Where weird plants thrive: aridity spurs diversity of traits

Nature Podcast

00:48 Plant trait diversity in drylands

A study reveals that, unexpectedly, plants display a greater diversity of traits in drier environments. Trait diversity is a measure of an organism's performance in an environment and can include things like the size of a plant or its photosynthetic rate. Whilst there are good data on this kind of diversity in temperate regions, an assessment of drylands has been lacking. The new study fills this knowledge gap and finds that, counter to a prevailing expectation that fewer traits would be displayed, at a certain level of aridity trait diversity doubles. The team behind the new work hope that it can help us better protect biodiversity as the planet warms and areas become drier.

Research Article: Gross et al.

08:25 Research Highlights

Butterflies and moths use static charge to pick up pollen, and quantum physics rules out black holes made of light.

Research Highlight: Charged-up butterflies draw pollen through the air

Research Highlight: Black holes made from light? Impossible, say physicists

10:59 The Great Barrier Reef is the hottest it’s been for centuries

An assessment of coral skeletons has shown that the past decade has been the warmest for the Great Barrier Reef for 400 years. By looking at the chemical composition of particularly old specimens of coral in the reef, researchers were able to create a record of temperatures going back to 1618. In addition to showing recent record breaking temperatures they also developed a model that suggests that such temperatures are very unlikely to occur without human-induced climate change. Altogether, the study suggests that the reef is in dire straits and much of the worlds’ coral could be lost.

Research Article: Henley et al.

News and Views: Coral giants sound the alarm for the Great Barrier Reef

Nature News: Great Barrier Reef's temperature soars to 400-year high

18:56 ‘Publish or Perish’ becomes a card game

Most researchers are familiar with the refrain ‘Publish or Perish’ — the idea that publications are the core currency of a scientist’s career — but now that can be played out for laughs in a new board game. Created as a way to help researchers “bond over shared trauma”, the game features many mishaps familiar to academics, scrambles for funding and scathing comments, all while players must compete to get the most citations on their publications. Reporter Max Kozlov set out to avoid perishing and published his way to a story about the game for the Nature Podcast.

Nature News: ‘Publish or Perish’ is now a card game — not just an academic’s life

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