News Listing Page

Home gardens are the biggest source of nectar for pollinating insects like bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies and beetles in Britain. The study led by the University of Bristol found that the amount of nectar produced in urban areas was concentrated in residential gardens -- roughly 85 per cent. In the cities studied, home gardens produce the most nectar per unit area of land and they cover the largest area of land studied compared to parks and allotment gardens. The research highlights the pivotal role that gardens play in supporting pollinator conservation and biodiversity in urban areas. These gardens form a valuable resource of food and habitats for pollinating insects. Gardeners can have a positive impact by choosing pollinator friendly plants, garden design and cultural maintenance practices. Click the title above to read more.

High in the Hengduan mountains of Southwest China, the valuable herb Fritillaria delavayi commonly known as Fritillary or 梭砂贝母(suō shā bèi mǔ) in Chinese, grows. Traditionally used to treat respiratory ailments, the group of Fritillary herb (川贝 chuān bèi) can be found in Asian cough remedies. A kilogram of the plant’s bulb is valued more than SGD 600 (approx. USD480). This herb can only grow at high elevations with cold and dry conditions, making the growing conditions hard to replicate for cultivation. As a result, fritillary can only be harvested from the wild and wild populations run the risk of getting overharvested. However, researchers found that in areas where fritillary is popularly harvested, the colours of the plant have become duller, blending into the surrounding. Whereas in inaccessible areas, the colours of the herb remain vibrant. This plant may be the first threatened species where natural selection can be observed to have played a part for the species to hide from its predator – Humans. Click on the title to read more.

Researchers from Kew have described a new leafless orchid with mottled brown flowers that resemble a mouldy paper bag. The orchid, Gastrodia agnicellus spends most of its life hidden beneath leaf litter in the tropical forests of Madagascar. It emerges after pollination, where fruit pods grow above the leaf litter for better seed dispersal. This small orchid relies on fungi for food as it does not have any photosynthetic ability. The flower has a musky rose-like scent that intensifies under warmer temperatures to attract its pollinators. Click the title above to read more.

Gardening has flourished during COVID-19. In Singapore, especially during circuit breaker period, many people who are stuck at home has picked up this new hobby to occupy their free time. Some of them have transformed a small part of their home into their own unique oasis. Nurturing these plants have helped people to relieve their stress and calm their minds. Click the title above to read more.

A recent analysis of a database of satellite images using artificial intelligence revealed that there are over 1.8 billion trees and shrubs with a crown size more than 3 square metres in size across a 1.3 million square kilometre area of West Africa and Sahel. The analysis also allows scientists to determine how much carbon is stored in deserts, a factor that is not currently included when modelling for climate change related research. Click the title above to read more.