Ecology News | Ecology | The Huck Institutes (en-US)

Jan 22, 2026

Domestication has changed the chemicals squash flowers use to attract bees

In a new study published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology, a team led by researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that domesticated flowers have different scent chemical profiles than wild plants in several species of squash. Additionally, the specialized pollinators of these plants—squash bees—detect different compounds, called floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in wild plants that they co-evolved with than in domesticated plants.

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Jan 16, 2026

Disease ecologist awarded grant to study ’infectome’ effects on fungal disease

Molly Bletz, assistant professor of disease ecology at Penn State, has been awarded a 2025 New Investigator Grant by the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, which is administered by The Pittsburgh Foundation and awards grants to support scientists at Pennsylvania colleges and universities conducting innovative and interdisciplinary research

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Study first author Michelle Zavala-Paez, doctoral candidate in Penn State’s Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, selects the main shoot of a hybrid Populus tree to collect the first fully expanded leaf for physiological measurements. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Dec 19, 2025

Genetic teamwork may be the secret to climate-resilient plants, researchers find

A plant’s success may depend on how well the three sets of genetic instructions it carries in its cells cooperate, according to a new study led by plant scientists at Penn State.

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Jan 12, 2026

$1.74M grant to fund Eastern Fire Network

Large wildfires are becoming more frequent in the eastern U.S., signaling accelerated risks to the built environment, human health and national security. To help address these threats, a researcher at Penn State is leading a new network — the Eastern Fire Network (EFNet) — that was awarded a $1.74 million, three-year grant.

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Dec 11, 2025

Mentorship and communication take center stage at training summit

Huck Institutes’ annual T32 summit underscores benefits of professional development alongside scientific training.

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A new study has uncovered several instances of wood warblers — like the magnolia warbler pictured here — passing color-related genes to other species of wood warblers, including those that are not closely related. Credit: Davey Walters. All Rights Reserved.

Dec 12, 2025

Warblers borrow color-related genes from evolutionary neighbors, study finds

Wood warblers, also called New World warblers, are some of the most colorful birds in North America, with more than a hundred species in the family ranging in color from yellow, orange and red to blue, green and pink. A new study led by researchers at Penn State has uncovered several instances of the birds passing color-related genes to other species of wood warblers, including those that are not closely related.

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Francisco Dini-Andreote and Andrew Patterson are both faculty in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Dec 09, 2025

Two College of Ag Sciences faculty earn spots on highly cited researchers list

Francisco Dini-Andreote and Andrew Patterson in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are among the most highly cited researchers in 2025, according to the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Group.

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Yangbo Yuan, a graduate student in engineering science and mechanics, and lead Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics in the College of Engineering, pose with their proof-of-concept test device — a wearable ring with an embedded, miniaturized accelerometer. Credit: Courtney Robinson / Penn State. Creative Commons

Nov 20, 2025

Shrinking materials hold big potential for smart devices, researchers say

Wearable electronics could be more wearable, according to a research team at Penn State. The researchers developed a scalable, versatile approach to designing and fabricating wireless, internet-enabled electronic systems that can better adapt to 3D surfaces, like the human body or common household items, paving the path for more precise health monitoring or household automation, such as a smart recliner that can monitor and co

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Penn State Beaver Associate Professor of Biology Sarah Nilson discovered Allium buridckii, a second species of wild ramps, growing in southwestern Pennsylvania. Credit: Sarah Nilson/Penn State Beaver / Penn State. Creative Commons

Nov 05, 2025

Second species of wild ramps discovered, solving long-standing debate

Overharvesting has led to conservation concerns for a popular foraged plant, but improved genetic understanding could help conservation efforts, researchers say.

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To see how microbial activity changes near and inside roots, the researchers chose crimson clover, or Trifolium incarnatum, as a test plant. It’s a legume commonly grown as a cover crop in the U.S. Northeast that forms root nodules with bacteria like the one shown here. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Nov 05, 2025

Novel technique reveals insights into soil microbe alarm clock

New study yields clues about when dormant microscopic bacteria and fungi in soil ‘wake up’ and colonize roots, which influences plant growth and health.

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