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Wankmüller, F.J.P., Delval, L., Lehmann, P. et al., Nature 635, 631–638 (2024).

Soil texture is a key factor in shaping ecosystem responses to water stress. This study shows that sandy soils make ecosystems more sensitive to drying, while clayey soils increase sensitivity to atmospheric demand. These findings emphasize how soil properties shape plant resilience to climate change.

Giolai, M., Laine,A., Science386,677-680(2024).

This study highlights the trade-off between growth and immune defense in wild plants, revealing that species with larger molecular defense repertoires exhibit slower growth. However, this trade-off is not observed in agricultural plants, emphasizing the impact of domestication on plant defense strategies.

Doetterl, S., Berhe, A.A., Heckman, K. et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 6, 67–81 (2025).

Understanding soil formation and biogeochemical complexity at the landscape scale is essential for improving predictions of soil organic matter dynamics and carbon sequestration. Addressing data gaps and incorporating diverse soil processes into models will enhance global projections of soil carbon stocks and their role in climate change mitigation.

Snoeck, S., Johanndrees, O., Nürnberger, T. et al., Nature Reviews Genetics (2024).

Advances in genomic and pangenomic analyses are deepening our understanding of plant immune receptors (PRRs) and their role in plant–pathogen co-evolution. Leveraging these insights, along with protein structure prediction and receptor engineering, offers new opportunities to enhance disease resistance and promote sustainable agriculture.

Mayor, S., Altermatt, F., Crowther, T.W. et al., Commun Earth Environ 6, 28 (2025).

Landscape-level diversity, measured by the number of ecosystem types, enhances primary productivity, stability, and long-term greening trends across North America. These effects occur independently of local species diversity, highlighting the importance of ecosystem interactions at broader spatial scales.