NO NEED TO DRILL BABY, DRILL

Floating solar panels could support US energy goals

New study shows federally controlled reservoirs could host enough energy to power approximately 100 million US homes a year

DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Federal reservoirs could help meet the country’s solar energy needs, according to a new study published in Solar Energy.

For the study, Evan Rosenlieb and Marie Rivers, geospatial scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), as well as Aaron Levine, a senior legal and regulatory analyst at NREL, quantified for the first time exactly how much energy could be generated from floating solar panel projects installed on federally owned or regulated reservoirs. (Developers can find specific details for each reservoir on the website AquaPV.)

And the potential is surprisingly large: Reservoirs could host enough floating solar panels to generate up to 1,476 terawatt hours, or enough energy to power approximately 100 million homes a year.

“That’s a technical potential,” Rosenlieb said, meaning the maximum amount of energy that could be generated if each reservoir held as many floating solar panels as possible. “We know we’re not going to be able to develop all of this. But even if you could develop 10% of what we identified, that would go a long way.”

Levine and Rosenlieb have yet to consider how human and wildlife activities might impact floating solar energy development on specific reservoirs. But they plan to address this limitation in future work.

This study provides far more accurate data on floating solar power’s potential in the United States. And that accuracy could help developers more easily plan projects on U.S. reservoirs and help researchers better assess how these technologies fit into the country’s broader energy goals.

Floating solar panels, also known as floating PV, come with many benefits: Not only do these buoyed power plants generate electricity, but they do so without competing for limited land. They also shade and cool bodies of water, which helps prevent evaporation and conserves valuable water supplies.

“But we haven’t seen any large-scale installations, like at a large reservoir,” Levine said. “In the United States, we don't have a single project over 10 megawatts.”

Previous studies have tried to quantify how much energy the country could generate from floating solar panels. But Levine and Rosenlieb are the first to consider which water sources have the right conditions to support these kinds of power plants.

In some reservoirs, for example, shipping traffic causes wakes that could damage the mooring lines or impact the float infrastructure. Others get too cold, are too shallow, or have sloping bottoms that are too steep to secure solar panels in place.

And yet, some hydropower reservoirs could be ideal locations for floating solar power plants. A hybrid energy system that relies on both solar energy and hydropower could provide more reliable and resilient energy to the power grid. If, for example, a drought depletes a hydropower facility’s reservoir, solar panels could generate energy while the facility pauses to allow the water to replenish.

And, to build new pumped storage hydropower projects—which pump water from one reservoir to another at a higher elevation to store and generate energy as needed—some developers create entirely new bodies of water. These new reservoirs are disconnected from naturally flowing rivers, and no human or animal depends on them for recreation, habitat, or food (at least not yet).

In the future, the researchers plan to review which locations are close to transmission lines or electricity demand, how much development might cost at specific sites, whether a site should be avoided to protect the local environment, and how developers can navigate state and federal regulations. The team would also like to evaluate even more potential locations, including other, smaller reservoirs, estuaries, and even ocean sites.

The research was funded by the Solar Energy Technologies Office and the Water Power Technologies Office in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).

Access the study to learn more about the immense potential for floating solar plants in the United States, or visit AquaPV to dig into the data on specific reservoirs.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC.

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Journal

Solar Energy

DOI

10.1016/j.solener.2024.113177 

Method of Research

Meta-analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Floating photovoltaic technical potential: A novel geospatial approach on federally controlled reservoirs in the United States

Article Publication Date

3-Feb-2025

 GET WOKE!

Waking up is not stressful, study finds

University of Bristol

Waking up does not activate an increase in the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol does, however, increase in the hours prior to wakening as part of the body’s preparation for the next day, new research led by the University of Bristol has found.  The study is published today [15 January] in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

For many years it has been generally accepted that waking up results in a stimulus to release hormone cortisol  - a phenomenon called the “cortisol awakening response” (CAR). This response has been used to investigate many clinical conditions including PTSD, depression, obesity, and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

A major limitation of studies using CAR is that protocols typically only assess samples obtained after waking up, and not in the period prior to this, since measurements are taken in saliva. Consequently, the studies are not able to prove a change in the rate of cortisol secretion over the awakening period.

To resolve the critical question of whether the rate of cortisol secretion actually increases after wakening, the Bristol research team used an automated sampling system to measure tissue cortisol levels both before and after wakening in 201 healthy male and female participants aged between 18 to 68 years old.

The researchers found awakening did NOT result in an increase in cortisol release, with no evidence for a change in the rate of cortisol increase in the hour after waking when compared with the hour prior to waking. This suggests that any change in cortisol levels immediately after waking are much more likely to be the tail end of the daily rhythm of cortisol - which starts increasing in the early hours of the morning, and reach a peak shortly after habitual wake time.

Importantly, the study also observed substantial interindividual variability in absolute concentration and rate of change, and differences in dynamics that may be attributed to length and timing of sleep. Based on these findings, the researchers suggest caution is needed when interpreting cortisol measurements solely obtained in the hour after waking.

The findings demonstrate that the major cause of any changes in cortisol around the time of awakening are predominantly related to the endogenous circadian rhythm of cortisol. Furthermore, the results also suggest that if cortisol has any relationship to awakening, it is with factors that contribute to the initiation of awakening rather than being a response to it.

Circadian rhythms, the natural 24-hour cycles of physiological and behavioural patterns, are extremely important adaptations to living on our planet with its daily light:dark and temperature oscillations, and disturbances of these rhythms contribute to many psychological, metabolic, cardiovascular and immunological health conditions. Understanding the role of cortisol rhythms in many of these conditions will be very important for researchers understanding of these disorders and their potential treatment.

Stafford Lightman, Professor of Medicine a Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences (THS), and one of the lead authors of the study, said: “Our study opens up a whole new framework for understanding the relationship of overnight increases in cortisol with  sleep, and how this may be disrupted in sleep disorders, depression and many other conditions.”

Dr Thomas Upton, Clinical Research Fellow and co-lead author in the Bristol Medical School: (THS), explained: “By measuring both before and after waking, this study provides much needed and crucial insight into the dynamics of cortisol with respect to sleep and endogenous rhythms. For me, a key message is that much caution should be exercised if attempting to interpret post-wake cortisol values where information about the pre-waking state is not known.”

Marcus Munafò, Professor of Biological Psychology and Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor - Research Culture at the University of Bristol, added: “As well as providing important insights into the biology of our sleep-wake cycles, this work illustrates how findings that have become received wisdom within the research community may be wrong.

“Making sure our work is robust and reproducible – including rigorously testing previous findings – is a central part of the research culture we try to foster at the University of Bristol.”

The research team suggest that future studies on mechanisms of arousal from sleep both overnight and during the morning should carefully consider dynamic changes in the activity of the hypothalamic pituitary axis - the system in the body that regulates the stress response and the release of cortisol – in addition to sleep and behaviour.

The study was funded by an EU Horizon 2020 grant ‘Ultradian’ (grant no. 633515) and a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) follow-on fund (BB/M019268/1).

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Journal

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences

DOI

10.1098/rspb.2024.1844 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Awakening not associated with an increased rate of cortisol secretion

Article Publication Date

15-Jan-2025

 

Protein shapes can help untangle life’s ancient history

A new way of merging genomic and structural data can help dive deep into evolutionary relationships

Center for Genomic Regulation

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Artistic concept of protein structures solving saturation

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Credit: Queralt Tolosa/Centro de Regulación Genómica

The three-dimensional shape of a protein can be used to resolve deep, ancient evolutionary relationships in the tree of life, according to a study in Nature Communications.  

It is the first time researchers use data from protein shapes and combine it with data from genomic sequences to improve the reliability of evolutionary trees, a critical resource used by the scientific community for understanding the history of life, monitor the spread of pathogens or create new treatments for disease. 

Crucially, the approach works even with the predicted structures of proteins that have never been experimentally determined. It has implications for the massive amount of structural data being generated by tools like AlphaFold 2 and help open new windows into the ancient history of life on Earth. 

There are 210 thousand experimentally determined protein structures but 250 million known protein sequences. Initiatives like the EarthBioGenome project could generate billions more protein sequences in the next few years. The abundance of data opens the door to applying the approach on an unprecedented scale. 

For many decades, biologists have been reconstructing evolution by tracing how species and genes diverge from common ancestors. These phylogenetic or evolutionary trees are traditionally built by comparing DNA or protein sequences and counting the similarities and differences to infer relationships.  

However, researchers face a significant hurdle – a problem known as saturation. Over vast timescales, genomic sequences can change so much that they no longer resemble their ancestral forms, erasing signals of shared heritage. 

“The issue of saturation dominates phylogeny and represents the main obstacle for the reconstruction of ancient relationships,” says Dr. Cedric Notredame, researcher at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and lead author of the study. “It’s like the erosion of an ancient text. The letters become indistinct, and the message is lost.” 

To overcome this challenge, the research team turned to the physical structures of proteins. Proteins fold into complex shapes that determine a cell’s function. These shapes are more conserved over evolutionary time than the sequences themselves, meaning they change more slowly and retain ancestral features for longer. 

The shape of a protein is dictated by its amino acid sequence. While sequences may mutate, the overall structure often remains similar to preserve function. The researchers hypothesised they could gauge how much the structures diverge over time by measuring the distance between pairs of amino acids within a protein, also known as intra-molecular distances (IMDs). 

The study compiled a massive dataset of proteins with known structures, covering a wide range of species. They calculated the IMDs for each protein and used these measurements to construct phylogenetic trees.  

They found that trees built from structural data closely matched those derived from genetic sequences, but with a crucial advantage: the structural trees were less affected by saturation. This means they retained reliable signals even when genetic sequences had diverged significantly. 

Recognising that both sequences and structures offer valuable insights, the team developed a combined approach which not only improved the reliability of the tree branches but also helped distinguish between correct and incorrect relationships.  

"It's akin to having two witnesses describe an event from different angles," explains Dr. Leila Mansouri, coauthor of the study. "Each provides unique details, but together they give a fuller, more accurate account." 

One practical example where the combined approach could make a significant impact is in understanding the relationships among kinases in the human genome. Kinases are proteins involved in many different important cellular functions. 

"The genome of most mammals, including humans, contains about 500 protein kinases that regulate most aspects of our biology," says Dr. Notredame. "These kinases are major targets for cancer therapy, for example drugs like imatinib for humans or toceranib for dogs." 

Human kinases have arisen through duplications occurring over the last billion years. "Within the human genome, the most distantly related kinases are about a billion years apart," says Dr. Notredame. "They duplicated in the common ancestor of the common ancestor of our common ancestor." 

This vast timescale involved makes it incredibly difficult to build accurate gene trees that show how all these kinases are related. "Yet, as imperfect as it may be, the kinase evolutionary tree is widely used to understand how it interacts with other drugs. Improving this tree, or improving trees of other important protein families, would be an important advance for human health,” adds Dr. Notredame. 

The potential applications of the work go beyond cancer. Using the approach to create more accurate evolutionary trees could also improve our understanding of how diseases evolve more generally, aiding in the development of vaccines and treatments. They can also help shed light on the origins of complex traits, guide the discovery of new enzymes for biotechnology, and even help trace the spread of species in response to climate change. 

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-55264-0 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Publication Date

15-Jan-2025

 

Bioinspired weather-responsive adaptive shading

Universitaet Stuttgart

 

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The adaptive, self-adjusting shading system “Solar Gate” supports the climate control of buildings.

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Credit: ©ICD/IntCDC Universität Stuttgart

Pine cones as a model: Researchers at the universities of Stuttgart and Freiburg have developed a new, energy-autonomous facade system that adapts passively to the weather. The journal Nature Communications has published the research results.

"Most attempts at weather responsiveness in architectural facades rely heavily on elaborate technical devices. Our research explores how we can harness the responsiveness of the material itself through advanced computational design and additive manufacturing," says Professor Achim Menges, head of the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and spokesperson for the Cluster of Excellence Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC) at the University of Stuttgart. "We are achieving a shading system that opens and closes autonomously in response to changes in the weather, without the need for operational energy or any mechatronic elements. The bio-material structure itself is the machine."

Using bioinspired design, natural materials, and widely accessible technologies, researchers at the universities of Stuttgart and Freiburg have developed the "Solar Gate" facade system – the first weather-responsive, adaptive shading system that operates without electrical energy. The scientists used the movement mechanisms of pine cones as a model for the "Solar Gate", which opens and closes in response to changes in humidity and temperature without consuming any metabolic energy. The team succeeded in replicating the anisotropic (direction-dependent) structure of cellulose in plant tissues using standard 3D-printers. The research results have been published in the journal Nature Communications.

Biobased hygromorphic materials and bioinspired 4D-printing

Cellulose is a natural, abundant, and renewable material that swells and shrinks with variations in humidity. This property, known as hygromorphism, is frequently observed in nature, for example in the opening and closing of the scales of pine cones or the inflorescences of the silver thistle. The research team leveraged this hygromorphic property by custom-engineering biobased cellulose fibers and 4D-printing them into a bilayered structure inspired by the scales of the pine cone.

Material systems produced by this additive manufacturing technique called 4D-printing can autonomously change their shape in response to external stimuli. For the "Solar Gate," the researchers developed a computational fabrication method to control the extrusion of cellulosic materials using a standard 3D-printer, making it possible to harness the self-shaping and reversible behavior of the 4D-printed material system. In high humidity, the cellulosic materials absorb moisture and expand, causing the printed elements to curl and open. Conversely, in low humidity, the cellulosic materials release moisture and contract, causing the printed elements to flatten and close.

“Inspired by the hygroscopic movements of the scales of pine cones and the bracts of silver thistle, Solar Gate has succeeded in translating not only the high functionality and robustness of biological models into a bioinspired shading system but also the aesthetics of plant movements. This can be seen as the ‘royal road of bionics’, as everything that fascinates us about the biological concept generators has also been realized in the bio-inspired architectural product,” says Professor Thomas Speck, head of the Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg and spokesperson for the Cluster of Excellence Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS) at the University of Freiburg.

Architectural integration of self-shaping elements

The research team tested the functionality and durability of the bioinspired adaptive shading system under real weather conditions for over a year. The "Solar Gate" was then installed on the livMatS Biomimetic Shell, a building demonstrator of the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC and the Cluster of Excellence livMatS, which serves as a research building of the University of Freiburg. The shading system has been installed on its south-facing skylight, which assists in the indoor climate regulation of the building. During winter, the 4D-printed shading elements open to allow sunlight in for natural heating. In summer, they close to minimize solar radiation. Powered solely by daily and seasonal weather cycles, this adaptive process operates without any electrical energy supply.

The "Solar Gate" thus represents an energy-autonomous and resource-efficient alternative to conventional shading systems. As buildings account for a significant proportion of global carbon emissions due to the typically high energy needed to maintain indoor comfort, reducing the energy required for heating, cooling and ventilation is of high importance. The "Solar Gate" highlights the potential of accessible, cost-effective technologies such as additive manufacturing and shows how cellulose, as an abundant, renewable material, can contribute to sustainable architectural solutions.

Project partners
The “Solar Gate” has been collaboratively developed by the Institute of Computational Design and Construction (ICD), Institute for Plastics Technology (IKT), and the Cluster of Excellence Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC) at the University of Stuttgart, together with the Plant Biomechanics Group, Department for Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), and the Cluster of Excellence Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS) at the University of Freiburg.

Publication
Cheng, T., Tahouni, Y., Sahin, E.S., Ulrich, K., Lajewski, S., Bonten, C., Wood, D., Rühe, J., Speck, T., Menges, A.: 2024, Weather-responsive adaptive shading through biobased and bioinspired hygromorphic 4D-printing. Nature Communications, vol. 15, no. 1. (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54808-8)

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-54808-8 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Weather-responsive adaptive shading through biobased and bioinspired hygromorphic 4D-printing

 

From drops to data: Advancing global precipitation estimates with the LETKF algorithm

Researchers propose a new data assimilation algorithm to improve precipitation predictions worldwide

Chiba University

 

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(a) The elevation (m) and examples of (b) the rain gauge observation inputs and the global precipitation estimates of (c) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA CPC), and (d) our study.

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Credit: YUKA MUTO from Chiba University (https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5401-2024)

With the increase in climate change, global precipitation estimates have become a necessity for predicting water-related disasters like floods and droughts, as well as for managing water resources. The most accurate data that can be used for these predictions are ground rain gauge observations, but it is often challenging due to limited locations and sparse rain gauge data. To solve this problem, Assistant Professor Yuka Muto from the Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Japan, and Professor Shunji Kotsuki of the Institute for Advanced Academic Research, Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, as well as the Research Institute of Disaster Medicine of Chiba University, Japan, have created a state-of-the-art method using the Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF) technique. This study was published in Volume 28, Issue 24 of Hydrology and Earth System Sciences on December 17, 2024.

 

LETKF is a sophisticated data assimilation algorithm that makes global precipitation fields more accurate and is used in meteorology, oceanography, and environmental science. It combines real-world observations with computer model simulations to provide accurate, real-time predictions of complex systems. When combined with different inputs, like sensors, satellites, and ground stations, it can provide more precise predictions, minimizing errors. In this study, Dr. Muto and Professor Kotsuki used the LETKF to enhance the ground data estimates through reanalysis. “We aimed to enhance the global precipitation estimates by integrating reliable ground rain gauge observations with dynamically consistent data from reanalysis precipitation,” explains Dr. Muto when talking to us about the rationale behind this study. Adding further, she says, “We observed that the LETKF algorithm not only improves the accuracy of the precipitation estimates, but it also offers computational efficiency, making it a reliable solution for large-scale applications.” 

 

To begin with, the team required two sets of inputs: the actual rain gauge observation data and the reanalysis data. For this, they utilized rain gauge observations acquired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA CPC). They further incorporated the reanalysis precipitation data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA5), which is a fifth-generation atmospheric reanalysis dataset produced by the ERA5 using satellite inputs and numerical weather prediction models. By using a 20-year climatological dataset from the ERA5 data (for 10 years before and 10 years after a given date), the LETKF algorithm constructed a “first guess” for the precipitation field and its error covariance. Further, the rain gauge observations from NOAA CPC were integrated into these first-guess ERA5-based precipitation fields by using the LETKF. The model enabled precise interpolation, even for regions that have sparse observational coverage.

 

Explaining the efficiency of this method, Professor Kotsuki adds, “Our estimates showed better agreement with independent rain gauge observations and were more reliable even in mountainous or rain-gauge-sparse regions when compared to the existing NOAA CPC product.” The model showed significant improvements in capturing the precipitation patterns in areas including the Himalayas, the Andes, and the central region of Africa. This reliability could hold a high potential in addressing natural disasters and resource allocations.

The proposed methodology is more reliable than conventional techniques due to its ability to construct a physically consistent first-guess estimate by using reanalysis data. In this, the model preserves the critical variations in precipitation patterns while reducing the smoothing effects that are often observed in existing models. This dynamic consistency is especially beneficial for complex terrains, like mountains, where conventional methods struggle.

Reflecting on the long-term implications of the study, Dr. Muto adds, “We believe that accurate precipitation estimates can transform how we prepare for and respond to disasters. By reducing uncertainty, we can mitigate economic losses, support sustainable water management, and prevent the stagnation of economic activities caused by extreme weather events.”

In summary, this study holds the potential to drive international collaborations and also innovations in climate science to ensure that global water resources are managed well to meet the challenges of the changing climate.

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Journal

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences

DOI

10.5194/hess-28-5401-2024 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Estimating global precipitation fields by interpolating rain gauge observations using the local ensemble transform Kalman filter and reanalysis precipitation

 

Exploring and mapping the distribution of temperate savanna in the sandy lands of eastern China

Science China Press

 

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Spatial distribution map of (a) temperate savanna and (b–d) landscape photographs of various types of temperate savanna.

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Credit: ©Science China Press

Savannas play a significant socioeconomic role in regulating net primary productivity and the terrestrial carbon cycle. Mapping the spatial distribution and extent of existing temperate savannas is crucial for their conservation and utilization, as well as for managing and restoring the natural semi-arid ecosystems in northern China. A team of scientists from the Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration at the Chinese Academy of Forestry revealed the distribution and, for the first time, mapped the presence of temperate savannas in the sandy lands of eastern China. Their findings were published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences.

The high spatial heterogeneity induced by the mixed distribution of savanna trees and grasses has consistently posed challenges for remote sensing mapping of this type. The team proposed a new remote sensing mapping method for separating woody and herbaceous vegetation and estimating fractional cover using Random Forest algorithms by integrating very high-resolution UAV and satellite imagery. Temperate savannas in the sandy lands of eastern China were mapped, and spatial characteristics of geographical distribution, soil, and precipitation were explored in the Horqin and Otindag Sandy Lands of eastern China.

Temperate savannas are primarily found in northern Horqin Sandy Land, central and eastern Otindag Sandy Land, and the transitional zone from the southern slopes of the Greater Khingan Mountains to the plains, covering an area of 3.27 million hectares. The fractional woody vegetation cover ranged from 5% to 45%, whereas fractional herbaceous vegetation cover ranged from 30% to 85%. There are three types of temperate savanna: elm, maple/oak, and shrub savanna. Temperate savannas concentrate in areas with annual precipitation of 330-420 mm, with soil types predominantly being Arenosols, Chemozems, and Kastanozems.

This study provides precise information on the geographical distribution and extent of temperate savannas in the sandy lands of eastern China, supporting the conservation and utilization of temperate savanna ecosystems, as well as the prevention of desertification and ecological restoration in these regions. The research methodology offers new insights for global-scale fine classification mapping and dynamic change analysis of temperate savannas.

See the article:

Li X, Wang F, Duan T, Yang K, Yang B, Wang C, Tian X, Lu Q. 2025. Distribution and mapping of temperate savanna in the sandy lands of eastern China. Science China Earth Sciences, 68(1): 128-141, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-024-1449-y

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Journal

Science China Earth Sciences

DOI

10.1007/s11430-024-1449-y 

 

Scientists investigate what makes some plant species ‘ripe’ for domestication

University of Southampton

 

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Gentically identical tomato plants grown in three different environments. The control condition represents good soil and no crowding (representing when humans cultivated the plants and fed and watered them). The other two represent aspects of a wild environment. The ‘human-modified’ environment resulted in bigger plants with more fruits.

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Credit: Anne Romero

Researchers at the University of Southampton have proposed that some wild plant species possess certain attributes which make them more suitable for human cultivation than others.

The scientists, investigating the origins of domesticated plants, say understanding these key genetic and morphological traits may provide important clues about how to develop future, climate change adapted crops.

They suggest that looking at today’s existing undomesticated or underutilised plants could help meet future challenges of developing varieties to resist rising global temperatures and unpredictable weather.

Domesticated plants are those which have been adapted from the wild for human use, often over thousands of years. Around 12-thousand years ago, hunter-gatherer societies began cultivating a wide array of species as more reliable sources of food. By repeatedly growing seeds from their best plants each season, humans slowly produced more robust crops with improved yields – but only some of the wild species were domesticated and others were abandoned.

The researchers behind this new study, published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, say useful, hidden properties in some wild species ‘primed’ them for domestication. Their research reviews a host of past literature and evidence to examine why just a minority of these wild plants were domesticated and how modern cultivated varieties differ at a genetic level from their ancestors and present day wild ‘cousins’.

Lead author of the study, Professor Mark Chapman of the University of Southampton, explains: “Tens of thousands of plant species are edible, yet just a few hundred have been domesticated and a mere 15 species provide 90 percent of our calories.

“Hundreds of wild plants were collected during the Neolithic period by humans, but were later abandoned as food sources. We have explored which genetic or physical traits facilitated or constrained the domestication of wild species.”

The team, which also includes scientists from the universities of Oxford, Sheffield and the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, identified three main influencing factors which make plants suitable for human cultivation:

• Plasticity – how a plant adapts to its environment. Quick and easily adapting plants with traits that humans favoured are more likely to have been useful for human cultivation.
• Genetic make-up – the simpler, the better. If a small number of genes influence the traits that humans could benefit from, then evolution of the crop morphology is more easily achieved.
• Mutation rate – the faster, the more chance of change. If a plant mutates quickly the process of trial and error to generate bigger seeds or tastier fruits will take less time.
   

The researchers say that understanding the complex, interrelated factors which lead to certain plant species dominating in domesticated crops can help us understand which wild crops may be successfully adapted to future conditions caused by climate change.

“When plants were first domesticated thousands of year ago, humans only knew the climate and weather conditions they would face at that present time,” explains Professor Chapman. “Now, using sophisticated climate modelling, we can predict how our world will warm and how our weather will change in the decades to come. This gives us the opportunity to think about the ways in which our crops will need to be resistant in the future.”

The scientists conclude that present day wild plants, underutilised crops in local communities, or partially domesticated species may hold key, useful traits which can be controlled through selection and precision breeding. They hope their study will help inform future work to adapt species with the aim of improving our food security in a fast changing world climate.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The paper ‘‘Domesticability’: were some species predisposed for domestication?’ is published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, DOI link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.007
    
2. For interviews contact Peter Franklin, Media Relations, University of Southampton, +44 23 8059 3212, press@soton.ac.uk.
    
3. For more about the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton visit: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/faculties-schools-departments/school-of-biological-sciences
    
4. The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world’s challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2025). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. www.southampton.ac.uk

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Journal

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

DOI

10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.007 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Domesticability’: were some species predisposed for domestication?

Article Publication Date

13-Jan-2025