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1. Resolving the contrasting leaf hydraulic adaptation of C₃ and C₄ grasses

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.20341  

   Baird, Alec S; Taylor, Samuel H; Pasquet‐Kok, Jessica; Vuong, Christine; Zhang, Yu; Watcharamongkol, Teera; Cochard, Hervé; Scoffoni, Christine; Edwards, Erika J; Osborne, Colin P; et al (March 2025, New Phytologist)

   Summary Grasses are exceptionally productive, yet their hydraulic adaptation is paradoxical. Among C₃grasses, a high photosynthetic rate (A_area) may depend on higher vein density (D_v) and hydraulic conductance (K_leaf). However, the higherD_vof C₄grasses suggests a hydraulic surplus, given their reduced need for highK_leafresulting from lower stomatal conductance (g_s).Combining hydraulic and photosynthetic physiological data for diverse common garden C₃and C₄species with data for 332 species from the published literature, and mechanistic modeling, we validated a framework for linkages of photosynthesis with hydraulic transport, anatomy, and adaptation to aridity.C₃and C₄grasses had similarK_leafin our common garden, but C₄grasses had higherK_leafthan C₃species in our meta‐analysis. Variation inK_leafdepended on outside‐xylem pathways. C₄grasses have highK_leaf : g_s, which modeling shows is essential to achieve their photosynthetic advantage.Across C₃grasses, higherA_areawas associated with higherK_leaf, and adaptation to aridity, whereas for C₄species, adaptation to aridity was associated with higherK_leaf : g_s. These associations are consistent with adaptation for stress avoidance.Hydraulic traits are a critical element of evolutionary and ecological success in C₃and C₄grasses and are crucial avenues for crop design and ecological forecasting. 

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2. Denture base poly(methyl methacrylate) reinforced with SrTiO₃ / Y₂O₃ : Structural, morphological and mechanical analysis

   https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.29523  

   Elhmali, Houda Taher; Radojevic, Vesna; Stajcic, Aleksandar; Petrovic, Milos; Stojanovic, Dusica B; Vlahovic, Branislav; Stajcic, Ivana (January 2025, Polymer Composites)

   Abstract This study presented the use of SrTiO₃/Y₂O₃nanoparticles for the reinforcement of dental poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to enhance its mechanical properties important for everyday use of denture base materials. The average crystallite size of prepared nanoparticles was 19.9 nm. The influence of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt% SrTiO₃/Y₂O₃loading on absorbed impact energy, microhardness and tensile properties was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy of the composite fracture surface revealed multiple toughening mechanisms, with agglomerates directly included in the crack pinning, indicating improvement in mechanical performance. Dynamic mechanical analysis proved that agglomerates improved the elastic behavior of PMMA and confirmed the absence of a residual monomer. After the incorporation of SrTiO₃/Y₂O₃, the mechanical properties of composites showed a high increase compared to neat PMMA. The optimal concentration of nanoparticles was 1 wt%, for which the microhardness, modulus of elasticity, and absorbed impact energy were higher by 218.4%, 65.8% and 135.6%, respectively. With such a high increase, this research showed that SrTiO₃/Y₂O₃represents an efficient filler which use does not have to be limited to dental materials. HighlightsSrTiO₃/Y₂O₃hybrid nanoparticles were prepared.PMMA‐SrTiO₃/Y₂O₃composite showed increase in impact resistance up to 135.4%.Elastic behavior of PMMA was improved.With 1 wt% of SrTiO₃/Y₂O₃, microhardness increased by 218.4%. 

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3. Atomic doping to enhance the p-type behavior of BiFeO ₃ photoelectrodes for solar H ₂ O ₂ production

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ta03191a  

   Seo, Daye; Grieder, Andrew; Radmilovic, Andjela; Alamudun, Sophya F; Yuan, Xin; Ping, Yuan; Choi, Kyoung-Shin (August 2024, Journal of Materials Chemistry A)

   Na-doped BiFeO₃demonstrates an enhanced p-type behavior compared to p-type BiFeO₃prepared without extrinsic dopants, and Na-doped BiFeO₃can serve as a photocathode for solar O₂reduction to H₂O₂when coupled with Ag nanoparticle catalysts. 

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4. Deciphering the variability of leaf phosphorus‐allocation strategies using leaf economic traits and reflectance spectroscopy across diverse forest types

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70219  

   Dong, Tingting; Wu, Fengqi; Tsujii, Yuki; Townsend, Philip A; Yang, Nan; Xu, Weiying; Liu, Shuwen; Swenson, Nathan G; Lamour, Julien; Han, Wenxuan; et al (August 2025, New Phytologist)

   Summary Allocation of leaf phosphorus (P) among different functional fractions represents a crucial adaptive strategy for optimizing P use. However, it remains challenging to monitor the variability in leaf P fractions and, ultimately, to understand P‐use strategies across diverse plant communities.We explored relationships between five leaf P fractions (orthophosphate P, P_i; lipid P, P_L; nucleic acid P, P_N; metabolite P, P_M; and residual P, P_R) and 11 leaf economic traits of 58 woody species from three biomes in China, including temperate, subtropical and tropical forests. Then, we developed trait‐based models and spectral models for leaf P fractions and compared their predictive abilities.We found that plants exhibiting conservative strategies increased the proportions of P_Nand P_M, but decreased the proportions of P_iand P_L, thus enhancing photosynthetic P‐use efficiency, especially under P limitation. Spectral models outperformed trait‐based models in predicting cross‐site leaf P fractions, regardless of concentrations (R² = 0.50–0.88 vs 0.34–0.74) or proportions (R² = 0.43–0.70 vs 0.06–0.45).These findings enhance our understanding of leaf P‐allocation strategies and highlight reflectance spectroscopy as a promising alternative for characterizing large‐scale leaf P fractions and plant P‐use strategies, which could ultimately improve the physiological representation of the plant P cycle in land surface models. 

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5. Forest health, heart rot disease, and their impact on the source of carbon‐based greenhouse gas fluxes

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.71005  

   Senevirathne, Chathuranga K; Huff, Alan; Datta, Debit; Swenson, Nathan G; Rocha, Adrian V (February 2026, New Phytologist)

   Summary Forest health is critical for sustaining ecosystem services like carbon sequestration. Heart rot, a widespread disease in upland northern hardwood forests, may affect greenhouse gas (CO₂and CH₄) fluxes, but its impacts remain poorly measured.Using non‐destructive tomography and direct gas flux measurements, we quantified the effects of heart rot on sugar maple (Acer saccharumMarshall) stems and surrounding soils.Heart rot increased CH₄emissions from stems but did not affect CO₂fluxes from stems or soils, nor CH₄fluxes from soils. All stems emitted CO₂and CH₄, while soils absorbed CH₄and emitted CO₂. Stem CH₄fluxes strongly correlated with decay severity, but CO₂fluxes did not. CH₄was produced in the heartwood, CO₂in the sapwood, and methanogens were present in all stems. Severe heart rot often caused bark fractures, enhancing CH₄diffusion to the atmosphere and creating emission hotspots.These findings show that forest health influences carbon cycling. Capturing stem CH₄hotspots requires direct measurement, and fungal diseases like heart rot may shift forests from CH₄sinks to sources, with implications for atmospheric greenhouse gas dynamics. 

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