Life on Earth at risk

A series of landmark reports show rapid biodiversity loss, land degradation driving species to extinction

International Biodiversity Day 2021: We are part of the solution

Let us make the International Biodiversity Day a routine action rather than a mere one-day celebration every year

How plants gauge the time of day

Light-sensitive proteins — called photoreceptors — measures time in plants and keeps them abreast of seasons, which is …

Human actions have made a huge mess of natural world

Even though this biodiversity crisis is humanity’s fault, there is still time to save the Earth if governments, companies and individuals …

Scientists isolate fungi that can boost plant growth even with less water

The research helped record better growth parameters and higher proline concentration

Four regional biodiversity assessments released; focus is on the way we use resources  

About 500,000 square kilometres of land in Africa might be degraded if the region continues to follow the same resource usage pattern

Benefits of self-rejection

Evolution favours plants that rely on cross-pollination

Geneva meet concludes with progress on ‘Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework’ for CoP15

CoP15 was to be held in Kunming, China in 2020 but will now be held in August this year

Climate change hurts: Will Gourmet ‘gur’ continue to thrive in Bengal’s Jaynagar

Destruction of date palm trees during cyclone Amphan and warming weather have resulted in a huge decline in production of West Bengal’s …

The mysterious existence of a leafless kauri stump, kept alive by its forest neighbours

Whatever happens on their journey from feeding themselves to being fed happens out of sight — likely below ground

Ensure ethical trade in wild plants, consumers urged

New report highlights how many wild plants used in everyday products are sourced without any consideration to supply sustainability

World’s smallest terrestrial fern found in Western Ghats

The newly-found fern is one cm long and has different genetic and physical characters compared to other known fern species

More than 90% of the world’s salt marshes may soon succumb to sea level rise: Study

In a sea level rise scenario, the only solution left with plants will be to colonise new areas or to go uphill, but this may not be possible in …

‘Biodiversity is integral to maintaining food security’

National Biodiversity Authority representative underlines importance of all food crops at Chennai meet

Plant treaty: Ways to benefit custodians of agricultural biodiversity in focus

Treaty calls on nations to protect, promote their rights to save and use traditional seeds

Animal biodiversity loss limits plants’ ability to adapt to climate change globally: Experts

India 

All about the first-ever global assessment on biodiversity

Down To Earth followed the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ from when it was a draft to …

Climate change alters how plants go about their lives; here’s how

Scientists study 212 plant species across 5 botanical gardens in Germany   

Plant diversity rapidly declining in Germany

Plant diversity decreased by over 15% in over 70% of the 2,000 species examined in last 60 years

The dominant survives

Increasing nitrogen levels will pit plants against each other

Pune researchers discover rare low-basalt plateau with 76 plant species in Western Ghats

As they grow among rocks, the flora faces a harsher environment compared to other species growing elsewhere

New study reveals impact of climate change on pollination

Flowers are fast losing their capacity to produce fragrance due to global warming, and this is affectinig the process of pollination

Increasing human footprint cutting Antarctica wilderness: Study

Data from 2.7 million records show how human activity has risen in Antarctica over the last 200 years

Is this a sign?

Rainfall in the Western Ghats has been steadily declining, triggering fears of a drought in one of the world's most water-rich regions

Exploiting Asia's biodiversity can ensure food security, end hunger

Biodiversity for food and agriculture is among the Earth’s most important resources