Plant science articles
Leaf Area Measurement and Ecosytem Dynamics in a Changing Climate
An interesting marshland study in the Yangtze Estuary shows the difficulty in extrapolating general predictions of increased vegetative growth, under climate change-induced air warming. Local environmental factors in specialized ecosystems, such as salt marshes, can complicate plant growth patterns to give C3 plants an advantage over C4 plants in warmer climates. Moreover, population-level effects can… Continue reading…
Root Imaging and Genotype Selection in Marshlands Restoration Project
In an effort to restore ailing marshlands, a group of scientists turned their focus to not only selecting appropriate native species, but also understanding specific genotypes that could hold their own against the invasive common reed. Several root investigations were conducted in a bid to find the mechanism that helped the dominant genotype succeed against… Continue reading…
Canopy Cover and Mercury Sequestration in Tropical Forests
Mercury pollution, which has increased due to anthropogenic activities, can spread far from its sources. Knowing how tropical forests solve this issue is important, as these ecosystems are valuable carbon sinks which keep pollutants out of circulation. However, there are many gaps in the understanding of mercury flux in tropical forests. A team of scientists… Continue reading…
Studying Tree Cricket Signalling using Infrared Gas Analysis
A team of biologists wanted a tool for CO2 measurement to find the drivers of trade-offs in insect signalling. A portable Infrared Gas Analyzer, which was designed for plants, was found to be suitable for the task because it allowed non-destructive measurements of respiration. The tool was unrestrictive and allowed the insects to continue their… Continue reading…
Improving Carbon Flux Modeling with Plant Canopy Analysis and Gas Exchange Measurement
Gross Primary Productivity models are crucial to estimate carbon flux in time and space. Integrating sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), which is sensitive to photosynthetic activity, can improve productivity estimates. However, scaling SIF from plants to landscape, while including a myriad of factors that influence how much incident solar light is used, is not easy. Therefore,… Continue reading…
Root Growth and Nitrogen Treatments in Wheat Crop Rotation
Increasing yield has been and continues to be the holy grail in crop breeding. Aided by minirhizotrons, root scanning is increasingly used to understand underlying causes, such as root growth response to management practices. This approach could help to achieve higher yields without increasing nitrogen inputs. In one such attempt, a team of scientists in… Continue reading…
Climate and Competition: Gas Exchange in Two Studies of Wild Species
Climate change studies are focusing on the possible effects of higher temperature on vapor pressure, soil water availability, and light quality on plants. In native species adapted to milder climates, altered patterns of evapotranspiration could lead to increased stomatal closure and decreased photosynthesis. On the other hand, weed species that usually thrive in warm and… Continue reading…
Light Interception and Nitrogen Fertilization to Increase Maize Yield
The yield response of maize to excessive fertilizers has plateaued and with it the economic returns. To avoid further resource waste in smart farming, crop scientists are trying to correlate yield to how plants intercept light and allocate dry matter to grains. In two studies, a plant canopy imager measured the effect of crop density… Continue reading…
Adaptive Strategies – Leaf Area and Physiological Plasticity in Drought
It is becoming increasingly important for ecologists and agronomists to understand how plants adapt to drought. Natural adaptations, which help a plant withstand changing climate, are now not just of theoretical interest but are also relevant for maintaining and improving agricultural production and ecosystem conservation. Leaf area can be an indicator or strategy for drought… Continue reading…
Hemispherical Photography for Silviculture and Forest Inventory
Canopy parameters are measured during forest inventories and to make silviculture recommendations. Despite the rise of satellite imagery and aerial photos, field estimation of trees and stands remain popular. Recently improved field-based methods, like hemispherical photography, can be powerful additions to the forester’s toolkit. So, how is hemispherical photography helpful in the forests? How Hemispherical… Continue reading…
