A plant name dispute that has bubbled away for a decade has finally been resolved at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne.
The species concerned are the acacias, which until now has included the Australian wattles and the thorn trees of the Serengeti—both highly recognisable and iconic groups of plants. [continue reading…]
XVIII International Botanical Congress
Decisions of the Congress on nomenclature
25 July, 2011Key decisions of the Nomenclature Section of the XVIII IBC
Written by Nicholas Turland
The Nomenclature Section met for five days, 18–22 July 2011, to discuss proposals to amend the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The more significant changes to the Code are outlined below and will be put to Congress for ratification on Saturday. [continue reading…]
The vines they are a-changin’
25 July, 2011Climate change is already changing the environment of the established “terroirs” of Australian wines, such as the Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley, says Prof Snow Barlow of the University of Melbourne.
But it won’t be the end of winemaking as we know it. Our wines will just evolve. [continue reading…]
Feeding the future
25 July, 2011The world cannot rely solely on high tech, genetic modification to generate the extra food needed to satisfy a human population projected to peak at about 9.5 billion later this century, according to keynote speakers at the XVIII International Botanical Congress being held in Melbourne this week. [continue reading…]
The Eternal Order in Nature: The Science of Botanical Illustration
25 July, 2011
Botanical illustration incorporates an extraordinary range of plant representations from flower paintings to finely detailed drawings of plants used for botanical purposes. As an artform it is often based in science and as a scientific document it is often viewed as an artwork. [continue reading…]
Improving wheat yields for global food security
25 July, 2011
Issued by CSIRO Ref 11/81
With the world’s population set to reach 8.9 billion by 2050, CSIRO scientists are hunting down and exploiting a number of wheat’s key genetic traits in a bid to substantially boost its grain yield. [continue reading…]
Species affected by climate change: to shift or not to shift?
25 July, 2011Issued by CSIRO Ref 11/78
Relocating species threatened by climate change is a radical and hotly debated strategy for maintaining biodiversity. In a paper published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, researchers from CSIRO, University of Queensland and United States Geological Survey present a pragmatic decision framework for determining when, if ever, to move species in the face of climate change. [continue reading…]
No plants: no foods, no fuel, no life…
25 July, 2011Monday at the Botanic Congress
For humanity, all seven billion of us, plants, algae and fungi are the major source of food, clothing, shelter and medicine.
Our fossil fuels were formed by them. They clean our air and water, store carbon, and protect us from floods and drought. [continue reading…]
Science and religion agree – again…
25 July, 2011Botanists drop Latin for new species descriptions
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
In 1539 the Church of England recognised Latin was a barrier to understanding, and published the Great Bible in English. The Roman Catholic Church authorised usage of languages other than Latin in its services in the 1960s. now scientists—or at least botanists—are catching up. [continue reading…]
Life without plants? Not possible.
24 July, 2011Life on Earth depends on plants, algae and fungi.
For humanity, all seven billion of us, they are the major source of food, clothing, shelter and medicine.
Our fossil fuels were formed by them. They clean our air and water, store carbon, and protect us from floods and drought. [continue reading…]
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