47th New Phytologist symposium: Extreme Heat: extending the thermal limits of life
Hosted by the University of Cordoba, Span, June 2026
Stay tuned for updates!
www.newphytologist.org/symposia/47-...

Check out this recently published paper by Seeley et al. in the Journal of Ecology illustrating how remote sensing reveals inter- and intraspecific variation in riparian cottonwood (Populus spp) responses to drought.
The paper can be found at: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

New paper published by Wilder et al. in the journal Global Change Biology reveals how recent anomalous drought and heat events are impacting native succulents in the Sonoran Desert. The paper can be accessed at: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Registration now open for the 2nd International Virtual Cactaceae Symposium: August 25-27, 2025.

www.ican-cactaceae.org/symposium

Off and running: Lab member Madeline Moran passed her oral defense and has advanced to PhD candidacy! Stay tuned for future posts covering Madeline's research results on plant acclimation to heat exposure. Congrats Madeline!

Need a Monday pick-me-up?

Here's a throwback to 2022, when our field ecology program director Susan Bush had an extraordinary encounter with a huge band of coatimundis while working at our field site in Wet Beaver Creek, AZ

How many can you spot??

#coati #ecology #fieldwork #arizona

Mapping the roots of saguaros at Saguaro NP. The DBG is partnering with SNP and the U of Wyoming to map the roots of saguaros. Knowing the distribution of saguaro roots reveals how sensitive they are to droughts, and to what extent these iconic plants engineer the water cycle of desert ecosystems.

Check out this recently published paper by PhD candidate Marilynn Vazquez-Cruz on the evolutionary origin and climate niche space of succulent plants: doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#Botany #PlantScience

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade 🍋

Well when Phoenix gives you record heat, you study plant heat tolerance!

This summer we used the natural heat to get our greenhouse up beyond 50°C (!) and studied how 8 dryland species responded - stay tuned for results!
#Botany #PlantScience 🧪

🚨 Paid research experience for undergrads! 🚨



Apply now for undergrad research summer program in Dr. Luiza Aparecido’s plant ecophys lab @ U of Utah, studying plant heat tolerance across Utah (May 19-Aug 1, 2025)

For more info contact luiza.aparecido@biology.utah.edu

#botany #PlantSciJobs

Phoenix summer temperatures shattered record highs in 2023 and 24. We are taking advantage of the high temps to evaluate thermal limits of heat-adapted plants. Stay tuned for future updates.

#CllimateChange, #PlantScience

Check out this recent paper by Dr. Jaclyn Corbin et al. in Plant, Cell and Environment showing how leaf reflectance can predict interactive genetic and environmental effects on tree phenotypes: doi.org/10.1111/pce....

#OpenAccess #PlantBiology #Botany

All about saguaros.
Lab manager Ali Schuessler presented to over 150 members of the Desert Foothills Land Trust in North Phoenix. Record temperatures in Phoenix have decimated thousands of saguaros and the public is taking notice. The DBG is researching strategies to protect saguaros.

#Botany

Phoenix just experienced its hottest summer on record! Our lab focuses on studying plant ecophysiology traits that underlie adaptation to heat waves and drought in the Phoenix area, Sonoran Desert region, and drylands across the globe. Check out our web page at: dbg.org/research-con...

Welcome to our newest lab arrivals - 20 young saguaro #cacti!
 
We're planting these saguaros in our #cactus common garden here at the Desert Botanical Garden, where they will help us study the response of cacti to changing soil water availability 🌵💧

#Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪🌎