The fattening forest: trees of the Amazon are getting bigger 

research paper available on request 

University of Birmingham

Facebook

X
Bluesky
Email

 

image: 

Scientists in Colombia measuring a giant Ceiba tree

view more 

Credit: Pauline Kindler

Average tree size across the Amazon has increased by 3.2% every decade consistent with a response to rising carbon dioxide levels, a new study suggests.  

 The new research published today (25 Sep) in Nature Plants by a global team of tropical forest scientists shows that the average size of trees in Amazon forests has increased over recent decades. The team of almost a hundred researchers monitored the size of trees in 188 permanent plots and discovered that the increase has continued for at least 30 years.  

The study is the result of an international partnership of more than 60 universities in South America, the UK and beyond – including the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, and Leeds. 

 Co-author of the study Professor Beatriz Marimon, from Universidade do Mato Grosso, who coordinated much of the Brazilian data collection in southern Amazonia, commented: “This is a good news story. We regularly hear how climate change and fragmentation is threatening Amazonian forests. But meanwhile the trees in intact forests have grown bigger; even the largest trees have continued to thrive despite these threats.”  

 The study found that both large and smaller trees have increased in size, consistent with benefitting from fertilisation by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.   

Joint lead author of the RAINFOR paper Dr Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert, from the University of Cambridge – who led the research whilst at the Universities of Birmingham and Leeds – commented: “Ahead of COP30 in Brazil later this year, these results underscore just how important tropical rainforests are in our ongoing efforts to mitigate against man-made climate change.   

 “Large trees are hugely beneficial for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and this study confirms that. Despite concerns that climate change may negatively impact trees in the Amazon and undermine the carbon sink effect, the effect of CO2 in stimulating growth is still there. This shows the remarkable resilience of these forests, at least for now.”  

 Dr Rebecca Banbury Morgan from the University of Bristol and joint lead author added: “Our paper also highlights how destructive Amazon deforestation really is. Large tropical trees are hundreds of years old. We can’t simply plant new trees and expect them to confer anything like the kinds of carbon or biodiversity benefits that the old, natural forest is providing.”  

 According to previous research by the RAINFOR network, the Amazon Forest plays a key role in taking up carbon which would otherwise be in the atmosphere.  

 “We knew that the total amount of carbon stored in the trees of intact Amazonian forests has increased. What this new study shows is that all sizes of tree have grown larger over the same period – the whole forest has changed.” added Professor Tim Baker from the University of Leeds, joint senior author of the study.  

The study is the first of its kind to measure how increases in CO2 have systematically changed the tree size structure of Amazon forests. The team noted that as the biggest trees have grown larger, they have managed to increasingly dominate competition for resources.   

The authors point out the new research has other implications too. According to Professor Oliver Phillips of the University of Leeds: “What happens to big trees – including how they deal with increasing climate threats and manage to disperse their seeds – is now mission-critical. The only way the giants will stay healthy is if the Amazon ecosystem stays connected. Deforestation is a huge threat-multiplier and will kill them if we let it.”   

ENDS  

View of the rainforest canopy

Credit

Adriane Esquivel Muelbert

PHOTO CAPTIONS 

• Scientists in Colombia measuring a giant Ceiba tree (Credit: Pauline Kindler) 

• View of the rainforest canopy (Credit: Adriane Esquivel Muelbert) 

Notes to editor:   

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, educators and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries.     

• The University is leading research to help mitigate and adapt to the risks and impacts associated with climate change - working with industry, academic and policy partners across the globe to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards the 2030 Agenda. Birmingham has been awarded UNFCCC Observer Status, which means its researchers are able to contribute to the vital discussions taking place at COP30.     

• Only careful, long-term measurements on the ground can tell us how intact forests are really changing on the inside. The RAINFOR Amazon Forest Inventory Network team of 95 researchers measured mature forest plots for more than 30 years, during which carbon dioxide concentrations have risen by nearly a fifth. In each plot the diameter of each tree was measured, the species identified, and investigators returned many times to revisit each tree and learn its fate. RAINFOR’s long-term aim is to understand the dynamics of Amazon ecosystems. For this, team members have developed a framework for the systematic monitoring of forests from the ground-up centred on plots that track the life and death of each tree and species, and including soil and plant traits, as well as intensive monitoring of carbon cycle processes at some sites. RAINFOR partners across the nine nations of the Amazon share a commitment to sustain forest monitoring and help develop new generations of Amazon ecologists.    

About the University of Bristol  

• The University is ranked within the top ten universities in the UK and 51st in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026); it is also ranked among the top five institutions in the UK for its research, according to analysis of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021; and is the 5th most targeted university by top UK employers.  

• The University was founded in 1876 and was granted its Royal Charter in 1909.  It was the first university in England to admit women on the same basis as men.   The University is a major force in the economic, social and cultural life of Bristol and the region, but is also a significant player on the world stage. It has over 20,000 undergraduates and over 7,000 postgraduate students from more than 150 countries, and its research links span the globe.    

---

Journal

Nature Plants

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Increasing tree size across Amazonia

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2025

 

Tiny sensors rapidly detect “forever chemicals” in water

The new portable test has the potential to distinguish different PFAS chemicals, including those on which the US Environmental Protection Agency recently put new limits

University of Chicago

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

"Forever chemicals" are notoriously difficult to detect, but a collaboration between the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Argonne National Laboratory has yielded a novel detection method. The method, which they plan to share via a portable, handheld device, uses unique probes to quantify levels of PFAS “forever chemicals,” some of which are toxic to humans.

view more 

Credit: Photo by John Zich

They linger in our water, our blood, and the environment—"forever chemicals” that are notoriously difficult to detect.

But researchers at the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) and Argonne National Laboratory have collaborated to develop a novel method to detect miniscule levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. The method, which they plan to share via a portable, handheld device, uses unique probes to quantify levels of PFAS “forever chemicals,” some of which are toxic to humans. 

“Existing methods to measure levels of these contaminants can take weeks, and require state-of-the-art equipment and expertise,” said Junhong Chen, Crown Family Professor at the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Lead Water Strategist at Argonne National Laboratory. “Our new sensor device can measure these contaminants in just minutes.”

The technology, described in the journal Nature Water, can detect PFAS present at 250 parts per quadrillion (ppq) – like one grain of sand in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. That gives the test utility in monitoring drinking water for two of the most toxic PFAS—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—for which the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed limits of 4 parts per trillion.

“PFAS detection and elimination is a pressing environmental and public health challenge,” said Andrew Ferguson, Professor of Molecular Engineering at UChicago PME. “Computer simulations and machine learning have proven to be an incredibly powerful tool to understand how these molecules bind to molecular sensors and can guide experimental efforts to engineer more sensitive and selective molecular probes.”

“Even though they are typically present at miniscule concentrations, PFAS do have certain molecular characteristics that differentiate them from other things dissolved in water, and our probes are designed to recognize those features,” said Seth Darling, a Senior Scientist at both Argonne and UChicago.

A detection challenge

PFAS are oil- and water-resistant chemicals that are used for a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including non-stick pots and pans, fast food packaging, firefighting foam, raincoats, and stain-resistant carpeting. Often called “forever chemicals,” they are incredibly long-lasting and do not naturally degrade, but instead accumulate in the environment and people’s bodies over time. 

In recent years, studies have linked PFAS to health concerns, including cancers, thyroid problems and weakened immune systems. In light of some of these findings, the EPA proposed the new limits for PFOS and PFOA.

“The problem with enforcing these limits is that it’s very challenging and time-consuming to detect PFAS,” said Chen. “You currently can’t just take a sample of water and test it at home.”

The gold standard for measuring PFAS levels is an expensive laboratory test known as liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, which separates chemical compounds and provides information on each one.

Researchers attempting to make their own faster and cheaper PFAS tests face a few challenges: for one thing, PFAS chemicals are often present in water at much lower concentrations than dozens of other, more common contaminants. In addition, there are thousands of different PFAS chemicals with only slight variations between their chemical structures—but important differences in their health effects and regulations. 

But Chen’s team has been developing highly sensitive, portable sensors on computer chips for the last fifteen years. Chen is already using the technology in a lead sensor for tap water, and his lab group suspected that the same method could be used in PFAS sensing. Their proposal to adapt the technology for PFAS became part of the National Science Foundation Water Innovation Engine in the Great Lakes. 

Designed by AI

The gist of Chen’s sensor is that if a PFAS molecule attaches to his device, it changes the electrical conductivity that flows across the surface of the silicon chip. But he and his colleagues had to figure out how to make each sensor highly specific for just one PFAS chemical—such as PFOS. 

To do this, Chen, Ferguson, Darling, and team turned to machine learning to help select unique probes that could sit on the sensing device and ideally bind only the PFAS of interest. In 2021, they won a Discovery Challenge Award from the UChicago Center for Data and Computing (CDAC) to support their use of artificial intelligence in designing PFAS probes.

“In this context, machine learning is a tool that can quickly sort through countless chemical probes and predict which ones are the top candidates for binding to each PFAS,” said Chen. 

In the new paper, the team showed that one of these computationally-predicted probes does indeed selectively bind to PFOS—even when other chemicals common in tap water are present at much higher levels. When water containing PFOS flows through their device, the chemical binds to the new probe and changes the electrical conductivity of the chip. How much the conductivity changes depends on the level of PFOS. 

To ensure that the readings from the new device were correct, the team collaborated with EPA and used EPA-approved liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry methods to confirm concentrations and verified that the levels were in line with what the new device detected. The team further showed that the sensor could maintain its accuracy even after many cycles of detection and rinsing, suggesting the potential for real-time monitoring.

“Our next step is to predict and synthesize new probes for other, different PFAS chemicals and show how this can be scaled up,” says Chen. “From there, there are many possibilities about what else we can sense with this same approach— everything from chemicals in drinking water to antibiotics and viruses in wastewater.” 

The end result may eventually be that consumers can test their own water and make better choices about their environment and what they consume. 

Citation: “Reversible ppt-Level Detection of Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid in Tap Water using Field-Effect Transistor Sensors,” Wang et al. Nature Water, September 25, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00505-9

---

Journal

Nature Water

DOI

10.1038/s44221-025-00505-9 

Article Title

Reversible ppt-Level Detection of Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid in Tap Water using Field-Effect Transistor Sensors

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2025

 

Indonesian breeds may carry genetics that can make cattle more sustainable and productive

University of Copenhagen

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

In Indonesia, cattle are not just cattle. The large island-nation houses a variety of different breeds, locally preferred for their unique set of physical attributes and strongly linked to culture and ceremonies. There is even a distinct species of domesticated bovine here, namely the Bali cattle, a domesticated version of the wild banteng (see Box 1). Little is known about the history of cattle in this archipelago, which is positioned at a crossroad between major historical trading empires and cultures, notably India and China. Local cattle are known to carry genetic ancestry from both zebu cattle (Box 1) and banteng, but their proportions and which genes derive from each ancestral species remain unknown. It is also not known when, why and how this mixing took place.

A new study led by researchers from University of Copenhagen and IPB University sheds light on these questions by generating the first whole-genome data from Indonesian cattle, including six local breeds and several populations of Bali cattle.

“We were quite surprised to find that cattle were most likely not introduced from India, which was a significant cultural and mercantile influence around the era of Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in the beginning of Indonesia’s historical period, but rather from mainland Southeast Asia. These mainland cattle were coming into Indonesia via at least two different waves, one into Sumatra and one into Java,” says Sabhrina Gita Aninta, a postdoc involved in the study from the Department of Biology. “This knowledge redefines our understanding of the cultural and maritime links in Asia around the start of the Common Era and suggests that Southeast Asia had more internal connectivity than previously believed.” 

Discovering a hybrid cattle breed

The researchers also investigated which parts of the individual Indonesian cattle genomes originate from a zebu and which from a banteng.

“We found that different breeds have different amounts of banteng genetics, with one breed - the Madura - having up to 36% of banteng ancestry. This makes the Madura effectively a hybrid between two different species, and totally unique in the world. Due to this high amount of banteng genetics, Madura cattle are also the most genetically diverse cattle in the world. They carry more than 3.5 million new genetic variants that are currently unknown to cattle geneticists around the globe,” says Associate Professor Rasmus Heller from UCPH, lead author on the study.

If the function of these new genetic resources can be catalogued, they could help genetically improve cattle elsewhere by modern breeding techniques (Box 2). For example, some of these genetic variants could have a positive impact on disease resistance, productivity under tropical conditions, or even greenhouse gas emissions. All of which would be immensely beneficial to the environment and to economies, as the cattle population in the tropics is predicted to grow substantially to feed a growing demand.

“Our results also help us understand which genetic variants can be introduced from other bovine species into cattle, by presenting us with a valuable ‘natural experiment’ running over about 1500 years, and showcasing which banteng variants have been retained, and which have been removed by natural selection in the admixed Indonesian cattle,” says Sabhrina.

Understudied cattle can hold solutions to global problems

These results are of immense significance for Indonesia - they provide the first whole-genome data from a severely understudied, and highly unique cattle system. Cattle genomics in Europe, India, China, the Americas and even Africa have been studied quite extensively, but Southeast Asian cattle have so far been omitted.

“With these data and results in hand, we have formed a baseline for future genomic studies on Indonesian cattle and answered many open questions about how the different breeds came to be what they are. I have no doubt that these findings will be the starting point for much fascinating research on Indonesian cattle and showcase how understudied local cattle can hold the key to important global questions,” says Professor Bambang Purwantara from IPB University, a co-author on the study.       

 

 

Box 1: The cattle of Indonesia

• Indonesia has a large number of recognized cattle breeds, each typically the preferred one in a particular region or island, while some others are more widespread through the archipelago. The ones included in this study are: Aceh and Pesisir from Sumatra; Pasundan, Jabres and Madura from Java; Ongole from Sumba.
• Cattle often play significant cultural roles in the local community, e.g. Madura cattle have been used for centuries for rice field racing (kerapan sapi) and highly ritualized beauty contests (sonok).
• In addition to these, Indonesia also has its own unique livestock species, namely the Bali cattle, which is a domesticated form of the wild and critically endangered bovine species, the banteng. Bali cattle are the most popular and widespread bovine type in Indonesia, as it is hardy and able to thrive under tropical conditions and with low-quality feed.

 

Box 2: Genomics in cattle breeding  

• Genomic data is increasingly used in livestock breeding to e.g. predict the breeding value of a given individual. These techniques have for example dramatically increased the amount of milk produced by European dairy cattle in recent decades.
• Genomic data can also be used to identify specific genetic variants associated with desirable traits, e.g. disease resistance, growth, or even methane emission. These can then be spread in the population either by selective breeding or by genetic engineering.
• Despite the utility of genomic data in improving livestock, tropical livestock is severely underrepresented in genomic catalogs of existing variation. This means there are probably many unknown, but potentially useful, genetic variants segregating among understudied cattle.
• Unfortunately, local cattle breeds are under pressure everywhere as highly productive cattle from e.g. Europe are being introduced into tropical settings where they may produce short-term gains but are likely to lead to a loss of cattle genetic resources over time, making the global cattle gene pool smaller and less diverse.

 

The study is a collaboration between the University of Copenhagen and IPB University, with contributions from several other Danish, Indonesian, Australian, Indian, Chinese, American and European research institutions. It was funded mainly by the Independent Research Fund Denmark and the European Research Council. The scientific paper for this study is published in the renowned journal Nature Communications.

---

Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-62692-z 

Article Title

The genetic diversity of Indonesian cattle has been shaped by multiple introductions and adaptive introgression

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2025

 

Turning rust into fuel: MANA advances green rust catalyst for next-gen hydrogen vehicles

Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

A green rust catalyst modified with copper oxide clusters facilitates efficient hydrogen production from sodium borohydride under light and thermal conditions, offering a scalable, low-cost alternative to precious metal catalysts.

view more 

Credit: Dr. Yusuke Ide from Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics

Researchers from the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), one of the centers under the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan, report an inexpensive iron hydroxide catalyst that could support the use of sodium borohydride as a hydrogen storage material.

As the world moves toward hydrogen-powered societies, one major challenge remains: storing and releasing hydrogen efficiently. Sodium borohydride (SBH) is a promising hydrogen storage material that can generate hydrogen through simple contact with water. However, this reaction typically relies on expensive catalysts made from precious metals like platinum, limiting its large-scale use.

In a recent breakthrough, researchers from the Layered Nanochemistry Group at MANA, led by group leader Dr. Yusuke Ide, along with Mr. Ezz-Elregal M. Ezz-Elregal and Dr. Mitsutake Oshikiri, developed a cost-effective, high-performance catalyst using ‘green rust’— a mixed-valent iron hydroxide mineral once considered too unstable for practical use.

The key lies in modifying green rust particles with a copper chloride solution. This process forms nanoscale copper oxide clusters at the particle’s edges, generating highly active sites for hydrogen production. The green rust structure also absorbs sunlight, transferring energy through the copper clusters to boost the reaction’s efficiency even further.

Performance tests revealed that the new catalyst achieves a high turnover frequency for hydrogen production comparable to or even exceeding those of traditional precious metal-based materials. It also showed excellent durability, maintaining catalytic activity through repeated use.

What makes this breakthrough especially promising is its scalability and practicality. The catalyst works at room temperature, is relatively easy to produce, and could integrate well with existing SBH-based hydrogen systems. With low-cost SBH production already being developed and pilot projects using the technology in hydrogen-powered ships, this advancement could accelerate the global shift to clean hydrogen energy.

“We expect that our catalyst will be used for hydrogen fuel cells in many onboard applications like cars and ships,” says Dr. Ide, “This will hopefully lead to various forms of emission-free mobility.”

Research Highlights Vol. 93

https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/researchactivities/highlights/vol93.html

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.5c01894

 

About Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA)

The Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) is one of the core research centers of the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS). Established in 2007 under the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), MANA pioneers the concept of Nanoarchitectonics to design innovative materials at the nanoscale level. MANA promotes world-class research, fosters global collaboration, and supports the development of young scientists. With a strong international presence and interdisciplinary approach, MANA continues to lead in advancing materials science for a more sustainable and innovative future.

Website: https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/index.html

MANA Research Highlights

MANA independently selects and publishes its exceptional research achievements as “Research Highlights,” which are different from the official ‘Press releases’ disseminated by NIMS, with the purpose of showcasing its research outcomes.

https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/researchactivities/highlights/index.html

About the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)

The WPI was launched in 2007 by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), to foster globally visible research centers exhibiting the highest standards and outstanding research environments. With over a dozen centers that operate at several institutions throughout the country, these centers are given a high degree of autonomy, allowing them to pursue innovative modes of management and research. This program is supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

See the latest research news from the centers at the:

WPI News Portal: https://www.eurekalert.org/newsportal/WPI

WPI program website: https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-toplevel/index.html

---

Journal

ACS Catalysis

DOI

10.1021/acscatal.5c01894 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

A Catalyst for Sodium Borohydride Dehydrogenation Based on a Mixed-Valent Iron Hydroxide Platform

 

Atom-precise agriculture: The future of eco-friendly crop protection

Science China Press

Facebook

XLinkedIn
MessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

Schematic illustration of single-atom copper pesticide for plant disease control

view more 

Credit: ©Science China Press

As global food security faces mounting challenges with 2.3 billion people experiencing food insecurity (FAO data), scientists have developed a breakthrough agricultural technology that could transform crop protection. Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Tsinghua University, and Hefei University of Technology (HFUT) have created a novel single-atom copper pesticide that addresses the critical limitations of traditional copper-based pesticides. Their study demonstrates how single-atom material technology can revolutionize agricultural chemistry by maximizing copper utilization while minimizing environmental impact.

Traditional copper pesticides like Bordeaux mixture, first developed in 1885, remain widely used but suffer from significant drawbacks. These conventional formulations often lead to soil copper accumulation (up to 103 mg/kg), plant toxicity, and environmental pollution due to their low atomic efficiency.

The newly developed Cu1/CaCO3 pesticide represents a quantum leap forward. Through precise chemical precipitation methods, the researchers anchored single copper atoms (1.02 wt% content) onto calcium carbonate carriers, creating a unique local Cu-O4 structure confirmed by advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques.

Field tests showed remarkable results: the material (1500 mg/L) achieved 77.97% disease control efficacy against rice pathogen Pantoea ananatis. Most impressively, it reduced copper soil residue by 20-fold while maintaining excellent plant safety and non-target organism compatibility compared to traditional copper pesticides. Researchers have discovered that the material may work through key mechanisms, including attacking the protective membrane of harmful bacteria and disrupting their energy production systems. This innovative design not only maintains high antimicrobial activity but also addresses longstanding environmental concerns associated with copper pesticides.

“This breakthrough demonstrates how advanced materials science can provide practical solutions for sustainable agriculture,” commented Professor Wu. “By reimagining traditional pesticides at the atomic level, we've created a tool that could help feed the world while protecting our ecosystems.”

The research opens up new avenues for green pesticide development and marks an important step in applying single-atom materials to address agricultural challenges. With its combination of high efficacy and environmental safety, Cu1/CaCO3 represents a promising alternative to conventional copper pesticides in global crop protection strategies.

 

Schematic animation demonstrating the structure of the single-atom copper pesticide

Credit

©Science China Press

The international team, led by Professor Yuen Wu and Associate Researcher Kong Chen from the State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry (USTC), in collaboration with Professor Jun Li from Tsinghua University and Professor Feng Wang from HFUT, published their findings in Science Bulletin.

---

Journal

Science Bulletin

DOI

10.1016/j.scib.2025.08.018 

Method of Research

Experimental study