Climate modulation of phylogenetic and functional constraints on fruit volume: A case study of Chinese angiosperms
Available online 20 March 2026
Fruit volume is a pivotal reproductive trait that influences dispersal, seed predation, and offspring establishment, yet its large-scale drivers remain poorly understood. Here, we compiled phylogenetic,...
Niche evolution and asymmetric diversification in elm species (Ulmaceae)
Available online 20 March 2026
Global patterns of species diversity are highly heterogeneous, and even within the same evolutionary lineage, species richness can differ markedly. Understanding the mechanisms underlying such disparities...
Determinants of herbivory on seedlings in a subtropical forest: Insights from plant apparency, Janzen-Connell effects, and functional traits
Available online 17 March 2026
Herbivory is widely known to play a critical role in structuring plant communities. However, much less is known about what factors determine herbivory in forest ecosystems. Here, we monitored herbivory...
Scale-dependent evidence for the abundant-center hypothesis and underlying mechanisms
Available online 14 March 2026
Whether species are more abundant near the center of their distribution has been intensively debated. Previous studies have largely focused on local sampling units, often overlooking the inherent scale-dependence...
Local adaptation sustains genetic differentiation between two varieties of Chinese walnut (Juglans cathayensis) despite extensive hybridization in subtropical China
Available online 12 March 2026
Understanding how natural selection sustains genetic differentiation despite ongoing hybridization remains a central question in evolutionary biology. Here, we integrated range-wide whole-genome resequencing...
Divergence in plant water relations mediates the clear niche differentiation of two congeneric desert shrub species
Available online 12 March 2026
Desert plants, despite overall well adapted to drought, exhibit considerable inter-specific differentiation of micro-habitats and variation in adaptive characteristics in the generally much water-limited...
Scaling and stoichiometry of seed nitrogen and phosphorus across Chinese grasslands
Available online 12 March 2026
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) play crucial roles in early seedling establishment, influencing germination, survival, and overall performance. However, large-scale multispecies seed element survey...
The Tianshan Mountains as a biogeographic barrier driving North-South divergence and local adaptation in Typha laxmannii
Available online 11 March 2026
The Tianshan Mountains constitute a major biogeographic barrier in Arid Central Asia, yet their impact on plant genomic divergence and adaptation remains poorly understood. Using Typha laxmannii, a...
Is beta diversity higher in seed plants with larger body sizes?
Available online 11 March 2026
Beta diversity is a scalar linking local (alpha) with regional (gamma) species diversity. Understanding patterns of beta diversity is central to ecology and biogeography. It is suggested that beta diversity...
Invasive plant richness and abundance synergistically amplify co-invasion success: Experimental evidence for invasional meltdown
Available online 11 March 2026
Co-invasion by multiple invasive species is becoming increasingly prevalent, yet the role of interactions among invasive species in shaping invasion success remains poorly understood. While invader...
Herbivore defense syndromes differ between native and invasive plant species
Available online 11 March 2026
In their non-native ranges, invasive plant species may escape specialist herbivores and thus experience exclusive pressure from generalists. This is predicted to shape the defense strategies of successful...
Class I TCP transcription factor OsTCP4 suppresses plant height via negatively regulating the green revolution gene SD1 (OsGA20ox2) in rice (Oryza sativa)
Available online 9 March 2026
Plant height is critical for crops in agricultural research and practice. Optimizing plant height helps to increase yield and lodging resistance. The green revolution gene semi-dwarf 1 (SD1) encoding...
Chromosome-level genome and population resequencing reveal genetic diversity, demographic history, and climate risk in the East Asian relict tree Perkinsiodendron macgregorii
Available online 9 March 2026
Relict trees are key to understanding macroevolution, biogeography, and extinction risk under environmental change, yet genome-wide data on diversity and demography remain scarce. Perkinsiodendron macgregorii,...
High invader density alone drives invasive plant dominance, but its impacts on native community biomass and diversity depend on nutrients and microplastics
Available online 3 March 2026
Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly exposed to multiple global change drivers such as nutrient enrichment and emerging pollutants, which significantly influence biological invasions. Although high...
Heterogeneity in leaf tannin inducibility across woody and non-woody plants: A meta-analysis
Available online 24 February 2026
Tannins are widespread secondary metabolites that can be induced by herbivory or mechanical damage and contribute to defense against herbivores. Reported tannin inducibility varies across taxa and study...
Genomic insights into the survival code of karst plants
Available online 21 February 2026
•Karst endemic plants exhibit profound genetic vulnerability driven by historical and anthropogenic factors.•Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and gene family dynamics are key adaptive mechanisms for karst...
Phylogenomic conflict in Lycium (Solanaceae): Revealing the roles of hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting, and biogeographic history using nuclear and mitochondrial genomes
Available online 16 February 2026
The genus Lycium is of considerable medicinal and economic importance and has a discontinuous intercontinental distribution. However, its evolutionary history remains obscured by morphological convergence,...
The relative role of regional species pools in determining tree species richness and rarity in Chinese subtropical and tropical forests
Available online 10 February 2026
The species pool hypothesis argues that local species diversity mainly depends on regional diversity, which is influenced by dispersal, historical and current environmental conditions. We hypothesize...
Vegetation sensitivity to drought depends on bedrock type in a subtropical karst landscape in Southwest China
Available online 10 February 2026
Droughts pose a significant global threat to ecosystem stability and plant diversity. The sensitivity of vegetation to drought is highly variable, influenced by both vegetation types and landscape properties....
Phylogenomics unravels the early divergence and diversification in Bignoniaceae
Available online 10 February 2026
Bignoniaceae, a pantropical family comprising 79 genera and 901 species, exhibits remarkable morphological and ecological diversity, including lianas, shrubs, trees, and high-elevation herbs. Reconstructing...
Timing, origins, and drivers of floristic diversity within a global biodiversity hotspot in eastern Asia
Available online 10 February 2026
The Gaoligong Mountains (GLGM), forming the westernmost part of the Hengduan Mountains, is renowned for the high levels of plant species richness and endemism. However, the timing, biogeographic origins...
Crown architecture traits mediate shade tolerance-dependent trade-offs and neighborhood interactions in a subtropical forest
Available online 9 February 2026
Crown architectural traits are critical adaptations that balance light capture with mechanical stability. Given that light availability plays a fundamental role in shaping forest community structure,...
Species evolution determines epiphyte evolution in Orchids
Available online 5 February 2026
Orchid diversity and conservation are tightly linked to the evolution of orchid lifeforms (e.g., epiphytic or terrestrial) as epiphytic species are highly sensitive to environmental changes and includes...
Insights into the phylogenetic, structural and functional evolution of LHC superfamily in photosynthetic organisms
Available online 4 February 2026
Photosynthesis is the fundamental process for the survival of photosynthetic organisms. The light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) play a crucial role in light energy capture and transfer. Despite their...
Conserving threatened plant species with widespread distribution: A case study of lethal utilization of anticancer Nothapodytes trees in Asia
January 2026
The global burden of cancer, with over 19 million new cases annually, underscores the urgent need for effective therapies. Among the most promising anticancer compounds is camptothecin (CPT), a monoterpene...