Dr. SHUI Yumin from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences(KIB/CAS) received the Rudolf Ziesenhenne Award (Fig. 1) in 2025 from the American Begonia Society.
Investigation and research are extremely challenging in tropical rainforests, which possess powerful ecological functions. One reason is the diversity of tree species, particularly the canopy trees, which have unstable flowering periods, blooming twice in one year or not at all for several years, making surveys exceedingly difficult.
These anecdotes hint at a broader truth: organisms long accustomed to stable, optimal temperatures may lose their resilience to fluctuations—a case of "thriving in adversity, stagnating in comfort"
Seed dispersal is an essential process for plant reproduction and the maintenance of ecosystem functions. A large fraction of plants is dispersed by vertebrates, mostly birds and mammals which feed on fruits and release the seeds once they passed through their digestive tracts – a mechanism called endozoochory.
Early developmental stages of most organisms (e.g., embryos or floral buds) exhibit highly environmental sensitivity, making the protection of vulnerable offspring and its evolutionary implications a central theme in life history studies. A typical example is the amniotic fluid in mammals, which creates a stable microenvironment throughout gestation.
Humans enjoy sweet drinks, and some animals, too, are drawn to floral “sweet water,” making them important pollinators. Most nectar is colorless, but a few plants produce more conspicuous colored nectar to attract pollinators. It has been proposed that colored nectar may function as an honest signal, helping pollinators associate nectar color with reward, thereby enhancing pollination efficie...
A new study led by researchers from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIB/CAS), has identified 15 high-priority areas for plant conservation across the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding regions—known collectively as the Third Pole
With the intensification of global agriculture, the annual production of 14 billion tons of crop straw and 125 million tons of livestock manure poses a significant disposal challenge.
Camouflage is a common defensive strategy among animals and has long been a focus in evolutionary biology. By altering their body color and patterns, animals avoid detection or recognition to either ambush prey or evade predators.
