Using forest inventory and LiDAR observations to uncover plant traits cooling and humidifying effects – The Applied Ecologist

Shortlisted for the 2025 Southwood Prize About the research Overview Our paper investigates how to maximize the cooling effect of urban forests. We wanted to know whether a tree’s leaf traits (like nutrient content) are more important than its physical structure (like canopy size) for reducing air temperature and increasing humidity in cities. By combining traditional […]

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Green Gilt Renaissance: UK Secures £6 Billion in First Major Issuance Since 2021

LONDON — Defying a week of intense global bond market volatility, the UK Debt Management Office (DMO) successfully raised £6.25 billion on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, through the syndication of its third sovereign green gilt. The sale, which marks the first new green maturity issued by the UK in nearly five years, saw a historic […]

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“The Energy Revolution”: EIB Pledges €75 Billion to Anchor New EU Clean Energy Strategy

BRUSSELS / LUXEMBOURG — In a decisive bid to cement Europe’s energy sovereignty, the European Commission officially adopted the Clean Energy Investment Strategy on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. At the heart of this legislative push is a commitment from the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group to deploy more than €75 billion in financing over the […]

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Early Career Research Award |

The Harper Prize is awarded annually by the British Ecological Society for the best paper in Journal of Ecology by an early career author. We are pleased to present the shortlisted papers for the 2025 award, published in Volume 113: 🌿Qitong Wang: Rhizosphere as a hotspot for microbial necromass deposition into the soil carbon pool 🌿Jianguo Ma: Ammonium preference and microbial nitrification […]

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Root exudate traits vary independently from plant growth strategies |

Suwan Ji and Guanghui Lv, Xinjiang University, discuss their article: Intraspecific competition drives orthogonal variation in root exudate metabolic and functional traits in seedlings of a dominant species In plant ecology, competition is a fundamental process regulating population dynamics. While plants appear stationary, they are actively engaging with their environment and neighbours in many ways, […]

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How do past disturbances shape tree growth? |

Yihong Zhu, University of California, Berkeley, discusses her article: Legacy effects under an emerging novel disturbance regime: A memory-based framework to quantify tree growth responses Emergent novel disturbance regime Moderate-severity disturbances, such as drought, pathogen irruptions, and prescribed fire, may not cause widespread tree mortality, but can leave lingering impacts on surviving trees. Such disturbances […]

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Shein at the BHV Marais: A Strategic Legitimisation Attempt Amid Environmental and Social Controversies

*** This article examines Shein’s 2025 opening at BHV Marais as a Corporate Legitimisation Strategy aimed at transitioning the brand from a digital-only disruptor to a physically validated retail peer. Utilizing mimetic isomorphism, Shein attempted to leverage the “Grand Magasin’s” heritage to repair its reputation amid systemic environmental and social controversies. However, this move coincided […]

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Powering the Future Sustainably: EIB Commits $1.1 Billion to Sub-Saharan Renewable Energy

LUXEMBOURG — In a major move to bridge Africa’s energy divide, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has pledged over $1.1 billion (€1 billion) in new financing to accelerate renewable energy access across Sub-Saharan Africa. Announced on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, during the annual EIB Group Forum, the commitment serves as a cornerstone for Mission 300—a […]

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EBRD Approves Landmark €150 Billion Climate Funding Strategy for 2026–2030

LONDON — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has unveiled a high-stakes roadmap for the next half-decade, formally approving a strategy to mobilize at least €150 billion in cumulative green financing between 2026 and 2030. Announced on Thursday, March 5, 2026, the target signals a massive scaling of the bank’s role as a […]

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Can plant functional diversity dilute plant virus infection? |

Beatriz Aguirre, Cornell University, discusses her article: Plant functional diversity does not dilute virus infection, but community virus prevalence positively correlates with net C3 grass production Greater plant diversity can protect plant communities from pathogens in wild and agricultural plant communities, and the effects of many aspects of diversity, such as genetic and species diversity, […]

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