On hot days, tree cavities are on average 4°C cooler than the outside air. On cold nights, they retain more heat. Photo: Gareth James CC BY-SA 2.0 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 GenericGareth James CC BY-SA 2.0 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic

Tree cavities protect animals from extreme temperatures

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Analizzando dati raccolti in cinque continenti, i ricercatori dell’Università dell’Illinois hanno misurato la capacità delle cavità degli alberi di mitigare sia il caldo estremo sia il freddo. Offrendo riparo alla fauna
By examining the case of Lemnaceae, the study showed how root anatomy and metabolism select microorganisms that, in turn, can modify roots. Photo: Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0

Dialogue with microorganisms reshapes roots and helps plants

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The University of Nottingham study: microbial colonisation can reshape roots and help plants cope with nutrient scarcity. A discovery that opens up new prospects for agriculture
A field of common millet in the Odessa Oblast, Ukraine. The crop reached Central Europe in the early 16th century BC, making it possible to cultivate land previously considered unsuitable for agriculture. Photo: Yuriy Kvach/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 4.0Yuriy Kvach/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 4.0

Resilient agriculture, a lesson from the Bronze Age

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In the Bronze Age, millet helped agriculture cope with climatic and demographic pressures. A story of diversification that still resonates today
Drought and wildfires threaten biodiversity and carbon sequestration in Europe’s forests, highlighting the need for new monitoring models. Photo: © European Union 2018 (photo by Pavel Koubek), CC BY-NC-ND 2.0© European Union 2018 (photo by Pavel Koubek), CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Europe’s forests: why we need to measure their resilience

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Le raccomandazioni di eLTER: Superficie e biomassa non bastano più a definire la capacità di ripresa delle foreste. Necessari nuovi indicatori, osservazioni di lungo periodo e modelli capaci di anticipare i rischi
Penn State University tested the use of multispectral imagery and machine learning to estimate pigment, carbon, and nitrogen content in the biocrusts of semi-arid ecosystems. Photo: Penn State. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed.Penn State. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed.

AI uses a pigment to reveal the condition of biocrusts

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For the first time, researchers have remotely measured the concentration of scytonemin, an indicator of the development and resilience of biocrusts in arid ecosystems
Landfill emissions peak in winter and reach their lowest levels in summer. Occasional measurements may therefore underestimate annual releases. Photo: Eric Guinther, CC BY-SA 3.0Eric Guinther, CC BY-SA 3.0

Landfill methane emissions could be far higher than estimated

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A study of two New Jersey landfills finds emissions five times higher than official figures. Cold weather and falling atmospheric pressure drive higher releases. Occasional measurements may miss emission peaks
In Chicago, annual changes in tree canopy cover are associated with trends in all-cause mortality. Photo: Warren LeMay CC BY-SA 2.0Warren LeMay CC BY-SA 2.0

Crucial trees: urban canopy loss drives up mortality rates

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A research conducted in Chicago links increased tree canopy cover to lower mortality. Protecting mature trees is more effective than planting new ones, the study has found 
The study analyzed the response of forests in the Yangtze River Basin to the exceptional climate event of summer 2022. Photo: Tom Jarrett, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) DeedTom Jarrett, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Deed

Heat and drought: natural forests resist better, planted forests recover faster

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A Yangtze Basin study reveals a trade-off between resistance and recovery in forests: biodiversity and structure protect natural forests, while young, fast-growing trees promote recovery in planted forests
Xerothermic grassland at Clifton Meadow, in the United Kingdom: an ecosystem in which high plant biodiversity helps to improve resilience to drought events. Photo: Steve Daniels Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic CC BY-SA 2.0 DeedSteve Daniels Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed

Extreme drought: biodiversity helps grasslands, but not forests

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An international study finds that high biodiversity levels can reduce productivity losses in the driest grasslands during extreme drought events. However, the same pattern is not found in forested areas
A wildflower meadow, one of the key elements of biodiversity-friendly farming systems such as agriwilding. These habitats provide food resources and shelter for a wide range of pollinating insects. Photo: Nathanieljoyce, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)Nathanieljoyce, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Insects, food production and biodiversity thrive together through agriwilding

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Productive crops, trees, species-rich grasslands and natural succession: agriwilding, a Belgian study explains, encourages the return of pollinators and opens new prospects for more sustainable agriculture

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