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Fire on the prairie

Fire plays an important role in many ecosystems, including the prairie. It cycles nutrients, clears out detritus that thwarts the sun’s rays from reaching young plants1, and directly stimulates germination of various fire-adapted species2. Many restoration efforts involve controlled burns. An interesting consideration is the release of carbon involved in such activities. Could stewards be…

On mustard and cabbages

The genus Brassica contains many familiar food crops, but what’s remarkable is the scant number of species required to fill the produce section at the grocery store. Most are cultivars of the same species. While it may be less surprising that cabbage and Brussels sprouts or broccoli and cauliflower are so closely related, all four…