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

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

‘Biodiversity is integral to maintaining food security’

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

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 …

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

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

Two new species of moss rose discovered in south India

Both new species of Portulaca grow in sandy soil accumulated on rocky plateaus of Badami and Guledgudda taluks. They are restricted in …

Farmer’s pod luck

A Sehore farmer finds a unique pigeon pea variety that bears pods three to four times in a row

International Biodiversity Day: It is about our relationship with nature

WATCH: Sunita Narain spells out why it is all about our choices as the world celebrates another International Biodiversity Day in the shadow of …

Colonial plants

Worrying dip in global biodiversity

The proportion of livestock breeds at risk of extinction is increasing and plant diversity in farmers’ fields is decreasing, says a recent …