Phenotypic plasticity can have a great impact on the distribution of taxa and the productivity of crops across contrasting environments. Berlin et al. study the genetic architecture of biomass traits, including...
Tag - phenology
botanyone
Seedling root architectural traits associated with yield in wheat
Roots, the ‘hidden half’ of plants, are notoriously difficult to phenotype. Xie et al. utilise a ‘pouch and wick’ high-throughput phenotyping pipeline to quantify the variation in seedling root system architecture of...
Growing after attack: what predicts tree responses to herbivores?
Trees can face significant threats from herbivores, particularly ones that defoliate (i.e. eat leaves and reduce leaf area). After being attacked by defoliators, trees can respond by changing their growth patterns and...
Joseph Stinziano
Cherry fruit developmental analysis
Evaluating genetic and environmental effects upon sweet cherry cultivars differing in seasonal duration and fruit size, Gibeau et al. employ photographic measurements to apply a framework of biological time indices...
Using dormant twigs to investigate climate change (Viewpoint)
Climate change has altered the spring phenology of many temperate plants, with important ecological consequences. However, studies of phenological shifts are generally restricted to field observations or remote-sensing...
Plants and climate change: complexities and surprises (review)
Camille Parmesan and Mick E. Hanley introduce the special issue with a review of some of the surprises so far with plant responses to anthropogenic climate change. This issue comes from a sponsored symposium session...
Sporophyte desiccation tolerance in the moss Aloina
Stark and Brinda study cultured sporophytes and vegetative shoots from a single genotype of the moss Aloina ambigua.
Extrafloral nectar fuels ant life in deserts
Many ant–plant associations are mediated by extrafloral nectaries (EFNs): nectar-producing structures not related to pollination and commonly found on leaves and inflorescences. These sweet secretions represent a...
AoBPLANTS
Temporal variation in gender in an annual plant
The widespread tendency towards declining fruit set from first to last flowers on plants may contribute to temporal variation in allocation optima.
Better models, more wheat
A new model provides a framework to test the current genetic models of floral transition in wheat.
AJ Cann
Phenological niches and the future of invaded ecosystems with climate change
In recent years, research in invasion biology has focused increasing attention on understanding the role of phenology in shaping plant invasions. Multiple studies have found non-native species that tend to flower...
The cambium clock of climate change
The length of the growing season and the resulting amount of growth could respond differently to climate change.
Pollinators as selectors for evolution
Following from yesterday, do pollinators act as selectors for evolution? A pollinator shift explains floral divergence in an orchid species complex in South Africa by Peter and Johnson tests this idea. The orchid in...
Alun Salt
Duration of shoot elongation in Scots pine
A study of lateral shoot growth in Scots pine over 7 years finds that daily maximum growth rate correlates positively with growth duration.
