Explore the latest insights from top science journals in the Muser Press daily roundup (June 4, 2025), featuring impactful research on climate change challenges.
In brief:
Microscopic life inhabiting glacial habitats on the Tibetan Plateau
Glaciers are important regulators of the Earth’s climate system, affecting the hydrological cycle, energy balance and the development of downstream ecosystems. Other than the polar regions, the Tibetan Plateau stands as the region with the largest glacier area, earning it monikers such as “Water Tower of Asia” and “the Third Polar Region”. In spite of its great importance, however, human activities have caused increased glacier retreat, potentially impacting downstream environmental balance.
“Glaciers contain a variety of habitats including ice, snow, cryoconite, and deglaciated soil that harbor rich microbial communities — the main bearers of glacial life activities,” says Sang Ba, corresponding author of a new review on the topic published in Water Biology and Security. “We wanted to open a microbial perspective-driven window for researchers to protect the glacial habitats of the Tibetan Plateau.”
To that end, they have synthesized studies on the interactions between microbial communities and the intra- and extra-glacial ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau and found that exogenous microorganisms can be deposited on the glacier by atmospheric circulation.
“The special geo-climatic characteristics of glaciers may have prompted these microorganisms to adapt to this extreme environment through evolution and cooperation. These microorganisms are involved in the cycling of biogenic elements in glaciers, providing feedback to the Earth’s ecosystem,” explains Ba.
However, increased environmental pollution may affect the glacier microorganisms. Some pollutants synergize with climate warming to accelerate glacial melting, with meltwater carrying microorganisms, nutrients, and pollutants into downstream ecosystems, which may have far-reaching impacts on downstream ecosystems and the global climate.
“Reducing source pollution, strengthening international cooperation, implementing long-term monitoring, developing predictive models, and tapping into special microorganisms are the way forward in guarding the clean land of the Tibetan Plateau glaciers in the future,” says Ba.
Journal Reference:
Jiajie Xu, Jing Zhu, Yonghong Zhou, Yixuan Liu, Sang Ba, ‘Glacial microbial-environmental interactions on the Tibetan Plateau: A review’, Water Biology and Security 100366 (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.watbs.2025.100366
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by KeAi Publishing
Climate change has affected wine regions worldwide, but with uneven impacts
All of the world’s winegrowing regions have been impacted by climate change, but with unequal impacts that vary across the growing season, reports a new study by E.M. Wolkovich of the University of British Columbia and colleagues, published in the open-access journal PLOS Climate.
Winegrapes are an important perennial crop that has been highly affected by climate change. Studies show that warmer temperatures are shifting the regions suitable for winegrowing toward the poles, while traditional regions are yielding grapes that ripen faster and have higher sugar levels, which alters the taste of the wine. But despite a growing body of research in this area, no one has taken a comprehensive global view of impacts comparing how climate change is impacting winegrowing regions worldwide.
In the new study, researchers studied the phenology of winegrapes – the timing of different stages of growth and reproduction of grapevines in response to the environment. They used data from more than 500 varieties, looking at 10 measures of climate, from the lowest temperatures during dormancy and when buds emerge, to heat extremes during the growing season, to temperatures and rainfall during harvest.
They found that climate change has impacted all winegrowing regions differently, which makes it difficult for growers to share strategies for adaptation. Europe has experienced the greatest shift, with significant increases in the number of hot days over 95 °F (35 °C) and the highest temperatures during the growing season. In contrast, North America showed smaller increases in average temperatures and extremes.
The researchers conclude that, global studies such as this one can complement regional studies and help growers adapt by providing insights into which regions are changing the fastest in response to warming and which are growing grapes in the most extreme conditions. If the global winegrowing industry hopes to navigate the impacts of climate change, they will need to contend with these complex changes, which vary between regions and throughout the growing season.
Dr. Wolkovich summarizes: “This study was a major interdisciplinary and international undertaking, requiring expertise from climatologists, crop modelers, macroecologists, and winegrape genetics experts from France, Spain, the US and Canada. It also relied on extensive data resources, and would not have been possible without the records of the INRAE experimental unit Domaine de Vassal, which has collected data on winegrapes for decades.
“I was very surprised by the level of warming across the globe, but especially in Europe, where our results show clearly just how much the growing season has warmed with human-caused climate change. As someone who has visited Europe for over 15 years, I have witnessed the increasing heat waves, but seeing the data — and how much change growers are facing — was sobering and even higher than I expected.
“The fact that the biggest shifts were in heat extremes and metrics related to total heat was also surprising as we tend to expect climate change to warm minimum temperatures more — so I expected metrics like cold temperatures around the time of budburst and harvest to change the most — but it was often the metrics related to higher temperatures.”
Journal Reference:
Wolkovich EM, Cook BI, García de Cortázar-Atauri I, Van der Meersch V, Lacombe T, Marchal C, et al., ‘Uneven impacts of climate change around the world and across the annual cycle of winegrapes’, PLOS Climate 4 (5): e0000539 (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000539
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by PLOS
Nanoparticle smart spray helps crops block infection before it starts
As climate change fuels the spread of plant diseases worldwide, a new nanoparticle smart spray could help crops defend themselves by blocking harmful bacteria from entering through tiny pores in their leaves.
The spray is made of nano-sized particles developed by a team led by Assistant Professor Tedrick Lew from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). These nanoparticles are designed to deliver antibacterial compounds directly to the plant’s stomata – the pores on a plant’s leaves that let it breathe, but which can also act as gateways for infection.
“The particles, which we’ve called ‘SENDS’ – short for stomata-targeting engineered nanoparticles – are designed to stick precisely to these pores, like a lock finding its key,” said Asst Prof Lew. “Once in place, they release natural antibacterial agents that stop pathogens from getting inside and infecting the plant.”
The team’s research was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Smarter tools
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, plant diseases destroy an estimated US$220 billion worth of crops globally every year.
Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns caused by climate change are giving pests and pathogens more opportunities to spread. Left unchecked, these could erase many of the gains expected from new farming technologies and improved crop varieties.
“Around the world, climate change is making it easier for plant diseases to spread and harder for farmers to keep them under control,” said Asst Prof Lew. “We need smarter tools that help plants protect themselves in a more precise and sustainable way.”
Unlike conventional pesticides that blanket entire plants and can harm surrounding ecosystems, SENDS delivers treatment precisely where it is needed, minimising waste and collateral damage.
The particles are made from zinc, a micronutrient already found in fertilisers. They are engineered to be porous so they can carry antibacterial agents, and they gradually dissolve after being sprayed, releasing their contents over time. The result is a water-based spray that can be applied just like conventional agricultural treatments and which leaves the plants’ natural functions, such as photosynthesis and gas exchange, unaffected.
20 times more resistant
In lab tests, the research team showed that plants treated with the targeted particles were 20 times more resistant to infection than those given non-targeted treatments. The spray worked on a range of food crops, including leafy vegetables such as pak choy, beans, rice and barley. It also stuck well to leaf surfaces even after rainfall, helping reduce runoff and pollution from excess agrochemicals.
“This is about stopping infections before they start,” said Asst Prof Lew. “By blocking bacteria entry precisely at the gate, we protect the plant without overwhelming it with chemicals.”
The researchers believe the same approach could be adapted for a wide range of crops and used to deliver other treatments, such as pesticides or RNA-based molecules. It should also be suitable for use in most farming regions around the world, they say.
Whilst further development and field tests are needed, the SENDS technology could help reduce farmers’ reliance on excessive chemical sprays while improving crop resilience, helping to boost food security and protect the environment.
Journal Reference:
Puangpathumanond, S., Chee, H.L., Sevencan, C. et al., ‘Stomata-targeted nanocarriers enhance plant defense against pathogen colonization’, Nature Communications 16, 4816 (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60112-w
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by College of Design and Engineering | National University of Singapore (NUS)
How does a common plant pathogen affect urban trees, and how should it be managed?
Trees are important to the environmental health of cities through their capacity to improve air quality, provide cooling via shade and transpiration, and foster natural beauty.
New research published in Plant-Environment Interactions reveals how the widespread plant pathogen Phytophthora affects urban trees, specifically Common Lime trees.
Using numerous tree sensors, investigators found that infected trees exhibited reduced water use and stem growth compared with healthy trees, but some still managed to maintain growth and cooling benefits.
The findings highlight the complexity that tree managers and policy makers must consider when attempting to control disease spread while maintaining the benefits of trees in cities.
There are potential trade-offs to consider when weighing tree removal to limit disease spread against the benefits provided by well-functioning diseased trees, particularly large-stature, mature trees that have the greatest capacity to enrich urban areas.
“The impact of Phytophthora disease on the studied street trees was variable, even under extreme heat events that occurred in the UK in 2022, highlighting possible tensions between tree disease management and ecosystem service provision,” said corresponding author Eleanor Absalom, PhD, of the University of Sheffield, in the UK.
“Given the growing threats of disease outbreaks and climate change, a better understanding of the impact of Phytophthora on urban trees is critical to maintain resilient urban forests.”
Journal Reference:
Absalom, E., Turner, A., Clements, M., Croft, H. and Edmondson, J., ‘Impact of Phytophthora Disease on the Growth, Physiology and Ecosystem Services of Common Lime (Tilia × europaea) Street Trees’, Plant-Environment Interactions 6, (3): e70054 (2025). DOI: 10.1002/pei3.70054
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by Wiley
Featured image credit: Gerd Altmann | Pixabay
