Most plants pack their centromere into a single region of each chromosome, but a few Magnoliales species instead spread centromeric function along the entire chromosome. To understand the genomic basis of this difference, a research team from Northeast Forestry University and BGI Research assembled chromosome-level genomes for the holocentric species Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) and the monocentric species Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang), and compared them using integrated multi-omics analyses. The study was published in Journal of Systematics and Evolution.

Endosymbionts are widely distributed across various cell types in insects and are transmitted primarily vertically, while also spreading among different hosts through horizontal transmission. Functionally, they can be divided into obligate (primary) and facultative (secondary) endosymbionts. Obligate endosymbionts are essential for host survival, supporting growth, development, and stress resistance by synthesizing key nutrients such as amino acids and vitamins. Although facultative endosymbionts are not required for survival, they influence host phenotypes through reproductive manipulation, immune regulation, and environmental adaptation. The two types are functionally complementary, jointly meeting the host’s core needs in nutrient acquisition, reproductive strategies, and environmental adaptation.

Canavalia gladiata, commonly known as sword bean, is a leguminous crop with high seed protein content (26%–30%) and oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Despite its nutritional promise, the species has remained underutilized, largely because a complete genome and the genetic basis of its nutritional traits were lacking. Now, a research team from Yunnan University and BGI Research (Wuhan) has assembled the first gap-free telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome of C. gladiata, combined with integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling of developing seeds. The study was published in Journal of Systematics and Evolution.

Global warming could make "east-dominated" Indian Ocean Dipole events 80% more frequent

A new study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences finds that tropical cyclone activity and coastal hazard along East Asia have been shifting steadily northward.

A new study reports balloon-borne, in situ measurements of dust transport to the tropopause layer over the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, offering a fresh observational perspective on a process that has mostly been inferred from remote sensing and models.

Biological Diversity has opened submissions for its special issue themed on resilient nature under global change, guest‑edited by Professor Qing Ye, Professor Hui Liu and Professor Feilong Li. Against mounting anthropogenic pressures including climate disruption, land‑use shift and biological invasion, the issue targets research untangling links between biodiversity, ecosystem function, stability and resilience. It welcomes basic theories, technical advances, long‑term monitoring data, assessments and practical restoration cases, spanning multi‑stressor effects, ecological tipping points, diverse restoration strategies, soil‑microbiome recovery, smart restoration evaluation and adaptive governance. APCs are fully waived. Authors need to select the corresponding special‑issue option in the submission system, and all manuscripts are due by 31 August 2027.

Published by Wiley for the South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the peer‑reviewed open‑access journal Biological Diversity is calling for papers for its new special issue that decodes biodiversity via evolutionary mechanisms. Moving beyond single‑region or single‑taxon limitations, this issue encourages integrated research covering speciation, genomic adaptation, reticulate evolution, community assembly, eco‑evolutionary feedbacks, biogeography and evolutionary‑informed conservation, and accepts theoretical modelling, experiments, field surveys, comparative analyses and methodological innovations. Guest‑edited by Professor Pat Heslop‑Harrison, the special issue waives article processing charges (APCs). Manuscripts should be designated for this special issue during online submission, with a submission deadline of 31 August 2027.

Scientists have used a tethered balloon to make detailed measurements inside clouds over the Tibetan Plateau, revealing how aerosols shape cloud droplets and offering rare observations of weak electrical activity in clouds without lightning.

A new study published in Journal of Systematics and Evolution provides genomic clues to this question. Researchers from Southwest University, Dali University, and Arizona State University compared genomes from 15 spider species with different web-building strategies and identified evolutionary changes potentially associated with funnel-web construction.