Plants tag insect herbivores with an alarm - In response to insects chewing on their leaves, plants can emit airborne chemicals to ramp up defenses or attract the insect’s predators. In a recent issue of Plant Physiology, researchers report a new class of small proteins that are involved in this defense strategy.

Illinois cave reveals ancient pine - A university class on a field trip from UI-Chicago discovered a “treasure trove” of ancient life in a limestone cave in Illinois. Among the treasures, pine needles from a tree that is possibly the predecessor of the North American pine tree.

Tropical Plants Go With The Flow … Of Nitrogen - Plants require nitrogen to survive. It is commonly believed that plants are specialized to make use of just one source of nitrogen, limiting growth to areas where this source is available. However, a paper accepted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that tropical plants are capable of obtaining nitrogen from a diversity of sources, giving them an edge in adapting to a variety of environments.

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