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Are Root Traits Converging Due to Climate Change in Alpine Grasslands?
Yes, intraspecific root traits are converging across populations in response to warmer, drier environments driven by climate change. Information from climate-change relict populations shows that intraspecific root variation favors smaller root size and longer-lived roots. Warmer temperatures can initially be beneficial, but accompanying drought stress is driving long-term adaptation to drought-tolerant strategies in plants. Plant… Continue reading…
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What Is Nitrogen Deposition? How It Affects Plant Growth and Photosynthesis
Nitrogen (N) deposition from air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and ammonia has been increasing for over a century, with no signs of a halt. N-deposition effects on growth, leaf traits, and physiological processes are species-specific and are influenced by other environmental factors. Positive effects occur as long as N deposition is moderate; higher doses,… Continue reading…
Mycorrhizal fungi Associations in Various Forest Types and Climate Change
Key Takeaways Global change, such as higher carbon dioxide, warming, pests, and diseases, has common effects on mycorrhizal community composition and abundance. The effects of drought, forest fires, and nitrogen deposition on the mycorrhizal community differ among forest types. As the temperature rises, the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is increasing, and ectomycorrhizal fungi are… Continue reading…
How Transpiration and Evaporation Shape Global Trends in Evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration around the world can vary across biomes, and each biome experiences interannual variations. Transpiration contributes more to evapotranspiration in tropical humid regions, and soil evaporation is more prominent in arid and semiarid sparsely vegetated regions. Anthropogenic interventions, such as land-use change and irrigation, can alter evapotranspiration, transpiration, and soil evaporation. Evapotranspiration is a vital… Continue reading…
What We Learned in 2025 About Root Morphology
In 2025, root aging and senescence were in focus, as they can alter soil properties that affect vegetation’s effectiveness for restoration and land stability. Another trend was leveraging and improving soil beneficial microbial communities through intercropping and artificial inoculations to enhance crop sustainability. Belowground studies are diversifying into plant organs other than roots, such as… Continue reading…
5 Important Research on Crop Water Use Efficiency in 2025
In 2025, findings on changes in crop production and water-use efficiency (WUE) under the current climate-change-driven drought scenario were a dominant trend. Many studies also focused on future-proofing crop production by improving WUE in different climate change scenarios. The number of variables considered is increasing to fill knowledge gaps and identify potential synergistic effects on… Continue reading…
What Is Leaf Area Index and Why Is It Essential for Plant and Climate Research?
Leaf area index (LAI) is one of the most widely used measurements for describing plant canopy structure and interactions with the environment in plant research. LAI is widely used in research because it can upscale crucial leaf physiological processes and is easy to compare across scales and ecosystems. It can be estimated from remote-sensed data… Continue reading…
