In comparison with unvegetated soils, the presence of plants markedly affects the structure of soil microbial communities. Plant roots affect the physical, as well as chemical environment through the ...

We sought to determine if elevated CO₂ resulted in long-lasting changes to plant structure and function, particularly disturbance response patterns. Minimal legacy effects were observed 1 yr after the ...

Plants with more complex water transport structures are more resistant to drought conditions, making them more likely to survive and pass this characteristic on to their offspring. That’s the ...

Plant species vary greatly in how efficiently they convert sunlight into organic matter, how fast they reproduce, how much nutrients and water they need, how much carbon they store, or how fast their ...

1. Analogous to the spread of non-native species, shifts in native species' ranges resulting from climate and land use change are also creating new combinations of species in many ecosystems. These ...

Researchers have uncovered the mechanics of how plant cell walls balance the strength and rigidity provided by cellulose with its ability to stretch and compress. This discovery helps explain how ...

Lignins—the complex molecules that make plants sturdy and allow them to grow tall—are not as random as once thought. A new ...

Madhura Niphadkar received funding from National Geographic Society for a section of her Doctoral research, which involved this work. This study forms a part of a chapter in her dissertation. Harini ...