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An image of a pale, dead tree taken from the ground, so that the tree limbs stretch up into the sky.
Certain Tree Species Are More Susceptible to Death by Lightning
Expected increases in lightning strikes due to climate change could alter the botanical composition of tropical forests.
Certain Tree Species Are More Susceptible to Death by Lightning
Certain Tree Species Are More Susceptible to Death by Lightning

Expected increases in lightning strikes due to climate change could alter the botanical composition of tropical forests.

Expected increases in lightning strikes due to climate change could alter the botanical composition of tropical forests.

rainforest

A lobed leaf next to a rounded leaf, both from the same Boquila trifoliolata vine
Can Plants See? In the Wake of a Controversial Study, the Answer’s Still Unclear
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Nov 30, 2022 | 10+ min read
A tiny pilot study found that so-called chameleon vines mimicked plastic leaves, but experts say poor study design and conflicts of interest undermine the report.
edge of the amazon showing deforestation
Amazon Rainforest Nearing Savannah “Tipping Point”
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Mar 8, 2022 | 3 min read
Half or more of the world’s largest forest is in danger of transitioning into grassland, researchers say.
Vector drawing of a tropical rainforest with diverse trees
More Than 9,000 Tree Species Await Scientific Description
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Feb 1, 2022 | 2 min read
A new study of tree biodiversity estimates that Earth boasts 14 percent more tree species than previous efforts have identified.
Thomas Lovejoy wearing glasses and smiling at camera
“Godfather of Biodiversity” Thomas Lovejoy Dies at 80
Lisa Winter | Jan 12, 2022 | 3 min read
The famous ecologist was a lifelong champion for conservation.
a large, mossy cedar tree in a forest
Book Excerpt from Finding the Mother Tree
Suzanne Simard | May 1, 2021 | 4 min read
In the book’s introduction, “Connections,” Suzanne Simard relates how her “perception of the woods has been turned upside down.”
Opinion: Western Canada Must Stop Clearcutting Its “Mother” Trees
Suzanne Simard and Teresa Ryan | May 1, 2021 | 4 min read
Feeding the world’s insatiable appetite for wood products is sacrificing the future of a crucial ecosystem.
a sunset reflected in a still river through a rainforest
Book Excerpt From A Most Remarkable Creature
Jonathan Meiburg | Mar 30, 2021 | 5 min read
In Chapter 15, “Above the Falls,” author Jonathan Meiburg recounts an evening on a research expedition near the Rewa River in Guyana.
Surveying Biodiversity with Leeches
Diana Kwon | Jun 1, 2018 | 5 min read
Scientists are searching for signatures of mammals within the blood meals of the invertebrates.
Humans Lived in Southeast Asia More Than 60,000 Years Ago
Shawna Williams | Aug 9, 2017 | 2 min read
Tooth fossils of cave dwellers represent the first known instance of our species inhabiting a rainforest.
A Snake Species Not Seen Alive for 64 Years Appears in Brazil
Ignacio Amigo | Jun 1, 2017 | 4 min read
Locals helped researchers find the extremely rare boa.
Image of the Day: Eye in the Sky
The Scientist | Jan 30, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists use remote sensing data from satellites to map biodiversity in the Amazon and Peruvian Andes forests.
Global Tree Count Updated
Karen Zusi | Sep 3, 2015 | 2 min read
Latest study puts the total number of trees on Earth at 3 trillion, well above previous estimates.
Bird Diversity Drops From Forests to Farms
Ruth Williams | Sep 11, 2014 | 2 min read
Farms support less phylogenetically diverse bird populations than forests, but some farms are better than others.
For the Greater Good?
Tracy Vence | Jan 27, 2014 | 1 min read
Pathogenic fungi and insect herbivores appear to support plant biodiversity in the rainforests.
Can CO2 Help Grow Rainforests?
Edyta Zielinska | Apr 24, 2013 | 1 min read
Researchers in the Amazon are measuring how much carbon dioxide fertilizes the rainforest.
Spider Sculpts Fake Spider
Dan Cossins | Dec 19, 2012 | 1 min read
A putative new species of spider found in the Peruvian Amazon uses forest debris to weave sculptures that resemble a giant spider into its web.
Saving the Amazon Rainforest
Sabrina Richards | Jan 16, 2012 | 1 min read
Global donations to Ecuador’s project to trade clean energy for Amazonian oil mean the rainforest stays intact for now.
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