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 ...

Plant invasions can have substantial consequences for the soil ecosystem, altering microbial community structure and nutrient cycling. However, relatively little is known about what drives these ...

Farmers who understand how corn hybrid ear type and corn plant structure can work together are on the road to being able to make better hybrid selections for their fields, says Ken Ferrie, Farm ...

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 ...

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 ...

A number of plants disperse their seeds in a rather artistic way: the seed capsules of the ice plant Delosperma nakurense, for instance, unfold lids over the seed compartments in the manner of a ...

A cell protein previously believed only to provide a scaffolding for DNA has also been shown to directly influence DNA ...