A new study revealed that the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), a large-scale tropical disturbance that travels eastward through the tropics every 30–60 days, significantly influences climate conditions in Hawaiʻi. Their research showed that during active MJO phases, rainfall increases across the islands, especially on windward slopes. In contrast, suppressed MJO phases tend to produce drier conditions.

Conventional knowledge suggests gardeners should avoid including cultivated plants, bred for aesthetics, in pollinator gardens. Plant biologists studied how well these cultivated plants attract pollinators, compared to wildtype plants. Native wildtype plants always attracted insect pollinators, but some cultivated varieties performed just as well, showing they have ecological value in gardens. While other cultivated varieties were less attractive to pollinators, gardens with flowering plants that attract pollinators are better than grass lawns.

A new analysis of nearly 40 years of data from three tracts of North American grassland confirms what researchers have long said: that biodiversity can be a natural defense against climate threats. But the study also reveals that coping with climate extremes isn’t just a numbers game where the more species an ecosystem has, the better. Multiple dimensions of biodiversity can help nature survive — and thrive — in harsh conditions, the researchers report.