News

Researchers in the Tropical Ecology and Conservation group have conducted the most comprehensive study to date on how habitat restoration in sub-Saharan Africa impacts tree loss beyond project boundaries.Largest study to date of how restoration affects tree loss beyond project boundaries in sub-Saharan AfricaResearchers analysed nearly 130,000 rest…

Researchers have analysed aerial laser scans of huge areas across the Cairngorms Connect partnership in the Scottish Highlands, to produce incredibly detailed maps showing millions of young trees have naturally established following an increase in deer culling.A University of Cambridge-led team has used aerial surveys across a huge swathe of the Ca…

Research from the Cereal Symbiosis group shows how rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels affect nutrient uptake in rice and highlights the importance of beneficial soil fungi as a vital ally for sustaining crop yields and carbon storage in a changing climate.As atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels continue to climb, researchers are working to under…

A new study, led by the Forest Ecology and Conservation group, has produced the first large-scale, high-resolution map of how quickly tropical forests recover carbon and structure when left to regrow naturally on former pastureland.The team used repeated airborne laser scans (lidar) across Brazil's Atlantic Forest to track precise changes in the fo…

In our ‘Science to solutions’ series we talk to Cambridge scientists working with industry, business, NGO and other partners to help solve real-world problems using cutting-edge research.Lauren Eddie is a final-year PhD student at the Cereal Symbiosis group at the Crop Science Centre, part of the Department of Plant Sciences. She is collaborating w…

Researchers, plant breeders, funders and farmers from across Africa, Cambridge, and the wider world will gather in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 12-14 October 2026 for the Africa Crop Forum 2026. The Forum will focus on accelerating collaborative solutions to some of the continent’s most pressing agricultural challenges, including crop disease, clim…

Cambridge researchers used Tessera, a geospatial foundation model, to map tree species across the mountainous Trentino region in Italy, outperforming traditional satellite methods and opening the door to low-cost, continent-scale forest mapping.Forests are increasingly under threat from drought, storms, disease and logging. Mapping tree species hel…

A new study involving Professor David Coomes from the Department of Plant Sciences has found that cutting lianas increases canopy height in regenerating logged forests three times faster than tree planting alone, as reported on 13 July by Mongabay: As the world faces the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, researchers are trying to…

The University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford will lead a major new partnership to digitise over 1.1 million natural history specimens, creating a step-change in how researchers and conservationists access vital biodiversity data.The project is part of DiSSCo UK (Distributed System of Scientific Collections UK) – a £155 million national …

Botanicon is an early career researcher community event supported by Plants @ Cambridge – a body that co-ordinates plant science activities across the University of Cambridge.This one-day event brings together members of the Cambridge plant biology community to explore the future of research in the field. The goal is to encourage meaningful dialogu…

The world’s tallest tropical trees have no trouble pumping water to their topmost branches, new research reveals.  Conventional scientific theory suggests that as trees grow, it becomes harder to transport water from roots to leaves – limiting growth and making trees more vulnerable to drought.  But the new study – involving Professor David Coomes,…

Dr Jennifer McGaley explains how her 56-hour marathon at the microscope has opened up the mysterious life of fungi with the first-ever time-lapse of the symbiosis between plants and beneficial soil fungi.What if one organism could copy itself, merge with others, and weave vast living networks through its environment? These abilities may seem alien,…

Plants must carefully strike a balance between harvesting sunlight to fuel photosynthesis and protecting themselves from light damage. Part of this balancing act is performed by antenna proteins that are bound to light-harvesting molecules inside plant chloroplasts. Mostly known for harvesting energy from sunlight, some antenna proteins can dissipa…

Candidates who are considering applying for the 2027 Royal Society Fellowship schemes and would like to host their Fellowships in the Department of Plant Sciences are asked to submit their CV, draft research outline and covering letter to researchfellows@plantsci.cam.ac.uk by 10 July 2026. We aim to support those candidates that have exceptional tr…

After a forty-year hiatus, the Department of Plant Sciences is delighted to announce the official relaunch of the Tea Phytologist, our historic student-led satirical spoof journal.Originally founded in 1908, the Tea Phytologist was a fun and subversive counterpoint to the more serious botanical publications of the time. The name is a parody of alum…