Behind the Paper
The real stories behind the latest research papers, from conception to publication, the highs and the lows
Filtered by: Ecology & Evolution
Unlocking the evolutionary mechanism of Intermolecular Diels-Alderases from Mulberry Trees
In organic synthesis, the Diels-Alder reaction is pivotal. Seeking eco-friendly alternatives, researchers explore natural Diels-Alderases, enzymes that catalyze this reaction. Xiaoguang Lei's lab uncovers evolutionary mechanisms in plant-derived Diels-Alderases, especially from mulberry trees.
Mercury - the invisible contaminant that could be driving population declines among migratory shorebirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Over one-third of the sampled shorebirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway are facing Hg risk. Tringa genus in South China was at the highest risk. Feather Hg was best explained by feathers' moulting region, while habitat preference, diet, and forage stratum were less important.
Walking through fastidious acidophilic nitrous oxide-reducing microorganisms
Löffler Lab at University of Tennessee, Knoxville reports a fastidious, strict anaerobic microorganism thriving to reduce N2O (laughing gas) at acidic pH, which has been a nerdy topic over decades.
The Implications of APOBEC3-Mediated C-to-U RNA Editing for Human Disease
We are publishing a manuscript which shows a connection between climate change and other environmental factors including pandemics and our gene expression. This manuscript also demonstrates the importance of RNA editing in the understanding of molecular biology.
Differential inheritance of gene content among maize, rice, wheat, and bamboos following ancestral duplications and possible contribution to morphological and physiological differences
Grasses share a whole genome duplication called rho; we used both chromosomal collinearity and gene phylogeny to investigate the pattern of duplicate retention in different grass groups and found differentially retained duplicates that are implicated in environmental adaptations or morphogenesis.
Speed of environmental change frames relative ecological risk in climate change and climate intervention scenarios
We show that considering the speed of temperature change helps place different scenarios of climate change and climate intervention in context to relative ecological risk.
Studying animal seed dispersal and forest regeneration: where cutting-edge modelling techniques meet intensive field-based research
Behind every large-scale ecological model is the indispensable fieldwork of numerous experts on the ground. Here, we dive into the collective research effort behind our latest paper – highlighting four datasets on frugivory, animal behaviour, gut passage time of seeds, and forest restoration.
