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Category: Plants & People

  • Tricks For Learning (And Remembering) Plant Names

    Most beginners are introduced to plant diversity through identification keys, which develop differentiation skills but not species memorisation. A paper in the Journal of Biological Education proposes that mnemonics, memorable ‘name clues’ linking a species name with morphological characters, are a complementary learning tool for promoting species memorisation.

  • How Is Light Pollution At Night Changing Ecosystems?

    The research shows that light pollution can impact the natural environment in complex ways that may be hard to predict. Due to the global extent of artificial light at night, there are concerns that these ecological impacts may be widespread.

  • The Botanical Knowledge Of Ancient Egyptians

    Even today, large portions of herbal remedies used as ‘alternative’ medicines feature plants used for similar purposes as those used by the ancient Egyptians.

  • Humans Have Re-Shaped Forests Since The Ice Age

    A new study of pollen samples extracted from tropical forests in southeast Asia suggests humans have shaped these landscapes for thousands of years. Although scientists previously believed the forests were virtually untouched by people, researchers are now pointing to signs of imported seeds, plants cultivated for food, and land clearing as early as 11,000 years ago—around the end of the last Ice Age

  • High School Students Rewilding Florida With Native Orchids

    These kids are interested in the plants, they asked thoughtful, higher-level questions, they were meticulous about taking care of orchids, It was the most amazing unintended outcome I could’ve asked for.

  • The Environmental Impact Of Your Valentine’s Roses

    Roses are a cash crop vital to the economy and livelihood of many farmers and workers – especially women. But a single rose stem requires 10 litres of fresh water to reach its full size, so the industry is a huge drain on the country’s scant water resources, an issue that causes tension and even violence in the country.

  • Even Viewing Pictures Of Nature Can Reduce Human Impulsiveness

    Participants were less impulsive in the condition providing visual exposure to natural scenes compared to built and geometric scenes. Results suggest that exposure to natural environments results in decreased impulsive decision-making relative to built environments.

  • Was Isaac Newton The First To Figure Out How Water Moves Through Plants?

    Sir Isaac Newton’s interest in botany extended well beyond the fabled apple falling from a tree – he also appears to have understood how water moves from roots to leaves over 200 years before botanists did.

  • S.E.Asian Rain Forests Managed By Humans For 11,000 years

    It has long been believed that the rainforests of the Far East were virgin wildernesses, where human impact has been minimal. Our findings, however, indicate a history of disturbances to vegetation. While it could be tempting to blame these disturbances on climate change, that is not the case as they do not coincide with any known periods of climate change. Rather, these vegetation changes have been brought about by the actions of people.

  • “Mister Cocoa,” Using Horticulture To Save Chocolate

    The industry desperately needs new cocoa varieties – plants better at resisting pests and disease, that produce more beans, that are more resilient in different environments. Most cocoa growers are subsistence farmers on tiny plots of a couple of hectares, in some of Africa’s poorest corners. They can’t afford to experiment. It’s up to the rest of the world to help.