References: Press Releases and Statements

The German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) awards four early career scientists for their excellent research: Dr Michelle Rönspies reduced the number of chromosomes in plants for the first time. What plants were already capable of millions of years ago, has been shown by Dr Jaccoline Zegers. How climate change menaces arctic kelp forests was revealed by Dr Sarina Niedzwiedz. And Dr Paul Grünhofer has challenged long-standing assumptions about poplars’ protecting surfaces. They will receive the awards honouring their scientific findings on 9^th September 2026, during the International Conference of the DBG at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. Three of the awardees will present their research results in a plenary lecture at DBG’s international conference, the Botanik-Tagung, where almost 500 plant scientists are expected to participate. But what exactly is the scientific excellence of the award-winning papers and theses? 

Characteristic features of plants, such as their active ingredients or flower color, may have developed through very different evolutionary histories. This is shown by an international study on the orange-flowering California poppy led by researchers at Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU). The multidisciplinary research team compared the biosynthesis of alkaloids and carotenoids as well as flower control factors of this plant at the genetic level. For the first time, the researchers analyzed a transcriptome, i.e., the entirety of all RNA transcripts. Their findings have now been published in the journal “The Plant Cell”. The extensive transcriptome data provide a valuable resource for future evolutionary studies and for the search for pharmacologically interesting active substances.

The Research Unit “Innovation and Coevolution in Plant Sexual Reproduction” (ICIPS) that is coordinated at Justus Liebig University Giessen will continue to investigate the evolution of molecular communication in the reproduction of land plants. The German Research Foundation (DFG) announced on Friday further funding of the second phase of the Research Unit (FOR 5098). This fundamental research is also important for our nutrition as well as for our understanding of ecosystems. In ICIPS eight research teams at a total of six German universities will collaborate.

When plants are attacked by pathogenic bacteria, they use chemical and electrical signals to transmit the information from the point of origin on the leaf surface to the inside and go into defence mode. In order to find out how and where the perception of bacterial contact is converted into electrical signals, a research team led by PD Dr Alexandra Furch from the University of Jena investigated how the external stimulus is transmitted. The researchers discovered two different types of electrical waves that trigger both the local and the systemic defence reaction of plants. The team reports this in a recently published study in the journal Science Advances. Another new finding is that so-called barrier proteins in the pathways play a role in the defence response of the plant species studied. These findings could be used to equip plants with greater resistance of their own and thus reduce the use of pesticides.

Sorry, in German only

Wie ein effizientes Enzym der Photosynthese funktioniert, warum sich ein Moos nicht mehr sexuell vermehren konnte und wie Temperatur und ein Hormon das Ergebnis beim Pfropfen verbessern, sind die Themen der drei Forschenden, die mit den diesjährigen Wissenschaftspreisen der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft (DBG) ausgezeichnet werden. Dr. Meike Hüdig, Dr. Rabea Meyberg und M.Sc. Kai Steffen Bartusch erhalten ihre Auszeichnungen während der Botanik-Tagung, International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences, vom 28. August bis 1. September 2022 in Bonn. Die mit jeweils 2.000 bis 2.500 Euro dotierten Preise für Forscherinnen und Forscher im frühen Karrierestadium sollen die wissenschaftliche Laufbahn der drei beflügeln, wie schon die früher verliehenen Auszeichnungen der DBG.

Details zu den Forschungsergebnissen, wissenschaftlichen Artikeln und allen Fotos bei der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft

Awards for four Exceptional Plant Scientists

How climate change influences growing seasons length in woody plants and survival of flowers, the substances that influence shape changes of plastids, and the proteins that spur phloem differentiation are in the research focus of the four plant scientists who will receive the science prices of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) this year. Dr. Constantin Mario Zohner, Dr. Jessica Lee Erickson, Dr. Moisés Expósito Alonso and Dr. Eva-Sophie Wallner will get their awards during the Botanikertagung, the International Plant Science Conference in Rostock, Germany. From 16^th to 18^th September 2019, the four will present their research results to the more than 420 conference participants.

Press release: Concept development, text, image research and editing, several Tweets

Deutsche-Botanische-Gesellschaft.de/en/

sorry, in German only

Deutsche Botanische Gesellschaft (DBG) fordert nachhaltige Ressourcen- und Klimapolitik

Entscheidungen über die Ressourcen unserer Erde müssen nachhaltig und wissenschaftsbasiert sein. Zur Eröffnung der Botanikertagung an der Universität Rostock, zu der sich mehr als 420 Pflanzenforschende angemeldet haben, fordert das Präsidium der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft die Beteiligten am Klimakabinett und alle Parteien auf, mutige Entscheidungen zu treffen, um die Ressourcen unseres Planeten und das Klima nachhaltig zu schützen.

Teaser, Bild- und Textredaktion, Social Media-Verbreitung

Deutsche-Botanische-Gesellschaft.de

Sea Ice Alga Melosira arctica – winner or loser of climate change?

One of the most important microalgal species from the Arctic Ocean, Melosira arctica, has been nominated “Alga of the Year” by the German Phycology Section. Scientists will use Melosira as a model to understand consequences of climate change. “Currently no one can foresee whether Melosira will benefit or suffer from the melting of sea ice, and nobody knows why it is so productive under such hostile conditions,” says biologist Klaus Valentin from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI). He is a Member of the Phycological Section within the Germany Botanical Society, which selected Melosira as Alga of the year 2016.

Concept development, text and image search

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

The Sea Lettuce Ulva only gets into shape with the right bacteria

Ulva, a green seaweed found in oceans all over the world, has been selected ‘Alga of the Year 2015’. This ’sea lettuce’ either forms tubular ribbons or sheet-like (‘lettuce’) blades. Individuals commonly reach a size of approx. 20-30 cm. The specific ‘lettuce’ growth form of the alga only develops in association of bacteria which trigger differentiation and development. As Ulva requires the presence of these bacteria, it has developed special mechanisms to attract them. This requires an exchange of information between algae and bacteria. As the two organisms belong to two very different evolutionary groups, this process has fascinated chemists, biologists and algal researchers who now want to establish one Ulva species - namely Ulva mutabilis - as a future model organism.

Press release: Concept development, copy writing and editing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii - fast swimmer serves as model

Phycologists of the Botanical Society of Germany have selected Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as alga of the year 2014. This unicellular green alga is able to sense its light environment, is a fast swimmer and is highly appreciated by algal and plant researchers as well as medical scientists as a model organism. Chlamydomonas even provides the basis for the establishment of novel scientific areas in neurobiology and medicine, such as optogenetics where genetically modified cells are applied as ‘light switches’. Text translated by Dr. Dagmar Stengl and published on the website of the Phycology Section.

Concept development, copy writing and editing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

Halftime for Mosses as Measuring Devices

An international research team takes stock on their way to monitoring air quality in Europe

After one and a half year the international research group has prepared the mosses to be cultivated in larger bioreactors. Doing this the researchers around the biologist Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski from the University of Freiburg, Germany, have reached the first milestone in the “Mossclone” research project funded by the EU in which they are developing a new biotechnological tool which uses mosses to monitor air pollutants.

Freiburg University

Lingulodinium polyedrum illuminates the sea

The alga fascinates not only scientists but also sailors and beach walkers since it is capable of illuminating the sea at night with a bluish light. The portrait about this microalga was translated by Dr. Dagmar Stengl and published on the website of the Phycology Section.

Concept development, copy writing, image research and editing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

IUBS member Germany discusses strategies to stop loss of biological diversity

45 invited German bioscience societies that are united in the DNK (Deutsches Nationalkomitee Biologie) of the German member in the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) meet to exchange ideas how to overcome the loss of biological diversity.

German press release: Concept development and copy writing

iubs-member-germany.de

Stoneworts – pioneers and keystone species under threat

Stoneworts attract the researchers attention since some Chara species are able to conquer new aquatic habitats as ‘pioneers’ whilst others exhibit very specific growth requirements, and once having colonized an area, can shape the whole ecosystem. The portrait about Stoneworts belonging to the alga genus Chara was translated by Dr. Dagmar Stengl and published on the website of the Phycology Section.

Concept development, text, image research and editing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

Fragilariopsis cylindrus loves the extremes

Algal researchers from the Phycology Section have declared the diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus alga of the year 2011. "We are fascinated by this species because it can survive and even reproduce within the ice of the polar seas, one of the most extreme habitats on earth", argues Professor Dr Peter Kroth from the University of Konstanz. Peter Kroth is Chair of the Phycology Section of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG).

Concept development, copy writing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

Emiliania huxleyi – an algal dwarf impacts on global climate

A tiny organism is able to grow in such amounts to be spotted by satellites from the sky. It plays a major role in the carbon cycle and influences climate on earth. The portrait about the algal dwarf was translated by Dr. Dagmar Stengl and published on the website of the Phycology Section.

Press release: concept development, text, image research and editing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/

Micrasterias - immortal but in the Red Data Book for endangered species

Algenforscher der Sektion Phykologie der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft wählen die Zieralge Micrasterias zur Alge des Jahres 2008. Micrasterias, aus dem Griechischen abgeleitet etwa „kleines Sternchen“, ist eine stark bedrohte, formen- und artenreiche Algengattung, die auf intakte Gewässer angewiesen ist.

Text, Konzept, Bildredaktion der Pressemitteilung

dbg-phykologie.de

Kelp Laminaria builds an "underwater rainforest"

Members of the Phycology Section of the German Society for Plant Sciences who conduct research on algae nominate the seaweed Laminaria as ‘Alga of the year’: the kelp Laminaria can reach lengths of several metres. It forms, together with other macroalgal species, large underwater forests in the sea (so-called ‘kelp forests’). Kelps contain alginic acid which has several applications as stabilising agents in many food and cosmetic products. In contrast to other plants, kelps grow mainly in winter when sunlight is sparse. Algae take up the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and are the most important oxygen producers of the world.

Concept development and copy writing

dbg-phykologie.de/en/