant Corn Lines Using Omic Technologiesâ.Â
Assistant Professor in Host-Microbe Interactions, Ames IA
Applicants are invited to apply for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the broad area of host-microbe interactions involving plants or insects. We seek candidates whose research will lead to a better understanding of the nature of these host-microbe interactions and their impact on natural, urban, or agricultural ecosystems. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the influence of factors on microbial outcomes (such as resistance, diversity, etc.); interactions of microbes with their plant or insect hosts; or insect-vectored microbe interactions. Candidates using innovative molecular, genetic, or -omics based approaches are particularly encouraged to apply.
Post-doctoral Plant Molecular Biologist, Indianapolis, IN
Corteva Agriscience is seeking a talented and enthusiastic Post-doctoral position for a Plant Molecular Biologist to join the Crop Protection Discovery & Development Mode of Action & Resistance Center of Expertise, based at our Indianapolis research and development facility. The successful candidate will use their expertise as a Plant Molecular Biologist to characterize novel crop protection solutions and their effects on plant physiology and biochemical pathways. They should have demonstrated evidence of technical expertise, experience overcoming challenges, and moving projects forward to completion.
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Pomona, CA
The Biological Sciences Department at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) invites applications for a tenure-track ASSISTANT PROFESSOR position in Mycology, beginning in the Fall semester 2024. The area of specialty is open. Possible research areas include but are not limited to fungal biology, fungal pathogens, fungal interactions with humans, plants, or animals, fungal symbiotic systems, fungal applications in biotechnology or environment, and systematics and evolution of fungi. The successful candidate will have the potential for excellence in undergraduate teaching and for developing an externally-funded research program that will involve undergraduate and Master's students. Teaching responsibilities may include general mycology, medical mycology, or plant microbe interactions, undergraduate and graduate courses in the candidateâs area of expertise, and could involve teaching introductory biology, microbiology, and other courses in biology.
Regular Faculty - Controlled Environmental Agriculture, Moscow, ID
The University of Idaho, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, Plant Sciences department, is seeking a tenure-track Research Faculty, Assistant Professor, to develop an extramurally funded, nationally and internationally recognized research program to address sustainable production in controlled environment systems. This candidate is expected to work independently and collaboratively with other faculty members in research and to engage industry as appropriate as partners and in outreach. Specific areas of research may include plant nutrition and disease, irrigation systems, hydroponics, vertical farming, and organic production within controlled environments.
Research Associate II, Moscow, ID
The Research Associate will provide assistance to the PI as a part of the Brassica breeding and research program, and will coordinate and implement field, greenhouse and lab research activities within the program. Performs research activities and analysis; implements, evaluates and recommends adjustments to research procedures. Responsible for synthesizing and independently preparing results for publication. Works under general supervision with a significant degree of creativity and latitude. May coordinate research operations and the daily activities of junior research personnel.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Edinburgh
We are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in plant synthetic biology plant and/or plant physiology to enhance photosynthesis through introduction of a pyrenoid-based CO2-concentrating mechanism.
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Insect Physiology and Ecology, Hull
We wish to appoint a Post-Doctoral Research Associate to work on the BBSRC-funded project âResilience of pollinators in a changing world: impact of developmental environment on metabolism and energetic budgets in social and solitary bees.â The project will investigate whether bees provisioning their young will be resilient to changing landscapes and climates.
Director of NRP Biosciences DTP and Chair of the NBI Institutes Graduate School. Norwich
The Norwich Research Park (NRP), an international centre of excellence for bioscience, operates a substantial Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) on behalf of the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, recruiting around 30 PhD students annually. The Norwich Bioscience Institutes (NBI), part of the NRP, are seeking to recruit an ambitious academic who will act both as the Director of the DTP and as Chair of the Graduate School Executive for NBI. This is a unique opportunity for an individual wishing to play a pivotal role in the development of future bioscientists, by progressing worldÂclass doctoral training for the vibrant postgraduate research community at the NRP.
Postdoctoral Research Assistant - Improving Yields and Stress Tolerance in Wheat by Using CHLORAD as a Technology, Oxford
We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Assistant until 31 December 2025. This position is funded by a UKRI-BBSRC grant to Professor Paul Jarvis and the work is to be conducted in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB; and in association with collaborators at the John Innes Centre (Norwich), NIAB (Cambridge), Rothamsted, (Harpenden), and the National Plant Phenomics Centre (Aberystwyth). The research topic is âImproving yields and stress tolerance in wheat by using CHLORAD as a technologyâ.
Science Education Coordinator, Kew
In 2021, Kew launched its Manifesto for Change and training the next generation of experts is one of Kewâs five key priorities for the next 10 years. We are now looking for a highly competent member of our Science education support team to coordinate and administer a range of training opportunities for undergraduates, postgraduates and professionals.
Research Associate Archaeobotany, York
This Research Associate will play an instrumental role in HIDDEN FRONTIERS, a NERC-funded project which aims to understand the history of agriculture, crop replacement and plant adaptation in the circum-Alpine region from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. The project brings together experts in archaeobotany, palaeogenomics and palaeoenvironmental/palaeoclimatic modelling to investigate how specific crops and wider agricultural systems responded to cultural and environmental changes. Further information on the HIDDEN FRONTIERS project and team members is available at https://sites.google.com/york.ac.uk/hidden-frontiers.
Research Assistant â Entomology, Farnham, UK
This post is to work within a small team conducting applied research on the ecology and management of invasive and established forest pest insects, in particular wood and bark boring beetles such as Ips typographus and Emerald Ash Borer. Our team investigate critical issues influencing the health of our trees and forests, such as the impact of invasive insects, interactions with host trees, transmission of forest pathogens, biological control mechanisms, and the impact of climate change upon pest status.
Assistant Professor in Structural Synthetic Biology, Durham
The Department of Biosciences at Durham University seeks to appoint a talented individual to the role of Assistant Professor in Structural Synthetic Biology. We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests that are consistent with research priorities in the Department and whose research is complementary to other staff in the Biomolecular Interactions, Animal Cells and Systems, and Plant Molecular Sciences groups. The newly established Centre for Programmable Biological Matter, led by Professor Jonathan Heddle is a large, multidisciplinary and well-equipped laboratory. We are developing new capabilities aimed at understanding, designing, and building biological nanomachines.
Research Assistant (Biological Sciences), Singapore
The National University of Singapore is looking for a Research Assistant to work in an ongoing research project investigating plant-microbe-environment associations. The applicant will be working in a multidisciplinary, collaborative team environment. Ideally possess background and/or expressed interest in working with environmental and plant-associated microbes. Opportunities for guided independent research projects may arise.
Research Fellow (Biological Sciences), Singapore
The Department of Biological Sciences invites applications for a Research Fellow. The appointment is for an initial period of one year with the possibility of renewal for an additional year. Successful candidates will be expected to: (Co-)develop, implement and lead impactful research including but not limited to the following topics: Plant-animal interactions, especially frugivory and seed dispersal. and: Quantifying the impact of defaunation on ecosystem restoration / recovery or functioning.