Tree islands give oil-palm plantation a biodiversity boost
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Global demand for palm oil has resulted in huge expansion of the palm plantations needed to produce it, causing widespread tropical deforestation and species loss. To address this, researchers planted islands of native trees among the palms in a large plantation, and showed that this approach increases ecosystem health, without affecting crop yields. The team say that while protecting existing tropical rainforests should remain a priority, tree islands represent a promising way to restore ecosystems.
Research article: Zemp et al.
The oldest identified \u2018blueprints\u2019 depict vast hunting traps with extraordinary precision, and fossil evidence that pliosaurs swimming the Jurassic seas may have been as big as whales.
Research Highlight: Oldest known \u2018blueprints\u2019 aided human hunters 9,000 years ago
Research Highlight: This gigantic toothy reptile terrorized the Jurassic oceans
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how shredded nappies could partially replace sand in construction, and how CRISPR helped crack the mystery of the death cap mushrooms\u2019s deadly toxin.
Nature News: World\u2019s first house made with nappy-blended concrete
Nature News: Deadly mushroom poison might now have an antidote \u2014 with help from CRISPR
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